Lizard Lounge
Lizard Lounge is one of Gaborone's few dedicated nightclubs, occupying a venue near the Main Mall with a main dance floor holding 150 to 200 people, a DJ booth with professional equipment, a bar, and a small VIP area with booth seating. The interior is dark with colored lighting, a mirror ball, and a sound system that pushes enough bass to make the floor vibrate. Music programming runs kwaito, amapiano, Afrobeats, dancehall, and international pop, reflecting the audience's split between local and international tastes. Entry costs BWP 50 to 100 depending on the night, with special events and guest DJs commanding premium prices. The crowd is young Gaborone: University of Botswana students, young professionals, and the nightlife-dedicated. The demographic skews early to mid-twenties. Weekend nights are the only consistent draw; attempting Lizard Lounge on a weeknight yields an empty room. The atmosphere peaks between midnight and 2 AM on Saturdays, when the dance floor fills and the room generates the kind of energy that Gaborone's bar scene can't produce. For a city this size, having even one functioning nightclub with a proper dance floor is something.
What to Expect
Security check at the entrance, then a dark corridor to the main room. The DJ is already playing to a growing crowd. Colored lights sweep the dance floor. The bar is busy but manageable. The bass is physical. Students dominate the crowd, bringing energy and fashion effort. By midnight, the floor is packed and the DJ is earning their fee.
Young, energetic, and bass-driven. Gaborone's one proper nightclub delivering what a nightclub should: a dark room, a loud system, and a full dance floor.
Kwaito, amapiano, Afrobeats, dancehall, hip-hop, and international pop. The DJ balances local and international sounds.
Club wear. Young Gaborone dresses up for Lizard Lounge. Men in smart jeans and good shoes, women in club dresses. No athletic wear, no sandals.
Young visitors wanting Gaborone's dance floor experience. University-age crowd. Anyone who needs a nightclub after the pubs close.
Cash preferred (Botswana Pula) at door and bar. Some card acceptance. Carry cash as backup.
Price Range
Entry BWP 50-100, beer BWP 30-50, spirits BWP 40-70, water BWP 15-25
Entry ~$4-8 / EUR 3.70-7.40, beer ~$2.40-4 / EUR 2.20-3.70
Hours
Friday-Saturday 10 PM to 3 AM, occasional Thursday events
Insider Tip
Saturday is the better night. Arrive after 11 PM; the club is empty before then. The VIP area costs BWP 150-200 ($12-16) for a booth and is worth it for the seating. Keep valuables secure on the dance floor.
Full Review
Lizard Lounge carries the weight of being Gaborone's primary nightclub option. In a city where the bar scene closes by midnight and alternatives are limited, Lizard is where people go when they want to keep going. This positioning creates both its strength and its challenge.
The strength is audience concentration. When there's only one real club in town, everyone who wants to dance ends up in the same room. Saturday night at Lizard Lounge collects university students, young professionals, visiting South Africans, and the handful of tourists who asked their hotel concierge where to go. The resulting mix creates an energy that bars can't replicate.
The sound system is the venue's best investment. Properly powered speakers with dedicated subwoofers create a bass response that you feel through the floor. The DJ equipment is professional grade, allowing clean mixing and transitions. When the DJ drops an amapiano track at 1 AM and the bass vibrates through 150 bodies, the room achieves the transcendent club moment that keeps people coming back.
The DJ programming balances local and international sounds. Kwaito, the South African genre that originated in the 1990s, gets respect from the Batswana crowd who grew up on it. Amapiano, its modern evolution, dominates the peak hours. Afrobeats from Nigeria provides international flavor. Dancehall and hip-hop fill transitions. The DJ's skill in reading the room determines whether the night succeeds or stumbles.
The VIP area is a modest section of booths with marginally faster bar service. The minimum spend for a booth is BWP 150-200 ($12-16), making it accessible for groups of three or four. The elevated position provides a view of the dance floor and a retreat from its density.
The crowd's fashion effort deserves recognition. Young Gaborone uses Lizard Lounge as a showcase, with outfits that show creativity and investment despite limited budgets. The style blends South African street fashion with local interpretations of international trends. Looking good here is participatory rather than spectatorial.
The limitations are structural. The venue feels tired on quiet nights, and the cleaning between evenings doesn't always meet the standard the crowd deserves. The bathroom facilities are nightclub basic, which is a diplomatic description. Security at the entrance is thorough but the interior could use more presence. And getting home at 2-3 AM requires a pre-arranged taxi, as Gaborone's streets are dark and empty at that hour.
The Neighborhood
Near the Main Mall in central Gaborone. Bull & Bush Pub and other bars are within walking distance for pre-club drinks. The area is commercially active in the evening but quiets after midnight.
Getting There
Walk from Main Mall bars (5-10 minutes). Taxi from Riverwalk costs BWP 20-40 ($1.60-3.20). From the airport, BWP 100-200 ($8-16). Pre-arrange return transport; taxis at 3 AM are scarce.
Address
Near Main Mall, Gaborone
Other Venues in Main Mall Area
Bull & Bush Pub
Gaborone's iconic British-style pub near the Main Mall. Cold beer, pub food, big screens for sport, and a social atmosphere that draws everyone from government workers to students. Been here for decades. Beer BWP 25-40.
Sanitas Tea Garden
Quirky garden bar and restaurant near the Main Mall that serves as an evening gathering spot. Craft cocktails, light food, and a relaxed outdoor atmosphere under string lights. A favorite for sundowners. Cocktails BWP 50-90.
News Cafe
South African chain restaurant and bar at Riverwalk complex. Cocktails, bistro food, and a young professional crowd. The terrace seating is the draw. Reliable option when you don't want to gamble on an unknown venue. Cocktails BWP 50-100.
Maitisong Cultural Centre Bar
Bar attached to Gaborone's main performing arts venue. Live music, cultural events, and a crowd that comes for the performances. When a show is on, the bar fills with an engaged, arts-minded audience. Beer BWP 25-40.