Hunting Safaris in Botswana. While some tourists are uncomfortable with the idea of hunting, it’s important to understand that licensed hunting contributes to the national economy, and in many cases, to local conservation efforts.
Why Does Botswana Allow Hunting Safaris?
1. Economic Value in Marginal Areas
Photographic tourism is concentrated in hotspots like the Okavango Delta, Moremi, and Chobe. Vast tracts of land in the Kalahari and along the fringes of protected areas are unsuitable for conventional tourism due to remoteness, low wildlife densities, or lack of infrastructure.
For these areas, sustainable hunting offers an alternative income stream—often the only one. Operators pay high fees for access, trophy licences and logistical support, and communities often receive direct payments or development funds.
2. Human-Wildlife Conflict Management
In rural villages, elephants raid crops, lions attack livestock, and hippos block river access. Hunting is sometimes used as a tool for population control in areas where wildlife numbers create persistent conflict. The quota system allows authorities to target problem animals rather than sanction indiscriminate culling.
3. Local Community Empowerment
Many hunting blocks are managed under Community-Based Natural Resource Management (CBNRM) programmes. In these models, village trusts hold the lease to a concession and make decisions about whether to lease it to a hunting or photographic operator. Hunting Safaris in Botswana lead to revenue from hunting often goes directly into community projects, schooling, healthcare, or infrastructure.
Conservation and Controversy
Hunting remains a highly polarising issue. International pressure from animal welfare organisations has led to campaigns against elephant hunting in particular. Some countries have banned the import of certain trophies. However, many conservationists in Africa argue that well-managed hunting can support biodiversity when combined with strong local governance.
Botswana is walking a fine line—trying to balance ecological needs, economic realities, and cultural practices. In regions where the costs of living with wildlife are high, removing hunting without viable economic alternatives can backfire. Local people need to see wildlife as an asset, not just a threat.
It’s also worth noting that hunting quotas are set conservatively, based on scientific assessments and community input. Botswana does not offer “canned hunts” or farmed lions—something that sets it apart from some other countries.
Should Travellers Be Concerned about Hunting Safaris in Botswana?
Most tourists visiting Botswana will never come into contact with hunting areas. The country has carefully zoned its parks and reserves to keep the two industries separate. Visitors to Moremi, Chobe, Khwai, Nxai Pan or the Okavango will be engaging entirely in photographic tourism, with professional guides and conservation-oriented lodges.
However, some travellers may want to understand where their tourism dollars go. Supporting community lodges, conservation-based operations, and eco-certified companies helps reinforce Botswana’s high ethical standards in wildlife tourism.
Why Do Hunting Safaris Still Exist in Botswana? Understanding the Difference from Wildlife Tourism
Botswana is renowned for its vast wildlife landscapes, its strong conservation record, and its thriving eco-tourism industry. Images of mokoros gliding through the Okavango Delta or lions stalking the Savuti marshes draw thousands of nature lovers each year. But behind this celebrated tourism model lies a more complex—and often controversial—reality: hunting safaris still take place in Botswana.
For many travellers, the idea of hunting elephants or leopards in a country famed for conservation might seem contradictory. Yet, hunting and photographic tourism are not the same, and in Botswana, they serve very different functions—economically, culturally, and ecologically.
In this article, we explore why hunting safaris still operate in Botswana, how they differ from sightseeing safaris, and what the broader implications are for conservation, communities, and the tourism economy.
A Short History of Hunting Safaris in Botswana: Bans, Reversals, and Policy
Botswana once had one of the strictest anti-hunting stances in Africa. In 2014, then-President Ian Khama introduced a nationwide hunting ban in response to concerns about declining wildlife numbers and poaching. The move was widely applauded by conservationists but also criticised by rural communities and hunting operators.
In 2019, the ban was lifted by the next administration, following consultations with local stakeholders, scientists, and village leaders. The government argued that the ban had created unintended consequences: more human-wildlife conflict, fewer economic options in remote areas, and a disconnect between local people and wildlife conservation.
Today, hunting safaris are legal again in Botswana, but they are strictly regulated. Quotas are issued annually, licences are limited and hunting areas are kept separate from photographic tourism zones.
What Is a Hunting Safari?
Hunting safaris in Botswana are not poaching, nor are they the free-for-all trophy hunts of the past. They are controlled, licensed operations, usually managed through hunting blocks on state or community-owned land.
Typically, they involve:
- Big game species such as elephant, leopard, buffalo, and occasionally plains game like impala and kudu.
- Licensed professional hunters, often partnered with international clients.
- Specific quotas for each species, issued by Botswana’s Department of Wildlife and National Parks.
- Permits, firearms checks, and government oversight throughout the process.
Hunting blocks are usually located in remote, low-tourism regions where photographic safaris are either unviable or too logistically difficult to sustain. In some areas, the hunting concession may be the only income source for the community.
How Are Hunting Safaris Different from Photographic Safaris?
The most obvious difference is the intent. Tourist safaris aim to observe, photograph, and admire wildlife, whereas hunting safaris involve tracking and killing a select animal.
But beyond that, the structure, purpose and economic model also differ:
Equally, it is helpful to understand that wildlife conservation is not one-size-fits-all. In Botswana, different land uses coexist—each playing a role in how people, animals and ecosystems interact.
Final Thoughts: Coexistence and Complexity
Botswana’s wildlife policy is both pragmatic and ambitious. It doesn’t rely on romantic ideals of untouched nature—it recognises the complexity of managing large landscapes, growing communities, and one of the most diverse megafaunas in Africa.
Hunting safaris are not everyone’s idea of conservation, and for many they will always remain uncomfortable. But within the Botswana context, they are part of a broader strategy that includes photographic tourism, habitat protection, local empowerment and ecological science.
As a traveller, you don’t have to support hunting—but you can still respect the delicate balancing act that countries like Botswana undertake to preserve wild places in a modern world.
Check out our other Safari Botswana blogs –
- Safari Botswana – A Tourist Heaven of Wildlife, Wilderness and Wonder
- Visiting the Okavango Delta – What You Need to Know Before You Go
- Nxai Pan National Park – Salt, Stars and Safari Stories in the Sands
- Makgadikgadi Pans National Park – Zebra, Rivers and the Silence of the Salt
- Savuti – Wild Dogs, Lions and Rock Outcrops in Chobe’s Wild Heart
- Moremi Game Reserve – Flooded Forests, Wild Dogs and the Pulse of the Okavango
- Khwai Game Reserve – Wild Dogs, Community Conservation and the Spirit of the Delta
- What to Expect on a Mokoro Ride in the Okavango Delta
- Walking Safari in the Okavango Delta – What to Expect
- Ancient Voices on Stone: Bushman Rock Art at Savuti, Chobe National Park
- Mobile Safari Camp or Self-Drive?
- Are There African Wild Dogs in Botswana? Tracking One of Africa’s Rarest Predators
- Are There Ground Hornbills in Botswana?
- Dr Livingstone in Botswana: Footsteps Across the Kalahari
- Is the Hippo the Most Dangerous Animal in Africa? It Might Just Be
- Sunset Safari on the Zambezi: An Evening Boat Ride from Kasane, Botswana