Hilux 4x4 Forum

Hi all

I'm keen to either join a group going to Botswana at the end of the year or connecting with an arranged tour. Any suggestions highly appreciated please.

Anthony have a look at this club - http://www.4x4offroad.co.za/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


That said, you can do 95% of Botswana on your own. For that other 5% it certainly is better to join a group

Howzit Antony,

Me n Swambo have been doing Bots solo for a couple of years now. Actually got back last week from a trip up to Dijara. What are your concerns that suggest you need to join a group? Feel free to PM me and we can chat - cos really, its such a great country and personally I think your'e better off doing it alone or with good friends
m2cw

mushroom wrote:Howzit Antony,

Me n Swambo have been doing Bots solo for a couple of years now. Actually got back last week from a trip up to Dijara. What are your concerns that suggest you need to join a group? Feel free to PM me and we can chat - cos really, its such a great country and personally I think your'e better off doing it alone or with good friends
m2cw

obviously a convey of 2 or 3 vehicles with old buddies is 1st prize.

but I would rather travel solo than tackle 2 or 3 weeks with a tour group.

Heaven forbid I encounter somebody like myself that holds up the group with his cameras ...


dit vat goeie vriende om so lank saam te leef in die bos.

I was fortunate enough to go to Bots my first time with friends that had been there before and had good knowledge of how things work and great places to go to. So I can see the value of going with someone that has been there before. But we also have this big idea that its like going to another planet. Its not. If you can't join someone with the experience of having travelled in Bots, but you do tons of research about the country, you will eventually see that it is not nearly as difficult as one imagines. Read up on the border and travel regulations, and then read up on different places to stay, climate, best time to travel and all sorts of other information that will make it possible... Read up on trip reports to Bots on this forum and on any other websites...

Botswana is easy. The people are friendly and helpful and especially around the Delta and places up north they are geared towards tourism. It is like Val said, not as rough as everybody thinks. There are some things to keep in mind, but that you will find out about in the research that you have to do beforehand anyway,

We do most of our travels alone, and we did some BW alone as well... Just be careful of livestock walking in the roads.. that is basically the biggest threat.. and keep to the speed limits..

YES .. speedlimits !!

You will be on what looks like a deserted tar road, good nick and ready to open up the throttle .. then you see yet another speed reduction down to 80km/h - with absolutely no apparent reason. Until you slow down and LOOK through the trees, you are only a few hundred meters from a township and school.

and this happens often


Their idea of a 60km/h zone - you get FINED for doing 62km/h !! And NO, you dont leave until you paid. Proper receipt and all, no blackmail, just enforcing the law properly.


Places like NATA have a large dot on the map, but hardly has a farmstall style shop.

To the West the large town is Maun, to the North it is Kasane, not sure of the South/East side.

Master and Visa Cards work nicely and you dont need lots of cash, BUT every so often the network is down and you will need some cash on hand. We paid with our card for the border fees, then drew cash in Kasane. Might be easier to get some from your local Forex.

Going "up" is fine. The fun starts when you drive "down". There are various vetinary roadblocks - Raw red meat and some fresh produce (season dependant) may not pass these points. So plan your stock properly, and braai/cook your meat before driving down.

DO take copies of bookings and payments with you, and correspondence ....


Above all - ENJOY the trip !!

STUNNING country !!

Friendly people !

Speak to Taralee Goosen -

http://www.botswanafootprints.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.facebook.com/Botswanafootprints" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

KNOWS tourism, knows her country, and delivers excellent service.

I agree with Chris - Tara at Botswana footprints is a legend, and will get you into the places that you always struggle to get into

Small towns like Nata, tend to have nondescript little butcheries, that on entering, one realises that the hygiene is really good (even though it looked like a workshop from the outside ), and they will be selling beef fillet at R38/kg !!

On the east side, theres Francistown - very big, and has everything - including 40 million Zim visitors, so they have a higher crime problem there - keep an eye on your valuables. Selebi Phikwe is another large town in the south east side, and is well stocked. Sally's butchery sell fillet for R100/kg (cheaper than here but a rip on Bots terms), and do good venison biltong. Heading west from here one goes through Palapye and Mahalapye - both small towns, but will have most things a camper/overlander needs.

In the smaller villages/towns the garages/petrol stations are well stocked. Be aware that only certain stations have 50 ppm diesel, and 10ppm is non existent.

Interesting reading. Never been outside our borders but definitely plan to one day. Thanks for all the advice.

Oh and its advisable to travel with the local currency ie. Pula... at border crossing you need to pay in Pula, and the exchange rate at the border is terrible if you don't come prepared....

SA - Rands
Botswana - Pula, Rands can be used in very few places, and with insane exchange rates applied. Master and VISA cards are very handy, but dont rely on this !
Namibia - Namibian dollars, at a fixed exchange rate of 1N$ to R1. SA Rands are accepted all over. Again Master and VISA cards are very handy, but dont rely on this !

I found that in a town like Kasane the garage compressor and gauge was not working. So if you deflate your tyres when doing Chobe .... you will need a compressor. The same applied in Katima. Maybe we just had bad luck. Use your own tyre preasure gauge to confirm garage tyre preasures. Keep all your shoes ready and easy to find as they will ask you to put them in a costic soda mixture to prevent foot and mouth disease spreading. Lastly at the roadblock or Vet check point stop at the stop sign and wait for the official to call you to him. They get very upset and almost fined us.