Botswana Holidays, Flights & Travel Guide
The complete Botswana travel guide - Botswana
holidays & Botswana flights.
Top destination guides for Botswana
holidays;
Botswana Holidays
and Travel Overview
The Republic of Botswana is a
landlocked country constituted by a vast plateau that provides a
natural habitat for a huge variety of African wildlife. This scenic
wonderland draws thousands of tourists from around the world
throughout the year. Most visitors arrive under the auspices of
expensive safari-package operators. At the time
that it gained Independence in 1966, Botswana was counted among the
ten poorest nations on earth. A dramatic turnaround came just a few
years later when a treasure-trove of diamonds was discovered. Now
the country is the third largest producer of diamonds in the world
and Botswana is enjoying a growth rate and economic buoyancy
unparalleled in Africa. The country is bordered
by South Africa in the south and southeast; Zambia and Zimbabwe in
the northeast; and Namibia in the north and west. It is the
northwest corner of the country that is the most sought-after by
wildlife enthusiasts because it is here that the Okavango River
drains inland from Angola to form the Okavango Delta - the largest
inland delta in the world - which provides sustenance to a rich
profusion of wildlife. The delta is extremely beautiful, big sky
country with spectacular scenery across grassy plains and limpid
lagoons. The Moremi Wildlife Reserve, covering 700 square miles
(1,812 sq km) in the northeast corner of the Okavango Delta, is the
ultimate African safari
destination.
Tourist Offices - Department of Tourism, Gaborone: +267 353
024 or www.botswana-tourism.gov.bw
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Entry Requirements
for Botswana Holidays & Botswana Travel
A valid passport, return or onward ticket,
and sufficient funds to cover stay in Botswana is required by all
visitors.
- For Australians -
Australian nationals do not require a visa for stays
of up to 90 days.
- New Zealanders do not require a visa for a stay of up
to 90 days.
- US nationals do not require a visa for stays of up to
90 days.
- US nationals do not require a visa for stays of up to
90 days.
- UK nationals do not require a visa for stays of up to
90 days.
Currency of Botswana
The unit of currency is the Botswana Pula (BWP),
which is divided into 100 Thebe. The word 'Pula' means rain and
'Thebe' means shield. The shield appears on the national coat of
arms. Major credit cards are accepted widely, and travellers
cheques and foreign currency are accepted at most large hotels and
lodges. There are banks and exchange bureaux in all the main towns,
as well as ATM machines. Surcharges are often high on travellers
cheques, and it is best to carry cheques in US Dollars or Pounds
Sterling.
Botswana
Telephone Access Codes and Communications
The international access code for Botswana
is +267. The outgoing code is 00 followed by the relevant country
code (e.g. 0027 for South Africa). Gabarone's area code is 31, 35,
36 or 39; there is no NDD prefix for calling within Botswana.
Mobile phones operate on a GSM 900 network and are limited to urban
areas; most North American cell phones will not work. Internet
cafes are available in Gaborone and
Maun.
Botswana
Duty Free Allowances & Restrictions
Travellers to Botswana can enter the country
with goods to the value of P500 without incurring customs duty.
These include 400 cigarettes and 50 cigars and 250g of tobacco; 2
litres of wine and 1 litre of alcoholic beverages; and 50ml of
perfume and 250ml of eau de toilette.
Botswana
Holidays - Tipping Information
Tipping is expected in tourist hotels and
restaurants. Many automatically add a service charge, but where
not, a 10-15% tip is appreciated. Taxi drivers generally aren't
tipped. Tour guides, trackers and game rangers rely largely on tips
for their income and customarily receive about P25-45 per person
per day.
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