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Botswana

✨ The elephant paradise

Botswana is a landlocked country in southern Africa, bordered by Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe and South Africa. Its capital and largest city, Gaborone, lies in the southeast near the South African border. Covering about 582,000 square kilometres, Botswana is mostly flat or gently rolling. Much of the country lies within the Kalahari Basin, a vast region known for sandy soils and dry conditions.

In the northwest, the Okavango Delta is one of Botswana’s most distinctive landscapes. The Okavango River spreads across an inland delta rather than reaching the sea, forming wetlands, channels, islands and floodplains. The Makgadikgadi Pans, a large complex of salt flats, are another notable feature. Botswana has a mainly semi-arid climate, with hot summers and mild to cool winters.

Rainfall is seasonal and generally decreases toward the southwest. Most rain falls during the warmer months, although the amount can vary considerably from year to year. These environments support diverse wildlife, including elephants, lions, giraffes, zebras and many species of antelope. Protected areas and wildlife reserves cover large parts of the country and are important for conservation and tourism.

Botswana is also rich in mineral resources, especially diamonds, which have played a major role in its economy. English is the official language, while Setswana is widely spoken in everyday life. Botswana gained independence from Britain in 1966 and uses the pula as its national currency. From the dry Kalahari plains to the permanent and seasonal wetlands of the Okavango, Botswana shows how strongly water availability can shape life in an otherwise dry environment.

💡 Did you know?

Did you know that Botswana's currency is called the 'Pula'? In the Setswana language, it means 'rain.' As the country is largely covered by the Kalahari Desert, water is so precious that people use the same word for money, rain, and to say hello or wish each other good luck!

Botswana has a magic river: the Okavango. Instead of flowing toward the sea like other rivers, it goes inland and 'dies' in the middle of the desert! This creates a huge labyrinth of water and islands where hippos, crocodiles, and multicolored birds live together. It is the largest inland delta in the world.

If you love elephants, Botswana is your ideal destination! There are more than 130,000 living freely. That's so many elephants that they represent almost a third of all African elephants. They travel hundreds of kilometers to find water points during the dry season.