Botswana

Is Botswana safe to visit?

Yes. Botswana is one of the calmest countries in Africa: no conflict, no terrorism history and a long record of peaceful elections, including a change of ruling party in 2024. Most visitors come for the Okavango Delta, Chobe and the Kalahari, where crime is rare. The real risks are on the road and in the towns. We score Botswana 62, level with Namibia and well above South Africa.

The 2026 Global Peace IndexGlobal Peace IndexAn annual ranking of 163 countries by how peaceful they are, based on conflict, crime, militarisation and political instability.More in the glossary ranks Botswana 50th of 163, ahead of Namibia (63rd). The US rates it Level 2 for crime alone.

Driving with cattle, donkeys and elephants

WHO estimatedWHO road-death estimateThe World Health Organization's estimate of road traffic deaths per 100,000 people in a country, adjusted for deaths that police statistics miss.More in the glossary 26.4 road deaths per 100,000 people in 2019. The MVA Fund, which pays road crash claims, counts fewer: 328 deaths in 2025, down from 346 in 2024, or roughly 14 per 100,000. Either way, roads are the most likely way for a visitor to come to harm.

The main roads are tarred and in good condition. What makes them dangerous is what is on them. Most highways are unfenced, and cattle, donkeys, goats and, in the north, elephants walk onto the road, often at night when they are almost invisible. The US adds long two-lane highways without shoulders or lights, high speed limits, drunk drivers and pedestrians on the road, and says fatal crashes are frequent on weekends and month-end paydays.

• Do not drive after dark outside towns. This is the single most useful rule.
• Slow down when you see animals near the verge; they often step out at the last moment.
• In Gaborone, approach traffic lights carefully. The US says other drivers often run red lights.
• For the Central Kalahari or the Delta, use a properly equipped 4x4, carry water and fuel, and in very remote areas travel in convoy or with a satellite phone, as the FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary advises.

Crime in Gaborone, Francistown and Maun

Botswana's recorded homicide rateHomicide rateThe number of people killed on purpose each year for every 100,000 residents. It is the most comparable crime figure between countries.More in the glossary is high, 11.4 per 100,000 in 2021, close to Namibia's. Most violence is far from visitors, and the FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary says attacks on tourists are rare. But it also says violent crime is rising in Gaborone, Francistown and Maun, the gateway town for the Okavango, and that criminals have held up restaurants at busy times.

The US lists the patterns: smash-and-grabs at intersections and in shopping mall car parks, phone theft and muggings, often at knife point. It singles out Kgale Hill, a popular hiking spot outside Gaborone, for frequent crime. Keep car doors locked and valuables out of sight, hike in groups and do not resist if robbed.

At safari lodges the risk is small but not zero. The FCDO reports isolated break-ins and thefts at river-fronting lodges in the Chobe area. Lock your room and use the safe.

Health and medicine shortages

Malaria is the main health issue. CDC recommends tablets for the northern districts, including Chobe, Ngamiland, the Okavango, Boteti and Francistown, but there is no malaria in Gaborone. The FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary notes reports in April 2025 that malaria had spread to areas where it is not normally found. Bilharzia (schistosomiasis) is present in rivers and lakes, and anthrax occasionally breaks out among wild animals; do not touch carcasses.

Care is usually good in the main towns, but a recent public health emergency over medicine supplies has left lasting shortages in public hospitals, according to the FCDO; private care is largely unaffected. Private hospitals want payment first, and serious cases may need evacuation to South Africa, so take insurance that covers it.

Floods, drought and wildlife

The rainy season from November to March brings heavy downpours and flash floods that can wash out roads and close border crossings at short notice; the FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary updated its flood advice twice in early 2026. Check road and border status with the authorities before long drives in the wet season. In dry years the opposite problem appears, and the US says the water utility may ration supply.

In the parks, the rules are simple: stay in the vehicle except where allowed, keep to camp after dark, and never bathe in rivers or lakes. The FCDO also warns that dangerous animals can roam open highways outside the reserves, so the wildlife risk does not end at the park gate.

How we scored it

Road safety (38) is the weakest factor, based on WHO's 2019 estimate; the national count is lower and edged down in 2025. Violent crime (55) reflects a high homicide rateHomicide rateThe number of people killed on purpose each year for every 100,000 residents. It is the most comparable crime figure between countries.More in the glossary that rarely touches visitors. Conflict (90) is the strongest factor, followed by natural hazards (72).