Smack in the centre of southern Africa, landlocked Botswana extends over 1100km (680mi) from north to south and 960km (595mi) from east to west, occupying an area about the same size as France or a little smaller than Texas. It's bounded on the south by South Africa, which lies across the Limpopo and Molopo Rivers. In the north-east is Zimbabwe, while Namibia wraps around the country's western and northern frontiers. At Kazungula in Botswana's far north, four countries - Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Namibia - meet at a single point midstream in the Zambezi River. Botswana's landscape is almost uniformly flat - the semiarid Kalahari covers nearly 85% of the country, including the entire central and south-western regions. In the north-west, the Okavango River flows in from Namibia and soaks into the sands, creating 15,000 sq km (5850 sq mi) of convoluted channels and islands that comprise the Okavango Delta.

Botswana's dry lands boast more than 70 species of snakes, including three species of spitting cobra. Poisonous

Most of Botswana is covered by savanna - either acacia or low thorn scrub. The country's only deciduous mopane forests are in the north-east - there are stands of commercial timber as well as both

Although it straddles the Tropic of Capricorn, Botswana experiences extremes in temperature. Days are normally clear, warm and sunny, but nights range from cool to bitterly cold. In the Kalahari, subfreezing nighttime temperatures are normal in June and July; where there's enough humidity, frosts are common. Botswana is primarily a dry country, but a summer rainy season lasts roughly from November to March. From late May to August, rain is rare anywhere in the country.

With hopes of preserving the country's natural assets while deriving the benefits of tourism, the government has instituted a policy of courting primarily high-cost, low-volume tourism. Finding budget accommodation and transport is getting easier, but remains so difficult that the best of Botswana is almost inaccessible to the shoestring traveller. Even mid-range budgets will be stretched. There are a few inexpensive camp sites and some reasonably priced trips through the country's main tourist draw, the Okavango Delta. If you eschew the national parks (and you'd be mad to), self-cater and camp out, you can probably get by on US$30 a day. A more realistic budget, including a wildlife tour or two, will start at around US$75 a day and only go upwards. Double that figure at least for high-end safaris.

Full banking services are available in major towns, and there's no trouble exchanging traveller's checks, particularly those issued in US, UK and South African currencies. In remote towns and villages where there are no established banks, travelling banks are available weekly or monthly. These rural banking services may change foreign traveller's checks but are unlikely to deal with cash. To exchange money at a roving bank, it's vital that you queue early and set aside the entire morning for the task. Most major credit cards are accepted at tourist hotels and restaurants in the larger cities and towns.

While tipping isn't exactly required, it's now expected in many tourist hotels and restaurants. In most places a service charge is added as a matter of course, so if you feel the urge to augment that, about 10% should suffice. Taxi drivers generally aren't tipped.

Winter (April through August) is a good time to visit Botswana, as the days are generally pleasant and the wildlife never wanders far from water sources. Bear in mind, however, that this is also the time of European, North American and South African school holidays, so things can get a bit crowded. In general, June, early July and mid to late September are the least crowded times to visit. Summer isn't the best time to hit the back roads, enjoy wildlife viewing or explore the Okavango, as prolonged rains may render sandy roads uncrossable, and animals disperse when water is abundant.