Botswana
Visas & entry
US, UK, EU, Canadian, Australian and many SADC passport holders are generally visa-exempt for short tourist visits; many other nationalities need a visa arranged before travel. Passport validity, onward-ticket, yellow-fever rules after transit through a risk country, and visa status should be checked with Botswana Immigration before booking non-refundable camps.
Getting in
- Maun Airport: The working gateway for the Okavango Delta, Moremi and Khwai. Most international visitors connect through Johannesburg; from Maun, scheduled light aircraft and charters link fly-in camps, while rental 4WDs serve the road-based northern circuit.
- Kasane Airport: The practical gateway for Chobe, the Linyanti area and Victoria Falls combinations. It has limited regional air service and is often paired with a road transfer from Victoria Falls or a domestic/light-aircraft connection from Maun.
- Sir Seretse Khama International Airport, Gaborone: Botswana's main international airport and the sensible entry for Johannesburg connections, southern Botswana and South Africa road trips. It is not a shortcut to the Delta: Maun is a full-day drive away, so fly north unless deliberately road-tripping.
- Victoria Falls Airport, Zimbabwe: A frequently used regional arrival point for travellers combining Victoria Falls with Chobe. The road transfer to Kasane is straightforward in principle but includes an international border; allow time for immigration and transfer delays.
Getting around
For the classic north, fly between Maun, Delta camps and Kasane if the budget permits: it saves whole days and makes the Delta–Chobe pairing coherent. A 4WD is essential inside Moremi, Khwai, Savuti, the pans and the Kalahari; paved intercity roads are generally good, but deep sand, water crossings, wildlife and long distances make this a serious self-drive destination rather than an ordinary rental-car holiday. Maun–Kasane is roughly 7–9 hours by road in real conditions, while Gaborone–Maun is best treated as a flight unless the road journey is the point.
Money
The currency is the Botswana pula (BWP). Cards work well in Gaborone, Maun, Kasane and lodges, but carry pula cash for fuel, small purchases, tips and remote areas; do not expect reliable ATMs or card acceptance in the bush. Tipping is customary rather than automatic: lodge staff and guides are usually tipped separately, often through a staff box plus a direct guide tip.
Daily budget · Botswana pula (BWP). Planning conversion: roughly BWP13.4 = US$1; card and cash rates vary.
- Value
- BWP1,200–2,500 (about US$90–190)
- Mid-range
- BWP3,500–8,000 (about US$260–600)
- High-end
- BWP10,000–25,000+ (about US$750–1,870+)
- Bands exclude international flights and assume accommodation, food, local transport and typical activities; check exactly what a safari rate includes.
- Value means camping or basic guesthouses in Maun, Kasane or Gaborone, self-catering/simple restaurants and shared day safaris. It will not stretch to a classic private Delta fly-in camp.
- Mid-range works best through Maun and Kasane: town lodges plus booked activities, self-drive or a guided mobile safari. These gateways are markedly better value than private northern concessions.
- High-end rates generally cover a small all-inclusive safari camp, guiding, meals, drinks, activities and often park fees. Bush flights, premium alcohol, private vehicles and single supplements may still be extra.
- Peak July–October demand drives the biggest increases, especially in the Delta, Moremi, Chobe riverfront and Linyanti. Christmas/New Year also creates a separate flight-and-lodging spike.
- The main cost divide is not room quality but logistics: private concession versus public park, fly-in access versus road access, and whether two daily activities, meals, drinks, laundry and park fees are bundled. Mobile camping lowers the bill but remains a guided wilderness trip, not backpacker travel.
Eating well
- Do not assume a fly-in safari rate excludes every drink: check what meals, house drinks and premium alcohol actually cover.
- Eat local food in towns; wilderness camps are designed around included safari meals and generally lean international rather than distinctly Setswana menus.
- For self-drive or camping trips, buy serious supplies in Maun, Kasane or Gaborone before entering remote reserves; choices inside and near parks are limited and expensive.
- Vegetarian travellers should flag requirements in advance, especially on mobile safaris and at remote camps, where menus and resupply are planned ahead.
Book before you land
Peak-season fly-in safari camps in the Okavango Delta, Moremi/Khwai and Linyanti/Selinda, especially July–October and family units · Scheduled light-aircraft seats and charter transfers between Maun, Delta camps and Kasane in peak season · Guided mobile safaris on the Moremi–Khwai–Savuti–Chobe circuit · Public campsites in Moremi Game Reserve, Khwai, Savuti/Chobe and Central Kalahari Game Reserve, particularly school holidays and dry-season months
- Do not book a Delta camp from photographs alone: confirm its current-season activities. Water levels determine whether boating and mokoro excursions are actually offered; a land camp may be better for game drives.
- Use soft-sided luggage for light aircraft and obey the camp’s baggage limit; hard cases and overpacking create real problems on bush flights.
- Avoid driving after dark. Livestock, elephants and other wildlife on or beside roads are a more immediate hazard than urban crime, and fuel stops become sparse away from the main towns.
- A standard two-wheel-drive rental is fine for town-to-town roads, not for Moremi, Khwai, Savuti, the pans or the Central Kalahari. Take a properly equipped 4WD, recovery gear, extra water and fuel—or join a guided trip.
- Build buffer nights around international and bush-flight connections, especially in Maun. Remote-weather, aircraft-weight and road conditions can disrupt tightly chained itineraries.
- Peak safari months are July–October, but June–August mornings can be cold enough for layers; September–October heat is punishing for camping and long self-drive days.
Entry rules change — verify visa requirements for your passport before booking this country.
Season by season
January–March
Hot, humid green season with frequent afternoon storms—especially in January and February—lush grass, dispersed wildlife and potentially slow or impassable sandy tracks; Delta water levels may still be too low for extensive boating or mokoro activities.
birdinggreen-season photographynewborn wildlifeCentral Kalahari after good rains
Game is less concentrated, remote self-driving becomes harder, and a Delta camp's water activities should never be assumed at this time of year.
April–May
Rain eases, days become comfortable and landscapes remain green while wildlife viewing improves; the Okavango flood begins filling parts of the Delta, though exact water conditions vary annually.
first-time safari visitorsa balance of scenery and wildlifephotographybetter-value lodge stays
Delta water levels and activity programmes remain camp- and year-dependent, so confirm whether boating or mokoro excursions will actually run.
June–August
Sunny, dry classic safari weather with thinning vegetation and animals concentrating around permanent water; mornings and nights can be cold, especially in the Kalahari and southwest.
big-game viewingChobe elephant and buffalo viewingDelta and Moremi safariscomfortable daytime conditions
This is peak season in the northern circuit: small camps, family units, bush flights and prime Chobe/Delta rooms need early booking and command high rates.
September–October
Very dry, increasingly hot months with intense wildlife concentrations around water, particularly in Chobe, Linyanti and the northern safari circuit; daytime temperatures can exceed 38°C.
serious wildlife viewingelephant viewingpredator-focused safaristravellers prioritising sightings over comfort
The heat is relentless for camping, self-driving and active days outside the vehicle, while northern lodge prices and occupancy remain high.
November–December
The first rains arrive unpredictably after sustained heat, reviving the landscape and birdlife; November can still offer strong dry-season-style sightings before conditions turn greener.
birdingshoulder-season safari valuegreen landscapestravellers flexible about weather
Storms can disrupt remote tracks and individual camp activities, and Christmas/New Year creates a sharp spike in flight and lodge demand despite the wet-season timing.
What to eat
Approach Botswana through Setswana home cooking and cattle-country staples rather than expecting a restaurant-first food destination. Safari camps usually serve polished international menus; seek local dishes in town restaurants, markets and traditional eateries in Maun, Kasane and Gaborone.
Seswaa: slow-pounded shredded beef, traditionally served with pap or bogobe porridgeBogobe: sorghum or maize porridge, a staple accompanimentDikgobe: a hearty mix of beans and grainsMorogo: cooked indigenous leafy greensVetkoek: fried dough, often eaten as a snack or filledMopane worms: dried or stewed caterpillars, a seasonal southern African delicacy
Gaborone and the southeast: The broadest choice of Setswana cooking, grills and contemporary Botswana restaurants · Beef and other cattle-country dishes
Maun: Useful place to seek straightforward local meals before or after a safari · Supply shopping and self-catering options rather than destination dining
Kasane and Chobe: Lodge and riverfront dining geared to safari travellers · Freshwater fish may appear on menus, alongside standard Botswana beef and grills
Researched Oct 19, 2026