Botswana

Packed full of endless, starry skies, incredible wildlife, and vast African wildernesses, Botswana is a truly magical destination. The majestic Kalahari Desert spans approximately 70 per cent of the country. Home to a wide variety of wild animals, such as lions, zebras, giraffes, hyenas, wildebeest, hippos and crocodiles, the country also possesses the largest elephant population in the world (over 130,000).

Botswana’s world-renowned safari tours draw hundreds of thousands of visitors each year, keen to explore the wildlife havens created by the country’s vast national parks and lush greenery caused by seasonal flooding. Prime wildlife-spotting locations include Chobe National Park, the Moremi Game Reserve, and the Makgadikgadi Pans National Park, as well as the Central Kalahari Game Reserve, which is known for its fossilised river valleys and rolling grasslands. Botswana is home to the San people, whose rich culture includes fascinating prehistoric rock art, which visitors can see at the spiritual site of the Tsodilo Hills. Here, more than 4,000 rock paintings are scattered over 200 sites throughout the naturally colourful, dramatic landscape, including well-preserved images of zebra, rhinoceros and giraffes.