BOTSWANA

Botswana lies landlocked at the heart of Southern Africa, bordering Namibia, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Its 600,000 square kilometres consist mainly of the Kalahari Desert and are home to just 1.8 million people with a very strong local tribal feel. And yet, despite the predominance of arid land, Botswana offers visitors a chance to see one of the most amazing phenomenons on the African continent; the Okavango Delta – the jewel of the Kalahari.

WHERE TO GO

Botswana is a safari destination like no other in Africa. From the vast open spaces – so vast that you can see the curvature of the Earth – of the Magkadigkadi and Nxai Pans (part of the Central Kalahari Game Reserve) to the close woodlands of the Linyanti and Savute regions of the Chobe National Parks, the variety of scenery and wildlife is exceptional.

In between lies the most amazing safari location in Africa – the Okavango Delta. A region of seasonal flood plains where the ebb and flow of life is wholly reliant on the annual inundation of waters from the highlands of Angola, some 1,000 miles distant. These waters arrive in early/mid May and transform the Okavango Delta into a glittering landscape of palm fringed islands separated by crystal clear water. The delta offers great game viewing year round but for five months the delta teems with wildlife in astonishing variety and number. The Okavango Delta needs to be on every wildlife lovers bucket list.

We have a great selection of sample itineraries below that we have created to provide you with everything you need for a fantastic holiday. These itineraries can be amended to suit your requirements, please get in touch to discuss your bespoke safari.

For a unique and authentic safari, with some of the most amazing views and opportunities to see a wide variety of wildlife in their natural habitats, Botswana is the place to visit. The Okavango Delta is a pristine wildlife area criss-crossed by water channels during the annual flood (usually mid May to early October) creating islands from slight high ground. The wildlife viewing although good year round is excellent in this season. Botswana is also home to some of the largest herds of elephants in Africa, which can be seen in the Chobe National Park. You’ll see a variety of animals in the Chobe River area including crocodiles, hippos and over 400 different types of birds. Victoria Falls is only a short distance across the border from Chobe National Park, and will make for a spectacular day trip.

If you want to witness the amazing migration of zebras and antelope, then visiting the Makgadikgadi Pans National Park in March/April; won’t disappoint you. For a chance to see the ‘Big Five’ then the Moremi Game Reserve is the place for you.

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ITINERARIES

Ultimate Botswana – Diamond

Kalahari Collection – Silver

Botswana-Okavango-LittleVumbura-BoatLake

Taste of Botswana – Silver Plus

Premier Botswana Gold

Intimate Botswana – Silver (Plus)

Diverse Botswana – Silver

Desert & Delta Safari (Silver)

Chitabe-Lediba-Botswana-Okavango-game-viewing-wild-dogs

Classic Botswana – Silver

Botswana's Waterways – Silver

Botswana in Style - Diamond

FEATURED CAMPS

We have the best selection of resorts & camps in Botswana to suit all of your needs and requirements. If you would like any additional information on any of these resorts & camps, please contact us directly.

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Xugana Island Lodge

Xudum Okavango Delta Lodge

Xaranna

Camp Xakanaxa

Vumbura Plains Camp

Tubu Tree / Little Tubu

Seba Camp

Sandibe

Pelo Camp

Nxabega

Mombo Camp

Little Vumbura Camp

Little Mombo Camp

Kwetsani Camp

Jao Camp

Jacana Camp

FEATURED CAMPS

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MORE ABOUT BOTSWANA

A shimmering green and blue wetland, the Okavango Delta, considered by many to be Africa’s most incredible wildlife and wilderness sanctuary, is the result of a subtle shift in tectonics, that rerouted major waterways and created the only delta in the world that does not flow into the sea, instead draining into the desert many hundreds of miles from the Mozambique coast. Every year, beginning in May, the floodwaters flow almost 1,000 miles from the Angolan Highlands into Botswana, bringing new life to the region. The arrival of the floodwaters adds to the natural rains that fall in Botswana from December to March, inundating the lower lying ground and creating seasonal waterways interspersed with palm topped islands.

Flying over the delta is a surreal experience. Flat as far as the eye can see, the shimmering blue of the waterlogged plains is broken by raised tree covered islands banded by thick green reeds, creating artistic swirls and circles. The water is so clear that it is possible to see all the way through to the white sands of the Kalahari on the bottom; sands that are several hundreds of feet thick.

But Botswana is more than just the Okavango Delta and Kalahari, for there are also many other varied habitats ranging from marshes and riverine forests to dry woodlands and grassland of the Linyanti and Selinda regions to the well known Chobe National Park, which stretches north-eastwards to the junction of Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe and one of the greatest natural wonders of the world; Victoria Falls. The falls boasts the largest unbroken curtain of water in the world. The falls experience peak flow in April and May, when you can hardly hear your guide, to it’s lowest flow in November when you can walk across the top of the falls or bathe in the Devil’s Pool, just yards from the edge.

Another must visit location is the Magkadigkadi and Nxai Pans, formed from dried up ‘super lakes’ – again caused by the shift in plate tectonics, these pans see the longest annual migration of wildlife outside Tanzania’s Great Migration, with thousands of zebra moving from the far north of the country.

WHEN TO GO

The climate of Botswana varies depending upon where you’re looking to stay. The closer you are to Okavango, the cooler it will be due to the large amount of water. However, the Kalahari and the surrounding area is much more extreme with it being very hot during the day and much colder at night.

Temperatures

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun
Low (°C)	19	19	18	14	9	6
High (°C)	32	31	30	31	26	23

	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Low (°C)	6	9	16	18	19	19
High (°C)	24	26	31	33	32	31

Rainfall

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun
Avg (mm)	110	80	70	25	7	3

	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Avg (mm)	0	0	0	30	50	95

Currency	BWP
Capital City	Gaborone
Population	2 million
Language	English, Setswana
Time Zone	GMT +2:00

NEED TO KNOW

When travelling anywhere new it’s good to understand a little bit more about your destination. Below are a few additional details about Botswana.

Currency	BWP
Capital City	Gaborone
Population	2 million
Language	English, Setswana
Time Zone	GMT +2:00

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

If you head south from the Okavango Delta a wilderness experience that will truly stun you awaits, as you head into the heart of the Kalahari Desert. From above its flat, featureless surface appears in places as a barren moonscape but in fact it is not truly a desert but an arid savannah with diverse ecosystems at its edge, home to a diverse range of plants and animals that have successfully adapted to the harsh environment.

To the north-east, grass and palm covered islands and isolated baobab trees bound the shores of an ancient “superlake” covering some 80,000 square kilometres in extent that dried up some 20,000 years ago, leaving behind a sun-baked, salt laden sandy crust, now known as the Makgadigadi Pans. These stretch endlessly, blinding white and as flat as a board to the ruler straight horizon. Not a creature lives here in the dry season, but the pans come to life in February as the rains arrive transforming the region into one of the most important wetland sites in Africa, as huge herds of zebra and gigantic flocks of greater and less flamingos arrive. Botswana can be combined with Mozambique.

We would advise all travellers to consult the Foreign & Commonwealth Office travel advice for the country(s) they are thinking of visiting, prior to travel, both in respect of the safety of travel and also passport and visa requirements. Please click here.