Africa
Highlights - Essential Info - Itineraries - History
Visa Requirements - Holders of UK passports do not require a visa for entry into Botswana for stays of up to 1 month although you should have a full passport with at least six months validity from the date of your return to the UK.
Non-British passport holders should check their visa requirements with their local Embassy or High Commission. Please also be aware that you need to have at least two blank pages in your passport.
Health Requirements - A Yellow Fever Certificate is required to enter Botswana if you arrive from or via an infected country. There are no other mandatory vaccinations required although Tetanus, Typhoid, Meningitis, Polio and Hepatitis A are sometimes recommended. Malaria is present in many parts of Botswana and it is therefore essential that you seek qualified medical advice on its prevention.
We strongly recommend that you contact your doctor or the MASTA (Medical Advisory Service for Travellers Abroad) Travellers Health Line on 0870 606 2782 for all professional medical advice.
Time - GMT + 2 hours (+ 1 hour during British Summer Time)
Money - The currency is the Botswana Pula. Travellers’ cheques and foreign currency can be freely exchanged at most commercial banks, hotels and lodges. The use and acceptance of credit cards such as Visa and MasterCard is growing and they are generally accepted in most of the larger establishments, but an alternative payment source is sensible, especially when in remote areas.
Flights
|
Airline |
Route |
Frequency |
Connect with Air Botswana |
|
British Airways |
Heathrow/Johannesburg |
Daily |
Gaborone (Daily) |
|
|
Heathrow/Johannesburg |
Daily |
Maun (Daily) |
|
SAA |
Heathrow/Johannesburg |
Daily |
Gaborone (Daily) |
|
|
Heathrow/Johannesburg |
Daily |
Maun (Daily) |
Climate - a rough guide
The terrain in Botswana changes dramatically from the sub-tropical north along the Okavango and Zambezi Rivers to the semi-desert regions of the south, so although the climate is inevitably different around the country, there are generally two distinct seasons as described below:
APRIL - OCTOBER (WINTER) The rains usually finish in March and so begins the warm winter that lasts until October. This is when the country is at its driest with clear sunny days and cool nights. As summer approaches, the months of September and October see a significant rise in both day and nighttime temperatures. In the Kalahari, the temperature range can be even more extreme with scorching days and temperatures close to freezing at night, especially in June and July. On average, daytime temperatures rise to around 85F and then fall to a cool 50F at night.
There is little rain during this period and many parts of the country can go for months without a drop and suffer quite severe droughts at times.
NOVEMBER - MARCH (SUMMER) November usually sees the start of the rains that bring higher temperatures and humidity at times, generally lasting until March. Daytime temperatures can rise to 95F with the nights averaging a more temperate 64F.
Rainfall tends to be in short, heavy, but localized storms before the sun shines again. If the rains are heavy then some areas can become inaccessible at times.
When to go
Chobe National Park, Moremi Game Reserve, Linyanti Swamps and Okavango Delta are all usually best for game viewing in the dry winter season (April to October) when the bush is thin and the wildlife is concentrated near the marshlands and along the permanent rivers. The floodwaters of the Kavango River normally reach the Delta in May/June when this unique ecosystem is transformed into a vast system of glistening waterways and palm islands.
During the summer months from November to March game viewing is harder as the bush starts to thicken up and the game naturally disperses on account of the widely available water supply.
Conversely, game viewing in the Central Kalahari Game Reserve, Makgadikgadi Pans and Nxai Pan National Parks is generally best during the wet season (February to April) when a large migration of zebra and wildebeest takes place and thousands of migratory birds are in residence; however the dry winter months from May to November are also an excellent time to visit the Pans as they offer a very different experience, and it is possible to see not only some rare wildlife such as the brown hyena, but also to explore the shimmering white pans on quad bikes and discover the culture of the ancient Bushmen.
|
Maun |
||||||||||||
|
|
Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
Jul |
Aug |
Sep |
Oct |
Nov |
Dec |
|
Temp (F) |
88/ |
88/ |
90/ |
84/ |
80/ |
76/ |
78/ |
82/ |
88/ |
95/ |
95/ |
93/ |
|
Rain (in) |
4.0 |
4.0 |
3.5 |
2.0 |
0.9 |
0.5 |
0.3 |
0.3 |
0.5 |
1.0 |
2.5 |
3.75 |
Temp (Fahrenheit) = Average Maximum Temperatures (day/night)
Rain (inches) = Average Monthly Rainfall
