Botswana in brief
- Most trips combine the Okavango Delta, Moremi and Chobe, linked by light aircraft.
- Add the Makgadikgadi salt pans, the Central Kalahari or Victoria Falls.
- The dry season (May to October) is best for game; the flood peaks from about June to August. See the seasons.
- Fly via Johannesburg to Maun or Kasane. UK visitors don’t need a visa for a holiday, and the currency is the pula.
Botswana is Africa’s great wilderness. The Okavango Delta floods a desert with clear water every winter; Chobe has the largest elephant herds on the continent; and the Makgadikgadi salt pans stretch white to the horizon. The country protects its wild places by keeping visitor numbers low, so camps are small and game drives are quiet. This guide explains the regions, how the seasons and the flood work, sample routes and what to know before you go.
Where to go in Botswana
Most trips combine two or three areas of the north, linked by short light-aircraft flights. Many travellers add Victoria Falls, just over the border. For our group trips, see Botswana safari tours compared.
The Okavango Delta
The world’s largest inland delta is a maze of channels, lagoons and palm islands. Glide through the reeds in a mokoro (dugout canoe), take a boat to the heronries, walk with a guide on the islands and fly over it all by small plane or helicopter.
Choose a “water camp” for boating and mokoro trips, or a “land camp” for game drives. Many trips use one of each.
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Moremi Game Reserve
On the eastern side of the delta, Moremi mixes floodplains with mopane woodland and has some of the best game viewing in Africa: lion, leopard, African wild dog, buffalo and huge numbers of birds.
It’s the only part of the delta you can drive into from Maun.
Chobe National Park and the river
In the dry season, thousands of elephants come down to drink at the Chobe River. A sunset boat cruise brings you close to them, along with hippos, crocodiles and buffalo.
The town of Kasane is the gateway, an easy road transfer from Victoria Falls.
To add the falls and Hwange, see our Zimbabwe holiday guide.
Savuti and Linyanti
West of Chobe, the remote Savuti marsh is famous for lions and elephants, and the private reserves along the Linyanti river are among the best places in Africa to see wild dogs.
Private concessions allow night drives and walks, which aren’t permitted in the national parks.
The Makgadikgadi salt pans
The remains of a vast ancient lake, the Makgadikgadi pans are among the largest salt flats in the world. In the dry season, ride quad bikes across the crust, meet habituated meerkats and sleep out under the stars.
In the rainy season, from about December to March, the pans flood and thousands of zebra and wildebeest migrate here, along with flamingos.
The Central Kalahari
One of the largest game reserves in the world, the Central Kalahari is a remote land of grassy valleys and fossil rivers. After the summer rains, antelope gather on the plains, followed by cheetahs and Kalahari lions.
Walks with San guides show how people have lived here for thousands of years.
Maun
Botswana’s safari capital is a relaxed town on the Thamalakane River, where light aircraft leave for the delta camps. Most visitors pass straight through, but it’s a good place for a scenic flight over the delta.
Flights connect Maun with Johannesburg, Cape Town and Kasane.
Victoria Falls
One of the world’s great waterfalls is about 80 km from Kasane, on the border of Zimbabwe and Zambia. Walk the rainforest path along the falls, take a sunset cruise on the Zambezi or fly over the gorge.
The falls are fullest from about March to May and lowest from October to December.
How the Okavango flood works
The Okavango river rises in the highlands of Angola. Summer rain there takes months to flow south, so the flood reaches the delta in the middle of Botswana’s dry winter, usually peaking from about June to August.
That timing makes the delta special: just as the land dries out, fresh water spreads across the delta, and animals gather on the islands and floodplains. It was named the 1,000th UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2014.
Water levels vary from year to year, so mokoro trips depend on the flood. Your camp will plan around what the water is doing.
When to go: dry and green seasons
Botswana has a dry season from about May to October and a green (rainy) season from about November to April. The dry season is best for game viewing, as animals gather at water. Mornings and nights are cold from June to August, often near freezing in the desert, while October is very hot. The green season brings short afternoon storms, newborn animals, migrant birds and lower rates.
| Months | What to expect |
|---|---|
| May to June | Dry and green, cool nights; the flood is rising; good value before the peak |
| July to September | Peak season: the delta is flooded and game gathers at water; cold mornings; book well ahead |
| October | Hottest month; superb game viewing at the last waterholes |
| November to April | Green season: storms, newborn animals, birds; zebra migration on the Makgadikgadi pans |
Sample routes
Delta and Chobe
- Okavango Delta water camp (3 nights)
- Moremi or a land camp (3)
- Chobe River (2)
The classic first trip, best from May to October.
Delta, pans and Victoria Falls
- Okavango Delta (4 nights)
- Makgadikgadi pans (2)
- Chobe (3)
- Victoria Falls (2)
Water, desert and the falls in one trip.
A green-season journey
- Central Kalahari (3 nights)
- Makgadikgadi pans (3)
- Okavango Delta (4)
For the zebra migration and newborn animals, December to March.
Wildlife
- Elephants: Botswana has the largest elephant population of any country, most of them in the north.
- Wild dogs: northern Botswana is one of the last strongholds of this endangered hunter.
- Birds: more than 500 species have been recorded, from African fish eagles to the rare Pel’s fishing owl.
- Rhinos: both white and black rhinos have been reintroduced to the delta, though sightings are rare.
Ways to see Botswana with us
Practical tips
- Getting there: there are no direct flights from the UK. Fly to Johannesburg (about 11 hours), then on to Maun or Kasane. Light aircraft connect the camps.
- Entry: British visitors don’t need a visa for a holiday of up to 90 days. A tourism levy is payable on arrival, and children travelling with you need their full birth certificate. Check the FCDO Botswana advice before you book and before you travel.
- Currency: the pula (the Setswana word for “rain”) is divided into 100 thebe. Camps are usually all-inclusive, and US dollars are widely accepted for tips.
- Luggage: light aircraft take soft bags only, with a strict weight limit (often 20 kg including hand luggage).
- Health: northern Botswana is a malaria area, so ask a travel nurse about tablets. Pack warm layers for cold early-morning drives in winter.
- Children: many camps set minimum ages for game drives, walks and mokoro trips; some are adults only. We’ll match camps to your family.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the Okavango Delta?
In north-western Botswana, south of the Angolan and Namibian borders. Maun is the gateway town, and most camps are reached by light aircraft from there.
When is the best time to visit the Okavango Delta?
From about June to October, when the flood has arrived and wildlife gathers around the water. May and November are quieter and still good. The green season (December to March) is best for birds and newborn animals.
What currency is used in Botswana?
The Botswana pula, divided into 100 thebe. "Pula" means "rain" in Setswana. US dollars are widely accepted for tips, and safari camps are usually all-inclusive.
What are the Makgadikgadi salt pans?
The remains of a huge ancient lake in north-eastern Botswana, now among the largest salt flats in the world. In the dry season you can quad bike and sleep out on the pans; in the rainy season they attract zebra, wildebeest and flamingos.
How do you get to Botswana from the UK?
Fly to Johannesburg, about 11 hours from London, then take a connecting flight to Maun or Kasane. You can also fly into Victoria Falls and drive about 80 km to Kasane.
Do UK citizens need a visa for Botswana?
No. British passport holders can visit for up to 90 days without a visa. A tourism levy is payable on arrival, and children need their full birth certificate. Check the FCDO advice before you travel.
Is Botswana good for a first safari?
Yes, especially with a mix of a water camp and a land camp in the Okavango, plus Chobe. Camps are small and guides are excellent, though it's a more remote and exclusive safari than in South Africa or Kenya.
How many days do you need in Botswana?
Eight or nine nights covers the Okavango Delta, Moremi and Chobe. With 11 or 12 nights, add the Makgadikgadi pans and Victoria Falls.
Keep planning
- Botswana holidays
- Escorted tours of Botswana
- Botswana safari tours compared
- Safari holidays
- South Africa holiday guide
- Tanzania holiday guide
- Namibia tours compared
- Tailor-made holidays
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