Aerial view over the winding channels and islands of the Okavango Delta

Botswana travel guide

Botswana Travel Guide

Dated, practical answers on entry rules and the yellow-fever transit trap, malaria, flights to Maun and Kasane, bush-plane luggage and staying safe on safari.

Plan Your Trip

Aerial view over the winding channels and islands of the Okavango Delta

When to Go

The Best Time to Visit Botswana, Month by Month

The two calendars behind every Botswana safari, a month-by-month guide, and an honest look at the green season, the heat, the cold dawns and the least expensive months.

Aerial view of Victoria Falls plunging into the gorge

Combining Countries

How to Combine Botswana and Victoria Falls

Routing, borders, order, nights and timing for a Botswana safari with Victoria Falls, plus an honest answer on the Chobe day trip from the falls.

Safari guests watching a herd of elephants from an open vehicle on a family game drive

Families

Planning a Botswana Family Safari

Age policies, private vehicles, malaria, paperwork and the best areas for a Botswana family safari, from younger children to teenagers.

Pair of elephants walking through golden grass in the Okavango region

Compare Countries

Botswana vs Tanzania, Kenya or South Africa

An honest comparison of Botswana with Tanzania, Kenya and South Africa: spectacle or privacy, fly-in or road, seasons, malaria, cost structure and combinations.

Practicalities

Botswana Travel Guide

Botswana Entry Requirements for US Travelers

What US travelers need to enter Botswana at the time of writing: passport rules, the tourism levy, yellow fever proof on certain routings, children’s documents and cash limits.

Botswana Travel Guide

Is Botswana Safe? An Honest Guide for Safari Travelers

An evidence-based look at safety in Botswana: town crime, wildlife in unfenced camps, roads and floods, advice for solo women and LGBTQ+ travelers, and official sources.

More Planning Guides

Botswana travel guide

Private vs group safari

What changes when the vehicle, guide and schedule are yours alone.

Wetland channels of Moremi Game Reserve

Tell Us Your Month

Share when you can travel, who is coming and what you most hope to see in Botswana. A specialist will shape a private route around it and walk you through every choice before anything is booked.

Plan My Botswana Safari