Gaborone.
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Overview

Gaborone is the capital of Botswana. It is in the south of the country, near the border to South Africa. Generally it is a clean, safe and functioning city that is spreading ever further outwards into a suburban sprawl that today measures about 15 km from east to west.

Understand

From a dusty one-horse town in the 1960s, Gaborone has developed into a substantial city of close to 250,000 inhabitants, with 535,000 in the metro area (2022). There is a definite city centre based around the train station and the government enclave of Khama Crescent. However, numerous shopping malls are dotted all over the city, diluting the prominence of the downtown area.

Gaborone's nomenclature confuses most new arrivals. Different parts of town are called blocks, extensions, phases, etc., and there can be several names for the same place. Below is a rough guide:

The Extensions - to the east of the railway line radiating out from the Government Enclave. Extensions 9 and 11 are probably the wealthiest parts of Gaborone. Extension 15, out near Riverwalk Mall is known as 'the Village' Gabs West - the inner blocks to the west of the railway line, inside the Western Bypass. Gabs West is sub-divided into Phases 1, 2, 4 and industrial. The Blocks - to the west of the railway line, outside the Western Bypass. The blocks number 5 - 10 running south to north (although Block 9 is an outlier being the southernmost of the blocks, and there is a Block 3 directly north of the downtown area). Some maps (including Google Maps) label the Blocks as high numbered Extensions (e.g. Block 8 is made up of Extensions 35 & 36) but everyone will refer to an area by its block number. The Central Business District refers to a patch of undeveloped land in the centre of the city that is being developed into overly modern hotels and offices (including the new Lansmore hotel) Phakalane a new-build suburb 12 km north of the centre of Gaborone - based around a golf estate - on the east side of the A1 Francistown road. South-west of Phakalane is the still to be developed Glen Valley Gaborone North - a developing suburb out towards the airport to the west of Phakalane. Broadhurst is an older suburb to the northeast of the centre. On the southern edge of Broadhurst are Partial and Maru-a-Pula Tlokweng a poorer suburb to the east of the Notwane River, home to several nice guesthouses.

Knight Frank, a real estate agent with an office near the Shell Garage on the Main Mall, has a useful map of the city.

Get in

Customs is very slow, but easy to get through (as appears to be the case for most of Africa). Have an address on hand for where you will be staying and they hardly give you a hassle.

Provides international connections from Cape Town, Harare (Mondays, Wednesdays, Saturdays) Johannesburg (daily), Lusaka, as well as domestic flights from Francistown, Kasane and Maun. Airlink, flies in from Johannesburg. Ethiopian Airlines flies in from Addis Ababa via Victoria Falls.

By bus Domestic You can arrive from most big cities in the country by bus. However, do arrive at the bus station early, as the buses can fill up very quickly, and sometimes just leave as soon as they are full. Bring water, as the buses are often not air conditioned, and if you do not manage to get a seat, it is likely you will have to stand until at least halfway to your destination, particularly on week-ends.

Gabs - Francistown: approx. 6 hours, P96/person Francistown - Maun: approx 6 hours, P110/person

From South Africa There is a daily bus that connects Pretoria, South Africa with Gaborone. The bus is operated by Intercape and the tickets can be booked online or purchased at one of their offices. The bus departs from Pretoria Station on Paul Kruger & Scheiding Street at 13:15 and arrives at the Kudu Shell Service Station in Gaborone at 21:10 (an 8-hr bus ride). This bus makes a brief stop at the Johannesburg bus station to pick up passengers.

The bus is pretty nice: tourist class, reclining seats, and a working bathroom. However, be prepared for the Christian materials on-board. Basically, all the movies that are played on the Intercape bus have overly religious messages in them.

The border crossing between South Africa and Botswana is pretty straight forward. The passengers get off the bus (without the luggage, just the documentation) at the South African immigration check point to get their exit stamps, then they walk over to the Botswana side to get their entrance visa stamps. Be careful, buses sometimes do leave passengers stranded in the border without telling them.

From Namibia There are a few direct connexions from Windhoek.

Tok Tokkie Shuttle operates a weekly shuttle leaving Windhoek every Saturday at 5:00am and arriving in Gaborone around 19:00. Must be booked at least one day in advance. The office is at Maerua mall, 2de floor, unit 131. The return to Windhoek is every Sunday. Mushima Tours & Transfers operates a weekly shuttle leaving Windhoek every Sunday. But as of October 2025, they are quite hard to reach.

Get around

By taxi Public taxis are generally small white cars and can be identified by their blue license plates. These cars travel designated routes, generally going to areas/neighbourhoods that combi routes do not. Since taxis can only hold a maximum of 5 passengers they also tend to be quicker than a combi in completing their route. You can catch a taxi at many combi stops and ask them to drop you off anywhere along the route. For route information simply ask the driver of the taxi. If you need to go to a particular destination not on the taxi route then ask for a "special", see cab section below.

By cab A cab is a private taxi or a "special" which takes you directly from your origin to destination. This may be a public taxi with a blue licence plate or a privately run cab. There are several cab companies in Gabs and many display contact information on the cab. You can also hail public taxis on the road and request a special. To give directions, it's usually better to give Plot numbers or easily identified places rather than street names (which aren't commonly used). Using one driver the whole time you are in Gaborone can end up saving you money. Don't worry if you hail a cab with someone inside. Most trips should be P20-30 (e.g. Main Mall to Game City is around P30).

By combi Combis are white vans that are like mini-buses. There are no route maps, but there are different lines, so just ask the driver if that line passes where you need to go. If you know the direction you need to go, start walking there -- combis will honk at you as they are passing, to let you know they're behind you.

See

The Hindu hall. A large Hindu temple and a major landmark. Major Hindu festivals are celebrated here.

Three Dikgosi Monument. Three bronze statues of the chiefs Khama III of the Bangwato, Sebele I of Bakwena and Bathoeng I of Bangwaketse, who travelled to the Great Britain in 1895, to ask the British to rule Botswana directly rather than letting it be incorporated into the British South Africa Company and Southern Rhodesia. The monument was a gift from North Korea and inaugurated in 2005.

Statue of Seretse Khama. Statue of the country's first president.

National Botanical Garden. Operated by the National Museum, here you can see indigenous plants from all six ecological regions in Botswana.

Modern architecture Gaborone was constructed as a planned city in the 1960s, much like Brasilia. Therefore you will find a great deal of modern architecture, in particular in the Government Enclave. Such buildings include:

Southern African Development Community headquarters.

Debswana (mining company) Headquarters.

Do

Kgale Hill. Do not forget to make the pleasant climb up Kgale Hill, one of Botswana's highest hills (at 1,287 m elevation). It provides a magnificent view over the city and surrounding areas. Be careful of the baboons, though, and do not stray off the path. There are no guides, and there is no entrance fee to worry about. Do go - but only when there are other cars in the parking lot. The best time is M-F 4PM - 6PM. The middle of a weekend day is not a good time. Going up without other cars in the lot near the quarry risks being robbed by knife.

Gaborone Cycling Club. Actually a mountain biking rather than cycling club.

Gaborone Dam. The Gaborone Dam is the only large body of water near Gaborone, the source of water for the city and a recreational area. There are yacht and fishing clubs based here, as well as playgrounds and parks. It's a great place for activities such as birdwatching, windsurfing or angling, but unsuitable for swimming due to the risk of bilharzia and crocodiles.

It is assigned seating, so tell the cashier your preference when buying the ticket. Theaters usually show big-name movies (as a small theater in the US would). There are three cinemas in Gabs, one in Riverwalk Mall, one in Game City Mall and one in Masa Centre.

Mokolodi. The highlight of many people's time is a cheetah visit where you can actually pet a cheetah. On a two-hour game drive you might see baboons, giraffe, wart hogs, zebra, elephant, hippo, etc. The guides are always very nice.

Gaborone Game Reserve. One of the smaller game reserves, if you have a car you can just drive yourself around. Mostly birds, but some monkeys, wart hog, ostrich, zebras, wild boars, and kudus. It has picnic spots, but be careful of monkeys and ostriches.

Buy

Gaborone abounds with shopping malls, and pretty much every South African chain store has at least one branch somewhere in the city. Unfortunately this crowds out local independent shops.

There are, however, a few arts villages and local workshops that buck the trend, and a visit can make a pleasant diversion for an afternoon.

Oodi Weavers. Established in 1972 by Swedish apartheid refugee Peder Gowenius this small enterprise produces pleasing tapestries of village scenes and the like (P1,000 for a good-sized piece). Any visitor will be encouraged to see the workshop and chat with the weavers.

Wood carvings and colourful prints are high quality and reasonably priced; most are imported from other African countries.

Botswana Craft. Curiously located in the middle of an industrial estate, Botswana Craft is a little oasis comprising a handful of little cafes and art shops. It's a little too Arikaaner flavoured for some, but an interesting place to browse if you are passing. If you want to buy a Buddhist statue or some scented candles this is the place to go.

The Bike Shop. Great little bike shop selling refurbished cycles shipped from the US, together with fancy new mountain bikes and accessories. Considerably more professional than nearby Gaborone Garage and Cycles.

Eat

Gaborone is not an exciting place to eat, and the city suffers more than most from South African culinary hegemony. However if you keep your expectations low there are some interesting nooks and crannies to interest your taste buds.

The restaurants below are organised by compass point from the city centre.

White box food. Quick and simple lunch of rice and veg (P10) or rice, veg and meat (P20). Tasty and filling.

Deli's. One of the best lunch places in down. Real Italian food. Imported products. Amazing pastas and pizzas. Beef lasagne especially, at P55 for huge portion.

Funyama Holdings Chinese Restaurant. Authentic and good value Chinese with an extensive menu, including such delights as Crispy Pork Intestines with Hot Dry Chili. Also covers more standard 'beef in black bean sauce' type dishes. The Devil Soup at P10 and the noodle dishes at P30 are particularly good value.

Bull & Bush. Bar & restaurant serves up a range of meat-centred dishes; does a pretty good job.

Par 5 Indian Restaurant. Unfussy south Asian cuisine serving a range of meat and veg dishes, including several daals. Nice setting overlooking the golf course, with indoor and outdoor seating. Closed Mondays. Mains P40-60.

Beef Baron. Perhaps Gaborone's most expensive restaurant. Serves excellent and huge meat dishes, including some game, but beef is in the ascendancy. Desserts are good also (including the lovely malva pudding). Atmosphere is pretty nice for a hotel restaurant, although there are no windows.

Chutney's. Excellent Indian food including southern dishes such as dosas. Not much for ambiance but great food.

Caravela. One of the few suburban house restaurants in the city. Nominally Portuguese menu including a good selection of seafood, and Mozambican beer. The outdoor patio area has a very nice ambiance. Open for dinner 7 nights a week. Food is a little hit and miss, and the prices are in expat territory, but worth giving a try.

Sanitas. A hidden gem. It's a garden centre that has a large cafe for breakfast, lunch or brunch. Has a children's playground also.

News Café. Close to the Mondior Summit, News Café is popular even with outside guests. The menu centres on "European style" dishes, but with some interesting twists. The place really shines in the cocktail department. On Friday and Saturday nights, the music is often cranked up loud even though there is no dance floor, so sit outside if you want to make conversation. Staff are young and sometimes inexperienced, but most of the time the service is quite good. They have Happy Hour from 17:00-18:00. Buy 1 get 1 free on all cocktails.

Pavilion Restaurant. Upmarket restaurant which serves buffet lunch, à la carte lunch and dinner. It seats 96 people inside and has a terrace which seats 120 people. One can also relax in the Pavilion Bar for snacks and beverages.

Embassy. Excellent Indian food located in the Riverwalk Mall. Note: food can take up to one hour, especially if with large group. Mains around P60.

Abyssinia Ethiopian Cafe. Botswana's only Ethiopian restaurant. On Fridays through Sundays this cafe serves pretty good injera with all the trimmings for P80. Also does great coffee and is cleaner and quieter than Equatorial Coffee around the corner. Closed evenings Sunday-Thursday.

The Moghul. Set under a thatched roof at the back of the Oasis Motel this place serves up flavoursome Indian & Pakistani cooking. However, perhaps because of its hotel location, prices are a little steep and portion sizes disappointing. Takeaway and delivery possible.

Cafe Dijo. Free wireless, great coffee, delicious and healthy food. A great place for catching up on e-mail or chatting with friends on a lazy Saturday morning. Frequented by expats. Inside Game City.

Mugg & Bean. South African chain coffee and lunch place. Located upstairs in Game City Mall, makes for a noisy indoor shopping mall vibe with adequate coffee.

Chain restaurants with multiple outlets

Nando's Chicken. Nando's is a bit spicy, and much better chicken than at KFC. It's in the African Mall, Game City Mall, BBS Mall and Riverwalk Mall, one is under construction in the Main Mall, at the east end adjacent to Orange. For a different taste, try Barcelos which is just across from Nandos in African mall.

Pie Time. Pies are flaky dough filled with meat or vegetables (called Patties in some other parts of the world). Wide variety of fillings.

Debonairs. A popular pizza restaurant that also does deliveries.

Groceries Prices for Western goods are at EU prices; local goods (corn meal) are inexpensive at grocery stores. Choppies and OK Foods are local chains. They have the cheapest prices and are located in all areas of Gaborone. Woolworths is in several of the main malls and has much higher quality produce and more European food selections. If you want exotic fruits or vegetables or good cheese, definitely the store to go to. Pick-and-Pay, South African chain, has better quality and is more expensive than Choppies. ShopRite, South African chain has stores all over Gaborone with lower prices. SPAR in the Main Mall seems to be the cheapest for fruit juices (about P5.25 for 1 Litre of 100% fruit juice). For a budget, buy a pie at Pie Time and then a drink at Spar. (P8.25 for a full meal). In all super market malls, there is a grocery store.

Drink

Bull and Bush. English pub in north part of [Gaborone]. A common ex-pat hangout big-screen TV and pool tables. Friday night is usually for the younger kids, Saturday night for the adults. The food is excellent, especially the pizza and ribs. The last Wednesday of the month is quiz night (or quizzo) where teams compete on trivia for prizes. Monday night is Rib night and well worth a visit!

Club Satchmo. Jazz club with decent drinks and great music.

Gaborone Yacht Club. Hidden away down a dusty track to the side of Gaborone dam the Yacht Club bar makes a great sun-downer location. Opening hours are limited, simple food available (e.g., steak-burger & chips P45).

Clubs Covers range from P20 to P100. Many have dress codes. And like most places, the popular nights at each place vary. Check with local Batswana (people from Botswana) for time relevant information.

Notwane Club. Used mainly to host private or special DJ events such as The Thursdays Hip Hop Night.The event is a great chance to have a taste of local music and drinks on special prices.

Sleep

However it is difficult to go much below P400 per night for a room. For those staying for months rather than days there are a handful of relativity expensive serviced apartments, although these are often full. There is also one Backpackers hostel in Gaborone.

Budget If you travel on a shoestring or are staying in Gabs for weeks or months the following may be of interest.

Motheo Apartments. Slightly aging compound offering serviced studio, one and two bed apartments and town houses. Book well in advance.

Innisfree Apartments. Comfortable serviced studio and one-bed apartments offering monthly rentals. Wifi is included. P9,000/month for a double room up to P13,500/month for a one-bed apartment. Pretty popular so book well in advance.

Hantom House. Long running expat houseshare for multi-month long stays.

Mokolodi Backpackers Hostel. Camping with own tent. and dorm beds. just off the Gaborone Lobatse highway.

African Home. Small hotel with a larger wing being constructed out back. Basic but charming design. Staff and amenities are still working out some glitches, for instance assuring that plugs on appliances match outlets.

Linville B&B. Boutique bed & breakfast.

Riverside Lodge. Small lodge with about 10 rooms a few minutes from Riverside mall. The grounds are quiet, but it does feel a little like a car park. Rooms have a/c and DSTV. No internet or Wi-Fi. Some rooms only have baths (no shower). Not a bad option if looking for somewhere cheap to crash overnight. The prices on the website are long out-of-date.

Royal Apartments Lodge. Good value lodge a 1-km walk from Riverside Mall. Rooms have a/c, flatscreen DSTV, fridge, free wi/fi, and are clean and sunny. There is a small pool and pleasant garden out back, with plenty of birdlife contributing to the atmosphere. Cooked breakfasts also nice.

Oasis Motel. Opened in 1983 Oasis Motel is one of the older hotels in the city. 110 rooms, good sized pool, internet, a/c and DSTV. It is a bit far from town if you don't have a car, and lots of noise from the road. The Moghul Indian restaurant is on site.

Protea Hotel by Marriott Gaborone. Gaborone's flashy business hotel, opened in 2012 and is something of a landmark. Architecture is akin to what you find in the financial districts of European capitals. The highlight is the rooftop pool.

Gaborone Sun. Once the premier hotel in the city, the Gabs Sun is now getting a little old and flabby, with the better staff having been poached by the Monidor and Grand Palm hotels, and hence service can be a bit grumpy and slapdash. Nevertheless it has a lovely pool and bar area (happy hour 6-7PM), and some of the rooms (in particular rooms 203–231 odd numbers) are nice, catching the morning sun glinting off the pool. Facilities comprise ubiquitous casino (read: slot machines), squash courts, small gym, conference facilities, buffet breakfast, pay-as-you-go internet etc.

Grand Palm - Peermont Walmont. Easily the loveliest hotel in Gaborone. Bordering 5-star status, this hotel is a modern oasis with a modern front entrance, a casino to the left and a gigantic and impressive conference centre (The GICC) to the right, marked by an eagle figure flying over a fountain. Out back the hotel has a large swimming pool and a moderately sized lakes that birds frequent. There is also a pool bar that serves food, a children's playground and further afield there is a boma that does barbecue (braai) events and parties. There is also a tennis court and plenty of lush green grass. Inside there is a squash court and a leisure centre.

Peermont Metcourt Inn, Botswana. Breakfast is served in the F.L.A.G. Café.

Mondior Summit. With small outdoor swimming pool and jacuzzi. Wifi Internet available in all rooms, for a charge.