Botswana

Updated 2016

Botswana’s outback is a wild, rugged destination for only the most hearty travelers. There are few roads, paved or unpaved, and most of the country is a vast wilderness where you’re more likely to encounter a bushman than another traveler.

But it may be just the place for your Africa vacation. Botswana is wild and untamed, but it’s not stuck in a civil war, competing for territory, or politically unstable. Although the country is not as prosperous as South Africa, the economy is stable and growing and things are looking up for Botswana.

Start with Botswana Travel Facts.

What to do

Botswana is full of geological wonders and natural beauty. The Okavengo Delta is a strange formation in which a river delta is formed where the Okavengo flows not into the ocean, but into the arid desert. The delta is home to the second largest species of crocodiles in the world as well as most of the infamous predators of wild Africa. The nearby Tsodilo Hills are a UNESCO Heritage site for the rock paintings spread throughout the area.

Read: Safari in Botswana: Is It Worth It?

Getting there

Most travel to Botswana has to come through South Africa. Botswana has an international airport in Gaborone, but if you want to get there, you should look for a flight to South Africa first. There is also regular bus service from South Africa and the border is mostly open to cars.

Where to stay

Botswana has hotels for travelers in Gaborne and Kasane. The accommodations in these cities are of a higher quality than you might expect, but also may be at a higher price than you were expecting to pay.

If you need more information before taking on the untamed wilderness of Botswana, check out the message boards or read a travel story by someone who ventured into Africa just like you and came back with a tale of adventure.

Read: Oh, What A Year!