Meat and Fruits/Vegetables in Botswana

[zoneout]

Great, thanks

[ajpscp]

This is a conundrum - because no.. there's nothing in Gweta to be honest. A suggestion would be to precook some meals (beef stew/strogonoff/potjie etc) and take them with you in tupperwares. Cooked food can pass through the vet fences.

Hi Guy's, with the clamp down on meat and veg at the boarders we chose to bring in some pre-cooked meals in Dec'23. Can I assume that it is currently still possible to do this now?

Regards
Arthur

[cg.whittle]

Hi all, I am seeing some contradicting information. which of the following can you bring into Botswana from SA?
Fresh meat (frozen in fridge) - chicken, beef, lamb
Cooked meat (i.e. in a meal like mince or chicken curry)
Fresh vegetables
Frozen vegetables?

Thanks

[Vanessaheyman]

Hi All

When going to Kgalagadi and one spends a few nights in the SA side of the park then moves across to the Botswana side.
Can they confiscate fruit and meat when entering at Twee Rivieren, I suspect not but thought to check first?

Thanks

[Luka]

Hi All

When going to Kgalagadi and one spends a few nights in the SA side of the park then moves across to the Botswana side.
Can they confiscate fruit and meat when entering at Twee Rivieren, I suspect not but thought to check first?

Thanks

No.

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[KobusDJ]

..

[Sank5366]

Hi.
How do people plan their big overland trips according to the east west, south north rule?

We were thinking of entering at martins drift. Stocking up in francistown.

Route would be:
- francistown
- elephant sands -hunters road
- vic falls and senyati.
- Chobe - Linyanti and Savute
- Khwai concession - magotho
- Moremi third bridge/xakanaxa --- stock up food and supplies in Maun.
- nxai pan and baines baobab
- lekhubu
- CKGR - deception, pipers pans, xade

I see the vet fences all over - especially worried about coming from north back down to CKGR.

What would everyone recommend? Perhaps do it in reverse?

Thanks

[Alasdair]

Hey, we are heading up to Botswana, through Platjan, an swondwrijgnwhat the solution is to being able to get food / supplies one over the border, not heading to any major towns for a few days.
1st few nights at Limpopo river lodge.
Is there a shop / choppies / butchery close by the border / Limpopo river lodge?

[schwott]

Is there a shop / choppies / butchery close by the border / Limpopo river lodge?

I am checking the same. Apparently Bobonong is the closest town to stock up. Not a big deal for me because we want to cross the same day to Zim. I read somewhere the officers at Platjan are not so strict if you prove you will stay in Tuli Block area. Not a written rule, of course, difficult to rely on it I would probably make all my meat rare or medium rare and repack it in aluminium foil. Or have enough time in hand and be prepared to cook at the border.

[La Leona]

https://mg.co.za/business/2025-04-10...-south-africa/

Botswana lifts ban on fresh fruit and vegetables from South Africa

[Jaco Kruger]

Hello, after much research we're still unsure about taking pre-cooked meals into Botswana, going from South to North. Does anyone with recent experience, know whether it is currently allowed or not? Our trip is in June. This is a screenshot today of the info regarding food imports on the Botswana Unified Revenue Service website. Botswana Tourism list this as well. However, apparently this is not allowed at border posts. To avoid issues we will rather opt for pre-cooked meals, but there seems to be uncertainty about this as well.

[River Rat]

Hello, after much research we're still unsure about taking pre-cooked meals into Botswana, going from South to North. Does anyone with recent experience, know whether it is currently allowed or not? Our trip is in June. This is a screenshot today of the info regarding food imports on the Botswana Unified Revenue Service website. Botswana Tourism list this as well. However, apparently this is not allowed at border posts. To avoid issues we will rather opt for pre-cooked meals, but there seems to be uncertainty about this as well.

I have never had an issue with precooked meals, I have been traveling to Botswana since 2018 the last trip was August 2024. We there again next week and the precooked meals are already packed in.

[Jaco Kruger]

I have never had an issue with precooked meals, I have been traveling to Botswana since 2018 the last trip was August 2024. We there again next week and the precooked meals are already packed in.

Thank you very much, this is good news. We'll do the same then.

[jjgerber]

Good morning all. Thank you for all contributors for their tips.

If I look at the Vet Fence Maps and the West to East and South to North Rule, it appears ok to stock up in Maun. Then travel Maun via Boteti River, Rakops, Letlhakane into Kubu Island, then north via Nata to Kasane

And other family members coming up from Gabarone, can stock up there, travel via Letlhakane into Kubu Island, then north via Nata to Kasane

Is our logic correct?

Thank you

[Alasdair]

https://mg.co.za/business/2025-04-10...-south-africa/

Botswana lifts ban on fresh fruit and vegetables from South Africa

Still confused about the actual rules.
We are back from Botswana, summary of trip below:

• Entered at PlatJan
• Up through Palapye, Nata
• Into CKGR
• Back through Martrins drift

Got stopped once, no issue nor restriction. We asked the officail who said "theres no outbreak, so no restrictions, only for livestock"
We werent hiding a sheep (or cow) int he Cruiser, so had no issues.
Allt he other vet fences we literally drove through and waved
In Nata, Fouries butchery has closed. I chatted with him and he said the abattoir closed. Chatting with some others up there, the restrictions almost seem to be economic, to protect the abottoirs in an area, but not 100% sure on this.

Anyway, we had an awesome trip, found meat (chuck) in most places, and never once got checked / searched, not even at PlatJan when entering.