PikoeSIM
Excellent
Botswana eSIM
Plans from€3.39
1 GB 7 days
Okavango Delta, Botswana
- Mobile data
- One prepaid price
- Check compatibility first
- Hotspot included
Choose your plan
Data for 7 days
Data for 30 days
Tech specs
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Country coverage | This plan works only in Botswana. South Africa, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe are not covered. |
| Local networks | Orange Botswana, BeMOBILE Botswana |
| Network technology | Which network technology is available isn't confirmed for this plan. |
| Data & validity | 1 GB for 7 days, or 3 GB, 5 GB, 10 GB and 20 GB for 30 days. |
| Calls & SMS | Data only. No local phone number and no standard calls or texts. Use internet calling and messaging apps. |
| Hotspot | The listed networks support hotspot. Any device you connect draws from the same data allowance. |
| Your phone | Compatible phones must support eSIM and be network unlocked. Check the exact model and regional variant. |
How it works
Pick a plan, add the eSIM to your phone, then connect once you're in Botswana.
01Choose your plan
Choose data and validity that cover your trip. Save the setup instructions for offline access.
02Install before you fly
Install over Wi-Fi using your plan's instructions. Check when the plan's validity starts.
03Connect in Botswana
On arrival, turn on the eSIM and select it for mobile data. Keep data roaming off on your regular SIM.
Compare ways to get online in Botswana
Use prepaid data on the phone you already carry. This is how PikoeSIM compares with a rental router, home-carrier roaming and a physical SIM.
Swipe or scroll to compare all four options
| What matters | PikoeSIMTravel eSIM | Pocket Wi-FiRental router | RoamingYour home carrier | Local SIMPhysical SIM card |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Getting connected | Download the eSIM to your phone, then follow the activation steps that come with your plan. | Book delivery or collect a rental router from the provider. | Turn on roaming and confirm your destination is covered by your home plan. | Buy a SIM card and insert it into a compatible SIM slot on your phone. |
| Extra equipment | None. You use the eSIM-compatible phone you already have. | A separate device to carry, charge and keep within range. | None. You keep using your existing phone and SIM. | A physical SIM card. You might need to remove your usual SIM to fit it. |
| Data & cost | From €3.39 for 1 GB / 7 days. You pick a fixed allowance when you order. | Rental fees and data terms vary by provider. Check delivery, loss and damage fees before booking. | Your carrier's rates apply. Some home plans already include roaming at your destination. | Prepaid prices, data allowances and validity periods differ between local operators. |
| Sharing your data | The listed networks support hotspot. Any device you connect draws from the same data allowance. | Connect phones and other devices to the router. They all need to stay inside its Wi-Fi range. | Tethering depends on your carrier and your roaming plan. | Check that the local plan allows tethering before you rely on it. |
| Calls & SMS | Data only. Make calls and send messages through internet apps. | Internet only. Regular calls and SMS still use your phone's mobile plan. | Calls and SMS are billed under your carrier's roaming terms. | A local number, calls and SMS depend on the specific plan you buy. |
| After your trip | There's nothing to send back when your trip ends. | Return the router and accessories on time. Late or missing returns can trigger extra fees. | No hardware to return afterwards. | You don't need to return any rental device. |
Frequently asked questions.
Answers to common setup and buying questions.
How do I choose the right Botswana eSIM plan for my needs?
These recommendations assume light to regular use, not constant streaming. For a short visit with light messaging and saved maps, 1 GB for 7 days at €3.39 is the entry option. If you're away longer, 3 GB or 5 GB over 30 days covers regular apps and browsing, while 10 GB or 20 GB leaves room for uploads and tethering. Pricing rises with the allowance, but the price per GB falls, so the best value is the largest plan you will genuinely use, and the best price is the smallest allowance that still covers your trip. Match the total to how many days you'll actually be away, since what's affordable also depends on the full trip cost.
Which mobile networks and speeds are available in Botswana?
Listed networks: Orange Botswana, BeMOBILE Botswana. Which network technology is available isn't confirmed for this plan. Speeds and signal vary with your phone, location and network conditions.
Is my phone compatible with this eSIM?
You need an eSIM-compatible, network-unlocked phone. An eSIM card is a virtual sim card, so nothing physical is posted or swapped. Check the exact model and regional version before you buy. On iPhone, 'No SIM Restrictions' under Settings > General > About means the device is unlocked; the compatibility guide links to manufacturer instructions for iOS and Android.
When is the best time to install my Botswana eSIM?
Install over reliable Wi-Fi before you need data in Botswana, and keep the QR code or setup link from your order handy. Don't rely on instant installation at the airport; do it beforehand. Follow the activation steps for your plan, because installing the profile one day early doesn't necessarily start the validity clock. Once you arrive, enable the travel line and select it for mobile data.
Does this plan include calls, SMS and a local number?
No. These Botswana plans carry internet data only. Messaging apps such as WhatsApp work over the connection, but standard calls, texts and bank verification SMS still depend on your regular SIM and its carrier. Agree an app-based contact method with your driver or host before you arrive.
Can I use hotspot to share my data?
The listed networks support hotspot. Any device you connect draws from the same data allowance. Hotspot tethering is among the plan's features, and the data hotspot lets you connect a laptop or tablet. Every connected device draws from the same fixed allowance, so pause laptop updates and cloud backups before you share.
Does this plan cover Botswana's neighbouring countries?
Botswana only. South Africa, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe aren't included, so check every border crossing in your route and sort coverage for each country separately.
Is this an unlimited data plan or does it renew each day?
1 GB runs 7 days, and the 3 GB, 5 GB, 10 GB and 20 GB plans run 30 days, which isn't the same as one month on the calendar. There's no 1 day pass and nothing renews daily; the allowance is shared across the whole validity window and any hotspot devices. If your visit runs 2 weeks, that's 14 days, so a 7-day plan ends partway and a 30-day plan is the safer pick. These are prepaid allowances, not a monthly contract, so once data or validity ends you need another valid option.
What can I do if I need more data or a longer stay?
Check the purchase options and instructions for adding another plan. Don't assume a new purchase extends the current validity, carries forward unused data or reuses the same eSIM profile. Top up amounts and whether unused data rolls over aren't confirmed, so read the purchase conditions before you act. Keep the installed profile in place while you confirm the next steps.
What should I check if I have no internet connection in Botswana?
Check that you're in Botswana, the travel line is enabled and selected for data, and the plan still has allowance and validity. Apply the roaming and APN settings that came with the order to that line, then toggle airplane mode briefly or restart. If the signal is weak, move somewhere else. Keep the profile installed and have your device model, location and order reference ready when asking for help.
How can I prevent my regular SIM from using roaming data?
Select the travel eSIM for mobile data, turn off automatic data switching and keep data roaming off on your home SIM. If the travel plan needs roaming, switch that on only for the travel line. Calls and texts on your home line can still rack up carrier charges.
What do I need to check about support and refunds?
Keep your order reference and setup instructions to hand when you ask for help. Read the purchase conditions for refund rules, including any limits after activation or use. A 'no contract' label you saw online doesn't replace those terms, so check them before you buy. Don't delete the eSIM while a connection issue is being investigated.
Will a larger data plan improve reception in the Okavango Delta?
No. A bigger allowance changes how much data you can burn through, not the signal quality at your camp or on a game drive. 4G (LTE) and 5G availability in Botswana is not confirmed for these offers, and no plan can guarantee the best coverage in remote areas. Save transfer instructions and maps before you leave a reliable connection.
Using your eSIM in Botswana
A Botswana eSIM for the trip you have planned
A tourist landing in Maun faces different preparation than a transfer deep into the Delta. Use data for messages and booking checks where there's a signal, then carry the onward instructions offline.
The cheapest plan is 1 GB for 7 days at €3.39, enough for a short holiday or a weekend vacation with light messaging and offline maps. The 3 GB, 5 GB, 10 GB and 20 GB data plans all run 30 days; bigger allowances leave more room for YouTube uploads and sharing. Compare the price per GB before deciding, since every plan is a fixed prepaid allowance with no daily reset.
Sort your camp transfer before you leave Maun.
Listed networks: Orange Botswana, BeMOBILE Botswana. Which network technology is available isn't confirmed for this plan. Speeds and signal vary with your phone, location and network conditions. Download directions and booking references before you move past a reliable signal.
Already saved.Okavango Delta, Botswana
Maun: sort the next leg before you leave arrivals.
If you're arriving in Maun, confirm your onward transfer before you land. If a lodge representative is meeting you at the airport, share your flight details and agree the pickup point in advance. Save the camp name and transfer operator, because a town address may not match your final stop.
If your itinerary includes a flight between camps, pull up your onward booking and confirm the baggage rules with the operator directly. A data connection doesn't replace those instructions, especially for a remote airstrip.
If you're spending a night in Maun first, pin your accommodation entrance and ask the host to confirm the morning pickup point. Download larger map areas on Wi-Fi so they still work once you leave town.
Save before you goFlight and camp confirmations, the transfer contact, pickup instructions and a map of your overnight stop.
Moremi: save the route, then put the phone down.
If you're visiting Moremi Game Reserve, confirm your booked campsite, entry gate and the latest access advice with the operator before you leave. A map pin on its own isn't a route check.
Download the reserve map and store permits and booking references on the device. Agree when you'll next check in with family or your host, since these plans don't promise continuous service in the reserve or across the Delta.
A 20 GB plan holds more uploads than 1 GB, but it can't strengthen a weak signal. Save full-resolution photo quality for Wi-Fi and use mobile data for practical messages.
Photo: DoctorJoeE (opens in a new tab), CC BY-SA 4.0 (opens in a new tab). Cropped and resized from the original.
Save before you goThe agreed route, campsite booking, entry instructions and the operator's contact details.
Choose your Botswana plan
Compare data amounts and durations to find the plan that fits your trip.
Choose a plan
