What a Botswana safari actually costs.
Four tiers, from a tent that goes up in the afternoon to a house you take over entirely. What you pay changes where you sleep, not who is looking after you.
What the money actually buys.
Rates below are indicative, per person per day, excluding international flights, and they move with the season. All four include park fees, transfers, activities and every gratuity.
| Feature | Kalahari | Delta | Signature | Grand |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indicative rate | USD 250–450 | USD 450–800 | USD 800–1,800 | USD 1,800–3,500+ |
| Character | Adventurous value | Classic comfort | Luxury, fully hosted | Exclusive use, entirely private |
| Accommodation | Walk-in mobile tents in private campsites | Established lodges and comfortable tented camps, en-suite | Premier camps of six to twelve tents inside private concessions | Exclusive-use villas and private camps |
| Transfers | Road, in private 4×4 Land Cruisers | Road and light aircraft | All internal light aircraft | Light aircraft and helicopter |
| Guiding | Dedicated guide-and-cook team travelling with you | Professional guide at each camp | Dedicated guide-and-tracker teams | Private guide and private vehicle throughout, no sharing |
| Hosting | Met on arrival | Met on arrival | Safari Host, arrival to departure | Safari Host plus a Director travelling with the group |
| Activities | Game drives, mokoro, walks | Twice-daily drives, mokoro, river cruises | Night drives and walking safaris in private concessions | Everything, plus private chefs and helicopter flights |
| Planning process | Identical | Identical | Identical | Identical |
| Gratuities included | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Rates are indicative per person per day, excluding international flights, and vary by season. Green season rates run up to 40% below peak.
Kalahari
250 from USD
per person, per day
- Fully-serviced mobile tented camping
- Private campsites in Moremi, Khwai and the CKGR
- Private 4×4 with a guide-and-cook team
- Walk-in tents, bedrolls, hot bucket showers
- Meals cooked over fire
Delta
450 from USD
per person, per day
- Established lodges and tented camps
- Okavango, Khwai, Chobe riverfront, Makgadikgadi
- En-suite rooms and swimming pools
- Twice-daily game activities
- Mokoro excursions and river cruises
Signature
800 from USD
per person, per day
- Premier camps inside private concessions
- All internal light-aircraft transfers
- Six to twelve tents, private plunge pools
- Night drives and walking safaris
- Safari Host throughout
Grand
1,800 from USD
per person, per day
- Exclusive-use villas and private camps
- Private guide and vehicle, no sharing
- Helicopter transfers over the Delta
- Private chefs
- A Director travelling with the group
Three things that do not change with the price.
The same planning process
One named Travel Designer, a designed proposal within 72 hours, unlimited revisions at no charge, and a personalised documentation pack before you fly.
The same guiding standard
Botswana Tourism Organisation-certified guides, drawn from the communities they guide in, whichever collection you book.
The same 24/7 support
A duty operations manager in Maun, reachable at any hour, plus emergency medical evacuation cover on every journey.
The questions we get before a quotation.
What does ‘all-inclusive’ actually cover?
Park, reserve and concession fees; all accommodation; all meals as specified, with house drinks in most Signature and Grand camps; every game activity — drives, mokoro, boat cruises and guided walks where permitted; every internal transfer by light aircraft, road and boat; professional Botswana-registered guides; drinking water; emergency medical evacuation cover; 24/7 in-country support; and all gratuities to guides, trackers, drivers and camp staff. You do not travel with an envelope of cash and a mental arithmetic problem in your head.
What is not included?
International flights, visas where applicable, travel insurance, premium wines and spirits, curio purchases, and optional extras such as helicopter flights or hot-air balloon where offered. We list these plainly in every quotation rather than in a footnote.
Why is Botswana more expensive than its neighbours?
Because of a deliberate policy choice. Botswana has run a high-value, low-impact model for decades: strict concession limits, small camp footprints and far fewer beds than the wilderness could physically support. You pay more per night and you share the sighting with nobody. It is why the country is still the least crowded premium safari destination in Africa.
Is the Kalahari Collection a group tour?
No. You get your own guide and cook, your own vehicle, and campsites that nobody else can book while you are in them. It is the same planning process as the most expensive journey we sell, at a different price. You are not buying a seat on somebody else’s truck.
Can we mix collections within one journey?
Frequently, and we often suggest it. Spending three nights at Signature level in a private concession and the rest at Delta level is usually better value than levelling everything up. This is exactly the kind of trade-off a Travel Designer exists to talk you through.
How far ahead should we book?
For July to October, twelve to eighteen months for the camps worth having — Botswana’s bed count really is finite and the best camps fill first. For the shoulder and green seasons, three to six months is usually comfortable. We have built excellent journeys at six weeks’ notice, but the camp list narrows quickly.
How do deposits and payment work?
A deposit confirms your journey and the balance is due before departure, on a schedule we agree in writing. Terms are set out plainly in your confirmation. We will always strongly recommend that you insure the trip.
Tell us your budget openly, and early.
It is the fastest route to a good itinerary. We would rather design something excellent within your figure than something compromised above it.