Places: Botswana

When asked where in Africa is best to honeymoon, we will nearly always point to Botswana. With its diverse and beautiful biomes, plentiful wildlife, world-class hospitality, and low-volume approach to tourism, Botswana is the perfect destination for new couples looking to relax and enter a space that feels utterly removed from the noise and bustle of the outside world. Enjoy an exclusive safari in Chobe National Park, glide through the channels of the Okavango Delta in your own private mokoro, and experience true freedom together as you explore the Makgadikgadi Pans on horseback. Our experts will help you find luxurious lodges, the most unforgettable experiences, and build the best possible itinerary to ensure your Botswana honeymoon stays with you for the rest of your lives.

Luxury honeymoon experiences in Botswana

One of the best things about Botswana is how distinct and varied its landscapes are, and how many different ways there are to experience them. If you want an authentic safari, then Chobe National Park can provide this in spades, with its massive herds of elephants as well as opportunities to see the other Big Five, along with many other iconic animals. Chobe also stands out as it tends to focus on walking or boat safaris above more traditional game drives, offering a freshly serene perspective of the park.

Similarly, the Moremi and Selinda game reserves, situated further south on the Okavango Delta, have plenty of opportunities for water-based safaris, including on the traditional mokoro boat. Once you have been paddled silently through reed-strewn waterways to see giraffes browsing on hidden islands, you won’t be able to look at a safari jeep in the same way again.

For a very different but equally magical experience, one must head southeast to the dry, flat scenery of the Makgadikgadi Pans. This enormous salt flat, one of the largest in the world, might appear at first to be arid and empty, but closer inspection reveals a landscape alive with stark beauty waiting to be explored. Whether it’s an exhilarating quad bike ride, a gallop across the pans on horseback, or a sunrise hot air balloon flight, your appetite for shared adventure will be thoroughly satisfied. Enjoy a candle-lit bush dinner or sleep out under the innumerable stars of the African sky, and you will know the meaning of wild romance.

Best luxury honeymoon lodges and camps in Botswana

Botswana leads the way in exclusive, luxury hospitality. Most camps are comprised of just a handful of tents and lodges, perfect for couples looking for a secluded escape, and offer beautifully curated comfort. Sitatunga Private Island is a wonderful example of this, situated in an isolated section of the Okavango Delta with breathtaking views of the surrounding wetlands and boasting rustically opulent suites nestled amongst a grove of ebony trees. Zarafa Camp, located further northeast on the edge of the Delta, offers an equally luxurious stay with copper baths and wide decks for enjoying views of the Zibadianja Lagoon at the end of a long day of safari.

For those looking for rugged beauty, Jack’s Camp on the Makgadikgadi Pans is the quintessential safari camp that combines style and luxury. Its striking canvas suites and old-world furnishings will delight and transport any visitor. San Camp is similarly arresting in its aesthetic, with fluttering white tents and open, airy suites, perfect for enjoying the limitless vistas of the surrounding salt flats.

The best time to visit

Botswana is blessed with an ever-changing environment, dominated by the shifting nature of the Okavango Delta and the ebb and flow of dry and wet seasons on the Makgadikgadi Pans. Therefore, you can plan your honeymoon for any time of year and still experience the very best that Botswana has to offer. But what is the best time to visit for you?

The dry season, from May to October, is famously the best time for safari, particularly in the Okavango Delta, when the vegetation is thinner, making animals easier to spot. The weather is warm and dry during the day and crisp at night. May and June in particular are great months to visit, as there are slightly fewer visitors and couples can enjoy safari all the more intimately.

The green season, from November to April, is also a quieter time of year. Whilst animals are somewhat harder to spot, the swelling of the watercourses makes navigating the Delta easier. Furthermore, the new rains bring the Makgadikgadi Pans bursting to life, and animals that had fled over the parched dry months return in great numbers—most notably the thousands of zebras that venture down to feed on the fresh grass and give birth to their young.

Other destinations to couple with Botswana

Sitting right in the middle of Africa, Botswana is perfectly placed to combine with other destinations on the continent and beyond. Johannesburg is only a short flight from Botswana’s airports, making it easy to safari in South Africa’s Kruger National Park or Hwange in Zimbabwe as well. Alternatively, you can fly to Mozambique for some beach relaxation after a Botswana safari, or even to the Seychelles, making for the perfect ending to your dream honeymoon.

Why we love Botswana

Botswana is where cazenove+loyd began. We have been coming here and bringing our clients here for over 30 years, and we flatter ourselves that we sit amongst the world’s premier Botswana safari specialists. We have made it our business and our passion to seek out the absolute best lodges and camps, curate the most extraordinary experiences, and create treasured memories for our clients. Let us do the same for you and make your honeymoon last long after you’ve boarded the plane home.

Why book with c+l?

We, at cazenove+loyd, know the best local hosts, insiders and guides who will take you off the beaten path and under the skin of your desired country. You can trust our knowledgeable team of specialists to design the perfect bespoke itinerary for your luxury vacation. Get in touch to speak to an expert and start planning your next adventure now.

By safari specialist Wilder

Instilling a love for the natural world is one of the greatest gifts you could give your family. Having grown up in Botswana, I can confidently say that spending time in the bush has provided the most fun and impactful memories of my childhood.

The tented camps of the Delta are somewhere I was lucky to visit from a very young age and the memories I formed there have stayed with me ever since. Exceptionally well located and each offering something special and unique, these camps go back to basics while still providing all the touches needed to feel comfortable and secure, particularly reassuring for families embarking on their first safari with children.

Why is Botswana ideal for a family safari?

For families with older children, looking to plan a safari holiday, Botswana has some of the best options out there. Some lodges offer thoughtful family packages where children stay for free or at reduced rates. Family game drives tend to be shorter and focus on wildlife-rich areas, whilst other activities are available too, such as quad biking, horse riding and meeting with habituated meerkats.

Family friendly camps, like Little Machaba in Okavango or Camp Kalahari in Makgadikgadi Salt Pans, offer specifically youth-oriented activities: active tracking on foot safari, cultural bush walks with San guides, and even authentic bush camping, where sleeping under canvas and cooking on an open fire makes every day a formative experience that will stay with you for life.

With a strong emphasis on accommodating multi-generational families, a trip to Botswana is a fantastic place to be for children 6 and above. At cazenove+loyd we specialise in tailor-made luxury safari, that will be sure to enthral the youngest bush adventurer and most seasoned safari travellers alike.

Top three family safari lodges in the Kalahari Desert

Camp Kalahari

Set against the vast, shimmering salt pans of the Makgadikgadi, Camp Kalahari feels remarkably timeless. Traditional Meru-style tents open onto an otherworldly landscape where zebra and wildebeest migrations pass within view, alongside an array of desert-adapted wildlife. Days are shaped by discovery: enchanting encounters with habituated meerkats, walks with San Bushmen who share their ancient wisdom, and horseback safaris across open horizons. It’s a place where generations gather, explore, and reconnect beneath endless African skies.

Jacks Camp

Evoking the romance of a bygone era, Jack’s Camp blends mid-century elegance with the spirit of grand desert exploration. Persian rugs, campaign furniture and a cabinet-of-curiosities atmosphere create a retreat that feels both refined and adventurous. Families are warmly welcomed, with generous savings for children, while the camp’s intimate Natural History Museum sparks curiosity in explorers young and old. It’s sophisticated, storied and utterly distinctive.

Dinaka

Intimate and inviting, Dinaka’s eight thatched safari tents offer a gentle introduction to the wild. Families are embraced through the Young Explorers Programme, where specialist guides bring the bush to life through tracking adventures, fireside storytelling and conservation games. Young adventurers leave not only with treasured keepsakes, but with newfound confidence and a deeper connection to the natural world.

Top three family safari lodges in the Okavango Delta

Little Machaba

Away from the Delta’s busier stretches, Little Machaba offers a quieter rhythm of safari. Wildlife roams freely, from the Big Five to abundant plains game, but it’s the winding waterways that truly enchant. Drift silently in a mokoro canoe or explore by motorboat, gliding past vivid birdlife, watchful crocodiles and pods of hippos. Here, the bush reveals itself in whispers rather than spectacle.

Duba Plains Camp

With just five expansive suites overlooking sweeping floodplains, Duba Plains is both intimate and indulgent. Private plunge pools and uninterrupted views create a sense of serene seclusion. Families with children are welcomed into a safari experience that is as immersive as it is luxurious, with a Young Explorers programme designed to inspire curiosity and ignite a lifelong love of the wild.

Barclay Stenner Moremi

My final selection earns its place through an extraordinary attention to detail and gift for hosting multi-generational families. Guided personally by its owners, each stay at Barclay Stenner Moremi is crafted with the utmost care and intention. From young adults to grandparents, every generation finds its rhythm sharing stories, sightings and still moments that quietly become family legend.

Why choose c+l for your Botswana Family Holiday?

cazenove+loyd was founded in Botswana more than 30 years ago. Our Destination Experts have spent their lives exploring Africa’s wild places, developing deep-rooted knowledge and long-standing relationships on the ground.

This expertise – combined with an insatiable passion for safari and conservation – allows us to craft journeys that go far beyond wildlife viewing. Each experience is thoughtfully designed to immerse you in Africa, creating memories that endure long after you return home.