Questions & Answers about Botswana

Green Season - ***Save by travelling to Botswana in the green season!***

MONTHS: January, February, March & December

Botswana typically has empty blue skies and boasts an enviable 300 days of dazzling sunshine a year. Around December, life-giving summer rains begin to fall, marking the start of the green season. The bulk of rain falls over January and February and the landscape stays beautifully lush and green until about April. If you want to experience all the drama of Botswana's legendary game viewing without the crowds, consider a safari between December and March. You will not only pay lower rates, but the lower visitor numbers should mean plenty of green season surprises. Although it is the warmest and wettest season, Botswana’s beauty and the light conditions during this time of year, offer excellent phographic opportunities.

Shoulder Season - ***Most lodges offer discounted rates***

MONTHS: April, May, June & November

It takes several months after the rainy season has started for the Delta to get filled. Most of the water travels down from the Angolan highlands. Once the rains stop between April and May, the floodplains fill up. It is a time of transition - temperatures start to tumble and migratory birds move on. In certain places the game starts to congregate in areas where they know there will be water. The scenario in early November is the opposite. Temperatures reach their peak and everything is at its driest. Large herds are still seen as they wait for the rains to arrive. The shoulder months are times of transition, offering glimpses of green and high season.

High season - ***High rates during this period, but excellent game viewing***

MONTHS: July, August, September & October

This is Botswana’s winter and it is a dry, cool period. Known as “high water month”, the newly fallen rain finds its way down through the labyrinth of channels and lagoons and fills the Delta to its maximum. In the game congregate areas, vegetation is either grazed or dies back, offering great game sightings. This includes seeing some of the main predators and even the wild dog that den during the dry season months.

This mix of seasons makes Botswana a truly year-round destination.

Inter-camp flights:  Flying with light aircrafts between camps implies limits to luggage dimensions due to smaller luggage compartments. Airlines prefer soft-sided luggage or luggage with a hard-braced bottom with wheels and soft sides. Hard case baggage will be accepted if it complies to the following dimensions: 30cm wide/35cm high/70cm long.

The following can be used as a guideline:

Safari guides: US$ 10 per guest per day

Trackers (for walking safaris): US$ 5 per guest per day

Lodge staff: US$ 5 per guest per day

Porterage: US$ 1 per suitcase

Botswana is a malaria risk area - please consult your physician/travel clinic before you travel for advice on precautions against malaria. You do NOT need a yellow fever vaccination to enter Botswana, unless you are travelling through an endemic country (or been in transit for 12 hours or more in such a country). You  will then be required to present a yellow fever vaccination certificate. We recommend that you check the latest health information before departure.

Botswana’s official language is English, but most of the population speaks Setswana as well.

Both South African and UK adapters can be used on safaris in Botswana. Most lodges offer various adapters.

It has the World's largest salt pans - the Makgadikadi Pans.

The World's largest inland delta - the Okavango Delta.

World's shortest border - the border between Botswana and Zambia -  700 meters.

Cellular phone coverage and internet connection is readily available in towns and cities. The majority of wilderness locations and lodges do not have phone coverage. Most lodges and camps offer limited Wi-Fi connectivity. Please check with us to find out whether you will have Wi-Fi access or roaming services at the camps or lodges you book.

The local currency in Botswana is Pula. In addition, SA rand, US dollars and Euros are widely accepted at lodges and hotels throughout the country. All credit cards are accepted at hotels.