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.

Public transport in Botswana

Paved highways connect Botswana’s major towns and while most are in good condition, some sections are badly potholed. You’ll need to keep an eye out for these, as well as for both wild and domesticated animals. Stray cattle and donkeys are common near villages and the donkeys can be particularly dangerous. They have a tendency to stand in the middle of the road, refusing to move and…

An affordable Botswana safari

Advice for achieving a value-for-money holiday in Botswana would be to plan ahead and book accommodation in the best wildlife areas at the best time of year, so that one can get the most out of the safari experience and money spent. It pays to do some research about the lodges in the country to compare prices and find out what the affordable options are in hotspot areas like the Delta,…

Flight over the flamingos in Botswana

The sheets of water that cover the northeastern section of the Makgadikgadi during the first few months of wetter years attract a phenomenal marvel of water birds. The arrival of this water stimulates the birth of millions of tiny shrimps and other crustaceans otherwise lying dormant below the white salt crust. Greater and Lesser flamingos arrive, even journeying from as far off as the…

Active adventure holiday in Botswana

The most adventurous experience you can have in Botswana is to do it by road. There are good road networks to cater for self-drivers, car rental is available in well-equipped 4x4, and border crossings are mostly efficient. Campsites in Botswana are basic, and they are designed to keep the element of the wild present, so sleeping in a tent while lion, hyena, elephant, or hippo walks by…

Botswana in September

Northern Botswana stays completely dry during September, but the centre and south may receive a few scattered showers. Temperatures climb rapidly throughout the month and no longer drop below 0°C, even in the Kalahari. Average lows are between 10°C and 15°C, a bit cooler in the south and warmer in the north. By the end of September, the days are hot everywhere, averaging over 30°C and…

Botswana in August

August remains extremely dry across Botswana, although by the end of the month there may be a brief shower somewhere in the south. Temperatures, however, are already beginning to rise and while nights in the Kalahari can still fall below freezing, sub-zero mornings are the exception not the norm. Daytime temperatures also climb rapidly during August and hot days across the country will…

Popular Botswana Safaris

These popular itineraries can be customised to match your budget and travel dates