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Getting
To Botswana
Getting
There by Air
Currently
there is no non-stop or direct service between North America
and Botswana. The national airline, Air
Botswana (BP), provides international air services into
Botswana (Gaborone, Kasane, Maun and Francistown) from Harare
(Zimbabwe) and Johannesburg, South Africa.
The most
convenient route from the USA is via the primary connecting
gateway into Botswana - Johannesburg, South Africa.
Daily air
service from the U.S.A. is offered by South
African Airways via Johannesburg, South Africa through its
gateway airports in Washington, DC (IAD) and New York City (JFK).
South African Express provides frequent daily service between
Johannesburg and Gaborone, Botswana.
Delta
Airlines also offers direct service into Johannesburg from
Atlanta (HAR) and New York City (JFK).
Approximate
Flight Times
Flight times vary depending upon U.S. gateway (New York, Atlanta,
or Washington, D.C.) and final destination of Gaborone. At present,
minimum elapsed travel time from U.S.A. gateway to Gaborone,
including stopovers and connections, range from 21 - 24 hours,
but can be longer depending upon connections.
Entry/Exit
Requirements
Passport/Visa
A passport with at least six months of validity remaining is
required. U.S. citizens are permitted stays up to 90 days without
a visa. Visitors must also have outgoing travel documents and
sufficient funds to finance their stay. Nationals other than
United States citizens are advised to contact their country's
high commission/embassy to determine passport and visa requirements.
For additional
information on entry/exit requirements, travelers may contact
the Embassy of the Republic of Botswana, 1531-1533 New Hampshire
Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036, telephone (202) 244-4990/1,
fax (202) 244-4164 or the Permanent Mission of the Republic
of Botswana to the United Nations, 103 E. 37th St., New York,
NY, 10016, telephone (212) 889-2277, fax (212) 725-5061. The
Embassy of Botswana web site contains the most updated information
online.
As a general
precaution, all travelers are advised to carry a photocopy of
the photo/bio information page of their passport and keep it
in a location separate from the passport.
For complete
guidelines on Botswana's customs requirements, click
here.
Departure
Tax
International: P100 (approximately USD12). Local P50 (approximately
USD6).
Getting
there by Water
A car ferry
operates across the Zambezi River to/from Zambia.
Getting
There by Road
By Auto
There
is reasonable road access linking Botswana with South Africa
and Zimbabwe. There are also roads connecting Botswana and Namibia.
Border
Crossing
Border
opening hours change all the time, but major crossings between
Botswana and Namibia or South Africa generally open sometime
between 6am and 8am and close sometime between 6pm and 10pm.
The main crossings between Botswana and Zimbabwe are open from
6am to 8pm, and the Kazungula ferry to Zambia runs from 6am
to 6pm.
At border
crossings, arriving travelers are often requested to clean their
shoes, even those packed away in their luggage, in a disinfectant
dip to prevent them carrying foot-and-mouth disease into the
country. Vehicles must also pass through a pit filled with the
same disinfectant.
Click
here for a map showing all border posts and opening times.
By Bus
Frequent services operate between Gaborone and Johannesburg.
Services are also available from Windhoek in Namibia to Maun,
and between Bulawayo in Zimbabwe and Francistown. Private transfers
can be booked between Victoria Falls and Kasane (for Chobe National
Park). Complicated formalities may be necessary for crossing
the border to or from South Africa, where the South African
Customs Union agreement is in operation.
Getting
There by Rail
The Botswana Railways system is limited to one line running
through eastern Botswana. It stretches from Ramokgwebana on
the Zimbabwean border to Ramatlhabama on the South African border.
Although inexpensive and reliable, it is slow and serves places
of little or no interest to the tourist.
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