Botswana is Africa's premier safari destination, home to the stunning Okavango Delta and massive elephant herds in Chobe National Park. This landlocked Southern African nation offers pristine wilderness, diverse wildlife, and a commitment to conservation tourism.
Best photo spots
Iconic and lesser-known locations worth shooting.
Baines' Baobabs, Nxai Pan National Park
Famous cluster of seven ancient baobabs painted by explorer Thomas Baines in 1862 — unchanged to this day. In the wet season the surrounding pan fills with water creating perfect reflections.
Best time: sunrise
Chobe River Boat — Elephant Crossing
The Chobe River at Kasane sees elephant herds of 50-100+ animals crossing the river and drinking at sunset, creating dramatic action shots with golden light and water spray.
Best time: late afternoon
Kubu Island, Sowa Pan
An ancient granite island rising from the white Sowa salt pan, ringed by 1,000-year-old baobabs and utterly dark at night. The Milky Way arches over the twisted baobabs with zero light pollution.
Best time: night/sunrise
Okavango Delta Aerial from Maun
20-30 minute scenic flights from Maun Airport reveal the delta's extraordinary mosaic of waterways, islands, and wildlife trails from above. The patterns and scale are impossible to appreciate from the ground.
Best time: morning
Moremi Game Reserve — Third Bridge
The legendary Third Bridge campsite in Moremi is surrounded by water and woodland with extraordinary wildlife density. Predator action — including lions on kills, leopards in fig trees, and wild dog chases — is regularly observed from camp.
Best time: early morning
Makgadikgadi Pans Horizon
The vast flat salt pans create one of the world's most striking minimalist photography environments — a perfect white circle meeting a perfect blue dome. In the wet season, a thin film of water creates mirror reflections.
Best time: midday/wet season
By subject
Match your shooting interest to Botswana's strengths.
Sunrise photography
Baines' Baobabs at Nxai Pan; Kubu Island baobabs; Savuti marsh with mist rising — all face east for spectacular dawn light
Sunset photography
Chobe River elephants (west-facing bank); Okavango Delta mokoro silhouettes; Makgadikgadi Pans horizon — golden hour transforms the landscape
Architecture photography
Three Chiefs Statues (Gaborone Main Mall); Tsodilo Hills rock art panels; Domboshaba ancient stone ruins near Francistown
Street photography
African Mall vendors and Broadhurst market (Gaborone); Maun's main road with overland trucks; Kasane market area — always ask permission
Nature photography
Moremi Game Reserve (leopards and predators); Chobe National Park (elephants and water birds); Central Kalahari (black-maned lions and meerkats)
Night photography
Kubu Island Milky Way; Makgadikgadi open pans (zero light pollution); Okavango Delta lodges with star-filled skies
Best times to shoot
Light, weather, and seasonal considerations.
- Sunrise
- 5:45 AM in summer (Dec-Feb) / 6:45 AM in winter (Jun-Aug)
- Midday
- Best for abstract salt pan photography and interior architectural shots; harsh for wildlife
- Sunset
- 7:30 PM in summer (Dec-Feb) / 5:45 PM in winter (Jun-Aug) — plan to be on river boat or at pan edge 45 minutes before
- Blue Hour
- 30-45 minutes after sunset; brief but magical over water bodies like Okavango channels and Chobe River
Photography tips
Make your shots stand out.
Golden hour (first and last hour of light) is essential for wildlife and landscape photography — plan all game drives around these windows
A polarizing filter is invaluable for cutting reflection and boosting sky colors over the Okavango Delta's water channels
Protect gear from dust — the Kalahari and dry-season parks generate thick red dust that can damage camera sensors and lenses
A 400-600mm telephoto lens is recommended for wildlife; 24-70mm for landscapes; wide angle 14-24mm for astrophotography and panoramas