By Air in Botswana
By Air
In this huge, often inaccessible country, air travel is the easiest way to get around. Sir Seretse Khama Airport, 15 km (9½ mi) from Gaborone's city center, is Botswana's main point of entry. Kasane International Airport is 3 km (2 mi) from the entrance to Chobe National Park, and small but very busy Maun Airport is 1 km (½ mi) from the city center of this northern safari capital. All three are gateways to the Okavango Delta and Chobe; they're easy to find your way around in and rarely crowded.
Air charter companies operate small planes from Kasane and Maun to all the camps. Flown by some of the youngest-looking pilots in the world, these flights, which your travel agent will arrange, are reliable, reasonably cheap, and average between 25 and 50 minutes. Maximum baggage allowance is 12 kilograms (26 pounds) in a soft sports/duffel bag (no hard cases allowed), excluding the weight of camera equipment (within reason). Because of the thermal air currents over Botswana, and because most flights are around midday, when thermals are at their strongest, flights can sometimes be very bumpy—take air-sickness pills if you're susceptible to motion sickness; then sit back and enjoy the fabulous bird's-eye views. You're sure to spot elephants and hippos from the air.
Air Botswana has scheduled flights from Johannesburg to Gaborone and Maun on a daily basis, and from Cape Town to Maun on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, returning to Cape Town Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday. The airline also flies Johannesburg to Kasane on Thursday and Sunday. SA Express Airways also has daily flights between Johannesburg and Gaborone.
Mack Air, Northern Air, Sefofane Air, Swamp Air, and Delta Air/Synergy Seating fly directly between Johannesburg's Grand Central Airport and Maun on private charters.
Airports
Kasane International Airport (625-0161). Maun Airport (686-0762). Sir Seretse Khama Airport (391-4518).
Airlines
Air Botswana (390-5500 or 395-1921. www.airbotswana.co.bw). Delta Air/Synergy Seating (686-0044). Mack Air (686-0675). Northern Air (686-0385). SA Express Airways (11/978-5577 in South Africa; 397-2397 in Botswana). Sefofane Air (686-0778). Swamp Air (686-0569).
