Botswana

The most hazardous part of our expedition to Africa was crossing Piccadilly Circus
Joseph Thomson

Botswana is one of the best countries for photo safaris, not only in Africa but worldwide.

In Botswana even the scenarios are incredible and very different from one another, we go from the endless expanses of salt of the pan, to the beds of dry lakes, to the swamps of the Okavango Delta, to the great rivers like the Chobe, to the desert sand dunes of the Kalahari.

Botswana has always adopted a forward-looking policy of safeguarding the environment and the animals that live in its lands and this results in incredible biodiversity and a surprising amount of animals.

The main protected areas of Botswana

The Okavango Delta is a unique natural spectacle where you can organize 4 × 4 safaris, by boat or using the mokoro, the typical traditional boat that looks like a narrow canoe.

The Moremi Game Reserve, located in the Okavango Delta, is the perfect place to observe leopards but also lions and rare wild dogs, it is a wild place that gives emotions every meter.

The landscapes of the Moremi are very varied, here there are savannahs, marshes, mopane forests and rivers populated by hippos and crocodiles.

The Chobe National Park is a protected area bordering the Okavango Delta and has three incredible areas for animal observation: the Savuti, the Linyanti and the Chobe Riverfront.

The Savuti is a wild area, harsh and famous for the large herds of lions that populate it, among them the famous Sekekama the dominant lion protagonist of the National Geographic documentary series: The Wild Kingdom.

The sandy slopes of the Savuti cross territories populated by elephants, spotted hyenas, wildebeests, giraffes and numerous species of antelopes.

The Linyanti is a marshy area characterized by the presence of lagoons, reeds and papyrus trees.

The Linyanti marshes are fed by the Kwando river and have an incredible concentration of elephants and buffaloes, especially in the months of July and August when the river waters are one of the few sources of water.

The Chobe Riverfront is the area that extends along the banks of the Chobe River, here in addition to observing the animals that go to the river to drink, it is possible to do excellent bird watching.

The Central Kalahari Game Reserve is one of the wildest and most isolated places in the entire African continent, while scouring the savannahs and dunes of the Kalahari Desert, along the sandy tracks, very few vehicles are encountered; the perfect place to admire nature and for an invigorating digital detox.

The area of ​​the Makgadikgadi Pan complex, that includes, among others, the Sua Pan with the famous Kubu Island, the Nxai Pan National Park, that offers fantastic safaris and hosts the Baobabs of Baines, and the Ntwetwe Pan that houses the Makgadikgadi Pan National Park.

Botswana is also the land of the San and the encounter with these Aborigines is a very interesting cultural experience, you can learn their ancient hunting techniques and their traditional lifestyle.

Another fascinating population that can be found in Botswana are the Herero, especially interesting for the clothes worn by women, voluminous colonial-style clothes that were imposed on them by Europeans who considered skimpy traditional clothes indecent.

When to go in Botswana

In Botswana the climate is sub-tropical, arid or semi-arid depending on the areas.

Being in the Southern hemisphere, the seasons are reversed compared to the Northern hemisphere: winter, from May to August, has a dry and sunny climate, with mild temperatures during the day but with sometimes cold nights; while summer, from November to March, is very hot and moderately rainy with showers in the form of intense but short-lasting rains.

The Kalahari desert area is arid and has a strong temperature range between day and night.

The best time to visit Botswana is the Southern winter, in the months from May to August: the sky is clear, the air is dry, during the day the temperatures are warm and the animals tend to concentrate near the water reserves .

Useful info about Botswana

The time zone of Botswana is + one hour than the Italian standard time, while there is no difference when daylight saving time applies in Italy.

No vaccination is required, malaria prophylaxis is recommended for the areas of the Okavango Delta and during the wet season.

To enter Botswana you need a passport valid for at least 6 months while a visa is not required; if you enter the country by car, a fee for the vehicle is required.

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