Botswana is one of the top places in Africa to go on a wildlife safari. It has iconic parks such as Chobe and Moremi, showcasing great elephant concentrations, and the Okavango Delta, with it globally known migrations.
The enormous wilderness of Botswana is its main draw. It’s the ideal location for anyone looking for unspoiled, unfenced settings, from the infinite palm-covered islands of the Okavango Delta to the saltpans of the Makgadikgadi region.
Botswana’s dedication to preserving its wildlife heritage is unmatched in all of Africa. About 40% of the nation’s total area of 581,730 square kilometres, is protected wildlife habitat.
In the 1980’s many rustic safari camps sprang up but a Botswana safari was still very much a tented camping experience. This started to change in the 1990’s when more lodges started to spring up and hunting was basically put to a stop. These lodges began to resemble the luxury lodges of South Africa. Today, the Botswana safari is a lodge-based affair, with mobile camping safaris becoming the exception rather than the rule.
Travelling through Botswana by road, which includes early morning and late afternoon game drives, requires bringing an adventurous mind-set and a tolerance for the elements because of the country’s rugged terrain, which also has plenty of dust, heavy sand, and seasonal flooding.
It can be difficult to find a budget safari in Botswana. This nation has heavily targeted the high-end market with its excursions and safari offerings. However, Botswana is a fantastic place to go on a wildlife safari. Many companies provide affordable safari packages that can take you far into some of the best wildlife-viewing regions in southern Africa.
A few of the areas to go to on a safari are:
Some of the budget lodges and camping spots are:
On a 2-day budget safari in Botswana, you may visit one of the following most popular safari destinations:
Yes, a vacation to the pinnacle of safari destinations may be pricey. We’ve all heard tales of camps in Botswana that cost more than a month’s rent. However, if you know where to look, you can reduce the cost just like anywhere else in the world.
In Botswana, there are various hostels that provide shared rooms for as little as R200 each per night. These are a wonderful option for the budget-conscious visitors.
Guesthouses are also low-cost options for tourists from around R810 for a private room with access to communal toilet. Guesthouses, as opposed to hostels, often have a cozier environment, and you also have the opportunity to meet locals.
Botswana has a quite a variety of campgrounds, of which some provide camping starting at R700 per night. This is a wonderful option for individuals, couples and families on a small budget who wish to be immersed in nature. The majority of campgrounds have facilities such as bathrooms, showers, and even laundry rooms.
Backpacker lodges are another type of lodging that caters exclusively to low-budget travelers. You can either stay in a private room or in a dormitory and use the shared restrooms.
The best months for a budget safari in Botswana would be May or June. Although temperatures start to fall quite low, the weather is still ideal for an outdoor safari, and these are not high-season months.
High season starts in July through to October and are also ideal months for a safari, with dry weather and good visibility, but you will pay high-season prices and encounter more visitors.
From October through to April is the wet season, so there is plenty of birds, but certain off-road trails may be difficult to navigate, and low-water bridges may have spilled. Mosquitoes are also out in full force.
For a 2-day budget safari you should pack about 2 sets of shorts and t-shirts, with long pants for the evenings. Also pack comfortable sandals or shoes with thick soles for hiking and a cap or sunhat. Add a rain jacket or hooded windbreaker for the evenings.
Remember your personal items as well as sunscreen, sunglasses and insect repellent.
Take note of these tips to ensure a hazard-free budget safari in Botswana:
First, choose a reputable tour operator for a 2-day budget safari in Botswana. A reputable operator will arrange and execute your excursion.
Tour companies often have discounts and packages you cannot obtain on your own. This can reduce travel costs.
Tour companies can help you maximise your vacation with their local expertise. They can suggest top attractions, restaurants, and activities.
Discuss your needs with your tour operator, because even a brief visit might be expensive, you have the right to know what you are paying for.
Yes, most 2-day budget safaris in Botswana also include other activities such as guided walks or mokoro cruises.
A budget tour in Botswana can include a number of activities, such as game drives, mokoro cruises, nature walk, and bird watching, while staying in comfortable tents in selected campsites.
During a 2-day budget safari tour in Botswana, guests will have the opportunity to spot a wide variety of African wildlife including elephants, lions, cheetahs, giraffes, leopards, hippos, zebras, wildebeest, various kinds of antelopes, no mention but a few.
There are not really age restrictions for safari tours in Botswana, but it is always best to check with the tour operator before booking, especially if children younger than 6 years of age are involved.
Most of the time meals, or a meal, is included and guests can expect to enjoy a variety of delicious African-inspired dishes, as well as traditional local delicacies.