Botswana Travel Guide
Botswana should be on the bucket-list for your next safari adventure in Africa.
With seamless connections to the rest of southern Africa, unrivalled wilderness areas – and an admirable track record of championing conservation-focused eco-tourism
Botswana may not be one of the largest countries in Africa – in fact, it doesn’t even make the top 20 – but packed into its 581 726 km2 (making it just a little larger than France) is a diversity of landscapes unrivalled on the continent.
In the course of a day you could swop the sun-bleached expanse of the Makgadikgadi Pans for the iridescent green of the world’s largest inland delta. Sleep outdoors beneath the Kalahari skies one night, and relish five-star luxury overlooking the lush Chobe National Park the next. A quick hop over the border to admire the Victoria Falls? You could easily do that too.
Okavango Delta
The world’s largest inland delta – stretched across 16 000km2 – is one of Africa’s most extraordinary landscapes. Formed not by rainfall, as many believe, but by the floodwaters of the Kavango River that begins in distant Angola, the Okavango is a wildlife wonderland, waiting to be explored on game drives, boat-based safaris and memorable mokoro excursions. Most lodges are situated on exclusive private concessions, with the iconic Moremi Game Reserve one of the most popular options for safari travellers.
Chobe National Park & Linyanti
This remarkable national park in the north-east offers some of the best game-viewing Botswana has to offer, and is home to the highest concentration of elephants in Africa. During the dry days of winter (May-Sept) animals walk for miles to drink at the river: expect hundreds-strong herds of buffalo, an elephant at almost every bend, and waters teeming with hippopotamus. The birding is equally remarkable, with more than 460 species recorded here. To the north of the park, the Linyanti is known for its populations of rare roan antelope and African wild dog.
Desert dreaming
The perfect contrast to the dazzling green of the delta comes in the shimmering emptiness of the Kalahari Desert. In the Makgadikgadi Pans, you’ll feel dwarfed by the empty expanse of one of the world’s largest saltpans, where the vast silence is simply part of the allure. Not that this landscape is empty: discover the annual wildebeest migration, get up close to habituated meerkats and perhaps enjoy a sighting of the rare brown hyena.
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With all that water about it’s no wonder Botswana is a dream destination for birders, with more than 600 species recorded. In the Okavango Delta keep a keen eye out for the rare Pel’s fishing-owl, a highlight for any dedicated twitcher. Summer (December-March) is the best season for birding, with migrants taking full advantage of the rains.
Ancient civilisations
Discover the ancient ways of the indigenous San people, with bush walks and village visits offering an insight into their changing way of life. In the north-west of Botswana the Tsodilo Hills preserves more than 4500 individual rock paintings, dating back to the Stone Age. Dubbed the ‘Louvre of the Desert’ it was inscribed as a World Heritage Site in 2001.
With the Okavango Delta the star of any safari to Botswana, you’ll want to plan your trip around the arrival of the floodwaters rushing south from their source in the Angolan highlands. The winter months (June-September) are the best time to visit, with minimal rainfall, warm temperatures and the flood reaching its peak in August/September. Game viewing is also superb at this time. Further south, in the deserts that dominate central Botswana, these dry months are ideal for appreciating the shimmering landscape of the Makgadikgadi Pans.
Temperatures begin to climb in October, and humidity spikes as the summer rains arrive in November. These grow in intensity through December, and continue on until March or April. But the rains are always welcome, as heavy afternoon thundershowers rinse the dust from the air and slake the thirst of parched soils. Note that some seasonal camps may close during this time, and safari drives could be limited by roads made impassable after the rain.
This remarkable ‘green season’ is perhaps most dramatic in the desert, where the landscape is transformed as grasslands and shallow lakes replace sand and salt flats. Flocks of colourful flamingos alight in the shallows, and the annual – yet little known – migration of zebra and wildebeest sees thousands of animals sprinkled across the once-barren desert.
Whether you’re dreaming of the delta or mesmerised by the Makgadikgadi, our team of experienced consultants will create a bespoke itinerary that ticks off everything on your Botswana bucket-list.
But if you want to make sure you’re not missing out on any special corners or local secrets, take a look at our most popular packages to Botswana…
Botswana has long focused its tourism industry on a model of low-impact eco-sensitive tourism. Across the country you’ll enjoy a wide range of remarkable safari lodges, guesthouses and under-canvas camps that capitalise on the incredible biodiversity of Botswana.
And Botswana has arguably set the standard for wilderness luxury in southern Africa, with an array of unforgettable destinations offering five-star luxury, attentive service and authentic hospitality. Africa by Design has carefully curated a collection of intimate lodges of character that will ensure an African safari to remember.
The currency of Botswana is the ‘Pula’, which is divided into 100 ‘Thebe’. Did you know that Pula is also the word for ‘rain’ in the local Setswana language?
ATMs are available in major towns, although you may have little need for the local currency on your trip, as lodges and hotels will accept major international currencies (Dollar, Euro, Pound Sterling) as payment. Major credit cards are widely accepted at lodges and hotels, although some may levy a surcharge on payments made by Diners Club or American Express. Souvenir shops and vendors will also usually accept dollars (preferably in small denominations) for purchases.
Tipping in public bars and restaurants is optional, but expected unless the service is poor. A gratuity between 10-15% of the bill is acceptable.
Safari lodges will offer individual advice on gratuities for guides, trackers and housekeeping.
Botswana operates on a 230V (50Hz) electrical system. For travellers from Europe, Australia and most of Asia this rarely poses a problem, but it is considerably higher voltage than the 110V used in the United States. Confirm that your appliances are multi-voltage before departure, or consider bringing an adapter/converter.
Botswana makes use of both Type D (three round pins in triangular pattern) and Type G (three rectangular pins in triangular pattern), but hotels and lodges can provide plug adapters on request.
Botswana is one of the safest countries in southern Africa, with a stable political system and extremely low levels of crime. As a tourist flying into one of the regional centres, then connecting onto a charter flight to the wilderness areas and national parks, petty crime should be of little concern.
However, a dose of old-fashioned common sense is always a good idea when travelling.
In crowded public places – such as airports and markets – keep a close watch on personal belongings (handbags, cameras etc) and avoid displaying valuables or large sums of cash. If visiting or overnighting in any large towns (such as Maun and Francistown) or cities (including the capital, Gaborone), ask your guide or hotel concierge for advice on safe areas to visit.
First-time travellers could enjoy a taste of Botswana in just a few nights on a whirlwind flying safari, jetting into Maun and chartering a light aircraft into the Okavango Delta or Moremi. But to truly experience the remarkable landscapes of Botswana a week is the minimum you should plan for.
This allows for a true immersion in the landscape of the Okavango Delta, complemented by a few nights under the star-spangled skies of the Makgadikgadi Pans. Alternatively, extensions to Moremi Game Reserve or the Chobe National Park can be included, perhaps en route to visiting the unforgettable Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe.
Travellers from the United States, European Union, United Kingdom and numerous Asian countries (but excluding China) do not require a visa to visit Botswana on holiday for up to 90 days. Click here to find out if you require a visa before arrival.
Your passport or travel document should be valid for no less than six months after the expiry of your intended visit. Failure to comply may result in entry to the country being denied.
No inoculations are required to enter Botswana, although travellers (older than one year of age) arriving from a Yellow Fever region must produce a certificate of prior vaccination on arrival.
Except for the most remote camps, Wi-Fi Internet access is offered in almost all luxury hotels and lodges, usually free of charge. Mobile connectivity is available in major towns and cities, and along key roads, but coverage will be limited or non-existent in remote areas.
Botswana Travel Destinations
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