5 Top Things To Do In Botswana
Author: John Mce
Botswana is a truly fascinating country, a
land-locked country dominated in geographical terms
by the Kalahari Desert. The country is deceptively
large, at approximately 581,730 square kilometres it
is roughly the size of France. With a troubled past,
yet rich heritage and amazing culture, there is
always something that will entice and amaze you
whilst visiting Botswana.
Chobe National Park in northwest Botswana, has one
of the largest game concentration in Africa and is
probably best known for its spectacular elephant
population. It is the second biggest National Park
in Botswana, covering an area of 10566 square
kilometres. At the park you can see 4 of the Big 5:
elephant, lion, leopard, buffalo and rhino on
occasions. Chobe also has a multitude of antelope
including the rare sable. The area is best visited
in the dry season between April and October when
game concentrations are at their highest.
Okavango Delta is the worlds largest inland delta
and the largest freshwater wetland in Africa. The
Okavango is home to an abundance of wildlife and
provides seasonal habitat to numerous different
species including elephants, buffalos, red lechwes,
crocodiles and wild dogs. The delta also has over
400 species of birds, including the African Fish
Eagle, the Crested Crane and the Hamerkop. The
channels and floodplains are best viewed by mokoro
(a dugout canoe moved by pushing a long stick
against the bed of the river), or by taking a flight
over the delta.
Moremi Game Reserve, situated to the northeast of
Maun, lies within a wildlife management area that is
strictly controlled, allowing the animals in the
reserve to move freely throughout the seasons. The
reserve enjoys a wide diversity of habitats
including elephants, buffalos, giraffes, lions,
leopards, cheetahs, wild dogs, hyenas, jackals, red
lechwes and a variety of smaller mammals and birds.
It is also well known for the height of the trees in
the mopane tongue, which covers the central area.
Central Kalahari Game Reserve is the second largest
game reserve in the world, even larger than Denmark
or Switzerland. Situated right in the centre of
Botswana, this reserve is characterised by vast open
plains, saltpans and ancient riverbeds. The Central
Kalahari Game Reserve is a natural habitat to wild
animals that can be seen on safari, including
warthog, giraffe, cheetah, lion, leopard,
wildebeest, eland, and kudu to name a few.
Gaborone, the capital and largest city of Botswana,
is a contrast to the natural environments of the
game reserves and parks. It is one of the fastest
growing towns in the southern hemisphere with a
population of over 208 000. Situated on the Notwane
River in the south eastern corner of Botswana,
Gaborone is a vibrant and colourful city with plenty
to see. The National Museum & Art Gallery, located
in the centre of the city, holds regular
exhibitions; day trips are also offered to Kolobeng,
the site of David Livingstones mission station which
was built in 1847.
One of the most striking buildings in Gaborone is
the Orapa House where Botswanas diamonds are sorted
and dispatched to markets around the world. The old
part of the city, known as the Village, is where you
will find remnants of Botswanas colonial history,
such as the remains of the old Government Rest
House, where the infamous Jameson Raid was believed
to have been planned and where Cecil John Rhodes
sometimes stayed.
About the Author:
John Mce writes on behalf of Africa Collection, a
specialist travel company offering a full range of
travel services to destinations in South Africa,
Southern Africa and the Indian Ocean. Browse their
Botswana holidays and hotels at http://www.africacollection.co.uk/pages/40-experience-botswana
.
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Botswana Safari An African Wildlife Episode
Author: Akhila Choudhary
Where can you combine a safari consisting of seeing
wildlife, the raw beauty of nature and enjoying the
wilderness in comfort for a reasonable price tag?
Welcome to Botswana Safaris. A Botswana Safari
boasts of some of the most romantic trips in a
country generally covered by the Kalahari Desert and
the scrub land. These safaris range from a 3-day
trip to a 15-day fly in; and a 14 day safari to an
11 day Family Safari. The 3 day Botswana Safari
costing between $1000 and $1500 will give you 2
nights of stay at the classic Chobe Game Lodge in
the Okavango Delta which is one of the two
significant waterways so essential for the survival
of some 160 wild animal species besides more than
500 species of birds. The Lodge is located inside
the Chobe National Park right next to the river.
While on a boat or a vehicle you will be enchanted
by sightings of thousands of elephants, the cheetah
and the wild dogs of Africa. You may see antelopes
and buffalo or the African lion. An 11 day Botswana
Safari may set you back a cool $4000 but you start
off the trip with the first night on the quaint
Motsentsela Tree Lodge in the town of Maun. Your
second day at Moremi Game Reserve will take you 140
km away deep into the Delta where you will be
enthralled by sightings of giraffe, zebras and
possibly lions. You will see natural, unspoiled
habitat and varying landscape between desert, flood
plains and thickly wooded forests home to the giant
acacia trees. Subsequent days will take you on river
cruises through the Delta’s waterways with their
teeming wildlife which could be the buffalo, the
elephant, hippos and antelopes besides birds of
numerous species. The next day you could be at the
Savute Marsh home to lions and elephants. The Mopane
Woodland is next and after a possible sighting of
the bat eared fox and the wildebeest you would wind
up the Botswana Safari on the Zambezi River with
drinks and snacks after viewing the magnificent
Victoria Falls.
About the Author:
Myself webmaster of http://www.realafrica.co.uk -
the UK specialist for Africa holidays, Botswana
safaris , Botswana holiday, Botswana luxury safaris
, Kenya Safari, Zambia safari, Namibia safari,
Tanzania Safari etc.
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Botswana
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