Air Botswana: The ATR 72 Fleet and the Country's Safari Connections

The fleet

Air Botswana has used ATR 72 turboprops for over twenty years, with a renewal begun in 2018 through the delivery of ATR 72-600 models, configured with seventy seats in two classes and updated avionics. The airline itself describes the experience accumulated on this aircraft type as an operational strength, not a limitation.

History and positioning

It is the wholly state-owned flag carrier of Botswana, with its main hub at Gaborone. Rather than competing on a regional scale, it positions itself as connecting infrastructure for the country's elite tourism, in particular safari travel, a sector on which Botswana has built an upscale international positioning.

Routes and network

The network connects Gaborone with the main cities of South Africa and neighboring countries, such as Johannesburg, Cape Town and Victoria Falls, and plays a crucial role in tourism to the safari areas of the Okavango Delta, served through the airport at Maun. The network remains concentrated almost exclusively on southern Africa, with no ambitions of intercontinental expansion.

What works for those traveling to safaris

• A direct, quick link to Maun for those who need to reach the Okavango Delta reserves without long road transfers.
• ATR 72-600 aircraft judged reliable by the company itself, with over twenty years of operating experience on this type of turboprop.
• Regular frequencies on the regional routes most in demand from international tourism.

What limits the experience

• A small destination network, concentrated almost exclusively on the southern Africa region.
• Limited capacity in periods of very high tourist demand, with bookings selling out well in advance in the safari season.
• Less choice of alternative schedules in case of cancellation, given the small size of the fleet.

Air Botswana is the most efficient choice for anyone organizing a safari in the Okavango Delta who wants to avoid a road transfer of many hours to Maun. It is less suitable for those looking for a broad destination network beyond southern Africa, given the airline's regional range.

Book your flight to Maun well in advance if you are traveling during the dry season: it is the peak period for safaris and seats on the few available flights sell out quickly.