Special-interest safari
Birding in Botswana
550 species on the national list, four distinct habitats, and guides who know the call before the bird shows itself.
Botswana by habitat
Birding in Botswana
Some 550 species are recorded and accepted on Botswana’s national bird list, and we have bird guides who know where to find them.
Years of intensive bird-watching and listing lie behind that number, which includes a handful of rare vagrants that turn up every now and again. Alongside the national list there is a shadow list of birds known to occur just across Botswana’s borders, which can reasonably be expected to appear here from time to time.
Botswana is a country of varied natural habitats. Some species occur in almost all of them; others keep strictly to their own. That is what makes a habitat-by-habitat itinerary so productive, and it is how we build birding trips.
At a glance
| Format | A dedicated birding safari, or birding added to any of our itineraries |
|---|---|
| Duration | Whatever your list and your leave allow, typically 8 to 15 days |
| Prime habitats | Central Kalahari, Nxai Pan, Okavango Delta, Moremi, Chobe riverfront |
| Best season | The wet season, once the summer migrants have arrived |
| Guiding | An owner and a professional guide with you throughout |
| Rates | Quoted per itinerary and group size |
Every itinerary is tailored, so we quote per trip rather than publishing a headline rate. Ask us and you will have a written, itemised quotation.
Habitats
Where to find what
Central Kalahari
Tree and bush savannah. Ostrich, kori bustard, black korhaan, Caspian plover, black-chested prinia, scaly-feathered finch, and sabota, gabar and pale chanting goshawks, among others.
Nxai Pan
Bush and palm savannah. Palm swift and red-necked falcon, three-streaked and black-crowned tchagra, ant-eating chat, lilac-breasted roller, plum-coloured and Cape glossy starling.
Okavango Delta
Lagoons and aquatic grassland fringed with riparian forest. Many heron species including slaty egret and little bittern; Pel’s fishing owl; open-billed and saddle-billed stork in numbers; long-toed plover, and ducks and geese including pygmy goose.
Moremi
Delta water, big forest, dry sand and aquatic grassland in one reserve. A huge variety of water birds, raptors and vultures alongside the everyday species, a feast for birders and birds alike.
It turned out that Toff is not only a very experienced and excellent safari guide, but also a birdwatcher since childhood. There are some 500 different kinds of birds in Botswana and he knows them all. And what is more: he knows where to find them.
We had been to South Africa a couple of times before, so our Newman’s Birds of Southern Africa was already filled with notes, but in the fortnight with Toff and Kiddy we could add some 80 new species to our list. Botswana is a fantastic birding experience.
When to come
The best time to watch birds in Botswana is the wet season, once the migrants have arrived to spend the summer. That coincides neatly with our Kalahari Green Season departures, and it is also when the Delta and Moremi are at their most alive.
What guests come back talking about
Nelly and Auke’s notes give a fair picture of a fortnight’s birding here. Gliding through the shallows of the Delta by mokoro with an African fish eagle sitting in a tree above, watching the water for hours. A bateleur overhead with its red face and legs. Spur-winged and Egyptian geese, African jacanas, storks and plovers along the banks. Secretarybird and kori bustard out on the savannah. And everywhere the lilac-breasted roller, Botswana’s national bird, which as they put it is beautiful on a branch and breathtaking in sunlight.
How we build a birding safari
Birding can be the whole point of your trip, or a thread running through a general safari. We are happy either way, and so are our guides. We have accredited birding guides on board who will do their utmost to show you what Botswana has on offer, whether you are chasing lifers or simply enjoying the noise.
So if birds are your passion and the feather in your hat, rustle some like-minded friends together and let us plan a route around the habitats you still need.
Good to know
Practical notes
- Bring your own binoculars. The pair you know beats a borrowed pair every time.
- Early starts are non-negotiable for the best birding, but the coffee is ready before you are.
- Tell us your target species when you enquire. If they are findable in the season you are travelling, we will route around them.
Start the conversation
Interested in this safari?
Tell us when you would like to travel, how long you have and what you most want to see. You will hear back from Toff or Kiddy personally, not by a call centre.