%3Aformat(webp)%2Fday_detail%2F781df2fc-30f8-4feb-9dd1-5e9b63c23a1a-_mg_2266.jpg&w=1920&q=75)
Yes — Botswana is one of the safest and most stable countries in Africa, and a superb, reassuring choice for travellers over 60. Crime against tourists is very low, the country is prosperous and well-run, and its safari areas — the Okavango Delta and Chobe — are premium, professionally-guided environments where you're exceptionally well looked after. Most visitors have a wonderfully smooth, trouble-free and utterly memorable time.
Because a Botswana trip is almost entirely about wildlife in wild places, the safety considerations are not crime but the bush itself: following your guide around unfenced camps and on game drives, taking care on water safaris, the malaria in the northern safari areas, and the small aircraft that link the remote lodges. All are routine and well-managed on a professionally-run safari.
Below is an honest look at why Botswana feels so safe, the wildlife and camp sense, water safaris, malaria and health, and how a guided safari keeps you comfortable throughout.
The quick answer
%3Aformat(webp)%2Fprovider%2Fb7fd38ed-1184-49cd-b2d1-d59241dabd2b-4planet-baobab-hut-2.jpeg&w=1920&q=75)
Botswana consistently ranks among the safest, most stable and best-governed countries in Africa. It's prosperous and peaceful, crime against tourists is very low, English is an official language and widely spoken, and its tourism is high-quality and low-volume by design — Botswana deliberately favours fewer visitors and premium, well-run camps. It's a genuinely reassuring place to travel.
For older travellers, this means one of Africa's greatest wildlife experiences — the water wilderness of the Okavango Delta, the elephants of Chobe — in a secure, professionally-managed setting. The everyday urban worries of some destinations simply don't feature here; a Botswana trip is spent in safari camps and reserves, where the focus is entirely on the wildlife and your guides look after everything.
Botswana's safari camps are often unfenced, meaning wildlife can wander through — which is thrilling and completely normal, but calls for simple common sense:
Handled this way — and it's all routine on a professional safari — being among the wildlife is exhilarating rather than dangerous. The guides are highly trained, and incidents are very rare precisely because the rules are simple and followed.
A Botswana trip has a couple of distinctive features worth knowing about:
None of this is strenuous; it's simply the character of a Delta safari, and all handled for you.
%3Aformat(webp)%2Fimg%2F2048x1536%2F199634.jpg&w=1920&q=75)
Malaria. The prime safari areas — the Okavango Delta and Chobe in the north — are malaria zones, especially in and after the rains (roughly November–June). Discuss antimalarials with your GP or travel clinic, and use repellent and cover up at dusk. Heat and sun are the other main factors — drink plenty of water, wear a hat and high-factor sunscreen, and note that winter mornings on game drives can be cold, so pack warm layers. Tap water at lodges is generally safe, and comprehensive travel insurance covering your age, conditions and activities is essential. This is general guidance, not medical advice.
How our experience helps
Botswana is, by its nature, a professionally-guided destination, and that's a large part of what makes it so safe and comfortable. On our safaris, expert guides handle everything — the wildlife, the mokoro trips, the camp routines — while you simply soak up one of the planet's great wildernesses. We choose comfortable camps, arrange the bush flights and luggage, flag the malaria advice for your route, and set an unhurried pace with the heat and early starts in mind. For a great many of our over-60s travellers, Botswana was the safest-feeling and most spectacular safari they'd ever taken.
Frequently asked questions
Is Botswana safe for older tourists? Yes — it's one of Africa's safest and most stable countries, with very low crime. A safari is a professionally-guided experience where you're exceptionally well looked after.
Is it safe to stay in an unfenced safari camp? Yes, with simple common sense — follow your guide, stay in the vehicle on drives, and let staff escort you to your tent after dark. Incidents are very rare on professionally-run safaris.
Are the mokoro and boat safaris safe? Yes — they're gentle and peaceful. You'll follow your guide getting in and out (they sit low to the water) and wear a life jacket. It's one of the loveliest ways to experience the Delta.
Are the small bush flights safe? Yes — light-aircraft transfers between camps are routine and safe, with superb aerial views. Note the tight luggage limits (a soft bag of around 15–20 kg), so pack light.
Do I need malaria tablets for Botswana? Likely yes for the northern safari areas (Okavango and Chobe), especially in and after the rains. Discuss antimalarials with your GP or travel clinic based on your route and timing.
Is Botswana suitable if I'm not very mobile? Much of a safari is enjoyed seated — in a vehicle, mokoro or boat — but there are steps up into vehicles and uneven ground in camp. Tell us about any limitations and we'll choose suitable camps and arrangements.
Related reading
Contact us
We’d love to hear from you. Please fill out this form.
All fields marked with (*) are mandatory.
%3Aformat(webp)%2Ff3bd3ce0-9458-4b6e-abac-3eda4912fb41-africa_ventura_logo_1200px_full_color.png&w=1920&q=75){kind=logo}
%3Aformat(webp)%2Fprofile-picture%2Fac95e35e-6142-427d-aed3-e90033adf0ad-f48c3f11-58cf-4cb0-b89a-0764861e6770-D885A1BB-2DA9-497D-B114-EF252CDD4CC3.jpg&w=1920&q=75)
%3Aformat(webp)%2Fprofile-picture%2F0db5ab50-a869-41b3-9221-bb91e536c520-999477b1-5216-43b6-b3fb-f565f2ac9517-a042073f-637d-45b9-82b9-7d2c97301c34.jpeg&w=1920&q=75)
%3Aformat(webp)%2Fprofile-picture%2Fbed004b2-b715-45cc-b38c-4900c26e4ee9-90b7e9e9-488d-47c9-a648-c60be255a696-91e9d39d-650f-44a6-8d8f-947829e288b4.jpeg&w=1920&q=75)
%3Aformat(webp)%2Fprofile-picture%2Fb022e753-45e7-48ae-8605-8426456967c6-98790099-4113-46e0-8c37-621e38d0b71c-0de1ba65-4104-4da4-aa33-383e85261d11.jpeg&w=1920&q=75)
%3Aformat(webp)%2Fprofile-picture%2Fff6f781f-e5ff-4007-bb3e-1f8360ff8854-c7881444-19de-4e87-a560-ccd4b609405b-b1ebb3c7-4166-41f0-a6f4-da715566df62-c7881444-19de-4e87-a560-ccd4b609405b-b9032ced-0d8c-49ee-881b-e2e5906b6871-c7881444-19de-4e87-a560-ccd4b609405b-3ac5895c-7d82-4ff2-8a91-3e79d18cdd0f-c7881444-19de-4e87-a560-ccd4b609405b-00997bca-7380-4c92-a82f-a1dbe4bd4d93-c5679819-7e4f-4949-ba42-0577a6baa53b-CEBC61F9-F18E-4455-824B-A277DED40398.jpg&w=1920&q=75)
%3Aformat(webp)%2Fprofile-picture%2Ff8cc0e36-6d99-4cd2-87ac-2c76b26d55b9-f9fda0d3-5236-456b-8e42-e1b44777b0af-798E9884-18B1-4FE3-9EC2-31E1A6AB786D.jpg&w=1920&q=75)
%3Aformat(webp)%2Fprofile-picture%2F39410910-6ddd-432e-94af-1f3714e95734-f9fda0d3-5236-456b-8e42-e1b44777b0af-0FCE1C72-AE89-4CE9-B223-D804A3D4FEDE.jpg&w=1920&q=75)
%3Aformat(webp)%2Fprofile-picture%2F99e676a3-b153-4bf5-927f-565a6388c891-99021a58-355a-492c-beb8-1167912e3847-84BBA9D2-32BA-4617-86FF-4FDF5BB167EA.jpg&w=1920&q=75)
%3Aformat(webp)%2Fdestination%2F0ff5d0f1-b4b1-4c5a-893a-2faeba6dfbe8-_mg_0137.jpg&w=1920&q=75)
%3Aformat(webp)%2F430f1fe7-c693-4805-8c3b-1fa03336d065-_h8a8001.jpg&w=1920&q=75)
%3Aformat(webp)%2Fday_detail%2Ff9c1454f-dadb-40e8-8233-510b0a9ddec2-img_3476.jpg&w=1920&q=75)
%3Aformat(webp)%2Fday_detail%2F29cda714-8a79-437d-bad3-a7ce5a42a6af-_mg_2148.jpg&w=1920&q=75)