Just a couple of quick notes from all the posts above.
I was in Bots via Gaborone twice in 2019. The airport facilities are small but very, very nice and modern. They have a full size elephant statue made out of assembled elephant tusks that is pretty cool. Make sure you take a pen with you as you'll have to fill out their immigration/customs form in the arrival hall before you go to the single baggage belt to collect your checked bags. IF you take rifles, they came off the same belt and they do have baggage trolleys (free). Collect your stuff and go thru immigration (US citizen visas are free and just a stamp in your PP. Then go a few meters to the customs inspection stations. IF you take firearms, your PH should have your rifle permit and be waiting just outside the double doors to the main hall. Tell the customs person that you have firearms (if you do) and your PH has your permit just outside the double doors. Leave your stuff there and just walk the few meters to the double doors and your PH will hand you your rifle permit. Go back and show the permit to the office and just follow their instructions. Both trips they were very friendly and very easy going.
DG quotas - The DG quotas that were tendered and won and NOT shot (remaining quota) have been allowed to "roll over" with the same operators/outfitters/PH's in the the 2021 hunting season that begins 1 Apr 2021.
I've seen the winning tender bids. Calitz and Rann did obtain quota in the concessions they had but they did have to bid on them - they weren't just given to them.
Jaco Viser and is business partner Gerhard Koch won two concession areas - NG49 with 15 elephant and I think 2 buffalo and a leopard on quota and CT 27 with 3 elephant on quota. NG-49 is $65K all in from the time you're picked up at the airport until your taken back, for a 10-day hunt. They have 2 elephant "sold" pending client(s) being able to get there next year. The elephants they have in CT 27 are also 10-day all inclusive from airport pickup to drop off and are $27K each. Reason for the big price difference is the NG 49 elephants have a 50-70 pound expectation and the CT 27 elephants have a 30-50 pound expectation.
Dee S - think you and I corresponded earlier this year about Namibia? Wish I could give you details on sightseeing in Botswana. I had several trips planned there this year with one trip in July for my wife and I to do a few days hunting and they 3-weeks of self-drive touring. Gerhard had provided us a list of stops/places to see and stay but the WuFlu shut it all down. Hope to do the same trip this July 2021.
