Before you travel

Guest & travel information

Everything you need to prepare for your Botswana mobile safari — your travel documents, the trip-details form, visa guidance, the seasons, and what to pack.

For confirmed guests

Submit your trip details.

Once your safari is booked, please complete the secure trip-details form. It captures your passport, flights, dietary and medical needs, luggage weight and emergency contacts, and includes reading and accepting our indemnity — everything sent to our reservations team as one tidy PDF. One form per traveller.

Open the trip-details form
Your documents

Download & keep.

Everything worth reading before you fly — our terms, the indemnity (which you can accept online in the trip-details form), and our guides to packing, insurance and tipping.

Entry & visas

Getting into Botswana.

A quick guide — but immigration rules change, so always confirm the current requirements for your nationality with an official source before you travel.

  • Visa-free for many nationalities. Citizens of the UK, EU/Schengen, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and most Commonwealth countries do not need a visa for tourist stays of up to 90 days.
  • Passport validity. Your passport should be valid for at least 6 months beyond your travel dates, with at least 2–3 blank pages for stamps.
  • e-Visa. Travellers who do require a visa can apply online through Botswana's official portal before departure.
  • Tourism levy. Botswana charges a tourism development levy (around USD 30) on entry — payable online in advance or on arrival.
  • Combining with Victoria Falls? If your trip also visits Zimbabwe or Zambia, ask us about the KAZA UniVisa, which covers both.
Boat cruise on the Chobe River, Botswana

Official resources

This page is a general guide, not immigration advice. Requirements can change at short notice — please verify with the official portal or the nearest Botswana embassy/high commission before booking flights. We're happy to help point you in the right direction.

When to come

Botswana's seasons.

The northern safari areas — Okavango, Chobe, Savuti — really have two seasons: a dry winter and a green summer, with a gentle shoulder either side. Temperatures are approximate; Kalahari nights run colder in winter.

May – August

Dry season · winter

~25–28°C days · 6–9°C nights

Cool, clear and reliable. Wildlife gathers at shrinking water, the bush thins out, and game viewing sharpens by the week. Mornings on the vehicle are properly cold — bring a beanie and gloves.

September – October

Peak dry season

~32–35°C days · 13–18°C nights

Prime time. The hottest, driest months bring phenomenal wildlife concentrations and superb predator action around the last of the water. The classic big-game safari — book well ahead.

November – March

Green season · summer

~30–33°C days · ~18°C nights

The rains transform the bush — lush, dramatic and alive. Calving season, newborn animals everywhere, migratory birds back in force and spectacular storm-lit skies for photographers. Fewer people, better rates.

April

The shoulder

~29°C days · ~14°C nights

The in-between gem. The rains fade, the land is still green, nights turn crisp and the crowds haven't arrived. Mild, quiet and lovely value.

In short: May–October is the classic big-game season, peaking September–October. November–April rewards you with lush scenery, baby animals, exceptional birding and quieter camps.

Sundowners on safariSundowners
Dining tent with elephants passingCamp on the floodplain
Campfire at nightWinter-night fires
What to bring

Mobile safari packing list.

Pack light, wear layers and keep it neutral. Luggage travels in a soft-shell bag, 20 kg per person (the light-aircraft limit, including hand luggage) — and laundry is done daily in camp, so you need less than you think.

Tuck a change of clothes into your hand luggage in case checked bags are delayed — and remember: brown, beige and olive; nothing white or bright.

Download the full packing list
Tea break on safari, Botswana

Clothing

  • Neutral colours — brown, beige, olive (nothing white or bright)
  • Layers: light windbreaker, sweater or fleece
  • Gloves & beanie for cold-morning drives (May–Aug)
  • 2 trousers · 3 shorts · 3 short-sleeve & 3 long-sleeve shirts
  • Wide-brimmed hat, swimsuit, casual evening attire
  • Walking shoes (not white) & lightweight sandals

Health & toiletries

  • Antimalarials (prescription) — consult your doctor
  • Small first-aid: aspirin, anti-diarrhoea, antacids, plasters, antibiotic cream
  • Insect repellent (DEET), sunscreen & lip balm
  • Toiletries in small containers · rehydration sachets
  • Copies of prescriptions

Documents & kit

  • Passport — 6+ months validity, spare blank pages
  • Printed tickets/vouchers, insurance details, vaccination cards
  • Camera kit, memory cards, chargers & power bank
  • Binoculars, head-torch, refillable water bottle
  • Envelopes and small US dollar notes for tips