The healthcare system in Botswana

The public sector dominates the healthcare system in Botswana - operating most of the care facilities. However, there is a huge gap between public and private medical provisions, and tourists are recommended to purchase private health insurance for the trip duration to Botswana.

People using different modes of transport

As in much of the rest of Africa, the public healthcare system mainly serves a lower-income bracket, while expats and those who can afford it use the private healthcare system.

A night sky view of Botswana

It is always recommended that visitors make use of travel insurance and medical aid services supplied by their providers at home, which will ensure that they can benefit from treatment in the private healthcare facilities in Botswana. Citizens of Botswana pay a very small fee for healthcare in public hospitals and mobile clinics, as the healthcare they receive is mostly subsidised. Private healthcare providers are geared towards catering for tourism, and provide a good service. Recommended medical services for tourists in Botswana are Medical Rescue International, and Okavango Air Rescue.

Malaria free safari in Botswana

There is no clear-cut answer to this question. Although Botswana’s malaria-risk is lower than some other African nations, there is still a certain risk associated with travel through the beautiful Botswana bush. It’s therefore advised that you practice precautions before you travel to Botswana. Anti-malaria medication is a must - and you should consult your doctor in this regard.…

The Elephants of Botswana

A far cry from the photographic safari-enthusiasts that visit Chobe National Park now, the park was once the haunt of large-scale ivory hunters. It’s hard to imagine that by the second half of the 19th century ivory hunting was so rife that elephants were almost extinct in the Chobe area. Today, “thlou” (the local Setswana term for elephant) are safe in Chobe National Park and…

Boat cruise in Chobe, Botswana

The Chobe Riverfront is Africa dressed to her fullest splendor. The broad life-giving waters of the river, bounded by expansive floodplains, are best seen by boat. Cruising or drifting along at eye-level offers unbeatable photographic opportunities for wildlife and birds: African skimmers (that arrive any time from the month of May and lay their eggs on exposed sandbanks) carve out silver…

Botswana in December

December and January are Botswana’s wettest months, with afternoon thunderstorms a regular feature across the country. The rains are cooling, but daytime temperatures remain high, averaging in the low 30°C’s, but with hot days of up to 40°C or more. Nights tend to be humid and warm, often not dropping below 20°C. The clear atmosphere and thunderclouds make for excellent…

Walking with Meerkats in Botswana

The Makgadikgadi Pans offers guests the incredible chance to spend a morning with a local meerkat colony. The meerkats respond to the non-threatening presence of people by simply carrying on with their daily activities, that consist mainly of rummaging the veld for scorpions and other tasty bites to eat. The habituation of these lively little desert mammals depends very much on the…

Horseriding in Botswana

Exploring the Makgadikgadi from the saddle of a well-trained horse can be a truly marvelous escapade. It is a completely different safari experience, evocative of the adventures of Africa’s early European settlers who often chose this way of moving through the great savannas of Africa. Cantering on the remote expanses of the salt pans and surrounding coppery grasslands is to feel a…