Botswana Overview (as of 2010)



Botswana at 582,000 km2 (UK 243,000 km2) is bigger than France. It has a population of 1,950,000 (UK 62,000,000) and a population density of 3.4 per km2 (UK 255 per km2), one of the lowest in the world.

A landlocked country bordered by: Namibia for 1,360 kms; South Africa for 1,840 kms; Zambia for under 1 kms; and Zimbabwe for 813 kms. Formerly Bechuanaland.

Low point = 513 metres on the Limpopo River: High point = 1,494 metres at Monalanong Hills, just north of Mokolodi Nature Reserve.

Capital - Gaborone

Official language

English & Setswana

Entry issues: Passport with 6 months remaining with a few blank pages.

Visas not required for UK Nationals. Normally 30 day entry limit with a maximum 90 days in any calendar year although we got 50 days on first entry as we put down more than 30 days as our intended stay: thereafter we got 30 days following the 2 trips to Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe & our long stay in Zimbabwe.

Border crossings very relaxed and hassle-free.

Vehicle issues: Carnet de Passage required – no requirement for it to be stamped within Southern African Common Customs Area (South Africa; Botswana; Swaziland; Lesotho; Namibia) but was. Photo driving licence or international licence required. Drive on left. Insurance, third party, cost 100 pula although we paid in rand - available at borders from officials.

Speed limits often start and finish way outside settlement area so need to be vigilant. Likewise, seat belt laws enforced on any road or track. Main roads leave a lot to be desired in terms of potholes etc.

Lots of road checks, mainly to do with the vet fences controlling meat transfers - generally no red meat can be taken south through the checks but more relaxed going north. At some they issued permits.

Petrol and Diesel widely available at most towns and large villages. All garages are cash only, all attended and usually with a screen washer – small tip usual. As with all of Africa, will squeeze as much in as possible, usually leading to spills!

Average cost of diesel per litre: 1st visit = £0.51; 2nd visit = £0.55.

Banks; ATMs; Credit Cards

Some ATMs could be fickle but in the larger towns worked fine most of the time. Credit cards accepted in the larger supermarkets.

Telephones: International dialling code +267. Fairly good mobile coverage in towns and along major routes. beMobile coverage not as good as Mascom. SIMs cheap and available in many shops along with top up cards.

Time (UTC = Coordinated Universal Time, equal to GMT) = UTC+02

Currency & UK£ rate at time of visit:

Pula

£1 = P10.68: 100 Pula = £9.28

GARAGES

GABORONE

Lesedi Land Rover Garage, Bontleng, Gaborone, Telephone 3912741:

Coordinates S24 40.534 E25 54.368.

New relay fitted to cure electrical fault.

A franchised Land Rover garage, reflected in prices.

FRANCISTOWN

The Suspension Clinic, Francistown (Clyde).

Coordinates - S21 09.898 E27 30.130.

Second hand coil springs and shock absorbers to replace single broken front spring; Front disc pads also fitted. 

FRANCISTOWN

Lesdi Land Rover Dealer, Francistown.

Plot 9788 Unit 3 Opp. BMC, Francistown

Tel. +267 24 166 01

Visited whilst at Suspension Clinic to top up with spares - Land Rover prices.

Route and Camping - Botswana 1st Visit

Day 42 – Sunday 22nd March 2009 CONTINUED

Trip miles = 2503 miles (4005 km)  Daily miles from border = 24 miles (38 km)

Daily Route – Van Zylsrus, into Botswana via McCarthy’s Rest and to Tshabong.

Camping – Berrybush Camp, Tshabong. The only campsite around for miles which is a bit strange given the number of tourists making their way to the Game Parks further north. We had a lovely spot and without the number of motorcyclist the camp would have been a gem.

Cost = 35 Pula per person per night – took 100 Rand total

Coordinates - S25 56.793 E22 25.568

Altitude = 970 metres

Day 43 – Monday 23rd March 2009

Trip miles = 2602 miles (4163 km)  Daily miles = 99 miles (158 km)

Daily Route – Tshabong to Mabuasehube, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park.

Camping – No. 1 Khiding Pan, Mabuasehube. Delightful location with rustic facilities that added to the feeling of isolation. Must pre-book. [We got ours from the Wildlife Office in Tshabong]

Cost = 52 Pula per person per night – paid R640 in total for 4 nights

Coordinates - S25 00.562 E21 54.029

Altitude = 1056 metres

Day 44 – Tuesday 24th March 2009

Trip miles = 2602 miles (4163 km)  Daily miles =0 miles (0 km)

Daily Route – Khiding Pan, Mabuasehube.

Camping – as previous night

Day 45 – Wednesday 25th March 2009

Trip miles = 2665 miles (4264 km)  Daily miles = 63 miles (101 km)

Daily Route –Around Mabuasehube, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park.

Camping – No. 4 Mabuasehube Pan. Another delightful location with rustic facilities that added to the feeling of isolation. Again must pre-book.

Cost = 52 Pula per person per night – paid R640 in total for 4 nights

Coordinates - S24 58.912 E22 00.037

Altitude = 1039 metres

Day 46 – Thursday 26th March 2009

Trip miles = 2665 miles (4264 km)  Daily miles = 0 miles (0 km)

Daily Route – Mabuasehube Pan, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park.

Camping – as previous night

Day 47 – Friday 27th March 2009

Trip miles = 2836 miles (4539 km)  Daily miles = 172 miles (275 km)

Daily Route – Mabuasehube, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park to Kang via Hukuntsi.

Camping – Kang Garage – A better site than first impression with electricity and clean toilets and showers. Small shop and restaurant on site. Busy road with some noise through the night.

Cost = 35 Pula per person per night.

Coordinates - S23 40.882 E22 46.058

Altitude = 1141 metres

Day 48 – Saturday 28th March 2009

Trip miles = 3097 miles (4955 km)  Daily miles = 260 miles (416 km)

Daily Route – Kang south-east to Gaborone.

Camping – Citicamping, Gaborone. A noisy and busy, with workers, campsite close to the city centre but with reasonable ablutions and handy for the city and airport

Cost = 50 Pula per person per night.

Coordinates - S24 38.366 E25 54.593

Altitude = 1024 metres

Day 49 - Sunday 29th March 2009

Trip miles = 3097 miles (4955 km)  Daily miles = 0 miles (0 km)

Daily Route – Citicamping, Gaborone.

Camping – as previous night.

Day 50 – Monday 30th March 2009

Trip miles = 3126 miles (5002 km)  Daily miles = 29 miles (46 km)

Daily Route – Gaborone to Mokolodi.

Camping – Mokolodi Nature Reserve, a few kilometres south of Gaborone. An excellent camp set in the bush with individual secluded pitches, probably ten in total. Individual flush toilet and open air shower with hot water courtesy of the donkey boiler. Restaurant at reception but sporadic opening times; will collect from camp as a fair distance and no walking allowed. No electricity.

Cost = 30 Pula per person per night.

Coordinates - S22 33.578 E27 07.677

Altitude = 1055 metres

Day 51 – Tuesday 31st March 2009

Trip miles = 3178 miles (5085 km)  Daily miles = 52 miles (83 km)

Daily Route – Mokolodi to airport and back to Mokolodi Nature Reserve.

Camping – as previous night.

Day 52 – Wednesday 1st April 2009

Trip miles = 3119 miles (5118 km)  Daily miles = 21 miles (34 km)

Daily Route – in and around Mokolodi Nature Reserve.

Camping – as previous night.

Day 53 – Thursday 2nd April 2009

Trip miles = 3381 miles (5410 km)  Daily miles = 182 miles (291 km)

Daily Route – Mokolodi Nature Reserve to Palapye.

Camping – Itumela Camping, Palapye. A reasonable site, clean and tidy, with electricity, restaurant and pool.

Cost = 60 Pula per person per night + 20 Pula for the vehicle.

Coordinates - S22 33.578 E27 07.677

Altitude = 1235 metres

Day 54 – Friday 3rd April 2009

Trip miles = 3450 miles (5520 km)  Daily miles = 69 miles (110 km)

Daily Route – Palapye to Serowe and Khama Rhino Sanctuary.

Camping – Khama Rhino Sanctuary (Site number 11). A really lovely site in an idyllic setting. No electricity but nearby ablution block has flush toilets and hot showers.

Small shop, with firewood, at reception and a good restaurant and pool nearby although the habituated black rhino has been known to drink from it.

Cost = 53 Pula per person per night.

Coordinates - S22 15.040 E26 45.532

Altitude = 1237 metres

Day 55 – Saturday 4th April 2009

Trip miles = 3492 miles (5587 km)  Daily miles = 42 miles (67 km)

Daily Route – In and around Khama Rhino Sanctuary.

Camping – as previous night

Day 56 – Sunday 5th April 2009

Trip miles = 3651 miles (5842 km)  Daily miles = 159 miles (254 km)

Daily Route – Khama Rhino Sanctuary to Letlhakane and on to Kubu Island, Makgadikgadi Pans.

Camping – Kubu Island, Makgadikgadi Pans. A nice site in an idyllic and isolated setting. No electricity and no facilities save for a long drop toilet; all rubbish has to be taken away.  

Cost =100 Pula per person per night

Coordinates - S20 53.463 E25 49.430

Altitude =905 metres

Day 57 – Monday 6th April 2009

Trip miles = 3756 miles (6010 km)  Daily miles = 105 miles (168 km)

Daily Route – Kubu Island to Nata Bird Sanctuary, Makgadikgadi Pans.

Camping – Nata Bird Sanctuary, Makgadikgadi Pans. A reasonable site with electricity and good ablution block with hot water. Camp was next to park entrance gate alongside the main Francistown to Nata road with occasional, very noisy, lorries passing throughout the night.

Cost = 77.5 Pula per person per night

Coordinates - S20 17.278 E22 18.029

Altitude = 911 metres

Day 58 – Tuesday 7th April 2009

Trip miles = 3996 miles (6394 km)  Daily miles = 240 miles (384 km)

Daily Route – Nata Bird Sanctuary, Makgadikgadi Pans to Chobe Safari Lodge, Kasane.

Camping – Chobe Safari Lodge, Kasane. A busy campsite, with fairly small pitches, popular with overlanders, not helped by many flooded pitches. Excellent restaurant, pool and with various other activities. Good ablution blocks. Electricity.

Cost = 65 Pula per person per night

Coordinates - S17 48.556 E25 08.737

Altitude = 925 metres

Day 59 – Wednesday 8th April 2009

Trip miles = 3996 miles (6394 km)  Daily miles = 0 miles (0 km)

Daily Route – organised trip to Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe.

Camping – as previous night

Fees – Victoria Falls Trip = 210 Pula per person

      Zimbabwe visa = US$55 per person

      Falls entry = US$20 per person

Day 60 – Thursday 9th April 2009

Trip miles = 4001 miles (6402 km)  Daily miles = 45 miles (72 km)

Daily Route – Chobe National Park + Boat trip.

Camping – as previous night

Day 61 - Friday 10th April 2009

Trip miles = 4001 miles 6402 km)  Daily miles = 0 miles (0 km)

Daily Route – Kasane.

Camping – as previous night

Day 62 – Saturday 11th April 2009

Trip miles = 4100 miles (6560 km)  Daily miles = 99 miles (158 km)

Daily Route – Chobe National Park.

Camping – as previous night

Day 63 – Sunday 12th April 2009

Trip miles = 4186 miles (6698 km)  Daily miles = 86 miles (138 km)

Daily Route – Chobe National Park.

Camping – as previous night

Day 64 – Monday 13th April 2009

Trip miles = 4439 miles (7102 km)  Daily miles = 253 miles (405 km)

Daily Route – Kasane to Nata and Planet Baobab.

Camping – Planet Baobab, Gweta. A reasonable site with electricity and shelters. Nice ablution blocks and bar/restaurant.

Cost = 60 Pula per person per night

Coordinates - S20 11.368 E25 18.458

Altitude = 916 metres

Day 65 – Tuesday 14th April 2009

Trip miles = 4600 miles (7360 km)  Daily miles = 161 miles (258 km)

Daily Route –Planet Baobab, Gweta to Maun.

Camping – Accommodation at Island Safari Lodge, Maun, in Chalets. Reasonable accommodation with bar and restaurant plus pool – also does camping..

Cost = 967 Pula per night for a double chalet.

Coordinates - S19 55.648 E 23 30.530

Altitude = 930 metres

Day 66 – Wednesday 15th April 2009

Trip miles = 4606 miles (7370 km)  Daily miles = 6 miles (10 km)

Daily Route – Maun.

Camping – as previous night.

Day 67 – Thursday 16th April 2009

Trip miles = 4698 miles (7417 km)  Daily miles = 92 miles (147 km)

Daily Route – Maun to South Gate, Moremi.

Camping – South Gate, Moremi. Camping in the raw at its best. Newish ablution blocks a vast improvement on the previous ones. No electricity or other facilities. As ever, extremely bureaucratic booking system. [We booked at Wildlife Offices in Maun]

Cost = 30 Pula per person per night

Coordinates - S19 25.515 E 23 38.715

Altitude = 940 metres

Day 68 – Friday 17th April 2009

Trip miles = 4741 miles (7586 km)  Daily miles = 43 miles (69 km) 

Daily Route – South Gate to Xakanaxa, Moremi.

Camping – Xakanaxa, Moremi. An idyllic site alongside the water with wild animals wandering back and forth. A good ablution block but some distance from our pitch. No electricity.

Cost = 30 Pula per person per night

Coordinates - S19 10.875 E 23 24.815

Altitude = 950 metres

Day 69 – Saturday 18th April 2009

Trip miles = 4780 miles (7648 km)  Daily miles = 39 miles (69 km)

Daily Route – Xakanaxa to Khwai North Gate, Moremi.

Camping – Khwai North Gate, Moremi. A reasonably nice site with wild animals wandering back and forth. A good ablution block but some distance from our pitch. No electricity.

Cost – as previous night

Coordinates - S19 10.286 E23 45.222

Altitude = 948 metres

Day 70 – Sunday 19th April 2009

Trip miles = 4854 miles (7766 km)  Daily miles = 74 miles (118 km)

Daily Route – Khwai North Gate, Moremi to Savuti, Chobe National Park.

Camping – Savuti, Chobe National Park. A reasonably nice site with wild animals wandering back and forth. A good ablution block. No electricity.

Cost – as previous night

Coordinates - S18 33.951 E24 03.757

Altitude = 930 metres

Day 71 – Monday 20th April 2009

Trip miles = 4870 miles (7792 km)  Daily miles = 16 miles (26 km)

Daily Route – In and around Savuti, Chobe National Park.

Camping – as previous night

Day 72 – Tuesday 21st April 2009

Trip miles = 4893 miles (7829 km)  Daily miles = 23 miles (37 km)

Daily Route – In and around Savuti, Chobe National Park.

Camping – as previous night

Day 73 – Wednesday 22nd April 2009

Trip miles = 4930 miles (7888 km)  Daily miles = 37 miles (59 km)

Daily Route – Savuti to Linyanti, Chobe National Park.

Camping – Linyanti Camp, Chobe National Park. A wonderful spot totally isolated and idyllic, looking out over a lake and marsh. The small ablution block was run down and had no running water so worse than useless. No electricity.

Cost – as previous night

Coordinates - S18 17.678 E23 54.596

Altitude = 942 metres

Day 74 – Thursday 23rd April 2009

Trip miles = 5043 miles (8069 km)  Daily miles = 113 miles (181 km)

Daily Route – Linyanti, Chobe National Park to Torro Lodge, Kasane.

Camping – Torro Lodge, Kasane. A very reasonable site on the riverfront. Large campsite with individual ablution blocks and washing up facilities. Electricity. Serious affected by floods at time of visit. A much better site than Chobe Safari Lodge.

Cost – 60 Pula per person per night.

Coordinates - S17 47.767 E25 14.3744

Altitude = 925 metres

Day 75 – Friday 24th April 2009

Trip miles = 5053 miles (8085 km)  Daily miles = 10 miles (16 km)

Daily Route – In and around Torro Lodge, Kasane.

Camping – as previous night

Day 76 – Saturday 25th April 2009

Trip miles = 5148 miles (8237 km)  Daily miles = 95 miles (152 km)

Daily Route – Chobe National Park and Torro Lodge, Kasane.

Camping – as previous night

Day 77 – Sunday 26th April 2009

Trip miles = 5148 miles (8237 km)  Daily miles = 0 miles (0 km)

Daily Route – Torro Lodge, Kasane.

Camping – as previous night

Day 78 – Monday 27th April 2009

Trip miles to border = 5158 miles (8257 km)   Daily miles to border = 10 miles (16 km)

Daily Route – From Kasane, Botswana, over the Kazungula ferry into Zambia, to Livingstone