Botswana Travel Guide

I loved Botswana, but this was my first safari, so I can't compare it to anything (however, I am planning to return to Botswana). The people are warm and welcoming; it's still wild and beautiful, unspoiled by billboards and commercialization. There is a variety of landscapes and scenery - from the hot dry desert to the cooler Delta.

Totally an old style African Safari

After one of our families most exciting safaris, I thought I just have to post our recent trip.

A mobile safari seemed like a good family adventure for two young teenagers, easily bored by museums or treks through old cities. We chose Botswana for our family and on our first three days in Botswana we enjoyed amazing water safaris through the Okavango Delta.

By boat we were able to move around the delta easily while getting amazingly close to the animals, and the huge array of colourful birdlife. The elephants seemed right at home in the marshland and were not disturbed as we approached.

At our accommodation our tents were assembled by a beautiful lagoon, complete with a pod of snorting hippos. On arrival a startled impala bounded through the camp, being chased by wild dogs, then swam across the lagoon. On our walking safari the next day we came across a pack of 15 wild dogs – a rare and wonderful sighting.

After the first three days we swapped the boat for a land cruiser and headed off for three nights in the Moremi National Park. One night, when I got up to use the en-suite (a tarpaulin area at the back of the tent), I peered over to see the moonlit face of an equally startled elephant, just meters away. He moved on to the next tree for a good munch. More elephants offered themselves as a photographic backdrop in the morning as we had breakfast and on the safari drives we were lucky to spot leopard, honey badgers and incredibly, a daytime sighting of a serval.

The following morning we were woken early by the roar of male lions, seemingly close. Our knowledgeable guide woke us to say we were skipping breakfast to board our vehicle and explore. Sure enough 500 metres up the road we came across two kings of the jungle, marking their territory, roaring at another pride. Magic.

After a recovery night at the Maun where the kids got a quick Wi-Fi fix, we headed off to Nxai Pan. This was a total change of scenery with salt pans, majestic baobab trees and an arid open bush environment. The waterhole was the epicentre of our game drives. We watched the passing parade of elephant, giraffe, springbuck, and wildebeest as they took turns to rehydrate.

The African sunsets were spectacular. And on the last night a mother cheetah decided to show off her frisky teenagers for our cameras.

Tour organisers, Rebecca and Anton from Lelobu Safaris in Maun, and our guides, cook and camp assistants all took amazing care of us, ensuring we were safe and comfortable at all times. Botswana is a spectacular country, best seen in the true African style – by a mobile tented safari. A totally magic experience for the whole family. The family from Australia with my niece and nephew, both absolutely loved this experience before we came to Cape Town, Cape Town has also been a great add on to end our trip in Africa.

One of the very best safari destinations in southern Africa

The huge variety of habitats from the unique Okavango Delta to the Central Kalahari Desert, and ultimately the majestic Mkgadikgadi make Botswana one of the most interesting wildlife/nature destinations in the world.

Accommodation varies tremendously from luxury safari camps offered by Wilderness in the Okavango to the most basic camp sites like those in Kwai Community Reserve in Moremi where there are literally no facilities at all, giving the very best bush experience you can imagine for the seasoned explorer. For such places you'll need roof tents as the animals will definitely visit you, especially at night.

The best time to go is in September, before the rainy season makes quite a few places too difficult to get to, and if you are 'going it alone' you'll need a 4 wheel drive vehicle with all the kit, including all camping equipment, water, food (no meat allowed in the reserves), fuel, at least two spare wheels, tools etc, etc.

Africa at its most unspoilt, its most beautiful and most thrilling.

Our experience in Botswana was unforgettable and far too short. One day we will return and see what else this wonderful country has to offer. We travelled with the UK company Explore (they supplied an overland truck with tents on board, a cook,a driver/guide and a UK tour leader) and combined the trip with Namibia. We spent three nights camping at the Xakanaxa site and had guides/drivers and smaller vehicles supplied by the operator Wilderness Dawning. We can not recommend them highly enough-particularly as they found us two leopards in one day, something we shall never forget. The campsite was basic but had a toilet and shower block; not be used at night as the site is completely unfenced and it's a bit of a walk. It is also in a super spot with acess to both Moremi and the delta. Bushbuck and vervet monkey and lots of birds could be spotted even around the campsite. During our stay we did four games drives in the reserve and spent the best part of day on a flat bottomed boat cruising through the delta and stopping to walk across one of the islands. The wildlife in the two areas is totally different. Moremi has the big cats and antelope, whereas on the delta we saw lots of birds, hippos and many more elephant. We travelled in January and hence did experience some very heavy rain showers but the animals were still around in abundance. Combined with Namibia I can say without hesitation this was our best holiday ever.

Being "poled along" like a gondola, the thousands of stars & evening constant animal noises (frogs).

After a month travelling overland with Acacia Africa from Nairobi on route to Capetown, we hit Botswana. I was expecting more animals as the travellers we met heading north who had just left here had reported plenty to see. But alas not for us. But this is Africa (TIA). It is not a zoo as we humans are privileged to be in the animals natural habit. While a disappointment, I will remember Botswana for:

- lying in and being poled along in a mokoro, a dug out canoe. Listening to the bird and insect life with the reeds being brushed aside. Thank goodness we had a modern fiberglass mokoro as the wooden ones made out of single sausage tree that takes 80 years to grow, but only last 5 - 6 years leak! We had to take everything in and then take out again everything including all of our rubbish. The sky was blue, few clouds and the sun was rising. It was a simply a magic feeling moving along at a gentle pace. So different to the truck travel.

- On the bush walks saw more homo sapiens from other overland groups moving across the open plain than the few animals - zebras, buffaloes plus bird life.

- The evening will be remembered for the brilliant display of stars with a little light spillage plus hearing the hundreds of frogs croaking away ...

- To cap off our visit, the flight over just a small part of the 16,000 sq km Okavango Delta where the 360 degree vista from above rewarded me with my pictures of "textures and colours". We saw elephants and wildebeests from above. It was well worth the US$60 cost. To cap it off, as we left on the last flight, it was sunset as we headed back to Maun airport.

So ... yes, I was a bit disappointed with both Chobe National Park and Okavango Delta re seeing animals living in their natural environment, but I still have many wonderful memories to take away with me: being "poled along" like a gondola - the thousands of stars and evening animal noises.

Read and see my Botswana photoblog at:
http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/bruceontour/2/1268479817/tpod.html
http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/bruceontour/2/1268480129/tpod.html

Safe and quiet country with lots to offer. Absolutely loved it and wished I could have stayed long.

Botswana has so much to offer. From the beauty of its landscape and animals to the genuine nature of its people. Don’t know why it took me so long to get here.

Botswana's wild life is beyond compare. I was blown away in the first three hours I was there.

Our 15 day safari was wonderful. I expected to see some animals but the number we saw was incredible. The boat cruise on the Chobe River was amazing. Elephants, water buffalo, crocodiles, giraffes, antelopes, hippos and warthogs (this was in the first 3 hours). We got so close to the animals. We glamped for 15 days and saw at least one new animal everyday. Tony's Mobile Safari took great care of us. The only downside about the trip was that I was unprepared for the cold. The early morning game rides are very chilly. You need a toque, gloves and a light coat. The afternoons are glorious and warm. The scenery and sunsets are magical. As to safety, the only time I felt unsafe was when a male lion looked me in the eye and started walking towards me. I was in the Jeep, of course. He walked beside the jeep and went to sleep in the shade cast by the vehicle. He passed so close you felt like reaching out and petting him. I would recommend Botswana to everyone.

Incredible wildlife in beautiful landscape

We staying at Kwara Lodge and Gomoti Plains Lodge in the delta. Kwara was our favourite lodge , all the staff were so friendly and welcoming. Our guide and tracker Stanley and Eric were so knowledgeable with over 30 years experience, it really added to our experience. The natural landscape of the delta was amazing and wonderful to see it being so well protected by the local people and authorities.

Paradise!

Whatever I write here will not do our experience justice. From the moment we met our guide (Pilot), saw our first animals, smelt the intoxicating scent of the bush (a mixture of wild thyme and camphor), saw, each night and each morning, the glorious and vivid colours of the sunsets and sunrises, hearing the animals during the night, the animal encounters during the day (up close and personal) the amazing food, service and attention to detail - it was out of this world. If we had the money we would do it again. If you are reading this because you're not sure - hesitate no more. Do it! You wont regret it. We did a mobile safari for ten days (unfortunately, I can't mention the company who were phenomenal with every detail) from 28/7 - 6/08. We covered three sites, chobe park (savuti area), Khwai Private reserve then finishing in Moremi and we saw literally everything possible to see and our guide taught us to track. Our guide was clearly very respected by all the other guides we came into contact with, having 30yrs+ experience I'm not surprised. It was an absolute privilege not only to see these beautiful animals in their natural environment but also meeting the warm and welcoming Botswanans. Botswana offers everything. Now book that trip!

Amazing boat cruise down the Chobe River through Botswana!

We went on safaris through Kruger National Park, South Africa prior to Botswana’s Chobe National Park. Both safaris offer amazing game spotting but Botswana is unique as it included a boat ride on the Chobe River. The animals are abundant and you really don’t have to look too hard to spot them. Botswana provides a glimpse of the fascinating lives of game that inhabit the Chobe River and the surrounding area, especially the plethora of birds. If you are a bird watcher, you will be in heaven! The boat ride through the Chobe river in the morning followed by mid-day lunch break was the highlight of our trip. The river scenery is beautiful and serene. The afternoon safari in a 4WD was a bit rough as the dirt roads are more rugged and less paved but that also adds to the experience. Our driver and operator were also patient and professional. We recommend Botswana for a well-rounded safari experience!