Botswana visa requirements for Gambians

Travel and visa requirements

Botswana Visa is not required for Gambians

Stay Duration: 90 days

Entry Requirements

  • Gambians can travel to Botswana for a period of 90 days of stay without applying for a visa.
  • Passports of citizens of the Gambia are required to have a validity of 6 months from the date of arrival into the country.
  • A Yellow Fever certificate of vaccination will be requested from Gambians at the port of entry.
  • There are no restrictions on local and foreign currencies taken in and out of the country.
  • The passport of citizens must have at least three or more unused pages for entry stamps upon entry into the country.
  • About 38% of Botswana is set aside for national parks, reserves, and wildlife management areas. 
  • Travellers must provide proof of sufficient funds to support stay in Botswana as well as return or onward tickets.
  • All kinds of pets are allowed to enter the country but cats and dogs must be accompanied by an import permit from the Director of Veterinary Services in Botswana.
  • Travellers are not required to pay any airport tax upon their departure from the airport.
  • Trophy hunting in which large animals are targeted for their horns, size, skin to be displayed as “trophies” is illegal in Botswana and has been since January 2014.  
  • Botswana has the highest concentration of wild elephants in Africa, with most of them living in Chobe National Park and the Linyanti region.
  • Botswana is home to the Kalahari Desert, which takes up about 80% of the entire country and the desert is home to many animals ranging from Meerkats, Flamingos, and Leopards to African wild dogs.
  • Botswana is one of the most sparsely populated countries in the world having lands bursting with thriving African animal species. 
  • The Chobe National Park and Moremi Game Reserve in Botswana are major tourist destinations. 
  • Other reserves include the Central Kalahari Game Reserve located in the Kalahari desert in Ghanzi District, Makgadikgadi Pans National Park and Nxai Pan National Park are in the Central District of Makgadikgadi Pans.
  • The official language of Botswana is English although Setswana is widely spoken across the country. 
  • An estimate of 77% of the country's citizens identifies as Christians followed by a minority of  Muslims mainly from South Asia, Hindus and Baha’is.
  • The estimated flight time from Banjul, the Gambia to Botswana is 7 hours, 51 minutes.
  • Botswana uses the Central Africa Time zone (GMT+2) which means that Botswana is 2 hours ahead of The Gambia.
  • In Botswana, the power plugs and sockets are of type D, G and M. The standard voltage is 230 V and the standard frequency is 50 Hz.

Frequently Asked Questions


Is it safe to visit Botswana?

Overall, Botswana is a safe country and probably the safest one in Africa. Attacks towards tourists are rare and people are welcoming and warm.


What does “Botswana” mean?

The country's name means "land of the Tswana", referring to the dominant ethnic group in Botswana.


Can I drink tap water in Botswana?

Make sure you avoid drinking tap water in Botswana. In urban areas, the water is chlorinated and local people may drink it but we very strongly advise that you drink bottled water at all times.


What are the requirements if a Gambian citizen wants to migrate to Botswana and settle there?