Home › Itineraries › 3 Days

Three Slow Days in Gaborone

Game drives, craft markets, and the calm rhythm of Botswana’s capital

Trip Overview

This long-weekend plan keeps the tempo deliberately unhurried so you can taste the smoky boerewors curling over market coals, feel late-afternoon wind sweep off Kgale Hill, and watch impala flick their ears at dusk inside Gaborone Game Reserve. Each day clusters activities in one quadrant of the city, cutting time in traffic and giving you room to linger over Setswana dishes, browse hand-woven baskets, or sip a cold Castle lager while the sky turns copper over the dam.

Pace
Relaxed
Daily Budget
$80-120 per day
Best Seasons
April to October, when skies are clear and evenings cool
Ideal For
First-time visitors, Couples, Solo travelers, Photography enthusiasts

Day-by-Day Itinerary

1

Township Flavours & City Craft

Main Mall & Government Enclave
Start downtown amid carved wooden hippos and tie-dye wraps, then climb to a sunset lookout over Gaborone.
Morning
Main Mall Craft Market walk
Stalls open around eight; smell fresh vetkoek oil beside tables stacked with ochre-colored mud-cloth and seed-bead bracelets. Ask the maker to show you the coiled grass technique used on traditional Botswana baskets.
2 hours $15-25
Lunch
Botswana Craft Café
Setswana and grill Mid-range
Afternoon
Botswana National Museum & Art Gallery
Air-conditioned rooms house stuffed lechwe and century-old clay pots; outside, a fig tree drops purple fruit that stains the concrete. Set aside thirty minutes for the small San rock-art exhibit.
2 hours $5
Evening
Kgale Hill trail at sunset
Taxi to the northern trailhead; 45-minute walk to granite boulders where you can watch the city lights flick on below.

Where to Stay Tonight

Main Mall / Government Enclave (Cresta President Hotel)

Five-minute walk back from the mall, reliable Wi-Fi, and the rooftop pool catches late-day breeze.

Bring small notes—artisans prefer cash and often lack change.
Day 1 Budget: $85
2

Wildlife Before the Wind Picks Up

Gaborone Game Reserve
Africa’s smallest capital reserve delivers zebra stripes and warthog tails under acacia shade, all inside the city ring road.
Morning
Self-drive or taxi safari loop
Enter at 0630 when air is still crisp and impala herds graze beside the tar. Keep windows open to hear wildebeest snorts and the metallic click of weaver birds.
3-4 hours $10 entry plus taxi $20 return
Reserve your taxi driver for the day; phone signal inside the reserve is patchy.
Lunch
Bull & Bush Pub
Pub fare with outdoor deck Mid-range
Afternoon
Gaborone Yacht Club at the dam
Borrow a club kayak for a slow paddle across lily-speckled water; watch fish eagles dive while the sun glints off aluminum sailboat masts.
2 hours $15 kayak rental
Weekend afternoons fill up—arrive by 2 p.m.
Evening
Riverside dinners at the dam
African Mall restaurant deck for seswaa beef stew and live jazz on Saturdays.

Where to Stay Tonight

Gaborone Dam / Tlokweng border (Peermont Walmont at The Grand Palm)

Pool faces the water and the hotel shuttle covers the short hop back from the dam.

Pack sunscreen and a brimmed hat; shade is scarce on the reserve loop road.
Day 2 Budget: $90
3

Slow Sunday in the Village

Mokolodi Nature Reserve & Game City Mall
End with cheetah purrs, rhino dust baths, and a final plate of slow-cooked oxtail before your flight home.
Morning
Mokolodi guided game walk
Walk among acacia thorns while your guide snaps open seed pods to reveal aromatic resin. Giraffe eyelashes twitch twenty meters away.
2.5 hours $25
Book the 0700 walk online the night before—groups are capped at eight.
Lunch
Mokolodi Restaurant
Game meat and salads Upscale
Afternoon
Game City Mall browsing & souvenir top-up
Air-conditioned respite where Lentswe leather shop sells camel-colored safari bags and Zara stocks Botswana-print shirts. Try the icy vanilla milkshakes at Café Cappuccino.
2 hours $10-20
Evening
Sunset drinks and airport departures
Sky Lounge at Sir Seretse Khama International, 10 minutes away, for gin-and-lime sundowners looking over the runway lights.

Where to Stay Tonight

Near Game City / Airport Road (Airport View Lodge)

Shuttle runs every 30 minutes and beds are thick after three days of dust and sun.

Order your mokoro (dug-out) key-ring at Mokolodi gift shop; it’s carved from leadwood and won’t be found at the airport.
Day 3 Budget: $100

Practical Information

Getting Around

Metered taxis are plentiful and cheap; apps like DiDi work too. Reserve your driver’s number from Day 1 to simplify pickup at Gaborone Game Reserve and Mokolodi. Walking is safe and pleasant within Main Mall and Government Enclave.

Book Ahead

Mokolodi morning walk, Cresta President Hotel on weekends, and Saturday jazz at African Mall restaurant.

Packing Essentials

Light sweater for May–July evenings, neutral-colored clothes for reserve drives, reusable water bottle, and a power bank—outlets at outdoor cafés can be scarce.

Total Budget

$275-310 excluding flights

Customize Your Trip

Budget Version

Stay at Main Mall backpacker dorms, use combi vans, bring packed sandwiches into the reserves, and swap Mokolodi for a free self-guided cycle around Nogatsaa Park.

Luxury Upgrade

Upgrade to the Grand Palm Presidential Suite, book a private ranger vehicle at Mokolodi, charter a sunset helicopter flip over Gaborone Dam, and reserve chef’s table dinner at The Courtyard.

Family-Friendly

Book the 0930 cheetah feeding at Mokolodi, carry snacks for the market, choose hotel pools with child minders, and shorten Kgale Hill to the lower viewpoint to avoid steep rock scrambling.

Book Activities for Your Trip

Tours, tickets, and experiences in Gaborone

Continue Planning Your Trip

Things to Do

Top attractions and activities for Gaborone

Budget Guide

Trip costs and money tips for Gaborone

Getting Around

Transport options and tips for Gaborone

Where to Stay

Accommodation guide for Gaborone

Plan Your Perfect Trip

Get insider tips and travel guides delivered to your inbox

We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe anytime.