Botswana
Useful apps for Botswana: transport, maps, translation
Install four things before you fly: Google Maps with offline maps downloaded, Tracks4Africa for self-driving, WhatsApp for all local contact, and your bank's card app with a travel notice set. Ride-hailing is thin outside Gaborone, so arrange camp and transfer pickups in advance. Coverage stops outside towns and most of the Delta.
- Source checked
- A source and a date are on record: we read it from an official or published page. Not yet confirmed on the ground.
- Field checked
- Someone checked it on the ground, with the date shown.
- Plan calculated
- Worked out by Voykit from its own data (times, distances, budgets). A calculation, not a measurement.
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GuideBotswana
Key facts
- Core four
- Google Maps (offline), Tracks4Africa, WhatsApp, your bank/card app
- Offline maps
- Download Botswana plus your park areas before arrival; signal is absent in most of the Delta and parks
- Ride-hailing
- Thin outside Gaborone; arrange camp and airstrip transfers in advance
- Self-drive navigation
- Tracks4Africa is the standard for Delta and Kalahari tracks
- Messaging
- WhatsApp is the default for lodges, operators and drivers
- Payments
- Cards work in towns; Orange Money and MyZaka are for locals, not usually visitors
- SIM data
- Mascom, Orange or BTC prepaid with passport registration in Maun, Kasane, Gaborone
- Costs
- Most apps are free; data bundles are the real spend (2026 estimate)
Details
Set the phone up at home, not on arrival. Download the Botswana map in Google Maps and drop pins on every camp, airstrip and meeting point, because the map tiles you need most are the ones with no signal. Add Tracks4Africa if you are driving yourself: it carries the gravel and sand tracks through the Delta and Kalahari that general maps leave out, and it works offline.
WhatsApp is how Botswana tourism runs. Lodges, air charter desks, transfer drivers and guides all use it, and a saved chat with your operator is worth more than any booking app. Save your camp's number, your transfer times and your charter details as screenshots or notes so they open without data.
For money, tell your bank you are travelling and keep the card app installed for freezing a card or approving a payment. Cards are accepted in towns and at most lodges; cash still matters for small vendors and tips. Mobile money such as Orange Money and MyZaka is built for residents and is not a practical tool for a short visit.
Ride-hailing is the weak spot. It is limited outside Gaborone, and you should not count on it in Maun or Kasane for an early airstrip transfer. Ask your lodge to book a driver, or agree a price with a local taxi the day before.
Translation is rarely needed: English is widely spoken in tourism, so a phrasebook app is optional. A weather app and an offline currency converter cover the rest. Buy a prepaid SIM from Mascom, Orange or BTC with your passport in Maun, Kasane or Gaborone, and treat camp Wi-Fi as a bonus in the main area only.
| App | Use it for | Works offline | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Maps | Roads, towns, pins on camps and airstrips | Yes, if downloaded | Free |
| Tracks4Africa | Self-drive tracks in Delta and Kalahari | Yes | Paid app (2026 estimate) |
| Lodges, operators, drivers, transfers | Partly | Free | |
| Bank or card app | Travel notice, freeze card, approvals | Partly | Free |
| Ride-hailing app | Short hops in Gaborone only | No | Free to install |
| Currency converter | Pula to USD, GBP, EUR, AUD | Yes, if downloaded | Free |
| Weather app | Afternoon storms, winter cold nights | Partly | Free |
Confirm current availability and pricing in the app store before you travel (check).
Tips
- Download offline maps for Botswana and each park area before you fly.
- Screenshot every booking, transfer time and camp number; do not rely on signal.
- Set a travel notice on your cards and keep the bank app installed.
- Buy a prepaid SIM in Maun, Kasane or Gaborone with your passport.
- Tell people at home you will be offline in the Delta and parks.
- Book airport and airstrip transfers in advance rather than expecting an app.
FAQ
Questions people ask
Which apps do I need in Botswana?
Google Maps with offline maps, Tracks4Africa if you self-drive, WhatsApp for lodges and drivers, and your bank's card app with a travel notice. Add a currency converter and weather app. Everything else is optional.
Does Uber or a local taxi app work in Botswana?
Ride-hailing is thin outside Gaborone and not reliable for early airstrip transfers in Maun or Kasane. Ask your lodge to arrange a driver or agree a fare with a local taxi the day before.
Does Google Maps work well in Botswana?
It covers towns and main roads well, but signal disappears in most of the Delta and parks. Download the offline map and drop pins on camps and airstrips before you travel, and use Tracks4Africa for self-drive tracks.
Do I need a translation app in Botswana?
No. English is widely spoken in tourism, so a phrasebook app is optional. Setswana phrases are a friendly extra rather than a necessity.
Will my phone work in the Okavango Delta?
Rarely. Coverage stops outside towns and most of the Delta and parks. Camps may have Wi-Fi in the main area only, so plan to be offline and save everything you need in advance.
Deep dive
Every source; changeable facts are marked check
Sources
- officialBotswana Tourism Organisation
- officialTracks4Africa
- secondaryWikivoyage – Botswana