Afrika safaris

Botswana

Botswana is unique. Unspoiled wilderness, face to face with Africa’s big game and great accommodations. No masses of tourists but small scale; this is safari at its best!

With the exception of the Okavango Delta and the eastern parts, Botswana consists mostly of Kalahari Desert. Important nature reserves such as the Okavango Delta, Chobe, Linyanti, Savuti, Central Kalahari and Makgadikgadi provide much diversity.

Botswana’s climate is generally sub-tropical, with relatively limited rainfall. The summer months can be very hot, with temperatures remaining high evenings. In winter, temperatures can drop considerably at night, while it is pleasantly warm during the day. Rainfall in Botswana is often accompanied by spectacular skies and bright rainbows.

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A safari in Botswana

The combination of nature reserves and more than 100 different lodges in Botswana offers a very complete range for the ultimate safari in this spectacular country. The accommodations are characterized by their small scale and quality. Of course, a trip to the Okavango Delta should not be missed. This watery paradise in the middle of the dry Kalahari Desert is a wonder of nature.

Also in the far east – close to South Africa and Johannesburg – Mashatu and the Tuli Block offer fine safari opportunities. A trip to Botswana is excellent to combine with a relaxing stay on the Zambezi River, with its spectacular Victoria Falls, in neighbouring Zambia.

Nature reserves in Botswana

Okavango Delta

The Okavango Delta is rightly considered one of the most incredible ecosystems in Africa. The Okavango is the largest inland delta in the world, an area of 15,000km2, consisting of channels, lagoons, islands and flood plains. What makes this phenomenon even more remarkable is the fact that this wetland paradise is located in the middle of the parched Kalahari Desert. Every year the area fills with rainwater that has fallen more than 700 kilometres north in the humid Central African highlands of Angola: the miracle of the Okavango. The unique area contains a huge diversity of flora and fauna, making wildlife viewing excellent all year round.

Linyanti and Savuti

The Savuti and Linyanti area is located west of Chobe National Park. The area is extremely rich in wildlife and offers a unique atmosphere of peace and quiet. Most of the wildlife is formed by various compositions of Mopane Woodland, but along the Linyanti River there is a large strip of forest and floodplain. The area is traversed by an ancient riverbed – the famous Savuti Channel – which forms a source of water alongside the Linyanti throughout the year. The area is known for its elephant herds, which grow to enormous numbers during the winter months.

Central Kalahari

On the northern plains of the Central Kalahari Game Reserve, the landscape is defined by vast vistas and stretches of savannah with acacia trees. Herbivores such as springbok, wildebeest and gemsbok gather in large numbers, but the area is also home to significant populations of predators, such as lions and cheetahs. Smaller interesting residents include bat-eared fox, vervet monkeys and ground squirrels. Wildlife moves between the dunes and valleys with the seasons: in summer they thrive on the grassy plains while in the dry winter they move between water sources.

Climate Botswana

Botswana’s climate is generally sub-tropical, with relatively limited rainfall. Droughts are frequent. The summer months can be very hot, with temperatures remaining high evenings. In winter, temperatures can drop considerably at night, while it is pleasantly warm during the day. With the exception of the Okavango Delta and the eastern parts, Botswana consists mostly of Kalahari desert. Rainfall is therefore low. The total annual rainfall for Maun, for example, is only 470 mm. Concepts such as “the rainy season” and “thunderstorms in the evening” should therefore be considered in context: when it rains, it is often late in the afternoon, in short, heavy showers, which pass quickly, and are often accompanied by spectacular skies and bright rainbows.

  • Summer in Botswana is the period from October to the end of March, and is normally accompanied by high temperatures. This is also the rainy season, and clouds and occasional showers provide some cooling. However, this is often short-lived, after which temperatures rise again.
  • The winter season begins in May and ends in August, and is also the dry season, when there is virtually no rain. Winter days are usually sunny and warm, but evenings and nights can cool off considerably, temperatures even dropping below freezing in some areas.
  • The periods between summer and winter (April – early May and late August – early September) are normally mostly dry, but days are cooler than in summer, and nights are warmer than in winter.

Map Botswana

Click on the region of your choice on the map below.

Central Kalahari

Sweeping panoramic views and stretches of savannah with acacia trees. Springbok, wildebeest, gemsbok. But also lions and cheetahs. Wildlife moves with the seasons among the dunes and valleys.

Makgadikgadi Pans National Park

The Makgadikgadi Pan is a huge so-called "salt pan" in northeastern Botswana. This salt pan was created as the great Makgadikgadi Lake, with an original area the size of Switzerland, dried up completely thousands of years ago.

Savuti - Linyanti

This area is incomparably rich in wildlife and offers a unique atmosphere of peace and quiet. Most of the wildlife is formed by various compositions of Mopane Woodland, but along the Linyanti River there is a large strip of forest and floodplain.

Nxai Pan National Park

Nxai Pans National Park is located north of Makgadikgadi Pans National Park. The park is dominated by large salt pans, which attract large herds of animals especially during and after the rainy season. The fascinating landscapes, a group of seven mighty baobab trees - the famous Baines Baobabs - and a waterhole regularly visited by a pride of lions are the main highlights of Nxai Pans National Park.

De fascinerende landschappen, een groep van zeven machtige baobabbomen - de beroemde Baines Baobabs - en een waterpoel die regelmatig wordt bezocht door een troep leeuwen zijn de belangrijkste hoogtepunten van het Nxai Pans National Park.

Mashatu - Tuli Block

Little-known Mashatu, in the Tuli enclave of eastern Botswana, offers one of the finest year-round game parks in the region. Breath-taking landscapes, abundant wildlife, impressive numbers of predators and a fantastic array of unique safari activities.

Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park

Huge game park in the Kalahari Desert of Botswana and South Africa, bordering Namibia to the west. It is characterized by red dunes and dry rivers. Wildlife includes migrating herds of wildebeest and springbok, plus predators such as raptors and black-mouthed Kalahari lions.

Okavango Delta

The Okavango Delta is rightly considered one of the most incredible ecosystems in Africa. The Okavango is the largest inland delta in the world, an area of 15,000 km2, consisting of channels, lagoons, islands and flood plains. What makes this phenomenon even more remarkable is the fact that this wetland paradise is located in the middle of the parched Kalahari Desert.

Chobe National Park

Chobe is widely known for its large elephant population, estimated at about 50,000. The elephants living here are Kalahari elephants, the largest in herd size of any known elephant population. They are characterized by rather brittle ivory and short tusks, perhaps due to calcium deficiency in the soil.

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    Reviews

    After a personal and enthusiastic visit by Oscar at our home, he quickly mapped out a wonderful trip, completely based on our wishes. Just before we left, we received the navigation and a detailed itinerary. Even though we were looking forward to this immensely, we never imagined that the trip through this beautiful country would be so special! During this trip, we did the Garden Route by rental car from Cape Town to Port Elizabeth, and then from Johannesburg via the Panorama Route (a private reserve), the Kruger National Park and Swaziland, to the coast. Except for the flights, Oscar arranged everything for us down to the last detail. He allowed us to be able to see and experience the different facets of South Africa in one trip. The views of oceans, mountains and reserves from the accommodations or in the areas were often too beautiful and special to explain in words. The long car rides (which were necessary to cover the enormously long distances in South Africa) were not a problem at all due to the carefully selected itineraries. To sum up: a very nice trip that we owe to Oscar’s dedication, experience, enthusiasm and network.

     

    Worth mentioning: We had only booked a rental car in advance from the third day. But because the weather in Cape Town was quite bad we wanted the car a day earlier. Oscar was able to arrange this for us within a few hours, and without any problem the car was at our accommodation the next day. Then when we couldn’t get the navigation to work, Oscar again helped us arrive at our destination before dark.

     

    Linda & Jeroen, journey to Botswana

    From day one to day fourteen everything was arranged perfectly, every detail and every mile according to the booklets. Fantastic nature and views, campsite’s and lodges very well organized and perfectly matched! The self-drive concept is recommended to everyone, exciting but also very relaxing, because you become one with everything you encounter. Oscar thank you so much for this wonderful trip and we will definitely use your services again soon!

    Paul Nanne, journey to Namibia

    In December we took a trip through South Africa put together by Oscar, which was organized to perfection. From Johannesburg we traveled via the “Drakenberg Route” to the “Greater Kruger”, where an unforgettable safari awaited us. Oscar had booked a beautiful lodge for us, where we were completely pampered. A great experience, where we were amazed every day by the impressive nature. Seeing the Big Five, accompanied by amazing rangers and people at the park, was an experience beyond all our expectations. The Ngala reserve booked by Oscar did everything they could to make the most of our trip, from breakfast in the jungle to searching for leopards at night, amazing!After the safari we flew back to Johannesburg and then on to Port-Elizabeth. Here we started the flower route with Jeffreys Bay as our first destination. A beautiful surf spot, where Africa Safaris had booked a cozy family hotel for us. After several more wonderful nights in Swellendam, and Hermanus we traveled further to the wine region of Stellenbosch / Franschhoek. Again a fantastic place, with wonderful wineries, super food, and a wonderful hotel. Finally, we concluded our trip in Cape Town, where again we were pleasantly surprised with the accommodation booked for us and were able to fully enjoy this living metropolis. With the help of Oscar we were able to have a trip to remember. Through an orientation meeting, Oscar was able to completely tailor the trip to our needs, all hotels, and accommodations were fantastic. Totally organized, in the most beautiful places and completely carefree.Thanks again for this great experience!

    Jan Zomerdijk, journey to South-Africa

    Our trip through Namibia in January 2017.What a beautiful country! Nature is overwhelmingly beautiful with intense colors and breathtaking views. The trip was perfectly put together by Oscar Haartman and extensively documented. Adventurous and unforgettable! We drove about 3000 km with 2 cars incl. tent on the roof. The alternation of campsites and lodges was absolutely fine. The beautifully located campsites also made camping an experience! Kalahari desert, Sossusvlei, few days coast and Etosha game reserve, how much we enjoyed! Thank you Oscar for your great service and guidance, you gave us a great trip!

    Frans & Miriam