Botswana

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Overview

Botswana is a vast land, highly prized for its safaris and game. Indeed, Botswana is a country that you feel is keen to conserve what makes it beautiful and utilise its assets. Astonishingly, around 17% of the country is designated national park, and when Botswana's huge private concessions are also toted up, the figure swells to a proud 40%. This explains why, in some parts, there are nearly as many tourists craning their necks out of jeeps as there is roving game.

Furthermore, Botswana has ensured that its spectacular Delta region has been well-developed touristically, with its impressive lagoons crammed with hovering birdlife, and elephants, giraffes and other exotic animals that amble through its vast grass flats. Incidentally, this is the largest inland delta in the world, which explains its wealth of wildlife. It is almost enough to make you forget that most of Botswana is given over to desert.

Botswana was also once an economic wasteland. The country gained independence in 1966, having been a British Protectorate, and at this time it was amongst the poorest nations in the world. Nature was then kind to Botswana, when once again natural assets became apparent, ready to be exploited. The government discovered diamonds and Botswana has enjoyed a growth rate that still continues to soar, especially when put into a context with much of the rest of Africa.

Despite this success story, Botswana is afflicted by controversy. There have been claims that parts of the Kalahari Desert Region have been closed at the expense of the world's last few remaining ancient people, the Bushmen, who roam this area. The Bushmen's previously nomadic lifestyle has mostly been quashed and they now reside in settlements. There is also the HIV/AIDS pandemic to contend with - Botswana's infection rate is amongst the world's highest, with 20% of the country's population being estimated to have contracted the virus.

Having a sundowner, unwinding in the glare of a sunset and hearing the sounds of singing birds and roaming game, it is easy to forget global troubles. Botswana is both a country to relax in and a country to have adventure in.

Area - 581,730 sq km (224,607 sq miles).
Population - 1.7 million (UN estimate 2006).
Population Density - 3.1 per sq km.
Capital - Gaborone. Population: 208,411 (estimate 2005).
Government - Republic since 1966.
Language - English is the official language. Setswana is the national language, with minorities speaking Kalanga and Sekgalagadi.
Religion - Christianity, Roman Catholic and indigenous beliefs. There are numerous small Zionist and Apostolic churches in rural villages, as well as United Reformed (Congregational and Methodist), Dutch Reformed, Lutheran, Methodist and Anglican churches, and predominantly expatriate Muslim, Quaker, Hindu and Bahai congregations in major towns.
Time - GMT + 2.

Social Conventions
As most people in Botswana follow their traditional pattern of life, visitors should be sensitive to customs which will inevitably be unfamiliar to them. Outside urban areas, people may well not be used to visitors. Casual clothing is acceptable and, in urban centres, normal courtesies should be observed.
Photography - Airports, official residences and defence establishments should not be photographed. Permission should be obtained to photograph local people.
Electricity - 220-240 volts AC, 50Hz. 15- and 13-amp plug sockets are in use. Plugs used are British-style with two flat blades and one flat grounding blade, and South African/Indian-style with two circular metal pins above a large circular grounding pin.
Head of State - President Festus Gontebanye Mogae since 1998.

Culture

Food and Drink
Restaurants and bars can be found in main towns, often within hotels. Millet and sorghum porridge constitutes much of the cuisine. Beef and goat are very popular meats. Most lodges and safari camps also have restaurants and licensed bars, although food is generally basic outside major hotels and restaurants. The standard of food in lodges and camps is generally very good. There is local beer and no real restrictions on alcohol.

National specialities:
o Morama (an underground tuber).
o The Kalahari truffle.
o The Mopane worm (boiled, cooked or deep-fried).
o Beans such as cow peas, ditloo and letlhodi, dried bean leaves, plus nuts like peanuts and groundnuts.
o Wild spinach, morogo is very tasty.

National drinks:
o Palm wine (which is extremely strong) and Kgadi (made from distilled sugar or fungus).
o Traditional beer such as khadi or bojalwa, which tastes a bit like apple cider.
o Homemade ginger beer is popular.
o Bush tea (or Rooibos) is a reddish caffeine-free tea that is soothing and delicious, although something of an acquired taste.

Legal drinking age: 18.

Tipping: A discretionary 5 to 10%. In many places, a service charge is automatically added. It is customary to tip the game guide and lodge staff while on safari.

Nightlife
Most people get up early in the morning, and nightlife is not very extensive. However, there are some bars and restaurants in Gaborone. The city also has a cinema. Maun has a handful of restaurants and a small cinema.

Shopping
Woodcarvings, handcrafted jewellery, woven goods and attractive basketry (particularly at Etsha, Shakawe and Shorobe) are recommended. Modern Bushman art can be seen, and perhaps purchased, at D'Kar, 40km (25 miles) north of Ghanzi. There also occasional exhibitions at the National Museum in Gaborone.
Shopping hours: Mon-Fri 0800-1800, Sat 0830-1300.

Environment

Climate
Mainly temperate climate. Summer, between October and April, is very hot and combined with the rainy season. Dry and cooler weather exists between May and September with an average temperature of 25ºC (77ºF). Early mornings and evenings may be cold and frosty in winter. Annual rainfall decreases westwards and southwards.

Required Clothing
Loose, natural fabrics are recommended, with wet-weather gear and warmer clothes according to the season and area visiting.

Botswana is bordered to the south and east by South Africa, to the northeast by Zimbabwe, to the north and west by Namibia and touches Zambia just west of the Victoria Falls. The tableland of the Kalahari Desert covers most of Botswana. National parks cover 17% of the country, with 38% of the country dedicated to wildlife areas. To the northwest is the Okavango Delta, the largest inland delta in the world. The Moremi Game Reserve occupies two-thirds of the delta's area. The Chobe National Park in the north includes the Savute and Linyanti regions. To the far southwest is the Kgalagadi Transfrontier National Park, which ranges across the borders of Botswana, South Africa and Namibia, but is managed as a single entity. The majority of the population lives in the southeast around Gaborone, Serowe and Kanye along the South African border. The vast arid sandveld of the Kalahari occupies much of north, central and western Botswana. The seasonal rains bring a considerable difference to the vegetation, especially in the Makgadikgadi Pans and the Okavango Delta in the north. The latter, after the winter floods, provides one of the wildest and most beautiful nature reserves in Africa.

Money

Currency
Pula (BWP; symbol P) = 100 thebe. Notes are in denominations of P100, 50, 20 and 10. Coins are in denominations of P5, 2 and 1, and 50, 25, 10 and 5 thebe.

Currency Exchange
Money should be exchanged in banks at market rates. There are four main commercial banks in the country (Barclays Bank of Botswana, First National Bank, Stanbic Bank Botswana and Standard Chartered Bank) with branches in major towns and villages. Owing to limited facilities in small villages, it is advisable to change money at the airport or in major towns, where credit card cash advances may also be available. There are also exchange bureaux at major border posts.

Credit/Debit Cards and ATMs
American Express, Diners Club, MasterCard and Visa are widely accepted. ATMs are available in most larger cities and towns.

Traveller's Cheques
To avoid additional exchange rate charges, travellers are advised to take traveller's cheques in US Dollars or Pounds Sterling. Traveller's cheques are accepted in large cities but with a high surcharge.

Banking Hours
Mon-Fri 0800-1700; Sat 0815-1045. Most banks work these core hours with occasional regional differences.

Duty Free
The following goods may be imported into Botswana without incurring customs duty:
o 400 cigarettes and 50 cigars and 250g of tobacco.
o 2l of wine and 1l of spirits.
o 50ml of perfume and 250ml of eau de toilette.
o Goods up to the value of P1,039.

Traveller's Guide

Passports - Passports valid for at least six months required.

Visas - Not required for stays of up to 90 days except the following:
(a) 1. nationals of Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovak Republic and Slovenia, who do need a visa);
(b) transit passengers provided continuing their journey by the same or first connecting aircraft and not leaving the airport.

Types of Visa and Cost
General Entry: £60 (single- or multiple-entry).

Validity
Maximum of 90 days from the date of issue.

Applications to:
Consulate (or consular section at embassy or high commission); see Contact Addresses.

Working Days Required - One to three.

Contact Addresses

Botswana High Commission in the UK
6 Stratford Place, London W1C 1AY, UK
Tel: (020) 7499 0031 or 7647 1000 or 09065 508 954 (recorded visa information; calls cost £1 per minute).
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 0900-1700.

Department of Tourism in the UK
c/o Southern Skies Marketing, Old Boundary House, London Road, Sunningdale, Berkshire SL5 0DJ, UK.
Tel: (01344) 298 982.
Website: www.botswanatourism.org.uk

Embassy of the Republic of Botswana in the USA
1531-33 New Hampshire Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20036, USA
Tel: (202) 244 4990.
Website: www.botswanaembassy.org

Health Care
The dust and heat may cause problems for some people. Visitors should use sun protection, especially due to Botswana's high altitude. The public health system is good. All main towns have chemists, and pharmaceutical supplies are readily available. Health insurance is essential.
Note * A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required from all travellers over one year of age travelling from infected areas.

As a UK specialist for independent travel, Footloose Adventure Travel can tailor-make all your holiday, trek, hotel, transport and tour requirements. We offer the security of booking with a UK company and the benefit of our experience and local knowledge.