What to See, Eat and Pay in Gaborone, Botswana on a Short Stop

Gaborone, Botswana, is worth a few days of any southern Africa trip, whether as a stop between safaris or a break from desert activities such as quad-biking. The city sits just across South Africa's north-east border, near the Kalahari Desert, and is close to several nature and game reserves.

Key facts

• Location: just across South Africa's north-east border, near the Kalahari Desert
• Size: a population of around 500,000, with plenty of open space and sandy roads
• Free to visit: the Three Dikgosi Monument (with free guides) and the Botswana National Museum
• Hotel prices: £62 per night for two at Aquarian Tide, breakfast included; just under £100 per night for two at the iTower 2 hotel
• Rooftop bar prices: a milkshake around £3.30 and a beer roughly £2.50

What is the city like?

Gaborone is not particularly built-up for its size. Visitors notice the large amount of open space between buildings, sandy roads, and monkeys and goats roaming the streets. Even so, there is enough to see and do to fill a few days.

The people are notably friendly, and the city is well placed for both desert adventures and wildlife reserves nearby.

What should you see?

For history, the first stop is the Three Dikgosi Monument, which commemorates three tribal chiefs who travelled to Britain and played an important role in Botswana's move towards independence. Areas around the monument cover different parts of the country's history, and guides on site take visitors around and explain it for free.

The monument is a short walk from iTower 2, the tallest building in Botswana at 30 storeys. The upper floors look out across almost all of Gaborone, and the 28th floor holds a rooftop bar and restaurant with panoramic views. The building also houses a hotel.

The Botswana National Museum is free to enter. Its displays include a traditional tribal council area and the President's old fleet of cars, plus a sculpture exhibition by Botswanan students made from milk cartons.

What can you eat?

The Museum Café serves traditional Botswanan dishes. One highlight is pap, a thick, fluffy porridge served sweet or savoury and very filling. Seswaa, slow-cooked shredded meat, is soft and flavoursome, though small bones can remain in the meat. Mopane worms, a local delicacy eaten sun-dried or cooked in a stew, are also on the menu.

How much does it cost?

Two of the main sights are free. For accommodation, Aquarian Tide cost £62 per night for two people with breakfast included, while a room for two at the iTower 2 hotel was just under £100 per night. At the rooftop bar, a milkshake was around £3.30 and a beer roughly £2.50.

What this means for travellers

Travellers planning a safari or Kalahari trip can budget for a few days in Gaborone without paying entry fees for its main sights, and can choose between cheaper and more expensive places to stay. The article does not cover visa or entry requirements for Botswana, so travellers should confirm those separately before booking.

No further changes or announcements are mentioned. The author plans a return visit to try mopane worms.