Botswana Safaris

Chobe National Park

A good bit larger than Connecticut, Chobe National Park occupies 4,079 square miles just over the borders with Zambia and Zimbabwe. It encompasses a wildly wide variety of terrain, from a lush river region in the north (where myriad game come to drink) and unremittingly dry bushland in the south. Elephants trample around everywhere -- 45,000 are said to make Chobe their home, one of the highest concentrations in the world. Like fishing? Over 90 species, including the mighty tiger fish, are found here. And of course, this is the kingdom of the big cats as well.

Chobe Safari Lodge, located near the village of Kasane just 50 miles from Victoria Falls, dates back to 1963. It couldn't look more picture-perfect perched over the lush banks of the Chobe River. Accommodations and amenities have an upscale feel, including squash courts, a beauty salon, and an Internet cafe. But prices are down to earth: Simple yet spacious rondavels come with private bathrooms and fans for only $43 per person, and 20 "luxury" River Rooms in a tasteful two-story complex come with TV, phone, air-conditioning, and verandas overlooking the river for $50 per person. Three-hour game drives are a rock-bottom $21, sunset river cruises on a double-decker boat with wet bar are $13 (a park fee of $13 covers both outings). Large buffet meals range from $11 to $15. For close-to-nature types, campsites on the riverbanks run $8. Info/booking: 011-267/625-0336 or chobesafarilodge.com.

Makgadikgadi & Nxai Pan National Park

An ancient lake millions of years ago, today this immense national park is a 2,787-square-mile arid basin that goes from a strangely desolate yet inviting dust bowl in winter to a shallow, wet wonderland when it rains in summer. When it's wet, flamingos, wildebeests, and zebras (along with their predators) can be spotted migrating here in the thousands.

Planet Baobab is a 15-minute drive from the town of Gweta, within easy reach of the pans on the Francistown-Maun road, and takes its name from the planet where the Little Prince in the classic tale lived. It's sure enough set amid a grove of giant baobab trees (an African native that looks like it's upside down with roots jutting to the sky), near a natural spring. Planet Baobab offers several comfortable, traditional grass huts built by bushmen for $13 per person with shared baths (if you need to live it up, try the mud huts with private showers for $26 per person). Campsites are $4 per person a night.

Basic but tasty meals are $4.65 for breakfast, $5.50 for lunch, and you'll pay $9.25 for dinner, including the best chocolate cake in the Kalahari. You can also opt to purchase provisions like fresh meat and vegetables in Gweta and cook for yourself in the communal kitchen. There's also a fully stocked bar (check out the beer-bottle chandelier), and a swimming pool, where you can work on your desert tan. Guided activities include bush walks ($9.25) and village tours for $15 each. Info: 011-267/241-2277 or surf to unchartedafrica.com.

Mashatu Game Reserve

With 100,000-plus acres, it's the largest privately owned wildlife area in Botswana, and part of the Northern Tuli Game Reserve occupying the easternmost tip of the country, bordering Zimbabwe and South Africa. Beyond sightings of lions, leopards, zebras, kudu, elephants, giraffes, cheetahs, and hyenas, Mashatu also offers riverbeds full of baboons, thousand-year-old archaeological sites from an ancient minikingdom, and dramatic sandstone dikes!

Mashatu Main Camp is known as a luxury spot, but it's extremely reasonable compared to most Botswana lodges; the $125 per person at Mashatu Tent Camp and $150 at Mashatu Main Camp per night includes morning, afternoon, and night game-viewing drives, park fees, three scrumptious buffet meals a day and snacks, all transfers, optional bush walks or bicycle safaris, and talks led by experts. You have your choice of accommodations of a carpeted tent with a private outdoor bathroom in the tented camp, or a traditional rondavel with air-conditioning and private bath in the main camp, or the more luxurious chalets with twin bathrooms en suite in the main camp. Both camps present watering holes teeming with thirsty game (thankfully, the animals refrain from drinking from the plunge pool for the guests). At night, the electricity-free tent camp is romantically lit with kerosene lanterns. Info: 011-267/264-5321 or mashatu.com.

Bots-wanna go?

One of the best and most economical ways to see Botswana is with a package tour through a discount operator rather than a high-priced "safari specialist." Africa specialist 2Afrika (877/200-5610, 2afrika.com) offers a South Africa/Botswana package that includes one night in Johannesburg, six nights in a River Room at the Chobe Safari Lodge, and round-trip air from New York starting at $1,920. Overlanding safaris from British outfits are represented by affordable, California-based Adventure Center (800/228-8747, adventurecenter.com): A 15-night package from Explore is $1,630 (land only).

Since there are no direct flights from North America, most visitors to Botswana arrive via South Africa. South African Airways (800/722-9675, flysaa.com) is your main option; nonstops to Johannesburg from New York and Atlanta start at $1,364. SAA is also your least expensive option for daily flights between Jo'burg and Gaborone, Botswana's capital: about $160 round trip. Air Botswana (800/518-7781) is much pricier at $260 from Jo'burg to Gaborone, and $270 round trip from Gaborone to Maun.

A selection of car-rental agencies (including Avis, 011-267/391-3093) operate at the Gaborone airport and in town, and most offer compacts for only $23 a day. Botswana roads are rough, so 4x4's at $71 a day may be advisable. Another idea if you're coming from Johannesburg is to get a camper at Avisuper Car Rental (fax 011-27-21/910-2228, kapstadt.de/car-rental/index-g.htm). It offers air-conditioned Toyota Condor camper vans for $30 per person per day, along with cooking equipment, tent, sleeping bags, towels, blankets, etc.

You can get tourist information at the new Botswana Tourism number, 877/268-7926, or online at gov.bw.

The commercial site botswana.com is chock-full of information as well. For reading in the desert, be sure to pick up the fascinating nature story The Cry of the Kalahari by Mark and Delia Owens, and When Rain Clouds Gather, a portrait of a Botswana village by the renowned writer Bessie Head.