Botswana General Information

Main Attractions in Botswana

Chobe National Park is the second largest national park in Botswana and covers 10,566 square kilometers. Chobe boasts one of the largest concentrations of game found on the African continent, and also has four distinctly different eco systems: Serondela with lush plains and dense forests in the extreme north-east River area; the Savuti Marsh area in the west; the Linyanti Swamps in the north-west and the hot dry surroundings in between the other three.

The original inhabitants of the area were the San people – hunters and gatherers - who moved from one area to another, searching for water, food and wild animals. Other groups, the Basubiya and Batawana people later joined the San. The country was divided into various land tenure classifications, just over 100 years ago. The largest area, which is now Chobe National Park, was classified as crown land. In 1931, the idea of creating a national park was presented in order to protect the wildlife from extinction, but it was not officially named a Game Reserve until  1960 . Seven years later, the reserve was declared a national park, and the boundaries have been expanded considerably since that time.

The Chobe National Park boasts an elephant population, which has steadily increased over the last century, and is currently estimated at around 120,000. The Chobe elephant are migratory, making seasonal movements of up to 200 kilometers from the Chobe and Linyanti rivers, where they concentrate in the dry season, to the pans in the southeast of the park, to which they disperse in the rains.

In addition to the elephants, all other types of wildlife can be seen, especially in the dry winter months. This is when great concentrations of elephant, buffalo, zebra, giraffe, impala and others gather along the river to drink. The Chobe National Park is a major destination for game viewing of every kind, and an incredible safari option not to be missed.
 

The water then flows through Namibia (called the Kavango) and finally enters Botswana, where it is then called the Okavango. Instead of flowing into the sea, the annual flood of fresh water flows inland, spreading over 15 000km² of the Kalahari sand into a maze of lagoons and channels.  

The Okavango Delta’s floods are fed from the Angolan rains, which start in October and finish sometime in April. The floods only cross the border between Botswana and Namibia in December and will only reach the bottom end of the delta (Maun) sometime in July, taking almost nine months from the source to the bottom. This slow meandering pace of the flood is due to the lack of drop in elevation, which drops a little more than 60 m over a distance of 450 km. The Delta’s water ends in the Kalahari – via the Botetle River, with over 95% of the water eventually evaporating.

The best time for game viewing in the Okavango Delta is during the period between May and October period, as the animal gather along the flooded areas as the vegetation has dried out. The most impressive month is August, when the champagne-coloured water is at its deepest. The best time for birding and vegetation is during the rainy season when most of the young are born. This is the time between November and April, as the migrant bird populations are returning, and the vegetation is lush and green.

The Okavango Delta presents a unique ecosystem with countless islands that emerge from its waterways. The environment has large numbers of animal populations that are otherwise rare, such as crocodile, red lechwe, sitatunga, elephant, wild dogs, buffalo, wattled crane and the water supports many kinds of fish and more common mammals and bird life. Conservationists have taken a great interest in the preservation of the Delta, as it is such an exceptional area.
 

The sky is an unrelenting, dazzling blue; its sand arranged in soft ridges by the harsh winds that have slowly eroded soft stone formations into the sand masses that predominate the landscape. And, unlike the Namib Desert, the Kalahari’s dunes remain stable due to vegetation – they do not wander with the wind. The Kalahari, though semi-arid, supports some animals and plants and is not regarded as true desert – really it’s more like a dry savannah. Summer temperatures are high and there are intermittent and thoroughly unpredictable rains, usually between 3-7 inches a year.

The Kalahari has been there for nigh on 60 million years, right from when Africa first became a continent. Botswana today is largely bush, trees and grasses, clutching rather unsteadily on arid soil. However, this translates into a vast, virtually untouched, wilderness on a grand scale, with land stretching as far as the eye can see – no surprise that it’s ranked high as a vacation destination. Bang smack in the middle of Botswana lie huge tracts of white salt – the saltpans of Botswana - one of the country’s wonders that lie overseen by ancient baobabs.

Safaris in the Kalahari of Botswana promise huge herds of animals that still follow migration paths of old. The Kalahari’s only permanent river, the Okavango, provides Botswana’s highlight for any safari. The river flows into a delta, surrounded by the Kalahari, that forms a labyrinth of marshes rich in wildlife which depends on the waters.
 

The Savuti Game Reserve lies south of Linyanti and covers an area of over 5000 square kilometres in the western section of Chobe National Park in Botswana. It is a prime game spotting safari destination and is often quoted as having the best wildlife viewing destination in Africa.

Much of the Savuti was previously under water. The Savuti Channel last flowed in 1982. Researchers are flummoxed as to why the channel, which had remained dry since 1885, began flowing again in 1967. It has a history of flooding and drying up independently of good rain or floods elsewhere. The marsh, which is now grassland, is dotted with dead camelthorn trees, which have become a significant feature of the area and a safari highlight.

Timing your holiday here for the dry winter months, promises the best game viewing time as predators tend to lurk around the water holes. During the rainy season (November to April), game migrates towards grassy areas and the zebra migration is usually tailed by roving prides of lion. Elephants are sighted in abundance, particularly next to water holes at sunset.

Other wildlife viewed whilst on safari includes: cheetah, leopard, wild dog, giraffe, impala, tsessebe, roan, sable, wildebeest, kudu, buffalo, waterbuck, warthog, eland, hyena, jackal and the bat-eared fox. A wide variety of birdlife is also available with large secretary birds and kori bustards often seen around the Savuti Marsh.

You can reach Savuti Game reserve by air (the reserve has an airstrip) or 4x4, and it is recommended that you holiday for at least four days in the reserve to do it justice. There is a variety of public and private camps from which to choose.
 

Linyanti game reserve lies in the far north western corner of the Chobe National Park, northeast of the Okavango Delta in Botswana. Taking its name from the river of the same name, Linyanti is best known for the large numbers of elephant that roam the reserve. It has recently also become one of the best places to see the African wild dog, driven virtually to the edge of extinction – roughly 5000 exist in the wild today. Holidays here promise the true safari experience.

The Linyanti marshes, which attract elephant and buffalo during the dry season, were formed by the flooding of the bordering Kwando and Linyanti rivers, resulting in a reserve of 900 square kilometres.  The marshes are secluded and swampy, bordering on the river for a short section of the reserve on the far eastern edge of the swamp.

The three main characteristics of this reserve are the Linyanti River, the Savuti Channel and forest – a very different terrain from the Okavango Delta. Winter is the prime time to holiday here because large herds of elephant, buffalo and zebra meet along the Linyanti River in search of water. Giraffe, impala and roan antelope can be seen in the forest areas, while a diversity of birdlife, including water birds such as the pelican, populate the river and forest areas. There are also plenty of predators to satisfy visitors on safari to this part of Botswana.

There are four small camps: Duma Tau, King's Pool, Linyanti Tented Camp and Savuti Camp. Access to the camps, whilst on safari, is rough and you will need a 4x4 vehicle. Linyanti is both peaceful and secluded, and is recommended as a holiday destination to complete the Botswanian experience.
 

The Reserve covers the area at the eastern section of the Okavango Delta. Moremi has been described as one of the most beautiful wildlife reserves in Africa, with a great diversity of plant and animal life. It contains - within its boundaries - approximately 20% of the Delta, and a vast range of habitats, acacia forests, floodplains, reed beds, lagoons, enduring wetland through mopane forest and dry savanna woodland. The mainland part forms only about thirty percent of the reserve – the remaining area being part of the Okavango Delta.

The Moremi Game Reserve is at its best during the dry season and game viewing is at its peak from July to October, when seasonal pans dry up and the wildlife concentrates on the permanent water. At any time of the year, game is prolific. Birdlife is prolific and varied, ranging from water birds to shy forest dwellers. There are many species of ducks and geese, as well as an amazing variety of heron. The variety of other animals includes: elephant, buffalo, giraffe, antelope, as well as lion, leopard, cheetah, jackal, hyaena and wild dog. The wild dog, particularly, is a regular feature at Moremi, and have been subject to a project being run in the area since  1989.
 

The Makgadikgadi Pans are a less frequented holiday destination in Botswana and make for a hauntingly beautiful vacation, particularly during the rainy season (January – April). As the rain arrives, herds of zebra, wildebeest and other antelope make their way northwards to the Nxai Pan and are followed closely by the migration of predators, such as lion, cheetah and hyena. The Pans thus form part of the route of one of Africa's last remaining migrations.

As the game move northwards, the pans are transformed into an oasis for a vast array of water birds, including flamingo, pelican, duck, geese and a variety of crane, that peck up the surfacing shrimp and fish. Sowa in particular is an expansive breeding ground for flamingos, where they are sighted in their thousands.

Towards the south-western end of Sowa is Kubu Island – a holiday highlight - famous for its huge baobab trees that punctuate the landscape.

After the rains, the waters gradually recede, leaving a semi-desert of salt pans, set against a vast open sky. Makgadikgadi Pans are an attractive vacation option for those seeking something a little unusual and for bird lovers in particular. A variety of safari tours and accommodation is available.
 

Tuli, which derives its name from a river in Zimbabwe, has a rather interesting frontier history because of its strategic position on the South African border. It was originally intended to form part of Cecil John Rhodes' great railway from Cape to Cairo, but he soon abandoned the idea when he realised how rocky the terrain was. The Tswapong and Lepokde Hills were once home to the San people and rock paintings are prolific in the area. Solomon's Wall, the remains of an ancient dyke, is also worth a visit especially its massive dolerite outcrops, which seem to hem the river in on either side.

Most of the wildlife appears to favour the northern reserves that make up the Tuli Block in Botswana, from wildebeest, kudu, giraffe and zebra, to predators such as cheetah, leopard, jackal and hyena. The rare black-maned lion is a key attraction to the area and the largest elephant population on private land resides in the Tuli Nature Reserves. Birdlife is plentiful with some 350 species having been recorded. Shrikes, boulder chat, raptors and kingfishers are just a few examples. The hot and humid summer months are probably the ideal time to holiday in the Tuli Block, whilst the wettest times are November and December.