Need to Know
Currency
Language
Visas
Mobile Phones
Time
When to Go
High Season (May or Jun–Oct)
ADry season, warm clear days, hotter in September to October in Botswana.
ABest time for wildlife-watching as animals congregate around waterholes.
ASwakopmund and Walvis Bay can experience sandstorms June to August.
AMay is sometimes considered shoulder season, so prices can be lower in lodges.
Shoulder (Nov & Apr)
AA good time with fewer tourists and good wildlife viewing.
AThe 'little rains' come in Namibia in November.
ABy April the floodwaters have reached the upper Delta in Botswana.
AMigratory birds begin arriving in the region in November – a great time for birders.
Low Season (Dec–Mar)
AThe rainy season, so many tracks impassable but fewer tourists.
AThe parks can be lush with new-season growth.
AFrom December to March it’s roasting and some long hiking trails are closed.
AThis is actually considered high season in parts of the Kalahari such as the Central Kalahari Game Reserve.
Useful Websites
Lonely Planet (www.lonelyplanet.com) Destination information, hotel bookings, traveller forum and more.
Botswana Tourism (www.botswanatourism.co.bw) Department of Tourism website.
Namibia Tourism (www.namibiatourism.com.na) Tourism portal for the Namibian government, with excellent, high-level coverage of the country.
Namibia Wildlife Resorts (www.nwr.com.na) Info and booking service for Namibia’s national parks.
Cardboard Box Travel Shop (www.namibian.org) Namibia’s best adventure-travel agency.
Safari Bookings (www.safaribookings.com) Fantastic resource for booking your safari, with expert and traveller reviews.
Regional Tourism Organisation of Southern Africa (www.retosa.co.za) Promotes tourism in Botswana and Namibia.
Important Numbers
Botswana does not use area codes. Namibia uses three-digit area codes.
| Botswana | Namibia | |
|---|---|---|
| Country Code | 267 | 264 |
| International Access Code | 00 | 00 |
| Emergency | 999 | 10111 |
| Ambulance | 997 | |
| Fire | 998 | |
| Police | 999 |
Daily Costs
Budget: Less than US$75
ADorm bed: US$10–15
ACampsite: US$18–30
ATwo meals in cheap restaurants: US$10–20
AIntercity bus: US$25–100
Midrange: US$75–150
ADouble room in midrange hotel: US$50–150
ATwo meals in nice restaurant: US$25–30
AInternal flights: US$100–200
AOne-off scenic flight in Okavango Delta: around US$100
Top End: More than US$150
ADouble room in top-end hotel: from US$150
APer person in high-season lodge: from US$1000
A4WD rental per day: from US$150
AMeals in top-end restaurants: US$40–50
Opening Hours
Botswana
Banks 8.30am–3.30pm Monday to Friday, 8.15am–10.45am Saturday
National parks 6am–6.30pm April to September, 5.30am–7pm October to March
Restaurants 11am–11pm Monday to Saturday; some also open the same hours on Sunday
Namibia
Banks 8am or 9am–3pm Monday–Friday, 8am–12.30pm Saturday
Post offices 8am–4.30pm Monday–Friday, 8.30–11am Saturday
Petrol stations Only a few open 24 hours; in outlying areas fuel hard to find after hours or Sunday
Exchange Rates
| Botswana | Namibia | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | A$1 | P7.69 | N$9.63 |
| Canada | C$1 | P7.71 | N$9.66 |
| Europe | €1 | P11.43 | N$14.32 |
| Japan | ¥100 | P9.26 | N$11.59 |
| New Zealand | NZ$1 | P7.36 | N$9.22 |
| South Africa | R1 | P0.80 | N$1 |
| UK | £1 | P12.99 | N$16.26 |
| US | US$1 | P10.20 | N$12.76 |
For current exchange rates, see www.xe.com
Arriving in Botswana & Namibia
OR Tambo International Airport
(Johannesburg (Ortia;
GOOGLE MAP ; 
%011-921
6262; www.airports.co.za))
The main gateway to the region with regular flights to Windhoek and
Gaborone.
Chief Hosea Kutako International Airport (Windhoek) Taxis to the centre cost up to N$400 and take between 45 minutes and an hour.
Sir Seretse Khama International Airport (Gaborone) Taxis rarely turn up at the airport, but if you see one they cost P100 to the centre (15 to 20 minutes). The only reliable transport is the courtesy minibus operated by the top-end hotels for their guests; nonguests may be able to hitch a ride.