Botswana can seem pricey compared to other safari destinations, but it delivers exceptional experiences far away from the tourist circuit. The country makes a lot of money from diamonds so can afford to be upmarket. Its star attraction is the labyrinthine Okavango Delta, a vast, tranquil water-world of papyrus-fringed islands and iridescent birds that visitors explore by mokoro (dugout canoe). If you want small, friendly lodges matched with enthusiastic guides and wildlife galore this is the place. An ideal tour during a safari holiday in Botswana would also visit Chobe National Park, one of the best places in Africa to see elephants, and the salt pans of the Kalahari where you can savour the beauty of a true wilderness. If your dream of Africa is of vast open savannas with roaming wildlife and lodges catering for the well-heeled, Botswana is for you.
A dream safari
Special interest holidays for birdwatchers, photographers and horseriders
Teeming wildlife
Bathing in rivers and lakes because of water borne diseases spread by the wild life. Stick to swimming pools. Taking it too easy. Botswana is the ideal choice for a mobile safari where you travel into the wilds in a small group, sleeping in tents or under the stars and feeling totally immersed in the bush.
No special visa is required by EU passport holders to stay less than ninety days. You need to act on the most up-to-date medical advice about inoculations and malaria preventative measures some weeks before you leave home. The majority of visitors who contract malaria have failed to take any preventive measures. The wildlife reserves are best visited between May and September. Don’t miss the chance to take a Bushman walk, where you learn about the fascinating culture and desert survival skills of the indigenous San people.
Botswana has a temperate climate with days that are normally clear, warm and sunny. Summer falls between October and April when it is sunny and hot (30°C/86°F) with a rainy season running roughly from November to March. Late May to August is dry and comfortably warm (26°C/79°F).
Flights to Botswana from the UK take around ten hours. Flights are normally via Johannesburg, making it simple to add a second destination to your trip.
Driving is on the left with hire companies in the major towns. Botswana has some tarmac roads. Other roads are gravel or sand tracks. A 4WD (four wheel drive) vehicle is the best option but hiring a car and driver with local knowledge is relatively inexpensive. However on most holidays in Botswana your transport and drivers will be organized for you.