Of course, we have seen Planet Earth and watched the wildlife on television, so we had some idea. However, to witness the spectacle that is Botswana in person is entirely different. From Botswana’s first national park (Chobe National Park) to the Makgadikgadi Pan, here are ten things to know before traveling to Botswana.

Botswana Travel Tips to Know

PULA

Pula is the national currency in Botswana. However, the word “Pula” literally means “rain” in Setswana. Botswana receives very little rainfall, so the word pula is actually a phrase of delight. If you hear people screaming or chanting pula, it means something extraordinary has happened! It also brings new meaning to the phrase “making it rain.”

The Economy

The nation of Botswana is one of the more well-off countries in Africa. Actually, Botswana has previously had one of the highest average economic growth rates in the world. Since independence, the economy has flourished due to diamond mining.

Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend

Yes, diamonds. The main export here is diamonds. The town of Jwaneng and the Jwaneng Diamond Mine employs many local people and is the world’s largest and richest diamond mine. Don’t tell your mom you’re traveling to Botswana; she may want you to bring home diamonds like mine. (Hi mom)!

Botswana Has a Troubled Past

I only recently learned about Botswana’s past after a trip to the movie theatre in Lusaka. I just had to see The United Kingdom, and it was because of this that I learned of Seretse Khama and Bechuanaland. Khama was the first president of Botswana and is pretty much the George Washington of the country.

His marriage to his controversial white bride played a role in Botswana becoming independent from Britain in 1966. Without giving too many spoilers away, it’s safe to say that Botswana had a little trouble breaking away from Britain. But what country didn’t?

Stash Some Cash for Traveling Botswana

Traveling Africa is not a cheap endeavor, but this rings especially true for Botswana travel. Botswana operates on a high-cost low impact model, meaning they keep prices high for tourism to preserve the beauty of their country.

One of the most expensive and sought-after things to do in the country is to see the Okavango Delta. While the delta is incredible, it may put a dent in your wallet. We found fuel, camping, and groceries to be extremely affordable. It is even possible to see the Delta on a budget, but come knowing that to experience Botswana to the fullest, you may have to make it Pula.

The Wildlife is Amazing

All this talk about the Okavango Delta, and I haven’t even mentioned a few of my other favorite parks in Africa. Let’s start with the Chobe, Chobe National Park has some of the best game viewing in Africa and it was here that we got to see elephants bathing, newborn impala, dozens of fish eagles, and even four lion cubs eating a warthog.

The Chobe is an absolutely fantastic park, and it is even estimated that over 120,000 elephants are roaming around. Put on your safari hat and head for the Chobe!

Also a short plane ride away is the Khwai Game Reserve and Linyanti Concession. Khwai literally borders the Okavango Delta and is a wildlife haven. You can expect to see just about everything here and take a mokoro ride next to a drinking elephant.

Linyanti is a tranquil and relatively unheard-of region in Botswana with only a few lodges. Its exclusivity means you’ll likely never run into another game viewer, and you’ll be spotting things like wild dogs and leopards without any other vehicles around.

Read The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency Before You Go

There is an all-lady detective agency in Gaborone run by the infamous Precious Ramotswe! Okay, Precious may be a fictitious character, but the book entitled, The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency is an entertaining and trendy read. Alexander McCall Smith and this series of books put Botswana travel on the map for international readers.

Botswana Has a Small Population

Before your Botswana vacation, it may be helpful to note that you may not see many people while traveling Botswana. Botswana is one of the least densely populated countries in the world. With a population of just over 2 million and over 40% of land dedicated to parks and wildlife, you should have no problem finding some peace in Botswana.

The People of Botswana

The people of Botswana are not known as “Botswanans,” but instead, they are Batswana or Motswana (singular).  If you were wondering, the Batswana are friendly and accommodating people with great pride for their country.

The Salt Pans

Do you know that salt pan in Bolivia that everyone loves to take a fun and catchy photo of? Well, there is one in Botswana too! The Makgadikgadi Pan is situated in northeastern Botswana and is one of the largest salt flats in the world!

Is Botswana Safe to Travel?

Is Botswana safe to travel to? We get this question a lot when talking about African countries. Botswana is one of the safest countries to visit in Africa. They have a stable economy and are one of the fastest-growing on the continent. Botswana is ranked higher (much higher) in terms of peace on the Global Peace Index.

As always, when you travel, use your head and common sense. But overall, you should have a lovely time when you visit Botswana.

Book A Safari to Visit Botswana

Traditionally if you wanted to book a safari you’d have to go to a travel agent and have them book your safari for you. They made suggestions for camps and lodges then presented you with a large bill. Most of the industry still operates in this fashion.

However, Timbuktu is a new platform that allows you to select the lodges you’d like and see the pricing per day that way you can select the best itinerary for yourself. They will then contact the lodges and help you through booking your safari. With experts on staff, they can also provide suggestions and arrange the little details much like a travel agent.

What to Pack for botswana travel

Packing the right safari clothes is always a good idea, but it’s never essential because you can wear whatever you want. We also go in-depth on the best women’s safari clothes!

We felt especially fond for the Caprivi strip. However, we crossed over the Ngoma border post and geared up to explore more of Africa. The brand new Chobe Water Villas were awaiting us. 

Chobe Water Villas

We didn’t miss Namibia too long, though, because two hours later we were crossing the Chobe River and getting our passports stamped back into Namibia. It had been a long day of driving from the Katima area.

Filled with attempted bribery, sweltering heat, and an African border crossing. We were beyond excited when our boat pulled up to the brand new Chobe Water Villas on the Namibian side of the Chobe River.

It is the first African lodge we stayed at located on a river.  It’s also the most modern accommodation we have seen in Africa. Walking into the main area transports you into a varying array of time zones and locations. The interior was decorated in chic white and gray décor and stark shapes.

Exploring the architecture and decoration of the hotel leads to sources of inspiration from around Namibia.  From the skeleton of a whale, to the seasonal rains that bring life.

The lobby is certain to entertain guests as it features a self-service bar, coffee station, a library full of Afri-chic books, and a cinema room.

I knew we were in for a day time treat when I walked out onto patio area and was faced with a giant infinity pool, next to an in-ground boma perfect to enjoy a round of sundowners.

With the heat of the African summer setting in, I knew we would be making use of the bar, books, and the infinity pool.

{Read More: The Ultimate List of Eco-Friendly Products to Take on Your Travels}

The rooms – or villas – I should say, at Chobe Water Villas are all set on stilts above the Chobe River. All across from the famous Chobe National Park and Sedudu Island in Botswana.

The villas were spacious and housed bells and whistles like their own espresso machine and mini-bar. Cameron made full use of the game finder while I was able to chill out with a new book on the back deck on the river.

We had a great nights sleep in the massive comfortable bed, with an air-conditioned canopy called the evening breeze. (didn’t I say this place was modern?).

Now, Cameron and I are not morning people, but we made the extra effort to wake up for sunrise every morning.

The rooms are in the perfect spot to watch the sunrise up over Southern Africa. Watching Africa come to life from the banks of the river is magical.

On our first day, we made our way across the river and back into Botswana into the Chobe National Park. Chobe Water Villas organizes trips into the park for guests on either a half or full-day safari basis.

We choose to do a morning game drive and saw a plethora of elephant, newborn impala, vultures, and buffalo. We kept our fingers crossed for a leopard sighting, but unfortunately, it just wasn’t our day.

Chobe National Park has one of Africa’s largest concentrations of game. They have a staggering amount of elephant in the park as well as the rest of the big five. We had a leisurely ride back into Namibia with the team and finished the afternoon with a dip in the infinity pool.

{Read More: Ultimate Safari Clothes Guide: What To Wear On Safari In Africa}

Evenings are a special time on the river as tourists set out for a boat safari into Chobe National Park.

The boat safaris get you up close and personal (but not too close) to the hundreds of hippos, crocs, antelope, and abundant birdlife around the water. All of this, is enjoyed with snacks and sundowner drinks provided by the villas.

Speaking of snacks, I have to mention that the food we were served at Chobe Water Villas was some of the best we’ve had in Africa.

Going with the whole modern theme the food at the lodge is multi-cultural and new era inspired. Breakfast always started with a nice cold plate of croissants, fresh fruit, and cheese while dinner is served in their 36 seater restaurant.

Dinner is always a three-course meal with meat, fish, or vegetarian options and unlike many lodges, food here was an international affair. Dinner and breakfast were fantastic; however, r the real treat was served at lunch for us.

The staff prepared for us a table in the private garden lithesome light food. Salad, charcuterie plate, mac & cheer, plus views equal happiness.

Sunrise to sunset and everything in between at Chobe Water Villas was surreal. Day time activities are filled with wildlife viewing, riverside drinking, and leisure.

Evenings are spent in relaxation as you enjoy the ambiance of the Chobe River with some delicious food.

Book A Stay At Chobe Water Villas

Namibia General Info

• Because we were coming from Namibia we had to cross over the Ngoma border post into Botswana. Both Namibia and Botswana ran smooth border post operations here. US citizens do not need a visa to enter Namibia or Botswana, but be sure to state how long you want to stay in Botswana because the border officials will give you exactly that many days.
• If self-driving expect to pay a road tax fee of 50 Pula. Payable by card at the Botswana border post.
• Chobe Water Villas covers the cost of the park entrance fee into Chobe National Park. If you are not staying at CWV expect to pay 120 Pula for a day pass.
• The gateway to Chobe Water Villas and the rest of Chobe is through Kasane, Botswana. This is a small town, but there are a number of ATM’s, coffee shops, restaurants, and a Spar.
• This is Africa, so watch your car where you park it in Kasane. I would recommend a guarded parking lot.
• Don’t have anything shipped to Kasane. I had to have a few things delivered to me so I was informed Kasane might be the best place to have international packages delivered. After a month, none of my packages were there and one had been signed for under someone named “George.” This is Africa.
• A stay at Chobe Water Villas include full board, drinks, and all activities.

Our first stop was at African Bush Camps’ Linyanti Ebony Camp, situated on the banks of the Linyanti Channel. The private concession promised exclusivity in one of the most fabulous places to go on safari.

What’s a Safari in Linyanti Concession like?

It’s tough to think of a better place for a safari than African Bush Camp’s private concession located in the greater region known as Linyanti, located between the Greater Chobe National Park and the Okavango Delta. It all plays into an ecosystem that is interlinked as the Linyanti Channel.

Over the years this extremely remote region of Botswana has grown in popularity for the access to wildlife it provides. We’d heard that it was a magical region to go on safari, and it truly was.

African wild dogs have always been a favorite animal of ours and for good reason. Close to our camp at Linyanti was a pack of eight that gave us plenty of entertainment. After spotting them one evening our expert guides, Dutch and 007, set us up to find the pack the next morning. Which we managed to find in no time while on the hunt.

The first glimpse came as an impala darted through the bush. Not far behind, the dogs came flying through the bush in pursuit. They yipped, howled, and barked in excitement as Africa’s most successful hunters coordinated their pursuit.

It all ended in failure with the dogs resting in the shade until the absent Alpha male charged through the bush announcing he’d made a kill, another short chase through the bush leading to their meal. We spent three hours that morning with the dogs hunting, eating, resting, and socializing. Welcome to the Linyanti Concession.

After that exciting morning and with temperatures creeping up over 40C we needed to relax and there is no better way to relax in this region than a mokoro ride.

The traditional mokoro has long been the means of transportation for the tribes that called the flood plains of Northern Botswana home. Now made in traditional fiberglass, these mokoros used resemble their traditional wood dugout style. They are operated by a poler, who has years of experience navigating these channels on a mokoro.

With elephants on the horizon, we slipped in and out of reed channels while listening to our polers share their secrets of Botswana floodplains. Of course, no day would be complete without sundowners after our mokoro ride.

To recap it all night finished off with a delicious meal and South African wine along with our fellow safari guests — one of our favorite traditions on safari. Days in Linyanti can be exciting or relaxed as you’d like because seclusion and exclusivity are some of the area’s greatest strengths along with fantastic animal density.

The fortunate few that get to visit this special part of Botswana are also spoilt for choice with safari activities such as game drives, bush walks, mokoro rides, night drives, nature walks, bird watching, and a scenic helicopter flight. Guests are more or less guaranteed to have an incredible safari with African Bush Camps in Linyanti.

Much of this stems from their hospitality which goes above and beyond. The members of staff were friendly, helpful, and ready to make sure all of our needs were attended. Most importantly are the guides who you will spend a lot of time with. We had two of their finest guides with us during our time in Linyanti, Dutch and James (nicknamed 007).

They weren’t just good guides, but probably our favorites of all time (and we’ve been on A LOT of safaris). An inherent ability to judge animals and their expert knowledge made them wonder how they could predict their movements and gave us confidence on foot. Most importantly we had a genuinely good time with them cracking jokes and underneath was their strong passion for the job at hand.

Best Time to Visit Linyanti/Northern Botswana

Spotting wildlife in Linyanti, like most safari regions in Africa, is best in the dry season. The dry season in Botswana and Linyanti is at its peak from late May to September, the winter. The season makes it easy to spot animals in the bush as they concentrate around sources of water. Water is a precious resource in Northern Bostwana and large herds of buffalo, elephants, and zebra migrate to the Linyanti channel for a source of water.

October to December is the green season which coincides with the beginning of summer. Temperatures during this time begin to rise and regularly reach over 40° Celcius or 100° Fahrenheit. Rains begin to fall in October and by December most wildlife disperses into the Chobe National Park as water pans fill and nutrient-rich hardwood tree flourishes for elephants.

The increased foliage provides greater camouflage. There is a brief shoulder season after the rains stop between April and May before the peak season arrives in June. If you plan to travel to Northern Botswana in the high season plan in advance as most camps will be fully booked.

The Linyanti Landscape

The Linyanti region sits in the heart of the Kavango–Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area or KAZA, a protected international wildlife corridor that is a joint legal initiative between Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Namibia, and Angola. Linyanti itself is not an official park or reserve but refers more to a region. This is a wildlife region with a number of private concessions that sit around the Linyanti Channel and Swamp which is the outflow of the Okavango Delta.

The landscape of Linyanti consists of riverine woodland along the Linyanti Channel, surrounding lagoons, and bodies of water. The landscape varies greatly where there is water, as you’ll now find open grasslands, swamp, and forest. Outside of the channel, there is the dry woodland that inhabits much of the Kalahari Sands. It’s a prime habitat for the elephants when they have vegetation, but in the dry season, the animals push into the swamp and channel.

Linyanti Wildlife

The wildlife viewing in Linyanti is incredible and we had some of our best wildlife viewing experiences while on safari. There is a large number of elephants, lions, hippos, wild dogs, buffalo, and red lechwe. It’s also a prime habitat for the rare sable and roan antelope, but we never saw them during our few days there on safari. Other animals to be found include kudu, zebra, waterbuck, impala, baboons, crocodiles, and plenty of hippos.

What stood out for us were the elephant and predators interactions that you don’t find everywhere. African wild dogs are some of the most incredible safari animals to see in the wild and Linyanti is famous for its wild dog packs.

Linyanti Ebony

African Bush Camps have three camps on their Linyanti concession, Linyanti Bush Camp, Linyanti Ebony, and a mobile camp Linyanti Expeditions. Linyanti Ebony is their smallest camp with just four tents. Three of them are twin-tents that sleep two and one more spacious unit that is perfect for families. The family tent has a lounge area, two en-suite bedrooms, a self-contained lounge area, and a roll-top bath in one bathroom.

It is possible to book Linyanti Ebony exclusively for groups with a minimum of 8 people. Our group had the entire camp to ourselves which gave a very relaxed feel in between activities.

The camp is situated on a series of stilted decks and tents that allow for commanding views of the Linyanti Channel and floodplain from the flood banks. In the dry season, the animals move to the plains and channel in search of water so we had constant animal sightings from the tents that included elephants, buffalo, zebra, and hyenas.

The main lodge is a small footprint with a lounge, a fire pit, a bar, and a table. It’s a classic safari camp setup with a number of African decor elements scattered throughout and everything you could need to be comfortable including a plunge pool.

Personal tents all include a desk, hot water, flush toilets, and a deck to enjoy the views. For a wilderness area far from the vestiges of civilization they offer amazing luxuries, that make you wonder how the camp manages to pull it all off.

The atmosphere of the large canvas tents allows for the sounds of the bush to enter. At night predators roam and you frequently wake to lions roaring, hyenas calling, or a leopard growling. This is Botswana at its best and the romance of a small camp is spellbinding.

Linyanti Ebony Camp Rates

We really appreciate the openness of African Bush with a clear explanation of rates for booking their camps on their website. Unlike many safari companies in the region, they accept direct bookings and can help you plan the safari of your dreams. Find the rates below for Linyanti Ebony in 2020.

Typical Day on Safari in Linyanti

• 05h30 – Wake up call
• 06h00 – Light bush breakfast
• 06h30 – Depart on morning activity. We recommend doing walking safaris in the morning as after about 9:00 temperatures will get too hot to walk.
• 09h00 — Bush Coffee
• 11h30 – Return from morning activity and get ready for lunch.
• 12:30 – Siesta time! Now is the perfect time to relax, read a book, or jump in the pool
• 15h30 – Afternoon tea and coffee
• 16h00 – Head out on afternoon activity. Usually accompanied with sundowner drinks
• 19h00 – Return from afternoon activity and relax with drinks before dinner.
• 20h00 – Dinner time!
• 22h00 – Sleep! It’s been a long day on safari

General Info for Traveling in Botswana

Visas to Botswana

There is no visa needed for most nationalities. A visa for up to 90 days is offered on arrival for free. Your passport must be valid for six months and contain at least two blank pages.

Cash in Botswana

Having enough USD before you enter is sure to make life easier most camps operate on USD and the staff along with guides will happily accept USD as a tip. Pula is the national currency in Botswana. However, the word “Pula” literally means “rain” in Setswana. Botswana receives very little rainfall so the word pula is actually a phrase of delight. If you hear people screaming or chanting pula it means something great has happened! It also brings new meaning to the phrase “making it rain.”

People in Botswana

The people of Botswana are not known as “Botswanans,” but instead they are Batswana or Motswana (singular).  In case you were wondering the Batswana are friendly and accommodating people with a great pride for their country.

Want To Know More About Botswana?

We drove around Botswana and love the people and the country. Read more about travel in Botswana!

What to Pack for an African Safari

Packing the right safari clothes is always a good idea, but it’s never essential because you can wear whatever you want. We also go in-depth on the best women’s safari clothes!

The beauty of reserve that sits on the border of the Okavango Delta and at the entrance of Moremi National Park is not just a prime spot for elusive species like wild dogs, but many of Africa’s wildlife. It’s a unique habitat for lions, elephants, rare antelope (roan and sable), hippos, and leopards. What’s possibly most interesting about the Khwai Concession is that it is community-owned.

A Safari in Khwai with African Bush Camps

With a week in Botswana, we were beyond excited to spend time with African Bush Camps at their Khwai Bush Camp, Linyanti Ebony, and Linyanti Expeditions camps. Best of all we had a number of their expert guides to lead us through the bush. In Khwai, Chief, our guide shared his expert insight into the wildlife.

Our first day we asked about the wild dog population in the area — he seemed confident we’d see a pack at least. It was just an hour later as we drove 100m away from the camp across the water hole and in full view of our tent that we found a pack of wild dogs laying in the shade.

It was a pretty good way for the first five minutes of our safari in Botswana to start. The trip only continued to supply us with beautiful moments and wildlife encounters. Within then next few days we would see animals like leopard, elephants, buffalo, hippo, giraffes, and many species of antelope.

As Khwai sits at the gate of the Moremi National Reserve and the fringes of the Okavango Delta, the region offers some interesting landscapes that blend between riverine wetlands and woodland.

There’s no way better to experience this wetland than a mokoro ride in a channel of the Khwai River. A mokoro safari is a quintessential safari experience in Africa and originates from the Northern Botswana tribes who used the small boats to navigate the Okavango Delta and surrounding rivers.

Now guests can enjoy the peaceful experience as they glide past reeds and water lilies in the Delta. It’s usually a reflective moment that heightens your senses while you look for the small painted reed frog or listen for the onery hippos.

We had enjoyed a mokoro ride before, but our Khwai mokoro safari is one to not be forgotten. Upon setting off on our mokoro safari we entered a wide channel flanked by two families of elephants. We approached them in a fluid motion as our experience poler (mokoro operator) placed us within safe proximity to the elephants bathing in the water. As yet another group of elephants approached they flushed a male lion who came out of the woodland for a drink of water.

The moment we had twenty elephants at our back and a male lion lapping water in front of us was serene. It will easily go down as one of the most incredible wildlife experiences we’ve had in the bush.

It’s moments like that where Khwai and the Okavango Delta gain their fame. The gorgeous moment was only better as we poled back to the riverbanks to find a beautiful bush bar waiting for us to relive our experience with a gin & tonic in hand.

While the National Reserve places more stringent rules on visitors the Khwai Concession allows for off-roading, bush walks, and night game drives. After the wonderful mokoro ride, we found ourselves on a night game drive back to the camp looking for nocturnal animals who come alive at night.

This is the stuff of great safaris because to have a truly magical moment it requires more than being in the right location, but to have the ever-present hand of an experienced lodge and company leading the way. Most importantly it comes to the quality of the safari guides, Chief was no exception. He was a wonderful host who made sure not only that we had a good time, but was quick to answer any question that came his way.

The Khwai Concession

The Khwai Concession is community-owned and operated. It was established to help support the impoverished communities through the park proceeds and supply jobs to the local community. When you visit the Khwai village you understand the needed support for the community, as it is little more than a few huts and simple buildings. Which they’ve opened up for visitors to visit and forfeited the ability to farm or ranch as land is used for wildlife.

At 180,000 hectares the concession is quite a large swath of land. It’s location puts it on the fringes of the Okavango Delta between the Chobe National Park and Moremi Game Reserve.

The whole region is referred to as the Greater Chobe as the monstrous section of Botswana features no fences that allow for animals to migrate freely which extends as far as Angola, Namibia, Zambia, and Botswana. It’s all tremendous area to go on safari which includes African Bush Camp’s private Linyanti Concession further North.

It’s most notable feature is the Khwai River that flows through the concession and provides riverine forests, floodplains, and marsh. Along the channel, you can find large populations of red lechwe, crocodiles, waterbuck, and hippos. Outside of the channel, you’ll find dry woodlands with plenty of antelope, giraffe, buffalo, lions, leopards, hyenas, and elephants.

Khwai Tented Camp

The rustic and charming Khwai Tented Camp sits on a dry water pan that fluctuates between dry and lagoon, dependent on the season. It’s a relaxed camp with six tents and a large raised deck with a lounge, bar, and dining area. It’s all stylish with small decorative touches of African artifacts and a number of places to relax.

With large open sides to the lounge, surrounding woodland spills right in with frequent wildlife sightings and visitors in camp. During our visit, we had the great fortune of enjoying our morning coffee with elephants. It’s small footprint and number of tents retains all of the romance of safari. Evenings at the Khwai Tented Camp are lit by oil lanterns and enjoyed with fireside conversation.

Tents at Khwai Tented Camp leave you without any needs. It’s a “tent” with a hot water shower, his and her sinks, king bed, desk, and a flush toilet. These amenities that ensure comfort in such a remote setting is impressive. The canvas tent felt simple and elegant with small furnishings that provide style without feeling out of place.

All of the six tents along with the lounge sit on wood stilts which leaves minimal impact on the environment. As the camp can be removed with little trace left behind. An important element that allows the camp to succeed in harmony with its wild setting.

Typical Day on Safari in Khwai

• 05h30 – Wake up call
• 06h00 – Light bush breakfast
• 06h30 – Depart on morning activity. We recommend doing walking safaris in the morning as after about 9:00 temperatures will get too hot to walk.
• 09h00 — Bush Coffee
• 11h30 – Return from morning activity and get ready for lunch.
• 12:30 – Siesta time! Now is the perfect time to relax or read a book.
• 15h30 – Afternoon tea and coffee
• 16h00 – Head out on afternoon activity. Usually accompanied with sundowner drinks
• 19h00 – Return from afternoon activity and relax with drinks before dinner.
• 20h00 – Dinner time!
• 22h00 – Sleep! It’s been a long day on safari

Khwai Tented Camp Rates

We really appreciate the openness of African Bush with a clear explanation of rates for booking their camps on their website. Unlike many safari companies in the region, they accept direct bookings and can help you plan the safari of your dreams. Find the rates below for Khwai Tented Camp in 2020.

General Info for Traveling in Botswana

Visas to Botswana

There is no visa needed for most nationalities. A visa for up to 90 days is offered on arrival for free. Your passport must be valid for six months and contain at least two blank pages.

Cash in Botswana

Having enough USD before you enter is sure to make life easier most camps operate on USD and the staff along with guides will happily accept USD as a tip. Pula is the national currency in Botswana. However, the word “Pula” literally means “rain” in Setswana. Botswana receives very little rainfall so the word pula is actually a phrase of delight. If you hear people screaming or chanting pula it means something great has happened! It also brings new meaning to the phrase “making it rain.”

People in Botswana

The people of Botswana are not known as “Botswanans,” but instead they are Batswana or Motswana (singular).  In case you were wondering the Batswana are friendly and accommodating people with a great pride for their country.

Want To Know More About Botswana?

We drove around Botswana and love the people and the country. Read more about travel in Botswana!

What to Pack for an African Safari

Packing the right safari clothes is always a good idea, but it’s never essential because you can wear whatever you want. We also go in-depth on the best women’s safari clothes!

We had an amazing time exploring the Okavango Delta and Chobe National Park, but there was one thing that had been looming over our head – the Botswana/Zambian border. The hectic Kazungula border crossing and ferry are notoriously soul sucking. We knew self-driving over the border would go one of two ways – easy peasy or painstakingly difficult.

On to the Kazungula Ferry

A few days before we were set to cross, we were hanging out at the Old Bridge Backpackers in Maun chatting to a few Zimbabweans about our adventure. We told them we were heading to Zambia and Zimbabwe next with Charlie and they explained that we absolutely needed a police clearance to drive into those countries. A police clearance is a certificate stating that you own your car, it is not stolen, and that you can drive it over borders. Police certificates should be issued from the country your car is registered from, a big problem for us since we are not allowed back in South Africa.

I had never heard of this Police Clearance before, but we’ve been having a decent amount of trouble as self-drivers with our car in Africa so we didn’t want to take anything to chance. We went to the Maun Police Office and showed them our papers and asked them for a police clearance. It was a weekend and this is Africa so they wouldn’t issue us one, but they assured us that we would be fine and we had all the right papers for our car.

In case you missed it we bought our own car in Cape Town but had to register it under a friends name because we couldn’t obtain a TRN as foreigners. So we have the proof of purchase, registration, and a power of attorney over the vehicle. There is nothing explaining what exactly we will need to cross borders anywhere…this is Africa after all. (I wonder how many times I will say that in twelve months?) Since there is so much vagueness about regulations in Africa we have no choice but to trust the locals or ask in Facebook groups like these online.

We woke up at 5:30 am and made our way to Kazungula border with our papers and Charlie in hand. There are semi trucks lined up for days outside the border waiting to get cleared for the Kazungula ferry, but private vehicles can drive right past them to the border. Needless to say, this land border is the most chaotic I have seen but since it is the meeting point between Zimbabwe, Botswana, Zambia, and Namibia it should be expected.

Welcome to Africa, I thought as we drove up. Long gone are the easy days of driving around South Africa, Swaziland, and Namibia. Oh no – we hadn’t seen this part Africa since our wonderful month in Mozambique. This is what we came here for, why we created “Hashtag Africa,” and why we spent a small fortune to buy a Land Cruiser. We’re doing this.

There were touts and buskers everywhere as we pulled up to Botswana immigration office. Cam and I, therefore, decided not to leave the car unattended at this border crossing. This proved to be a very good decision as during our whole three hours at the border, no one ever left the car alone. The first step was stamping out of Botswana – child’s play. Then came the hard part of getting the car out. Cam showed immigration the papers first, and because he didn’t have a “police clearance” like we feared they wouldn’t let us out of the country. I was in no way expecting this problem actually leaving Botswana. He came out frazzled an hour later after being turned around multiple times. Police clearances can take days to sort out and sometimes have to be done in the cars registration country.

I decided to try my luck while Cam stayed at the car. I went into the bustling office and made my way to the youngest, nicest looking woman in the room. I claimed that I was confused as to how I can get my car out of Botswana and told her I had all my papers. She looked at my papers briefly and stamped the car right on out. There is no proper system in Africa – so don’t ever give up.

We left Botswana and made our way to the Kazungula ferry crossing. Every runner around is begging for your attention and attempting to “help” you out. Unless you want help then don’t bother talking to him or her. We had one drunken guy hanging around our car the entire time asking for money. He had red and white reflective stickers that he wanted to sell us for 200 Kwacha ($20). These are mandatory in Zambia/Zimbabwe, but there wass no way in hell we would ever pay that much for stickers. We kept telling him to leave our car and us alone. I knew from the get-go this wouldn’t be easy.

Once we stamped out of Botswana and got to the ferry crossing we found two ferries to choose from. There was a Botswana ferry marked by the Botswana flag or a Zambian ferry marked with a Zambian flag. The Botswana ferry cost 200 Pula (about $19) and the Zambian ferry costs 150 Kwacha (about $15). We were carrying USD and with an almost 10:1 ratio on both currencies and no line for either ferry we took the cheaper Zambian vessel. However, I would recommend taking whatever ferry is quicker.

Mr. Drunk Red Shirt man decided to follow us and slapped stickers on our car while we weren’t looking. This infuriated me and I kept asking him to stop and to leave us alone. He told me that “my husband” told him to do it, and he told Cam that “his wife” told him to do it – both of us knew this was not true. Don’t let them fool you with this, as it is obviously a scam. We tried hard to ignore Mr. Drunk Red Shirt for the remainder of our time at the border.

After reading about a few of similar from Maggie in Africa about the Kazungula Border Crossing we decided it would be much easier if we hired a fixer on the Zambian side to sort us through everything. We found a helpful (sober) man with his own “agency” to help us out. He initially asked us for 200 Kwacha, but I was not paying more than 150 Kwacha so eventually, he took that rate. Always know your currency and exchange rates before getting to the border.

I guarded the car while Cam spent the next hour sorting out the carbon tax, third party insurance, visas, road tax, and council tax. Together, the two of us spent about $280 entering Zambia with our car – in other words; it was a very expensive day.

Where did Our Money at the Kazungula Ferry Go?

Visas

A single entry visa into Zambian will cost Americans $50 payable in USD. We needed a double entry valid for 90 days. The double entry cost us $80, but make sure they fill out your visa right. The customs official I went to got my first and last name switched and I had to ask him to redo it.

Insurance

The next biggest fee was our third party insurance, which cost us $50. There was no information on this, so I have no idea if this was the correct price or if we were taken for yet another ride.  We did find out later that we could have negotiated this price down, but with little to no information, we had no idea that we could do this.

Council tax

60 Kwacha – only payable in Kwacha. I suppose this goes to the council…

Carbon Tax

We paid 200 Kwacha – payable in cash only for an engine over 4000 cc. This was the most expensive option and engines with less cc cost less.

Road Tax

$20 for South African registered vehicles.

Fixers Fee

We paid our fixer $12. In hindsight, we are not sure if it was a good idea or worth the cost. He certainly made things easy at a very confusing crossing. However, we probably could have figured it out ourselves by spending more time at the border.

We had to show all of our paperwork for the car and we were not asked for a carnet or for a police clearance certificate on the Zambian side. All they needed was the proof of ownership (in our case a Power of Attorney letter) and registration papers.

Our fixer had collected all the fees and told us we owed him one lump sum in USD at the end. Our fixer had “loaned” us the Kwacha that we needed for the Carbon and Council tax. He initially gave Cam a 7:1 exchange rate (Kwacha to USD) and claimed that was the correct exchange rate. Another scam – I guess he didn’t realize we were Americans yet and knew the correct dollar amount. We knew that it was 10:1 ratio and that he was just trying to rip us off. After some mild bartering, Cam got him down to proper exchange rate.

We ended up paying our runner a grand fee of $12 ($2 more than I had agreed to) to organize all of the Zambian paperwork for us. We saw groups of people that had entered the border crossing before us trying to sort out their vehicles themselves and I want to note that they were still there when we left. In fact, they were only at the first stop in the immigration process. So, depending on your level of patience and time I would recommend spending the money and hiring a local to save you from a headache.

Finally, we had our paperwork and were on our way. But not before Mr. Drunk Red Shirt man made one last attempt to harass us for 200 Kwacha for the stickers he slapped on our vehicle without asking. We ended up giving him $2 to make him just go away, but he made our three hours much more difficult and annoying in both Botswana and Zambia.

Although the border was difficult and left a big dent in our wallets we were heading to one of the most beautiful places in Africa – stay tuned.

General Advice for the Kazungula Ferry Border Crossing

• We expect this to be one of the worst borders we cross in Africa – fingers crossed!
• Don’t come hungry; you could be here for a while
• Watch your things and your car. We are driving a big Land Cruiser and just about every Joe Schmo was eyeing the car. Maybe the thought it was a cool car (because it is!) or maybe they had other ideas. Either way, I’m happy that we were able to always have one person at the car while the other was able to do things.
• The biggest thing for us was that our car is registered in someone else’s name and all we have is a Power of Attorney letter giving us legal rights over the vehicle. I believe that if you outright own your vehicle and have all the papers or are heading back into Botswana within 30 days it will be a much easier time.
• There doesn’t seem to be many hard-set rules here. As the case for Cameron getting turned away and denied crossing, while I was able to smoothly get all the paperwork stamped.
• Plan to be at the border for at least 2 hours. Arrive early in the day for the quickest turnaround.
• There are a few banks and Bureau de change offices in Kasane town to get USD for the border. They were not issuing Kwacha at this time of writing, but you may be able to get a local to do this for you at the border for a very bad exchange rate. Note that currency that will come in handy here are USD, Pula, and Kwacha. No South African Rand will be accepted.
• There is also a Barclays Bank and a few independent change Bureaus in Livingstone should you have any cash that you need to swap. We found a Barclays bank in the Avani shopping center right near the Vic Falls Bridge that gave a good rate and you could pull USD out with a card with the teller.

Our food options boiled down to two restaurants in town, and since we had seen the famous cotton castle the day before there was nothing more to do in town. So, we spent the day holed away in our hotel room.

The Zambezi Queen

However, my 26th birthday in Africa was set to be once in a lifetime event. A birthday taking place in one of the best national parks in Africa from a five-star houseboat.

The Zambezi Queen is a one of kind floating five-star hotel. She isn’t built for speed or distance, but for comfort, style, and luxury. All while offering her guests sweeping views of the Chobe flood plain and the wildlife that ensues.

For four nights we spent our time cruising up and down the Chobe River taking in the sights of the incredible birdlife, flood plains, and varying wildlife.

Arriving On Board The Zambezi Queen

We arrived on board the Zambezi Queen as she floated from her mooring point on the Chobe River. The Queen is serviced by small tender boats that deliver guest to the full team giving an African song and dance welcome.

After our introduction to the Queen, we made our way to the top level. The top floor includes a massive lounge, decks, and dining area. A quick safety briefing and some welcome drinks later we headed down to our rooms before lunch.

The Rooms on The Zambezi Quen

All of the rooms on the Zambezi Queen have personal balconies offering neverending views of the Chobe River. We got lucky and were given the forward room. The front rooms house a balcony that encompasses the room giving tremendous views at water level.

It makes for beautiful mornings and evenings as you feel connected to the sounds of the lapping Chobe River. The room itself was spacious for being on a boat and having A/C during the African summer was a lifesaver.

The large glass doors opened the whole room up, allowing us to soak up the ambiance of the African river.

Cruising on the Zambezi Queen

Staying directly on the Chobe river is one of the unique experiences to have in Africa. Our first evening on the Queen we cruised a few kilometers up and down the river taking in the wildlife from all sides.

Most notably a large herd of African Buffalo that are known for living on Sedudu Island. Sedudu Island is the infamous island situated between Botswana and Namibia. After territorial dispute at The Hague in the Netherlands, it was decided that the island belongs to Botswana in 1999.

It’s worth noting that the Queen is more of a houseboat, not a cruise ship. Her very shallow hull makes it so she can only navigate a few kilometers up and down the Chobe River. However, her fleet of tender boats allows for visitors to explore the smaller channels of the Chobe flood plain at speed.

With beer and wine inclusive onboard we grabbed ourselves some sundowners and took in the views from the top deck. We hung out with the other guests talking about our journeys in Africa and enjoying the pool on the front deck. The views from up top were absolutely fantastic.

As we moved along the banks of the Chobe river plain we saw Red Lechwe, Hippos, Crocodiles, and Fish Eagles. It became a regular occurrence to hear the call of a fish eagle while on the Chobe. A call we’re still very fond of and miss every day we don’t hear. (Listen to it here).

Experiences To Have on The Zambezi Queen

While onboard the Zambezi Queen Collection we were able to try out several activities on the Chobe River. With a river full of wildlife and a world-renowned game park on the banks, there was no shortage of things to do.

Fishing

When it comes to Southern Africa, fishing on any number of the many rivers and lakes is a must. I’d heard of the legendary tigerfish and knew to catch one was something I wanted to do.

The tigerfish is more or less the meanest looking trout you’ve ever seen. The fish themselves are one of the biggest predators in African lakes and rivers, asides from crocodiles. They have massive teeth and have taken many an angler’s fingers.

The tigerfish found in these rivers are known for the fight they put up and their tendency to jump out of the water a tactic that they also implore in hunting. So, that splash you hear on the water’s edge is likely a tigerfish on the hunt. I think I’d make my father proud to tell him that we went fishing on my birthday (Hi Dad)! However, I managed to only catch a cool photo and watch Natasha reel in the fish…

During our fishing journey, we managed to slip into the Ichingo Chobe River Lodge for lunch. Ichingo caters to those looking to go fishing on the nearby Zambezi and Chobe Rivers.  We had a delicious fish meal and watched the birds dart between the rapids surrounding the island. Much to our delight we also spotted a plethora of unique and rare birds.

River Safaris

Game Drives come in a different variety while onboard the queen. Many travelers to Africa get the chance to experience viewing the great wildlife spectacle from the back of a game viewer; however, to see them by boat is unique.

There are a number of places in Africa in which you can experience animals from this unique angle. However, the Chobe River is arguably one of the best for game viewing. The river is bountiful – seeing fish eagles, hippos, crocodiles, and elephants became common practice

It is incredible to watch a large herd of elephants descend from the bush to come to take a bath and drink the water. If you are looking to see elephants bath and have fun in a river then the Chobe River may just be your calling. The park is known for its massive elephant population that often frequent the banks of the river.

I know you’re wondering, and yes the game in Chobe extends to predators. We spotted lions twice. On one occasion we were fortunate enough to see four cubs that were only a couple of weeks old walking with their mothers who then proceeded to catch a warthog. Sorry, Pumba! Lions and warthogs don’t get along like Disney may lead us to believe. 

Chobe National Park

The Chobe National Park was Botswana’s first national park. It is the third-largest park in the country and is roughly 11,700 km² large. The area that covers the national park is limited in scope to the area as a whole. The surrounding of the park are both unfenced and declared non-hunting zones creating a free movement for the animals. If you’re looking to spot the big five then look no further than the Chobe National Park.

In combination with the Savuti area, Khwai, Linyanti, Okavango Delta, Various Concessions, and Moremi National Park it makes for a massive swath of land that is entirely wild.

This massive swath of land has lead to large animal populations such as elephants. It is estimated that there are close to 120,000 elephants in the park. The region is also home to one of Africa’s rarest predators, the African wild dog. Although we were not lucky enough to see them it is said that Northern Botswana is the place to catch a glimpse. Chobe National Park is one of the best places to go on safari in Southern Africa.

You don’t have to experience the Chobe from the Zambezi Queen Collection or the Chobe Water Villas. You always check out a multi-destination tour that goes to more than one place in Botswana.

Climate and Weather

There are two seasons in the Chobe area, a dry season and rainy season. We visited the Chobe just a week after the first rains and landscape flourished. We came across hundreds of young animals. Mothers have the ability to delay their birth to the start of the rainy season in order to give their young the best chance possible for survival.

Tasha’s favorite was the baby impala we saw that were a matter of hours old, others only days.

Birding

We’ve admitted it once or twice before, but we really like birding. It’s something that those with limited safari experience would laugh at, but after seeing the hundredth elephant of the day you want to find something new. Birding has another quality to it.

Instead of quickly identifying game, which we can do now after six months in Africa, it requires spotting and identifying the small animal. Don’t tell our safari guides we already know the difference between a Red Lechwe, Impala, Springbok, Waterbuck, and Bushbuck, it might break their hearts.

To spot an African Skimmer or watch a Pied Kingfisher catch their lunch is fascinating on the Chobe River. We continue to get great enjoyment from watching the characteristics of the wide diversity of birds in Africa.

Village Tour

Guests are given the option to see local life on the Chobe River. There are numerous villages on both the Botswana and Namibia side of the Chobe. We stopped at one on the Namibian side and had great fun with the kids there!

It’s all perplexing and a sobering reminder of what life is like off the boat. Pun intended. After a tour of the village, the villagers gathered in a boma to put on a show off their traditional music for us. The kids get really into it!

We’d recommend going on at least one or two village tours while in Africa and forming your own opinion. It’s a large debate for us. On the one hand, it is interesting, but it feels a bit like treating the villagers as if they were some sight to been seen.

On the other hand, it provides income, employment, and often services to communities that are extremely poor and disenfranchised. A number of the Zambezi Queen staff and guides even come from the local villages.

Special Occasions on Zambezi Queen

I did not seem to be in the minority about celebrating an event while on board the Zambezi Queen. None the less I was the only one celebrating a birthday. It turned out to be a wonderful day shared with warm people from all around the world. With such a unique and incredible experience, the Queen no doubts see their fair share of celebrations.

I find it hard that anyone could manage to complain about a birthday where you wake up to views of the Chobe River, spend the days in search of African wildlife along river banks, and finish with a lovely meal.

Oh, they even had WiFi on the ship. So, I was able to make a phone call home to the family on my birthday while enjoying a nice wine from the house selection.

From the Zambezi Queen to the Chobe Princess

The Zambezi Queen Collection is a fleet of houseboats and a fishing lodge in the middle of four countries. If the Queen is a floating hotel, the Princesses are floating beach houses. Everything is a little more laid back and personal.

We arrived on board the Princess Three, and instantly fell in love with the more laid back feeling. The princesses are smaller size which gives them the advantage of parking right along the Chobe National Park.

Our room onboard the princess was on her bow. The flat front of the boat provided us a lovely deck extending out of the water. While the mooring location right across from the aptly named “Elephant Bay” made for entertaining evenings and mornings.

The first morning on the Princess I stepped out onto our deck and gazed out across the calm morning river. A fish eagle perched on the banks from the previous night took off in flight in my direction. Seconds later he dipped into the water and snatched a fish from the river, landing on the bank meters in front of me.

It is and was one of the most magical moments I have had in Africa. A moment that will stay with me for life.

The days onboard the Princess was spent much the same as the Queen while our downtime was spent wandering around the deck and reading barefoot.

Stationed right on the Chobe National Park made for a special dusk time. While the various day trip boats rush off the water before the sun sets guests on the Chobe Princess are left alone on the bank of the river. We watched Elephants playing one evening and the young lion cubs another in complete solitude.

Nights are spent on the top deck enjoying sundowners and dining at the communal table. Drinks and dinner are social affairs, it’s a theme to be enjoyed at lodges throughout Africa.

After, full days in the sun on the Chobe river and the festivities surrounding my birthday we had no issue getting a great night sleep. The environment on the Chobe River is soothing and made for a wonderful night’s sleep.

The day of our departure was one we were not looking forward to. Staying for four nights on the Chobe River was incredible. It is the experiences such as these that bring out the true magic of Africa.

Video of Zambezi Collection

Our river safaris were spent on the Chobe River with the Zambezi Queen. We had no idea just how incredible and large the animal population of the Chobe River was until much later. Spotting fish eagles, hearing the grunt of a hippo, and seeing hundreds of elephants spoils visitors to the Chobe area. It wasn’t until much later during our trip through Africa did we realize just how incredible the whole wildlife spectacle really is on the Chobe.

Book A Stay on The Zambezi Queen

Traditionally if you wanted to book a safari you’d have to go to a travel agent and have them book your safari for you. They made suggestions for camps and lodges then presented you with a large bill. Most of the industry still operates in this fashion.

However, Timbuktu is a new platform that allows you to select the lodges you’d like and see the pricing per day that way you can select the best itinerary for yourself. They will then contact the lodges and help you through booking your safari. With experts on staff, they can also provide suggestions and arrange the little details much like a travel agent.

Tips for Spending Time on African Rivers

• We recommend taking anti-malarial medicine, dependent on the time of year. Six nights on the Chobe river with a minimal amount of insect repellant I walked away two bites. However, I always say to err on the side of caution.
• Sun protection is an absolute necessity. The African sun bouncing off the waters of the Chobe river can give you a serious burn and is dangerous. Remember to pack a hat, sunglasses, and plenty of sunblock.
• Protect your electronics! Given the time of year humidity can feel like stepping into a sauna, now imagine your electronics in this long term. We store rice sachets with our electronics now after they started acting up. Can’t find a sachet? Fill a sock with rice!plenty of sunblock.
• You will need passport space for crossing between borders. Although, Namibia and Botswana are only small stamps in our passports they still eat up space.
• Bring a pair of binoculars. They’re a necessity when birding and make for a much more enjoyable game viewing experience.

Thank you to Zambezi Queen Collection for sponsoring our stay! As always, all opinions remain our own.