Unforgettable Family Bird-Watching Safari in Botswana

Though the Big Five often gets top-billing, a bird-watching tour of Botswana offers a unique and thrilling way of experiencing the African wilderness.

Halfway through our birding safari in Botswana, my wife, our two sons, and I had identified more than 150 winged species—no small feat for a family that had only recently embraced bird-watching as a hobby. We spotted giant kingfishers, pied kingfishers, and woodland kingfishers; our boys were particularly enthusiastic about kingfishers. We also observed spindly saddle-billed storks, graceful herons, bee-eaters, sunbirds, and even a difficult-to-find Pel’s fishing owl, complete with its striking orange feathers and black, marble-like eyes. However, one little bird remained elusive: the violet-eared waxbill.

This diminutive creature boasts an extraordinary appearance, flaunting red eyes, a pink beak, violet cheeks, an orange body, and a striking indigo tail. Images of this bird made it seem almost fictional. Yet it was notoriously hard to spot. “Private,” and even “secretive,” are terms often used in guidebooks to describe it. Thus, one afternoon, we set out on a mission: find the violet-eared waxbill or bust. We boarded our open safari truck, cruising from our camp in the Okavango Delta, passing herds of red lechwe and kudu grazing on the grass, heading towards an empty airstrip where sightings of the violet-eared waxbill had been reported years before. That’s how desperate our mission had become.

As we continued our journey, I felt overwhelmed by the expansive landscape around us—miles of waist-high grass stretching as far as the eye could see, and the woody aroma of bush sage filling my senses. There was not another truck in sight, nor a single house on the horizon. Despite being larger than France, Botswana is home to only 2.5 million residents, making it a vast and exquisite wilderness.

Upon arrival at the deserted airstrip, Diphonso Ditshupelo, one of our guides, turned off the engine. He and Ian Lombard, a bird specialist accompanying us, raised their binoculars and began scanning the thornbushes—a favored habitat of the violet-eared waxbill.

Ditshupelo, affectionately known as Dips, sat quietly at the wheel before leaning his head slightly to one side and gesturing for us to disembark from the truck. As we stepped down, he placed a finger to his lips and turned to us with a mischievous glint in his eyes. “I believe I hear something,” he whispered.

Bird-watching can seem niche or even tedious—until you dive into it. You discover it leads to a deeper connection with nature. This activity encourages you to slow down, clear your mind, and truly focus—like a form of Zen meditation within wildlife tourism. However, spotting elusive birds can evoke the same thrill as tracking big game. Searching, observing, and identifying as many species as we could became the perfect opportunity for our family to visit some of the world’s most beautiful places.

My wife, Courtenay, and I lived in Kenya, where our sons, 12-year-old Apollo and 10-year-old Asa, grew up. Therefore, we had the privilege of going on numerous safaris across East Africa. Yet, I had a longstanding curiosity about Botswana, which boasts the world’s largest population of elephants, strong conservation policies, and a record of peace and stability.

The Okavango Delta, a UNESCO World Heritage site that spans nearly 10,000 square miles in northwestern Botswana, is among the continent’s best-preserved wildlife refuges. It’s a rare inland delta that emerges where the Okavango River meets the desert, creating an oasis that supports an incredible variety of wildlife—from endangered rhinos and African wild dogs to rare birds like wattled cranes and slaty egrets. After five years away from Africa, we yearned to return and decided to embark on a bird safari in Botswana.

Our journey commenced in Kasane, a frontier town in northern Botswana near the legendary Victoria Falls. Here, four African nations—Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Namibia—converge, making it a key safari gateway after a modern airport opened in 2018. We arrived via Johannesburg, South Africa, spending three nights at a lodge just outside Kasane before making our way southwards to the Okavango.

The main allure in northern Botswana is the Chobe River, which draws vast numbers of elephants, giraffes, buffalo, and migratory birds. From our vantage point at the Chobe Game Lodge, we could observe many of these animals on the riverbank, complimented by the exceptionally kind staff and a menu featuring local specialties. The lodge is especially notable for its pioneering effort to employ all female guides—an uncommon occurrence within Africa.

On our first morning, Gobe Mmereki guided us on a pontoon boat. Having grown up in a village, she had long aspired to be a safari guide after watching National Geographic. Initially, many doubted her capabilities, yet there she was, confidently navigating us up the Chobe River as the sky transitioned from soft pink to vibrant blue. The riverbanks bustled with wildlife, including elephants playfully taking baths.

As we leisurely progressed along the water, Lombard, our birding expert, adjusted his binoculars toward the marshy riverbanks (expert birders remain vigilant, perennially on the lookout for new and unusual sightings).

“Apollo and Asa!” he called. “Look. Right there!” He pointed with enthusiasm. “There’s a ridiculously cool little bird.”

I raised my binoculars but only caught a glimpse of river grass.

“Come on, guys,” Lombard exclaimed playfully. “You can’t just look at the bush. You need to look into the bush.”

“Wait,” Apollo interjected (our family’s resident bird expert). “Is that one new?”

Lombard smiled. “Good work, Apollo. It is indeed a new one—a black-winged pratincole.”

“A what-winged-what?” I questioned bemusedly.

“A. Black. Winged. Pratincole,” Lombard articulated, his South African accent lending weight to his explanation. “And it’s relatively rare.”

To be honest, when I finally spotted the little bird, my first thought was: What’s the big deal? It was roughly the size of a sparrow, with black wings, a white breast, and an orange beak—far less impressive compared to the goliath heron that had just flown overhead. It made no distinct sounds or noteworthy gestures, merely pecking around on the riverbank in search of bugs.

Yet that black-winged pratincole had a fascinating story. “It’s a migratory bird from Russia,” Lombard explained. “Historically, they traveled in flocks of up to 20,000, but such large numbers haven’t been observed recently. It’s possible that a significant portion of their current population now resides in one large flock, which raises concerns about mass extinction if something were to threaten that group.”

Lombard’s words shifted my perspective on these avian creatures. From that moment, I possessed greater interest and empathy for our feathered friends. To the untrained eye, many birds may seem similar, but as Lombard emphasized, it merely indicates you haven’t been observing closely enough.

Lombard, with his tall stature and casual attire, seemed to embody the spirit of southern Africa. Tasked by andBeyond, the luxury travel company coordinating our safari, he met us at Johannesburg airport after our exhausting overnight flight from London. Despite a turbulent journey that involved our kids being sick, Lombard became our invaluable companion, sharing a wealth of wildlife knowledge coupled with an infectious enthusiasm for every animal we encountered.

“Oh my god,” he exclaimed on our second day at Chobe while searching for a leopard. “There’s another ridiculously rare bird. Look in that pond just before the sandpiper! It’s a female pygmy goose!”

This experience underscores the excitement of birding—finding unexpected species while pursuing different goals. The rare moments of spotting unique birds are part of the allure that keeps birders engaged.

Embarking on this bird-watching journey in Botswana, we anticipated broadening our knowledge and appreciation for avian life. Our subsequent days were filled with efforts to track and identify more elusive species.

Moreover, we cherished the energy of Kasane, which sparked curiosity for adventures beyond the lodge gates. Its sunbaked streets featured a distinctive baobab tree in front of the police station, once used as an unconventional prison space.

In our quest for adventure, we continued to unveil the natural splendor surrounding us and developed an enduring connection with Botswana’s wildlife.