Botswana or Zimbabwe?
The practical differences, drawn from our own write-ups rather than from a brochure. We are not going to tell you which is better - they are different trips. What follows is what actually changes between them.
Places written up here 49 49
UNESCO listings among them 3 7
Cost level High Mid-range
Busiest month in our write-ups September July
Currency Pula (BWP) US dollar and ZiG
Plugs and voltage D, G, M - 230 V D, G - 220 V
Everyday languages English, Setswana English, Shona, Ndebele
Driving side left hand side left hand side
Region Southern Africa Eastern Africa
Capital Gaborone Harare
Botswana
Soft-spoken courtesy runs everything; the greeting comes first and the request second, always.
What we have written up
- Aha Hills hills
- Bokspits village
- Boteti River river
- Botswana Basketry tradition
- Chobe National Park national park
- D'kar village
Worth knowing before you go
- The currency is the pula, which means rain - a measure of how precious water is here
- Cards work in cities and lodges; carry cash for villages, markets and bus fares
- Tipping is about 10% in restaurants; safari guides are tipped separately, often in US dollars
Zimbabwe
Greetings come first and manners run deep; people are warm, unhurried and famously courteous.
What we have written up
- Binga town
- Birchenough Bridge bridge
- Bridal Veil Falls waterfall
- Bulawayo city
- Bvumba Mountains mountains
- Chapungu Sculpture Park sculpture park
Worth knowing before you go
- US dollars are the everyday currency - carry small bills in good condition, as worn or torn notes are often refused and change under a dollar may come back in local ZiG
- Cards work in supermarkets and upmarket lodges, but markets, taxis and small-town shops run on cash
- Tipping is appreciated: around 10% in restaurants unless a service charge is already added - leave it in cash, with a dollar or two for porters and a few dollars a day for guides
Counts describe this site, not the countries: "places written up here" means how many pages we have finished, and it keeps growing. Currency, plugs and languages are practical facts and change rarely; check anything visa-related with the relevant official source before you book.