PLANNING YOUR BOTSWANA SAFARI

BOTSWANA is a great place for your first African overland trip; people are friendly and helpful, the infrastructure is well developed and there is an abundance of wildlife. The tracks require a basic level of off-road experience, except in the rainy season when you can make it as challenging as you wish. Wildlife is everywhere, even on the side of the main roads.

CAMPING: Botswana has an extensive network of campgrounds (150-300P pppn), see ioverlander. The main private operators ($30-50pppn) in the National Parks are:

• Moremi (kwalateesafari@gmail.com, xomaesites@btcmail.co.bw; reservations@ sklcamps.co.bw)

• Savuti (reservations@sklcamps.co.bw);

• Chobe (kwalateesafari@gmail.com);

• Makgadikgadi and Nxai (reservations@sklcamps.co.bw, xomaesites@btcmail.co.bw);

• Khutse and CKGR (reservations@bigfoottours.co.bw).

CELL COVERAGE: It is worth getting a local SIM card, MASCOM has good coverage (3G/4G) in main towns; BTC has better coverage in some remote areas in particular Khwai. Wifi usually available at lodges and campgrounds outside parks.

DISTANCES: On tar roads 500 km per day is realistic. Dirt roads expect to average 60 kph maximum, halve this for difficult conditions.

EMERGENCY: Under normal conditions if you keep to the tourist routes a satellite phone/messenger is not required, however with the low level of tourists at present, especially on little used tracks and in the Central Kalahari Game Reserve (CKGR) it is strongly recommended. We carry a Garmin Inreach. Many car rental companies also rent satellite phones.

EXCHANGE RATE: At the time we were there it was 14.5 Pula to a pound. FUEL: Generally readily available, clean, good quality.

GUIDE BOOK: Tracks 4 Africa – Botswana Self Drive Guide (edition 2) provides useful background information, maps and lodge/camping information. IOVERLANDER: Useful App providing database of campsites, hotels, restaurants, where to find water, mechanic, propane, and so on.

LODGES: Range from extreme luxury ($1500-5000 per person per night) best booked as a package to the modest ($30-150 pppn) which provide great overnight stops. Most have websites.

NATIONAL PARKS: Entry for foreign nationals is 120P per person plus 50P for a foreign registered car which can be paid at the entry gate in cash. This rate is per day, so if you camp overnight you pay for two days even if you arrive late and leave early. If you then enter another park the same day you pay again. Campgrounds are unfenced so elephants, lions and hyenas often wander through camp. Only a few of the campgrounds are operated by Department of Wildlife and National Parks (DWNP). The remainder by private operators.

NAVIGATION: Reise Botswana paper map for route planning, Shell Tourist maps of the National Parks for game viewing and, for navigation maps.me in the parks, Google maps on main roads and Wikiloc is useful to record your route for the return journey on unmarked tracks.

NIGHT DRIVING: Just don’t. If you get caught out beware of pedestrians and domestic animals. In game areas, wildlife just materialises out of the bush. Local taxi drivers around Kasane drive at between 20-50 kph after dark.

RENTING: It is easy to rent a good quality vehicle in Botswana. Fully fitted out 4x4 campers are available in Gaborone, Maun and Kasane. Expect to pay £80 per day for a Hilux £80/day or £120 per day for a Land Cruiser 79.

RESERVATIONS: Required at peak holiday time and definitely for the popular sites in parks. Obtaining reservations is not easy and you need to find a good local agent.

ROAD CONDITIONS: All major roads are tar, with the exception being the A35 to Shakawe. Main and minor gravel/dirt roads are often in poor condition, as are park tracks – expect sections of deep sand in the dry season and mud or impassable sections in the wet season.

SHOPPING: Well stocked supermarkets in Gaborone, Ghanzi, Maun and Kasane, elsewhere you’ll only find the basics. Prices slightly higher than in the UK. Water is generally potable however filtered water sellers are available in the main towns.

SPEED LIMITS: 60 kph in towns, 80 kph passing through villages and intersections, 80 or 120 kph outside urban areas. Speed limits are often not clearly marked and there are frequent police speed traps, especially in long 60 kph zones. Beware of animals emerging from long grass. Outside urban areas, we recommend 80 kph.

VET FENCES Control foot and mouth disease. You cannot take meat from Maun to Nxai Pan and Makgadikgadi. You can take meat from Maun to Moremi, Savuti and Chobe, but not in the opposite direction. VISA: 90 day non-extendable permit issued at point of entry, no fee.

WHEN TO VISIT: Wet season is from December to March, when routes may become difficult/impassable and wildlife tends to migrate into the forests and is more difficult to see. Mid-december to mid-January is peak southern Africa holiday time. Game viewing improves as the dry season progresses and the wildlife emerges from the forests to drink at waterfronts. October is extremely hot. Peak season is European summer holidays.