Botswana

TRAVEL TIPS - A landlocked nation in the southern part of Africa, Botswana is bordered by South Africa to the south and southeast, Namibia to the west, Zambia to the north, and Zimbabwe to the northeast. It's about as big as Madagascar, and slightly smaller than the state of Texas in the USA.

This roadless wilderness of savannas, deserts, wetlands and salt pans is not for the faint-hearted traveller. Over two thirds of the land surface in Botswana is covered up by the Kalahari Desert, with The Okavango Delta - the world's largest inland river delta - lying in the northwest, and The Makgadikgadi Pan: a large salt pan in the north.

Botswana offers a wide diversity of African wildlife, roaming in the impressive national parks and game reserves, such as Moremi Game Reserve and Chobe National Park. The country also tries to involve local villagers in its tourism industry, as part of its participation in community-based natural resource management projects.

The best, but most crowded time to visit Botswana is from April to August in the autumn and winter. During this period, the days are generally pleasant with the wildlife never wandering far from water sources. It's usually quieter around June, July and September. It's advisable to avoid visiting Botswana during the summer months from December to March, as prolonged rains not only make the roads impossible, but also scare away the animals.