I would greatly appreciate any advice on my family’s trip to Botswana this summer. We have kids ages 10 and 11 who are good travelers. We’ll be going from mid-June to mid-July; flying in/out of Johannesburg and also spending time in South Africa. We'll probably fly from Jo'burg to Botswana.

Here are my questions:

1)      In the Okavango Delta, how does the Inner Delta compare with the Moremi Game Reserve? Which would you recommend? Can you recommend specific lodges or furnished camps? We want places with great locations for viewing and great excursions and guides, but luxurious accommodations are not essential.

2)      Are the animals significantly different in Chobe National Park and Kruger National Park (in South Africa), or is one park significantly better than the other for other reasons? In other words, if we have to choose two out of the Okavango Delta, Chobe, and Kruger, which two should we choose?

3)      The Tsodilo Hills sound fascinating and a bit off the beaten track. Are they worth a couple of days? How will the hiking weather be in July? Where should we base ourselves? Can you recommend someone who can organize a camping trip for us (i.e., provide an equipped tent, drive us, cook for us, and lead us on day hikes)?

4)      What is the best way to see Chobe National Park? Should we hire someone to drive us between Maun and Kisane, camping for a few nights in the park along the way? Can you recommend someone who can organize this for us? (I’m not comfortable doing such a remote trip by ourselves, and the guidebooks don’t recommend doing it in a single car. At least a guide would be resourceful about car repair.)

5)      Is Victoria Falls (which I know isn’t in Botswana) truly worth visiting, or just a tourist trap?

6)      Are there any really interesting, not-too-touristy towns near/between any of the above places?

7)      Can you recommend any charitable organizations, schools, etc. that we could connect with? Most organized volunteer vacations are for adults and older kids, but if we could visit and perhaps bring supplies or help out a bit someplace, that would be a great experience.

8)      Any other tips for connecting with local people and culture? It can be challenging to do this, especially as a family, but we know those are the most memorable experiences we can have.

I welcome any other suggestions as well and promise to report back on our trip. Thanks in advance!

Bruce
Seattle, WA, USA