From the north, descending from the Angolan plateaus, the Okavango River comes to Botswana, which flows across the Kalahari Desert in a huge delta – a unique landscape ecosystem with an area of about 17 thousand square kilometers, consisting of hundreds of channels, channels and islands covered with greenery, where many animals and birds find food. The river does not flow anywhere, the water goes into the ground, soaking into the sand. A real wonder of the world. In Botswana there are more than 160 species of African animals, 550 species of birds, the largest population of elephants in the world – more than 70 thousand. Botswana is unique in the still preserved archaic way of life of the local population, a mixture of cultural traditions. At the same time, in terms of GDP per capita, Botswana ranks among the first places in Africa. The country has not known armed conflicts since the end of the 19th century. Its well-being is built on diamond mining. Botswana is the world leader in diamond mining. Unlike many African countries, there is no black market here. This is one of the fastest growing countries in the world. Russian tourists are mostly familiar with only a small part of Botswana – the famous Chobe National Park adjacent to Victoria Falls, where tourists come for a couple of days or for a day safari.
Attractions
Kasane is a small village on the border of four countries near Victoria Falls, located right on the Chobe River. In recent years, Kasane has been developing rapidly, new hotels and lodges have appeared, the international airport is busy, but monkeys still jump on the branches in the streets, and in hotels you need to close the windows to protect your things from these thieves. On the bank by the river you can see dozing crocodiles, in the morning and evening you can hear the quacking of hippos … Kasane is the gateway to the Chobe National Park. Near the village on Kazungula Road are the Kasane Hot Springs, and 20 km along this road to the east is the Lesoma Memorial – a monument to soldiers who died in the civil war in Rhodesia in 1970.
Chobe National Park is located northeast of the Okavango Delta, where the borders of four countries meet at Victoria Falls. It is the second largest national park in Botswana (10,600 sq km). It has the largest elephant population in the African savannah, with about 60,000 individuals living in the park. The park encompasses three distinct ecosystems: Serondela, Savuti and Linyanti.
Serondela is the area closest to Kasane. A sandy road from Sedudu gate leads down to the Chobe River valley. During the dry winter months, the river is the main source of water for all the park’s inhabitants. The buffalo population numbers over 700, and large families of elephant are also a common sight. The floodplain, home to water buffalo, impala, kudu and foko (a small antelope unique to the area), is a favourite hunting ground for a pride of lions. The Linyanti Marshes resemble the Okavango Delta, but on a smaller scale. The Linyanti River, known as the Subiya, flows into a floodplain in northern Chobe in an area (9,000 sq km) known as the Linyanti Marshes. Occupying a narrow strip of marshy land near the river on the western side of Chobe, the area is renowned for its rich wildlife and beautiful scenery. Papyrus-covered lagoons, reed beds, and dense tree canopies make this area one of the most beautiful camping areas in the region. The site is located approximately 40 km from Savuti.
Savuti March is located in the interior of the Chobe Park. It is connected to the Liniati River, which flows out of the Zibadianja Lagoon, by the usually dry Savuti “waterway”, also called the Savuti Channel. It was last filled with water in 1970, after which it dried up within 20 years. Today, the Savuti Channel area is a land covered with greenery growing on muddy soil, where a variety of animals live. The imagination is struck by the dead trees, reminiscent of the skeletons of strange animals, frozen in the open landscape of the savannah. This part of the park is home to some of the main species of South African wildlife: giraffes, elephants, zebras, impala, tsesebe (a type of antelope), wild horses, wildebeest, kudu, eland, water buffalo, lions, hyenas, jackals, and even the occasional cheetah and wild dog. Savuti is known for its predators, especially lions and spotted hyenas, whose nightly battles for dominance are featured in the documentary Eternal Enemies. During the dry winter season, large herds of elephants, buffalos and zebras gather near the river, along with giraffes and a variety of antelopes that inhabit the surrounding forests. Land and water birds, including pelicans, are also interesting to watch.
Maun is the safari capital of Botswana, a bustling tourist town with the country’s second-largest airport, where tourists fly in from Gabarone, Kasane, Cape Town and Johannesburg before heading to the Delta or Kalahari, where they fly out on small planes to their camps and lodges. Maun has restaurants, pubs and fast food outlets, a few local craft shops, and the interesting Nhabe Museum in an old colonial house with a good ethnographic exhibition.
The Okavango Delta is the largest inland river delta in the world. For many millennia, the Okavango River has carried its waters from the Benguela Plateau in the mountains of Angola southeast to Botswana, the Kalahari, where it forms a unique natural formation of swamps, reed beds, islands, streams and channels with cool and crystal clear water. Depending on the season and annual floods, its area varies from 15,000 to 28,000 square kilometers. The continuous interaction of wet and dry lands contributes to the amazing diversity of animal species in the river. The Okavango is associated with 122 species of mammals, 71 species of fish, 444 species of birds, 64 species of reptiles and 1,300 varieties of flowering plants. The Okavango Delta is included in the UNESCO List of Natural Heritage Sites. A memorable water trip is in a traditional mokoro canoe, made from a hollowed-out tree. They have been sailing here for about three hundred years. A guide with a pole stands at the stern, guiding the canoe along the reed-lined channels. There are usually no more than two or three passengers in the canoe with him. The canoe is very shallow, you can hear the gentle murmur of water, the cries of birds, the rustling of reeds, and the clatter of soft hooves of antelopes moving at a light gallop through the swamps. The delta has plenty of food for herbivores, and therefore for many predators all year round.
Moremi Game Reserve . In the early 1960s, the local Tawana tribe voluntarily gave up the lands of Moremi for a game reserve. Today it is known as one of the most beautiful game reserves in Africa (5,000 sq. km). It occupies a third of the Okavango Delta in its eastern part. The diverse natural environment of the reserve combines acacia thickets, ironwood forests, floodplains and lagoons. There are many species of birds here, from water birds to forest dwellers such as the ground hornbill. Moremi is the only protected area where they can be observed in their natural environment. The reserve is home to elephants, buffalo, giraffes, lions, leopards, cheetahs, wild dogs, hyenas and jackals. There are many different species of antelope, including the red lechwe (lechwe waterbuck) and the shy sitatunga, a water antelope well adapted to life in the swamps. The best time to see animals is from July to October, when the seasonal pools dry up and the life concentrates around the permanent water sources on the River Kwai, Third Bridge and Xakanaxa Lagoon.
Getting there : Most of the delta lodges are only accessible from Maun by chartered flights.
Makgadikgadi/Nxai Pan National Park . Makgadikgadi and Nxai Pan were two separate parks until 1993, when they were merged into one 7,500 sq km game reserve. Gates to both parks are on the Maun and Nata highway. Fuel and provisions can be purchased at Gweta, 45 km west of the Makgadikgadi gate.
The Makgadikgadi Park is a vast open area where shallow salt pans during the dry winter turn into huge marshy areas in the rainy season. The salt pans, visible from space, are the remnants of a vast lake that dried up thousands of years ago, leaving crystal salt glittering in the basins. A visit to the Makgadikgadi Park is a chance to experience the scale and vastness of the Kalahari. The park’s entrance gate is about eight kilometres down a gravel road off the main highway. The salt pans cover an area of about 10,000 square kilometres. Some are enormous, while others resemble small pools surrounded by green fields and palm trees. During the summer rains, the desert is transformed, with countless flocks of water birds flocking to the shallow pools. Huge flocks of flamingos and other water birds, including pelicans, gather on the newly formed lakes, followed by a spectacular migration of wildebeest and zebra. The Makgadikgadi area contains many important prehistoric sites, as well as petrified lakes where interesting archaeological finds have been found, including stone tools dating back some 300,000 years.
Nhai Pan is a grassy plain covered with spiky umbellate magnolias and belts of African forest that change colour with the seasons, from rich green during the summer months to golden yellow in autumn. The grassy valleys are home to huge herds of herbivores in summer, accompanied by their carnivores. The Great Baines’ Baobabs – seven ancient trees – have been immortalised in the paintings of explorer Thomas Bayes. A separate section of the national park, the Nhai Depression, is located 136km east of Mon. The entrance gate is 37km from the main Mont Nata road, reached via a sandy track. The Nhai Depression was once part of a large lake that covered central Botswana. During the rainy season, oryx, elephants, wildebeest and zebra come here in search of water during the breeding season. Their young learn to run and play among the mischievous springbok. It is a thrilling sight to see the springbok leap straight up into the air for no apparent reason, simply to express their joy. The best places to view the animals are around the waterhole, 2km from the main entrance gate, where there is a large grassy plain under a dense, shady canopy of trees. Here and in the surrounding forests, giraffe, kudu, impala and large herds of springbok can be seen. This is one of the few areas where impala and springbok graze side by side.
The Nata Bird Sanctuary (NATA) , located 17 km south of Nata village, was established in the early 1990s on the north-eastern edge of the Sowa Depression valley. The 230 sq km community project was aimed at conserving the wildlife around the Sowa Depression. The main attractions of the sanctuary are the various species of antelope, over 165 species of birds, including kingfishers, ostriches, eagles and bustards.
How to get there : Two hours by land transfer from Frankistown.
The Central Kalahari Game Reserve is the second largest in the world (52,800 sq km). It is an area of vast open plains, salt pans and ancient river beds – home to large herds of springbok, oryx, blue wildebeest, hartebeest and the largest antelope, the eland. There are over 40 species of birds. In the southern part of the reserve, a huge, beautiful valley lies in the petrified bed of an ancient river. The winds blowing across the Kalahari have shaped the high, sweeping dunes that dominate the landscape in the northern part of the reserve. There are three entrances to the Central Kalahari: through Xade and Matswere in the north-east and through Khutse in the south. The entrance through Xade is 36 km south of Gantsi on the Kalahari Highway. There are two unequipped campsites in the reserve near the Heid Wildlife Camp. Visitors should stock up on fuel at Gantsi and ensure they have sufficient food. On arrival at Heid, visitors are required to register at the Wildlife Camp. North of the Central Kalahari Game Reserve lies the Deception Valley, an ancient river bed. The fresh grass, soaked up by the summer rains, attracts large herds of antelope, as well as ostriches, giraffes and all the main predators.
Khutse Game Reserve covers 2,500 square kilometres of rolling plains and dry savannah scrub in the southern Central Kalahari. The extensive system of mineral-rich pools attracts antelope and other herbivores, who drink the water during the rainy season and lick the salt during the dry months. There are also many predators, including lion, cheetah and leopard. Khutse lies 240 kilometres west of Gaborone and forms part of the river system that once fed Lake Makgadikgadi. Today, the pools provide excellent opportunities for wildlife viewing and dramatic watering events involving herbivores and predators. Springbok, oryx and ostriches are abundant, and eland and giraffe are regularly seen.
The Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park . Its establishment was a unique event in the protection of wildlife. The documents on its establishment were signed by the governments of Botswana and South Africa, and the Kgalagadi Park became the first in Africa, the agreement on the establishment of which was concluded at such a high level. This reserve, officially opened in May 2000, was previously known as the Mabuasehube Gemsbok National Park on the Botswana side and the Kalahari Gemsbok National Park in South Africa. The reserve is managed by a single administration consisting of representatives of both countries. The total area of the park is 38 thousand square kilometers. Three quarters of its territory is located in the southwest of Botswana, the rest is in South Africa. In Botswana, the park is divided into three main areas: the Nossob River Valley, which stretches along the border of Botswana and South Africa, the Mabuasehube region in the east, and the interior. The park has very beautiful landscapes, an impressive petrified river valley bordered by dry bushes and sand dunes of various colors, with watering places hidden in green oases. From the old riverbed, wonderful views open up of the Nossob and Ayob valleys. Interesting tourist routes are laid in the Mabuasehube region with its pristine wild landscapes of the valleys. Legendary black-maned Kalahari lions, wild cats, jackals, hyenas, antelopes, including oryx and gazelles come here to drink. There is a rich world of birds here. Weaver birds are very interesting. They live in flocks. The huge communal nests of these birds, built in the form of complex structures in trees, are sometimes so heavy that they cause the tree to fall!
Mashatu Game Reserve is an area of approximately 30,000 hectares of ironwood forests and river valleys in the northern part of the Thuli Block, on the border with South Africa and Zimbabwe. It is named after the majestic mashatu tree, found only in the Zambezi and Limpopo valleys. In the Thuli Block, huge rock formations rise from the open plains, giving the landscape a fantastic appearance. The land has a rich archaeological heritage and an interesting history. The famous colonialist Cecil John Rhodes planned to build the Cairo Railway through this land in the 19th century. The reserve is home to a variety of animals, including lions, leopards, cheetahs, elephants, eland, giraffes, zebras, wildebeest, anteaters, aardwolves and more, as well as over 350 species of birds. The land is also home to the largest population of elephants on private land in Africa. They are the remnants of a huge herd of Shashe herds that used to migrate through the north-eastern Limpopo Valley region of Botswana. The elephant population in Mashatu is estimated at around 700.
How to get there : By air charter from Frankistown, Kasane, Gaborone or Johannesburg, or by land transfer from Frankistown (three hours) or Johannesburg (five hours).
Gaborone . The governmental, commercial and industrial centre of the country on the banks of the famous Limpopo River, known from the tale of Korney Chukovsky. It is connected by good roads and air links with South Africa and its closest neighbours. The Gaborone Reserve is located near the capital; it was created in 1988 as an educational centre for wildlife. Despite its small size (less than 600 hectares), today it is the most populated reserve in all of Botswana. The National Museum and Gallery, the famous Thapong Visual Arts Centre are located in the capital. Every year in March-April, the Maitising Festival is held in Gaborone – one of the largest musical and cultural shows in Southern Africa. 50 km from the capital there is an interesting ethnographic museum, Kgosi Sechele I, whose exposition is dedicated to the history and culture of the Bakwena tribe – one of the main ethnic groups of Botswana.
Lekhubu/Kubu Island . Near the southwest corner of the Sua Basin lies the uninhabited island of Lekhubu, a layer of ancient rock that rises 20 m above the sea of salt. A national monument, it features shores lined with stunted baobab trees and ancient fossils of unknown origin. Lekhubu Island is physical evidence of the former existence of a vast inland sea that covered the entire area.
Manyelanong Game Reserve . Manyelanong is the name of a mountain north of Otse village, 15km from Lobatse on the Gaborone road. The steep cliffs of the small Manyelanong Game Reserve shelter a colony of vultures (African vultures) which has been known for many years as the Otse vulture colony.
Kama Rhino Sanctuary . The people of Serowe, Mabeleapodi and Paje in Botswana’s Central Region established the Khama Rhino Sanctuary to conserve the remaining rhinos in Botswana and to restore both black and white rhino populations. The sanctuary is located 25km north of Serowe on the Orapa Road and covers 4,300ha of Kalahari Desert land, including the Serowe Depression (a depression that fills with water during the rainy season). There are many smaller depressions scattered throughout the park. Guided tours are available on established trails and paths led by trained rangers.
Moremi-Manonnye Gorge. One of the most picturesque gorges in the country. At its bottom you can see a series of numerous natural ponds and waterfalls of unprecedented beauty. The lowland, covered with lush vegetation, is hidden from view by granite mountains. The Moremi-Manonnye Nature Conservation Trust is actively working here to attract tourists. Drotsky’s Caves An impressive cave system in the Gcwihaba Hills near the Namibian border in northwestern Botswana, where ancient mountains suddenly emerge from the Kalahari plateau. The caves are decorated with stalagmites and stalactites reaching ten meters in length. But in this waterless region there is almost no water, and therefore the animal world is poor. The most impressionable visitors to these places say that this is what the Earth will look like after the “end of the world”. For example, the mobile camp Moremi Camp in the Okavango Delta consists of several small tents with one or two folding beds inside and a sanitary vestibule outside. The camp is designed to accommodate 10-12 tourists. They are served by two guides and four assistants. The safari in the savannah is carried out on two off-road Land Cruisers. The camp has a fire pit, a dining room under an awning, and canvas shower tents. All the household inconveniences are more than compensated for by the unforgettable impressions of face-to-face meetings with elephants, lions, crocodiles, hippos, giraffes, kudu antelopes, colorful sunsets in the savannah and dinners by the fire.
The luxury camp Jack’s Camp , located on a green oasis island on the edge of the endless salt lakes of Makgadigadi, is known for its luxury and individual approach to each tourist. Here you can meet popular Western artists, TV presenters, businessmen. The camp has ten huge tent-apartments on high wooden platforms, standing at a distance from each other among palm trees. The area of each “house” is about 50 square meters. Inside – colonial-style furniture, including two four-poster beds, two showers and a toilet. Of the usual hotel amenities, the only thing missing is a TV, but in Botswana it is not needed. For twenty tourists staying at Jack’s Camp, there are 34 service personnel. On the territory there is a huge dining tent, a cabin company, a small outdoor pool, a tea house. Each apartment is assigned a guide with an SUV. The service is built on the “all inclusive” system – snacks, drinks, including in tents, and most importantly – all excursions are free. As a rule, people stay at Jack’s Camp for two or three days. During this time, tourists are offered to watch the migration of zebras, take a master class with Bushmen (where they will teach you to “read” animal tracks, set snares for birds, make fire by friction, hunt scorpions), take a night rally on quad bikes, have dinner right on the surface of a salt lake, etc.
Historical heritage
In the northwest of the country, on the border with Namibia, are the world-famous Tsodilo Hills, one of the world’s most significant concentrations of ancient rock art. This site is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The four Tsodilo Hills form a line of sheer quartzite cliffs that rise above the sandy plain of the western Kalahari, near the Panhandle region of the Okavango Delta. It is the centre of Botswana’s artistic cultural heritage. The site of rock art made by the ancestors of the San people was called the Louvre of the desert by the writer and traveller Laurens van der Post. The Busawaro, or San people, arrived in the Kalahari region more than 27,000 years ago. All the hills have rock art, but the best site is at the northern end of Mount Woman. The San people believe that the hills are the resting place of the spirits of the dead and their gods, who live in caves on this mountain. It covers a large area and reaches a height of 300 m. But Mount Man is, of course, taller – 410 m. The most revered place in Tsodilo is near the top of Mount Man, where the very first spirit prayed after the creation of the world. The village of Hambukushu is located nearby. The third hill, up to 40 m high, Mount Child, is located about 2 km from Mount Woman. Behind them, at a distance of about 2 km to the northwest of Mount Child, is a smaller peak without a name. The people of Basarwa believe that this mountain was the first wife of Mount Man, who was rejected when he married the taller Mount Woman. From Tsodilo to the other rock art sites there are at least 250 km. The Tsodilo rock carvings are thought to express concepts of heat, energy, creativity and growth and are associated with the Basarwan “trance dance”, which the Basarwans believe allows the dancer to connect with supernatural forces and has a beneficial effect on the human body.
Getting there: From Maun, take a few hours’ overland transfer or organised mobile safari. The road to Tsodilo is very rough and suitable for 4×4 vehicles only. Turn off the Maun-Shakawe road south of Sepupa. Camping is permitted.
Solomon’s Wall . Its sheer basalt cliffs rising 30m above the Motloutse River are one of the most impressive geographical features of the Tuli Block area. The base of the cliffs is an ancient natural dam that once blocked the Motloutse River. A few kilometres from Solomon’s Wall are the ruins of Motloutse. The area was originally occupied by San hunters. The first Bantu people are thought to have arrived in the area around 900 AD. Archaeologists have named them the Zizo people. This patriarchal society has left evidence of itself in the form of pottery shards and cattle pens. The Zizo people were later wiped out by the K2, or Leopard’s Kopje, tribe.