BOTSWANA SAFARI

Botswana offers exceptional wildlife and wilderness experiences. If you’re after the real Africa nothing beats the beauty and untouched wild places on offer in Botswana.

You’ve probably heard of these wild places on National Geographic – the Okavango Delta, Chobe National Park, Savute and Moremi Game Reserve. Well, this is your chance to experience it firsthand.

Tourism is a huge employer of people and you will find them as very good respectful safari guides, knowledgeable about their country and people, but generally amazingly knowledgeable about wildlife and all that goes with it.
Other tourism employers are the parks board, lodges, hotels, b&b’s, campsites, laundries, car washes, booking offices, shuttle services, car hire companies and more.

SHOPPING

Shopping in Maun and the second big town in the area, Kasane, is good and you will find most of what you might be looking for.
Large grocery stores with good food supplies as well as personal items, lotions, creams and sprays are aplenty and so are service and fuel stations, curio shops, hardware and camping stores, butcheries, electronic stores, liquor stores and more.

Eating out has limitations although most lodges have first class restaurants at affordable rates, offering ala carte as well as buffet meals. Clothing stores are somewhat limited, but the couple of items you might need in case of an emergency you will find for sure.

FUEL

Fuel filling stations are many and fuel is cheap and plentiful.

MEDICAL

All bigger centers have hospitals and pharmacies, whilst smaller towns will have a basic clinic in case of need.
For life threatening emergency evacuation from rural areas we prefer to arrange temporary membership of Okavango Air Rescue for all our guests and you therefor will have evacuation cover whilst in our care. Botswana is a malaria area and prophylaxis are recommended. Please consult your travel doctor at home before departure to Africa.

VEHICLE RENTAL

Vehicle hire is available in both Maun and Kasane.

BANKING & CURRENCY

Banking, money exchange and ATM’s are in sufficient supply, although you might find a queue when attempting to draw cash. Visa and master cards are accepted everywhere and you could confidently use them instead of drawing large amounts of cash. 

The local currency is the Botswana Pula and it averages around 12 pula for 1 USD.
Although Pula is preferred by most establishments, USD is accepted by a number of suppliers, but rather don’t bank on that and always carry a few hundred pula in case of need.
Euro and Pound is not generally accepted.

CRIME

Crime in the tourist areas is virtually non existent and should not be of any concern when you plan your vacation.
The big cities like Gaborone and Francistown do experience plenty of crime, but that is many hundreds of kilometers from where you will be having fun.

WATER

Water in the taps are generally fine for washing as well as drinking, but I would advise you to drink bottled water as far as possible, or boil tap water in the case where bottled water cannot be obtained.

CLIMATE

Temperatures vary greatly and depends on the season.
Dry season is from May to September and during this time days are sunny and warm whilst nights are cool to cold to very cold.
Rainy season is from October to April and during this time days are hot to very hot at times and nights are warm and sometimes cool, but never cold.

ROADS

Roads are good in some areas, average in others and atrocious in certain areas, so be prepared for a mixed bag.
Whilst you at it look out for pedestrians as well as many, many cattle and other livestock, all of which have right of way on all roads in Botswana
animals first, humans second…..wonderful!

WILDLIFE

Wildlife will blow you away, day after day, after day.
This is one area where you will get your fill of the big ones, the medium ones, as well as the little ones.
If wildlife is on your menu, Botswana is your place, full stop, no more said!

BATHROOMS

Bathrooms, hygiene, and general cleanliness all pass the grade A+.
No problems here and you need not fear unexpected surprises when you do arrive in the country.

CELL/MOBILE PHONES & COMMUNICATION

Cell phone and electrical connections are good and you will have both when in towns or lodges in the bush.
Camping safaris are different and you wont have reception for the duration of your stay in the bundus.
Your guide, however, will have radio contact with his base in Maun and messages can be relayed through the base office in case of emergency.

ACCOMMODATION

Lodges are great, have fantastic settings, good restaurants, nice staff, are well run and you will be spoilt for choice in the built up areas. Here lodges are also very affordable and good value for money.
Once off the beaten track, lodges become few and far between and prices skyrocket to such an extent that it touches on ludicrous.

If you come on a prepaid safari where everything is included your safari hosts will generally treat you like royalty.
There is so much competition in the tourism industry that good service is imperative to ensure you come back to the same crowd next time as well as tell your friends about the great time you had with them too, to secure more bookings.
Guides will know their business, meals will be plentiful and well prepared and sleeping arrangements will be super.

So what is it really like to come to Botswana?

So amazing that you will come back again and again and tell all your friends back home what a marvellous place you have been to and encourage them to follow suit…