Broadly safe for most visitors, with only routine travel precautions needed. Public health and infrastructure are well developed.
Regional breakdown
Most visits centre on the north. The Okavango Delta and Chobe National Park near Kasane are the main draws, and both run on small lodges, guided drives and light aircraft transfers. Risks here are mostly natural rather than criminal. Wildlife encounters, river crossings and bush flying mean travellers should stick with licensed operators and follow guide instructions closely. Gaborone, the capital, sees the bulk of reported crime. The official advisories both flag theft, muggings and home break-ins as the most common problems. Especially after dark and around shopping centres, bus ranks and quiet residential streets. Francistown, the second city, sees similar patterns on a smaller scale. Travellers passing through to Maun, Kasane or the Tuli Block tend to spend little time in either city, which limits exposure. Rural and border areas bring different concerns. The Caprivi transit route into Namibia. The Martin's Drift crossing into South Africa and remote stretches of the Kalahari have long driving distances. Limited fuel and patchy phone coverage. Recent flooding has affected low-lying roads in parts of the north, so route conditions can change quickly during the wet season.
Recent advisory changes
The official advisory guidance last updated its Botswana advice on 18 March 2026. The change added new information about flooding on the safety and security page, reflecting heavy seasonal rains across parts of southern Africa. The official advisory guidance does not warn against travel to any part of Botswana. The official advisory guidance keeps Botswana at Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution, last reissued on 26 February 2024. The reason given is crime, with theft of money and personal items described as common and home invasions, break-ins and muggings flagged as ongoing risks. There is no ordered departure and no internal no-go zone. The embassy in Gaborone advises travellers to enrol in their home government's traveller alert programme, avoid displaying valuables, and not resist if confronted during a robbery. Both governments sit broadly in line on the overall picture, with the UK leaning more on weather and the US leaning more on urban crime.
What travellers should know
Plan around the seasons. The dry months from May to October are the busiest for safaris because animals gather at waterholes and tracks stay firm. The wet season from November to April brings dramatic skies and lower prices, but also flooding on rural roads and occasional camp closures. Check with lodges before travelling and build slack into self-drive routes. Fuel up whenever possible, carry water, and tell someone your route if heading into the Kalahari or along remote transit roads. In Gaborone and Francistown, take the same precautions used in any mid-sized African city. Use hotel safes for passports, keep bags out of sight in vehicles, and use trusted taxis or ride apps after dark. Watch out for distraction thefts at petrol stations and ATMs. Healthcare is reasonable in the main towns but limited in the bush, so comprehensive travel insurance with medical evacuation is important. Malaria is a risk in the north during and after the rains, so speak to a travel clinic about prophylaxis. Drivers should remember that animals on the road, including elephants near Kasane, are a real hazard at dawn and dusk.