Reasons To Visit Botswana
The Okavango Delta is a labyrinth of waterways linking secret lagoons and marshlands, where hippo splash in the water and elephants drink at the shallows. Boat trips take you to inaccessible locations and hidden islands for a glorious spot of solitude and wildlife spotting, before a relaxing sundowner drink amongst the reeds.
On a game drive in the Delta, Linyanti or Chobe, you soon discover Botswana’s phenomenal array of wildlife. Lions are often on the prowl in the morning while night drives increase your chances of spotting leopard and other nocturnal species. As well as the cats there are thriving populations of elephant, hippo, giraffe, buffalo and even wild dog.
From the water birds of the Delta to the sand grouse of the Kalahari and flamingos on the Makgadikgadi Pans, Botswana is a twitcher’s paradise. Rare species like the Pel’s fishing owl, and African pygmy goose are commonly found, with a trip to Chobe, the Delta and the Kalahari offering an unrivalled level of ornithological interest.
Bushman history is an intrinsic element in the evolution of humanity, and nowhere is this more apparent than in Botswana. Bushman communities have survived on the Makgadikgadi Pans and in areas of western Botswana for centuries. A visit there now allows you to interact with them, experiencing first hand how they cook, hunt, eat and live.
Slipping through the Delta's mazy waterways and tall papyrus in a mokoro is the most relaxing way to view game. Serenely moving along with only the gurgle of the water passing under your craft, you encounter lechwe grazing in the shallows, kingfishers perched on overhanging branches and crocodiles lurking in dark corners.
On the Makgadikgadi Pans you experience an ethereal lunar landscape unlike anywhere else in Africa. It is possible to see the curvature of the earth, sleep out under the stars, and at some times of the year watch a great wildlife migration. Although more thickly vegetated, Nxai and Tau Pans also offer unique landscapes and habitats.
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Africa and The Indian Ocean
The Makgadikgadi Pans is a huge expanse of shimmering white salt pans; the relic of a once mightly ’super-lake’. Nowadays, the wildlife living here has to be both hardy and highly nomadic to survive.
Planet Baobab has eight en suite Bakalanga mud huts which have been inspired by the traditional homes of Botswana. All of these huts are different in style and design and have their own private veranda decorated with local artwork.
Camp Kalahari offers an affordable Makgadikgadi Pans experience. Activities from the camp include walking with the Bushman trackers, exploring the harsh but beautiful scenery of the pans on quad bikes and visiting the famous Chapman's Baobab.
Located on the edge of the Boteti River on the Western edge of the Makgadikgadi National Park, Meno a Kwena has one of the most dramatic locations of any camp in Botswana. Each tent is perched on the edge of a cliff offering commanding views of the surrounding area and the river below.
Jacks Camp is in a harsh but fabulous environment. Activities at the camp vary enormously: there’s the chance to sit surrounded by meerkats, walk with the Bushmen, explore by quad bike or just lie on a salt pan watching the stars.
Jack’s sister camp, San Camp is small and personal with just six cream safari tents. It sits on the brink of the Makgadikgadi Pan and as such has dramatic views. Each cream tent has dark polished wooden floors, antique chests and en suite bathroom with outdoor bucket showers.
12 days from £4,980pp
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