Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Getting Around
To/From the Airport
Taxis rarely turn up at the airport; if you do find one, you'll pay around P70 to the centre.
The only reliable transport between the airport and town are the courtesy minibuses oper-
ated by the top-end hotels for their guests. If there's space, nonguests may talk the driver
into a lift.
Another option is
AT&T Travel
( 395 2640; airportres@at-t-travel.com; Queen's
Rd; 6.30am-9pm)
, which runs occasional private or shared airport shuttle services.
BORDER CROSSINGS: GABORONE
Gaborone's proximity to Johannesburg (280km away) makes it a popular entry/exit point for self-drivers travel-
ling between Botswana and South Africa. The most direct route is through
Pioneer Gate
(Skilpadshek;
6am-
midnight)
, which connects Lobatse (Botswana) and Zeerust (South Africa).
Formalities on the Botswana side of the border are fairly straightforward - you'll be asked for your car's details
and your vehicle may be searched for fresh meat and dairy products. On the South African side, things were a
little chaotic when we visited but the new border post was nearing completion. Travellers entering and departing
are rarely held up for long, although if your vehicle is registered in South Africa, make sure you have the paper
from the rental company granting permission to take the car outside the country. If you're travelling via this route,
allow longer than you expect as the succession of townships on the South African side of the border can slow you
down considerably.
Other convenient border posts:
Tlokweng Gate
(Kopfontein; 6am to midnight) Another busy crossing that can work for Johannesburg and is
good for Madikwe Game Reserve.
Ramotswa
(Swartkopfontein; 7am to 7pm) Less-frequented crossing that can also be used for Zeerust and Johan-
nesburg.
Sikwane
(Derdepoort; 6am to 7pm) For Madikwe Game Reserve.
Ramatlabama
(6am to 10pm) Connects Gaborone and Johannesburg via Mafikeng.
Car
Unless you're planning to stick to the sealed roads, it's difficult to see why you'd need to
rent a car on arrival - if you're planning to rent a 4x4, you're better off doing so in South
Africa or Namibia. For the record, most major international car rental companies have of-
fices (which may not be staffed after 5pm) at the airport.
