Inside SI Swimsuit 2026: Meet the Women Photographed in Botswana

May is right around the corner, and you know what that means: The 2026 SI Swimsuit Issue is coming.

If you’ve been puzzling over which of your favorite models will make a triumphant return to the fold, while also manifesting the women who will make their rookie appearance in this year’s magazine, we’ve got some exciting news for you. Four franchise staples and one rookie model each traveled to Botswana for the 2026 SI Swimsuit Issue, and the resulting images are truly striking.

With Kérastase as the official haircare partner of 2026 and photographer Ruven Afanador behind the lens in the Southern African country, you’re not going to want to miss these galleries.

Below, we’re giving you a sneak peek of what’s to come when the 2026 SI Swimsuit Issue hits newsstands in May.

The location

SI Swimsuit partnered with world-renowned luxury travel company Abercrombie & Kent to travel to Stanley’s Camp and Baines’ Lodge, two A&K Sanctuaries. Located in the Okavango Delta in Botswana, both are intimate properties that sit on the Boro River at the edge of the Moremi Game Reserve. Stanley’s Camp offers 10 luxury tents for visitors, while Baines’ Lodge features six suites.

The uniquely beautiful wetland habitat is rich in wildlife, and provided an extraordinary backdrop for the 2026 SI Swimsuit Issue. Home to an estimated 9,000 species of flora and fauna, the wildlife-rich area is a serene destination, where visitors are likely to spot lions, cheetahs, elephants, giraffes and zebras at any given moment.

The models

Alix Earle

With the 2026 SI Swimsuit Issue, Earle returns to the brand for her third consecutive year. The 25-year-old content creator and model was our inaugural digital cover model in 2024, while she was photographed in Jamaica for last year’s magazine.

Known for her candid “get ready with me” videos, the New Jersey native boasts more than 10 million followers across TikTok and Instagram. In January of this year, she launched a new YouTube series, Get Real With Me, in which she interviews guests while getting ready together.

Penny Lane

Back for her third SI Swimsuit Issue photo shoot in as many years, Lane first joined the franchise when she was declared a co-winner of the 2023 Swim Search. Her open casting call victory landed her a rookie spot in the next year’s issue, when she traveled to Portugal for the occasion. Last year, she was photographed in Switzerland.

A native of Cheshire, England, the 31-year-old model is also a certified holistic health coach who uses her platform to promote her philosophy of balanced living, blending ritual with research-backed methods.

Achieng Agutu

A fellow co-winner of the 2023 Swim Search, Agutu will return for her third stint in the annual issue. She was photographed in Mexico for her rookie shoot and traveled to Bermuda for last year’s sophomore appearance.

The 29-year-old Kenyan model, known as the self-proclaimed “tantalizing confidence queen,” is also a digital content creator and television personality who constantly hypes up her more than 936,000 Instagram followers, encouraging them to be their most confident selves.

Camille Kostek

With her feature in the 2026 SI Swimsuit Issue, Kostek, a brand legend, marks her ninth consecutive year in the pages of the annual magazine. The television host and former NFL cheerleader was the co-winner of the brand’s model search in 2018, and has been featured in each issue since.

Kostek, 34, landed the cover of the 2019 SI Swimsuit Issue in her rookie year and earned her brand legend status just five years later. The Connecticut native uses her platform to spread messages of body positivity and inner strength, and in addition to being a jewelry and swimwear designer, is passionate about philanthropy. She works closely with both the Pete Frates Family Foundation and Gronk Nation Youth Foundation.

Meredith Mickelson

An actress, model and Gen Z influencer, Mickelson makes her brand debut in the 2026 SI Swimsuit Issue. The 26-year-old Georgia native was discovered at a shopping mall in her hometown of Atlanta at the age of 14.

Since then, she has made a name for herself in the industry, posing for editorial features with publications like Harper’s Bazaar, Vogue, Maxim and more. Mickelson has also collaborated with major brands, including Christian Louboutin and Maybelline, and has appeared in film and television projects Find Your Friends, Euphoria and The Beauty.