Botswana: Health & Safety Facts

The guides and the staff at the accommodations you will be staying at will give you a briefing on all health and safety issues when you arrive at each destination but it is important to take note of some of the issues that may be of concern to you.

Is there malaria in Botswana?

As in many places in Africa malaria does occur in Botswana with many people contracting the illness each year. Malaria however is more prevalent in the rural areas where the population lives close together. A mosquito has to draw blood from a human who has the virus in their systems before it can become a carrier and pass the virus on to other people.

Most the lodges in the safari areas of Botswana are in remote locations and as the properties are small with very few people around the chances of mosquitoes been infected are limited. However this does not mean precautions should be avoided.

Before leaving on your safari to Botswana advice should be sought from medical personnel in your own country and they can advise on what precautionary medication to take. Other precautions are to take long sleeves and long pants for the evenings and using mosquito repellent on any bare skinned areas.

Sleeping sickness

The Botswana government undertook a project to rid the country of sleeping sickness carried by the Tsetse Fly as not only was it a danger to humans but the disease was deadly for cattle, something which endangered the lucrative beef industry in the country.

A special department was set up to control the fly in the country, a project that has had a very high success rate as the last case of sleeping sickness in Botswana was reported about 20 years ago. There is a small chance of still being bitten by a tsetse fly and, although painful, the chance of contracting sleeping sickness is almost non-existent.

How safe is it to travel in Botswana?

Botswana is a very safe country to travel to and crime targeted at tourists is minimal. Like most places around the world care should be taken when walking around the towns and cities and advice should be sought before deciding to visit specific areas.

Safety precautions in the bush will be explained to you by your guide but it must be remembered that Botswana has some of the wildest parks and reserves in Africa and with no fences to prevent wild animals moving freely there is always the chance of an incident. However if you obey the basic rules and guidelines set down for you safety will not be an issue.