Introduction to Botswana
Botswana is a land locked country with a very small population of just over 1, 2 million citizens. The population is mostly urbanized especially along the South African border. Blessed with Africa’s most stable democracy since the early 1960’s, Botswana is truly a safe and beautiful destination to travel to. More than 50% of the country is under some form of wildlife management. |
Access
Botswana has an excellent network of tarred (paved roads) to all major towns. From here most tourist regions can only be reached by four-wheel drive vehicles. The major points are:
- Gabarone
- Francistown
- Maun
- Kasane
Due to the great number of wildlife found all over Botswana, all guests are strongly urged NOT to drive at night. For obvious reasons visibility is greatly reduced and accidents can and will happen, should you drive at night. |
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From each of these major towns an airport with small charter planes is the only practical way of accessing the camps and lodges.
International Air access is also available with Air Botswana servicing all the above destinations.
The best access is from Johannesburg (OR Tambo International Airport) to either Gabarone and onwards to Maun or directly from Johannesburg to Maun. An alternative way of accessing Botswana is via Livingstone or Victoria Falls also from Johannesburg. From either Livingstone or Victoria Falls the cheapest way is to take a road transfer to Kasane and then onwards to your destination with a charter flight.
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Makgadikgadi Area
The Makgadikgadi Salt Pans is a remnant of a vast and ancient “Super Lake” today.
The Makgadikgadi has a lunar landscape but in the summer months (December to March) it is transformed into great sheets of water, which attract a spectacular array of water birds and trigger dramatic migrations of wildebeest and zebra which is one of Southern Africa’s last true migrations.
When not holding water, the entire area with its lunar landscape of great wide open uninhabited spaces and endless horizons is a perfect place to get away from it all and you would go far to better Makgadikgadi Pans. |
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Each season has its own particular beauty, in summer when the rains have arrived the pans come to life, the birds and vegetation blossom and the migration comes to town. Enjoy your days watching the bird life, following the zebra or just relaxing looking at this vast expanse of water.
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In winter, the pans dry up, the large migrations leave, but the true desert animals remain. During the day go out into the pans, either by vehicle or by bike to visit archaeological sites of stone age tools or just to see infinity and the curve of the earth or take a night drive to spot the elusive nocturnal desert species.
In both seasons night drives are a fascinating opportunity to see shy nocturnal desert species, whilst during the day one can visit historical sites such as Chapmans and Greens Baobab.
Whatever the season you will find plenty to do, in this vast and magical region.
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Central Kalahari Area
Few place names are as evocative as "the Kalahari". This miss-spelt Anglicism has come to represent the vastness of Africa's outback with all the romantic undertones of nomadic hunter-gatherers, lions and golden grasslands gently waving under the canopy of a limitless blue sky.
The Kalahari Desert stretches west of the eastern hardveld, covering 84% of the country. The Kalahari extends far beyond Botswana's western borders, covering substantial parts of South Africa, Namibia and Angola.
Desert, however, is a misnomer, its earliest travellers defined it as a 'thirstland'. Most of the Kalahari (or Kgalagadi, which is its Setswana name) is covered with vegetation including stunted thorn and scrub bush, trees and grasslands. The largely unchanging flat terrain is occasionally interrupted by gently descending valleys, sand dunes and large numbers of pans.
With little more than 100 to 200mm of rainfall per year, the flora and fauna in the Kalahari wages a daily struggle for survival. The Central Kalahari Game Reserve covering an area just under the combined size of Holland and Belgium, is truly immense, and the irony is that when it was declared in 1961, one of the primary purposes was not necessarily to protect the animals that lived in the area but to protect the people that lived there. |
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Moremi Game Reserve
The Moremi Game Reserve covers approximately 20% or about 4870 km² of the Okavango Delta, to the North Eastern quarter. It is characterized with a wide variety of animals, acacia forests, and Mopani woodlands.
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Game viewing can be appreciated year round. Wildlife to look forward to is: Buffalo, Elephant, Lion, Hippo, Cheetah, Red Lechwe and many more. If you are more of a birder then it will be pure magic with birds like: Fish Eagle, Pel’s Fishing Owl, King Fishers, Cranes, too many to mention.
Things to do: Game Drives, Bush walks, Mokoro safaris, and boating. |
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Okavango Delta
The perennial Okavango River runs southwards into its delta across the Caprivi Strip from the highlands of Angola. Most of its water evaporates from the delta wetlands. The Okavango Delta, in the midst of the Kalahari Basin, is Africa's largest and most beautiful oasis. |
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It is a natural refuge and giant water hole for the larger animals of the Kalahari. The Okavango River is best described as "the river which never finds the sea".
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Savuti Area
Situated in the Southern part of the Chobe National Park, Savuti covers an area of approximately 10880km². It is characterised by open Savannah, Rocky outcrops, and Marsh areas.
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This variety in vegetation attracts a multitude of animals, with large migrations during November to December and February to March. For the keen birders there are over 300 species of birds to be on the lookout for.
One of the interesting sights here are, the lion / elephant interactions.
Activities on offer are day drives, night drives and walks. |
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The Kwando Reserve
Kwando Reserve is an area of roughly 1 million acres, in between the Chobe National Park and the Moremi game Reserve.
The area consists of rivers, marshes, woodlands and grassland, with the key areas being the Linyanti and Kwando Rivers and marshes.
The main attractions here would be for the large concentrations of game and predators.
Activities on offer are day and night drives, walks with guide and tracker and boat cruises. |
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Chobe River Front
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The Chobe National Park, is the second largest national park in Botswana and has one of the greatest concentrations of game found on the African continent. Its uniqueness in the abundance of wildlife and the true African nature of the region, offers a safari experience of a lifetime.
The Chobe River area with its lush plains and dense forests alongside the Chobe River area is in the extreme north-east of Botswana.
Here the Chobe River twists and turns through swamps of wide reed and papyrus beds, forming hidden lagoons, which sometimes fill with water lilies. Its south bank alternates from open flood plains dotted with pans to thick woodlands.
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The Chobe River area undoubtedly offers the worlds best game viewing by boat. But game drives in the park alongside the riverfront can also be extremely rewarding delivering huge herds of elephants, buffalo’s, lions and a host of other wildlife. |
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