country
BotswanaBotswana
Build the trip around 2–3 safari camps of 2–3 nights each (Okavango Delta, Moremi or Khwai, Chobe), linked by light aircraft from Maun or Kasane, and add Victoria Falls as a 2-night bookend.
Botswana is built on low-volume safari: remote camps reached by light aircraft, fixed transfer times and strict soft-bag luggage limits. Trips break when luggage is too heavy for the small planes, or when first-time visitors self-drive into deep sand and water crossings in the Delta and Chobe. The rules that apply everywhere: pack a soft bag to the operator's weight limit, let each camp's schedule set the day, and self-drive only with 4x4 experience, a second vehicle or a guide.
All regions, cities and parks in Botswana (Atlas) →
Regions
Water and land camps reached from Maun by light aircraft; mokoro (dugout canoe) trips
3–6 nights
Chobe riverfront boat and game drives; close to Victoria Falls
2–3 nights
Central Kalahari, Nxai Pan and the Makgadikgadi salt pans
2–3 nights
Arrive
MUB
Maun
Gateway to the Okavango Delta; light aircraft to camps
BBK
Kasane
Gateway to Chobe; road transfers to Victoria Falls
GBE
Sir Seretse Khama International (Gaborone)
Capital; far from the main safari areas
Time math
- 5 days
- Chobe 2 + Victoria Falls 2 (+ 1 travel night)
- 8 days
- Okavango Delta camp 3 + Moremi or Khwai 3 + Chobe 2
- 12 days
- Victoria Falls 2 + Chobe 3 + Okavango Delta 4 + Makgadikgadi or Kalahari 3
Country rules
- Check visa and entry rules for your passport on official Botswana government sources before booking.
- Light-aircraft transfers limit luggage by weight and require soft bags; confirm the limit with your camp or operator before packing.
- Self-driving in Moremi, Chobe and the Central Kalahari needs a properly equipped 4x4, booked campsites and experience in sand driving.
Etiquette
- Greet people before asking anything; "Dumela" (hello) is appreciated.
- Follow your guide's instructions on game drives: stay seated and keep your voice down near animals.
- Ask before photographing people.
- Peak dry season (Jul–Oct)
- Best game viewing and the highest rates; camps book out a year ahead.
- Green season (about Nov–Apr)
- Heat and storms; some camps and tracks close, and animals disperse.
Money & passes
Cash necessity: 2/5
- Currency is the Botswana pula (BWP). Most safari camps are paid in advance; cards work in Maun, Kasane and Gaborone.
- Carry cash for tips at camps; ask your operator which currency the camp prefers.
Before you fly: eSIM before you fly · Visas and entry
Safety
- Camps are unfenced: after dark, walk only with a guide escort, and follow the camp's rules about staying in your tent.
- Self-drive: do not drive after dark, carry recovery gear, and do not attempt water crossings without knowing the depth.
- Emergency help in remote areas depends on your operator and evacuation insurance; confirm both before you go.
- Health: see a travel clinic well before you fly about vaccinations and malaria prevention, and check whether a yellow-fever vaccination certificate is required for your passport and route, including transits.
Botswana pairs with Victoria Falls (Zimbabwe or Zambia) from Kasane, with Namibia's Zambezi region by road, and with Johannesburg as the air hub.
Sources
- UK FCDO foreign travel advice: Botswana (official)
- Wikivoyage — Botswana (secondary)