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Voykit pocket guide · Botswana
Kasane
Base in Kasane 2–3 nights for Chobe game drives and river cruises; add a Victoria Falls day trip only if your visa and budget allow.
Kasane sits on the south bank of the Chobe River in Botswana's northeast corner, minutes from Chobe National Park and within day-trip range of Victoria Falls. It is a small, linear town where lodges run the safaris, so you pick a bed and a boat, not a long list of sights. Two nights covers a game drive and a sunset cruise; three adds a Victoria Falls day or a second park entry.
- Country
- Botswana
- Best months
- May–Sep (dry season, game concentrates on the river)
- Avoid
- Nov–Mar (heat, rain, some tracks impassable)
- Stay
- 2–3 nights
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 P500–900 excl. bed · Mid P900–1,800 excl. bed · High P1,800+ 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 |
|---|---|
| Buffet dinner at a riverfront lodge | P180–200 |
| Chobe River cruise | About P320 |
| Victoria Falls unguided day trip | P400–500 |
| Camping with your own tent | From P105 per person |
| Guesthouse double room | About P400 |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | P200–400 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- BBK · Kasane International Airport
- Scheduled flights to Gaborone and Johannesburg; charter links from Maun. Elephants roam the land around the airport, so arrange a transfer rather than walking.
Typical fares
- Taxi in town
- agree the fare before boarding; short hops are cheap
- Chobe River cruise
- about P320, 3 h
- Victoria Falls day trip
- P400–500 transport only; visa and park entry extra
Get around
The town is linear along the river, and most lodges, shops and jetties are within 2 km, so walking covers the centre. Taxis wait near the Spar in the northeast corner; agree the fare before you get in. There is little public transport, and a lodge transfer or your own 4x4 is the practical way to reach the park gates and Kazungula.The town is linear along the river, and most lodges, shops and jetties are within 1.2 mi, so walking covers the centre. Taxis wait near the Spar in the northeast corner; agree the fare before you get in. There is little public transport, and a lodge transfer or your own 4x4 is the practical way to reach the park gates and Kazungula.
See and do
Known for
- Chobe National Park game drives
- Chobe River sunset cruises
- Elephant herds along the riverfront
- Gateway to Victoria Falls and four-country border
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Chobe National Park (riverfront sector) | Lodge or operator game drive, or self-drive with a 4x4 and park permit | 3 h to a full day |
| Victoria Falls | Operator day trip by road via Kazungula, about 70 kmOperator day trip by road via Kazungula, about 43 mi | Full day |
| Kazungula (four-country border point) | Taxi or lodge transfer east | About 30 min |
| Nata | Paved road southeast by car or bus | About 3 h |
Sleep
- Riverfront strip (Chobe Safari Lodge to Mowana)
- Most lodges, restaurants and jetty access sit within about 2 km of each other; walkable, and the best base without a car.Most lodges, restaurants and jetty access sit within about 1.2 mi of each other; walkable, and the best base without a car.
- Kazungula road / Flowertown
- Budget guesthouses and backpacker beds, a short drive east of the centre; cheaper, but you need a taxi or lodge transfer for everything.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Dumeladoo-MEH-lah |
| Thank you | Ke a lebogakeh ah leh-BOH-hah |
| How much is it? | Ke bokae?keh boh-KAH-eh |
| Where is the toilet? | Ntlwana e kae?ntlwah-nah eh KAH-eh |
| Help | Nthusan-TOO-sah |
| Goodbye | Sala sentleSAH-lah SEN-tleh |
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
- Agree taxi fares before departure; drivers are generally fair but the first price is negotiable.
- Do not walk from the airport: elephants and other wildlife cross the land around it.
- Chobe park entry fees are often bundled into the game-drive price — confirm what is included before booking.
- The Kazungula bridge to Zambia cannot be crossed on foot; you need a vehicle or a permitted cab, and you change cabs at the border.
- Victoria Falls day trips add visa fees (about US$30–55 per adult, citizenship-dependent) plus park entry, so check your passport before committing.
Kasane is a small, low-crime safari town; the real risks are wildlife outside the centre, unlit roads at night and heat in the wet season. Keep to the lit strip after dark and take a taxi.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Kasane yet. Suggested stay: 2–3 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Chobe National Park game drives
- Chobe River sunset cruises
- Elephant herds along the riverfront
- Gateway to Victoria Falls and four-country border
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 Organisation: www.botswanatourism.co.bw/
- Chobe National Park (Botswana government): www.gov.bw/
- Wikivoyage: Kasane, revision 5217616 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5217616
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Kasane
Go ya kwa atereseng e, tsweetswee
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No embassies in Kasane; most countries are represented in Gaborone. Check your own government's travel advice before crossing to Zambia or Zimbabwe.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/kasane). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.