FAQ

Currency

The local currency and tender within Botswana is Pula and Thebe.
Coins available: 5t, 10t, 25t, 50t, P1, P2 and P5 (100 thebe for P1.00)
Notes available: P10, P20, P50, P100, P200
Credit cards are widely accepted throughout Botswana with Visa and MasterCard preferred.
American express is not widely accepted.
ATM Machines are readily available within towns and cities throughout Botswana with Visa and MasterCard accepted. Maestro cards are not widely accepted in all ATM machines.
ATM Machines within Botswana distribute local currency only.

Visa requirements

Who is eligible to apply for this service?

All Citizens of Commonwealth countries do not require visa except those from Bangladesh, Cameroon, Ghana, India, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. Foreign nationals whose countries have signed a Visa Abolition Agreement with Botswana are also not required to apply for a visa.

For detailed information please see the Botswana government website here.

Luggage restrictions

Due to the nature of small/light aircraft that are utilized for charter flights to the remote areas, luggage size and weight are strictly controlled – if the case is too big  it just won’t fit in the hold !

Small aircraft allow a maximum of 20kg’s per person for luggage (inclusive of hand luggage) Bags to please be soft and easy to handle – Please note that large, hard suitcases and heavy luggage will not be accepted on light aircraft. Suitcases, oyster cases, and soft sided bags with trolley handles, metal frames and wheels do NOT constitute as soft bags and cannot fit in the luggage pods of the aircraft.

Luggage dimensions should not exceed 25cm (10 inches) wide, 30cm (12 inches) high and 62 cm (24 inches) long. Anything larger and the luggage will unfortunately not fit in the aircraft’s baggage compartment. Please ensure that all luggage is soft-sided – Hard covered, rigid bags make it exceptionally difficult to load and unload in the aircraft luggage compartments.

Recommended luggage requirements for mobile camping safaris are as per the above 18 – 20kg’s per person in soft bags

Charter flights

For small internal flights and flights to remote, small airstrips we use several reliable air charter companies.

Unless otherwise stipulated – All flights are booked on a ‘seat rate basis” – this means that the plane is shared with other clients and it is not a “private charter” To utilise the plane cost effectively, it could have up to 2 stopovers prior to your client reaching their final destination.

Flight times are scheduled no more than 48hours prior to travel, clients will be advised on their departure times by the camps and should be ready at least 30 minutes prior to these departure times.

Electricity

  • Electricity supply in Botswana is 220/240v.
  • Most common wall sockets require 3 pin round or 3 square pin plugs.
  • It is recommended that should guests require the use of electricity whilst in areas where electricity is supplied, that one carries International travel adaptors suitable with the above requirements.
  • It is highly recommended that all guests carry additional and spare batteries whilst on safari.

Internet

  • Cellular phone coverage and internet connection is readily available in towns and cities.
  • The majority of wilderness locations and lodges do not have cellular phone coverage or internet connection readily available to guests. A handful of lodges within the Okavango Delta and Savuti regions offer limited WiFi connection to guests, available either for the use in one’s personal room only or alternatively within the main lounge area, guests to supply own laptops etc.
  • It is preferred that guests do not use Satellite phones/ cellular phones and or skype connection whilst in the bush lodges and camps in the vicinity of other guests to avoid any disturbances.
  • Lodges and hotels within Maun, Kasane, Victoria Falls and Livingstone offer internet connection and cellular phone coverage.

Self Driving

Driving through Botswana’s National Parks is a thrilling safari experience and allows you to explore areas at your own pace. However, it is strongly advised that guests are confident with 4×4 driving, often through thick sand, and have basic mechanical knowledge of their vehicle should this be needed. You will be driving in extremely remote, wilderness areas which many guests may not be used to.

Plan your route carefully and don’t underestimate the time it can take to cover distances. Weather, road conditions and animal sightings are all big influences.
Campsites are not usually fenced, allowing wildlife to roam freely, and you are therefore advised to take all necessary safety precautions. Only sleep in designated campsites and ensure you sleep inside your closed tent. Drive safely, adhere to speed limits and respect the wildlife.

Above all, enjoy the spectacular wilderness, and if you are prepared then self-driving in Botswana is an adventure waiting to happen!

Weather

Dependant on your travel period, weather conditions may vary…

November to March – Our summer months and rainy season here in Botswana. Days and nights are generally hot with temperatures reaching +-30c most days. As it is also the rainy season, showers are to be expected.

April & May – Generally the end of the rainy season, however one can still experience the odd rain shower. Temperatures cooler than summer months but days are hot and evenings/early mornings start to get cool.

June to early September – Our winter months here in Botswana. Please note that the early mornings and evenings can get very cold here, with temperatures dropping below 10c, often colder in more desert like regions. The days are warm reaching +-25c.
Mid September & October – September is the end of the winter, evenings and early mornings can be cool but the days are rapidly warming. October and November day and night temperatures can reach 30 – 40c prior to the rainy season.

Health

  • It must be remembered that all wild animals are potentially dangerous and should be treated as such.
  • Sleeping in the open, without a tent is both prohibited and dangerous. All tents should be kept fastened to avoid snakes, scorpions and other animals entering.
  • It is recommended that Visitors should take anti-malarial prophylactics before, during and for at least two weeks after visiting Chobe, Moremi and the Makgadikgadi /Nxai Pan Parks.
  • Visitors are also reminded that they should not swim in, or otherwise enter, any waters within the parks and reserves, due to the presence of crocodiles and bilharzia.
  • It is recommended that water to be used for drinking purposes should firstly be boiled or chemically treated. However, water in many of the central and southern areas is saline and unsuitable for drinking.

What to Pack

The most important piece of clothing you can pack is a hat! Forget those peak caps that only cover your face. Bring along a floppy hat that helps cover your face, neck and collar area – an added bonus is that they can be squashed into bags and hold-alls and packed anywhere.

Depending upon the time of year you are travelling, lightweight clothing in neutral colours such as cotton and cotton blends are most suitable. During winter and rainy season months, warm/windproof jackets are strongly recommended. The winter months May – August can get very cold in early mornings and late afternoons especially on game drives! During these months we recommend you travel “in layers” so you can put on, or take off clothing as the temperature changes.

Walking shoes and Sandals are recommended whilst in the bush areas, so to are swimming trunks/costumes as most lodges and hotels have pools. For evenings we suggest light weight neutral long sleeved shirts and trousers as this assists in the protection against mosquitos.

Regarding Camera equipment, we strongly recommend that you ensure you carry sufficient camera film or memory cards for your cameras. Once on safari there are very few places to purchase these.

We do recommend that you carry sufficient battery chargers and extra batteries, as although in many places these can be charged, there may be times when this is not possible. Equipment needs to be kept in soft sided cases and we recommend you carry this with you on planes.

Travel Insurance

It is a requirement that all guests travelling to Botswana be adequately covered by comprehensive travel insurance to cover all aspects of their holiday.

International flights/ loss & theft/medical requirements/damage and cancellation etc. We would recommend guests organise travel insurance in home country

Travel Wild is covered by comprehensive liability insurance.

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Victoria Falls

Wildlife Trust

About Botswana

Botswana, one of Africa’s most stable countries, is the continent’s longest continuous multi-party democracy. It is relatively free of corruption and has a good human rights record.

Sparsely populated, Botswana protects some of Africa’s largest areas of wilderness. Safari-based tourism is an important source of income. Botswana is the world’s largest producer of diamonds and the trade has transformed it into a middle-income nation.

Botswana is home to the worlds biggest concentration of African elephants, of which the highest concentration is to be found in Chobe National Park. The Okavango Delta is the largest inland delta in the world. It’s a beautiful oasis in the Kalahari desert, whose waters start flowing from the highlands of Angola all the way over the sands of the Kalahari desert. The Delta gives life to many forms of life which seems to be unexpected in the middle of a desert. The Okavango Delta became the 1000th inscribed site on the World Heritage List of Unesco in 2014.

 

Where to go in Botswana?

There’s plenty of variation on a Botswana safari: huge wetlands and wide rivers are havens of biodiversity in the country’s northern woodland environments while the surprisingly rewarding Kalahari is where to go in Botswana for game-covered grasslands and sun-baked salt pans. Each destination offers something different but combining these places of interest is simple to arrange – light aircraft charters serve each destination and you can even enjoy some bird’s eye game viewing on the way.

Okavango Delta: the Kalahari’s green oasis

An emerald-green paradise in the middle of the red Kalahari, the Okavango Delta forms the centrepiece of most Botswana safaris. One of the world’s most mesmerising natural destinations, its labyrinthine channels, open floodplains and tangled woodlands really do teem with wildlife and it offers a wide range of safari activities including game drives, nature walks, boat rides and canoe safaris. Much of the Okavango Delta is protected by the legendary Moremi Game Reserve; privately managed conservation concessions take care of much of the rest.

Chobe National Park: elephants & predators

Botswana’s heavyweight big game reserve, the Chobe National Park is where to go in Botswana for elephants and at no time more so than between June and October when enormous herds congregate on the Chobe River. Further south is Chobe’s Savuti region – raw, wild and the legendary setting for savage interactions between lions and hyenas.

The Kalahari: unique parks & thriving wildlife

A far cry from the popular imagery of a sandy wasteland, the beautiful wooded grasslands and seasonally flooded pans of Botswana’s three Kalahari parks are home to an astonishing variety of animals, quite different from Botswana’s more famous destinations, and are ideal for seasoned travellers looking for a unique safari experience.

Linyanti, Selinda & Kwando: exclusive wetland reserves

If it’s an Okavango Delta-type experience you want but with an air of exclusivity then travel to the private reserves of Linyanti, Selinda and Kwando. Bordering the Caprivi Strip, these wild wetlands have only recently opened up to visitors and the

Tuli Block: safari in the Land of Giants

Tucked away in eastern Botswana, the Tuli Block is one of Botswana’s least known places of interest but offers a very different safari experience to the rest of the country. Set around the Limpopo River, this is a country of dramatic rocky landscapes, huge baobab trees and elephants, protected by private reserves.