THE
OKAVANGO DELTA
The
Okavango Delta is a vast 15,000 sq km delta of crystalline waters
that contains 95% of all Botswana's surface water and sustains
permanent populations of prolific game. Around its perimeter are
scattered the exclusive and unique tourist lodges and camps.
This
is perhaps Botswana's greatest natural treasure. Here one of Africa's
great rivers fans out to lose itself in the sands of the Kalahari. It
is a place of haunting beauty, a world where water and land are so
intermarried that it is hard to tell where one leaves off and the
other begins. Even more remarkable is that this vast wetland is
plunked down in the middle of a near-desert, an oasis whose waters
bring myriad life-forms to a thirst land where they otherwise could
not exist - fish, frogs, crocodiles, and hippos thrive in the heart
of the Kalahari.
ATTRACTIONS:
Flying
low over the Okavango is really a treat: you get a spectacular
bird's-eye view of the wide, flooded plains with their infinitely
varied islands, lagoons, and interconnecting waterways. Game-viewing
can also be done from the air - picking out herds of red lechwe
against the brilliant green of the flood plain, or glimpsing a group
of elephant resting under a grove of palms on a Delta island.
Exploring
the Okavango swamps via a mokoro. A mokoro is quiet and allows one
to glide over a flooded, reed-choked plain to get close to lechwe,
or to turn up a tapering hippo path to make a landing on a
wilderness island.
A
sunset cruise - there are few things as pleasant as having
sundowners while watching the play of light on sky and water.
The
fish eagle show - Every big lagoon has its resident pair of these
magnificent, white-headed birds of prey. A fish tossed onto the
water brings them winging in on queue for a spectacular aerial pick
up, a great photo opportunity.
Camping
Safaris - feature all the natural bounty of the Delta, plus a chance
for an isolated wilderness experience
Horse
Safaris are also offered
Go
caving - Drotsky's caves - this is a huge system of dolomite caves,
surprisingly set in and almost imperceptible outcrop of rock in and
extensive sea of sand, the Kalahari.
CHOBE
NATIONAL PARK
More
than 11 000 km2 of magnificent wilderness terrain to the south of the
Linyanti-Chobe River system, Botswana's common border with the
Caprivi region of Namibia, have been set aside as the Chobe National
Park, one of Africa's premier wildlife conservancies.
Chobe
is a fabled wild country, and expanse of bush and wilderness teeming
with game. Whilst the northern part of the park adjoining the Chobe
River is becoming increasingly popular with visitors, the bulk of the
park retains its remote mystique.
The
rivers, the flood plains and the seasonal swamps in the north, and
the grassy savannah and natural pans in the interior are the main
appeal for many herds of herbivores - the greatest attraction being
the large herds of elephants.
The
park offers the traditional game drive in 4x4 open vehicles as well
as the cruises. Cruises on the Chobe River are very popular and make
a nice break from game drives. Boats of all sizes are available for
charter at the various Chobe area lodges. Game viewing from a boat
can be exceptional here: certainly the unobstructed frontal view of
the arrival and line-up of elephant here on the riverbank is
impressive.
Both
the Serondella and Savuti areas have the advantage of open grasslands
in the vicinities, so there are always animals to be seen. At both
locales, general game viewing gets easier as the dry season
progresses and animals are drawn to either the Chobe River or
Savuti's waterhole.
Nogatsaa
and Tshinga pans - Water is supposed to be pumped to the surface at
both, and these are good places to see game, particularly roan and
sable antelope.
The
floodplains are always extraordinarily rich in bird-life. Flocks of
pelicans, yellow-billed storks, and white-faced ducks are often
present, sometimes mixed in huge congregations with other water birds
and waders.
The
Chobe region caters for the luxury tourist as well as the ordinary
camper in a number of exclusive lodges to the north and campsites
throughout the reserve.
Access
to Chobe:
Kasane Airport
By Road from Victoria Falls
By Road
and ferry from Livingstone
MOREMI
GAME RESERVE
The
Moremi is one of Africa's great wildlife reserves, giving protection
to some 1200 square miles of the eastern Okavango Delta and fringing
dry-country savanna. It encompasses much of the best game country in
Botswana, including the richest parts of the seasonal Delta
floodplains. Here the watermeadows and grasslands of the floodplain
meet the Mopane forests and acacia savannas of the hinterland. With
its mix of wetlands and woodlands, Moremi is a park of exceptional
beauty and most game-viewing takes place here.
Dividing
your stay between land and water camps will ensure a varied and
satisfactory visit. The water and land experiences will nicely
complement each other and allow you to sample a variety of habitats.
BEST
SEASON TO VISIT
Rainy
Season
The
rainy season is from October to April, the peak being January and
February. During this time most of the roads are difficult to
negotiate and some completely impassable. Temperatures and humidity
are very high during the summer months. It is advisable to use an
insect repellent, mosquito nets and malaria tablets against
mosquitoes. A visit to Moremi during the peak of the rainy season is
therefore only for the truly adventurous and for plant-lovers is a
must.
Dry
Season
Game
viewing is generally better during the dry season (April to October)
when there is a concentration of game along permanent rivers. October
is definitely the best time for game-viewing, although it is probably
also the hottest month. September/October are also good for
bird-watching as that is the time when the herons and other
water-birds breed in the Delta. The Khwai River is particularly
famous for the large number of large raptors, especially Bateleurs
that congregate along the extremities of the river between August and
November. Bird-watchers should put the Khwai River at the top of
their list at this time of year.
ATTRACTIONS:
Horseback
Safari Camp - this is the base for riding safaris. Riders are led by
an experienced guide and use excellent mounts.
Abu's
Camp - is renowned for its elephant back safaris. They now carry
visitors on game walks through the Delta wilds, accompanied by
half-dozen elephant toddlers that make up a nice little herd.
Trained mahouts pilot the elephants, while guests ride on specially
designed saddles or walk alongside.
Jedibe
Island Camp - is located just outside the Moremi boundary, deep in
the permanent swamps of the upper Delta. Jedibe offers explorations
on powerboats and mokoros, as well as walks on nearby islands.
Mombo
Camp - offers exclusive uncrowded game viewing and its famous for
its abundant wildlife.
Vumbura
Camp - features 4 x 4 game drives (day or night) on the area's
extensive floodplains (which are reputed to host a huge herd of
Buffalo seasonally), as well as walking safaris.
CENTRAL
KALAHARI GAME RESERVE:
The
central Kalahari Game Reserve has, until recently, been closed to the
general public. It is one of the remotest and most unspoilt parts of
Africa, but also a very harsh part of the continent.
The
Reserve covers a surface of approximately 53,000 sq km in the Ghanzi
district of central Botswana and it has been virtually untouched for
over 60 million years. It is situated in the Kalahari which is a huge
semi-desert that covers 80% of the whole land area of Botswana and
spills over to South Africa, Namibia and Angola.
This
is one of the largest protected areas in Africa, most of which is
totally inaccessible and - apart from the small group of San people
that still lives there - it is only seen by a few visitors each year
that want to experience an adventure away from the modern world.
A
trip through the Kalahari is only for people who are bush-wise and
very well-equipped to be totally self reliant in the outdoors. The
flat grasslands teem with thousands of gemsbok and springbok - a
sight to be compared with the Serengeti Plains in Tanzania. The
traveller will experience endless sand dunes, dry fossil valleys,
rocky outcrops and grassy plains under Africa's cobalt blue sky. In
the right season visitors can see huge herds of animals following
ancient migrations. This beautiful area should certainly feature
prominently on one's list of places to visit in Botswana.
BEST
TIME TO VISIT
The
best season is most certainly during the rainy season, when
everything is green and thousands of springbok and gemsbok are
attracted to the north, but a visit at any time of the year is most
rewarding in this incredibly beautiful reserve. The rainstorms in
summer are frequent but they are not long-lived and the cloud
formations that accompany them are magnificent.
DECEPTION
VALLEY
Situated
near the centre of Botswana, about 120km due south of Maun, adjoining
the Central Kalahari Game Reserve and not far from the famous
Okavango swamps, lies the Deception Valley. In this valley nestles
Deception Valley Lodge, which provides a unique African holiday
experience for those who wish to soak up the true atmosphere of the
bush in one of Africa's remote areas - a semi-desert where Bushmen
once roamed.
ATTRACTIONS:
Deception
Valley and Piper Pans - During the rainy season vast herds of
gemsbok and springbok congregate in this area to take advantage of
the sweet sprouting grasses. At this time there is also an abundance
of predator such as lions, cheetah, brown hyena and jackal.
Passarge
Pan - the scenery is lovely and there is usually game to be seen.
Molapo
village - An extremely interesting area, Molapo is beautiful bushman
settlement with traditional grass huts. The village people are
friendly and if one has an interpreter it can be interesting to
interact with them.