General Information:

Botswana is a landlocked country located in Southern Africa. It has land borders with Zimbabwe in the northeast, Zambia in the north, South Africa in the south and southeast and with Namibia to the west. It is roughly the size of France or Kenya.

The eastern region is hilly bush country and grassland (veld). To the west lie the Okavango Swamps and the Kalahari Desert. The only sources of permanent surface water are the Chobe River in the north, the Limpopo in the east, and the Okvango in the northwest. In seasons of heavy rainfall, floodwaters flow into the Makarikari Salt Pans and Lake Ngami.

Climate:
Summer is November to April, while winter is May to October.

In summer, days are hot and generally sunny in the morning with possible afternoon thunderstorms. Daytime temperatures can rise to 38ºC (100ºF) and night temperatures drop to around 20-25ºC (68-77ºF). The afternoons can be very humid. 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.

During winter, days are dry, sunny and cool to warm while evening temperatures drop sharply. Daytime temperatures generally reach 20ºC (68ºF) and can drop to as low as 5ºC (41ºF) 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!

For annual temperature chart, please go to the following website: http://botswana.embassyhomepage.com/weather_in_botswana.htm

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 November to March, when the Okavango Delta is brimming with migratory birds.

Best botanical months are December to May, when the vegetation is lush and green, and also when most plants are in flower. 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 to October and middle season is from May to June. Book well in advance.

Entry Requirements:

Passports:

To travel internationally you must be in possession of a passport. To obtain a passport please visit www.travel.state.gov/passport_services.php for instructions and an application form. Alternatively contact your local post office and they will advise you of your nearest passport issuing office.

All visitors are required to carry a passport that is valid for six months beyond the intended length of stay. There should be sufficient blank pages for entry stamps upon arrival.

Visas:

USA citizens do not require visa for a stay of less than 90 days.

Customs/Duty Free:
Tobacco 400 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250g of tobacco, Liquor 2 liters of wine and 1 liter of spirits, Perfume 50ml of perfume and 250ml of eau de toilette, Cameras must be declared on arrival, Film reasonable for personal use, and Agriculture items refer to consulate.

Departure Tax:
The airport departure tax is $20.

Currency:

The unit of currency is the pula (BWP), which is divided into 100 thebe. (Pula also means rain or greeting in Tswana.) While currency conversions fluctuate daily, an approximate USD to BWP is 4.5. All major credit cards are accepted at hotels, shops and restaurants. Certain lodges and restaurants do not accept payment by Diners or American Express.

Further to the use of credit cards, we advise that before you depart the US, call your credit card company to advise them you will be traveling and to expect to see charges from the destination/s in which you will be using your credit card.

Vaccinations and Health:

Before entering Botswana, you will have to get malaria prophylactics. When buying them, tell your doctor or pharmacist that you intend visiting Botswana, as certain anti-malarial are tailored to particular areas. If you suffer from side effects, try taking your malaria prophylactics at night, after dinner. Take precautionary measures to prevent contact with mosquitoes, like: 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-sleeved 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.

It is advisable to obtain medical insurance prior to arrival. Health care standards in Botswana are high, with excellent hospitals in Gaborone and Francistown. All main towns have well-stocked pharmacies, but it is recommended that you bring any medicines you may require with you.

You can check with the Center For Disease Control - CDC for up to date information on health concerns in countries you are traveling to.
Phone: 1-800-311-3435
Website: http://www.gov/healthservices/immunize

Time Zone:
Botswana is GMT +2 hours.

Language:
Although the official language of Botswana is English, most of the population also speaks Tswana. Guided safaris are always conducted in English.

Tipping:

Service is not usually included in the bill. It is usual to tip porters, waiters, taxi drivers, room attendants, golf caddies, game rangers, guides 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/guide P10 per person per day.

Telecommunications:

The international dialing code for calling Botswana is +267. There are no regional codes within Botswana. The international dialing code when dialing out from Botswana is 00. A direct international dialing service is available from the major hotels and lodges in Kasane, Maun, Gaborone and Francistown. Both local and long distance calls are metered on a time basis and you pay for every second. Major hotels and businesses have a fax service. 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 to Maun or Kasane.

Internet:

Internet facilities are becoming more available in some of the main towns of Botswana.

Electricity:
Electricity is supplied at 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.

Business Hours:
As a general rule of thumb, business hours in Botswana are Mondays to Fridays, 9am-2pm. On Saturdays shops and banks are open from 8:30am to 10:30am.

Travel Insurance:

We highly recommend travel insurance to protect you and your travel investment if you need to cancel your trip for covered reasons prior to departure, or if other covered unforeseen circumstances arise during your trip.

The cost of transportation from a remote area to a local hospital, or in extreme cases, repatriation, is high and generally not covered by your regular medical insurance.

Clothing/Packing List:

Depending on the area you are traveling and the activities you are planning. Jeans and shorts are accepted everywhere but in fine dining restaurants and at some formal lodges, where trousers and a button down shirt or sweater would suffice.

If you use the layering system (several layers that can be worn alone or in combination, rather than taking one heavy jacket for cold weather) you’ll be ready for any conditions and won’t have to over-pack.

Clothing:

Neutral colors are more suitable for safari, white is not practical. It is best to pack hardy, durable clothing

T-shirts; Shorts or a light skirt

Jeans or safari trousers for evenings and cooler days

Blouses with long sleeves (even in summer; they will protect you from the sun and from mosquitoes)

Bring an elegantly casual outfit for dinner at the smarter hotels.

Swimsuit, as most hotels/lodges have swimming pools
Comfortable walking shoes

Layers:

Fleece or sweater and a windbreaker for game drives (necessary, even in summer)

Light, compact raincoat is a good idea for the summer

Layers are most practical for the fluctuating day and night temperatures: warm-up suit/sweats— good for sleeping in during winter months

General Items:

Sun block, sunglasses, hat, insect repellent - essentials!

Binoculars and a camera are a must

Towel, flashlight and sleeping bag for camping safaris (sleeping bags can be hired from most safari operators)

Important:

Packing space is limited on all modes of safari transport so you will need to restrict your baggage to 12-15kg (preferably packed in a soft bag) plus a reasonable amount of camera equipment.

All else is optional, and most of it is superfluous!

Indigenous People:

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). About 80% of the population of Botswana is rural inhabitants.

Interaction with the locals can lend much to your trip, but in your enthusiasm to learn, please be sensitive to local customs. If you are asked to dress or behave in a particular way to attend an event hosted by indigenous people, please abide by the request.

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