Botswana trips

Botswana is a landlocked country in southern Africa. It borders Zambia to the north, Zimbabwe to the north-east, South Africa to the south and south-east, and Namibia to the west. Botswana is known above all for its still unspoilt nature and the excellent opportunities for wildlife viewing.

This is partly because a large part of the country consists of national parks and private game reserves, which have restricted access.

Botswana's geography is characterised by savannahs, extensive deserts and fertile floodplains. The country is predominantly flat and has only a few elevations.

In the north lies the beautiful Okavango Delta, a huge inland delta of the Okavango River, with Moremi Game Reserve and the famous Chobe National Park.

This part of Botswana is known for its diverse wildlife, including elephants, hippos, crocodiles and big cats, which you can watch on unique safari experiences such as mokoro trips (dugout canoes) or walking safaris.

In the far south-west lies Kgalagadi Transfrontier National Park, and in the middle of the country the Central Kalahari Game Reserve, one of the largest wildlife reserves in the world. It is home to unique wildlife, including the famous Kalahari lions, but also meerkats and oryx antelopes. A large part of the country is taken up by the semi-desert Kalahari. Read more in our blog “Why a visit to Central Kalahari Game Reserve in Botswana is worth it”.

As the best tour operator for Botswana, we are available to answer your questions at any time. Simply contact us and one of our Botswana experts will be happy to advise you.

Important airports for arrival/departure

The most important airports in Botswana are

• Maun Airport (MUB) – the busiest airport in the country, known as the “gateway to the Okavango”
• Kasane International Airport (BBK), which serves as an important hub for visitors to Chobe National Park, and
• Sir Seretse Khama International Airport (GBE) in Gaborone, which serves mainly as a business centre but also handles some international flights.

There are currently no direct flights from Europe to Botswana. You reach the relevant airports mainly via the Johannesburg hub in South Africa and in some cases also via Windhoek in Namibia. We are happy to help you book flights for your Botswana trip.

Getting around in Botswana

The quickest and easiest way to visit the national parks in northern Botswana is as part of a fly-in safari. Fly-in safaris are possible from Maun and from Kasane. By light aircraft you reach remote areas in the Okavango Delta, Chobe National Park and adjoining private concession areas. An example of such a safari is our 9-day “Fly-in safari in Botswana”.

With our own subsidiary on site, as a leading provider of Botswana trips we can offer our guests a decisive advantage: we have our own 4×4 Toyota Land Cruisers on site, driven by professional and experienced guides. This means we can offer not only mini-group tours but also tailor-made private trips in a 4×4 vehicle. This is a rarity in Botswana.

If you like to travel in a group, you can also visit Botswana as part of a group tour. You travel in 4×4 safari vehicles, or in specially converted safari trucks for larger groups. Find out more here about our group tours in Botswana.

With good planning, a Botswana trip can also be done by rental car. Combinations with the neighbouring countries Namibia or South Africa are also very popular. The main routes are tarred, and the sights along these routes are easy to reach.

Adventure seekers who want to explore the country away from these routes will in any case need a 4×4 vehicle.

Four-wheel-drive experience on difficult terrain is a great advantage. It is strongly recommended never to travel alone, but always in a convoy of at least two vehicles and to be equipped with a good, detailed GPS system.

We are also happy to support you with such a self-drive round trip in Botswana.

Currency

The currency of Botswana is the pula. 1 pula is divided into 100 thebe. In some accommodation or restaurants you can also pay with South African rand or US dollars.

You can find a currency converter with up-to-date exchange rates for all currencies here.

Common credit and debit cards (Visa and Mastercard) are accepted in towns and tourist centres such as Maun, Kasane and Gaborone. However, many shops, petrol stations and restaurants do not accept credit cards. It is therefore advisable to always carry enough cash when travelling in Botswana.

With a debit card or a credit card (e.g. Visa, Mastercard) and your PIN, you can withdraw cash at ATMs in most larger towns. Watch out for tampered ATMs or people trying to copy your card.

Towards the end of the month, expect long queues at banks and ATMs and sometimes cash shortages.

Foreign currencies such as euros or US dollars can be exchanged into pula at the airport or at bureaux de change in larger towns such as Gaborone, Francistown, Kasane and Maun.

Everyday costs as a guide

The cost of meals and drinks on a trip through Botswana is generally somewhat cheaper than in Europe. At the more luxurious accommodations, drinks such as beer, wine and local spirits are often included in the price in addition to full board.

In bars and restaurants, drinks such as water, cola or beer cost approx. €1–2.50. For breakfast or lunch in a good restaurant you pay between €10 and €15, and dinner costs about €20–30.

Tipping

Tipping is not compulsory in Botswana, but it is very common in tourism. In restaurants, 10 per cent is usual for good service. If you found the service exceptionally good, you may of course give a little more.

It is also customary to hand a suitable tip personally to the guide who looked after you well on the trip at the end of your Botswana holiday.

You can tip lodge staff if you feel they did a good job or made a special effort to give you a great stay (there is usually a tip box at reception).

You can find more on this on our blog “How much should you tip on safari?

Safety

Botswana is one of the safest countries on the African continent. Crime against visitors is rare. And when incidents do occur, the offences are mostly pickpocketing or credit card fraud.

The accommodations generally all have security and/or guarded car parks. To avoid any possible dangers, it is generally advisable to follow the safety instructions of your guide or of the owners and staff of the respective accommodation.

Do not leave valuables such as cameras or mobile phones visible in the vehicle. On your Botswana holiday, always carry important items and travel documents with you or leave them in the safe of your accommodation.

It is also advisable to store a copy of your important travel documents, in particular your passport, in another place (e.g. in your luggage) or to email it to yourself. You should also not carry excessively expensive and conspicuous jewellery or too much cash.

In our blog “Is Botswana safe for tourists?” you will find more on this topic.

You can find current travel and safety advice for Botswana on the website of the German Federal Foreign Office.

National parks

Although you will be informed of the applicable rules when entering the national parks, it certainly does no harm to know a few basic things:

• Please under no circumstances feed animals or pick plants and flowers
• Please also note that wild animals can always be dangerous, even if they do not look it.
• Please do not try to get too close to the animals for a good photo or the like
• On game drives, please take care not to be too loud, as the animals react immediately to noise
• Please always stay in the vehicle and only leave it at the marked places where this is permitted.

On guided or camp-organised game drives or walking safaris you should bear the following in mind:

• Your guide is a trained professional and knows his area extremely well.
• For your safety (and that of the animals) it is advisable to follow all of the guide's instructions at all times.
• Ask your guide for an assessment of the situation before you leave the vehicle.

Health

On your Botswana trip you will also visit very remote areas. To be prepared just in case, it is advisable to take a well-stocked first-aid kit with you.

We recommend medication for diarrhoea, fever and pain, travel sickness, vomiting and nausea, as well as nasal drops, disinfectant for skin injuries, burn ointments and insect repellent. It is best to get detailed advice from your trusted pharmacy.

Please also note the medical advice of the German Federal Foreign Office.

Malaria

The entire northern part of Botswana is considered a malaria risk area. The disease is caused by single-celled parasites and transmitted by the Anopheles mosquito. Various medications can be used for prophylaxis, but some of them must be started before the start of the trip.

Please contact your doctor or a tropical medicine institute for expert advice.

In general: prevention is better than cure. The best prevention is to avoid bites by wearing long trousers, socks, closed shoes and long-sleeved tops in the evening hours. Applying mosquito repellent can also reduce the risk of being bitten.

Vaccination recommendations

In general, a holiday in Botswana poses no greater health risks than other long-haul destinations. Nevertheless, consult your family doctor or a tropical medicine specialist before departure about any vaccinations.

Health insurance cover

Please check before your trip whether your health insurer also covers services outside Europe. If not, we strongly recommend taking out international travel health insurance. Talk to us – as a Botswana tour operator we know the subject and will be happy to advise you.

In principle you can visit Botswana in any season, although the best time to travel depends on the activities you want to do.

The seasons in Botswana are exactly the opposite of ours, and you can choose between the wintry dry season and the summery rainy season.

The rainy season in Botswana usually begins at the end of October/beginning of November and can last until April. Especially from January to March it can rain very heavily, and many roads – especially in the national parks – are then impassable. At the same time, in the rainy summer months it can get very hot, up to 45°C, so that the rain showers bring welcome cooling.

From November to March the landscape turns green, and the dense vegetation can make it harder to spot wildlife. For bird lovers, however, this is an excellent time, as the migratory birds return then. You can also experience the zebra migration in the Makgadikgadi Pans in these months.

The dry season from May to August is the best time for a Botswana safari. At night it can get very cold and temperatures can drop below freezing, but during the day it is relatively warm (approx. 20–25°C).

During the dry season it is generally easier to watch animals, as they gather at rivers and waterholes, which offers excellent opportunities for wildlife viewing. Road conditions are also mostly good.

During or shortly after the rainy season, many roads are difficult or impossible to drive even with four-wheel-drive vehicles, and you do have to cross one or two rivers. For deeper insight we recommend our blog “Botswana: when is the best time to travel? Climate & weather for safaris”.

Language

English is the official language in Botswana and is used in government and business. Setswana is the national language and is spoken by the majority of the population.

Time difference

Botswana observes CET +1 hour. During Central European summer time there is no time difference to Botswana. In winter time, however, you have to set your clock forward one hour. Botswana itself does not change between summer and winter time.

Electricity

The mains voltage is 230 volts. The three-pin British plug (type G) is widespread in Botswana; the three-pin South African round plug (type M) and the European two-pin plug are also frequently found.

Adapters are available cheaply in almost all electrical shops in Botswana, but you can also get them in advance in Germany.

Power cuts and fluctuations are quite common, and not all accommodations have electricity around the clock. Charging batteries or other devices is usually possible by arrangement, though.

Internet communication

In towns, most accommodations provide free Wi-Fi. Even in remote regions such as the Okavango Delta, the Kalahari or Chobe National Park, many camps and lodges offer Wi-Fi – mostly in central areas, sometimes directly in the rooms.

Shopping tips

Selling souvenirs made from wild animal hides, reptile skins and furs is prohibited in Botswana. It is better to admire the animals in their natural surroundings and take the experiences home as a souvenir. Copperware, carvings made of wood and soapstone, as well as ceramics and basketware make lovely souvenirs.

Further details on import regulations can be obtained from the Embassy of the Republic of Botswana. Precise information on what may be brought into Germany on your journey home is available on the German customs website.

Religion

The most widespread religion in Botswana is Christianity (86.5 per cent Christians of various churches). About 4.6% of the population follow traditional religions, 7.1% say they do not belong to any religion, and there is a small Muslim and Hindu community.

Food & drink

Appropriate food and drinking water hygiene can prevent diarrhoeal illnesses. It is advisable to drink only water from safe sources.

Buy bottled water in supermarkets or restaurants. On camping safaris it is advisable to use boiled water. Food should be washed, cooked or peeled before eating. Rule number one: wash your hands!

To enter Botswana you need a passport that is valid for at least six months after your departure and has at least four blank pages for visa stamps.

German citizens entering the country are granted a free entry permit for tourist purposes.

You must also be able to prove on entry to Botswana that you have the means to leave the country again (ideally a return flight ticket).

Special entry and transit regulations for minors:

• If both biological parents travel to Botswana with a child, they must present a certified, international, unabridged birth certificate of the child (in English) showing the personal details of the parents and the child.
• If a minor travels with only one parent, proof must be provided that the parent who is not present consents to the trip. In this case, in addition to the certified, international, unabridged birth certificate, a declaration of consent (in the form of an affidavit in English), a certified copy of the passport and the contact details of the absent parent are required. The affidavit must be signed by the parent in front of a notary, who notarises the signed document. This declaration must not be more than six months old on entry.
• If one parent has sole custody, the court order on sole custody or the death certificate is required (in English). In this case, a certified, international, unabridged birth certificate is also required.

Furthermore, the child may only enter with a valid children's passport. An extended children's passport is NOT valid.

The German Federal Foreign Office also recommends finding out about the regulations for travellers with children who are transiting through South African airports on the way to Botswana.

General:

Visa requirements can change at any time and at short notice. Please contact the responsible diplomatic mission in good time. Please make 100 per cent sure that you hold the required and valid documents.

We cannot be held responsible if you are refused entry and cannot begin your booked tour as planned or complete it to the end. Refunds are not possible, and any additional costs must be borne solely by the traveller.

If you have further questions about our Botswana trips, we are happy to help as your Botswana tour operator.

Do you need advice on travel style, travel period or trip length? Do you need help with booking? Do you have specific questions about your Botswana holiday with children? Or would you like information on flights, hotels or other travel topics?

Simply contact us, and we will be happy to advise you. On request we will also draw up an individual offer for your trip to Botswana.

Botswana is one of Africa's best safari destinations and scores with sustainable, high-quality tourism. A trip to Botswana is particularly interesting for those who appreciate exclusive and intimate experiences.

Besides the well-known sights in Botswana such as the Okavango Delta, Chobe National Park and the Makgadikgadi Pans, there is much more to discover.

Culture

If you would like to learn more about Botswana's history and cultures, visit the Tsodilo Hills, a UNESCO World Heritage Site with over 4,500 ancient rock paintings. Often called the “Louvre of the Desert”, it gives you an insight into the spiritual and artistic heritage of the San.

You can also combine this with a visit to a San community and learn more about their traditions and their way of life in the Kalahari Desert. And while you are in the area: Central Kalahari Game Reserve offers one of the clearest and most beautiful starry skies in the world, as do the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans.

Here you can also go on quad bike expeditions or simply enjoy the solitude and peace.

City life

If you fancy some civilisation after safari and nature, you can spend a day or two in Botswana's capital Gaborone. Often overlooked by visitors, Gaborone is worth giving a chance. A highlight is the “Three Dikgosi Monument” with the statues of three influential chiefs who played a key role in Botswana's independence.

The Botswana National Museum offers an insight into local art and historical artefacts. Gaborone also has a growing food and nightlife scene to offer, ranging from local Tswana cuisine to international cuisine.

Do you need help planning your Botswana trip? Contact us today and we will be happy to help.