BOTSWANA DESTINATIONS
Here is a selectionof places to visit, arranged
geographically. We have included
short descriptions of locations
and highlighted what we
regard as being
special about
them.
Central Botswana - unspoiled and wild.
THE KALAHARI
The Kalahari covers two thirds of the country and at its core lies the 50,000 square kilometres of the Central Kalahari Game Reserve. It is also the second largest conservation area in the world. The Kalahari is often referred to as a ‘desert’ due to its lack of water and sandy soils. Yet it is a hauntingly beautiful wilderness of scattered thorn scrub, rolling grasslands and is home to a variety of wildlife which has adapted well to the very dry conditions of the area. Until recently, access was limited only to conservationists and researchers.The Kalahari Game Reserve now has two lodges: one in the Tau Pan area (a breathtaking camp built on a high ridge over looking Tau Pan) and one in the south eastern area (a canvas and wood lodge with solar power, overlooking a vast pan). The Kalahari is an ideal destination for those seeking a wilderness experience in a remote part of the world. The lack of electrical light means that the stars probably are the brightest you could ever see! The area is best explored with a mobile safari company although there are now two lodges inside the Game Reserve (which can be accessed by light aircraft or by road) and several lodges on the northern boundary of the Game Reserve. These lodges are in private concessions and although accessed by road (approximately 3 hours form Maun) they can also be reached by light aircraft.
A self-drive expedition to the Kalahari is not one to be taken lightly. As the vast area has no water, shops, fuel or provisions, one has to be totally self-resourced. It is also not permitted for one vehicle to travel far into the Kalahari and a convoy of at least two vehicles is essential. It is recommended to visit the area with either a scheduled tour or on a private tour with experienced safari guides, who know the area well.
- One of the last vestiges of true wilderness in Africa
- Good game viewing – including the large black-maned Kalahari lion
- A dry wilderness experience
- Road from Maun (north entry) or from the south entry points from Gaborone
- Air transfer into private concession area of Deception Valley, northern border of the Central Kalahari
- Wild campsites with no facilities
- One luxury lodge and one rustic lodge within the Reserve + several lodges in the Hainaveld area on the northern boundary of the Central Kalahari.
THE MAKGADIKGADI PAN REGION
For a different experience to the more visited places in Botswana, a safari or stay in the vast salt pan areas of Botswana is different. The southern Makgadikgadi is certainly regarded as the world’s largest salt pan – part of what was once a large inland lake, perhaps even bigger than Lake Victoria in East Africa. It is believed that the area was once a lush expanse of vegetation and animal life but seismic movements caused the area to dry up, leaving behind the wastes of clay and salt.In some wet seasons, the pans do fill again with water – a shallow covering which attracts millions of flamingos and pelicans from other parts of southern Africa and Namibia. The alternating dry and wet season also produce awesome migrations of zebra and wildebeest – although the recent introduction of an electrified fence on the western boundary has caused disruptions in these migrations (research is currently being undertaken to determine the impact the fence is making on migrations). The pans can be treacherous in wet seasons and independent travellers with little experience have been known to lose their vehicles after getting stuck in the soft clay. The area is excellent for birders interested in raptors and grassland birds.
The area is also known for its majestic baobabs, Baines Baobabs probably being the most famous. They were painted by Thomas Baines in 1862 on one of his travels and the painting now sits in the National Gallery in London. They are part of Nxai Pan which sits on the northern sector of the main tarred road linking Maun and Francistown. This area is different to the clay pans of the south and contains scrub, grasses and thickets of acacia. Here you can see a good mix of animals including predators.
Accommodation in the Makgadikgadi Pan areas is diverse: from luxury lodges on the western boundary on the Boteti River to a luxury tented camp in the centre of the Makgadikgadi to a new chalet style lodge on the western boundary of Nxai Pan National Park. This is in addition to affordable hut style lodges close to the main Maun-Francistown road which offer trips on the Pans. The campsite in the Nxai Pan National Park is also now privately managed and run and offers solar powered hot water and ablutions.
- Varied landscapes of grasslands, vast salt pans and moon-like stone ‘islands’ of acacia, rock and baobab trees
- Migratory antelope herds
- Interesting plains and raptor bird sightings
- Quad bike excursions onto the pans
- Access to either Makgadikgadi or Nxai is off the main Maun to Francistown road
- Air transfers by private charter to luxury lodges or airstrips
- Rustic National Park campsites in Nxai Pan with ablutions
- Luxury tented and chalet lodges in the pan areas and the western boundaries of the Makgadikgadi Park
