“Dumela” (welcome) to the beautiful land of Botswana.

Your first port of call will be the capital city of Gaborone, – named after Chief Gaborone of the Tiokwa tribe that once ruled land nearby – and served by the Sir Serestse Khama International Airport. Gaborone is the economic and government capital and is well known as the setting for the famous novel ‘The No.1 Ladies Detectiive Agency’ written by the Scottish author Alexander McCall Smith.

Whilst in Gaborone, take the chance to visit The National Museum and Art Gallery, the National Botanical Gardens, Mokolodi Nature Reserve, Gaborone Game Reserve, Sanitas Gardens or perhaps enjoy a flutter at the casino. 

Heading north from Gaborone, you will come to the Makgadikgadi Pans – the largest salt pans in the world. The flat expanse of white land as far as the eye can see, was once a huge lake that evaporated thousands of years ago.

Look into the distance and you will witness the strange sight of the mighty baobab trees rising above the far horizon. The baobab is also known as the ‘tree of life‘ as it can provide food, shelter, clothing and water for both animals and humans and can live to well over 1000 years old.

During the wet season, the pans fill with water and attract large numbers of zebra, springbok and wildebeest as well as spectacular colonies of flamingos.

There are a variety of activities that you can experience on the salt pans including quad bike riding, witnessing the migration of large herds of animals from November till April. But most of all you will appreciate the remote, utter silence of the area where black, starlit skies cause you to relax and ponder the very existence of life.

Travelling further northwards will take you to Chobe Game Reserve, a place not to be missed. Admire the beautiful Chobe River and observe the plentiful varieties of wildlife to be found there, particularly the huge herds of elephant and buffalo.

Chobe was once inhabited by the San (Bushmen) people but is now a National Park and protected game reserve. Here you will experience sightings of creatures such as lions, hyena, zebra, kudu, giraffe, impala, wildebeest and many more. Make sure to have your binoculars at the ready as Chobe is also famous for its bird population of over 450 different species such as kingfisher and fish eagles, storks, herons and geese.

Take a spectacular sundowner cruise to view the river’s inhabitants – crocodile and hippo – as the sun sets on the far horizon.

From Chobe it is only a short drive into Zimbabwe to witness the spectacular Victoria Falls first discovered by David Livingstone.

Next, a flight to the town of Maun will take you to the amazing Okavango Delta. So called because the waters of the Okavango River flow from the Angolian Highlands all the way to the stark, Kalahari Desert creating a huge eco-system. Seasonal flooding means that thousands of animals seek water in this region during the dry season.

The Okavango is the place to find the ‘Big Five’ as well as zebra, baboons, Kudu, antelope etc. All of these creatures can be found when visiting the Moremi Game Reserve which takes up a large section of the Delta.

There are many activites on offer in the region of the Delta – game drives, horseback and elephant safaris, guided walks, helicopter rides, fishing or boating. Experience the peace of drifting into the lagoons on traditional boats called Mokoros. Due to the fact the mokoros are not motorized, it is easier to approach the wildlife in silence. One thing to keep in mind is to research the best time to visit this region as game viewing is very much seasonal.

Travel a short distance west from the Okavango Delta and you will reach the Tsodilo Hills, believed by the San people to be the site of the first creation. This spiritual place is shrouded in myth and legend and has been granted World Heritage status. The hills were inhabited by people for over 100,000 years and are festooned with caves and shelters. 

It is not surprising therefore that the main reasons visitors make the journey to this remote area is to climb the hills and walk the 350 that will lead them to the greatest concentration of rock art in the world. Included in the paintings are pictures of zebra, penguins and whales suggesting contact with other people who lived outwith the area.

The wildlife to be found in the region consists of nocturnal geckos and some species of the antelope family who can survive in waterless regions. No shops or structured accommodation can be found in the area but it is possible to camp here and draw water from boreholes.

Should you travel to this ‘jewel in Africa’s crown’ I am sure you will leave with everlasting memories of its friendly people, laid back way of life, its diversity and the way in which the natural world and humanity live in peace and harmony.

“Go Siame” (Goodbye). Enjoy your trip.