Botswana is one of the finest tourist destinations on the African continent. The Okavango, which originates in the uplands of Angola to the north-west, flows into and then spreads over the sandy spaces of the Kalahari to form an immense and wondrous inland delta of lagoon and labyrinthine channel, palm-fringed island and fertile floodplain.
A number of safari lodges and camps have been established in and around this watery wilderness. This wilderness and the nearby game-rich Moremi Game Reserve and Chobe National Park reserves, offer the visitors the best of several worlds, appealing variously to the game-viewer and bird-watcher, the hunter and the sporting fisherman, the explorer of hidden places and the lover of Africa in its loveliest and least spoilt state.
From the calcrete floors and ancient baobabs of the Makgadikgadi Pans to the savannah grasslands of Chobe National Park and the mophane woodland of the Tuli Block, there is a wide variety of wildlife in Botswana.
However it is in the Okavango Delta and Moremi Game Reserve that visitors will find unforgettable beauty. In the lush indigenous forests of the delta and its islands, and along the floodplains spawned by this great marriage of water and sand, more than 400 species of birds flourish.
On the mainland and among the islands in the delta, lions, elephants, hyenas, wild dog, buffalo, hippo and crocodiles congregate with a teeming variety of antelope and other smaller animals – warthog, mongoose, spotted genets, monkeys, bushbabies and tree squirrels.
Interspersed throughout Botswana are rich collections of historical and cultural heritage. Unique San rock art, geological wonders, and traditional art are additional attractions located in various parts of the country.
Experience of a tourist is further enhanced by the friendly, hospitable and warm-hearted people of Botswana.
Botswana offers a truly unique African experience untouched by the more destructive pressures of encroaching civilisation, presenting a wonderful wilderness for the enjoyment of all who seek to reach just that little bit further into Africa for a holiday of a lifetime.
PARKS AND RESERVES
Over 17% of Botswana’s land area has been set-aside as national parks and game reserves. From the lush green of the Okavango Delta in the north to the red desert dunes in the south, great areas of wilderness have been carefully preserved to offer visitors an opportunity to experience nature at its very best; to feel a sense of solitude; to see an incredible variety of wildlife species and to enjoy the prolific birdlife.
Within the national parks and game reserves, areas have been set aside in which visitors may camp. Many of these areas have only the most basic of facilities or are completely undeveloped, whilst other areas have formal ablution blocks. Although the national road networks between main centres are tarred and in first class condition, many of the access tracks that lead to the parks and reserves, and many of the tracks within the protected areas, are rough and sandy, requiring the use of a 4×4 vehicle.
Access to the parks and reserves has been limited in order to ensure that visitors have an enjoyable experience and can feel the wilderness atmosphere. Because of this, advance bookings for campsites are essential.
