Botswana Travel Information

Getting There

The most important Botswana travel information is learning how best to get there. From Australia, there are no direct flights. So you will arrive via an international port, whether it’s Johannesburg or Lusaka, Zambia. From here, you fly to Botswana, landing at one of its international airports, either Maun or Kasane. 

There are also domestic airports and airfields that connect major towns and safari destinations.


Passport and Visas

To enter Botswana, you must require a passport that is valid for at least 6 months. Australian passport holders do not require a visa to enter.  It is free to enter Botswana and entry is permitted for periods less than 90 days. 


Weather and Climate

Botswana has a semi-arid climate. It is hot and dry for much of the year and there is a rainy season which occurs in summer months. When it rains, it’s usually episodic and unpredictable. Summer runs November through to April and Winter, or the dry season is May to October.


Getting Around

Much of Botswana’s wilderness areas are inaccessible by car. So the best way to get around Botswana on safari is by air. Light aircraft operate almost like taxis, taking visitors to the various safari camps and lodges across the country. 


Health

Consult your GP or a travel doctor at least six weeks before you travel. You may be required or recommended to get vaccinations for measles, yellow fever, typhoid and hepatitis A & B, among others. Malaria is present in Botswana so malaria prophylactics are recommended. A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required for anyone entering Botswana from a yellow fever endemic country, including: Kenya, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Uganda, Republic of Congo, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Angola and South America. You may be denied entry into Botswana if you don’t have this proof of vaccination, so please carry your certificate with you and present to immigration.


Currency

The pula is Botswana’s local currency. It is only available upon arrival and not really necessary while on holidays because the US dollar is the preferred currency in camps and lodges.


Language

Setswana and Ikalanga are local language spoken in Botswana. But today, the official language of Botswana is English. 


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