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The Limpopo River crossing between South Africa and Botswana, explained for first-timers
Martin’s Drift Border Post: Groblersbrug to Botswana Crossing Guide: History & Culture
Updated 13 October 2026
| Detail | What to know |
|---|---|
| Countries | South Africa (Limpopo) and Botswana, across the Limpopo River |
| Names | Groblersbrug (Grobler’s Bridge) on the South African side. Martin’s Drift on the Botswana side. |
| Road | N11 on the South African side |
| Normal hours | 06:00 to 22:00 (checked 13 October 2026) |
| Open 24 hours? | No. It has run 24 hours only on set days during Easter operations. |
| Nearest towns | Tom Burke, South Africa, 10 km. Lephalale, South Africa, 97 km. Palapye, Botswana, 116 km (road distances, OpenStreetMap routing, checked 13 October 2026) |
| One-stop border post? | No. Each country runs its own checks on its own side. |
| Traffic | Private cars and heavy freight. Roughly 400 to 450 trucks a day use the crossing (SADC, October 2025). |
| Last checked | 13 October 2026 |
Short answer: Groblersbrug is not a 24-hour crossing. Plan to cross between 06:00 and 22:00, and check the current notice before you travel.
Groblersbrug is on the Limpopo River, on the N11 in the Waterberg district of Limpopo. Wikipedia gives its coordinates as 22°59′55″S 27°56′37″E, with the Botswana post, Martin’s Drift, just across the river at 22°59′47″S 27°56′19″E. The crossing is a bridge over a river that floods in heavy rain. The post sits on the North-South Corridor (SADC, October 2025).
Road distances from the South African post, using the OpenStreetMap route planner (OSRM, checked 13 October 2026):
Routing times are driving times without queues at the border.
| Period | South African side | Botswana side | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Normal | 06:00 to 22:00 | 06:00 to 22:00 | South Africa: SAnews, BMA Easter plan, 29 March 2026. Botswana: Department of Immigration and Citizenship, Botswana Ports of Entry, April 2025. Also SADC assessment, 23 October 2025 | 13 October 2026 |
| Easter 2026 | 24 hours on 2 April and 5 to 6 April. Open until midnight on 3 and 4 April. Normal hours again from 7 April. | Same crossing | SAnews, 29 March 2026 | 13 October 2026 |
| Peak season | Hours are extended in peak season, according to the SADC assessment. Look for the latest Border Management Authority notice. | SADC, 23 October 2025 | 13 October 2026 | |
The Border Management Authority (BMA) runs the South African side. Its normal hours are the ones in its Easter 2026 plan as reported by the government news agency SAnews. Botswana’s Department of Immigration and Citizenship lists Martin’s Drift at 06:00 to 22:00, every day, in its April 2025 list of ports of entry. Some older web pages, including Wikipedia, list an 08:00 opening, but the BMA’s own Easter 2026 statement and the SADC assessment both say 06:00.
Check before you travel. The BMA posts border notices and festive-season hours on bma.gov.za. Extra festive-season hours, when they are announced, appear there first.
If the river is high after heavy rain, check for a closure notice before you set out. The BMA’s media release named Skilpadshek and Kopfontein as alternative commercial ports into Botswana.
Freight traffic is heavy: the SADC assessment puts it at 400 to 450 trucks a day, and notes the bridge needs expanding for smoother movement. Expect more trucks than cars. Arriving early in the day leaves the most margin before the 22:00 close.
| Document | Who needs it | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Passport | Everyone. Botswana requires at least 6 months’ validity from arrival. | Wikipedia: Visa policy of Botswana |
| Visa | Citizens of South Africa, Eswatini, Lesotho, Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe and many other countries can enter without a visa for up to 90 days in any 365 days. Everyone else applies for an e-Visa. | Botswana e-Visa portal, Wikipedia summary, checked 13 October 2026 |
| Online vehicle declaration | Foreign-registered vehicles entering or leaving South Africa (including Botswana-registered cars) must be declared through the SARS Traveller Management System from 1 June 2026. There is no charge. | SARS media release |
| Vehicle registration papers | Drivers: a certified copy of the registration papers | Drive South Africa border guide (a travel guide, not an official list) |
| Financed or rental car | A rental company’s cross-border letter of authority, or for a financed car a bank letter. A police affidavit signed by a Commissioner of Oaths may also be asked for. | Same travel guide. Ask your rental company or lender before you go. |
| Fee | Amount | Side | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Road Safety Fund levy, foreign-registered vehicle | P40, expires at the end of each December | Botswana | BURS: Clearance of Motor Vehicles (page undated, checked 13 October 2026) |
| Temporary Import Permit (TIP) for a foreign car entering South Africa | Free, valid up to 6 months for repeated entries | South Africa | SARS media release |
Botswana also charges a road transport permit and third-party insurance at the border. Travel guides quote different amounts, so ask at the post or check with the Botswana Unified Revenue Service (burs.org.bw).
No. Normal hours are 06:00 to 22:00. It ran 24 hours only on set days at Easter 2026 (checked 13 October 2026).
22:00 on normal days. At Easter 2026 it stayed open until midnight on 3 and 4 April.
It is the Botswana side of the Groblersbrug crossing over the Limpopo River.
A passport valid for at least 6 months, a visa if your nationality needs one, and your vehicle papers. If the car is financed or hired, carry the lender’s or rental company’s letter of authority.
South African citizens and citizens of many other countries need none for up to 90 days in any 365 days. Check the Botswana e-Visa portal for your passport.
Botswana charges a P40 National Road Safety Fund levy on foreign-registered vehicles, plus a road transport permit and insurance. South Africa’s Temporary Import Permit is free.
No. You stop at both South African and Botswana checks.
No official waiting times are published. The crossing handles 400 to 450 trucks a day, so early arrival helps.
Last checked 13 October 2026.
Photo: Groblersbrug, Limpopo River, by Pavel Špindler, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0.
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