Public Holidays in Botswana
Statutory public holidays in Botswana, with the dates that give people the day off, how the calendar is set, and what it means for travel, cities and culture.
Botswana at a glance
Botswana’s public holidays centre on Botswana Day at the end of September and President’s Day in July, with Christian feast days also observed.
Botswana Day is the biggest celebration, and public holidays falling on a Sunday are usually observed the following Monday.
Botswana public holidays 2026
Botswana has 15 public holidays in 2026 – the statutory days off. The table below lists those public holidays; observances and other non-statutory dates are not part of the total.
| Holiday | Date | Type |
|---|---|---|
| New Year's Day | Jan 1Thu | National |
| New Year's Day Holiday | Jan 2Fri | National |
| Good Friday | Apr 3Fri | National |
| Holy Saturday | Apr 4Sat | National |
| Easter Monday | Apr 6Mon | National |
| Labour Day | May 1Fri | National |
| Ascension Day | May 14Thu | National |
| Sir Seretse Khama Day | Jul 1Wed | National |
| President's Day | Jul 20Mon | National |
| President's Day Holiday | Jul 21Tue | National |
| Botswana Day | Sep 30Wed | National |
| Botswana Day Holiday | Oct 1Thu | National |
Showing 12 of 15 public holidays for 2026.
Major cities in Botswana
The urban centres that anchor most trips to Botswana.
Gaborone
A modern, orderly capital of government buildings and a dam on its edge.
Francistown
The second city, an old mining town and a crossroads to Zimbabwe.
Maun
The gateway to the Okavango Delta, where safari operators and airstrips cluster.
Kasane
A small town on the Chobe river, close to four-country borders.
Serowe
A large traditional village and the ancestral home of the Khama dynasty.
Top attractions in Botswana
The places that draw most visitors to Botswana.
Okavango Delta
A vast inland delta of channels, islands and mokoro canoe trails.
Chobe National Park
Elephant herds along a riverfront and predator-rich floodplains.
Makgadikgadi Pans
One of the largest salt flats on earth, seasonal home of flamingos and meerkats.
Moremi Game Reserve
A mosaic of mopane, floodplain and waterways inside the delta.
Central Kalahari Game Reserve
Desert pans and black-maned lions in one of the largest reserves in Africa.
Tsodilo Hills
Rock outcrops holding thousands of San paintings, a sacred site.
Festivals, food and getting around Botswana
What the calendar looks like on the ground, and how to move through the country around it.
Festivals behind the holidays
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🎉
New Year's Day
Falls on Jan 1
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🎉
New Year Holiday
Falls on Jan 2
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🎉
March Equinox
Falls on Mar 20
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🎉
Good Friday
Falls on Apr 3
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🎉
Holy Saturday
Falls on Apr 4
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🎉
Easter Monday
Falls on Apr 6
Food & drink
Getting around
Distances are vast; light aircraft and 4×4 self-drive safaris are the standard ways to reach the parks.
Travelling around Botswana’s holidays
What the dates mean once you are there.
Book around the peaks
Transport and hotels in Botswana tighten around major holidays; reserve early for the busiest weeks.
Check opening hours
Museums, banks and government offices usually close on statutory holidays, and often on the nearest Monday.
Carry local currency
Small vendors and rural businesses frequently take cash only, especially on holidays when banks are shut.
Expect crowded transport
Long weekends produce the year's heaviest road, rail and air traffic. Build in extra travel time.
Confirm the official list
Botswana's holiday dates are confirmed by government announcement; check the year page for the final arrangement.
Plan the long weekends
Pairing a holiday with adjacent weekends gives the longest breaks of the year — and the busiest.
Botswana public holidays: common questions
How many public holidays does Botswana have?
Botswana has 15 public holidays in 2026, counting every date typed National, Substitute or Bank in our calendar. Observances, religious dates and regional holidays are listed separately and left out of the total, because they are not days off across the whole country.
Where can I find the full 2026 list?
The complete 2026 calendar for Botswana is on the year page, with every recorded date in order.
Are Botswana's public holidays paid?
Statutory national holidays are generally paid leave for employees. Observances and commemorative days are usually not.
Do holidays move if they fall on a weekend?
Where a holiday falls on a weekend, Botswana typically observes it on the nearest weekday. Check the year page for the confirmed arrangement.
Are there regional holidays in Botswana?
Some holidays are observed only in certain regions or by certain communities. The year page lists what applies nationally.
Which years are covered for Botswana?
Calendars are published for 2027, 2026, 2025.
School holidays in Botswana
School term dates in Botswana
School calendar data last updated 10 Sep 2026. Dates come from education ministries and local education authorities; always re-check with the school before booking travel.