BOSTWANA

They say diamonds are forever, and if that’s true, Botswana is destined to be around for a very long time. One of the largest diamond producing countries in the world, Botswana is home to the Bantu people and is expansively covered by the Kalahari Desert.

The success story of Africa, the country boasts of a stable democratic government and a booming economy. The phenomenal wildlife of the country is a crowd puller and its many game reserves are geared for adventure-seekers and nature lovers.

Capital: Gaborone

Best time to visit:

  1. The best time to visit Botswana is during the winter season (May to August).
  2. Avoid the summer because it tends to get very hot and dry. It does tend to get a little crowded in winter but it’s definitely worth the effort.

Minimum days required:  5 Days

Places of Interest:

  1. Chobe National Park
  2. Kgalagadi Trans frontier Park
  3. Central Kalahari Game Reserve
  4. Mokolodi Nature Reserve
  5. Tsodilo
  6. Nxai Pan National Park
  7. The Tswapong Hills

Climate:

  1. Botswana has three seasons. Winter (May to August) is very cold and frosty at night with temperatures dropping below 2°C, while the days are warm, clear and sunny.
  2. The grueling hot summer season is from October to April. Temperatures rise above 40°C in the extreme north and southwest.
  3. Summer is also heralded by the winds carrying dust from the Kalahari Desert from late August to early October.
  4. The rains are entirely limited to the summer downpours between December and April. The rainfall ranges from 600mm in the Northwest to 250mm in the southern part and is extremely unpredictable causing frequent droughts.

Currency: Botswana Pula

Things to carry:

  1. If you traveling to Botswana during the winter season then you need to carry at least one multi layered jacket and thick pants to protect you from the cold.
  2. If you’re traveling during the summer months, carry clothing that you feel comfortable and light in. The summer sun is hot, very hot and you need to be adequately protected from it.
  3. You should also remember to carry a raincoat because rains are entirely limited to summer downpours between December to April.

How to get there:

Air:

  1. There are two international airports – Sir SeretseKhama International located about 15kms from the capital city Gaborone and the newer Amuch International Airport at Maun.
  2. Regular connections can be made from Johannesburg (South Africa), Harare (Zimbabwe) or Lusaka (Zambia) to Botswana. Most European, Asian, Australian and American cities are linked to Gaborone via Johannesburg (South Africa).
  3. Botswana has its own international carrier and chartered flights can also be taken from neighbouring countries. There are several other airlines that operate their flights to the country. Both airports have car rentals and taxis to get you to the city centre.