Is It Safe to Travel to Botswana in 2026?
Botswana - Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution
Last updated: · Source: U.S. Department of State
Botswana, officially the Republic of Botswana, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. Botswana is topographically flat, with approximately 70% of its territory being a part of the Kalahari Desert.
Is It Safe to Travel to Botswana in 2026?
Botswana is currently rated Level 2 — Exercise Increased Caution by the U.S. Department of State. Exercise increased caution in Botswana due to crime. Crimes of opportunity, primarily the theft of money and personal property, are common in Botswana.
Key concerns cited in the advisory:
- crime
Traveler Impact
Solo travelers face a significant risk of street crime, including muggings and thefts, particularly in urban areas and public transport hubs.
Business travelers may encounter petty theft and should exercise caution when using taxis or staying in hotels, particularly in less secure neighborhoods.
Families with children should be aware of health risks such as malaria in certain regions and the potential for petty crime in tourist areas.
Remote workers can find reliable internet in urban areas, but should avoid rural regions where connectivity may be intermittent.
Data on this page comes from the U.S. Department of State, the CDC, the World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, and Freedom House. All sources are updated regularly and cross-referenced to provide a composite safety picture for Botswana.
▶Safety and Stability Ratings
Threat Severity (0-10 scale)
Botswana has an overall threat severity of 3.3 out of 10. Crime risk is rated 6.0/10, terrorism risk 0.0/10, and kidnapping risk 0.0/10.
Governance Indicators (World Bank, percentile)
Political Stability▶
Measures the likelihood that the government will be destabilized or overthrown by unconstitutional or violent means, including politically-motivated violence and terrorism. Higher percentile means greater stability.
Rule of Law▶
Captures perceptions of the extent to which agents have confidence in and abide by the rules of society, including the quality of contract enforcement, property rights, the police, and the courts, as well as the likelihood of crime and violence.
Control of Corruption▶
Captures perceptions of the extent to which public power is exercised for private gain, including both petty and grand forms of corruption, as well as capture of the state by elites and private interests.
Government Effectiveness▶
Captures perceptions of the quality of public services, the quality of the civil service and the degree of its independence from political pressures, the quality of policy formulation and implementation, and the credibility of the government's commitment to such policies.
Regulatory Quality▶
Captures perceptions of the ability of the government to formulate and implement sound policies and regulations that permit and promote private sector development.
Voice & Accountability▶
Captures perceptions of the extent to which a country's citizens are able to participate in selecting their government, as well as freedom of expression, freedom of association, and a free media.
Data from World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators (2023).
Freedom Status: Free — scored 72/100 by Freedom House (2024). View full freedom profile →
▶Entry Requirements and Health
Entry Information
Visa
Check embassy for details
Currency
Pula (BWP)
Language
English / Setswana
Notable restrictions:
- Do not display signs of wealth, such as expensive watches or jewelry.
Vaccinations
Required:
- Yellow Fever: Vaccine is not required for direct travel from the United States. Vaccine is required for travelers coming from countries with risk for YF virus transmission, including >12-hour airport transits or layovers in those countries.
Recommended:
⚠ Malaria Risk: moderate
Recommended medications: Atovaquone-proguanil, doxycycline, mefloquine, tafenoquine
Active health notices:
- watchGlobal Measles: Measles cases are rising in many countries around the world. All international travelers should be fully vaccinated against measles with the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, according to CDC's measles vaccination recommendations for international travel.
Vaccination data sourced from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Consult a travel health professional before your trip.
Common Questions About Traveling to Botswana
▶What is the current travel advisory level for Botswana?
▶Is it safe to travel to Botswana right now?
▶Do I need a visa to visit Botswana?
▶What vaccines do I need for Botswana?
▶Is Botswana safe for solo travelers?
▶How bad is crime in Botswana?
More Botswana Data
Free — 72/100 on the Freedom House index.
Governance indicators including rule of law, corruption control, and regulatory quality.
View all 195 countries color-coded by advisory level.
Read the full advisory on travel.state.gov.
Access this data programmatically. Free tier available.
On-demand country risk PDFs from 6 government sources.