Combining Botswana and Mauritius: a trip of two halves

Ile aux Cerfs, Mauritius

Mauritius

If you’d like to combine a safari with time on palm-fringed beaches, Botswana and Mauritius make for a luxurious trip combination, with many opulent camps, lodges, and waterfront properties to choose from.

A safari in Botswana

For the most balanced experience and best wildlife viewing opportunities in Botswana, we suggest staying in two to three different camps or lodges. Three nights is the ideal time to spend at each.

It’s most likely that you’ll want to go to the Okavango Delta. This is the largest inland delta in the world and a certified UNESCO World Heritage Site. At its heart is the Moremi Game Reserve, which is surrounded by private concession areas. Most have a mix of habitats, with permanent rivers, floodplains, riparian woodlands, mopane veld, and lagoons. Some are considered “wetter” or “dryer” areas and offer different activities.

In Moremi, the rules are strict — no night drives, walks, or off-road driving are permitted, but, in the private concessions, the lodges tend to have broader offerings. Day and night drives are ubiquitous in these areas, and you can enjoy mokoro (dugout canoe) rides and boat cruises when the water levels are high enough.

Where to stay in Botswana

In terms of recommending actual lodges in Botswana, there’s a huge amount of choice, and we’ll help you pick them based on your particular interests, any animals you’d like to spot, and which activities you’d like to do.

If you want to see the biggest diversity of birdlife, then Pom Pom Camp and Kanana Camp are renowned for their birding. The best spot for lion and buffalo interactions is at Duba Plains Camp. And some of the most consistent sightings of bigger animals, including lions, leopards, and wild dogs come from the Chitabe and Kwara concessions.

Properties like Oddballs Enclave and Letaka Mobile Safaris offer a rustic, authentic, and wild experience. But, if it’s opulence you’re after, you might prefer camps like Selinda and Zarafa.

Botswana is one of the most expensive safari destinations, but there are no extra taxes or visa costs (providing your passports are British), and all activities, park fees, transfers, meals, and drinks tend to be included.

Time to relax & explore in Mauritius

In Mauritius, you’ll be treated to sugar-soft sands and aquamarine waters, as well as rainforest-shrouded peaks, if you venture further inland. During this part of your trip, you might choose to simply unwind along the coast, snorkel among the fish-filled corals, or relax with a spa treatment or two.

If you’ve still got energy after your safari, you could continue exploring. We can arrange for you to cycle to secluded beaches, enjoy a Mauritian lunch with a local family, or head out with a private driver-guide for a tour of the island that focuses on what interests you most.

Where to stay in Mauritius

For a boutique hotel with top-notch service and a contemporary style, there isn’t much that beats 20 Degrés Sud. Or, if you’d prefer to spend more of your budget on Botswana and less on Mauritius, then look at Seasense Boutique Hotel & Spa. Alternatively, if you’d like a resort-style hotel, the best options are the Oberoi or Constance Prince Maurice.

When to visit Botswana & Mauritius

July is peak season for a safari in Botswana — the weather is warm, wildlife viewing is good, and water levels in the Okavango Delta are at their highest. It’s also the most expensive time to be in Botswana, so visiting either side of July, in June or October, can get you better value for money. These are also two of the best months for a trip to Mauritius, when the weather is dry and there are fewer visitors around.

How do you get from Botswana to Mauritius?

You’ll need to take a couple of indirect flights to get from Botswana to Mauritius and possibly a stopover. After a safari in Botswana’s Okavango Delta, we suggest flying to Maun or Kasane, and then catching another flight to Johannesburg in South Africa. You’ll typically need to spend a night here before your flight to Mauritius, which takes around four hours.

Seven Coloured Earth, Black River Gorges National Park, Mauritius

How many hours does it take to get from Botswana to Mauritius?

Depending on where your safari camp is, it takes around 15–45 minutes to travel from the Okavango Delta to Maun or around one hour to Kasane. The flight from either Maun or Kasane to Johannesburg is just under two hours, and from Johannesburg to Mauritius it’s another four hours. However, you need to factor in extra time for connections and most likely a night in Johannesburg.

How many days are enough to spend in Mauritius?

After your safari and the journey from Botswana, we suggest spending upwards of five days in Mauritius. This will give you enough time to relax and unwind. You’ll also have the opportunity to explore other aspects of the island beyond its beaches, like its mountainous interior and Creole villages.

How do you get around Botswana & Mauritius?

We’ll arrange flights and drivers to and from your safari lodge or camp in Botswana. In Mauritius, the best way to get around the island is by car. You can opt to drive yourself or we can provide a private driver to take you between destinations.