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New Year's Day
Botswana

New Year’s Day 2025, 2026 and 2027 in Botswana

New Year’s Day is a holiday in Botswana as part of celebrations that start on New Year’s Eve and reach a high point with the turning of the clock from 11:59pm on 31 December to midnight on 1 January.

YearDateDayHoliday
20251 JanWedNew Year's Day
2 JanThuNew Year Holiday
20261 JanThuNew Year's Day
2 JanFriNew Year Holiday
20271 JanFriNew Year's Day
2 JanSatNew Year Holiday
Please scroll down to end of page for previous years' dates.

New Year’s Day is a time of resolutions and starting fresh for some, while for others it is spent recovering from a big, late night spent with friends and family.

In Botswana, New Year’s Day is a bigger holiday even than Christmas, and Botswana’s population is bustling with excitement as the new year approaches. It’s a day people look forward to practically for 364 days until it finally comes!

As you walk down the streets on New Year’s Eve in cities and towns of Botswana, you’ll hear jubilant exclamations of “Happy!” with the final “y” stressed and stretched out long. Many people attend one or more parties for the New Year countdown, and many hold braais barbecues. When the clock finally strikes midnight, you’ll hear an explosion of drums.

Some people and international tourists go to the town of Maun for a getaway in vacation lodges for the New Year season. Maun lies at the edge of the Okavango Delta and its swampy, wild terrain and wildlife.

Previous Years

YearDateDayHoliday
20241 JanMonNew Year's Day
2 JanTueNew Year Holiday
20231 JanSunNew Year's Day
2 JanMonNew Year Holiday
3 JanTueNew Year Holiday