Safari in Botswana:
overland trip from Johannesburg to Victoria Falls

WHAT TO DO AND WHAT TO SEE IN BOTSWANA?

This trip review focuses on an African safari trip from Johannesburg to Victoria Falls, throughout Botswana, visiting the most beautiful spots for best wildlife viewing. Lion, elephant, hippo, antelope, impala, leopard, buffalo, hyaena... the list is long and includes also birds, as well as nice trees, like the giant baobab. The itinerary starts and finishes in Johannesburg, South Africa, and goes through Magkadigkadi Pans, Maun, Okavango delta, Chobe National Park, Moremi reserve, Savute and Victoria Falls. The trip is therefore recommended for any nature enthusiast looking for excellent game drives and spectacular landscapes, in a country still not affected by mass tourism (at least at the date of this trip review).

HOW TO GET TO BOTSWANA?

At the time of this travelogue, flying to Botswana wasn't convenient due to poor schedule and high costs, therefore my actual gateway to Botswana was Johannesburg in South Africa, from where the trip has started aboard the same vehicles used later for the safari. The overland trip from Johannesburg to the first place of interest in Botswana, requires one full day with an early morning departure. If you still would like to fly, Maun in central Botswana or also Gaborone may be a good gateway to the country, alternatively, you may fly to Victoria Falls (or Livingstone) which is quite close to Botswana's northern national parks. The actual entry and exit points in Botswana depend also on the tour package that you will book, so your travel agent will provide additional details about how to get to Botswana.

HOW TO ORGANIZE A SAFARI TRIP TO BOTSWANA?

This safari tour was booked via Jenman African Safaris and actually operated by Drifters using a small truck for game drivers in Africa, for about 15 people. The truck's sides are modified to maximize the visibility and, in most cases, it's possible to climb on the roof, to observe the landscape and the animals from top, in full comfort and safety. I consider this much better than traditional off-road cars and jeep. The accommodation was mainly in tents or small guest houses where available (in most cases, the tents where set-up each night in a different place and we have camped often "in the middle of nothing"). Beside the suggested tour operators, there are many more offering safaris to Botswana using a variety of vehicles and accommodations to suit all the budgets and personal preferences. If you have enough experience in off-road driving in a 4x4, the country is also safe enough (at least, at the date of this travelogue) for self-drive tours, but I can't help on this, since I've never tried it.

WHAT IS THE BEST TIME TO VISIT BOTSWANA?

There is actually no best time to visit Botswana, as each season offers the chance to view the landscape in different conditions (green or dry) with animals engaged in various activities. However, especially if this is your first trip to Botswana, I recommend to choose the austral winter (roughly from May to October) as this season offers stable weather with lot of sun and tracks in better conditions, making much easier to drive. The dry vegetation in winter allows you to locate the wildlife more easily and, in addition, the prolonged drought forces animals to concentrate around the few pools of water still left, virtually guaranteeing the sighting. The rainy season in Botswana runs from November to April, when some roads may become impassable and when everything becomes green.