Botswana is about the size of France and is home to some 2.5 million people (France, for comparison, has a population of 67 million). That is why it is often said that in Botswana it is easier to meet an elephant than a Botswanan”. After decades of poverty, it is now considered one of the most stable and secure nations in Africa.
Its situation, south of the continent, is quite unique. It has no sea and is surrounded by Zambia, Zimbabwe, South Africa and Namibia. The curious thing is that it is the only country where a river does not flow into the sea. The Okavango, which runs 1,600 kilometers from Angola, is an extraordinary rarity on the planet, since on its way to the Indian Ocean it leaves a fabulous trail of canals and swamps, to end up dispersing and dying in the undulating plains of the Kalahari desert, which They attract a huge diversity of animals. It is the immense spectacle of the great Okavango Delta .
Okavango Delta, Botswana.
Why choose a safari in Botswana?
If you want to go on an African safari , there are several interesting options: the Serengeti, in Tanzania; the Etosha of Namibia, or the national park of the Volcanoes, in Rwanda. All of them are highly recognized spaces. However, the parks of Botswana , according to many experts, have an adventurous and exclusive point that makes them completely different. Except for Chobe National Park, which is close to a town, the others are in the middle of nowhere.
You can spend hours in an SUV and not come across a tourist. Its access is complicated and many places can only be reached by plane. Since its inception, the philosophy in Botswana has always been to have a low volume of visitors but high purchasing power . The result: It’s a bit more expensive than other safaris, but the trade-off is obvious. The careful conservation of nature in a pure wild state .
An elephant in Botswana.
What is the best time to travel?
The best time to travel to the Okavango Delta to spot and photograph animals is in the dry season, between June and September , when the days are warm and the animals come to the few wet pools that have not dried up. Of course, be careful when it gets dark in the months of July and August, since the temperature can drop below 0 degrees.
From October to April, on the other hand, the heat is suffocating and it rains regularly. It is called the green season (Green Season) because everything turns that color, the water level rises, even many areas are flooded and the vegetation thickens, which makes it easier for animals to hide.
Botswana rhinos, a country where it is possible to see the ‘big five.
Where to go on safari?
We have already talked before about the extraordinary extension of wild nature that occupies this territory. There are endless possibilities. The Okavango Delta is one of the most recommended settings. One of the most exciting ways to explore it is in a mokoro , the traditional indigenous canoe made from an empty trunk, fly over it in a small plane, or even explore it on foot (one of the few African parks that allows it).
Two tourists aboard a ‘mokoro’, the traditional indigenous piragua made from an empty trunk.
Chobe Park is another option to keep in mind. It is more touristy, but the sighting of elephants, crocodiles and other large herbivores is guaranteed. A third alternative is Moremi National Park in northern Botswana, one of the most unknown wilderness areas in southern Africa.
Moremi National Park.
Do you have to get vaccinated?
Before leaving , it is best to take precautions and go to the international vaccination center . Although to travel to Botswana, a priori, it is not necessary to be vaccinated, you should do so if you also plan to visit other African countries such as Zimbabwe. In this case, they will require the yellow fever vaccine , which, by the way, along with tetanus and diphtheria, measles, rubella and hepatitis A are also recommended.
The conditions for each trip and, above all, for each traveler are very different. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation reminds that those who visit the north of Botswana, especially the Okavango Delta, must follow a prophylactic treatment against malaria .
Where can I stay?
If in the end you decide to go it alone , finding accommodation in Botswana is not easy . I have already mentioned that its objective is to attract quality tourists. Compared to other African countries, it does not have much on offer: there are few hotels and most are luxury lodges or, on the contrary, basic campsites (there are several public ones).
It is the tourist bet of this country, little tourism and that a lot of money is left. In general, mobile safaris are the best alternative and you live the experience in a more authentic way. Of course, we must look carefully where we will sleep and, above all, do it in advance, especially near the main parks.
