Helicopter rides in Botswana
Located in the Southern art of the African continent, Botswana has become a top tourist destination for all those who want to enjoy the wild and this is due to the fact that the largest part of the country was set apart for National Parks and game reserves in order to preserve the wild life in the country. Getting to the country is quite easy as there are many flights that can get you to the country and the same goes for moving around Botswana. Some tourists drive around the country to their various destinations, others cycle whereas others use the now trendy helicopter to get to the different tourist destinations easily.
A helicopter ride around Botswana is what you could term as a scenic safari round Botswana. With the many beautiful sceneries that you get to see from above and not forgetting getting to the different tourist destinations around the country in a short period of time, this is one ride that you should try out once you visit Botswana.
Most helicopter rides in Botswana are good for all those that love photography because the only way you will be able to enjoy all that it has to offer is by either taking photos or capturing videos of whichever region that you are flying over. Helicopter rides in Botswana normally begin from Maun and they head out to the different destinations within the country like the Okavango delta, the Tsodilo hills, Moremi game reserve and many more exciting tourist destinations that cannot easily be accessed by road.
Before you get onto the helicopter ride, there are a few things that you need to know about helicopter riding in Botswana and these are:
- The helicopters have no doors and glasses so that you get a clear view of the wilderness below
- They take about three passengers and not more which means that you all get a clear view of the vast land below.
- Do not forget to carry your camera, binoculars and a video cam in order to capture the best of what Botswana has from an aerial point of view.
- The idea of having helicopter rides in Botswana came about 20 years ago and it was aimed at easily accessing the remote areas in Botswana and to help tourists who had limited visiting the when country to go to various tourist destinations in an extremely short period of time. Although the rides do not take long and some people think that it is all a waste of money, it is just another way of exploring all the tourist destinations in Botswana from a different point of view and perspective.
Helicopter rides to the Tsodilo hills
The Tsodilo hills commonly known for their rock paints that date back to the Bushmen days is a good tourist destination for tourists and a helicopter ride is the best way to get to the hills. They are also considered to be a holy place by the San and they can be seen going up to the top of the hill for worship. It has great trek routes which include the lion hill trek route, the cliff trek route, the Rhino trek route and these can all be used for trekking up to the top of the hill and the view that they give off with the rock paints is worth seeing. A helicopter ride above the Tsodilo hills will reward with the largest concentration of rocks in the world with decorations of different animal paintings and overhead view of the Tsodilo hills.
Helicopter rides to Botswana villages
Most of the villages that are found in Botswana are extremely hard to get to and this is due to the bad roads that have not been worked on and the flooding that takes place on some roads during the dry season and the only way one can get there is by going for a helicopter ride. There are helicopter rides offered to the different villages where you get to meet different locals and find out about their way of life and their culture. You will first be rewarded with an aerial view of the villages before landing and when you land, you will be welcomed by a local tour guide who will take you through the different traditions practiced by the locals both cultural and religious traditions, you get to participate in the different activities carried like fishing before sitting down to enjoy the stories that told by elders while eating their tasty food. When flying back, make sure you get good photos of the aerial view of the villages, their landscapes and both the wild and domestic animals that they have.
Helicopter ride over the chobe National Park
The Chobe National park is one of the biggest National Parks in Botswana with a lot to offer when it comes to wild life in the country. The National park has a great view when you drive through but if you want to get a different perspective, then a helicopter ride from Kasane over the Park is one way to get to see the animals, birds and the landscape that makes up the park. The helicopter ride over chobe takes about fifteen minutes and the tour is always conducted in English. Take as many photos and videos of the park from above and some of the things that you will see include the include Impalas, jackals, crocodiles, hippos, lions, leopards, buffalos, zebras, elephants, elephants and the almost endangered Puku antelope, leopards and other natural features like the Victoria falls and the Zambezi River.
Helicopter ride over the Okavango Delta
The helicopter rides over the Okavango Delta are some of the best in Botswana as you get to see many wild life species at the same time in a short period of time. Some tourists use helicopters when they are transferring to different camps but if you think the delta is cool by just driving through then wait till you go for a helicopter ride above it. The vast landscape, animals within the park that include zebras, impalas, elephants, elands, lions, antelopes, leopards, kudus and not forgetting the view that the Okavango River and the many Mokoro canoes give off when taking an aerial photo of the whole delta. The helicopter ride over the Okavango delta might not last long but the experience is what you will not forget and they can also be used in trekking animals especially elephants.
Helicopter ride over the salt pans in Botswana
Botswana is a home to the largest salt pans in the world and these are shared between two national parks that is the Makgadikgadi national park and the Nxai salt pan National Park. These are best seen during the dry season since during the wet season, they are not accessible but the full effect can be got from a helicopter. As you fly over the pans, you will get a clear picture of the salt pans themselves, the animals that roam around them during the green season and the beauty about going for a safari to the salt pans in a helicopter is that they are accessible all year round.
A helicopter ride over the salt pans is another chance for you to witness the second largest animal migration in Africa that is the annual zebra migration that crosses through the pans in search of pasture before heading out into Linyati and Savuti and if you ever get a chance to take a helicopter ride over the Makgadikgadi salt pan and the Nxai salt pan in the dry season and the green season, you will notice how different it looks from an aerial point of view in both seasons that is the green season will be flooded with water and all the bird species whereas the dry season gives you the real picture of what the salt pans look like.
Helicopter rides to the Moremi game reserve
The Moremi game reserve is the largest game reserve in Botswana and one of the helicopter safari destinations for tourists in the country. Some of the herds of animals that you get to see when you visit the moremi include the buffalos, giraffes, zebras, lions, hyenas, the red Lechwe, jackals, the black rhinos, hippos, impalas cheetahs and the many bird species that can be seen during the green season like the goliath herons, African fish skimmer, the slaty egret, the green winged Pytilia, marabou storks, the African fish eagle, , the lesser jacana, the greater painted snipes, the gray herons, pelicans and  the African pygmy geese.
The helicopter rides in Botswana are organized by professionals and the pilots that take on the rides are so informative because they act as your tour guides throughout the ride and tell you all about what you will see in the different destinations that you will be taken to. Not all helicopter doors are removed so that you enjoy the ride but the choice of the helicopter is chosen by the tourists.