Botswana

Food and water safety:  Can you drink the tap water: Yes within major cities Fresh fruit and veg: Yes within major cities Ice: Yes within major cities Meat: Yes within major cities Street food: Yes within major cities  Local cuisine: Food centres around meat such as goat, beef, chicken and fresh water fish, and a maize meal known locally as “pap”.  Adventurous culinary enthusiasts may want to try the traditional speciality of Mopane Worms, while those with a sweet tooth should make sure to sample the local Kalahari Truffles (made as a dessert) and unusual fruit called Marula. It is believed that watermelon originated here.  Drinks:  Bojalwaja Setswana (the beer of Botswana) – created using fermented sorghum seeds.  Tipping: 10%, usually added to the bill at restaurants. It is also customary to tip game drivers and guides.

Annual rainfall: 475 mm  Average temperature: 27°C  Summer: Average in highs: 31°C Average in lows: 20°C  Winter: Average in highs: 23°C Average in lows: 22°C  Best time to visit: It’s best to visit Botswana between April and September – the dry winter months. At this time, animals usually stay close to their water sources, increasing your chances of seeing them.  

Air:Airports in major cities  Main airlines: Mack Air and Kalahari Air  International Airports: In major citiesRoad:Tar roads: YesGravel roads: YesValid International Drivers License needed: Yes, if your national licence is not in English. If your national licence is in English, you may use it for up to 6 months.  Car hire available: YesTaxis: YesUber available: No, but similar servicesBus: Inter-city bus services: No Local city bus networks: No  Rail: Railway system: Yes, overnight train from Francistown to Gaborone to Lobatse. Subway System: No  Water: Ferries: No Water taxis: No Leisure cruises: No 

Spring and Summer Cool, light, breathable and comfortable: Yes Lightweight warm clothes: Yes  Winter and Autumn Jerseys, cardigans, sweaters, jackets: Yes Heavyweight clothing and boots: Yes  General Umbrella and raincoat: Yes Warm gloves, hat and scarf: Yes Swimming costume (bathing suit): Yes Hat, sunglasses and sunblock: Yes Walking shoes: Yes Casual: Yes Smart-casual attire: Yes 

Please consult your health-care provider 4-6 weeks prior to travel to ensure you are receiving all required vaccinations and that the medication has enough time to take effect. We highly recommend the purchase of travel insurance with medical benefits and that you bring any personal medication with you. Please also check with your health department prior to departure for any changes in health regulations. Required Immunizations/Vaccinations: Yellow Fever – all travelers coming from a yellow fever infected country will be required to show a valid Yellow Fever certificate on arrival. It is otherwise not required or recommended. You should be vaccinated at least 10 days before you travel, as this will allow enough time for your body to develop protection against the yellow fever infection. Your proof of vaccination certificate will only become valid after this time. Recommended Immunizations/Vaccinations: Malaria prophylaxis – highly recommended for all travelers (even if you are only visiting malaria-free areas as there has been an increase in malaria in southern Africa) Malaria Malaria is found in most parts of Botswana. Expert opinion differs regarding the best approach to malaria prophylaxis. It is important to bear in mind that malaria may be contracted despite chemoprophylaxis, especially in areas where chloroquine resistance has been reported. Both chloroquine-resistant and normal strains of malaria are prevalent in Africa.  Malaria is transmitted by a very small percentage of female Anopheles mosquitoes. They are mainly active in the early evening and throughout the night. Malaria transmission is at its highest during the warmer and wetter months of November through to April. From May through October the risks of acquiring malaria are reduced. There is also less prevalence in remote areas where our camps are situated; nonetheless, we strongly recommend you take the following preventative measures: Use plenty of mosquito repellent. Some camps provide a locally made repellent but please bring your own as there may be skin sensitivity. Wear long-sleeved shirts and trousers/slacks in the evenings. Please use the mosquito net over your bed where supplied/available. If staying in a bungalow or tent, spray with a suitable insecticide to kill any mosquitoes that may have flown into your room. Mosquito coils are also effective. There is a six to seven day minimum incubation period before symptoms present themselves. If you become ill on your return, while still on prophylaxis or even once you have stopped taking them, ensure that your doctor does everything to establish that your illness is not malaria. Please remember the best precaution is the preventative kind.  It is inadvisable for pregnant women to visit malarial areas as malaria infection during pregnancy can be detrimental to both mother and child. Ticks Ticks exist all over the world and are well known carriers of diseases that affect both animals and humans. In Southern Africa this is referred to as tick bite fever. Symptoms of this disease present after a 5-7 day incubation period and include fevers, headaches, malaise and even a skin rash, but effects can vary dramatically from person to person. A dark black mark usually results at the site of the infected bite and is a helpful diagnostic. The disease is easily treated with antibiotics although this is not always necessary.  After walking in the bush it is best to brush your clothes down and to examine your body for ticks. If a tick is found, remove it entirely without leaving the biting mouth parts in your skin. Anti-tick sprays such as Bayticol can be very effective against ticks and wearing long pants will prevent many bites. Tsetse Flies Tsetse flies exist in large areas of sub-Saharan Africa including parts of Northern Botswana. They are best known as the carrier of trypanosomiases – causing sleeping sickness in humans which can be fatal but is easily treated and cured. In the unlikely event that symptoms are recorded after a visit to an area containing tsetse flies, we recommend that a doctor be consulted. These symptoms can present a few weeks to months after a visit and begin with fever, headaches and pains in the joints followed by dramatic swelling of the lymph nodes. If left untreated these symptoms can evolve to cause anaemia, cardiac and kidney disorders; alternate bouts of fatigue and insomnia can disrupt the sleep cycle. Not all tsetse flies transmit all variations of the disease and in our areas of operation they are regarded more as an irritation (the bites are sharp) than as a serious threat.  Enormous efforts have been made to eradicate tsetse flies in various countries and sleeping sickness has now largely disappeared from Southern Africa. 

VISA REQUIREMENTS:U.S. citizens do not require a visa. Non U.S. citizens should consult with your local embassy.