Botswana: How to get there and traffic
How do you get to Botswana?
Plane
There are no direct flights from Europe to Botswana. Flight connections from Europe go via Johannesburg in South Africa, Windhoek in Namibia and via Harare and Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe. The country’s international airport is located at Gaborone.
Ferry
A car ferry operates on the Zambezi River between Botswana and Zambia.
Railway Railway
connections lead from Gaborone to Johannesburg in South Africa and Harare in Zimbabwe. The South African Blue Train (luxury train) also travels to Zimbabwe via Botswana. An expansion of the route network to Namibia is planned. In addition, the Limpopo railway line from Zimbabwe to Mozambique will soon continue.
Car, buses
Roads also lead to South Africa and Zimbabwe. However, they are often impassable during heavy rainfall. There are regular buses between Gabarone and Johannesburg in South Africa and to Namibia and Zimbabwe.
Travel in the country
Air connections
There are domestic connections between Gaborone and Kasane and Gaborone and Maun. There are also airports in Francistown, Ghanzi, Jwaneng, Pont Drift and Selebi-Phikwe. Small planes can also be chartered.
Bus
Long-distance buses travel from Gaborone to Francistown, Nata and Maun.
Railway
The country has about 900 km of railway line. Regular trains run between Ramathlabama and Francistown.
Roads, rental cars
Botswana’s paved road network covers approximately 5,600 km. Asphalt roads lead from Lobatse via Francistown to Ramokgwebana, from Lobatse to Jwaneng and from Francistown to Kazungula. All-wheel drive is usually required for the remaining roads. During the rainy season, the roads are partially impassable. An international driving license is recommended when renting a car. A Botswana driver’s license is required for stays of over six months. Depending on the car brand and rental company, rental cars are available from the age of 21 or 25 years.
Traffic rules
There is left-hand traffic in Botswana. In order to avoid trouble with the police or even the courts, one should strictly adhere to the traffic rules applicable in the country. The maximum speeds shown can of course be reduced or increased by traffic signs. Regardless of the information given here, it is advisable to obtain detailed information from the ADAC, the AvD or the traffic clubs in the country concerned.
Maximum speeds
In addition to the general speed limits shown, the speed limits indicated by signs must be strictly observed.
- Urban: in built-up areas there is a speed limit of 60 km/h
- Outside built-up areas: outside built-up areas there is a speed limit of 120 km/h
- National parks: in the national parks there is a speed limit of 30 km/ h.
Special regulations
It is compulsory to wear seat belts on all seats.
Blood
alcohol limits In Botswana there is a blood alcohol limit of 0.8 per mille for drivers of motor vehicles.
International license plate
According to Abbreviationfinder, the international license plate of Botswana is:
| RB |
Botswana: entry and exit regulations
Formalities, visas
Tourists from Germany can stay in Botswana for up to 90 days without a visa. You will need a passport that is valid for at least six months after your stay, a return or onward travel ticket and sufficient funds for your stay. A valid yellow fever vaccination must be proven when entering from a yellow fever area.
Issuing of visas in Germany
Visa department at the Embassy of Botswana
169, Avenue de Tervuren
1150 Brussels/Belgium
Tel: 0032 (0) 2 739 11 20, 735 20 70
Fax: 0032 (0) 2 735 63 18
Email: botswana@brutele.be
Import and export of foreign currency
National currency
The import of the national currency is unlimited, the export is permitted up to an amount of 50 pula.
Foreign currencies
The import of foreign currency is permitted without restriction, but there is a declaration requirement. Export is permitted up to the amount declared on entry.
Import and export of goods
Items for personal use can be imported duty-free. There are no known restrictions on the export of goods.
Botswana: Travel Medicine, Vaccinations, and Warnings
Infectious Diseases
In Botswana, the following infectious diseases are to be expected, which are not or less common in Germany or Central and Northern Europe:
- Malaria: There is a year-round risk of infection for malaria in the following regions:Kasane on the Zambezi River and the Okawango, as well as in the Boteti, Chobe, Ngamiland and Tutume regions.About 90% of the infections occur with the very dangerous malaria tropica, the rest with malaria tertiana. In the south of the country there is no or only a very low risk of malaria infection
- HIV infections, AIDS – there is a high rate of infection
- Amoebic dysentery
- Bacterial agitation
- Schistosomiasis, – especially in the Maharashtra area
- Cholera – but there is only a risk of infection for travelers who come into contact with polluted water or contaminated food.
- Intestinal infections from contaminated food or water, including amoebas, lamblia, salmonella, shigella, worm infestation and all kinds of viruses and bacteria
- Hepatitis A and B
- Polio, polio
- Sleeping sickness
- tetanus
- rabies
- Typhoid, paratyphoid – the risk of infection only exists for travelers who come into contact with polluted water or contaminated food.
Vaccination recommendations
- Cholera – but only among travelers who can come into contact with polluted water or contaminated food.
- Diphtheria – a vaccination against diphtheria should always exist, also in the home country.
- Hepatitis A and B
- Polio, polio – vaccination against polio should always exist, also in the home country.
- Tetanus – a vaccination against tetanus should always exist, also in the home country.
- Rabies – but only for high-risk travelers who can come into contact with the vector animals.
- Typhoid – but only for travelers who can come into contact with polluted water or contaminated food.
Compulsory vaccination
For all persons older than one year and coming from a yellow fever infection area designated by the WHO, there is a compulsory vaccination against an illness with yellow fever.
Malaria prophylaxis
When traveling in the country, especially when traveling to the areas mentioned above, it is advisable to undergo malaria prophylaxis. However, if the side effects seem questionable to you, you should at least have a “stand-by preparation” with you.
Who pays for vaccinations in Germany?
Most people in Germany are vaccinated against a number of infectious diseases at an early age. However, the vaccination protection only lasts up to 10 years, in some cases even shorter. Therefore, before traveling abroad, you should carefully consider against which infectious diseases a vaccination is necessary or useful in the country concerned and whether the vaccination protection, if applicable, was not too long ago.
Most statutory health insurances have been reimbursing the costs for the following vaccinations since June 2007. There is even no 10 € practice fee – but the insured usually have to pay the statutory additional payment, which is 10% of the vaccine price – that is at least 5 € and a maximum of 10 €. Under these conditions, the following vaccinations are free of charge. Some health insurance companies also reimburse the cost of malaria prophylaxis. As a rule, private health insurance companies (inquire beforehand) also cover the costs mentioned.
- cholera
- diphtheria
- Early summer meningoencephalitis (TBE)
- Yellow fever
- Hepatitis A and B
- Meningococcal meningitis
- Pneumococci
- Polyo (polio)
- Tetanus (tetanus)
- rabies
- typhus
Current warnings
Foreign Office of the Federal Republic of Germany
Citizens Service
Tel: 0049 – (0) 30 – 5000 – 2000
Fax: 0049 – (0) 30 – 5000 – 51000
www.auswaertiges-amt.de
Botswana: Currency, Shopping, and Exchange Rate
The national currency of Botswana is the pula
1 Pula = 100 Thebe
The following banknotes are valid and in circulation in the country:
- 100
- 50
- 20th
- 10
- 5 Pula
Exchange rate
You can find a currency converter at the following URL:
http://www.offizz.de/helpdesk/hd_devisen.html
Bank opening times
Banks in Botswana are open from 9:00 am to 3:30 pm on weekdays and from 8:15 am to 10:45 am on Saturdays.
Shop
Shops in Botswana are open from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. on weekdays and 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Saturdays.
Inexpensive or country-specific goods, souvenirs
Popular souvenirs are wood carvings, jewelry, leather items, ceramics and basketry as well as hand-woven fabrics.
Botswana: Embassies, consulates and tourist office
Visit Countryaah for a full list of Botswana embassies and consulates in each country around the world.
Representations of Botswana in Germany
Embassy
The responsible embassy is the embassy in Brussels or the honorary consulates in Germany.
Embassy of the Republic of Botswana in Brussels
169, Avenue de Tervuren
1150 Brussels
Tel: 0032 – (0) 2 – 735 6110
0032 – (0) 2 – 735 2070
Fax: 0032 – (0) 2 – 735 6318
Email: botswana @ brutele. be Honorary Consulate of the Republic of Botswana in Hamburg Berzeliusstraße 45 22113 Hamburg Tel: 0049 – (0) 40 – 732 6191 Fax: 0049 – (0) 40 – 732 8506
Responsible for: Hamburg, Bremen, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Lower Saxony and Schleswig-Holstein
Honorary Consulate of the Republic of Botswana in Munich
Theresienhöhe 12
80339 Munich
Tel: 0049 – (0) 89 – 8393 7292 323
Email: botswana-munich@web.de
Responsible for: Bavaria
German representations in Botswana
Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Gaborone
Professional House, Broadhurst, Segodithsane Way
Gaborone
:
Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany
PO Box 315
Gaborone, Botswana
Tel: 00267 – 395 3143
00267 – 395 3806
Fax: 00267 – 395 3038
Email: info @ gaborone. diplo.de
www.gaborone.diplo.de
Honorary Consulate in Maun
Crocodile Safaris, Plot No.: 4
Moremi Road, Matlapaneng
:
Honorary Consul of the Federal Republic of Germany
Afritourism Ltd., POB 46
Maun, Botswana
Tel: 00267 – 686 0265
Fax: 00267 – 686 0793
Email: khg @ info.
Austrian representations in Botswana
The Federal Republic of Austria does not have an embassy in Benin, but is represented by an honorary consulate. The embassy in South Africa is responsible.
Embassy of the Federal Republic of Austria in South Africa
1109, Duncan Street, Brooklyn
Pretoria 0181
Tel: 0027 – (0) 12 – 452 9155
Fax: 0027 – (0) 12 – 460 1151
Email: pretoria-ob@bmeia.gv.at
www.aussenministerium.at/pretoria
The Austrian embassy in South Africa is still responsible for:
- Lesotho
- Madagascar
- Mauritius
- Namibia
- Swaziland
Honorary consulate in Gaborone (without passport authorization)
Plot 50667, Block B3, Fairground Holdings Park
Gaborone
:
POBox 335
Gaborone
Tel: 00267 – 395 1514
00267 – 395 2638
Fax: 00267 – 395 3876
Email: dkhama@info.bw
Representations of Botswana in Austria
Embassy
Botswana does not have an embassy in Austria, but is represented by an honorary consulate.
Honorary Consulate of the Republic of Botswana in Vienna
Linke Wienzeile 4
1060 Vienna
Tel: 0043 – (0) 1 – 587 9616
Fax: 0043 – (0) 1 – 587 3432
Email: meixner@meixner.com
Swiss representation in Botswana
Embassy
Switzerland does not have an embassy in Botswana, but is represented by an honorary consulate.
Consulate of Switzerland in Gaorone
Plot 5268, Village
Gaborone
Botswana
:
Consulate of Switzerland
PO Box 45607
Riverwalk
Gaborone
Botswana
Tel: 00267 – 395 6462
Fax: 00267 – 395 6462
Email: jlubbe@flyingmission.org
Representations of Botswana in Switzerland
Embassy of the Republic of Botswana in Geneva
Rue de Lausanne 80
1201 Geneva
Tel: 0041 – (0) 22 – 906 1060
Fax: 0041 – (0) 22 – 906 1061
Tourist office
Botswana Tourism Board
Plot 50676
Fairgrounds Office Park
Block B, Ground Floor
Tel: 00267 – 391 3111
Fax: 00267 – 395 9220
Email: board@botswanatourism.co.bw
http://www.botswanatourism.co.bw
