Botswana is a landlocked country that is located in the southern hemisphere. The country is landlocked and has a population of just under 2 million people. Today, Botswana is a leading tourist destination particularly for safaris and desert excursions. This has been the case in recent years, as the economy has grown enormously thanks to the income from diamonds. Traveling to Botswana is quite easy and straightforward if one comes from the major cities of the world.
Johannesburg is the hub of the southern African region when it comes to air travel. As a result, most flights to Botswana depart from South Africa. It is possible to take a direct flight from Johannesburg to Kasane, a major safari region in the northern part of Botswana. Entry into Botswana for short stays of say 30 days at a time is usually a straightforward affair requiring no visa for most nationalities.
Tourists arriving in Botswana by air via Gaborone, the capital, have a myriad of accommodation options. The types of accommodation available in Gaborone range from hostels to hotels. Depending on how much you’re willing to spend on accommodation, there is backpacker accommodation available as well as high-end luxury hotel accommodation.
Experienced hotels and lodges will be able to facilitate a wide range of activities once in Botswana. However, it is recommended and good practice to have a pretty good idea of what is available before you land. This can easily be done by searching for reputable tour operators online. It is quite easy to cross borders once in Botswana into other countries. This is particularly the case when visiting Kasane in the north.
Kasane is essentially a border town with about 10,000 inhabitants. It is at the geographical intersection of Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Visiting the three nations that border Botswana is a matter of a day and a matter of hours by road. The road network is also quite good and very efficient. The reason why many tourists travel to these bordering countries as part of the Botswana trip is for the attractions. Zambia and Zimbabwe present the mighty Victoria Falls from different angles. Namibia has Caprivi to offer, which is very close to the Zambezi River.
When it comes to safety, Botswana is generally a safe country to visit. Personal weapons, the primary weapon used to commit crimes in neighboring South Africa, are not widely available in Botswana. However, any tourist to any country should be cautious and alert to avoid certain crimes, whether minor or serious, that target tourists. Apart from this, the people of Botswana are friendly and welcoming to visitors.