Botswana

Botswana is one of Africa's greatest success stories—a landlocked nation in southern Africa that transformed from one of the world's poorest countries at independence in 1966 to an upper-middle-income economy through diamond wealth and sound governance. With a land area comparable to France but only 2.6 million inhabitants, Botswana remains one of the most sparsely populated countries on Earth.

The country's commitment to conservation over mass tourism has preserved some of Africa's last great wilderness areas. The Okavango Delta—the world's largest inland delta—floods annually with water from Angola, creating a lush oasis in the heart of the Kalahari Desert. The Chobe National Park hosts Africa's largest elephant population. These pristine ecosystems make Botswana one of the planet's premier safari destinations.

Botswana is dominated by the Kalahari Desert, which covers approximately 70% of the country's surface. Despite the name, much of the Kalahari is not true desert but semi-arid savanna with scattered acacia trees and seasonal grasses. The country is predominantly flat, with a mean altitude of about 1,000 meters above sea level.

The northern region contains the country's most spectacular landscapes: the Okavango Delta (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), the Makgadikgadi Pans (ancient salt flats that are remnants of a vast prehistoric lake), and the Chobe River system along the border with Namibia. The capital Gaborone lies in the southeastern corner, near the South African border.

The Tswana people migrated into the region before AD 600. The San (Bushmen), the area's original inhabitants, have lived here for over 20,000 years and still maintain traditional communities in the Kalahari. In 1885, Britain declared the territory a protectorate called Bechuanaland, primarily to prevent expansion by German South West Africa and the Boer republics.

Botswana gained independence on September 30, 1966, under President Seretse Khama. The discovery of diamonds at Orapa in 1967—just one year after independence—transformed the nation. Unlike many resource-rich African countries, Botswana invested its diamond wealth in education, healthcare, and infrastructure. In November 2024, Duma Boko became the first president not from the Botswana Democratic Party, marking a historic democratic transition.

The Okavango Delta is one of Earth's most remarkable ecosystems—a vast inland delta where the Okavango River fans out into the Kalahari sands, creating 15,000 km² of channels, lagoons, and islands. Unlike most rivers that flow to the sea, the Okavango's waters simply evaporate and seep into the desert, supporting an extraordinary concentration of wildlife.

The annual flood arrives from Angola between June and August—during Botswana's dry winter—transforming the landscape and drawing massive herds of elephants, buffalo, zebra, and their predators. Exploring by mokoro (traditional dugout canoe) through papyrus-lined channels while hippos grunt nearby is an unforgettable experience.

Chobe National Park encompasses 11,700 km² and is famous for having Africa's highest concentration of elephants—over 130,000. The park's four distinct ecosystems include the Chobe Riverfront (famous for elephant herds and sunset boat cruises), the Savuti Marsh (known for its lion prides), and the Linyanti Swamps.

The Chobe River forms the border with Namibia and attracts enormous congregations of wildlife, especially during the dry season (May-October). Sunset cruises offer spectacular views of elephants swimming across the river, hippos surfacing, and African fish eagles calling from the riverine forest.

The Kalahari is not a true desert but a vast semi-arid savanna of red sand, scrubland, and grasslands. The Central Kalahari Game Reserve—one of the world's largest protected areas at 52,800 km²—was originally created to protect the traditional territory of the San (Bushmen) people.

The San have inhabited this region for over 20,000 years, developing extraordinary tracking skills and survival knowledge. Today, some San communities offer cultural experiences where visitors can learn ancient skills: tracking animals, identifying medicinal plants, making fire, and understanding the Kalahari's subtle ecosystems.

Botswana is home to some of Africa's most abundant and diverse wildlife populations. The Big Five (lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo, rhino) are all present, along with wild dogs, cheetahs, hyenas, hippos, crocodiles, and over 500 bird species including the iconic African fish eagle and lilac-breasted roller.

The country's low-volume, high-value tourism model has kept visitor numbers manageable, ensuring genuine wilderness experiences. Unlike crowded reserves elsewhere, Botswana offers exclusive encounters: your safari vehicle may be the only one watching a lion pride at a kill, or tracking wild dogs across the savanna.

Botswana doesn't produce wine or spirits commercially, but the country has a vibrant traditional beer culture and one of Africa's most famous lagers. St. Louis Lager and Castle Lite (brewed by Kgalagadi Breweries, a SABMiller subsidiary) dominate the commercial market, but the real drinking culture lives in the villages.

🍺 Chibuku — Africa's Opaque Beer

Chibuku (or "shake-shake") is southern Africa's legendary opaque sorghum beer — thick, gritty, sour, pinkish-brown, and still actively fermenting in its distinctive cardboard carton. You shake it vigorously before drinking (hence the nickname), and the flavour is an acquired taste: tangy, slightly effervescent, with a porridge-like texture. It's cheap (about 5 Pula / $0.40), massively popular, and deeply democratic — the beer of the working class, the farmers, the miners. Chibuku is the great social equaliser of southern Africa.

Bojalwa — home-brewed sorghum beer — is the traditional version, prepared by women for community gatherings, weddings, and harvest celebrations. The brewing process takes 3-5 days and the result is thicker and sourer than commercial Chibuku. Khadi — a stronger, distilled palm wine — is technically illegal but widely produced in the north near the Okavango Delta.

✍️ Author's Note Radim Kaufmann

The most memorable drink I've had in Botswana was a Castle Lite from a cooler box, sitting on the roof of a Land Cruiser in the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans at sunset — the flattest, emptiest landscape on Earth turning pink and gold, flamingos in the distance, absolute silence. Context is everything. The beer was unremarkable; the moment was transcendent. That said, trying Chibuku is obligatory — shake the carton, take a sip, and you'll understand why it's called an acquired taste. It's the beer equivalent of durian: you either love it or you don't. There is no middle ground.

The Sundowner · A cold beer on the Land Cruiser roof at sunset, acacia silhouettes, the Okavango stretching to the horizon. The beer is unremarkable. The moment is transcendent.

Getting There: Sir Seretse Khama International Airport (GBE) in Gaborone receives regional flights. Most safari visitors fly into Maun (MUB)—the gateway to the Okavango Delta—or Kasane for Chobe National Park. Light aircraft transfers are common for reaching remote camps.

Best Time to Visit: The dry season (May-October) offers the best wildlife viewing as animals concentrate around water sources. The green season (November-April) brings dramatic thunderstorms, migratory birds, and lower prices.

Costs: Botswana is Africa's most expensive safari destination by design. Daily park fees (US$50+) and exclusive camps (US$500-2,000/night) limit visitor numbers. Budget travelers can self-drive and camp for significantly less.

Currency: The Botswana Pula (BWP). US dollars are widely accepted at safari lodges. ATMs are available in major towns.

Historic Political Change: In November 2024, Duma Boko of the Umbrella for Democratic Change became president—the first from outside the Botswana Democratic Party since independence. This peaceful democratic transition reinforced Botswana's reputation as one of Africa's most stable democracies.

Diamond Industry Challenges: Global diamond prices have slumped, causing Botswana's diamond stockpile to swell. The government is diversifying the economy through tourism expansion and rare earth mineral exploration. In January 2026, Botswana announced plans to open an embassy in Moscow and expand cooperation with Russia in diamonds and rare earths.