Botswana Travel Guide

Entry requirements

Unlike more stiff necked administrations such as India, Pakistan, Nigeria and China, the Botswana government has not erected high bureaucratic barriers to tourism. Citizens of Commonwealth countries do not need a visa to visit except those from Bangladesh, Cameroon, Ghana, India, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.

Botswana's currency is the pula, denoted by the symbol "P" (ISO 4217 code: BWP). It is subdivided into 100 thebe. Pula means "rain" in Setswana (rain is very scarce in Botswana - home to much of the Kalahari Desert - and therefore valuable and a "blessing"). Thebe means "shield".

Very few locals know street names and addresses, and you are likely to have to get directions in terms of landmarks. Botswana doesn't have a postal delivery system to addresses (just to centralised mail collection points), so even when streets are well-marked, the names may be unfamiliar to residents.

The official languages of Botswana are English and Tswana. Tswana is the country's national language and usually serves as people's first language. You are not really pressured to learn Tswana as English is widely used in everyday business. Almost everyone you encounter will speak and understand English; it won't be that hard to converse with the locals, but it is also best to learn a bit of Tswana, just to be on the safe side.

People in Botswana are very friendly and the crime rate is low. Nevertheless, crime has been on the rise over the past several years, so always be aware of your surroundings. Basic common sense will keep you safe from the predatory wildlife in rural areas. Botswana is one of the safest countries in Africa, no civil war, less corruption, more human rights, no natural disasters e.g. earthquakes or tsunamis.

Generally speaking, medical care in Botswana is quite good compared to other African countries. Botswana has a universal healthcare system and the vast majority of people live within five kilometers of a healthcare facility. Cities like Gaborone have wonderful hospitals, but quality healthcare is non-existent in rural areas.

Botswana's country code is +267 which was allocated to the country by the International Telecommunications Union in the late 1960s, Fixed line numbers in Botswana are seven digits long in a closed telephone numbering plan, with the geographical area being indicated by the first two or three digits, meaning that there are no area codes.