Hostels in GABORONE, BOTSWANA

The Capital City Gaborone in Botswana

Capital and largest city in Botswana, Gaborone, named after the chief Kgosi Gaborone, has a population of nearly 200,000. Located between Kgale and Oodi Hills on Notwane River towards the south-eastern corner of Botswana it is about 15 kilometres or 9.3 miles from South African border.

Accommodation
There are all types of accommodation to choose from hostels and guest houses to budget hotels apartments and hotel resorts

History
Chief Kgosi Gaborone left Magaliesberg to settle in the area around 1880. Early European settlers called the city as Gaborone naming it after Chief Gaborone of BaTlokwa. In 1890 Cecil John Rhodes picked Gaberones housing the colonial fort. Capital of Bechuanaland Protectorate was moved from Mafeking to Gaberones in 1965. The city was chosen due to its proximity to fresh water sources. In 1966, Bechuanaland became the eleventh British dependency in Africa. After that Goborone has been growing rapidly and the city that was originally planned for only 20,000 citizens, now houses ten times of that population.

Getting Around
Botswana railway line connects Gaborone with Cape Town and Harare, Ramatlabama, Lobatse, Plapye, Serule, Fracistown, Ramokgwebana, Zimbabwe, and Plumtree. However, since 2009 it has become a cargo only line. Sir Seretse Khama International Airport has flights to most important places in Botswana and Africa. Highways include Trans Kalahari, A1, and the Cairo-Cape Town Highway. Also there are five major roads in Gaborone to Lobatse, Kanye, Molepolole, Francistown, and Tlokweng. Public transport includes Kombis, small vans, and taxis. One can view the hassle free guide on the Internet for moving around the city.

Popular Places and Monuments
Towards the northwest of the Mall along dependence road is the National Museum and Art Gallery that opened in 1968. Major attractions in the museum are original works by Thomas Baines and Lucas Sithole. One can use wagons, sledges, and bakkies or pickup trucks outside the museum. An exhibit on Bushmen is also there. In addition there is the National Botanical Garden that was opened in 2007. 90% of the plants in the Botanical Garden are indigenous to Botswana.

Places of Entertainment
Maitisong Festival that started in 1987 and is held annually during last week of March or first week of April includes outdoor concerts, plays, and movies around the city. Performing arts competition named “My African Dream” at Gaborone International Convention Centre featuring Kwaito dancers and musicians is a major event. SSKB, Mochudi, and Botswana National are the major football stadiums in the city.

Gaborone Dam located south of Gaborone along Lobatse road, with the reservoir named the Waterfront, Kalahari fishing club, City Scapes that contain parks, playground and boating facilities are other places of entertainment. The dam is popular to birdwatchers, anglers and windsurfers. One cannot swim due to crocodiles and parasitic bilharzias. 600 hectare spread Gaborone Game Reserve on Limpopo Drive was build 1988 with wide varieties of animal species, Kagle hill known as sleeping giant, Mokolodi nature reserve covering 30 square kilometre area, and Somarelang Tikologo Ecological Parks are other places of interests in Gaborone.

Currency
Currency in circulation in Gaborone in Botswana is the Botswana Pula with the code name of BWP. Currently one Botswana Pula comes to around 0.14388 US dollars. Current rates can be found and viewed at the financial news or journals to learn about the current exchange rates with all major currencies.

Gaborone group accommodation | hostels & budget hotels