Botswana is a land of wild animals. A journey through the wild country offers a varied landscape, with everything from marshland to desert. It almost feels like flipping through an endless amount of scenic postcards. A vacation in Botswana is an insane experience. The gnarled branches of the wild baobab trees stand out against a sky that bursts with color at sunset. The elephants gather in large flocks and protect their newborns. A leopard protects its prey from some hungry hyenas, which sneak around in the hope of getting a mouthful of the delicious impala. Visit rctoysadvice for Botswana Travel Guide.
Population: 2.2 million
Capital: Gaborone
Language: English and setswana
The Kalahari Desert covers about 70% of Botswana? Here is the Central Kalahari Game Reserve, which is the world’s second largest nature reserve.
Botswana won its first Olympic medal in London 2012? Then Nijel Amos won silver in the men’s 800 meters.
Facts Botswana
Read more about vaccinations, transport, price levels and more in connection with your trip to Botswana.
- Language: English and setswana
- Capital: Gaborone
- Population: 2, 2 mill.
- Religion: Christianity and indigenous traditional religions
- Currency: Pula
- Surface: 581 730 km2
Worth knowing
Time difference
The time difference between Sweden and Botswana can vary, depending on whether it is summer or winter time in Sweden:
Summer: same time as in Sweden
Winter: +1 hour
Tip
On our travels, you come into contact with everyday life in Botswana, including conditions that may not appeal to you, or that you are not used to. Take for example the system of tips. In many countries, tips are a more organized phenomenon than we Swedes are used to, and you are expected to leave some tips to local guides, drivers and safari guides / rangers during the trip, as the salary in the service industry is usually based on that. We enter an amount in our travel program so that you can count on this when you make up your travel budget at home. The price of the trip does not include the cost of tips as you decide how much you want to give during the trip. The tip system is part of the culture you visit and something you should therefore respect. We want to emphasize that everyone decides for themselves how much they want to give in tips.
In practice, it is possible to arrange for the tour guide to collect money for the entire trip before departure and ensure that the right people get what they need. An envelope will then be sent around the bus so that those who want can leave tips.
On cruises, other guidelines apply, see your specific program.
Currency and credit cards
In Botswana, the currency is called the pula (BWP). You can exchange most currencies anywhere in Botswana, but often the exchange rate for Swedish kronor is poor. It is therefore better to exchange money at home or bring currency in US dollars.
Our experience is that it can be problematic to withdraw cash on your credit card, but credit cards are on the way to gaining more and more ground. Credit cards are accepted in most major lodges and souvenir shops.
Electricity
In Botswana, 220 volts are used. Often there are outlets with three holes. We recommend that you bring an adapter set with several options.
At safari lodges / camps (camp is a kind of tent camp) you usually have access to electricity between certain times of the day, usually between kl. 5-10 in the morning and at 18-23 in the evening. It is therefore not always possible to charge batteries at night.
Telephone and internet
Botswana’s international country code is + 267. It’s expensive to call home from Botswana. Check with your mobile operator about their coverage and prices in Botswana.
Internet access is available at most hotels in major cities and at some major safari lodges / camps. In lodges and camps, however, the connection can be a bit unreliable and relatively expensive.
Hygiene
Hotels, lodges and larger restaurants are of a modern / western standard. Out in the city and in the country, you can count on going to so-called pedal toilets, and that there is a lack of toilet paper. The standard of public toilets or in the countryside can thus be relatively primitive. Bring your own toilet paper, wet wipes and perhaps hand sanitizer (available at Swedish pharmacies, for example), so you will not be as dependent on access to water.
Food and drink
The food is well cooked in both lodges and hotels, and stomach upset is therefore rare. You should not drink tap water, but instead buy bottled drinking water.
Dress
On all trips that include safaris, the day starts early in the animal reserves. The first safari of the day begins immediately after sunrise as it is often chilly outside – especially on an open car safari. Therefore, it is a good idea to bring a warm sweater or jacket. On safari on foot, however, it gets all the hotter. You should always wear full / covering shoes on hiking safaris.
We recommend that you wear khaki, sand-colored or dark clothing. White clothes can scare the animals, and blue clothes attract flies. Feel free to avoid strong colors and bring sunscreen, hat / cap and binoculars.
