Home › Itineraries › Weekend
Weekend in Botswana

Weekend in Botswana

Trip Overview

This tight two-day circuit bottles Botswana's soul for travelers short on time. Dawn in Gaborone starts with the pop of mopane logs on the fire, then you're tracking white rhinos through Mokolodi's scratchy acacia scrub. By dusk you're nursing a cold Mosi while crimson light dissolves into the Okavango's papyrus channels. The rhythm stays quick but never frantic, built for people who crave real encounters yet refuse to rough it. Expect pre-dawn starts, dust-caked game drives, and nights dense with campfire smoke and the bass growl of far-off hippos.

Pace
Active
Daily Budget
$400-550 per day
Best Seasons
May through October, when Botswana's weather is dry and cool
Ideal For
First-time visitors, Weekend escapees, Solo travelers, Couples

Day-by-Day Itinerary

A complete plan for every day of your trip

1

Rhinos & Rooftops: Gaborone's Wild Side

Gaborone
A city safari at sunrise slides into craft markets and riverside drinks as the sun drops over Botswana's capital.
Morning
White rhino tracking at Mokolodi Nature Reserve
Crouch beside fresh dung still steaming in the dawn chill as your guide reads three-toed prints stamped into red Kalahari sand. Acacia thorns rake your forearms while you edge within thirty meters of a cow rhino and her calf, their armor hides flicking off oxpeckers that won't quit.
3-4 hours $85-110
Reserve the 6:30 AM game drive slot online 48 hours ahead
Lunch
Botswana Craft Courtyard Café
Seswaa (shredded beef) with bogobe (sorghum porridge)
Afternoon
Main Mall craft walk and National Museum
Run your fingers over hand-carved dikgobe drums while sandalwood smoke drifts from the next stall. Inside the museum, stuffed hornbills perch in dioramas painted with Okavango scenes, their glass eyes catching dusty light that pours through tall windows.
2-3 hours $3-5
Evening
Sunset drinks at Sky Lounge
Ask for a Windhoek lager and watch freight trains slide across the silver ribbon of the Notwane River.

Where to Stay Tonight

Government Enclave (Avani Gaborone Resort)

Five minutes from the airport, poolside rooms look over manicured gardens where hornbills peck breakfast from ripe figs.

See all Botswana accommodation options →
Pack a light jacket - Botswana nights drop to 50°F even in July
Day 1 Budget: $280-350
2

Okavango Daydream: Delta in a Day

Okavango Delta
Catch a flight into the delta's core for mokoro glides through papyrus tunnels and walking safaris along elephant paths.
Morning
Scenic flight to Xakanaxa airstrip
The Cessna's shadow skims leopard-spotted islands packed with wild date palms. Underneath, elephant herds churn muddy whirlpools as they wade lily-coated channels, trunks lifted like snorkels above mirrored sky.
45 minutes $220-280
Book the co-pilot seat for unobstructed delta views
Lunch
Moremi Crossing picnic
Grilled bream with chakalaka relish under jackalberry trees
Afternoon
Guided mokoro and walking safari
Your poler's dugout slips through channels where water lilies brush your fingertips. Later you file past termite mounds taller than you, tailing fresh lion prints pressed into black cotton soil that smells of earth and wild sage.
4 hours $150-200
Request guide 'Water' - he's been poling these channels for 22 years
Evening
Fly back to Gaborone for departure
Grab dinner at Airport Junction's News Café, ostrich steak with monkey orange sauce washes down well with travel tales.

Where to Stay Tonight

Departure (Late flight out)

Maximizes delta time while allowing same-day international connections

See all Botswana accommodation options →
Bring a dry bag for cameras - mokoro spray is inevitable
Day 2 Budget: $450-520

Practical Information

Everything you need to know before you go

Getting Around
Gaborone's combi minibuses cost under $1 but need local know-how. Taxis from the airport run $15-20 to downtown. Mokolodi needs transfers booked ahead ($25 each way). Delta flights leave twice daily from Sir Seretse Khama International, book through lodges for the sharpest rates.
Book Ahead
Mokolodi morning game drives, Okavango scenic flight, accommodation
Packing Essentials
Pack neutral clothing, a wide-brim hat, 70 SPF sunscreen, binoculars, power bank (Botswana uses Type D/M plugs), and malaria pills for delta zones.
Total Budget
$730-870 excluding international flights

Customize Your Trip

Adapt this itinerary to your travel style

Budget Version
Trade the delta flight for a 4-hour bus to Maun ($8), bunk at Old Bridge Backpackers ($25 dorm), then jump on a group mokoro day trip ($60) from Maun waterfront.
Luxury Upgrade
Level up to Machaba Camp's luxury tents ($800/night), add a helicopter flip over Chief's Island ($400), and reserve Chief's Table private dinner beneath ancient baobabs ($150).
Family-Friendly
Switch the mokoro for motorboat rides (steadier hull), book a family chalet at Crocodile Camp (pool, playground), and spend an afternoon at Maun Game Sanctuary (rescued wildlife, petting corner).
Book Activities for Your Trip
Tours, tickets, and experiences in Botswana

Didn't see anything interesting yet?

Browse Viator's full catalog of tours, day trips, food experiences, and private guides in Botswana.

See All Botswana Tours on Viator

Continue Planning Your Trip

Things to Do

Top attractions and activities for Botswana

Budget Guide

Trip costs and money tips for Botswana

Getting Around

Transport options and tips for Botswana

Where to Stay

Accommodation guide for Botswana