Maun

Understand

It has shopping centres, hotels and lodges as well as car hire services, although it retains a rural atmosphere and local tribesmen continue to bring their cattle to Maun to sell. The community is distributed along the wide banks of the Thamalakane where red lechwe can still be seen grazing next to local donkeys, goats and cattle.

Getting there

By plane 1 Maun Airport (MUB IATA). Air Botswana operates regular services from Gaborone, Kasane, Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe and the South African city of Johannesburg. Airlink flies from Cape Town and Johannesburg. The airport passenger terminal is right in town, about two blocks from the major shopping centre. (updated Nov 2023) FlyNamibia also flies to Maun from Windhoek.

By car You can get to Maun using the highway from Francistown. At Nata, take the A3. (It is well sign-posted.)

By bus There are daily buses from the bus rank in Gaborone to Maun at 05:30, 07:00, and 11:30 (recommend catching the 05:30 one, if you wish to get to Maun before dark). However, it’s a good idea to double check with the locals if the departure times have changed. As of 2023, the bus fare was P278 per person. Tickets are purchased on board and cannot be purchased in advance. The bus ride takes 9 to 10 hr. Buses from Francistown cost about P167 and take 6 hours, departing Francistown about once an hour from 07:30 to around 15:30. If you're traveling from Namibia, smaller buses between Maun and Ghanzi cost about P50 and take about 4 hours; in Ghanzi you can connect with another bus from the Namibian border at Charles Hill/Mamuno (P40, 3.5 hours), but there is no organised transport from there towards Windhoek so you will have to resort to (probably paid) hitchhiking. If you get the first (08:30) bus out of Maun you will probably make it through to Windhoek in one day. There are also buses from Maun towards Shakawe (P141, 6 hr) and the Caprivi Strip. If you want to travel from Maun to Kasane, it's best to get a Francistown/Gaborone bus and get off at Nata, where you can catch a northbound bus towards Kasane. The same thing works in the opposite direction; either way you'll need to start out as early as possible to be assured of making the connection. The buses on major routes are pretty nice compared to many other African countries, but still not exactly luxurious: 5 non-reclinin

Getting around

The core of Maun, say from Riley's Hotel to the airport, is walkable, but usually hot. Further out than that — and a number of popular camps are to the north-east of town — you will want to get a ride. There is a roundabout just a few hundred metres northeast of Riley's Hotel and the Tourist office. It is a useful reference point. From here, Tesheko Tsheko road runs southwest past Riley's to the bus station and market (at Tsaro St, ~1.5 km). Sekgoma Road runs southeast, crossing the Thamalakane River, past the Maun Education Park, and on to Francistown. Moeti Road runs northwest. And Sir Seretse Khama Road runs north to the Maun airport (~2.5 km), and thence to the popular camps, to Moremi, and to Shorobe. Taxis and combis have blue licence plates. (Expect to pay P30 for a taxi to the camps north of town.) In this area, especially on relatively high-speed roads, available taxis will honk gently once to see if you are interested. To show that you want a taxi, stick your arm out parallel to the ground, perpendicular (and towards) the road, palm-down, and flap your fingers. (Raising your hand will probably also work, but the finger-flapping is the way the locals do it.) Note that taxis do not have a central dispatch system. Thus, if you want to call a taxi to fetch you from somewhere a bit remote, you need to have the mobile number of a taxi driver. Also note that driving after dark is dangerous (due to animals on the road), so there will be fewer taxis running after dark. Combis (vans) run from the bus station along ten specified routes.

Route 1 north to the airport, and the camps north of town Route 7 southeast to Maun Educational Park The following companies offer cars for hire. Car hire typically carries a per-km charge. If you are coming from outside Southern Africa, you may be able to get unlimited km allowance by making your reservation with an international company on their website.

Maun Self Drive 4x4. Kitted out 4x4s equipped for camping at affordable

Do

Maun is a prime take-off location for safaris into the Okavango Delta, Parks and Game Reserves.

Moremi Game Reserve, a world class game reserve, is 80 km away. It offers undisturbed game viewing in varies woodland plains environments. Mokoro trip. A mokoro trip in a traditional dugout canoe with a poler that pushes you through the waterways of the Okavango delta is combined with an overnight stay, camping or hiking. Any travel agency can arrange this. Depending who you book this with, the price varies. Gym: If you want to work out, there is a gym with day passes behind Hilary's (or rather, behind the naturopath next door to Hilary's). Gumasema Adventures & Safaris, Unit 8, First Floor, Laha House, Old Mall, ☏ +267 6860690, [email protected]. 8AM to 6PM. A mobile safari operator based in Maun. The offices are in Old Mall on top of Multichoice on the first floor. The company offers various kinds of outings, such as day trips to Moremi Game Reserve, Nxai Pan National Park, Tsodilo Hills, Gchiwaha and Mokoro excursions in Boro/Daunara. Gumasema Adventures & Safaris also does overnight camping trips which can be as long as 14 days. (updated Nov 2022)

Buy

There are several souvenir stores right around the airport, including Bush Telegraph, and Jazella's. Motsana - Matlapaneng (On the Moremi road before Audi Camp turnoff), ☏ +267 72241444. Motsana is a cultural centre in Maun that boasts 7 shops, 2 dance studios, a coffee shop, stage & open air courtyard. Its strives to provide locals and tourists with entertainment, shopping, food & drink within the walls of a unique yet spectacular piece of architecture! Botswana Quality Baskets, ☏ +267 72271422, [email protected]. Buy some baskets or learn to weave. (updated Jun 2017)

Eat

Bon Arrivee is just across the street from the airport. International breakfasts, lunches, dinner and a full range of refreshments await you. Audi Camp has a great open kitchen, where you can watch your meal being cooked. You eat under one of the largest thatch roofs you may ever see. Try Hilary's Coffee Shop near the airport - cheap and cheerful, a regular lunchtime spot for locals because the menu is full of delicious homemade dishes. The menu shows real imagination. Whether planning to eat outdoors on the verandah or inside get there early to enjoy the greatest selection. Sports Bar is good for a more formal, European style dining experience. Try local dishes such as papa (maize meal- the staple food), magunya (Fried dough balls- available for around 50 thebe), seswa (shredded meat- usually beef or goat), morogo (green, leafy vegetable similar to spinach). These foods are available ready made at