FAQs

You must be 18 years or older.
You must be in possession of a valid driver’s license.
You must enjoy a reasonable level of fitness.

When travelling to Botswana you will get a visa upon arrival. The visa will be valid for a maximum number of days: 90 days per 365 day period (not calendar year). Certain nationalities have to obtain a visa beforehand, so please check with your local Botswana embassy or consulate.

No. Your license must be valid, unendorsed and in English! If your license is in another language then you will need an international license.

In general, you are never too old to take part in Miss Guided Safaris Trips. The important thing is that you feel fit and healthy enough. Depending on the season, it can get very hot. Age doesn’t matter, but you should be able to climb up a ladder into the tent, dig in the sand and stand heat. Please contact us if you have any concerns about your health or fitness and / or consult your local physician if in doubt..

I have travelled Botswana for 20 years, often alone, because I feel safe. I feel safe as a travelling woman, the wildlife is relaxed, the people are super friendly and always helpful.
A traveller in Africa must know that anything can happen (and anywhere). In my 20 years of driving through Southern Africa and living here, I have never experienced any kind of harm or crime.
As with travel to any foreign country, we ask that you stay alert and don’t bring attention to yourself by leaving expensive equipment or personal things unattended.

Every adventure holiday carries an inherent risk and you should be aware of the risk assessment document that identifies the possible dangers on a self drive holiday.

Usually international flights to Maun, depart from Johannesburg (OR Tambo International) or Capetown. We suggest you book your international flight yourself depending on your flight preferences. The flights are not included in our quotations. If you would like us to give you a quote for flights to Maun, we are happy to do so.
Please make contact on miss@missguidedsafaris.com, should you require further assistance.

The Okavango Delta, Moremi and Chobe are Botswana’s most popular parks. The best time to visit them is from May to September, during the Dry season and winter, resulting in more moderate temperatures. In addition, the Okavango is flooded from June to October. Wildlife viewing is good year-round, but this can differ for some parks.

Best Time
June to September (Okavango, Moremi, Chobe)
March to May (drier parks e.g. Kalahari, or the migration in Magkadikgadi Pans)

High Season
July to October

Low Season
December to April (Some lodges and camps close down)

Best Weather
April and May (moderate temperatures, little to no rainfall, and few clouds)

Worst Weather
November (very hot) January and February (peak of wet season)

May to October –Dry Season – Winter
Less vegetation and animals concentrate around waterholes and rivers, making wildlife easier to spot
The skies are clear, rain is rare, and there are fewer mosquitoes
Even though most tourists visit during the Dry season, the parks still feel uncrowded, except for the bustling Chobe riverfront area
It gets cold at night and in the mornings – pack warm clothing during June, July and August for morning game drives

November to April –Wet Season – Summer
The scenery is greener, and there are lower rates during this season
Although wildlife is easier to spot in the Dry season, you’ll still see plenty, including newborn animals and migratory birds
Except for January and February, rains are mostly short afternoon showers and seldom have a negative impact on your trip
During January and February the rains can be continuous for days
It gets very hot in October and November
Some lodges and camps close down during part of the Wet season
asses attract wildlife.

There are good quality medical facilities in Maun and Gaborone. In more remote locations, you are assured of the services of the Okavango Air Rescue — a group of well-qualified physicians who travel by aircraft throughout the bush to provide treatment and transportation in emergency cases. This assures Miss Guided Safaris guests of prompt medical attention and air transportation in the unlikely event that an emergency should arise. Besides that, we carry a well equipped First-Aid-Kit. Please bring medications that you need to take regularly.

Mosquitoes that transmit malaria bite between dusk and dawn. Almost all camps are located in a malaria area. Depending on the season and weather conditions, there is a higher or lower risk. You can prevent mosquito bites by wearing long-sleeved shirts, long pants, and a hat. Apply insect repellent to exposed skin and make sure your tent is absolutely closed at anytime.

Most important: Please consult your doctor or one of the Tropical Institute’s advice centres before your departure. In this way you can discuss the best prophylactic measures for your personal situation.

There are no vaccination regulations for direct entry from Europe, USA and Canada.
We suggest the standard vaccinations according to the recommendations of the Standing Vaccination Commission at the Robert Koch Institute (STIKO). These include vaccinations against: Tetanus, Diphtheria, Hepatitis A.
You should consult your doctor at the latest four weeks before the planned journey, so that meaningful/required vaccinations can be carried out in time. The costs should be discussed individually with your health insurance company. The following vaccinations should be considered for Botswana:
– Typhoid fever
– Hepatitis B
– Rabies
A list of doctors qualified in travel medicine (in Germany) can be found at http://www.dtg.org/

International health insurance to cover illness is essential. The medical cover is by far the most important aspect regarding insurances, because hospitals in Africa are not free, and the good ones aren’t cheap. Simply getting to a hospital can be expensive, so ensure you’re covered for ambulances (land and air) and flights home.

In the packages of both tours, wild child and luxury girlzz, we include Okavango Air Rescue “Patronage” to evacuate the person concerned in a medically staffed and equipped Helicopter immediately.

We rent customised 4×4 vehicles, that are always absolutely meticulously maintained and in very best condition. They are perfect for serious African adventures, including:
– upgraded suspension
– two rooftop tents
– dual battery systems,
– long-range fuel tanks
– electric tyre pumps and pressure gauges
– camping refrigerators and all the camping equipment you need
The vehicles are specially developed to be sturdy and robust in the conditions that we encounter. With our partners, we ensure you have as much adventure and serious relaxation as you can handle.

As Miss Guided Safaris is all about driving by yourself, we will always encourage you to drive yourself. You will join a driver training before we head out into the bush. You will always have another woman in your vehicle, who will support you or could take over in difficult situations. I will always be connected with you on the radio, when I’m not sagging a car with you.
But, if you feel absolutely uncomfortable and still want to come. Come! Come with a friend to share the car with. We will make it happen for you, without giving you any kind of pressure.

No matter what safari you choose, you are assured of a comfortable, safe vehicle and excellent sightlines for the unforgettable things we will see in the bush. You share a vehicle with only one other woman. Both of you get your own tent on the roof for your privacy at night.

The rental vehicles are from new to a maximum 3 years old and have a max. mileage of 150 000km

The sleeping area in the tents is 2.3m long and 1.4m wide

In keeping with my commitment to personalized care and supervision, a Miss Guided Safaris tour is always small and intimate in size. My self-drive safaris have a maximum of 4 safari vehicles, each with 2 women. So, including myself we never travel with more then 8 women. Usually its about 5-6 women on a tour.
And for those of you, who wish to make their safari a more private affair: I can turn one of my established departures into a safari just for your family and friends — and even depart on a date of your choice. This is just one of the dizzying—seemingly limitless, in fact — array of options available with our private guided self drive safaris.

I’m so happy, we include at least one flight on each of our safaris. Either its a scenic flight over the Delta or a flight to a luxury lodge in the remote wilderness. The size of the aircraft can vary based on the number of people who are travelling from a particular location. Usually it’s between a 4 to 10 seater propeller aircraft.

In addition, the pilots who fly these planes have often spent their lives in the bush—in fact, many learned to fly before they had learned to drive! They are eminently qualified, and usually founts of information about Botswana.

Just about everything. I don’t want you to think about money during our journey. So, I make sure, you don’t need any.
Yet, you will have additional costs before you touch the ground in Botswana for your international flight (must), for travel health insurance (must), vaccinations and malaria prophylaxis (highly recommended), for individual travel insurance (recommended) and possibly for certain apps, that make your trip even more interesting: bird-ID, astronomy, mammals, etc. (nice to have, see packing list)

Miss Guided Safaris tours are absolutely unique worldwide. As is our service and that includes a fair pricing policy. Therefore we created these three opportunities, if you want even better value:
book a year in advance
2. join our tours at a quieter time of year (March, April, May, November)
3. come together with a friend or book a whole tour just with your girlfriends.

We book on a first come first serve basis and therefore it is tricky to advise as to when you should book for your tour. I can’t guarantee availability at any time, but can suggest that the sooner you book the stronger the likelihood will be that I can offer you a space on the trip, you want to go on. Certain times of the year are busier then others. July, August, September are usually very busy and space is very limited. My advice is that as soon as you are ready to commit, please make your booking.
If you have specific dates, you want to go on a Miss Guided Safaris tour, please contact me and we will arrange this tour for you.

Internet is usually available in cafes and restaurants in the cities.
WiFi is hugely limited – most of the time there is nothing at all in the camps. But there are some exceptions. We suggest, you let your family and business friends know beforehand about the limited contact.

Most smart phones can be used internationally, but you should be aware of the expensive data roaming fees that can accumulate while travelling.
If you have one of the newer phones it may work in parts of Africa, depending on your service provider.
International roaming service is not automatically enabled on cell phones. You will need to contact your service provider and ask them to activate the international feature. Also visit the web site of your provider to get up-to-date information on coverage and options.
You surely can buy a local Botswana SIM-card. You charge your phone with prepaid-cards. That still doesn’t mean, that you will have reception in the bush.

Upon booking your safari, you’ll receive documents that include a complete packing list. Suffice it to say, though, that your clothing should be comfortable and casual. Khaki, olive, brown and tan clothing increases your chances of seeing wildlife and offers the added benefit of concealing dirt. Since you can do your laundry in some of the places we visit, you should avoid the temptation to over-pack.

We suggest to pack your clothes rather in a traveler bag, then in a suitcase. Pack your things safely from dust.