Botswana
Without doubt, Botswana is one of the best destinations on the African Continent. The vast open grasslands and the soaked delta make up some amazing terrain. Altogether, a safari in Botswana is a must if you're travelling Southern Africa.
20
national parks
3 Transfrontier parks
17% of all land is protected
Getting There
You can fly to Gabarone's Sir Seretse Khama - Botswana's main international airport from Johannesburg, however this may be skipped if you're flying directly to your safari.
Maun has daily flights from Johannesburg and Cape Town mean easy access to the Okavango Delta, with a quick transfer to a charter and onto your destination in the Delta.
Johannesburg, Gaborone or Maun all offer flights to Kasane. You'll transfer by road to lodges in the Chobe River area or smaller aircraft for safaris in the neighbouring areas. Victoria Falls is less than 100km away by road.
Charter flights on small aircraft are the norm for getting from place to place in Botswana with transfers and game drives conducted in open-sided 4X4 vehicles.
Sir Seretse Khama (GBE)
Ethiopia - Addis Ababa ADD Flight time: 5h 30m
South Africa- Johannesburg JNB Flight time: 0h 58m
South Africa- Cape Town CPT Flight time: 2h 0m
Namibia- Windhoek WDH Flight time: 1h 30m
South Africa- Durban DUR Flight time: 1h 15m
Botswana - Maun MUB Flight time: 1h 30m
kasane (BBK)
South Africa -Johannesburg (JNB) Flight time: 1h45m
Botswana - Gaborone(GBE) via Maun (MUB) Flight time : 2h15m
sir seretse khama
kasane
OKAVANGO DELTA
home to
population
2.254 million +
birds
+/- 597 species
mammals
170 species+
20+ languages Spoken
The Okavango Delta is a unique pulsing wetland. More correctly an alluvial fan, the delta covers between 6 and 15 000 square kilometres of Kalahari Desert in northern Botswana and owes its existence to the Okavango (Kavango) River which flows from the Angolan highlands, across Namibia’s Caprivi Strip and into the harsh Kalahari Desert.
plants
2,500 species +
TIME
Botswana is 2 hours ahead of the GMT, which is clasified as in Central African Time (CAT)
CURRENCY
The Pula is the currency of Botswana. It has the ISO 4217 code BWP and is subdivided into 100 thebe. Pula literally means "rain" in Setswana, because rain is very scarce in Botswana — home to much of the Kalahari Desert — and therefore valuable and a blessing. The word also serves as the national motto of the country.
WEATHER
Much the same as Namibia, Botswana gets pretty hot and can get pretty cold. April and May in Botswana are generally lovely, with the sky clear and the landscape green. June to August the night-time temperatures in drier areas can be close to freezing, but it warms up rapidly during the day,This continues into September and October, when temperatures climb again close to 40 Degrees Celsius. November is difficult to predict, as it can sometimes be a continuation of October's heat, whilst sometimes it's cooled by the first rains; it's always an interesting month
ELECTRICITY
For Botswana there are two associated plug types, types D and G. Plug type D is the plug which has three round pins in a triangular pattern and plug type G is the plug which has three rectangular pins in a triangular pattern. Botswana operates on a 230V supply voltage and 50Hz.
TRANSPORT
Botswana has a relatively extended public transport network; however, sparsely populated areas are hard to reach by bus or train. Public transport is also of little use to foreigners who visit the country for leisure as most of Botswana’s tourist attractions lie off the beaten track.
WHY BOTSWANA
THE DELTA
AMAZING ANIMALS
the big 5
excellent bird life
frequently asked
Tipping
Provided the service is good, it is customary to tip lodge staff and guides in either Pula or any hard currency on your Botswana safari. The amount that you tip varies depending on the staff member’s role and the size of your group.
In city restaurants and bars, a 10% tip is customary when the service charge is not included.
For in-depth tipping guidelines, enquire with one of our Safari Specialists - they'd be happy to share their knowledge with you.
questions
Best Time to Travel
Game Viewing safari - June to October (Dry Season)
Bird Viewing - All Year
Climate
Average summer temperatures: 18°C to 38°C
Average winter temperatures: 6°C to 27°C
Rainy season: October/November to March/April
What to Pack
Practicality is key for a Botswana safari. The daytime temperatures can exceed 40°C in the summer months, so shorts and t-shirts are best, however a longer t-shirt will help against the sun. Choose clothing in neutral colours (try to avoid white) and wear lightweight long-sleeved clothing at night and in the early mornings to protect against mosquitoes.
During the cooler months it is best to layer up as the days are still warm and sunny but the night time temperatures can drop close to freezing point. Be sure to pack a thick fleece or jacket for early morning and evening game drives, which can be very cold.
Flights & Getting Around
Gaborone: You can fly direct to Johannesburg and Maun. Getting to Kasane is a quick stop via Maun.
Maun: You can get direct flights from Johannesburg and CapeTown where you can hop on a charter aircraft for your flight into the Delta.
Kasane: There is a direct flight from Johannesburg. You can get from Gaborone via Maun in under three hours. If you're heading to the Okavango Delta you'll charter via light aircraft there, however you'd transfer by road to lodges in the Chobe area. Victoria Falls is less than 100km away by road.
Charter flights on small aircraft are the norm for getting from place to place in Botswana with transfers and game drives conducted in open-sided 4X4 vehicles. Transfers and game viewing by motor boat and mokoro (dug-out canoe) are common in the Okavango Delta.
Visa & Passport Requirements
Every visitor to Botswana must be in possession of a passport that is valid until six months after the initial date of travel; however, no visas are required by citizens of EU countries, most Commonwealth countries, the USA, South Africa, Switzerland, Israel and Norway.
Upon arrival you will receive a 30-day entrance stamp and, for those who plan on travelling onwards to Botswana’s neighbouring countries, visas for Namibia, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe can be obtained in Gaborone.
Ready to Go on Safari?
Get in touch with one of our Experts to help you tailor-make a safari itinerary:
