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
The dates below come from Botswana’s published calendar for 2026. Open the full year for the complete list.
| Holiday | Date | Year |
|---|---|---|
| New Year's Day | Jan 1Thu | 2026 |
| New Year Holiday | Jan 2Fri | 2026 |
| March Equinox | Mar 20Fri | 2026 |
| Good Friday | Apr 3Fri | 2026 |
| Holy Saturday | Apr 4Sat | 2026 |
| Easter Monday | Apr 6Mon | 2026 |
| Labour Day | May 1Fri | 2026 |
| Mother's Day | May 10Sun | 2026 |
| Ascension Day | May 14Thu | 2026 |
| Father's Day | Jun 21Sun | 2026 |
| June Solstice | Jun 21Sun | 2026 |
| Sir Seretse Khama Day | Jul 1Wed | 2026 |
Showing 12 of 20 dates recorded 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 20 dates recorded on its 2026 calendar, ranging from national statutory holidays to widely marked observances that are not days off work.
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.