BOTSWANA TRAVEL GUIDE
Botswana is best known for its stunning Okavango Delta where a huge variety of animal and plant life thrive. It is one of Africa’s most popular safari destinations, where you are guaranteed to see some of the world’s most ferocious animals in their natural habitat at one of the country’s several game reserves.
Other main attractions in Botswana include the Chobe River, with its massive hippopotamus and crocodiles, the leopards and lions of the main game reserves, the verdant Kalahari Desert, the bustling capital of Gaborone, and the charming town of Francistown. The Botswanans themselves are renowned for their hospitality and friendliness.
* * * * * * * *
BOTSWANA WEATHER - When To Go
Botswana is quite dry most of the year but has a summer rainy season (November to March), while precipitation happens at any time from May to August. In short, days are generally clear and sunny, while nights are cool in the most interesting parts of the country - north and east.
May to September is the best time to visit Botswana, being slightly drier and cooler than other times, but most people visit at this time, making it busy. Although summers are hot, December to April is an ideal time to see the migrating birdlife in the Kalahari Desert and you may pick up a bargain elsewhere due to the heat keeping many tourists at bay.
* * * * * * * *
BOTSWANA HIGHLIGHTS - Places to Visit
- Okavango Delta: is massive and Botswana’s biggest attraction, meaning that several days should be set aside to fully explore its beauty and vastness. Located in the Kalahari Desert in the north of the country, it is the world’s largest inland delta and features a huge amount of wildlife and scenic wilderness. The delta is made up of large grass flats, low foliage-rich ridges and a great swathe of waterways where hundreds of rare creatures and impressive flora reside. The Okavango Delta is also home to the famous Moremi Wildlife Reserve in the northeast of the delta and is a big hit with birdwatchers. Many companies offer tours of the region and transport is carried out chiefly by small boat.
- Maun: is one of the largest towns in Botswana and one of the main gateways to the Okavango Delta. The Maun Game Reserve is very close to downtown and is the main attraction within the town, featuring giraffes, impala, kudu, warthogs and numerous bird species. On the cultural side, the Nhabe Museum has interesting exhibitions.
- Chobe National Park: is positioned in Botswana’s stark northwest and is perfect for those who enjoy elephants and hippos. Apart from having the world’s largest elephant population, which comes for a drink and bathes in the river every day, a trip on the river itself is a must. It can be slightly unnerving to pass man-eating crocodiles and car-sized hippopotamus, but that’s all part of the experience.
- Francistown: is a general stopping off point for those visiting Botswana’s main attractions, the Okavango and Chobe reserves, and is worth a couple of days in itself. It can be found in the northeast of the country and has many interesting aspects, including its status as an old gold mining town. There are still some working mines here and you can learn all about mining and the history of the region at the Supa-Ngwao Museum, while the massive Nxai Pan National Park is nearby.
- Gaborone: is Botswana’s capital and a busy city near the South African border in the south. Tourists generally spend a few days in Gaborone, but it is rarely considered a destination in its own right. The city has a few highlights worth seeing, such as the National Museum and authentic, unique shopping opportunities, but its wildlife reserves are the main attraction. The Gaborone Game Reserve is small and easy to see, containing mainly birds and monkeys, while Mokolodi features cheetahs, baboons, giraffes, elephants, and hippopotamus. Kgale Hill is anther highlight of Gaborone, one of Botswana's highest hills (around 300 feet) offering fine walking, views and wildlife.
- The Kalahari Desert: offers tourists some of Botswana’s best bird watching sites in the summer (December to April) when the seasonal rains bring much life to the region. The Central Kalahari Game Reserve and Nxai Pan National Park attract numerous migrant bird species, including droves of pink flamingos and swarms of vicious raptors. The best thing about the park is the excellent viewing opportunities on offer in an otherwise extremely remote part of the world.
* * * * * * * *
BOTSWANA HOSPITALITY - Eat, Drink, Sleep
- Food and Eating Out: Botswana does surprisingly well when it comes to food offerings, with all types of restaurants set up in the cities. While on safari, budget counts for everything and if you have deep pockets a fantastic spread of food, including seafood, will generally be laid out at your lodge, featuring both local delicacies and international tastes. Traditional Botswanan food worth a try includes beef and goat (including serobe, goat intestines) as well as sorghum and maize cereal grasses.
- Entertainment and Nightlife: Gaborone has the highest concentration of restaurants in the country with many fast-food favourites, like KFC, as well as expatriate-frequented English and Irish bars, and the odd jazz club. Gaborone also has the best shopping and entertainment options, while out on safari you will generally be confined to your lodge for nights in enjoying laid-back dinners and drinks.
- Accommodation: in Botswana is generally of a higher standard than in many other African countries owing to the high demand from tourists on safari. Prices are therefore quite steep and you need to book way in advance. Botswana lodges and safari camps are usually quite small and can mainly be found in Okavango Delta, Chobe, and Moremi Game Reserve areas. Gaborone has the biggest selection of urban, star-rated hotels. Try Booking.com for hotels in Botswana.
* * * * * * * *
BOTSWANA FLIGHTS - Flying from the UK
There are no direct flights to Botswana from Europe. Your best bet may be to fly to South Africa first and take a connecting flight from Cape Town or Johannesburg, or travel overland. Try Expedia.co.uk or Skyscanner for flight options to Gaborone in Botswana.
|
