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Mababe Safaris

Africa's best authentic tailor-made safaris

Mababe is an area that is a little off the tourist route, between Chobe National Park and the Okavango Delta, but it offers some of the most amazing game viewing for Botswana safaris.

Plains flood in the summertime, bringing in big herds of elephants and zebras. It’s a superb area to view predators, especially leopards and lions.

The plain never really dries up and remains a waterhole even in the dry season – this is a truly exceptional game viewing area.

Habitats here include grasslands, mopane woodlands, and wetlands, which support a wide array of wildlife and create extraordinary safari experiences for travellers to Botswana.

Top Destinations in Mababe

Elephants at a waterhole having a drink
The Mababe Depression is a seasonal floodplain that attracts wildlife during the wet season | Photo: Mashatu Game Reserve

When in the Mababe region, don’t miss out on these wildlife-rich spots:

Mababe Depression: A Popular Waterhole

The Mababe Depression is a seasonal floodplain. During the rainy summer months, this depression becomes a wetland and a main attraction for the animals in this area.

Never fully dissipating, the remaining water is still a hot spot for game viewing during the dry season as animals gather around the last remaining water sources.

Surrounding Woodlands: The Place to Spot Leopards

The surrounding woodland areas of Mababe are excellent for spotting predators like lions and leopards. During night and day game drives, make sure to look up into the trees to see if there are any leopards draped over the branches.

When’s the Best Time to Visit Mabebe?

Elephant spotted on a game drive in the Okavango Delta, Botswana
The best time to visit is during the dry season | Photo: Getty

The dry season, from May to October, is an ideal time of the year for a luxury Botswana safari. There is little to no rain to dampen your game drives and activities, and wildlife is easier to spot as they gather around the remaining water sources.

For lush scenery and excellent birding, you may want to book your safari during the wet season, which runs from November to April. This time of the year sees migratory species coming into the region.

Animals Found in Mababe

Zebras close-up | Photo credit: Mogotlho Safari Lodge
Zebras are often spotted at waterholes in this area | Photo credit: Mogotlho Safari Lodge

This area of Botswana is known for its elephant herds congregating around the water, as well as large groups of zebras and buffaloes. It’s also an area that’s ideal for spotting predators like lions, leopards, African wild dogs, and hyenas.

The Mababe Depression is also a fantastic birding area, with a range of species, including the crested francolin, yellow-billed oxpecker, spotted flycatcher, and swamp nightjar, to name a few.

How to Get to Mababe

A great safari experience would be to include the Okavango Delta, Moremi Game Reserve, and Mababe.

This region is easily accessible via 4×4 vehicle from the Savute Airstrip, which serves Chobe National Park, as well as from Maun International Airport, which is the main gateway to the Okavango Delta.

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What Our Guests Have to Say?

Read recent reviews from travellers who have planned and booked their trips with us

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Trustpilot review

"My wife and I and two of our friends took this trip, which covered South Africa, Zimbabwe and Botswana. The trip was customized based on our needs and our Tour Manager/ Coordinator, Vihann, planned and executed with such ease and precision, I cannot think o..."

Ashesh, United States08 Jul 2026

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Google review

"This is the second safari holiday we have used Dev to organise. We had the privilege of visiting three beautiful lodges on this trip, Devs recommendations in three different locations, Sabi Sands, Timbavati, and Makalali, which entailed a lot of organising ..."

Vivienne Lister, Australia21 May 2026

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"Coming in absolutely blind on how to plan an Africa trip, I stumbled across Discover Africa Safaris on the internet and reached out for an inquiry. Susan responded and started off with a video conference to ask about what we were thinking. Susan was extreme..."

Luke Stamatakis, United States20 Jan 2026

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"We had an amazing experience at Walkers Plains Camp. The wildlife viewing was superb from start to finish. Our guide Millie and tracker were super friendly, extremely knowledgeable and made the game drives an absolute pleasure. The camp was very luxuriou..."

Sue Panayiotes, United Kingdom28 Dec 2025

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"Africa was on my travel "wishlist" but I never thought I would actually get there That all changed when our son was home for a visit over Christmas. He announced that he and a friend were going to Africa. They had selected DISCOVER AFRICA to plan their t..."

Deborah Harlow, United States16 Sep 2025

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"We were looking for a safari tour for our honeymoon and it has been an extremely wonderful experience with Discover Africa Safaris and it has been a pleasure working with Susan Veldman who was very well organised in putting together a customised Safari itin..."

Amos Yap, Singapore27 Aug 2025

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