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BOTSWANA
T0URS
WINGS
OVER BOTSWANA
8 Nights/9 Days
HIGHLIGHTS
OF VICTORIA FALLS
THE
MIGHTY FALLS & DELTA DREAMS
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Botswana- an Up Market Safari Destination
By Andrew Muigai
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Botswana is a country of seemingly endless open
spaces. Though it occupies an area the size of France, the human
population is only 1.6 million. This is one country where wildlife
does not face stiff competition for land resources from man. As
a result the animals have multiplied with a flourish. Botswana can
justifiably claim to host some of the finest game sanctuaries in
Africa. The worlds' largest exporter of diamonds by value, the country
is not under pressure to get in more tourists. And the government
has adopted a deliberate policy of keeping visitor numbers low.
The hidden hand of the market has responded by adjusting the price
to reflect this reality. Botswana has therefore emerged as an exclusive
up market safari destination.
Bill Clinton, together with his wife went on safari in Botswana
in 1998. The power couple was greatly fascinated by the wildlife,
and the serious games of life and death they play. Affirming his
position on top of the food chain, the president ate for dinner
some of the animal species he had watched earlier. His evening buffet
included zebra, crocodile, impala in monkey sauce, and giraffe.
"I tried it all", he declared with satisfaction. But the
former American president is only one in a long line of heavy hitters
to enjoy the wildlife havens of Botswana. Hollywood legends, Richard
Burton and Elizabeth Taylor chose to remarry here, for example.
Botswana is dominated by the Kalahari Desert. It occupies 84% of
the land area, mostly in the west, central and north of the country.
But the Kalahari is not a desert in the Sahara sense. You find the
occasional sand dune, but also substantial vegetation in the form
of short thorn and scrub bush, trees and grasslands. Very little
water though, and hence the desert tag. To the northwest, you find
Okavango, the world's largest inland delta. The northeast is a land
of gently rolling tablelands interrupted by granite hills and rock
formations. The east and southeast, where 80% of the people live
has more varied relief. And the rain clouds linger more and unburden
themselves more freely, relative to the rest of the country.
Today Botswana is a peaceful, well-managed and relatively prosperous
country. The country wealth per man indicator places among middle-income
nations alongside Mexico and Russia and ahead of Brazil. But it
has not always been so and the country has come along way. The San
people (otherwise known bushmen) are believed to be the original
inhabitants of Botswana. Their descendants survive to this day,
some living as their forefathers did for most of the 30,000 years
historians guess they have been around. Later -much later, Bantu
groups, prominent of which were the Tswana, became the masters of
these realms.
The modern Botswana nation has been shaped by the alliances made
in response to historical currents swirling in southern Africa in
the eighteenth century. The rulers at the time aligned their interests
with those of the British against the Boers who were approaching
from the south and the Germans from the west. For the British, the
value of the alliance was strategic and not much was expected in
terms of economic advantage. And that is how the relationship resulted
in the Bechuanaland Protectorate - the precursor of modern Botswana.
The British remained in charge until independence in 1966.
The visitor to Botswana is drawn by the credible intelligence that
abounds about the quality of its pristine wildlife sanctuaries.
Chobe National Park, one of the finest game parks in Africa is located
to the north east of the country. The park has the greatest variety
of game anywhere in the country. That is why the busy Bill Clinton
found himself at Chobe for his short safari. Wildlife thrives among
the swamps and grasslands that stretch along the flood plains of
the Chobe River. Occupying 10,560 square kilometers, it is particularly
renowned for the great concentration and sheer abundance of its
elephants, estimated to number 80,000.
The Chobe elephants are migratory and move along the Chobe River,
their reliable redoubt in the dry season. African elephants are
the largest among elephant species -and those at Chobe are the largest
of them all. The population has gradually built up since the 1930's
when wildlife in the area began to enjoy some sort of protection.
The infamous trade in ivory, particularly in the 1970's and 80's
encouraged the decimation of elephant populations in other parts
of Africa. But the elephants of Chobe - thank God - were spared
contact with the dirty hands of poachers. Other animals to see here
include some of the usual suspects on an African safari - lion,
cheetah, hippo buffalo, giraffe, antelope, jackal, warthog, hyena,
crocodile, zebra. The birdlife is also diverse. Cruising or driving
along the Chobe River, you get the best view of the animals.
The Savuti Marshes of Chobe are reputed to have the largest predator
population density in southern Africa. The marshes have the textbook
features that draw predators. In a flat and hostile environment,
they provide a place where wildebeest, buffalo, zebra and many species
of antelope congregate for a drink. The predators - cheetahs, leopards,
lions, wild dogs, hyenas, wild dogs, and jackals - naturally follow.
Some predators such as lion tend to be rather lazy and the setting
here is a gift. The usual entry point for Chobe is Kasane, which
is located about 800km north of Gaborone. You get here by flying
from Gaborone, Maun or Victoria Falls in neighbouring Zimbabwe.
Camps and lodges can be found throughout the park.
The Okavango Delta, in the north west of Botswana is the largest
inland delta in the world. Spreading over 15,000 square kilometers,
it is formed as the flow of the Okavango River slows down and soaks
into the sands. That is why it is referred to as 'the river which
never finds the sea'. The network of channels, ox bow lakes, lagoons,
swamps and islands that arise is very pleasing to the eye. But that
is not all of Okavangos' bounty. The delta is filled with wildlife
- wildebeest, giraffe, hippo, elephant, zebra and buffalo have all
found a home here. The birds too are plenty, more than 550 types,
some of which live on the trees and others on the water.
The best place to see wildlife in Okavango is within the spectacular
Moremi Wildlife Reserve. The reserve lies in the centre of the delta
and occupies 3,000 square kilometres. In Moremi you view game aboard
a vehicle or by gliding on a makoro (dugout canoe) or other type
of canoe. Accommodation is available in camps and lodges within
the delta area. In Moremi itself, you can stay in tented campsites
but no permanent camps or lodges are allowed.
If you are interested culture, take a break at Chief's
Island, the largest in the delta, and see ancient rock paintings.
The painting were presumably executed by the artistically inclined
fore bearers on the San people. The Okavango Delta should be avoided
in summer, especially December to March, when most of the camps
are closed down. At that time, it is very hot and humid- temperatures
rise above 38°C, and thunderstorms unleash daily. You enter
Okavango through Maun - the deltas' principal town, by flying or
taking a bus from Gaborone, 600 km away.
Visitors to either Chobe or Okavango may wish to add on a visit
to Victoria Falls. Victoria Falls is actually in Zimbabwe but is
easily accessible from the northern part of Botswana. Victoria Falls
is one of the most spectacular waterfalls in the world and one of
Africa's prime attractions. Situated on the border of Zimbabwe and
Zambia, the falls occur where the steadily flowing Zambezi River,
unwarned, casually approaches and then suddenly plunges down a series
of basalt gorges in a breathtaking display of several waterfalls.
Mist and thunder emanating from the falls can be witnessed from
far off.
The spray from the falls sustains the rain forest on the opposite
wall of basalt and creates an almost constant rainbow visible even
by the light of the moon. The falls are best seen from the air,
thus activities such as helicopter flights, balloon rides and micro-lighting
over the falls are a must do. Other exciting activities available
are bungee jumping off the bridge - which also gives a spectacular
view down the gorge, canoeing, white water rafting, river safaris,
elephant back safaris and many more.
Adventure seekers, who travel not merely to convenient places, may
wish to check out the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans. The shallow saltpans
cover about 6,500 square kilometres and rank among the largest in
the world. The atmosphere here is admittedly surreal, with shimmering
mirages in a vast open terrain broken only by a few baobab trees.
Bird watchers in particular will be intrigued at the unusual environment
as they watch numerous flamingos and pelicans. The pans occupy the
area between Francistown (410 km north east of Gaborone) and the
Okavango Delta. There is plenty of wildlife, in the Makgadikgadi
National Park, but not as much as Chobe- so this will not be your
only reason for coming here.
Botswana is the site of a unique wildlife conservation initiative
in Southern Africa- the concept of cross border parks. The initiative
is anchored on the common sense observation that wildlife does not
recognise international borders. Successful conservation efforts
in an area bordering another country can be reduced to naught if
the neighbouring countries do not collaborate. The Kgalagadi Transfrontier
Park is a combination of two parks -the former Gemsbok National
Park in Botswana and Kalahari Gemsbok National Park in South Africa.
Covering over 36,000 sq km, Kgalagadi is one of the biggest wildlife
conservation areas anywhere in the world. Botswana contributes about
75% of the park in the southern Kalahari Desert. The park is a unique
conservation area for it allows the large-scale wildlife migratory
movements that were once common in the savanna grasslands of Africa,
but are sadly not possible any more. The appeal of the harsh beauty
of the Kalahari aside, scientists are extremely curious to find
out the secret story of the flora and fauna that has adapted to
what appears to be a very difficult environment.
For ordinary folks, the park is host to the famous black-maned Kalahari
lions. You will also see gemsbok, springbok, eland, blue wildebeest,
cheetahs, wild dogs, jackals, bat-eared foxes and leopards. Birding
is also excellent and of 297 species recorded, 96 are resident.
It is difficult to get to Kgalagadi. From Gaborone, you drive for
860 km, of which 550 km is tarred and the rest gravel. Being a cross
border park, you can also access it through South Africa. The park
has no permanent tented campsites and on safari you must bring in
everything you need.
The dry season, especially between April and October, is the best
time to visit Botswana on safari. It is then easy to spot wildlife
gathered near water sources. The rains come over the southern summer
months of November to March. The roads are then difficult to use
and with the abundance of water and pasture, the animals tend to
scatter. Early morning and night temperatures in winter (May to
August) can drop below freezing, especially in the southwest. But
the days are then cool to warm. The summer experiences high daytime
temperatures of up to 38°C. The cloud cover, though, and the
rains tend to cool things a little bit. Beware that August is very
dry and dust and sand storms tends to rise from the west.
Remember to pack a pair of binoculars- they bring the animals closer
without the usual risks. A pair of decent sunglasses is a good idea,
especially if you travel to the Kalahari, where the glare can be
somewhat unsettling. Also pack photographic and video equipment
to record your safari for the sake of those of your unlucky friends
who may not have been to Botswana. On safari, you are advised not
to wear white or bright clothing to avoid exciting the animals.
Light cottons and linens are adequate for summer. To survive winter
mornings and evenings, you need warmer wraps and sweaters. Women
should avoid wearing scanty beachwear in rural areas away from hotels
and campsites to avoid offending locals. ============================================
Copyright
© Africa Point
Author
Andrew Muigai is editor of AfricaPoint Insider online newsletter.
You can view more info on Botswana tours at the website.
Disclaimer:
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on this web site is as accurate and current as possible. The information
is provided 'as is' and Africa Travel will not accept responsibility
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