15 Cool Tours and Unusual Things to Do in Gaborone, Botswana.
This post has some of the best advice for upcoming trips to Africa, focused mainly on Gaborone, and provides information about what to do, where to stay, and how much it will cost.
Visiting Gaborone for various tours will assure you plenty of opportunities to see many of the city’s incredible sights.
Gaborone, Botswana’s capital city, offers its visitors a range of abundant possessions, such as museums and nature reserves.
Consequently, the country has become an increasingly popular destination for unique tours. In turn, the city has gained a lot of popularity worldwide.
Looking for things to do in Gaborone? Check out this list of free and inexpensive activities that will get your creativity flowing.
1. Explore the Three Dikgosi Monuments
One of the most appealing aspects for visitors in Gaborone, Botswana, is to take some time out of your day to explore the Three Dikgosi Monuments in the Gaborone Central Business District.
Visitors can see a large bronze sculpture of tribal chiefs from the road; this is a perfect place to visit during vacations.
The monuments represent three past dikgosi; Bathoen 1 of the Bangwaketse, Sebele 1 of the Bakwena, and Khama III of the Bangwato. They are all a significant part of Gaborone’s independence.
Gaborone has many exciting attractions, and the Dikgosi monument is the most visited.
Activities at the monument
This iconic statue is a must-see for anyone passing through Gaborone. It was a spot for notable events such as the 2008 Miss Independence Botswana.
Opening hours
The spot is closed on both Saturday and Sunday but open Monday to Friday from 8 am to 5 pm.
2. Visit the Mokolodi Nature Reserve
Plan your trip to the captivating game reserve in Gaborone, Mokolodi Nature Reserve, situated at Plot 10/KO/01 Mokolodi 2, Botswana.
The wildlife park is excellent for nature lovers, couples looking for a romantic activity in the capital city, and everyone in between. It has top-class facilities and unique experiences to offer.
Spend a whole day at this spot and explore Gaborone to its fullest. Here you can take pony rides in the serene surroundings.
African Wildlife at the Spot
The game drive allows tourists to see animals like hippos, giraffes, and zebras. You’ll also have a chance to spot birds, leopards, crocodiles, and more.
Top Tourist Activities
Mokolodi Nature Reserve offers a range of activities for tourists to enjoy, such as:
· Game drives
· Conferencing and facilities
· Rhino tracking
· Bush braais and champagne brunch
· Reptile park/sanctuary visit
· Giraffe tracking
· Cycling
Available Facilities for Lodging
The game reserve offers guests self-catering chalets, private camping sites, and a conference venue. They have a tea garden, restaurant, and curio shop as well.
3. Experience the Gaborone Dam
The rolling hills, lovely views, and tranquil environment surrounding Gaborone Dam will make you want to spend more days at the spot.
Gaborone Dam is located near the top of a mountain and offers an idyllic waterfront experience and tourist attraction in Gaborone – The capital city of Botswana.
Located on the Notwane River, with 141.4 Million Cubic Meters (MCM) capacity, the dam makes an ideal spot to sit and watch beautiful sunsets over the artificial lake.
Gaborone Dam is an earth core fill dam providing tourists with recreational activities. It’s also a focal point for many of the city’s water-based fun things.
Attractions at the Gaborone Dam
With a fishing club spot and an avid yachting scene on the northern side of the lake, visitors can participate in a range of water sports, including
· Picnic and nature admiration
· Walking
· Bird watching
· Windsurfing
· Fishing with hook and line
· Sunset watching with friends
· Playground and boating facilities
Social Events to Explore
Gaborone Dam hosts social events such as;
· Themed parties
· Quizzes
· Art exhibitions
· Annual raft races and club outings to different parts of the dam.
4. Discover the National Museum and Art Gallery
National Museum and Art Gallery hold many traditional Botswana paintings and crafts with memorabilia.
It’s a multi-disciplinary educational tourist destination that houses the octagon gallery, the national botanical garden, and many other attractions.
The Museum of Southern Africa hosts various artifacts from Botswana. The museum brings more recognition to the country’s artistic heritage.
Top Sights at the Museum
· African crafts
· Thatched house
· Queen’s Park Savannah
· Courtyard Restaurant
· Royal Botanic Gardens
Besides the many benefits to society, tens of thousands of people embrace the museum, which has changed their lives. They have created a greater appreciation for life’s opportunities and lessons learned about human history through art.
Location: 161 Queens Road, Gaborone, Botswana
5. Witness The Sri Balaji Temple of Gaborone
The Balaji Temple is an iconic Hindu temple in the city; it attracts thousands of visitors annually, and its architecture has intricate designs and beautiful shapes.
It is a beautiful Hindu temple on the outskirts of Gaborone, in Botswana. This temple has ancient architectural designs, festive cultural activities, and religious rituals.
Beyond exploring the architecture, visiting the temple gives visitors a calm, valuable, and lifetime experience.
Top Attractions to Explore
· Ornately carved doors depicting the Hindu mythology
· Lord Balaji greets visitors and devotees with two consorts: Sridevi and Bhudevi.
· The temple has two lords (lord Murugan and lord Ayyapan) standing, adding to its ambiance.
· Other stunning deities at the temple include Hanuman and Ganesha
· With its traditional Indian architecture, the temple has an impressive scenic interior for tourists.
6. Shop and Tour Around the Riverwalk Mall
The Riverwalk Mall has more than 80 specialty stores with a lot of shopping around the Gaborone area.
Gaborone, the capital of Botswana, is known for its beautiful scenery and rich culture. A few blocks from the city center, Riverwalk Mall is a unique cultural and shopping destination with multiple theaters and restaurants.
Don’t miss out on the Riverwalk Mall -a premier shopping destination! Some of your favorite activities, like shopping, watching movies, eating at restaurants, and taking a stroll, can be all right here! You always want to visit fun places, and the locals say it is where it’s at.
The Gaborone Mall has top-notch entertainment and services that are constantly changing. They’re worth a visit on any trip.
Tenant Mix of the Mall
The list of tenant mix at Riverwalk Mall includes;
· Fashion
· Bureau de Change
· Liquor stores,
· Entertainment,
· Jewelry store, etc.
Address: 7279 Jersey, Tlokweng Road, South East Gaborone.
Opening hours
The Riverwalk mall, perhaps the best of the city’s western-style malls, opens on these days:
Sunday: 9:00 am to 2:00 pm.
Monday – Friday: 9 in the morning to 7 in the evening.
Saturday: 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.
7. Lion Park Resort
Experience the thrill of riding the newest in the tallest roller coasters at Gaborone’s Lion Park Resort. They are for various family-friendly adventures for kids, teens, and adults.
The Lion Park Resort is excellent for quality family time and has a fantastic variety of activities to explore. It’s often a tourist spot, so it’s a historical landmark and landmark for folks to visit or explore.
The Lion Park Resort is a resort that combines animals and water fun. They’ve also created events for corporate events and parties for kids, teens, and adults.
Activities obtainable at the resort
· Birthday parties
· Lion viewing
· Amusement park
· Rides and swimming
· Campsite
· Guided walks
· Tours and excursions
Attraction at the resort
The best attraction at this spot is watching the big, well-fed lions and taking advantage of the affordable wave pool activities.
Working hours
Families can visit the park with their kids and teens within the following hours;
Tuesday: to Friday, 11 am – 6 pm
Saturday: 10 am – 6:30 pm
Sunday: 12 pm – 6:30 pm
Monday: closed
Location: Plot No. 15-KO Lion Park Portion, 184 of Portion 12 Crocodile Pools, Gaborone.
8. ISKCON Temple Gaborone (Krishna Balaram Palace)
The Sri Radha Krishna movement, the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), is an orange and maroon façade in Gaborone.
ISKCON is a 6500 square foot three-story temple standing bright against the blue Botswanan sky while portraying Hinduism.
Each of the three floors in the temple has intricate designs and beauty that tourists will find difficult to resist.
The temple is beautiful and has highly detailed fittings that capture the essence of traditional Indian architecture. Its central area includes a fully fitted kitchen and sleeping quarters for visiting devotees and priests.
Top Attractions at the Temple
ISKCON Gaborone, the holy abode of the Hindu Lord Krishna and Balaram, hosts top attractions such as;
· The Tulasi garden
· The intricately designed stone wall, and a
· Pagoda for peaceful chanting
· Flora and elephant carvings
· Sculptures snuggled among ornaments and flowers.
· Golden altar
9. Take a Wildlife Safari Tour
Enjoy a wildlife safari tour with “Maroon Tours and Safaris” throughout Gaborone and its surrounding environments.
Explore wide-ranging tours with curated experiences in Botswana, taking in the natural beauty that sets it apart from other African countries.
Anyone looking to visit Botswana’s capital city and explore the beautiful environments, water, and wildlife would find an 8-hour tour at “Maroon Tours” a great way to spend a day.
Available Itineraries/Services
· Accommodation
· Transfer to and from airports
· Cultural tours
· Cross-border tours tailored for individuals or groups
· The hiring of Chauffer driven vehicles
What to expect at the tour
· The tour operators pick vacationers from a designated point to Oodi to view the assortment of woven crafts.
· The traveler will tour the leatherworks to see products created through a Setswana touch.
· Moving forward, the traveler stops at Phuthadikobo Hill to see artifacts, a collection of Botswana photographs, and Bakgatha history.
· Lunch and local tales about the giant footprint on sedimentary rock and returns to Gaborone.
10. Christ the King Cathedral
Take a walking tour to Christ, the King Cathedral, and the mother church of the Catholic Diocese of Gaborone. The cathedral is at 161 Queens Road, Gaborone.
The cathedral is a site of religious worship and a historical place and landmark for tours. It is also an essential part of architectural history.
Gaborone boasts of the captivating Cathedral Church, a church of the highest order open for public worship.
Attraction at the church
· Viewing the church’s magnificent architecture is part of Gaborone tourism.
· The church draws several travelers using its exhibition hall to host arts and photographs.
· It also features the exposition of cars of the first president.
Opening Hours: The Christ the King cathedral works from Monday to Friday, 6:45 am to 5:00 pm.
11. Gaborone Game Reserve
Gaborone Game Reserve is one of Gaborone, Botswana’s most popular tourist attractions, with unique thrill and suspense.
Vacationers choose to visit the game reserve because they have easy access to wildlife that they might not be able to find anywhere else.
The Gaborone Game Reserve, founded in 1988, offers travelers access to a wide variety of wildlife.
Wildlife at the reserve
· Elands
· Wildebeest
· Kudus
· Gemsboks
· Warthogs
· Ostriches
Activities at the park
The park has abundant nature
It’s ideal for bird watching
Picnic sites
Visitor education center
Game hide
Services obtainable at the reserve
· Tourism
· Nature
· Wildlife
· Education
12. Hike Kgale Hill Public Park
For quite some time, people have appreciated the Kgale Hill Public Park, a natural urban park in Gaborone. It is lovely for walks, and everybody takes full advantage of its various outdoor attractions.
Kgale Hill is one of the many beautiful sights in Johannesburg and offers excellent city views.
Hilltop views are Insta-worthy, especially at sunrise. They provide a unique perspective on the beauty surrounding you and a memory you can not forget.
Working hours
The park that gives 360 views of Gaborone works every Monday to Sunday from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm.
Fun activities at the park
· Nice walks
· Hiking
· Picnic
· Viewing baboons and squirrels
13. Swim in the Olympic-sized Pool
Take a half-day trip to the Olympic-sized Pool at the University of Botswana and burn lots of calories. Swimming there allows you to build muscular strength, endurance, and confidence while swimming.
Although the pool is on the university campus in Gaborone, it is still open to the public and tourist visitors to drop by and enjoy swimming.
The pool, one of the attractions in Gaborone, is a spacious place for amateurs and pros.
Opening Hours
The Olympic-sized swimming pool with a multi-million Pula heating system opens on the following days:
Monday – Thursday: 7:45 am to 11 pm
Friday: 7:45 am to 5 pm
Saturday: 10 am to 4 pm
Sunday: 2 pm to 10 pm
Activities at the pool
· Recreation and leisure
· Water therapy and training
· Swimming lessons
· Academic aquatic programs
· Local and international swimming galas
14. Thapong Visual Arts Center
Thapong is an active art center in Botswana’s capital, featuring artists of all levels. Artworks are a passion of the owners who want to offer their creations to people around them and see the blossoming success they create.
The Thapong visual arts center is a paradise boasting an art gallery of art pieces created by local artists.
In addition to displaying the art gallery, it hosts a workshop where local and international artists can sample their skills.
Attractions at the center
The major attraction to travelers at the Thapong center is its visual arts, exhibition, and gallery program.
15. Cultural Food Tour
Another appealing thing tourists should do in Gaborone is to satiate hunger with original Botswanan food.
Explore outstanding meals on offer to taste while touring Gaborone, as the city counts as among the best food destinations in the country.
When on holiday in Gaborone, have fun and take your time to discover typical restaurants and taste Botswanan specialties.
Meals on offer
Gaborone offers quality meals that include Indian cuisine, Portuguese meals, global cuisine, local drinks, delectable seafood, and African gourmets.
Conclusion
If you seek unique things to do in Gaborone, the capital city of Botswana, check out these quirky attractions and activities and get a memorable experience when you next visit the city.
You can find unique experiences in Gaborone and witness first-hand experiences in the city.
The Gaborone Bucket List is the ultimate list of tours and things to do in Gaborone.
