Orapa

Closed Botswana company town built around one of the world's largest open-pit diamond mines

Orapa is home to one of the world's largest open-pit diamond mines. De Beers geologists discovered diamonds here in 1967, just a year after Botswana's independence, and the Orapa diamond mine was in production by 1971. The discovery transformed the country's fortunes: Botswana went from one of Africa's poorest nations to one of its most prosperous, and the pula became one of the continent's stronger currencies.

The town itself is a closed company town — access requires a permit from Debswana — and there is little for general visitors beyond the mining history and the remarkable wildlife of the surrounding game management area. It is best seen as a stop on a longer journey through the central Kalahari, a reminder of how dramatically diamonds reshaped this part of the world.

Guide

Getting There

Orapa lies roughly 260 km west of Francistown and about 490 km north of Gaborone, in the centre of the country. The town is not accessible to the general public without a permit — obtain one through Debswana's head office in Gaborone before travelling.

By road: The A3 highway west from Francistown leads to Letlhakane, from where a road continues south to Orapa. The roads are sealed but in varying condition; a standard car is sufficient for the sealed road, though a 4WD is strongly advisable if you intend to venture into the surrounding game management area.

Air: Orapa has an airstrip used by Debswana for company personnel. There are no scheduled commercial flights. Charter flights from Maun or Gaborone can be arranged but are expensive.

Guide

Things to Do

Orapa is a closed company town and genuine visitor attractions are limited. Access to most of the town requires a permit from Debswana. That said, the setting in the central Kalahari is remarkable in its own right, and the mining history is genuinely significant.