Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Maps
The best paper map of Botswana is the
Botswana
(1:1,000,000) map published by
Track-
s4Africa
(
www.tracks4africa.co.za
)
. Updated every couple of years using detailed travel-
ler feedback, the map is printed on tear-free, waterproof paper and includes distances
and
estimated travel times. Used in conjunction with Tracks4Africa's unrivalled GPS maps,
it's far and away the best mapping product on the market. Even so, be aware that, particu-
larly in the Okavango Delta, last year's trails may this year be underwater depending on
water levels, so these maps should never be a substitute for expert local knowledge.
If for some reason you are unable to get hold of the Tracks4Africa map, the only other
maps that we recommend are those published by Shell Oil Botswana and Veronica Roodt.
The
Shell Tourist Map of Botswana
(1:1,750,000) is available at major bookshops in Bot-
swana and South Africa.
Probably of more interest are Shell's zoomed-in maps (with varying scales) of the vari-
ous reserves and other popular areas. These include numerous GPS coordinates for im-
portant landmarks and the tracks are superimposed onto satellite images of the area in
question. Some are a little out of date, but they're still excellent. Titles include
Okavango
Delta
,
Chobe National Park
,
Moremi Game Reserve
and
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park.
Money
The unit of currency is the Botswanan pula (P). Pula means 'blessings' or 'rain', the latter
of which is as precious as money in this largely desert country. Notes come in denomina-
tions of P10, P20, P50 and P100, and coins (thebe, or 'shield') are in denominations of 5t,
10t, 25t, 50t, P1, P2 and P5.
Prices can be quoted in US dollars and pula. At top-end hotels, lodges and camps,
things are priced and you can pay in US dollars. Otherwise, you'll be making most trans-
actions in Botswana pula.
Most banks and foreign exchange offices won't touch Zambian kwacha and (some-
times) Namibian dollars; in border areas you can sometimes pay at some businesses with
the latter. To make sure you don't get caught out, buy/sell these currencies at or near the
respective borders.
ATMS
Credit cards can be used in ATMs displaying the appropriate sign, or to obtain cash ad-
vances over the counter in many banks - Visa and MasterCard are among the most widely
recognised. Transaction fees can be prohibitive and usually apply per transaction rather
