There’s no better place to see the stars than Botswana – home of the Okavango Delta and some of sub-saharan Africa’s least populated cities. The discovery of diamonds by overzealous termites in the 1960s (just a year after Botswana had gained its independence from Britain) meant one of the continent’s poorest countries became a global contender nearly overnight.
Botswana is a gem in itself – particularly for wildlife lovers. It’s home to Africa’s “forgotten great migration”, which sees thousands of zebra converge on Makgadikgadi Pans National Park. Intrepid travellers can jump into a dug-out mokoro canoe and pole into the winding channels of the Okavango with locals, sailing through wetland reeds that are home to grumpy hippos and a myriad of other beasts.
Luxury travellers, meanwhile, can stay in some of the most divine safari tented camps at any of the country’s powerhouse parks and game reserves (such as Moremi Wildlife Reserve, Chobe, or the Central Kalahari Game Reserve, for instance). Kick back with sundowners and a steak on the grill as you watch elephants, lions and buffalo take their turns at the neighbourhood waterhole.
If you’re keen to learn more about the origins on sub-saharan Africa’s first peoples, the San, head to D’kar or the natural gallery of rock paintings, which date back millennia at Tsodilo Hills.
Best for:
Nature Lovers; Eco Travellers; Voluntourists; Active Travellers; Luxury Travellers
