Larger than Spain and nearly the size of Texas, Botswana is a land of baking sand wedged between Namibia in the west, the Caprivi Strip in the north, Zimbabwe in the east and South Africa in the south. About 85 per cent of its surface area consists of Kalahari sand, an ochre to light-brown mantle that carries the footprints, skeletons and fossils of 160 species of animal and an extreaordinary community of hardy hunter-gatherers known as the San. But the very remoteness of Botswana, the amazing ability of its animals and humans to survive in such wild surroundings, and the pristine beauty of its untouched spaces are the very ingredients that lure adventurers into its rugged heart.

Capital: Gaborone
Independence : 30 September 1966
Time : GMT plus 2

Population : Approx. 1.4 million
Area : 581,730 sq. km
Currency : Pula

ACCOMMODATION
It is strongly recommended that you reserve all your accommodation as far in advance as possible, since most of the lodges in Botswana are very small and availability is at a premium.
Back to top

BANKS

Barclays Bank
Maun & Kasane : Mon - Fri 08h30 - 14h30
Sat 08h15 - 10h45
First National Bank
Maun : Mon - Fri 09h00 - 12h45;
14h15 - 15h30
Sat 08h30 - 11h00
Standard Chartered Bank
Maun : Mon, Tue, Thur, Fri 08h15 - 14h00
Wed 08h15 - 13h00
Sat 08h15 - 10h45

Major hotels have foreign exchange facilities and most shops, lodges and travel agencies will accept travellers cheques.
Back to top

BORDER POSTS
All border posts open daily.

AIRPORTS:
Gaborone Airport 06h00 - 20h00
Fancistown Airport 06h00 - 18h00
Maun Airport 06h00 - 18h00

ROAD : Zimbabwe / Botswana
Kazangula (Victoria Falls / Kasane) 06h00 - 18h00
Ramokgwebana (Bulawayo / Maun) 06h00 - 18h00
ROAD : Namibia / Botswana
Ngoma (Caprivi / Chobe) 07h00 - 18h00
Mamuno (Windhoek / Maun) 08h00 - 16h00
ROAD : South Africa / Botswana
Martin’s Drift (Johannesburg / Botswana) 08h00 - 18h00
Parr’s Halt (Johannesburg / Botswana) 08h00 - 16h00
Tlokweng (Johannesburg / Botswana) 07h00 - 22h00
Back to top

BEST TIME TO GO
Botswana is an all year round wildlife destination. However there are certain seasons for special interest groups to take note of :

• Best birding months are Nov - March when the Delta is brimming with migratory birds.

• Best botanical months are Dec - May when the vegetation is lush and green, and also when most plants are in flower.
  Back to top

CLIMATE
Summer : November - April, days are hot and generally sunny in the morning with possible afternoon thunder storms. Daytime temperatures can rise to 38º C and night temperatures drop to around 20º C - 25º C. The ‘rainy season’ begins late in October/November and ends in March. The Northern areas receive up to 700mm while the Kalahari Desert area averages as low as 225mm.
Winter : May - October, days are dry, sunny and cool to warm while evening temperatures drop sharply. Daytime temperatures generally reach 20º C and can drop to as low as 5º C at night. Please note that exceptionally cold spells can occur (although this is the exception rather than the rule) so it is recommended to bring appropriate clothing, just in case!
Back to top

CLOTHING
Generally, casual comfortable clothing is suitable throughout the year. The most practical items to pack for safari are :

• blouses with long sleeves (even in summer, they will protect you from the sun and from mosquitos)
• T-shirts
• shorts or a light skirt
• jeans or safari trousers for evenings and cooler days
• fleece or sweater and a warm jacket for gamedrives (necessary, even in summer)
• comfortable walking shoes
• sunblock, sunglasses, hat, insect repellent - essentials!
• binoculars and a camera are a must
• track suit good for sleeping in during winter months
• light, compact raincoat a good idea for the summer
• swimsuit, as most hotels/lodges have swimming pools
• towel, torch and sleeping bag for camping safaris (sleeping bags can be hired from most safari operators)

Layers are most practical for the fluctuating day/night temperatures of Botswana. Dull and/or neutral colours are more suitable for safari, white is not practical.
Back to top

VERY IMPORTANT : packing space is limited on all modes of safari transport so you will need to restrict your luggage to 10-12kg (packed in a soft bag) plus a reasonable amount of camera equipment.
Back to top

COMMUNICATION
A direct international dialing service is available from the major hotels and lodges in Kasane, Maun and Gaborone.

Both local and long distance calls are metered on a time basis and every second counts in terms of cost. Major hotels and businesses have a fax service. Remember that hotels levy a substantial surcharge on all calls.

Lodges in the more remote areas of Botswana such as the Okavango Delta do not have telephonic communication facilities. The lodges are able to communicate with the outside world via two-way radio.
Back to top

CREDIT CARDS
All major credit cards are accepted at hotels, shops and restaurants. However, please note that certain lodges and restaurants do not accept payment by Diners or American Express.
Back to top

CURRENCY
The unit of currency is the Pula. Notes are in P5, P10, P20, P50 and P100. Coins (Thebe) are in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 25, 50, P1 & P2.
Back to top

ELECTRICITY
220/240 Volts AC, 50hz.

Lodges in the more remote areas of Botswana do not have electricity. These lodges generally rely on generator power for lighting and refrigeration but this power only runs at critical times of the day. Please be aware that you will not find a plug socket in your room/tent at these lodges.
Back to top

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

Passports :
Required by all. Passports must be valid for 6 months beyond the intended length of stay and please ensure that there are sufficient blank pages for any visas as well as for entry stamps upon arrival.
Visas : Updated in February 1998.
This is a guide only - please check with your nearest Botswana Consulate for up to date information. It is the responsibility of all visitors to Botswana to obtain all necessary visas in advance.

Visas are required by all nationals of foreign countries excluding the following :

• All Commonwealth countries, except Ghana, Mauritius, Nigeria, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Bangladesh.
• Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Rep. of Ireland, Italy, Lichtenstein, Luxembourg, Namibia, Netherlands, Norway, Samoa (Western), San Marino, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, Uruguay, USA.

Any visitor, whether visa exempted or not, wishing to stay more than 90 days should apply for prior permission to the Chief Immigration Officer in Gaborone, Botswana.

No visitor is permitted to work or seek employment.

General : Visitors should have sufficient funds to support themselves for a reasonable period after arrival and should be in possession of a return ticket.
Back to top

ETHNIC GROUPS
The main ethnic groups are the Batswana (descendants of iron-age immigrants from Central West Africa), the Basarwa (San, indigenous hunter-gatherers, pre iron-age), and the Herero (pastoralists). Eighty percent of the population of Botswana are rural inhabitants.
Back to top

EXCHANGE RATE
Is in your favour. Generally, you will find that fine cuisine, wine, and entertainment cost a fraction of the tariff charged by equivalent establishments elsewhere in the world.
Back to top

HEALTH REQUIREMENTS
It is imperative that you obtain Malaria Prophylactics before entering Botswana. When purchasing these, please tell your doctor or pharmacist that you intend visiting Botswana. Start your course at least 24 hours before entering Botswana and continue taking the pills for 6 weeks after leaving the country. If you suffer from side-effects, try taking your malaria prophylactics at night, after dinner as this usually minimises the effect of the symptoms.

Precautionary measures that you can take to prevent contact with mosquitos are : sleeping under a bed-net or in a room/tent with mosquito proofing (remember to keep the flaps zipped at all times); spraying your accommodation with insecticide; making use of a mosquito-repelling lotion or stick; and wearing long-sleeve clothing, long trousers and socks when outside at night.

Any person entering Botswana from, or via, a yellow fever infected area must be in possession of a valid International Certificate of Vaccination against yellow fever.

See also Center for Disease Control
Back to top

INSURANCE
We strongly recommend that you take out travel insurance which includes curtailment and cancellation cover, upon confirming your booking.

If you are coming on safari with Afro Ventures, you will automatically be covered by their Emergency Evacuation Insurance, underwritten by Europ Assistance. This guarantees all reasonable, practical assistance in obtaining primary and/or emergency medical services for an insured person who suffers illness or injury. Please note that this is an evacuation insurance only and does not replace the normal travel insurance which you must purchase.
Back to top

LANGUAGES
Although the official language of Botswana is English, most of the population also speak Setswana. Your safari will be conducted in English.
Back to top

MALARIA
See HEALTH REQUIREMENTS

MEDICAL SERVICES
Botswana does not have a national health welfare scheme. It is therefore advisable to obtain medical insurance prior to arrival. It is also wise to bring with you, any medicines which you may require since you will not have access to pharmacies in most of the areas which you will be visiting.
Back to top

NATIONAL PARKS & WILDLIFE AREAS
Seventeen percent of Botswana has been given over to National Parks and
Game Reserves :

• CENTRAL KALAHARI GAME RESERVE

• CHOBE NATIONAL PARK

• MOREMI WILDLIFE RESERVE & OKAVANGO REGION

• MAKGADIKGADI PANS GAME RESERVE
  
  Back to top
  

PHOTOGRAPHY
Film is available at most game lodges, but stocks are usually small and of the common sizes only.

For game and bird photography a telephoto lens of between 200 and 300mm is strongly recommended. Larger lenses which require a tripod are generally impractical for game photography from vehicles, as are double lens reflex cameras. A lens hood and ultra violet filter are advisable and a dust cover (plastic bag) is essential. Remember to bring spare batteries for your camera as these are seldom available on safari. Binoculars are invaluable for bird and game viewing.
Back to top

ROAD CONDITIONS
Road conditions in the reserves of Botswana are extremely rough and dusty, and the roads tend to be badly signposted. Four-wheel drive vehicles are essential as are considerable driving skills to negotiate these roads in the wild. Botswana is definitely not recommended as a self-drive destination.
Back to top

TIPPING
Service is not usually included in the bill. Provided the service is good, it is usual to tip porters, waiters, taxi drivers, room attendants, golf caddies, game rangers and trackers. Generally speaking, gratuities to waiters and taxi drivers should amount to around 10% of the cost of the service. Porterage is usually P1.50 per bag, golf caddies usually around P20 a round, and your game ranger P10 per person per day.
Back to top

TOURISM SEASONS
Botswana’s popularity as a destination is gaining in leaps and bounds to the extent that seasonal differences are not as marked as in previous years. Traditionally, however, peak season is from July - October and middle season is from May - June. Note that availability is at a premium during these seasons so you will need to book well in advance.
Back to top

Also see BEST TIME TO GO.

TRAVEL INSURANCE
See INSURANCE

VISAS
See ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

WATER
Throughout Botswana at hotels, inns, lodges and other public places, tap water is purified and safe to drink. Please remember that water is a scarce resource, especially in a drought-stricken area such as Botswana so please be respectful and help us to conserve water.
Back to top

For tours to BOTSWANA... click here

SOUTHERN AFRICA MAPS
BOTSWANA | NAMIBIA | ZAMBIA | ZIMBABWE | SOUTH AFRICA |

GENERAL COUNTRY INFO
BOTSWANA | NAMIBIA | ZAMBIA | ZIMBABWE | SOUTH AFRICA | KENYA | TANZANIA

SAFARI ACCOMMODATION GUIDE