4x4 Driving and Camping Tips for Botswana

Enhance the Off-Road Adventure of a Self-Drive African Safari

Jul 27, 2009 Yolande Pienaar

Knowing where to cross the border and how much water, fuel, equipment and food to take along on a 4x4 trip into the Botswana wilderness is essential information.

Visitors to the remote areas of Botswana like the Kutse Game Reserve, Central Kalahari Game Reserve, Mabuasehube Game Reserve or the Makgadigadi Pans need to be self- sufficient in regards to fuel, water, food and equipment. An ill-planned trip into the wilderness could easily develop into a life-threatening situation if proper preparations were not done. Distances between towns are great and in some places, the road conditions are very bad, so tourists should be prepared to handle any emergency on their own.

Where to Cross the Border into Botswana

Each border crossing has its own set of rules and operating times vary from one border post to the other. Should tourists fly into Botswana and hire a vehicle from one of the local car hire companies, the rules and regulations of the airlines must be obeyed. There are several companies, which will assist tourists in hiring a fully outfitted 4WD vehicle and providing the traveler with the necessary information about the equipment needed.

Driving through the other border posts, tourists to Botswana must take note of the operating hours of the borders. The seven principal border posts between South Africa and Botswana open between 06h00 and 08h00 and close between 16h00 and 22h00 while the three between Botswana and Namibia open between 06h00 and 08h00 and close between 16h00 and 18h00.

Due to the limited amount of fresh produce tourists may take across the border into Botswana, it is advisable to choose a border post close to a town where fuel and food supplies are available.

How Much Extra Fuel to Take When Driving in Botswana

Botswana's roads vary from tarred surfaces, like on the Trans-Kalahari Highway, to two-spoor tracks in deep sand and mud. Tourists must plan their route properly and adjust the amount of spare fuel they carry accordingly.

Traveling off-road mostly means camping in the wild. Vehicles are therefore often heavily laden with camping gear, food and other necessities. This influences the fuel consumption of any vehicle and tourists should consider this. Heavily laden vehicles can double the fuel consumption when driving in thick sand or mud. It is always advisable to carry more spare fuel than the calculations show. In the wilderness of Botswana, running out of fuel may result in tourists being stranded for days as traffic on the back roads are sporadic.

Drinking Water in Botswana

Driving off-road in any part of Africa involves being self-sufficient in respect of water. Due to the nature of most of Botswana's infrastructure, tourists intent on camping in the wild should carry enough water for drinking, cooking and washing. Five liters of water per person per day is a good starting point, but the amount of water should be adjusted to the amount of water available along the route.

When taking along these sometimes-vast amounts of fresh water is impossible, a good water filter or water purification tablets should be used to ensure tourists do not expose themselves to undue health risks. Outdoor and camping shops sell a variety of makes and brands and tourists must research the different options available to ensure the tablets or purifier fulfills their needs.

Essential Recovery Gear Needed When Driving Off- Road in Botswana

4x4 enthusiasts differ in the amount of recovery gear needed when going off the beaten track in the wilderness. A few basic items should however always accompany drivers when traveling off-road. These items include:

Spade or shovel
Tire pressure gauge
Tire pump - manual or battery driven - to inflate and deflate tires depending on the terrain
High lift jack or air jack - to assist in changing tires or recovering the vehicle when stuck in mud or sand
Bow shackles - to fit the towing / recovery straps safely to the vehicles
Towing straps with weight grading suitable for the weight of the vehicle
Tire repair kit
Gloves for handling the recovery gear

The more experienced 4x4 traveler would also take along kinetic straps, tree protectors, spare vehicle parts, different sizes of bow shackles to accommodate a winch, but every trip must be judged on the planned route and the possibility of receiving help from other motorists.

There are numerous ways to travel through Botswana and tourists should plan their trip properly to enjoy the beauty of the country to its fullest.

The copyright of the article 4x4 Driving and Camping Tips for Botswana in Sub-Sahara Africa Travel is owned by Yolande Pienaar. Permission to republish 4x4 Driving and Camping Tips for Botswana in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.