Namibia
Landscapes first, wildlife second. Self-drive nation. Dunes, deserts, dramatic emptiness. Lower cost, lower density. Best for road-trippers and photographers.
Botswana
Wildlife first, landscapes second. Premium fly-in safari country (Okavango, Chobe, Linyanti). Higher cost, more guided, denser wildlife. Best for safari purists with a bigger budget.
South Africa
The variety play. Cape Town + Garden Route + Kruger in one trip. Easier infrastructure, more diverse trip. Best for first-time-Africa travellers wanting a bit of everything.
Combine them
Cape Town + Namibia (3+1 weeks) is the classic. Namibia + Botswana (Okavango by light aircraft, 5 days) is for the deeper safari obsessive. Pick one, do it well — combining all three is too much in under a month.
