Transport In Botswana

Botswana is a 4×4 junkies paradise. As recently as the 1960s it was an expedition to get anywhere in Botswana, but nowadays a great, although limited, blacktop road system offers quick overland access to all the main destinations, after which you can drop your Landrover into low range and hit the Kalahari desert with almost unlimited options for free range rough travel.

Border Procedures

Featured large at most overland crossings into Botswana are posters proclaiming Zero Tolerance for Corruption. This speaks pretty accurately for Botswana where dropping a few greenbacks into an outstretched palm will rarely get you out of an administrative fix. It also means that border procedure is quick, trouble free and usually pretty organized.

Everybody barring nationals of USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, France, Germany, UK and Ireland require a visa. These can be purchased at your port of entry or in advance through your local consulate.

Roads

An excellent black top road system links Botswana with all her regional neighbors including South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe. The system also links through to Zambia. By this means with a two wheel drive car you can access the Okavango, Makadikadi Pans and the Chobe regions with a minimum of stress, but thereafter a 4×4 is necessary for any penetrating access.

For non wheeled travelers there are heaps of tour options available at any of these places to visit the various parks and conservancies, and of course overland truck travel was made for places like Botswana.

Trains

You can access the country from neighboring states by train, but it is an uncomfortable and rough option, and has very limited scope. Recently the service between Zimbabwe and Botswana was curtailed due to non payment of rail fees.

The network is limited to the populous south of the country.

Air

The national carrier Air Botswana operates a limited network of domestic flights between the main centers of Gabarone, Maun, Francistown and Kasane, but a more comprehensive system is operated by individual tour operators whose fly in safaris are usually achieved by private charter.

Bicycle

Cycle touring in Botswana is a risky business. Poor driving standards in this country are legendary, and the long distances involved, notwithstanding great roads, render the experience scary at best, and suicidal at worst. This also does not take into account the heat and vast distances that make cycling a pretty unattractive transport option.

Busses

As in most African countries the most comprehensive public transport network is the minibus taxi services. In Botswana this is perhaps more limited than in most African countries thanks to the small population of the country, and in regions of isolated population the service is less reliable. Along the main road you can get around pretty easily, although bear in mind that long distances and crammed minibuses can make for memorably uncomfortable journeys.

South Africa intercity coach services InterCape and TransLux both run services into and beyond Botswana from South Africa.

As a hitchhiker the chances are that most of your rides will be minibuses, so go with them anyway. Random hitching is dangerous in Botswana as it is anywhere in Africa, particular in South Africa

Car

This is the best and most reliable way of getting around Botswana. Botswana is a car country, and the trunk road network is good, although for real access a 4×4 is essential. Car hire costs in Botswana are high, and in particular 4×4 hire, but they are slightly cheaper in South Africa and Namibia from where access in and out of Botswana is pretty easy.

Tours

Countless tour options are available that will take all the guesswork out of local travel, and although not cheap are well regulated, competitive and usually very reliable.