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National park · Botswana

Tsodilo HillsTsodilo

Go only if rock art is your reason for being in Botswana: drive the A35 detour from Shakawe (about 1 h on sand), pay the entry fee at the museum, and walk the Rhino Cave and Female Hill trails with a San guide before 10:00; one night is enough.

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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
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Plan calculated
Worked out by Voykit from its own data (times, distances, budgets). A calculation, not a measurement.

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UNESCO World Heritage 2001Some areas permit-onlyChecked Sep 2026
Map to the park
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Directions
From where I am

Add your hotel to get directions from it. · stays in this browser; shared with the pocket card.

Area

48 km² (19 sq mi)

approximate

Established

2001

Best months

May–Aug

UNESCO

World Heritage

Rules in force · 7Nine African countries on this site have no trip line bec…Across the subregion, plan every road leg to arrive befor…
  • Africa ↗When a route touches a yellow-fever country — even a transit of 12 hours or more — keep the original yellow card (ICVP) in your hand luggage; health desks and airlines can refuse boarding or entry without it.
  • Africa ↗Nine African countries on this site have no trip line because governments advise against travel; several others have no-go regions. Read your government's advice for every country on the route before paying deposits.
  • Southern Africa ↗A rental car may leave its home country only with the rental company's cross-border letter, the registration papers and paid road taxes at each post; driving into Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique or Angola without them ends at the border.
  • Southern Africa ↗Across the subregion, plan every road leg to arrive before sunset: livestock, wildlife, pedestrians and unlit trucks make night driving the main cause of serious visitor accidents.
  • Botswana ↗Check visa and entry rules for your passport on official Botswana government sources before booking; most Western passports are visa-exempt, others use the Botswana e-visa.
  • Botswana ↗Light-aircraft transfers limit luggage by weight and require soft bags; confirm the limit with your camp or operator before packing.
  • Botswana ↗Self-driving in Moremi, Chobe and the Central Kalahari needs a properly equipped 4x4, booked campsites and experience in sand driving.

At a glance

Country
Botswana
Area
48 km² (19 sq mi)
The World Heritage property is listed at about 4,800 ha; the wider hills area is often quoted larger (check).
Established
2001
Best months
May–Aug
Permits
For some areas

Tsodilo is a cluster of quartzite hills rising out of flat Kalahari sand in the far northwest, close to the Namibian border. It holds several thousand rock paintings, some of them very old, and it is a place of continuing spiritual importance to San communities. The hills are also the highest point in Botswana. There is no lodge, no restaurant and no fuel: you come for a half day of walking and rock art, sleep at the one campsite or drive back to Shakawe, and treat it as a stop on the way to or from the Okavango Panhandle rather than a safari destination.

Decide

Why go, which months, and what lives here when

At a glance

Status

  • UNESCO World Heritage · 2001Listed for the rock art and for its living cultural value to San communities.

Size and age

48 km² (19 sq mi) · national park since 2001

The World Heritage property is listed at about 4,800 ha; the wider hills area is often quoted larger (check).

Why go

  • One of the densest rock-art sites in southern Africa, with thousands of paintings on a few hills.
  • A San guide turns a wall of faded figures into a story about hunting, rain and ritual.
  • The highest point in Botswana is here, and the walk up is short.
  • It is a genuine detour: few vehicles, no crowds, no queue for the paintings.

When to go

12-month verdict
  1. JanAvoid
  2. FebAvoid
  3. MarCaution
  4. AprGo
  5. MayBest
  6. JunBest
  7. JulBest
  8. AugBest
  9. SepGo
  10. OctCaution
  11. NovCaution
  12. DecAvoid
  • JanHot and wet; tracks muddy
  • FebRain peak; grass high
  • MarRain easing; still hot
  • AprCooling; green bush
  • MayDry, clear, mild days
  • JunCold nights, perfect walking
  • JulPeak dry season; book the campsite
  • AugDry and busy by local standards
  • SepHot afternoons; haze
  • OctVery hot before the rains
  • NovFirst storms; humidity
  • DecHeat and rain; access uncertain

Wildlife and nature calendar

Seasons shift by weeks each year
Wildlife and nature calendar for Tsodilo Hills
WhatJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Kalahari birds, including raptors and sandgrouseApr–Sep · Best in the dry months when the bush is thin.nononoyesyesyesyesyesyesnonono
Small antelope, jackal and nocturnal mammalsAll year · Present year-round but rarely seen in daylight.yesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyes
Snakes and scorpionsOct–Mar · Active in the warm months; shake out boots and watch where you put hands on rock.yesyesyesnonononononoyesyesyes
Ticks and biting insects after rainJan–Apr · Long trousers help; check yourself after walking.yesyesyesyesnononononononono

Arrive & move

Getting in, how the park is divided, and where things are

Show 3 sectionsHideHow to get there, Zones and sectors, Sketch map

How to get there

From Shakawe

Gravel and sand track west off the A35, signed for Tsodilo; 4x4 or high-clearance vehicle recommended.

1–1.5 h

From Maun

Tar to Shakawe via Gumare, then the detour; fuel and supplies in Shakawe.

5–6 h

Open the page →

From Okavango Panhandle camps

Drive north to the A35 junction, then west on the site track.

1.5–2.5 h

Open the page →

From Namibia border

Cross at Mohembo and drive south on the A35 to the Tsodilo turn-off.

1.5–2 h

Zones and sectors

Zones of Tsodilo Hills
ZoneWhat is thereAccess
Museum and officeSmall museum on the site's cultural history, entry desk, guide arrangements and the start of the walking routes.Open to ticket holders, roughly 07:30–16:30 (check).
Female HillThe main art hill: Rhino Cave at the north end, plus the best-known painted panels on the western and northern faces.On foot with a ticket; guide recommended.
Male Hill and the smaller hillsHigher, rougher ground with fewer paintings and wide views over the sand plain.On foot; ask at the office before setting off.
Makoba Woods campsiteThe only place to sleep at the site, in open woodland near the hills.Booked campers only.

Sketch map

Approximate — not for navigation
Sketch map of 6 approximate points in Tsodilo Hills, north up123456
Approximate positions across the hill group, for orientation only; the site track and walking routes are not surveyed here.
  1. 1Museum and office · Headquarters≈-18.759, 21.737Entry desk and guide arrangements.Map ↗
  2. 2Rhino Cave · Cave≈-18.756, 21.740North end of Female Hill; approximate.Map ↗
  3. 3Female Hill · Trail≈-18.765, 21.745Main painted faces; approximate.Map ↗
  4. 4Male Hill · Summit≈-18.780, 21.750Highest point in Botswana; approximate.Map ↗
  5. 5Makoba Woods Campsite · Sleep≈-18.761, 21.743Map ↗
  6. 6Shakawe · Town≈-18.364, 21.842Nearest services and lodges.Map ↗

Take the points offline

GPX waypoints · approximate

6 points as a GPX waypoint file, plus a plain-text list of coordinates. Save it while you have signal: maps apps show the points without a connection.

Approximate positions across the hill group, for orientation only; the site track and walking routes are not surveyed here.

See & do

Caves, trails and wildlife, with how hard each is and whether it needs booking

Show Top experiencesHide

Top experiences

CavesEasy1–1.5 hRhino Cave and the white rhino panelAt the north end of Female Hill; the white rhino figure sits beside a red giraffe. The floor has produced stone tools in excavation.
TrailsModerate2–3 hFemale Hill art walkA circuit of the main painted faces; loose rock and no shade for much of it.
ViewpointsModerate2–3 hMale Hill summitThe highest ground in Botswana; a rough scramble in places, with the best view of the whole group.
CultureEasy2–4 hSan-guided interpretation walkThe reason to come: context on the paintings, the hills and the communities who still use the site.Booking: Arrange at the office
CultureEasy30–45 minMuseum visitShort displays on the site's archaeology and cultural significance; useful before you walk.

Practical

Fees, permits, rules, where to sleep and what can go wrong

Show 8 sectionsHideEntry fees and permits, Park rules, Where to stay, Safety, Accessibility, Visiting lightly, Questions people ask, Related

Entry fees and permits

BWP ranges · check
Fees for Tsodilo Hills
ItemRangePerNote
Entry, non-resident adultBWP 120–150person2026 estimate; paid at the museum office, cash is safest (check).
Entry, Botswana resident or SADC citizenBWP 30–60person2026 estimate; bring ID (check).
Vehicle entryBWP 30–50vehicle2026 estimate (check).
San guide, half dayBWP 200–400group2026 estimate; arrange at the office, not on the road (check).
Makoba Woods campsite, per nightBWP 150–300person2026 estimate; basic site, no power (check).

Ranges, not quotes: fees change without notice. Check with the park or your operator · checked Sep 2026.

Site entry permit or guide

Register and pay at the Tsodilo Hills museum and office, open roughly 07:30–16:30 (check).

Guided walk no permit

Not compulsory, but the paintings are hard to find and harder to read without a local guide; ask at the office.

Camping permit or guide

Book the Makoba Woods site through the office or your Botswana operator in advance in July–September.

What would our group pay?

from the fee rows above · estimates

People

2

Nights or days

1
  • BWP 120–150
  • BWP 30–60
  • BWP 30–50
  • BWP 200–400
  • BWP 150–300

Tick the fees that apply to your trip to see a total.

A guide, not a quote: the ranges are estimates (checked 2026-09) and each fee may have rules on who pays it. Confirm on UNESCO World Heritage Centre — Tsodilo before you go.

Park rules

Drones, guides, camping and more
Do not touch the paintings
Skin oils and water damage the pigment; keep hands off the rock and do not wet panels to make them clearer.
Stay on the walked routes
The hills are a living cultural site; do not climb onto painted ledges or move stones.
No drones
Not allowed without written permission from the heritage authorities (check).check
No camping outside the campsite
Wild camping at the hills is not permitted; use Makoba Woods or sleep in Shakawe.
Take your rubbish out
There are no bins or shops at the site; carry water in and everything else out.
Ask before photographing people
If you meet community members or guides, ask first; some areas are sensitive.

Where to stay

In the park

Makoba Woods Campsite

The only accommodation at the hills: basic pitches in woodland, no power or shop, booked through the office.

Near the park

Shakawe lodges and guesthouses

The practical base, with fuel, food and river lodges; about 1–1.5 h from the site.

Safety

Sand track and soft patches medium

Use a high-clearance or 4x4 vehicle, lower tyre pressure if the sand is deep, and avoid the track after heavy rain.

Heat and no shade on the walks medium

Start early, carry 2–3 litres of water per person, wear a hat; do not attempt Male Hill at midday in summer.

Loose rock and scrambling medium

Wear shoes with grip; the upper sections of Male Hill are rough and not for anyone unsteady on their feet.

No fuel, food or phone signal low

Fill up and buy supplies in Shakawe; tell someone your plan before leaving the tar.

How much daylight do you have?

computed for this spot

Time out

Finding the local time zone…

Times are local to the spot (zone loading). The half-hour margin is our rule of thumb, not an official figure; light fades earlier in forest or under cloud. Carry a headlamp on any route that could run late.

Accessibility

  • The museum, office and the ground around them are reachable by vehicle with short, fairly level walks.
  • The painted panels, Rhino Cave and both summits involve rough, uneven ground and are not suitable for wheelchairs or limited mobility.

Visiting lightly

  • Hire a local San guide: the fee stays in the communities around the hills and supports the site's cultural value.
  • Do not buy or accept rock fragments; removing them damages the record.
  • Carry out all waste, including food scraps, and use the campsite's facilities.
  • Keep group sizes small on the painted panels so the rock is not worn further.

Questions people ask

How much does it cost to enter Tsodilo?

Expect roughly BWP 120–150 per non-resident adult and less for Botswana residents and SADC citizens, plus a small vehicle fee, paid at the museum office (2026 estimate, check). A local guide is extra and worth it.

What are the best hikes in Tsodilo?

The Rhino Cave and Female Hill art walk is the one to do, taking 2–3 hours with a guide. Male Hill is the harder option and reaches the highest point in Botswana in 2–3 hours of rough walking.

When is the best time to visit Tsodilo?

May to August: dry tracks, clear days and cold nights. Avoid January and February, when rain makes the sand track difficult and the heat is at its worst.

Do I need a 4x4 to reach Tsodilo?

The detour off the A35 is gravel and sand. A high-clearance vehicle is sensible and a 4x4 is safer in the wet months; ordinary cars manage in the dry season with care (check).

Can I stay overnight at Tsodilo?

Yes, at the Makoba Woods campsite, which is basic and must be booked in advance. Otherwise sleep in Shakawe, about 1–1.5 hours away.

Is there food or fuel at Tsodilo?

No. There are no shops, cafes or fuel at the site. Buy everything in Shakawe and carry water for the walks.

Related

plan your trip to Botswana Okavango Delta Maun

Deep dive

Every source; fees and rules change, so check before you go

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