Shopping
Gaborone is the capital and has several shopping centres. Shop opening hours in Botswana are 8am to 1pm and 2pm to 5pm on weekdays. On Saturdays, the shops will be open for you from 9am to 1pm. You can visit the banks on weekdays from 9am to 3.30pm and on Saturdays from 8.15am to 10.45am. […]
Insurance and health
In addition to the vaccines already mentioned, it is also advisable to be vaccinated against malaria. Transmission of the disease is particularly common in urban centres. In lodges, the risk of contamination is fairly low. Mosquitoes are often only present from the start of the rainy season, between November and May. In all cases, you […]
Ammunition & Weapons
Weapons and ammunition must be declared immediately on entry. Les armes et les munitions doivent être déclarées immédiatement à l’entrée. In all cases, you should find out beforehand whether you can take your hunting rifle with you. In March 2014, Botswana’s President “Khama” decreed a nationwide ban on hunting. The only exception is trophy hunting, […]
Electricity
Electricity in Botswana ranges from 220 to 230 volts alternating current. The good lodges all have adapters for different nationalities and are connected to the electricity grid 24 hours a day. You can recharge your camera and computer here. Sockets in Botswana have three large round pins.
The ideal outfit
There are no rules about clothing in Botswana, so you can do without special safari clothes or other disguises. In all the camps, even the most expensive, the style of dress is casual. All colours are permitted on Gamedrives. However, for walking safaris, only beige, brown or green colours are recommended. Furthermore, camouflage clothing, i.e. […]
Road traffic on self-guided tours
If you are going on a self-drive tour of Botswana, you must be in possession of a valid international driving licence. As in England, driving in Botswana is on the left. The roads are not very busy, and even the rules of priority are different in Botswana. Here, at intersections without traffic lights, it’s the […]
Vaccinations for safaris
Botswana requires a valid yellow fever vaccination for all people over the age of one entering the country from yellow fever-affected areas such as Tanzania, Angola, Kenya, etc. This vaccination certificate is not required for direct entry from Germany, or for entry from Zimbabwe, Zambia or South Africa. Contrary to WHO recommendations, a booster vaccination […]
Customs provisions
Weapons may only be brought into Botswana for hunting purposes, and you must obtain an import permit, which is limited to four weeks and is subject to a fee. Ammunition and weapons of all kinds must be declared directly on entry. The import of drugs of all kinds is prohibited. The following items may be […]
Communication
The official language of Botswana is English. However, the general everyday language “setswana” is also spoken by everyone. There are also various dialects. The locals generally speak several languages, and the younger generation in particular have a very good knowledge of English. The fixed-line network in Africa is generally not operational, but mobile phones work […]
Payment methods and currency
Botswana’s currency is called pula, which means rain and clearly indicates how essential rain is to the country. All major credit cards are accepted in the country, but you should make sure that your PIN code works, as withdrawals from cash machines are safer and quicker. It has been observed that VISA cards are the […]