Border Crossings into Botswana

Botswana shares land borders with South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe and Zambia, with around two dozen official crossings, most operating fixed daytime hours rather than around the clock. Kazungula near Kasane is the busiest for safari visitors, linking Botswana with Zambia by bridge and sitting close to the Zimbabwe crossing for Victoria Falls. Botswana is a landlocked southern African country where border posts close in the evening, so arriving late means sleeping at the barrier.

Kazungula and the Crossings Near Chobe

For safari travellers, this corner of the country is where most border activity happens, because Kasane sits within a short drive of three international frontiers.

The Kazungula Bridge carries traffic between Botswana and Zambia across the Zambezi, replacing the old ferry and running as a one-stop border post where both countries’ formalities are handled in a single facility. Operating hours have historically run from early morning to early evening, and authorities have announced plans to move it to round-the-clock operation as part of a longer programme toward a non-stop crossing. Check current hours before relying on a late arrival.

The Kazungula Road crossing into Zimbabwe is the route to Victoria Falls and typically operates from early morning until evening. Traffic queues in peak season and the wait can run to hours.

Pandamatenga, further south, is a quieter Zimbabwe crossing with shorter hours.

Anyone wanting to avoid the queues entirely can fly. Mack Air runs a scheduled Kasane to Victoria Falls service of around twenty minutes, which for a day trip is often worth the cost.

South African Border Posts into Botswana

The South African frontier carries the most crossings and the most traffic, since it is the route most self-drive visitors take.

Tlokweng Gate, opposite Kopfontein, serves Gaborone and runs long hours, historically to around midnight. Pioneer Gate, opposite Skilpadshek, also serves the capital with similarly long hours and handles heavy freight traffic.

Martin’s Drift, opposite Groblersbrug on the Limpopo, is the main route from Johannesburg and Pretoria toward the north, and operates a long day rather than around the clock. Published hours vary between sources, so confirm before planning a late arrival.

Ramatlabama serves the southwest toward Mafikeng. Smaller posts including Ramotswa, Sikwane, Parr’s Halt, Platjan, Bray, Makopong and Middleputs operate shorter hours, some closing as early as four in the afternoon.

Pont Drift, at the Tuli Block, is the most characterful crossing in the country. When the Limpopo is dry between roughly June and November you drive across the riverbed. When it is flowing, you cross by cable car above the water while your vehicle stays behind.

Crossing From Namibia and Zimbabwe

The Namibian border runs along Botswana’s west and north, with Mohembo in the far northwest serving the Okavango Panhandle and the route toward Shakawe and Tsodilo Hills. Ngoma Bridge connects the Chobe area with Namibia’s Zambezi Region.

On the Zimbabwe side, Ramokgwebana, opposite Plumtree, is the main crossing on the Francistown to Bulawayo route and runs long daytime hours. Matsiloje and Maitengwe are smaller and close mid-afternoon.

Anyone crossing to Namibia should note that the Trans-Kalahari Highway route runs through very empty country with long gaps between fuel stops.

Documents Needed at a Botswana Border Post

Immigration first. A passport with at least six months of validity and two blank pages, and a visa in advance if your nationality requires one, since Botswana does not issue visas on arrival to most passport holders and a remote post is a bad place to discover that. Print any e-visa approval, because several posts cannot verify a visa on a phone screen.

Every minor under 18 needs a certified unabridged birth certificate showing both parents, plus an affidavit from any absent parent. This is checked and it turns families back.

For vehicles, carry the registration papers. If you do not own the vehicle, you need a letter of authority from the registered owner or rental company naming the travel dates, and where the vehicle is financed that letter comes from the bank. Both should be signed by a Commissioner of Oaths, and a police affidavit is commonly required for rented and financed vehicles. Crossing into Zimbabwe at the end of a trip is standard practice on the 14 day Botswana and Victoria Falls safari.

The vehicle needs a country of origin sticker on the rear, two warning triangles and reflective jackets. A valid driving licence is required, and an international driving permit is worth carrying.

Vehicle Fees and Formalities at the Border

Bringing a foreign-registered vehicle into Botswana means several small payments taken at the counter on entry.

A Temporary Import Permit is issued for the vehicle. Third-party motor insurance is compulsory for foreign vehicles and bought at the border. A road transport permit and a national road safety levy are collected at the same time, the latter valid to the end of the calendar year. Trailers and caravans need separate documentation and pay their own charges.

Travellers arriving from outside the Southern African Customs Union may be asked for a carnet, triptyque or bill of entry with duty secured by bond or deposit, though the simplified Temporary Import Permit route covers most regional traffic. A carnet is not required for a vehicle entering from South Africa, Namibia, Lesotho or Eswatini.

Card machines work at major crossings including Kazungula and Tlokweng, though smaller posts frequently run cash only when the network drops. Carry Pula.

Veterinary Controls and What You Cannot Carry Across

Botswana protects a substantial cattle industry, and its controls on animal products are enforced seriously at the border and inside the country.

Limited quantities of red meat, poultry, eggs and fresh meat may be brought in per person without a permit, though these allowances change frequently because they track disease outbreaks in neighbouring countries and are sometimes suspended entirely. Check with a customs office before travelling with meat or dairy. Plants, seeds and fresh produce need agricultural clearance.

Expect veterinary control fences on roads inside Botswana as well. Officers may inspect the vehicle for meat products and ask you to walk across a disinfectant mat and drive through a wheel dip. This applies to everyone, takes a couple of minutes and is not negotiable. The road south from the Kazungula crossing skirts the Chobe Forest Reserve before it reaches the main park.

Also worth knowing at the border: uncut semi-precious stones are prohibited from import, which catches travellers who bought a rough tanzanite or amethyst earlier in a regional trip.

Practical Advice for Crossing Into Botswana

Allow far more time than the distance suggests. Kazungula in peak season can take hours, and freight traffic at Tlokweng and Pioneer Gate slows everything at certain times of day.

Arrive in the morning where you can. It leaves room for a queue, avoids the closing-time gamble entirely, and means you reach your destination in daylight rather than driving after dark, which is the single most dangerous thing you can do on a Botswana road.

Download offline maps and search for your border post by name while you still have signal, since coverage drops away near remote outposts.

Withdraw Pula before you get there. Fuel and border fees on the Botswana side need local currency, and there is no ATM at a bush crossing.

Frequently Asked Questions About Botswana Border Crossings

Booking Your Botswana Trip

The safari companies and tour operators listed on this website put trips like this together for a living and know which camps, guides and routes actually deliver. We are an independent guide to Botswana; we do not book or sell tours ourselves.

When you are ready, arrange your safari, tour or holiday with one of the recognised operators listed here. Tell them your dates and what matters most, and a real person, not a form, will handle the itinerary, park bookings and logistics for you.