Botswana – Fact and Travel tips

Extra information
The game drive vehicles are equipped with radios, which enables us to speak to each other as well as to the office of our ground agent in Maun. The radios are also connected to Europe Assist, a medical rescue service in Botswana. So although we are in the bush, we are not completely “out of touch”.We will camp on private campsites, so there will be no disturbance by other campers.We will have freezers and fridges with us to keep food and drinks cold. English is the official language. Setswana is the local language.Local time is G.M.T. plus 2Electricity 230 V AC 50hz.Iinternational telephone dialing: Int. Code + 267

Travel documents
All visitors to Botswana need a valid passport, but visas are required by all nationals of foreign countries excluding the following: All Commonwealth countries, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece., Iceland, Rep. of Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Namibia, Netherlands, Norway, Pakistan, Samoa (Western), San Marino, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, Uruguay and USA.

On arrival you’ll get a 30-day entrance stamp.
Zimbabwe Visas are required by citizens of the US, Australia and New Zealand, and can be processed at the border (US$30/45 for a single-/double-entry visa).

What to Bring

• Casual, comfortable, neutral coloured clothing for the daytime, shirt with long sleeves and trousers for the evenings (also good against the mosquitoes)
• Morning game drives especially can be very cold .
• Hat or cap and sunglasses against the sun. High factor suncream.
• Comfortable shoes and strops or sandals.
• Binoculars
• Extra camera film/memory cards, extra camera and batteries for flash
• Bird / animal books of Southern Africa

Insurance
We advise you to arrange the following insurances according to your own needs prior to your departure :

• Travel insurance
• Medical insurance
• Cancellation insurance

Climate
The summer season begins in November and ends in March. It usually brings very high temperatures. However, summer is also the rainy season, and cloud coverage and rain can cool things down considerably, although only usually for a short period of time. The winter season begins in May and ends in August. This is also the dry season when virtually no rainfall occurs. Winter days are invariably sunny and cool to warm; however, evening and night temperatures can drop below freezing point in some areas, especially in the south-west. The in-between periods – April/early May and September/October – still tend to be dry, but the days are cooler than in summer and the nights are warmer than in winter.

Healthcare
Malaria is a particular risk in Botswana between November and June in the northern parts of the country. Visitors who are camping or walking in the bush should be cautious of tick bites. There are no compulsory vaccinations, but a yellow fever vaccination certificate is required from travellers over one year of age coming from infected countries. Occasional outbreaks of anthrax occur among wild animals, and visitors to affected areas should seek local advice and not touch dead animal carcasses. Botswana has a good public health system, but facilities are limited outside urban areas. Health insurance for visitors is vital. Tap water in towns is safe to drink, and all foodstuffs are safe to consume. We strongly advise you to take heed of these recommendations.For all health requirements and recommendations travellers should check with a local Department of Health Service. 

Currency
Botswana’s unit of currency is the pula (P), which is divided into 100 thebe. ‘Pula’ means ‘rain’ – a valuable commodity in this desert land. Full banking services are available only in major towns, although ATMs are sprouting up all over the country. Most credit cards are accepted at hotels and restaurants and cash advances are available at major banks (but not through ATMs). 1 Pula = 0,15 US$

More information

Travelling together as friends