Catch International Jazz Day in Gaborone on 30 April

Gaborone is easy by day, but after dark both Canada's travel advice and local guides say to avoid walking alone. Ask the restaurant or your hotel to call a taxi for the return, and save that driver's number for the end of the night. At traffic lights and corners keep your phone out of sight. Plan evenings so that…

Gaborone's cabs are unmetered, but ride-hailing apps such as inDrive show the route and let you propose a fare, which the driver accepts or counters. They are handy in the evening, when a booked ride beats flagging one down. Send the driver a landmark pin rather than a street name, and keep small notes for tips or…

Cabs in Gaborone have no meter, so the price is whatever you agree before moving. Ask the fare first, repeat it back, and confirm the destination by landmark. Official advice favors taxis from reputable companies, booked by phone or through your hotel, over hailing one in the street. If the fare feels off, thank the…

The yacht club sits on an island in Gaborone Dam, reached by a causeway that works all year, and its open-air bar is a popular sundowner spot. Birdwatchers come for herons and flamingos, and the sun sets behind Kgale Hill. Arrive an hour before dusk, bring a zoom lens for the birds, and ask the club about visiting…

On hot days the dam looks like a beach, but swimming is not allowed or recommended because of crocodiles and bilharzia. Locals use it for birdwatching, fishing and non-motorised water sports through the Gaborone Yacht Club. If you want to cool off, use a hotel pool and keep the dam for sunsets and bird spotting from…

For a night among giraffe and zebra without leaving the capital's orbit, Mokolodi Nature Reserve south of the city has camping and basic lodging, and a restaurant overlooking the bush. Contact the reserve ahead, since bookings are handled by phone, and ask whether you can add a guided drive or walk. It also works as a…

Mokolodi Nature Reserve, a short drive south of the city on the Lobatse road, offers more than a loop drive. Besides two-hour game drives it runs white rhino and giraffe tracking, guided walks and horseback rides. Book activities in advance, and ask when you reserve whether the reserve is open, since it sometimes…

The National Museum and Art Gallery is more than the permanent history displays. It also hosts temporary exhibitions, from photography to national art shows, and local artists sometimes exhibit in the gallery. Ask at the entrance or the museum's social channels what is on before you go, because the programme changes…