Kgale Hill is the long, flat-topped ridge that fills the horizon south-west of Gaborone. At 1,287 metres it stands nearly 300 metres above the city, and locals call it the Sleeping Giant. Climbing it is the capital’s favourite weekend exercise, and the view from the top explains the geography of the place better than any map: the grid of the city, the blue sheet of Gaborone Dam, the Oodi hills to the north and bushveld running to the South African border.
Readers will know the name already. In Alexander McCall Smith’s novels, the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency opens for business “at the foot of Kgale Hill”, and when the series was filmed in 2007 the production built its set here.
Top things to do: Kgale Hill & Gaborone Dam
Hike to the summit
Several marked routes start from the car park off the Lobatse road, opposite Game City mall. The usual route takes 45 minutes to an hour up, with some rock steps and a short scramble near the top, and about 40 minutes down. It is steep but not technical; reasonable fitness and proper shoes are enough.
Catch sunrise or sunset
The hill faces the city, so dawn brings the light onto Gaborone and dusk silhouettes the hills behind you. Take a torch if there is any chance of descending in the dark. The guided hike with a picnic offers sunrise and sunset slots.
Look for baboons and birds
A troop of chacma baboons lives on the hill — keep food packed away and do not approach them. Rock hyrax (dassies) sun themselves on the boulders, and raptors use the thermals along the ridge.
Visit Gaborone Dam
Below the hill, the dam on the Notwane River has supplied the city’s water since the mid-1960s. The shoreline is good for a sundowner and for waterbirds, and the Gaborone Yacht Club on the northern shore welcomes visitors at its bar and restaurant on some days — check before you go. Swimming is not advised: there are crocodiles, and bilharzia is a risk.
How to get to Kgale Hill & Gaborone Dam
- Trailhead: on the A1 Lobatse road at the south-western edge of the city, opposite Game City mall, about 10–15 minutes by car from the centre. There is informal parking at the foot of the hill.
- By combi or taxi: combis to Game City stop a short walk from the trailhead; taxis and ride-hailing cars are easy to find at the mall for the way back.
- To the dam: access points are signposted off the road south of the city; some areas need a permit or belong to clubs, so go with a local or on a tour.
Insider tips
- Do not hike alone. There have been occasional reports of muggings on the hill over the years; go in a group or with a guide, in daylight, and leave valuables at the hotel.
- Start before 7 am in summer (October–March) — there is almost no shade and midday temperatures are well above 30 °C. Carry at least a litre of water per person.
- After rain the rock steps are slippery. Wear shoes with grip, not sandals.
- Weekend mornings are busiest, which is the safest and most sociable time to climb.
Best tours: Kgale Hill & Gaborone Dam
These top-rated experiences are the easiest way to see Kgale Hill & Gaborone Dam:
Guided hike from €44 Gaborone: Kgale Hill Hike and Gourmet Picnic Experience
Kgale Hill is the best viewpoint over Gaborone and its dam, and it is wiser not to climb it alone. This guided hike adds a picnic at the summit, with a choice of sunrise, morning or sunset slots. Only a couple of reviews so far, and they are mixed — read the most recent ones on GetYourGuide before you book.
- Guided climb of the “Sleeping Giant”
- Picnic with a view at the top
- Sunrise, morning or sunset departures
Literary tour from €111 No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency Literary Tour: Gaborone
Alexander McCall Smith’s novels have sent more visitors to Gaborone than any advertising campaign. This guided tour follows Mma Ramotswe around town — her house on Zebra Drive, Tlokweng Road Speedy Motors, the foot of Kgale Hill — and shows how closely the books follow the real city. Perfect scores so far, from a small number of reviews.
- Zebra Drive, Tlokweng Road and Kgale Hill
- The Gaborone of Mma Precious Ramotswe
- Bush tea and stories from the books
Private city tour from €102 Gaborone: 3-Hour Historical City Tour
The most-reviewed tour in Gaborone and the best first morning in the city. A local guide drives you between the capital’s landmarks — the Three Dikgosi Monument, Parliament, Main Mall and the older neighbourhoods — explaining how a village by the Notwane River became the “diamond city” in sixty years, with a few traditional snacks to try on the way.
- Three Dikgosi Monument and the new CBD
- Parliament, the Government Enclave and Main Mall
- Tastes of local food along the way
