Essential Botswana: Okavango and Chobe
Duration : 9 days
Route : Maun → Okavango Delta camp (3 nights) → Cessna flight to Moremi (2 nights) → flight to Kasane and Chobe (3 nights) → departure Kasane (combinable with Victoria Falls)
Custom travel to Botswana
Botswana is one of Africa's last great safari destinations still preserved from mass tourism. Here, low-impact, high-revenue tourism protects a territory where wildlife is denser than anywhere else on the continent. From the Okavango Delta — a UNESCO labyrinth of water and papyrus — to Chobe Park and its 120,000 elephants, through the Makgadikgadi salt pans and the semi-arid Kalahari, each region is an experience in itself. Botswana is lived immersively, in small tented camps or intimate lodges, at the closest to the bush.
Highlights
- Okavango Delta: mokoro and 4×4 safari
- Chobe Park: Africa's largest elephant population
- Makgadikgadi: salt pans and stars in the Kalahari
- Moremi Reserve: dense wildlife, varied landscapes
- Combinable with Victoria Falls (Zimbabwe/Zambia)
Sample itineraries
Grand tour: delta, Kalahari, and Makgadikgadi
Duration : 13 days
Route : Maun → Makgadikgadi salt pans (2 nights) → Central Kalahari (2 nights) → Okavango Delta (3 nights) → Moremi (2 nights) → Chobe (3 nights) → Kasane → Victoria Falls (optional, 2 nights)
Exclusive Okavango honeymoon
Duration : 10 days
Route : Maun → exceptional private concession camp (3 nights) → second camp with different activities — deep water / island (3 nights) → Chobe Chilwero or Sanctuary Chobe Chilwero (3 nights) → Victoria Falls (2 nights, optional)
When to go
Botswana is ideally visited May to October: it's the dry season, when wildlife concentrates at waterholes (Okavango Delta paradoxically at its peak as Angolan waters arrive in June-August). Cool morning temperatures (5-10 °C in July), pleasant during the day (22-28 °C). July-September is high season, the best camps book 8-12 months in advance. Rainy season (November-March) is greener, more humid (thunderstorms), with more dispersed wildlife but the great zebra and wildebeest migration to Makgadikgadi. April is shoulder season: still-green bush, softer rates.
- Cool dry season (May – July) — Delta in full flood, dry Chobe, cool Kalahari
- Hot dry season (August – October) — Animal migrations, predations, densest Chobe
- Rainy season (first rains) (November – December) — Migration to Makgadikgadi, spectacular photography
- Green season (January – April) — Green Makgadikgadi, birding, low prices
Practical information
Botswana is generally very safe and politically stable. Main risks are encounters with dangerous wildlife (ALWAYS follow your guide's instructions: don't leave the vehicle, stay silent, don't run from a predator). Yellow fever vaccine mandatory if arriving from an endemic country. Antimalarial recommended (the delta and north are malarial zones). Drinking water in camps (bottles provided). Safari clothing: neutral colors (khaki, beige, brown), no white or red, warm sweaters for mornings (5-10 °C in July). Usual tips: $10-20/day for guide, $10/day for camp staff.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time for a Botswana safari?
May to October: dry season, wildlife concentrated at waterholes. July-September is optimal for the Okavango Delta (Angolan waters arrived). Book 8-12 months in advance for the best camps.
How long for a Botswana safari?
Minimum 8 days for Okavango + Chobe. 13 days to add Makgadikgadi and Kalahari. Classic combination: Botswana + Victoria Falls (2 days) = 10-15 days total.
What budget for a custom Botswana safari?
Minimum €4,500 per person for 8-10 days in full board, excluding flights. For an upscale trip with Wilderness Safaris or Great Plains: €9,000-€18,000. Paris-Maun flights: €1,100-€1,800.
Do I need a visa for Botswana?
No visa for French citizens for stays under 90 days. Passport valid 6 months beyond return date, with at least 2 blank pages. Yellow fever vaccine mandatory if arriving from an endemic country (West Africa, South America).
Should I take an antimalarial in Botswana?
Recommended for the Okavango Delta, Chobe, and northern country (malarial zones). Not necessary for the south (Kalahari, Makgadikgadi). Discuss with your doctor before departure. Also: mosquito repellent, long sleeves in the evening.
What's the difference between Botswana and Tanzania/Kenya for a safari?
Botswana: more exclusive tourism (few vehicles, private concessions), more dispersed but intact wildlife, more varied landscapes (delta, salt pans, Kalahari). Tanzania/Kenya: spectacular Great Migration, more concentrated wildlife, but many vehicles in public parks. Botswana is better suited for returning Africa visitors.
Is Botswana suitable for a family trip?
From 8-10 years depending on camps (some accept children only from 12 for safety reasons). Family camps: Khwai Bush Camp, Camp Okavango, Sanctuary Chobe Chilwero. Adapted activities (no bush walks for young children).
How to combine Botswana and Victoria Falls?
Simplest: finish your safari in Kasane (Chobe Park), then 1-h road transfer to Victoria Falls (Zimbabwe) or Livingstone (Zambia). 2-3 nights are enough for the falls (panoramic flight, bridge, Zambezi cruise, walk to Devil's Pool in dry season).
Is Botswana safe for a trip?
Yes, one of Africa's most stable and safest countries (democracy since independence in 1966). Main risks are wildlife encounters (follow guide's instructions). In cities (Maun, Kasane, Gaborone), usual precautions.
Why is Botswana more expensive than other African safaris?
Government policy of low impact / high revenue: few beds authorized, high prices, but maximum benefits for conservation and communities. This is what preserves the exceptional quality of the Botswanan safari. Expect 30-50% more expensive than an equivalent safari in Tanzania or South Africa.