Camping in Botswana is the best way that tourists can experience the wild close up as many of the wild life species in the different that roam freely around the different National Parks where the camps are set. You can either set out for a private camping safari or public camping safari but whichever you choose will avail you with the adventure that you need. Camping safaris in Botswana have become a favorite for the tourists especially if they are doing the mobile camping safari and this is because it allows them to easily access the different parts of the parks that are sometimes ignored when just driving through the National Parks.
Camping in Botswana is mostly done during the dry winter or season and this is because the ground is dry and most of the destinations that where camping can take place are also easily accessible during the dry season unlike the wet season when the roads are not accessible due to the constant flooding and slipperiness.
The things that you need to know about camping in Botswana are quite many and you will have to at least know a few of these if you want to enjoy your camping sessions in the country and some of these have been listed below so that tourists get to know all the rules that govern the camping sessions in Botswana.
- Most of the camping sites that are located in the National Parks are not fenced and therefore you will need to be careful about going around the camp in the night as many of the animals keep on roaming around freely. It is always advisable that you follow all the rules and regulations that the tour guides give you so that you keep away from the animals.
- Getting around the National Parks and game reserves in the country is not easy and therefore you will need a 4×4 car to get you to the destinations where you are supposed to camp and this is a major thing that you must do because most of the roads in Botswana are filled with sand.
- Camping in Botswana is all about surviving in the wild and one of the ways you can do this is by preparing your own meals. Yes there might be luxury camps that prepare meals for the tourists but there is a joy about one preparing their own meals especially in the wild. But after preparing your meals, make sure that you turn out the fire in order not to attract the wild animals to your tent.
- Make sure that before you set out for camping in Botswana that you get yourself a tourist map of the places where you want to go for camping so that you do not get lost as these help out when trying to find the best place for one to camp.
- Before you go for camping make sure that you get the best and experienced tour guide because a good tour guide will make your camping experience one that you will not forget as they will know the routes to use and the best places to set camps.
- All tourists should carry enough money on them just in case there are emergencies that cannot be avoided and you might also need to purchase more things along the way.
- You need to be ready for anything that you will find there that is most of the camos have no electricity and it is not a must that you will see all the wild life animals that you want.
Camping in Botswana is normally carried out in National parks and some of the best camping safari destinations in Botswana include the following:
Camping in the Okavango delta, the Okavango delta has different camping sites where tourists can go and enjoy all that the Delta has to offer. The many camp sites that are located within the Okavango delta provides tourists a chance to view the animals that roam the delta both during the day and night and you also get to enjoy other activities that are carried out by other tourists in the delta. The thrill about camping within the delta is that you will have a close look at the animals as they move next to your campsite.
Camping safari to the Moremi game reserve, located within the Okavango delta, the Moremi game reserve also has a lot of camps where you can enjoy your safari and all you need to do is carry your own firewood and other personal items. Some of the animals that you will be able to see in the Moremi game reserve during your camping safari include Zebras, lions, spotted hyenas, elephants, hippos, crocodiles and many other species. you will also be able to mingle with the local san Bushmen who live around the reserve.
Camping in the Linyanti game reserve, this is located between the Okavango delta and the chobe National Park and it is one of the best places for one to for a camping safari in Botswana. Its strategic location next to the Linyanti River makes it look like the paradise that you need in order for you to rest. The Linyanti reserve has about five camps where tourists can go to for their camping safaris and the best time for you to go for camping in the Linyanti reserve is between the months of June and October although this is also known to be the peak season. You will have to book early for all the camping safari if you want to enjoy your camping safari. During your camping safari, you will be able to see the wild life species like elephants, zebras, rhinos, crocodiles and impalas.
Camping in the Khama Rhino sanctuary, there are over 13 camp sites in the Khama rhino sanctuary where tourists can go and enjoy the wilderness that the Khama Rhino sanctuary especially when it comes to tracking down the black and white rhinos that had become extinct due to constant poaching from the locals. You can either set up your own tent or go for the already set up camps either way you will still get to enjoy your camping safari in the sanctuary because there will be other animals to see like the Zebras, hippos, crocodiles, elephants and Impalas.
Camping in the Savuti game reserve, this is a privately owned reserve which offers camping safaris to only those that are booked within and people like camping here because the reserve is always not crowded due to their private policies. Savuti game reserve has about 14 camp sites and since it is not fenced just like the rest of the national parks within Botswana, you will easily get an eyeful of the different animals that habitate within the reserve from your campsite like zebras and giraffes and the best way to get to Savuti for a camping safari is by road and by using a 4×4 car.
Camping in Chobe National Park, just like in the Okavango Delta, the Chobe National Park is a great place for one to go for a camping safari in Botswana due to its vast nature. Getting to the numerous camps within the Park will require you to have a 4×4 car because the roads within the Chobe national park are not as accommodating and can be extremely hard to drive on due to their sandy nature. The camps in chobe are in most cases located within the bushes and what better way to enjoy the wild other than camping right next to some wild animals. One of the main campsites in the Chobe National Park is the Ihaha camp site which is located along the Chobe River. Although there is no electricity at the camp, you are treated to some of the best views in the Park especially at night when the nocturnal animals roam around in search of food.
The different National parks have their own rules and regulations when it comes to camping but the general rules that have to be followed by all campers in Botswana are you are not supposed to feed the animals, only camo where the authorities deem it fit, do not leave your toilet paper lying around the bushes, do not move out of the camp at night and you are not to drive through the parks at night.
It is extremely safe for tourists to go for camping in Botswana but this does not mean that you should leave your property un attended to because there are pick pockets who are always looking for something to take form the unsuspecting tourists in the country.
Preparing for a camping safari in Botswana might look as though it is an easy thig but you will need to get a lot of information about what is needed for camping and some have been written above but you will still need to ask your tour operator about the most convenient time for you to go camping.