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Botswana
Sustainability Politics
✈️ Travel Guide

Botswana

Africa's Untamed Wilderness

Capital
Gaborone
Currency
Botswana Pula (BWP)
Language
English, Setswana
Best Time
May–Oct
Time Zone
CAT (UTC+2)
Flag of Botswana
👋 Overview

Welcome to Botswana

Welcome to Botswana, a landlocked Southern African country renowned for some of the continent's most pristine and abundant wildlife. The Okavango Delta, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, transforms into a lush, water-fed oasis each year, drawing elephants, lions, and countless bird species to its channels and islands. Chobe National Park boasts one of the largest concentrations of elephants in Africa, offering unforgettable safari encounters along the riverbanks. The vast, otherworldly Makgadikgadi salt pans stretch to the horizon, creating a stark and beautiful desert landscape unlike anywhere else.

Botswana's commitment to low-impact, high-value tourism has helped preserve its wilderness, ensuring intimate and uncrowded safari experiences. The Kalahari Desert reveals a surprising abundance of life, from meerkats to desert-adapted lions, deeply tied to San Bushmen heritage. Luxury safari camps throughout the country offer world-class hospitality immersed in nature. Botswana welcomes travelers seeking an authentic, exclusive, and deeply memorable African safari experience.

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📍 Where to go

Popular Cities

01

Gaborone

Gaborone, Botswana’s understated capital, offers the National Museum and Art Gallery, tracing the country’s history and showcasing works by Botswanan artists. The nearby Gaborone Game Reserve, one of the few reserves located within a capital city, allows visitors to spot giraffes, zebras, and antelope just minutes from downtown.

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The Kgale Hill offers a moderate hike with panoramic views over the city and surrounding bushveld. Gaborone’s markets and craft centers sell basketry and pottery reflecting Botswana’s strong Tswana cultural traditions. The city serves mainly as a practical, low-key gateway before heading into Botswana’s celebrated wildlife regions. Gaborone’s calm, orderly character reflects the country’s reputation for political stability in the region.

02

Francistown

Francistown, Botswana’s second city, grew up around the country’s early gold mining industry and retains a more commercial, workaday character than the capital. The Supa-Ngwao Museum traces the region’s mining and cultural history through local artifacts and exhibits.

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The city serves as a convenient stopover for travelers heading north toward the Okavango Delta or Chobe National Park. Francistown’s markets reflect trade with neighboring Zimbabwe, given its position near the border. The surrounding countryside offers a quieter, more rural look at northeastern Botswana. Francistown remains a practical rather than a headline destination, useful mainly as a waypoint.

03

Maun

Maun serves as the essential gateway to the Okavango Delta, one of the world’s largest inland river deltas and a UNESCO World Heritage site renowned for exceptional wildlife viewing by traditional mokoro canoe. Light aircraft from Maun ferry visitors to remote safari camps scattered throughout the delta’s channels and islands.

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The town’s markets and outfitters cater almost entirely to safari tourism, with countless operators offering everything from budget camping trips to luxury lodges. Nearby, the Moremi Game Reserve offers some of the richest wildlife density in Southern Africa, including significant predator populations. Maun’s small-town feel belies its outsized importance as the launch point for one of Africa’s most celebrated wilderness experiences. It remains essential for any visit to the Okavango Delta.

🍴 On the menu

Local Food to Try

Discover some of Botswana's most popular flavors, traditional dishes and memorable local treats during your visit.

Seswaa

Beef, goat or lamb is slowly boiled until tender, then pounded or shredded and served at celebrations and communal meals.

Bogobe

Sorghum, millet or maize meal is cooked into a smooth porridge and served with meat, vegetables or sour milk.

Morogo

Wild or cultivated leafy greens are cooked with onions, tomatoes and sometimes peanuts.

Dikgobe

Beans, maize and sometimes sorghum are simmered together into a filling traditional dish.

Lerotse

Wild melon is cooked with sorghum meal into a mildly sweet porridge commonly enjoyed in rural areas.

Mopane Worms

Protein-rich caterpillars are dried, boiled or fried and seasoned with tomatoes, onions and spices.

Magwinya

Fried dough balls are crisp outside and soft inside and sold as a popular breakfast or street snack.

Grilled Beef

Botswana is known for quality beef, which is often simply seasoned and grilled over an open fire.

Madila

Cultured sour milk is eaten with porridge or enjoyed on its own as a traditional dairy staple.

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💡 Did you know?

Little-Known Facts

1

Botswana is one of Africa’s most celebrated conservation success stories. The Okavango River does not reach an ocean; instead, it spreads across the sands of the Kalahari to form the Okavango Delta, one of the world’s largest inland deltas. Seasonal floods arrive during the dry season, creating a vast network of lagoons, channels, and islands precisely when wildlife needs water most. Elephants, lions, hippos, crocodiles, wild dogs, and hundreds of bird species gather around this extraordinary desert oasis.

2

The country supports one of the largest elephant populations on Earth, and significant portions of its land are protected as parks, reserves, and wildlife management areas. Chobe National Park is especially famous for enormous elephant herds along the Chobe River. Farther south, the Makgadikgadi Pans form one of the world’s largest networks of salt flats. These dry, shimmering plains are remnants of an ancient lake that once covered an area larger than Portugal.

3

Botswana is also known for the San peoples, whose ancestors have lived in southern Africa for tens of thousands of years and developed detailed knowledge of desert plants, animal tracks, and water sources. The country’s name comes from the Tswana people, while an individual citizen is called a Motswana. After independence in 1966, Botswana transformed from one of the world’s poorest nations into a relatively stable economy, aided by diamond resources and long-term public investment.

🧳 Before & during your trip

Travel Tips

Tap a topic to open it.

Before You Go
  • Confirm passport validity and entry requirements.
  • Check whether a tourist visa is required.
  • Keep digital copies of important documents.
  • Consider purchasing travel insurance.
Money & Payments
  • Review the local currency and exchange rate.
  • Carry some cash for small businesses and markets.
  • Check for international bank transaction fees.
  • Learn the country's customary tipping practices.
Stay Connected
  • Review your mobile carrier's international plan.
  • Consider purchasing a local SIM or eSIM.
  • Download maps for offline use before traveling.
  • Avoid sensitive transactions on unsecured Wi-Fi.
Transportation
  • Research public transportation before arrival.
  • Use licensed taxis or reputable rideshare services.
  • Check which side of the road vehicles use.
  • Confirm whether an international permit is needed.
Electricity
  • Check the country's voltage and outlet type.
  • Bring the correct plug adapter for your devices.
  • Use a voltage converter when required.
  • Pack a portable charger for longer excursions.
Weather & Clothing
  • Review the seasonal weather before packing.
  • Bring layers for changing temperatures.
  • Pack rain protection when appropriate.
  • Use sunscreen even on cool or cloudy days.
Food & Water
  • Research whether tap water is safe to drink.
  • Communicate food allergies clearly.
  • Try traditional dishes from reputable vendors.
  • Observe local dining customs and meal times.
Safety
  • Secure valuables in crowded tourist areas.
  • Avoid displaying large amounts of cash.
  • Share your itinerary with someone you trust.
  • Review current government travel advisories.
Language & Etiquette
  • Learn a few polite words in the local language.
  • Respect dress requirements at religious sites.
  • Ask permission before photographing people.
  • Follow local traditions, laws and social customs.
Emergency Planning
  • Save the country's emergency telephone number.
  • Locate your nearest embassy or consulate.
  • Keep medication in its original packaging.
  • Store emergency contacts offline and on paper.
Smart Packing
  • Pack comfortable shoes for walking and tours.
  • Keep essential medication in your carry-on.
  • Bring a reusable bottle where appropriate.
  • Leave room for locally purchased items.
Local Research
  • Check attraction hours and reservation policies.
  • Review national holidays and local closures.
  • Download important addresses before departure.
  • Leave flexibility for unexpected discoveries.

Important: Entry requirements, transportation rules, weather conditions and safety guidance can change. Verify important information with official sources before traveling.

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