Botswana Travel

Guided Botswana Tour Package 9 day packaged tour to Botswana. Highlights include: Victoria Falls, Chobe and the Okavango Delta. Rates from US$ 3 096.00 per person sharing

Getting There

Flights
Johannesburg in South Africa would be recommended as your entry point into Southern Africa, when flying from outside of Africa, and then onward into Botswana. Once in South Africa you can get a connecting flight to your destination within Botswana, Air Botswana offer flights to Gaborone, Harare, Limpopo Valley, Maun and Kasane.

Land & water
Main entry points into Botswana from other African countries include South Africa (Ramatlabama, Tlokweng and Pioneer borders), Namibia (Ngoma Bridge, Mahango-Mohembo and Mamuno-Buitepos borders), Zimbabwe (Ramokgwebana-Plumtree and Kazungula borders) and Zambia (Zambezi River - Kazungula ferry).

When to Go

Winter is the best time to explore this country, which is between late May through to August. The days are normally clear, warm and sunny with the evenings being cool to very cold. Wildlife viewing is at its best, as the animals stay close to water sources.

Summer is from October through to April and it is more difficult to spot the animals with high rainfalls and the lush vegetation. The temperature in the day can reach over 40°C and the humidity can make it almost unbearable.

Highlights not to Miss

Okavango Delta
The main entry point into the Okavango would be through Maun, which is situated in the south-eastern side of the Delta. If coming from Namibia you would be entering the Delta from Shakawe

The Okavango River which 'creates' the Pan Handle, rises in central Angola and flows south-east across Namibia before entering Botswana near Shakawe. Annually the water spreads through Botswana's flat landscape, creating a palm like formation, which forms lagoons, channels and islands. The water attracts a variety of birds and wildlife, a canoe (mokoro) trip through this region is a must as you encounter the wildlife up close as they enjoy the abundance of water after a long dry season.

Moremi Game Reserve
The reserve covers an area of about 3000 sq km and protects most of the wildlife of the Okvango Delta. Situated north of Maun and south of Kasane (main entry points into Moremi), the reserve comprises of mopane woodlands and thorn scrub to dry savanna, riverbank woodlands, grasslands, floodplains, marshes, lagoons and islands.

Chobe National Park
The park is about 11 000 sq km and accessible from Kasane. The park is home to a variety of wildlife and the riverfront strip along the northern supplies water and has great wildlife concentrations when there is water. The Savuti Marshes in western Chobe attracts prime wildlife and water birds. The Savuti is popular for safaris and overland trips and has interesting rock art probably of San origin.

Central Kalahari Game Reserve
Access to the area is from Maun. The reserve covers an area of 52 000 sq km and is Africa's largest protected area situated in the center of Botswana. The Kalahari, you would assume is mostly desert, but due the amount of rain that the area receives it cannot be classified as an arid zone. Deception Valley, which is known for the research done by Mark and Delia Owens is probably what the reserve is mostly known for. Here you will find the brown hyena which the Owens studied from 1974 to 1981.

Makagadikgadi Pans
The great salt pans, Sua and Ntwetwe comprise an area of 80 000 sq km and is unlike any other landscapes on earth. Access to the Sua (salt) Pan, which is more accessible, would be from Maun. The pan is covered mostly by a single sheet of salt-encrusted mud and algae. When there is rain, the water-loving birds gather to nest at the delta where the Nata River Flows into the northern part of the area.