Botswana is quintessential wilderness. A vast empty country of savannah, desert, wetlands and salt pans making it an ideal safari holiday destination. Nearly three quarters of the country is covered by the magnificent Kalahari Desert, while in the north lies the Okavango Delta, the largest wetland delta in the world, and the Chobe National Park, famous for its huge herds of game, especially elephant. To the south-east, The Makgadikgadi Salt Pans are huge empty horizons dotted with palm islands, and are guaranteed to provide a unique and compelling wilderness experience.
The size of France and with a relatively small population of 1.8 million, Botswana is one of Africa’s wealthiest countries (shortly after gaining independence from Britain in the late 1960’s, diamonds were discovered and since then the economy has been one of the fastest growing in the world). Democratic and politically stable, the management of its wildlife areas sets the standard for the rest of Africa to follow.
How your safari works
The most popular safari areas in Botswana are: The Okavango Delta, where we recommend both a dry-land and a wet-delta game-viewing experience; Chobe National Park; The Linyanti Area; The Kalahari and The Makgadikgadi Pans. The best way to see the highlights of Botswana is to do a combination of areas, depending on your interests. Most of the game rich areas in Botswana have been split up into private concessions and then leased to different operators to run as low impact and volume, high end tourist honey-pots. The benefits of these concessions guarantees you an almost completely private safari. There are various operators to choose from, all offer a different type of experience at different costs. You can mix and match between operators. Click here to read more about the different operators that we use. There are also excellent opportunities for horseback and walking safaris.
When To Go
Botswana has a variable climate. In winter (late May to September) the days are clear, dry and hot, often over 40ºC. However, at night it can get very cold, sometimes dropping below freezing in the Kalahari. In summer (November to March) it is generally cooler. January and February are the wettest months. The best time to see the delta in flood is during the dry season which runs from July through to October, this is also the best time to go to The Linyanti where it is very dry, making game easier to spot.
Getting There
The best way to get to Botswana is flying via Johannesburg. British Airways, South African Airways and Virgin all have daily flights from London to Johannesburg. From there it is a 1 ½ hour flight to the safari areas of Botswana (Maun airport) or to Livingstone on the Zambian side of Victoria Falls, which is also a convenient place to start a safari in Botswana.
Visas
UK and US citizens do not require a visa. Other nationalities should check for up to date information.
JULY OFFER - book 6 nights or more in any Botswana wilderness properties for 2009 and we will give you a £250 discount.
Offer ends August 1st 2008.
Booking information: contact us by email or contact us by telephone on 020 7622 5114 and ask to speak to a consultant* who has been to Botswana.
Family Holidays
