More Things To Know

LANGUAGE: English is the official language, with Setswana the national language in Botswana.

TIME: Botswana is two hours ahead of Greenwich Meantime throughout the year. It is seven hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time in the USA most of the year, except during Daylight Savings Time (DST). If it's 12 Noon in New York City:

Jan	Feb	Mar *	Apr*	May *	Jun *
7:00 pm	7:00 pm	7:00 pm	6:00 pm	6:00 pm	6:00 pm
July *	Aug *	Sep*	Oct *	Nov	Dec
6:00 pm	6:00 pm	6:00 pm	6:00 pm	7:00 pm	7:00 pm

*DST in the USA is from the first Sunday in April until the last Sunday in October. Botswana does not observe DST.

VOLTAGE: The current runs from 220-240 volts, 50Hz, so if you bring any electrical appliances that run on 110, you must pack a converter. Also, many of the former British colonies use a three prong plug, so include an adapter. Think twice about packing a hair dryer; it is so warm you may let your hair dry naturally. Larger hotels have hair salons. (Most hotels in the major cities have 110 volt outlets.)

MEDICAL FACILITIES: Medical facilities in Gaborone are adequate, but available facilities in other areas are limited. For advanced care, Americans often choose to travel to South Africa. Most prescription drugs are available.