Overview
Take a trip to Gaborone on your Botswana Vacation
Approximately 10% of the population of Botswana lives in Gaborone, the capital and largest city in the country. Found in the southeastern corner of Botswana only 15 km (9.3 mi) from South Africa, Gaborone is one of the fastest-growing cities in the world.
Up until 1963, Britain’s Bechuanaland Protectorate (present-day Botswana) was administered from Mafikeng in South Africa. Botswana was the only territory in the world to have an administrative centre outside of its boundaries. In 1963 it was decided to name the capital in Botswana and Gaborone was one of nine possible sites. Gaborone was eventually chosen because of its accessibility to most of the major tribes without belonging to anyone in particular, and for its proximity to both a railway line and a major source of water. Within eighteen months, Gaborone was transformed from a tiny village settlement to a capital city in time for Botswana’s independence in 1966.
Over the years, Gaborone has continued to expand and is a far cry from the town it was in 1966. It has the benefit of modern amenities while being close to wildlife areas. The Gaborone Game Reserve is one of the few national reserves to be located inside a city when on a Botswana safari. Despite its small size, the reserve is well stocked hosting zebra, blue wildebeest, impalas, gemsbok, eland, vervet monkeys, warthogs and more.
At a Glance
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Botswana Pula (BWP)What do the experts say?
Some travellers believe that Botswana is the most expensive destination in Africa. But there are many ways to travel in Botswana to lower the price point. You just have to know the right camps and lodges
The country is one of the only countries in Southern Africa that offers traditional road safaris, walking safaris, water (motorboat, canoe, and traditional mokoro) safaris
May - September is considered the prime time for game viewing, particularly in the Okavango Delta and Chobe National Park. Animals are easier to spot as they gather around water sources, and the vegetation is less dense
Gaborone Stamp
Visiting an African farm near Gaborone is a uni...
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Place
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Daily max temperatureMonthly rainfall
GaboroneMostly Sunny
28°C / 82°F
0mm / 0.0"
Weather data is based on monthly averages.Popularity rating
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ExcellentBased on 5,217 ReviewsOur 2-week trip to Normandy, Switzerland and Italy after we disembarked from the Queen Mary 2 in Southampton in mid-May was superb. Michael Keon did an amazing job of putting together highlights for us to see and visit with the short time we had. All the train reservations, private and small group tours and transportations were very well coordinated, on time, and usually exceeded our expectations. Drivers were courteous and knowledgeable. Mike did a wonderful job getting everything coordinated, in spite of our almost “last minute” booking. I booked a month-long trip through GOWAY back in 1989 for Australia, New Zealand and Fiji, and they were superb then. So I tried them again, and found the entire organization to be even better. Mike was quick to respond to any questions that came up regarding booksings and times, regardless of the 6-hour time difference. Just superb! Although we had a nasty experience in Milan, GOWAY was very responsive and saw to our requests and our needs. Again, Michael Keon is the person who coordinated our travel. I will ask for Mike when I travel again with GOWAY. I recommend GOWAY highly. PJ WheelerA BIG THANK YOU to Goway Travel, Brooke Theron and all of the partners onsite. Our trip to Africa was incredible, memories that will last forever.
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E&DI recently went on an African Safari with my brother-in-law and sister and another couple who I knew. The entire experience was absolutely unbelievable. The complete details were flawlessly coordinated from the transfers to the breathtaking lodges. Our guides Peter showed us Kenya and Maulid Tanzania were very knowledgeable and very sharp eyes for finding the animals.
We were able to see the animals up close, learn a lot about the people, birds , vegetation etc.
We had several sundowners in the bush really added to a magical experience with beautiful sunsets.
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Thank you to Bijal for the excellent African Safari that you put together for us. You were wonderful.Nancy HayWe enjoyed our trip very much. I was very pleased by the hotel, tours, and itinerary selections that Alice Teramoto made for us. It was all well organized and easy to follow.
Thank you very much for helping us have a great experience in Peru.INEverything was planned perfectly. The excursions were so small and personal. ClaireGoway planned a custom 2 week safari trip for my wife and I which was beyond perfect. Extremely satisfied with the entire process from planning, booking and follow up. Special thanks to my Travel Specialists, Brooke Theron and Angela DonnellyNeil RWorking with Allan is absolutely a dream. He is one of the most responsive people I’ve had the pleasure of working with and his attention to detail is unmatched. I truly wish I could just use him for every single trip I need to book.Liz Poore
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