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Voykit pocket guide · Botswana
Ghanzi
Skip Ghanzi unless you need a fuel or rest stop on the Trans-Kalahari Highway between Maun and Namibia: one night, no more.
Ghanzi is a dusty cattle-and-truck town on the A3 highway, the main route between Maun and the Namibian border. It has a handful of lodges, a San-run cultural lodge and one Indian restaurant. Most travellers pass through in an hour; only stop if you are driving the Kalahari crossing and need a bed.
- Country
- Botswana
- Best months
- May–Sep (dry, cool)
- Avoid
- Nov–Mar (rain, heat, mosquitoes)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- BWP
- Money
- Currency is the Botswana pula (BWP), about 13–14 per US$ in 2026 (check). Most safari camps are paid in advance in US dollars; cards work in Maun, Kasane and Gaborone.
- Daily spend
- Budget P300–500 excl. bed · Mid P500–1,000 excl. bed · High P1,000+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Mascom, Orange and BTC (beMOBILE) sell SIMs with passport registration in Maun, Kasane and Gaborone.
- Emergency
- Police 999 · Ambulance 997 · Fire 998
- Plugs
- Types D, G, M · 230 V · 50 Hz · UK-style G is common in towns; camps have limited charging, often by solar.
- Tipping
- Safari guide: US$15–25 per guest per day.; Camp staff (shared box): US$10–15 per guest per day.; Mokoro poler: US$10–20 per day.; Transfer driver: US$5–10.; Restaurant: About 10%.
- Water
- Tap water is treated in towns; camps provide filtered water.
- Toilets
- Flush toilets in towns and camps; long drop at some public campsites.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Meal at Tandurei | P100–200 |
| Litre of petrol | P15–18 |
| Bottle of water (1.5 L) | P15–25 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- MUB · Maun Airport
- Nearest airport with scheduled flights; about 3 h by road east on the A3. Ghanzi has no airport — check.
- GBE · Sir Seretse Khama International Airport, Gaborone
- Longer road link south; national buses run to Ghanzi — check.
Typical fares
- Bus Ghanzi → Maun
- about P100–150, 3 h (check)
- Bus Ghanzi → Gaborone
- about P200–300, 6–7 h (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
No public transport within town. Walk the main strip or drive. Taxis are rare; ask your lodge.
See and do
Known for
- Trans-Kalahari Highway stop
- Dqae Qare San Lodge
- Kalahari cattle ranching
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Kalahari Game Reserve (Central Kalahari) | Drive south on the A3 then east on the A2; about 2 h to the Matswere gate | About 2.5 h |
| Tsabong | Drive south on the A3, about 2 h 30 min | About 3 h |
| Maun | Drive east on the A3, about 3 h | About 3.5 h |
Sleep
- A3 highway edge
- Tautona Lodge and Dqae Qare San Lodge are both just off the A3; you need your own vehicle.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Dumeladoo-MEH-lah |
| Thank you | Ke a lebohakeh ah leh-BOH-hah |
| How much? | Ke bokae?keh boh-KAH-eh |
| Yes / No | Ee / Nnyaaeh / NYAH |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: 'Dumela Rra / Mma' before anything; avoid: Skipping the greeting
- Handshake: Hold your right forearm with your left hand when shaking or giving; avoid: Limp or one-handed passing of objects to elders
- In camp: Follow the escort rule after dark; avoid: Walking alone to your tent
- Photos: Ask first in villages; avoid: Photographing officials or buildings
Scams and watch-outs
- No petrol station open 24 h: fill up in Maun or before crossing from Namibia.
- Cell signal is patchy on the highway; download maps offline.
- Lodges require advance booking; walk-ins are not guaranteed.
Ghanzi is safe for a stopover. Lock your vehicle and do not leave valuables visible. Watch for livestock and wildlife on the highway at night.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Ghanzi yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Trans-Kalahari Highway stop
- Dqae Qare San Lodge
- Kalahari cattle ranching
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Botswana Tourism: www.botswanatourism.co.bw/
- Wikivoyage: Ghanzi, revision 5276015 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5276015
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/ghanzi). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.