• Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Mail
+44 (0)20 7604 4408
Nomadic Thoughts
  • Inspiration
    • Introduction
    • Accommodation
    • Activities & Sports
    • Beaches
    • Culture
    • Deserts
    • Family Holidays
    • Gastronomy
    • Mountains
    • Special Events & Festivals
    • Wildlife
  • Destination
    • Introduction
    • Africa
    • Asia
    • Caribbean
    • Central & North America
    • Europe
    • Middle East
    • Oceania
    • South America
  • Experience
    • Introduction
    • Adventure
    • City Breaks
    • Cruises
    • Honeymoons
    • Luxury Holidays
    • Sabbaticals
    • Self-Drive Holidays
    • Spa & Treatments
    • Total Escape
    • Train Journeys
  • Expertise
    • Introduction
    • About Us
    • AITO Member
    • Award Winners
    • Consumer Protection
    • Contact Us
    • Jono’s Travel Blog
    • LGBTQ Travellers
    • Make An Appointment
    • Our UK Holiday House – Brecon Beacons, Wales
    • Pre-Departure Info
    • Sustainable Tourism
    • Travelling Solo
    • Travel Presentations
    • Useful Links
    • Welcome
    • What Our Clients Say
    • Where To Go When
    • Why Nomadic Thoughts?
    • World Weather Guide
    • EU General Data Protection and Nomadic Thoughts Compliance
  • Blog
  • Discover
  • Menu
PreviousNext
123

Botswana

Top tip: Waterproof bag for Calahari Desert

Maps were disabled by the visitor on this site. Click to open the map in a new window.
Geography

Geography


Botswana is bordered by South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe and touches Zambia just west of the Victoria Falls.

National Parks cover 17% of the country. To the north-west is the Okavango Basin, where the Moremi Wildlife Reserve and the Chobe National Park support abundant wildlife. To the Southwest is the Kalahari Gemsbok National Park.

The majority of the population lives in the south-east around Gaborone, Serowe and Kanye along the South African border. The vast arid sandscape of the Kalahari occupies much of north, central and western Botswana. The seasonal rains bring a considerable difference to the vegetation, especially in the Makgadikgadi Pans and the Okavango Basin in the north. The latter, after the winter floods, provides one of the wildest and most beautiful nature reserves in Africa.

Although Botswana is in the tropics, the climate is temperate because of the altitude and the fact the counrty is inland.  The hot and dry season is from September to October, and the rainy season from November to March.

The best time to visit is April to May and August to September. Night-time temperatures can fall below freezing.


Facts and Figures


Area 581,730 sq km (224,607 sq miles).
Population 1,990,876 (2009 estimate)
Capital Gaborone (pop – 191,776 – 2006 estimate).
Language English is the official language. Setswana is the national language, with minorities speaking Kalanga and Sekgalagadi.
Religion A significant proportion of the population holds animistic beliefs, although the 2001 census showed that 71 per cent claimed to be Christians. There are small Muslim communities and the Bahá’í Faith is also represented.
Time GMT + 2
Highlights

Highlights


The renowned Okavango Delta, the world’s largest inland delta,  together with the Kalahari Desert are merely the tip of the iceberg when it comes to this country’s attractions. The abundance and variety of wildlife in the Chobe National Park and the Moremi Wildlife Reserve is staggering and certainly unrivalled in Southern Africa.

Whilst in the Kalahari, do not miss the chance to see the 30,000-year-old paintings of animal life, and wander back in time. The endless gigantic salt pans are also there to be explored, not to mention the Mokoro trails. In the capital, Gaborone, there is an excellent National Museum with natural history and ethnological exhibitions. A trip to the weaving centre at Lentswe-La-Udi just north of Gaborone is recommended.

Imagine lush greenery and clear blue waters teeming with wildlife; crocodiles, hippos, hundreds of colourful birds, elephants, zebra giraffes and white rhinos. Imagine flooded salt flats covered with thousands of pink flamingos. Imagine diamond rich deserts. Botswana is the Africa everyone has always imagined. With over 40% of the country dedicated national parks and wildlife reserves, linked by roads that are few and far between, much of this landlocked state remains a pristine wilderness just waiting to be explored.

In the meantime, you can luxuriate on an enormous white bed over-looking a lagoon at sunset, sipping on soothing rooibos tea and watch the wildlife come creeping down to the water to drink.

History

History


Until the early 17th century, Botswana was inhabited by bushmen who were, to a large extent, overwhelmed by immigrant tribes during the 1600’s. Britain came into formal contact with Botswana in the 19th century through the British South Africa Company, who supervised the territory. The country achieved independence in 1966 and Seretse Khama became the country’s first President, a position he retained until his death in 1980. His party, the Botswana Democratic Party, has dominated the country’s politics since independence.

In recent years Botswana’s key domestic priority has been to tackle the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Botswana’s infection rate, estimated at 20 per cent of the total population, is among the world’s highest.

The economy is based on nomadic agriculture, mainly livestock, and cultivation of subsistence crops – maize, sorghum and millet. Cattle produces a large proportion of the country’s foreign exchange earnings. The remainder comes from mineral extracts such as diamond, nickel, copper and coal.

Botswana is blessed to be one of Africa’s success stories, remaining peaceful and democratic. Its education policies, health care and economic stability are, with the exception of South Africa, unrivalled in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Interested in Botswana? Call +44 (0)20 7604 4408 for expert holiday advice

+44 (0)20 7604 4408



Travel News
Thoughts

Destination
Introduction
Africa
Algeria
Botswana
Comoros
Democratic Republic of Congo
Egypt
Ethiopia
Kenya
Libya
Madagascar
Malawi
Mauritius
Morocco
Mozambique
Namibia
Reunion
Rwanda
Seychelles
South Africa
Tanzania
Tunisia
Uganda
Zambia
Zimbabwe
Asia
Bhutan
Burma (Myanmar)
Cambodia
China
Hong Kong
India
Indonesia
Japan
Kazakhstan
Laos
Malaysia
Maldives
Nepal
Pakistan
Philippines
Singapore
Sri Lanka
Taiwan
Tajikistan
Thailand
Tibet
Uzbekistan
Vietnam
Caribbean
Anguilla
Antigua
Aruba
Bahamas
Barbados
Bonaire
British Virgin Islands
Curacao
Grenada
Jamaica
St Kitts and Nevis
St Vincent and the Grenadines
Trinidad and Tobago
Turks and Caicos
Central & North America
Belize
Canada
Costa Rica
Cuba
El Salvador
Guatemala
Honduras
Mexico
Nicaragua
Panama
United States of America
Europe
Austria
Belgium
Croatia
Czech Republic
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Iceland
Italy
Latvia
Lithuania
Malta
Norway
Poland
Portugal
Russia
Spain
Sweden
Turkey
Middle East
Iran
Israel
Jordan
Lebanon
Oman
Syria
United Arab Emirates
Yemen
Oceania
Australia
Fiji
New Zealand
Tahiti
South America
Antarctica
Argentina
Bolivia
Brazil
Chile
Colombia
Ecuador
Peru
Venezuela

For expert, first class holiday advice contact us today:
+44 (0)20 7604 4408
Email us now


  • AFRICA
  • Algeria
  • Botswana
  • Comoros
  • Democratic Republic of Congo
  • Egypt
  • Ethiopia
  • Kenya
  • Libya
  • Madagascar
  • Malawi
  • Mauritius
  • Morocco
  • Mozambique
  • Namibia
  • Reunion
  • Rwanda
  • Seychelles
  • South Africa
  • Tanzania
  • Tunisia
  • Uganda
  • Zambia
  • Zimbabwe
  • ASIA
  • Bhutan
  • Burma (Myanmar)
  • Cambodia
  • China
  • Hong Kong
  • India
  • Indonesia
  • Japan
  • Kazakhstan
  • Laos
  • Malaysia
  • Maldives
  • Nepal
  • Pakistan
  • Philippines
  • Singapore
  • Sri Lanka
  • Taiwan
  • Tajikistan
  • Thailand
  • Tibet
  • Uzbekistan
  • Vietnam
  • CARIBBEAN
  • Anguilla
  • Antigua
  • Aruba
  • Bahamas
  • Barbados
  • Bonaire
  • British Virgin Islands
  • Curacao
  • Jamaica
  • St Kitts and Nevis
  • St Vincent and the Grenadines
  • Trinidad and Tobago
  • Turks and Caicos
  • OCEANIA
  • Australia
  • Fiji
  • New Zealand
  • Tahiti
  • EUROPE
  • Austria
  • Belgium
  • Croatia
  • Czech Republic
  • Denmark
  • Estonia
  • Finland
  • France
  • Germany
  • Greece
  • Hungary
  • Iceland
  • Italy
  • Latvia
  • Lithuania
  • Malta
  • Norway
  • Poland
  • Portugal
  • Russia
  • Spain
  • Sweden
  • Turkey
  • NORTH AMERICA
  • Belize
  • Canada
  • Costa Rica
  • Cuba
  • El Salvador
  • Guatemala
  • Honduras
  • Mexico
  • Nicaragua
  • Panama
  • United States of America
  • SOUTH AMERICA
  • Antarctica
  • Argentina
  • Bolivia
  • Brazil
  • Chile
  • Colombia
  • Ecuador
  • Peru
  • Venezuela
  • MIDDLE EAST
  • Iran
  • Israel
  • Jordan
  • Lebanon
  • Oman
  • Syria
  • United Arab Emirates
  • Yemen
© Nomadic Thoughts Ltd. All rights reserved.
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Mail
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookies Policy
  • Contact +44 (0)20 7604 4408
Scroll to top
This site uses cookies: Find out more.