Botswana Travel / Africa | She is Wanderlust Travel Blog

Located in the in the southern region of the African continent, Botswana is home to an incredible fauna and one of the prefered destinations for safaris. One of the things I love the most about them is their tourism model. They are committed to preserve the nature, that’s why Botswana operates on a high-cost low impact model. This means they keep prices high for tourism so that they can take care of the environment.

Why Visit

WILDLIFE PARADISE

Botswana features a blend of unique habitats and incredible wildlife, with a high number of rare species that can be seen on a safari and a total of 600 different species of birds, making Botswana the perfect destination for birdwatching. It is also home to the largest concentration of elephants in the African continent and to the world’s second-largest zebra migration. Up to 25K zebras start their migration on November in search of water and food.

LANDSCAPES

Landscapes in Botswana vary between deserts and deltas, featuring the he Okavango Delta, one of the last remaining unspoiled wilderness areas of Africa. The world’s third largest inland delta; home to diverse wildlife, lagoons and lakes, and winding waterways, a must seen.

EXCLUSIVITY & INTERNET CONNECTION

Thanks to its remote areas and conservation policies, the access to Botswana’s national parks and wilderness is not an easy task and therefore not cheap. Many of the lodges are only accessible by small planes, which pushes that exclusivity even higher. Crowded places are not going to be a problem on your trip. Due to this factors, internet service is not common and you can truly enjoy the peace and tranquility that nature offers.

SAFARIS

As I mentioned previously, and thanks to its diverse fauna, Botswana is one of the prefered destination when it comes to Safaris. It offers many options, like regular 4×4 vehicles’ safaris, boat safaris, horseback tours and foot excursions (with experienced guides or Bushmen, men from one of Botswana’s many tribes), in between other options.

Why Visit

WILDLIFE PARADISE

LANDSCAPES

EXCLUSIVITY & INTERNET CONNECTION

SAFARIS

Name: Republic of Botswana
Capital: Gaborone
Official Languages: English, Setswana
Independence from the United Kingdom
Currency: Botswana Pula
Time Zone: UTC + 2 (Central Africa Time)

Name: Republic of Botswana
Capital: Gaborone
Official Languages: English, Setswana
Independence from the United Kingdom
Currency: Botswana Pula
Time Zone: UTC + 2 (Central Africa Time)

Bucket list

What to expect

LANGUAGE

The official languages of Botswana are English (inherited from the United Kingdom during colonial times) and Tswana. If you are able to read this posts, you won’t have any problems in Botswana.

ELECTRICITY

In Botswana the standard voltage is 230 V and the frequency is 50 Hz. That’s the standard voltage in the UK, Europe, Australia and most of Asia and Africa; If you are traveling from the US you will need an adaptor

CURRENCY

Pula is the official currency in Botswana. Interesting fact, the word “Pula” literally means “rain” in Setswana. You will need to exchange your currency at the airport of tourism centers. 1 USD is equivalent to about 11 Pula (as of 2020).

SAFETY

Botswana is one of the safest countries in Africa and travelers might only encounter petty crime. Common sense will get you by.

CLIMATE

May to October is the dry season in Botswana, and from November to February it’s “rain” season, although it doesn’t rain much in here (That’s why the currency’s name is rain). Dry season is the best time to go if you are looking to spot some wildlife.

PASSPORT

A passport with at least six months of validity remaining is required to enter to Botswana. U.S. and European citizens are permitted stays up to 90 days total within a 12-month period without a visa. If you wanna find out whether your country requires a visa to enter, check this information.

How to get around

Is recommend to rent a car in Botswana. You will avoid public transport and organized tours, although these options are also available and are for sure more affordable. You could also take a flight with a local airline, but the domestic routes are limited. Depending on where you are going (how remote it is) you might have to take a charter flight, as sometimes this is the only way to get there. Charters are highly regulated and flights must be booked as part of a safari package with a mandatory reservation at one of the lodges.