Things to do in Southern

The south of Botswana is farming country, with cattle ranches, fields of maize and sorghum, and small towns strung along the roads between Gaborone and the Kalahari. Kanye, the district capital, was founded by the Bangwaketse in the 1790s and is still the seat of their kgosi. Further west, on the edge of the desert, Jwaneng has the richest diamond mine in the world by value. Most travellers meet the region on the road to the Kgalagadi or Ghanzi, and it's a good place to break a long drive.

From Kanye to Jwaneng

Southern district stretches from the South African border north to Kweneng and west to the Kgalagadi. Kanye sits on a line of hills about 80 km south-west of Gaborone, and those hills form a natural barrier against the Kalahari sand. You can walk the Kanye Gorge, where villagers hid during the wars of the nineteenth century and the birdlife is good. The Polokwe viewpoint, about 10 km north, looks out over the valley at sunset. Jwaneng, about 80 km further west, is a planned town that grew up with the diamond mine, and its name is usually translated as 'a place of small stones'. Beyond it, the Trans-Kalahari Highway heads north-west towards Kang and Ghanzi.

Getting there and how long to stay

Kanye is about an hour's drive from Gaborone on the A10, and the A2 carries on west to Jwaneng, about 165 km from the capital in all. A night in either town breaks the long drive to the Kalahari parks, and fuel and supplies are easier to find here than further west. Watch for cattle and goats on the road, especially around dawn and dusk. Pair the south with Gaborone and the southeast for a few days close to the capital before you head out onto the sand.

Booking on adventuro

Use the Book here tab to see live dates and prices from local centres, including trips that head west through the south towards the Kgalagadi.

From Kanye to Jwaneng

Getting there and how long to stay

Booking on adventuro

Use the Book here tab to see live dates and prices from local centres, including trips that head west through the south towards the Kgalagadi.

Yes, if you're driving between Gaborone and the Kalahari. Kanye gives you a feel for a large Tswana village and its long chiefly history, with a gorge walk and a hilltop viewpoint close by. Jwaneng is a well-serviced town for a night before the sand, so you can start the long drive west rested and with a full tank.

The main kgotla, the traditional meeting place, is surrounded by old buildings, including former homes of the Bangwaketse chiefs and the early tribal offices. The Kanye Gorge makes a short walk with good birding, and the Polokwe viewpoint north of the village looks out over the valley at sunrise and sunset. Ask at the kgotla before you wander, as people there can help you find your way around.

Yes. The Mabuasehube section is reached via Tsabong, the last town with fuel and supplies before the park, and the final stretch is sand that needs a 4x4. From Jwaneng, allow most of a day to reach the park gate. Campsites there are basic and the water isn't safe to drink, so bring everything you'll need.

The dry months, from about May to September, are cool and clear, which suits driving and walking. Winter nights can be close to freezing. The summer rains, mostly from November to April, turn the farmland green but bring heat and afternoon storms that can leave gravel roads slippery.