Public holidays · Africa · 2026
Botswana Holidays 2026: Public Holidays in Botswana
Botswana has 11 national public holidays in 2026. 10 of them fall on a weekday and 1 on a weekend. The next public holiday is Christmas Day on Friday, 25 December (in 59 days). There are 4 long weekends and 3 more if you take a bridge day off.
Next public holiday
Christmas Day
Friday, 25 December 2026
Botswana public holidays 2026 — full list
| Date | Holiday | Local name | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Year's Day | New Year's Day | Public holiday | |
| Good Friday | Good Friday | Public holiday | |
| Easter Monday | Easter Monday | Public holiday | |
| Labour Day | Labour Day | Public holiday | |
| Ascension Day | Ascension Day | Public holiday | |
| Sir Seretse Khama Day | Sir Seretse Khama Day | Public holiday | |
| Presidents' Day | Presidents' Day | Public holiday | |
| Independence Day | Independence Day | Public holiday | |
| Botswana Day holiday | Botswana Day holiday | Public holiday | |
| Christmas Day Next | Christmas Day | Public holiday | |
| Weekend | St. Stephen's Day | Boxing Day | Public holiday |
Data: Nager.Date public holiday database and the vacanza/holidays library (both MIT licence). Dates of religious holidays based on the lunar calendar may shift by a day after official announcements.
Botswana holiday calendar 2026
- National holiday
- Regional holiday
- Bridge day (take off for a long weekend)
January 1
February
March
April 2
May 2
June
July 2
August
September 1
October 1
November
December 2
Long weekends in Botswana 2026
4 long weekends come for free, and 3 more need just one or two days of leave. Plan your trips around these dates.
Thu 1 Jan – Sun 4 Jan
Take off Fri 2 Jan
Fri 3 Apr – Mon 6 Apr
No leave needed
Fri 1 May – Sun 3 May
No leave needed
Thu 14 May – Sun 17 May
Take off Fri 15 May
Sat 18 Jul – Mon 20 Jul
No leave needed
Wed 30 Sep – Sun 4 Oct
Take off Fri 2 Oct
Fri 25 Dec – Sun 27 Dec
No leave needed
Botswana vs its neighbours — public holidays in 2026
Planning a trip to Botswana?
On public holidays banks, offices and many shops close, public transport often runs a Sunday timetable and popular destinations get busy and more expensive. Book early around long weekends.