With winter sunshine, a temperate climate and golden sunsets, it’s no wonder most locals have beaming smiles - they’re surrounded by some of Mother Nature’s greatest triumphs.
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Intrepid believes half the fun of experiencing a new country is getting there, and getting around once there! Where possible, Intrepid uses local transport options and traditional modes of transport - which usually carry less of an environmental impact, support small local operators and are heaps more fun.
Depending on which trip you're on while in Botswana, you may find yourself travelling by:
Admire waterbirds, hippos, crocodiles and classic African landscapes while on a boat cruise along the stunning Chobe River.
Navigate the famed waterways of Botswana’s Okavango Delta aboard a canoe, known locally as a mokoro.
Travelling with Intrepid is a little bit different. We endeavour to provide travellers with an authentic experience to remember, so we try to keep accommodation as unique and traditional as possible.
When travelling with us in Botswana you may find yourself staying in a:
For a softer safari experience, put your feet up at the end of a day of adventuring and rest in a comfortable lodge.
Australia: No visa required
Belgium: No visa required
Canada: No visa required
Germany: No visa required
Ireland: Yes - visa required
Netherlands: No visa required
New Zealand: No visa required
South Africa: No visa required
Switzerland: No visa required
United Kingdom: No visa required
USA: No visa required
Citizens of countries not listed above, including most EU countries, should check with the relevant consulates as to whether a visa is required. For passengers requiring a visa to Botswana, application forms can be downloaded from http://www.gov.bw/en/ as well as instructions for applying.
Entry Requirements - Yellow Fever Certificate:
A valid Yellow Fever Vaccination Certificate is required for all passengers over one year of age who arrive or are transiting through Botswana, from a country or region listed by the World Health Organization as infected by yellow fever. Travellers unable to present a valid yellow fever vaccination certificate issued at least 10 days before arrival will be refused entry. There is no option for travellers without a vaccination certificate to be vaccinated on arrival. Please note this also includes transiting through an infected country or region.
Children travelling to Botswana:
Please note that if you’re travelling to Botswana with a person under the age of 18 then you need to provide a certified copy of the child’s full unabridged birth certificate in order to enter the country (the one listing the child’s details and both parents’ details. - the short birth certificate which only lists the child’s details won’t be accepted).
Additionally, if the child is travelling with only one parent, with neither biological parent, or is unaccompanied, then they must provide an affidavit of consent of the parent(s) that are not travelling, to prove that the trip is made with both parents' consent. Please contact your nearest Botswanan Embassy if you have further questions regarding this.
Although tipping isn’t mandatory in Botswana, a little generosity will be positively received by locals. Setting aside a small amount for porters, guides and drivers is wise, as is leaving spare change or rounding up the bill at restaurants. Restaurants and cafes in urban areas may expect a further 10% added to the bill.
Travellers will have access to internet cafes in Botswana’s larger cities, but limited to no access should be expected in rural areas and national parks.
Mobile phone coverage is good in Botswana’s larger cities and towns but less so in rural areas. Ensure you have global roaming activated before leaving home if you wish to use your mobile phone.
Botswana has a combination of modern flushable toilets and squat/pit toilets, depending on where you are travelling and staying. Generally, large hotels, modern restaurants and city cafes have flushable toilets, while remote areas like national parks, campgrounds and villages typically have squat toilets.
Soft Drink = 2 BWP
Snack = 4.50 BWP
Bottle of beer = 5 BWP
Basic Lunch = 15-20 BWP
Dinner at a restaurant = 55-100 BWP
Drinking tap water isn't recommended in Botswana. For environmental reasons, try to avoid buying bottled water. Instead, fill a reusable water bottle or canteen with filtered water. Ask your leader where filtered water can be found, some hotels we stay in may have drinking water available. It's also advisable to avoid ice in drinks and peel fruit and vegetables before eating.
Credit cards are usually accepted by large hotels, modern shops and western-style restaurants but not by smaller vendors. Ensure you have adequate cash to cover purchases not able to be made on credit.
You will be able to find ATMs in the big cities, airports and regional towns of Botswana. Rural areas, national parks and small villages will have limited to no ATMs, so be sure to carry other payment options before travelling out of the big cities.
Absolutely. All passengers travelling with Intrepid are required to purchase travel insurance before the start of their trip. Your travel insurance details will be recorded by your leader on the first day of the trip. Due to the varying nature, availability and cost of health care around the world, travel insurance is very much an essential and necessary part of every journey.
For more information on insurance, please go to: Travel Insurance
Please note these dates are for 2017. For a current list of public holidays in Botswana go to: http://www.worldtravelguide.net/botswana /public-holidays
Intrepid is committed to travelling in a way that is respectful of local people, their culture, local economies and the environment. It's important to remember that what may be acceptable behaviour, dress and language in your own country, may not be appropriate in Uzbekistan. Please keep this in mind while travelling here.
In Botswana, we stay in locally run accommodation including guesthouses, smaller-scale hotels and homestays in an effort to support the local economies. We also visit locally-run restaurants and markets where travellers will have opportunities to support local businesses and purchase handicrafts created by local artisans.
The Intrepid Foundation provides travellers with an opportunity to give something back to the many wonderful communities we travel to. By donating to The Intrepid Foundation you can make a difference in local communities - in health care, education, human rights, child welfare and the protection of wildlife and the environment.
In Botswana, The Intrepid Foundation proudly supports:
We have a variety of similar destinations, trips and routes that you could consider! Tie another trip into your holiday, or, see how we can help you get from A to B. We have tours departing from a number of locations across Africa. The options below may be of interest:
Johannesburg to Victoria Falls