Vittorio Bottego (Parma 1860 – Africa 1897) was an Italian army officier and one of the first explorers of Jubaland in Africa (now part of Somalia), where he led two expeditions.

In his first expedition (1892-1893) he explored the regions near the Uebi and Jmi rivers in the Juba, arriving up to the clifts of mounts Faches .

In his second expedition (1895-1897) he ventured in the still then unknown region of the upper Juba, Lake Rudolf and the Sobat , along the Omo River, trying to return passing through Ethiopia, then at war with Italy. There he found his death near Jellen in a battle with the Oromo tribe. His body was never found and his last story told years later by two of his companions, Vannutelli and Citerni, who survived the battle but were kept in prison for two years by Menelik II, emperor of Ethiopia.

Main writings

• Viaggi di scoperta nel cuore dell'Africa (Rome, 1895)
• L'esplorazione del Giuba (Rome, 1895)

By his companions Vannutelli and Citerni:

• Seconda spedizione Bottego: l'Omo (Milan, 1899)