Botswana

Government advisories

• ☐ United States: level 2/4 — Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution
• ☐ United Kingdom: level 1/4
• ☐ Canada: level 2/4 — Exercise a high degree of caution

Health notices

• ☐ Global Measles (level 1)

Entry requirements

☐ Visitors to Botswana require a visa unless they come from one of the visa exempt countries.

Practical

• ☐ Plug type D/G/M, 230V — bring an adapter if yours differs
• ☐ Drives on the left
• ☐ Emergency (police): 999
• ☐ Emergency (ambulance): 997
• ☐ Emergency (fire): 998
• ☐ Money: Botswana's currency is the pula, denoted by the symbol "P" (ISO 4217 code: BWP). It is subdivided into 100 thebe. Pula means "rain" in Setswana (rain is very scarce in Botswana - home to much of the Kalahari Desert - and therefore valuable and a "blessing"). Thebe means "shield".

Laws that could get a tourist arrested

• ☐ Drug trafficking — Trafficking drugs results in a mandatory prison sentence.
• ☐ Undeclared prescription medication — Travelers must present a prescription for all medication brought into the country. Failure to declare these items leads to fines or imprisonment.

Before you go

General trip-prep, not specific to Botswana — the same short list applies anywhere.

• ☐ Register with your embassy's traveler program if one exists
• ☐ Check your passport's validity and blank-page requirements on your destination's official entry-rules page
• ☐ Photograph/screenshot your passport, visa, and travel insurance documents
• ☐ Download offline maps for your destination
• ☐ Confirm your bank/card issuer knows you're traveling
• ☐ Check whether your phone plan needs a travel add-on or a local SIM