Okavango and Chobe Safaris
P/Bag BR 158 Gaborone
Tel: 304281Safari and Bush Services
P. O. Box 1051 Gaborone
Tel: 352729

Vira Safaris (Pty) Ltd.
P. O. Box 1602 Gaborone
Tel: 372309

Maun

Africa Calls
P. O. Box 15 Maun
Tel: 660614Chanouga Safaris (Pty) Ltd.
Travel and Safari Consultants
Ngami Centres & Maun Airport
P/Bag 44 Maun
Fax: 660664
Tel: 660647 Telex: 2612 BD

Crocodile Camp Safaris
Delta House at Tsaro Street
PO Box 46 MAUN Botswana
Tel +267-660796
Fax +267-660793
E-mail : okavango@iafrica.com
WWW.BOTSWANA.COM
(as of 01 Oct 97)

Game Studios Botswana (Pty) Ltd.
Box 108 Maun
Tel: 660559

Graham Tony Island Safari Lodge
Box 116 Maun
Tel: 660300

Island Safari Lodge
Box 116 Maun
Tel: 660

Koro Safaris (Pty) Ltd.
P/Bag 22 Maun
Tel: 660205

Lloyd Wilmot Safaris (Pty)Ltd.
Box 37 Maun
Tel: 660351

Moremi Safaris (Pty) Ltd.
Box 26 Maun
Tel: 660222

Ntswi Safaris (Pty) Ltd.
Box 450 Maun
Tel: 660023

Nxamasere Fishing Camp
P/Bag 23 Maun
Tel: 660493

Okavango Tours and Safaris
Box 39 Maun
Tel: 660220

Photographic Safaris and Expeditions
P/Bag 26 Maun
Tel: 660528

Safari & Guide Services (Pty) Ltd.
Private Bag 13 Maun

Travel Wild (Pty) Ltd.
Box 236 Maun
Telex: 2487 BD
Fax: 660493.
Tel: 660494/660822

Tsaro Photographic Safaris (Pty) Ltd.
P/Bag 26 Maun
Tel: 660528

Tula Safaris
P/Bag X27 Maun
Tel: 660867

Vira Safaris (Pty) Ltd.
Hunting Safaris
Box 119 Maun
Tel: 660383/660593

Wildlife Safaris
Box 236 Maun
Tel: 660430

• 2 litres wine.
• 1 litre of spirits and other alcoholic beverages.
• 400 cigarettes, 50 cigars, 250 gm cigarette and pipe tobacco.
• 50 ml perfume.
• 250 ml toilet water.
• Goods with a value of up to the value of ZAR500 from within the SACU zone (Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland) and to the value of ZAR3000 from outside the zone.

• Goods brought into the country, acquired within the Common Customs Area – comprising Botswana, South Africa, Lesotho, and Swaziland – are free from customs duties, but may be subject to sales tax and additional duties.

However, the importation of pornographic material and narcotics into Botswana is strictly illegal, restrictions are imposed on the importation of fire arms, vehicles, boats, food and animals.

The improvement is aimed at developing the tourism industry and opening up Botswana to the outside world by availing direct flights to Botswana from other countries. Currently, there are plans underway to construct 19 airstrips throughout the country and the expansion of Sir Seretse Khama Airport and Francis town and Maun airports to accommodate bigger airlines are on going.

Botswana has got 5 major airlines approved by the Civil Aviation Authority Of Botswana with the Air Operator Certificate. These are:

• Air Botswana.
• Mack Air.
• Moremi Air.
• Northern Air.
• Sefofane Air

Other airlines with flights to Botswana are: South African Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Lufthansa and British Airways. The airports in Botswana complete with their International Air and Transport Association codes (IATA) and International Civil Aviation Organisation codes (ICAO)are:

The AIDS epidemic has subsequently reduced the life expectancy in Botswana from 65 years to 35 years and has had a colossal negative effect on the economy as the government has reduced spending on economic development to finance health deficits as a result of mostly HIV/AIDS. This however has seen positive results as Anti Retroviral Drugs (ARV’s)are now available free of charge in addition to the nationwide reduction of mother to child transmission of the disease by 36%.

Another disease that has severely hit the country is cancer in form of breast, eye, mouth, cervix and bone marrow cancer. This led to the formation of the Cancer Association Of Botswana to create awareness of the disease. Health units in Botswana consist: Referral hospitals, District hospitals, Primary hospitals, Clinics and Health posts and Mobile clinics. There are 3 referral hospitals in Botswana namely:

• Princess Marina Hospital in Gaborone complete with Computerized Tomography Scan (CT scan) and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI).
• Nyangabgwe Hospital in Francis Town also complete with Computerized Tomography Scanning equipment.
• Lobatse Mental Hospital.

In addition, there are 23 district hospitals, 12 district hospitals, 17 primary hospitals,222 clinics,330 health posts and 740 mobile stops in Botswana. It is important to note that private medical rescue services and private doctor services are very available all through Gaborone and Botswana. Below are vital medical contact addresses in Botswana:

• Ministry of Health: Private Bag 0038, Gaborone. Tel: +267 352 000 Fax: +267 353 100
• Botswana Medical Council: Private Bag 0038, Gaborone
• Botswana Dental Association: Private Bag 00437, Garobone Tel: +267 375 212
• Fire-                           998.
• Medical rescue-       911.
• Ambulance-              997.
• Police-                        999

Below is a comprehensive guide to hospitals in Botswana:

The education system in Botswana is designed such that one has to go through 10 years of basic education, 2 years of secondary education which leads to the award of a general certificate of secondary education and eventually the final stage-university.

Even if free-state education was abolished in 2006, the government offers full scholarships for Botswana citizens at university level. It goes on to sponsor nationals’ study abroad for those vying for courses that are not locally offered. Below is a guide to the universities contacts in Botswana:

• UNIVERSITY OF BOTSWANA

4775 Notwane Rd. Gaborone, Botswana
Private Bag UB 0022 Gaborone, Botswana
Tel: [267] 355-0000 |  Fax: [267] 395-6591

• BOTSWANA COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE

Private Bag 0027
Gaborone, Botswana

Telephone: (267) 365 0100
Fax: (267) 3928 753
Telegrams: AGRICOLA

• BOTSWANA INSTITUTE OF ADMNISTRATION AND COMMERCE

Postal box 10026,

Gaborone,

Botswana.

• INSTITUTE OF DEVELOPMENT MANAGEMENT

Carbo Center (adjacent to Riverwalk), First Floor, Gaborone

Postal Address PO Box 60167

Telephone +267-3906433

Fax +267-3913423

1 Jan New Year.

2^nd Jan Public Holiday.

Between March&April Easter.

1 May Labour Day

40 days after Easter Ascension Day.

1 Jul Sir Seretse Khama Day.

20 Jul President’s Day.

30 Sep Botswana Day.

25 Dec – 26 Dec Christmas.

1^st Monday after christmas is a Public Holiday.

• NATIONAL MUSEUM AND ART GALLERY

Established in 1967, the National Museum and Art gallery also known as Botswana National Museum is located in the country’s capital of Gaborone. The national museum encompasses the national art gallery, national library and octagon gallery. The Botswana museum mostly displays traditional and cultural Botswana crafts and paintings and also promotes the work of local artists. This it does with the object of re-enkindling interest in Botswana cultural heritage.

The National Museum is known for hosting various annual exhibitions at the octagon and Maun galleries. These exhibitions include: The children’s art competition, artists in Botswana and the Thapong international. It is also famous for being the final burial place of the Negro of Banyoles after the controversial bushman’s remains were repatriated from Darder museum in Spain in 2000.

• KHAMA III MEMORIAL MUSEUM

Located at the foot hills of Thataganyana hill in Serowe, Khama III memorial museum was officially opened on 19^th October 1985 with the aim of creating cultural pride and awareness among the people of Serowe. The museum is housed by 2 buildings one known as Red house because of its red roof and the other which serves as a garage and workshop.

At the museum, one is assured of reading Bessie Head’s writings. Bessie Head is the most famous writer to come out of Botswana. Born to a rich white South African mother and a servant black father, Bessie Head sought refuge in Botswana after involvement in Pan African politics in South Africa. Her works mostly centred  around ordinary life and her love hate relationship with Botswana until her death in 1986 in Serowe Botswana. Also, the history of Botswana’s first president Sir Seretse Khama and his fore fathers can be assessed at the museum.

Paintings and crafts of local artists like: Egg shell necklaces, wooden statues and painted Ostrich eggs can be viewed at the museum. The history of the San (Bushmen) from 25.000 years ago is readily available. The museum also hosts a number of cultural galas in art workshops, traditional dances, lectures and talks.

• NHABE MUSEUM

Situated in Maun and the only museum in the north west region of Botswana,Nhabe museum majorly outlines the history and culture of the Okavango delta.Opened in 1995 but registered in 1995,the museum is housed in a historically significant building set up by the British military in 1939 to survey German presence in Namibia during the 2^nd world war.

Nhabe museum was part of a conservation drive that stretched from environmental to cultural conservation by the Tshomarelo conservation society in 1994.Exhibitions at the museum range from cultural historical crafts.fine art,photography to writen poetry.Also, visitors at the museum get to learn historical facts of the dominant tribe in Maun(Batawana tribe) and therein is a nursery bed where one can access various plant species.Plkans to construct a cultural village at the museum site are under way.

• KURU MUSEUM AND CULTURAL CENTRE

• KGOSI SCHELE I MUSEUM

Kgosi Schele I museum derives it’s name from a great chief of the Bakwena tribe,the museum cultural represents the crocodile totem of the Bakwena tribe.Located in Molepolole,the museum was established originally in 1902 under instructions from the colonial masters.Open from Tuesday to Saturday,the museum offers visitors a chnce to go on a day or half a day’s tour of historical sites in Molepolole.

Available at the museum are artifacts,photographs and paintings,all on display.Therein is an art gallery and curio shop.There is entertainment from the museum’s drama group and a Marimba band mainly comprising local school children.

There are 3 diamond mines in Botswana in Lethlhakane, Orapa and Jwaneng. Lethlhakane was founded founded in 1973 with production starting in 1973; it is close to Orapa diamond mine. Another is Jwaneng, this is the largest and richest of all diamond mines in Botswana and one of the largest in the whole world. Production at Jwaneng begun in 1982 and its success has led to plans to install Aquarious technology where rough diamonds will be sorted without human interference.

Orapa diamond mine has also seen substantial increments in diamond production and this has prompted the construction of a mine merging Orapa to Jwaneng. This mine begun production in 2002.There is also a smaller mine at the border of Botswana and South Africa called Martins Drift. All diamonds in Botswana are sorted and valued by Botswana Diamond Valuins  company a branch of Debswana Diamond Company.

In a bid to fight the selling of conflict or blood diamonds in legitimate channels, Botswana signed up as a member of the Kimberley Process which is an association of diamond producing governments and firms in the world.

It is advisable for currency exchanges to be carried out in banks which charge current market rates. The main commercial banks in Botswana are: Bank of Botswana, Bank of Baroda, Barclays bank, First National Bank, Stanbic Bank Botswana and Standard Chartered Bank with branches spread all over major towns and villages in Botswana. Due to limited financial facilities in small villages, it is advisable to change money at the airport on arrival or in major towns in Botswana where credit card cash advances may also be available. There are forex beaureaux at major border posts and it is important to note that safari lodges accept payment in US dollars.

Widely accepted credit/debit cards in Botswana are: American Express, Diners Club, MasterCard and Visa cards. ATMs facilities can be accessed at the international airport and most major towns and cities in the country.

For convenience and accessing of uniform currency rates, it is highly advisable to carry travelers’ cheques in US Dollars or Pounds Sterling. However, this comes at an extra cost and it must be noted that traveler’s cheques are accepted in large cities mostly.

Since most financial transactions are carried out in banks, it is vital to note that banks open between 8am to 9am from Monday to Saturday closing between 4:15pm and 5:15pm on weekdays. On Saturdays, banks close between 10:45am and noon.

As of April 2010, the rates for the US dollar, Pound sterling and Euro were as follows: