Botswana Travel Guide - Going Out

Restaurants and bars can be found in main towns, often within hotels. Millet and sorghum porridge constitutes much of the cuisine. Beef and goat are very popular meats. Most lodges and safari camps also have restaurants and licensed bars, although food is generally basic outside major hotels and restaurants. The standard of food in lodges and camps is generally very good. There is local beer and no real restrictions on alcohol.

National specialities:
• Morama (an underground tuber).
• The Kalahari truffle.
• The Mopane worm (boiled, cooked or deep-fried).
• Beans such as cow peas, ditloo and letlhodi, dried bean leaves, plus nuts like peanuts and groundnuts.
• Wild spinach, morogo is very tasty.

National drinks:
• Palm wine (which is extremely strong) and Kgadi (made from distilled sugar or fungus).
• Traditional beer such as khadi or bojalwa, which tastes a bit like apple cider.
• Homemade ginger beer is popular.
• Bush tea (or Rooibos) is a reddish caffeine-free tea that is soothing and delicious, although something of an acquired taste.

Legal drinking age: 18.

Tipping: A discretionary 5 to 10%. In many places, a service charge is automatically added. It is customary to tip the game guide and lodge staff while on safari.

Most people get up early in the morning, and nightlife is not very extensive. However, there are some bars and restaurants in Gaborone. The city also has a cinema. Maun has a handful of restaurants and a small cinema.

Woodcarvings, handcrafted jewellery, woven goods and attractive basketry (particularly at Etsha, Shakawe and Shorobe) are recommended. Modern Bushman art can be seen, and perhaps purchased, at D'Kar, 40km (25 miles) north of Ghanzi. There also occasional exhibitions at the National Museum in Gaborone.

Shopping hours: Mon-Fri 0800-1800, Sat 0830-1300.