Things to do in Botswana

A helicopter ride over the Moremi Game Reserve

This is extreme animal spotting for those wanting to take their safari to the next level…

By Cindy Boshoff

Director of Sales and Marketing for Belmond Safaris

If you’re looking for something completely different, Khwai River Lodge offers helicopter rides exclusive to guests that really open up the Moremi Game Reserve with unparalleled perspective. This is extreme animal spotting for those wanting to take their safari to the next level. Before you fly, the pilot removes the doors for hair-raising views of Botswana’s wildlife.

The sound of wings beating the air as you detach from the earth is hugely exhilarating. You’ll fly over tracts of land unreachable by vehicle. From a bird’s eye view you can take in the lush floodplains swarming with wildlife of which Botswana is virtually unrivalled.

You can ask the pilot swoop low over the fig tree forests to get close-up views of the large herds of lechwe antelope often seen in the Moremi’s marshes. Your pilot is also an expert animal tracker who can scout out a pride of lion from a faint roar heard rolling over the hills. Or maybe you want to see a pack of wild dog which are certainly easier to spot from a helicopter. You’ll no doubt see grunting hippos in pods of over twenty. Their rotund bodies are so clearly defined from the air.

You can catch your breath in a remote spot where you’ll land and feel like royalty. We often like to surprise guests with decadent lunch spreads and ice-cold flutes of Moet.

Alfred & Cindy Boshoff

Originally from Johannesburg, Cindy Boshoff moved to London to embark on a career in hospitality. After 10 years of experience abroad she returned to Africa where she has lived for eight years in Cape Town working in the luxury hospitality industry. She is an avid birdwatcher, keen photographer and conservationist. Most of all she loves creating bucket-list Botswana travel experiences for her clients, one dream trip at a time.

Alfred&

Your journey will start with one of our UK team – someone like James, who's travelled extensively in Botswana. They’ll shape your ideas into the trip of a lifetime. But they won't do it alone. They'll draw on the expertise of our contacts on the ground, connecting you to the people who'll make your holiday one you'll always remember - the rangers who'll ensure you'll spot the best wildlife in Chobe, the village chiefs who'll give you an insight into local life and the helicopter pilots who can land you on an island in the Delta never visited by humans before.

James Davinson

Africa Travel Expert for Alfred&

James has spent 12 years exploring much of Africa, including Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, and Kenya. Rather than merely scratching the surface of a destination, his passion for diving ensures that he ventures well and truly under it! When he isn’t underwater, you’ll find him jumping into it, at the Devil’s Pool high above Victoria Falls. Time in South Africa has also made him partial to a spot of coastal driving and quality food and wine at a local vineyard.
Harrison Mangwegape

Guide at Camp Xakanaxa

Harry was born in the Botswanan village of Thamaga, near capital Gaborone. He loved wildlife growing up and trained at the Okavango Guiding School in Maun to pursue his passion. He started working as a guide at Desert & Delta’s Savute Safari Lodge in 2010 and later joined Leroo La Tau in Makgadikgadi Pans National Park, before moving to Camp Xakanaxa.
Keitumetse 'KT' Mogale

Guide at Camp Okavango

Keitumetse has been guiding for 12 years. He grew up in the village of Mogotho in the Okavango Delta and began his career as a tracker. He now leads walking safaris and game drives at Camp Okavango and enjoys sharing his stories with guests from all over the world.
Andrew Baker

Founder and Managing Director of Helicopter Horizons

Andrew grew up in Zimbabwe before moving to the US to train as a pilot. Botswana had always held a place in his heart, so he began his aviation career as a fixed wing pilot in the Okavango Delta. He founded Helicopter Horizons in 2004, offering photographic flights - without doors - for organisations such as the BBC and National Geographic. The company now offer scenic flights for tourists in the Okavango Delta, Linyanti region and the Makgadikgadi Pans, as well as transfers between safari camps.
Florence Kagiso

Senior Guide at Chobe Game Lodge

Florence grew up in a farming family in the Okavango Delta and has been a guide at Chobe Game Lodge for 17 years. When she joined in 2004, she was the first female guide at the camp - she now mentors a team of 17 women. Her work was recognised in National Geographic Traveller’s recent Reader Awards 2021, where she won The Innovator award.
Ollie Maitapiso

Guide at Leroo La Tau

Ollie grew up in the village of Xaxaba in the Okavango Delta and began his career as a trainee poler in 1999, taking guests out on mokoro trips. He started guiding in 2004 and joined Camp Xakanaxa in the Moremi Game Reserve in 2007, before moving to Leroo La Tau in 2014.