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Your Guide and Crew are highly experienced in the
area and we ask that you listen to them and take their advice at all times for your safety and enjoyment and that of the rest
of the group. The Guide is sometimes put into a situation where they have to make a decision that everyone might not agree
with but we ensure this is for your benefit. Your guide and crew work long hours and are dedicated
to providing the best service to you. We ask that you respect them and do not make unreasonable demands throughout the trip.
Our Vehicles are serviced before every trip and daily
checks are made on the truck to ensure it’s safety throughout the trip. However, we operate in a unique environment
and it is inevitable that there will be times of mechanical trouble. Our driver also doubles as a mechanic and we do have
emergency communications if we need back-up. Botswana is a large country and the routes we use
have been put together to reduce travelling time as much as possible. Road conditions in Botswana are not always great so
journeys can sometimes be long and bumpy. The law in Botswana means the truck can only travel at 80kpm which does seem quite
slow at the time. Depending on the time of year it can be quite cool
or hot but once the truck gets moving temperature even out and will seem a lot more comfortable. Drivers take great pride in their trucks and we ask
you have the same respect.
Botswana is a land-locked country dominated in geographical terms by the Kalahari Desert - a sand-filled basin averaging 1,100 metres above sea
level. Botswana is bordered by Zambia and Zimbabwe to the northeast, Namibia to the north and west, and South Africa to the
south and southeast. At Kazungula, four countries - Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Namibia - meet at a single point mid-stream
in the Zambezi River. The president of Botswana is Lieutenant General Seretse Khama Ian Khama. Botswana is 581,730 sq km with a population 1.842 million (2007 estimate). The Capital City is Gaborone, population
225,000 (2008 estimate) and the most commonly spoken Languages are English and Setswana. Botswana's climate is semi-arid. Though it is hot and dry for much of the year, there is a rainy season,
which runs through November and ends in March. It usually brings very high shade temperatures that rise to the 38°C mark and
higher, reaching a blistering 44°C on rare occasions. It is also the rainy season. 'Pula',
one of the most frequently heard words in Botswana, is not only the name of Botswana's currency, but also the Setswana word for rain. So much of what takes place in Botswana relies
on this essential, frequently scarce commodity. The winter season begins in May and ends in August and is the dry season when
virtually no rainfall occurs. Winter days are invariably sunny and cool to warm; however, evening and night temperatures can
drop below freezing point in some areas, especially in the southwest. The in-between periods - April/early May and September/October
- still tend to be dry, but the days are cooler than in summer and the nights are warmer than in winter. 
In Botswana tipping is not compulsory but recommended.
Tipping in restaurants is usually 10% for good service and more if you feel you received exceptional service. Your guide will
give you advice/instructions on tipping certain groups such as Polers in the Okavango Delta or local guides. Our Guide s and Crew can be tipped if you feel that
they have done a good job and/or gone above and beyond the call of duty but they do not expect this. The best way to arrange tips is to elect one person
in the group to collect the money. We recommend USD1 (or equivalent) per day per person. If you feel pressured by a crewmember
to tip them or another service provider please do not hesitate to report this to us on the contact details at the beginning. |
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