Cheap accommodation in Botswana: ¿how much, where?

3 months road trip in Southern Africa, 

Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland.

October – December 2014

ACCOMODATION IN BOTSWANA

Maun and Kasane, the main tourist towns, have plenty of accommodation to suit everybody.

We didn´t go to Gaborone and Francistown, the two big cities, but for sure also many options there.

We enjoyed this place in Chobe Safari Lodge, paying the camp site

Appart from these places, Botswana is quite empty, so not too much accommodation in other places. You will need to do some planning if you want to stop on the way (distances are quite long), to check where the camps are. It worths stopping, not to drive too many hours under the sun and specially cause there are amazing places in the middle of nowhere (like Planet Baobab or Elephant Sands). Even for low-cost travelers!

Finally you have the national parks camps (usually less than 3 € /pp), very basic most of the times.

You can usually pay your accommodation by card, but bring also cash just in case, specially in the remote places.
 
Do I need to book in advance?
We never booked anything but it´s true that camping usually there´s no problem and october it´s low season.
If you want a room in Maun or Kasane during holidays, you will have to check in advance and probably book.
Keep in mind that the big holidays are around Christmas and in june mainly. July and august can also get crowded with European people. Prices are higher and if travelling in that period it´s better you contact the places in advance and enquire about the situation.

Most of the camps and lodges have websites and contact e-mails and usually they are happy to answer.

Rooms in Botswana are quite expensive (around 50 € for a double room). And not too many backpackers with dorms.

So, if you are on a budget, one solution: camping!

Camping in Botswana, the cheapest accommodation

To camp is the budget option to sleep around Botswana.

Planet Baobab

Prices for camping in Botswana: 

In average, 70-80 P/pp (around 7 €/pp). 

So carrying a tent is really interesting to save money. But not only for that reason.

You will camp in special places, as most of the exclusive and luxurious hotels also offer a "cheap" campsite. What a luxe! Over o river, or waterhole or surrounded by animals, in the bush. 
Great!
Real Africa!

So expect very good campsites, with clean toilets, hot showers, toilet paper, electricity points, BBQ but ususally no kitchen.

Most of the places offer free wifi (not in the remote places). Usually there are swimming pools.

Payment by card is usually avalaible.

We really recomend you the places where we stayed in Botswana:

Elephant Sands

•  Planet Baobab, close to Nata

• Elephant Sands, on the Nata - Kasane road

• Chobe Safari Lodge, in Kasane

•  Sedia Lodge, in Maun. Big campsite near the river, not that special, but good and cheap.

You can see the prices, services and details in the different chapters of our route (see menu in the right side).

Couchsurfing in Botswana

It´s an empty country so the CS community is really small, and except Gaborone and Francistown it´s almost impossible to find a host… and we didn´t go to these 2 big cities.

We tried to contact the few CS people of the small towns that we crossed, but no reply.