Hostels in Botswana

With a high concentration of wildlife, Botswana is a great destination for everyone who wants to see the big 5 and many more types of game.

Botswana is a landlocked country in Southern Africa, neighbouring the much more visited South Africa. Botswana focuses mainly on the tourists that have more to spend and can be an expensive country to visit. Most accommodations cater to the tourists that are looking for an all-inclusive holiday and due to government regulations it is difficult for local business to open an accommodation that caters to backpackers, let alone a nice hostel. That being said, Botswana can also be visited on a tighter budget. The name used for a hostel in Southern Africa is a Backpacker. However, the name backpacker is often not used for a hostel, as it makes it more complicated to get a permit if the business plan indicates that the accommodation focuses on budget travellers. For this reason, you can frequently find a hostel under the name Guesthouse, Bed and Breakfast etc. Many hostels also offer the possibility to camp in the garden, but you will have to bring your own tent.

As a rule of thumb, the south is very expensive and the further north you go, the cheaper it is. The capital of Botswana is Gaborone, but it has little to offer to tourists. It is a common stopover on the way from Johannesburg, South Africa to places further in Botswana. Most places of interest are located in the northern half of Botswana. Botswana’s nature – and the wildlife in particular – are the main reason for almost all travellers for a visit. The most popular national parks where you can see wildlife can be seen by self-driving safaris, while a guided safari can be booked in the town closest to the national park or a multi-day safari around a region can be booked through several agencies.

Chobe National Park is a major park where you can find a vast variety of wildlife and 4 of the big 5 can be spotted in this park. A typical itinerary includes a drive and a boat cruise through the park. Kasane is the closest city to the park and here you can find a few agencies to book a tour. Kasane is the best place to book a hostel if you want to visit Chobe National Park, but daytrips can also be booked from Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe and Livingstone, Zambia. Both cross-border cities are only about 1.5 hours away by car.

Another great attraction in Botswana is the Okavango Delta region. In this nearly untouched region you can find a wide variety of flora and fauna. This region has more species of trees than the whole western Europe. The best way to explore the Okavango Delta is by boat. The Moremi Game Reserve is located within the Okavango Delta Region. The Moremi Game Reserve is where you can find a lot of wildlife and is a great place to go on a safari. The best base to start your safaris around the Okavango Delta region is from Maun. This is also the only bigger city in the region. Maun is the best place to book a hostel in the region. However, guest houses and other accommodations can also be found elsewhere in the region.

Handwritten by local expert for Botswana hostels Martin Straatman