LONELY PLANET'S OFFICIAL GUIDEBOOK INFORMATION
Dangers & Annoyances
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Botswana
Botswana is not your average African country. It is modern and developed and most things work. You can safely drink the tap water in the towns and cities and you do not need protection against cholera or yellow fever.
HIV/AIDS is a serious issue but, unless you fail to take common sense precautions, there should be no undue risk. In fact, the greatest danger to the traveller is caused by wildlife and the inherent risks of driving in the bush.
Insect Bites & Stings
The south, south-central and southwest of the country are malaria free and the disease is a minimal threat in the remainder of the country in winter (May to July). For the rest of the time you should use prophylactic treatment. The right clothing, mosquito nets and appropriate repellents are 80% of the battle.
Another waterborne disease is bilharzia, which is usually present in stagnant or slow-moving water.
Snake bites and scorpion stings are another potential hazard. Both snakes and scorpions love dark hidey-holes. If you’re camping or trekking always pack away your sleeping bag when it’s not in use and tap out your boots. Don’t walk around barefoot or stick your hand in holes in the ground or in rocks. Another sensible precaution is to shake out your clothes before you put them on. Remember, snakes don’t bite unless threatened or stepped on.
Police & Military
Although police and veterinary roadblocks, bureaucracy and bored officials may be tiresome, they’re mostly harmless. Careful scrutiny is rare, but drivers may have to unpack their luggage for closer inspection at a border or veterinary checkpoint.
The Botswana Defence Force (BDF), on the other hand, takes its duties seriously and is best not crossed. The most sensitive base, which is operated jointly with the US government, lies in a remote area off the Lobatse road, southwest of Gaborone. Don’t stumble upon it accidentally! Also avoid State House, the official residence of the president in Gaborone, especially after dark. It’s located near the government enclave where there’s not much else going on in the evening, so anyone caught ‘hanging around’ is viewed suspiciously.
Road Safety
The most significant concern for independent travellers is road safety. Botswana has one of the highest accident rates in the world, and drunk and reckless driving are common. Cattle, goats, sheep, donkeys as well as wild animals are deadly hazards on the road, especially at dusk and after dark when visibility is poor. To drive in Botswana you need to be prepared for the unexpected and observe the speed limits on unsurfaced roads.
Namibia
Namibia is one of the safest countries in Africa. It’s also a huge country with a very sparse population and even the capital Windhoek smacks more of a provincial town than an urban jungle.
Undoubtedly crime is on the rise in the larger cities, in particular Windhoek, but a little street sense will go a long way here.
Insect Bites & Stings
Most hazardous insects are confined to the far northwest of the country in the watery environs of the Kunene, Okavango and Kwando river systems. As you’d expect, malaria is rife here, so it’s important to take antimalarial precautions. Another waterborne disease is bilharzia, which is usually present in stagnant or slow-moving water.
Most nasty of all is the prevalence of tsetse flies in eastern Caprivi, which are especially active at dusk.
Snake bites and scorpion stings are another potential hazard. Both snakes and scorpions love rocky hidy-holes. If you’re camping or trekking through any canyons or rocky areas always pack away your sleeping bag when it’s not in use and tap out your boots to ensure that nothing has crept inside them during the night. Don’t walk around barefoot or stick your hand in holes in the ground or in rocks. Another sensible precaution is to shake out your clothes before you put them on. Remember, snakes don’t bite unless threatened or stepped on.
Scams
Just about the worst scam you’ll encounter in Namibia is the pretty innocuous palm-ivory nut sellers scam practiced at various petrol stations. It starts with a friendly approach from a couple of young men, who ask your name. Without you seeing it they then carve your name onto a palm-ivory nut and then offer it to you for sale for anything up to N$60 (US$10) hoping that you’ll then feel obligated to buy the personalised item. You can obtain the same sort of thing at any curio shop for around N$20 (US$3). It’s hardly the crime of the century but it pays to be aware.
A more serious, but far from common, trick is for one guy to distract a parked motorist while a friend grabs your bags from the back seat. So always keep the doors of your vehicle locked and be aware of distractions.
The Sperrgebiet
En route to Lüderitz from the east, keep well clear of the Sperrgebiet, the prohibited diamond area. Well-armed patrols can be overly zealous. The area begins immediately south of the A4 Lüderitz–Keetmanshoop road and continues to just west of Aus, where the off-limits boundary turns south towards the Orange River.
Theft
Theft isn’t rife in Namibia, but Windhoek, Swakopmund, Tsumeb and Grootfontein have increasing problems with petty theft and muggings, so it’s sensible to conceal your valuables, not leave anything in your car, and avoid walking alone at night. It’s also prudent – and sensitive – to avoid walking around cities and towns bedecked in expensive jewellery, watches and cameras. Most hotels provide a safe or secure place for valuables, although you should be cautious of the security at some budget places.
Certainly you should never leave a safari-packed vehicle anywhere in Windhoek or Swakopmund other than a guarded car park or private parking lot.
Theft from camp sites can also be a problem, particularly near urban areas. Locking up your tent may help, but anything left unattended is still at risk.
Vegetation
Another unusual natural hazard is the euphorbia plant. Its dried branches should never be used in fires as they release a deadly toxin when burnt. It can be fatal to inhale the smoke or eat food cooked on a fire containing it. If you’re in doubt about any wood you’ve collected, leave it out of the fire.
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