Big Five Botswana Safari | Where to See the Big 5 Botswana

The Big Five Botswana

1. Cape buffalo

These massive cows can be best observed in the northern Okavango Delta. Buffalo, which can reach numbers in the tens of thousands, are at home in the calm waterways and like the verdant grasses of the Delta, especially the Duba Plains.

A herd can be broken down into two parts: the original herd and a group of renegade males that are too old to fight for mating rights.

Until the renowned buffalo-hunting lions catch wind of them, the bachelor group will stay in one place permanently. You can usually spot them drinking from water holes and generally enjoying life. Walking safaris often include seeing buffalo.

2. Elephant

Buffalo, which can reach numbers in the tens of thousands, are at home in the calm waterways and like the verdant grasses of the Delta, especially the Duba Plains.

A herd can be broken down into two parts: the original herd and a group of renegade males that are too old to fight for mating rights.

Until the renowned buffalo-hunting lions catch wind of them, the bachelor group will stay in one place permanently. You can usually spot them drinking from water holes and generally enjoying life. Walking safaris often include seeing buffalo.

The elephant herd will risk everything, including confrontations with crocodiles, hippos, and lions, to defend its young. Due to hormones and the social dynamics of the many herds, lone male musk oxen can be extremely hostile.

While elephants on a Botswana walking safari are a sight to behold, they are capable of violent outbursts if they perceive danger. You won’t have to worry about a thing because your knowledgeable walking safari guide will know just what to do.

3. Lion

Although lions are plentiful in Botswana, the Savute area of Chobe National Park is home to the country’s largest concentration. This region is ideal for ambush predation due to its dry savannah and grassy plains. Because of the Savute’s erratic flooding patterns, these lions have adapted to hunt on a wide variety of terrains.

The first lion pride to kill an elephant was the Savute pride, and they accomplished this by working together as a cohesive unit.

The Central Kalahari Game Reserve lions are far less in number than their Savute counterparts, but they’ve evolved some remarkable strategies to survive, such being able to go months without water and instead get their moisture from the food they eat.

4. Rhino

There has been a steady worsening of the poaching crisis that has driven rhinos to the brink of extinction in Africa. Rhinos, particularly black rhinos, are extremely rare and protected animals in Botswana because of this.

Northern Botswana is now home to a small population of rhinos, which should increase thanks to a recent South African-led initiative that reintroduced the species.

The Moremi Game Reserve, which is bordered by the Okavango Delta, is the ideal spot to spot rhinos. This private reserve is well-known for its luxurious camps and extensive safari offerings. Find out more about Botswana’s efforts to preserve rhinos by clicking here.

5. Leopard

Being able to climb, claw, and use their enormous jaws to lift a prey up a tree makes leopards one of the most adaptable large cats. When bigger prey isn’t around, they will consume insects and birds—they aren’t picky eaters either. Located on Botswana’s border with South Africa and Zimbabwe, the Tuli Block is an exquisite piece of land.

Mashatu Game Reserve offers a high probability of leopard sightings. Leopards are abundant in Africa, but their evasiveness and the dangers posed by other large predators mean that they are seldom seen.

Leopards are also common in Central Kalahari Game Reserve and Moremi Game Reserve, although in far lower numbers.

Safaris wouldn’t be complete without seeing the Big Five, and with Botswana’s stunning landscapes and commitment to protecting animals and the environment, you won’t have to worry about missing any of them. Depending on your budget, we may tailor a safari just for you.