A land locked country in the centre of Southern Africa, Botswana is rich in diversity of culture, landscape and wildlife. Botswana was once one of the poorest countries of the world, until the discovery of diamonds in 1967. Though modern Botswana was founded on its diamond wealth, it has become a middle-income nation, the result of a free market economy and a strong stable government.
Nearly 40% of the land is national parks and wildlife reserves, providing large areas for animals to roam. Botswana is a haven for endangered species of mammals and birds such as Cheetah, Black and White Rhino, Brown Hyena, Kori Bustard and Pel’s Fishing Owl.
Botswana has an abundance of experiences to excite its visitors. From the waterways of the Okavango Delta, to the enormous dry lake bed of the Makgadikgadi Pans and the lush floodplains and dense woodland of the Chobe National Park and the Chobe River.
Nearly 40% of the land is national parks and wildlife reserves, providing large areas for animals to roam. Botswana is a haven for endangered species of mammals and birds such as Cheetah, Black and White Rhino, Brown Hyena, Kori Bustard and Pel’s Fishing Owl.
Botswana has an abundance of experiences to excite its visitors. From the waterways of the Okavango Delta, to the enormous dry lake bed of the Makgadikgadi Pans and the lush floodplains and dense woodland of the Chobe National Park and the Chobe River.
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Where to Visit:
We, at Eight Points Africa are personally familiar with the below regions.
There are many incredible areas that we may not mention here as we are yet to explore them ourselves. If you wish to visit somewhere not mentioned, we will use our resources and connections to assist you putting together the perfect trip.
Okavango Delta
The Okavango Delta is a vast inland river delta in northern Botswana. It is often referred as the ‘jewel of the Kalahari’, which is a semi-arid sandy expanse that covers 85% of the country. Fed by the annual floodwater from the Okavango River, rising in Angola and flowing into Botswana, the delta supports a wide array of wildlife. It is known for its far reaching grassy plains, which provide a lush animal habitat. Here, you can navigate the waters in dugout canoes, called mekoro (pl), and see hippo, elephant and crocodile. Whilst on dry land you may be lucky to spot lion, leopard, and rhino along with many antelope species. The Delta is also a prime birding destination with Pel’s Fishing Owl, White Backed Night Heron, and Coppery Tailed Coucal, often seen along with many others from the over 400 species present.
Chobe National Park and Chobe River
In the North of Botswana lies the Chobe National Park, a vast eco-diverse park along the Chobe River which forms its northern border for nearly 60 kms. The vegetation within the park varies from lush flood plains to the scorched Savuti Marsh
The Chobe National Park is home to a huge elephant and buffalo populations. Lion prides can often be viewed following the buffalo herds, one of their favourite prey. All the iconic African wildlife occur in the park with a few, the Puku Antelope, found nowhere else in Botswana.
The Chobe River offers excellent bird and game viewing. The bird life which can be seen includes Burchell's Sandgrouse, Olive-tree Warbler and Pallid Harrier as well as many raptor and water birds.
In the south of the Park is the Savuti region. This area is steeped in history stretching back to its first inhabitants, the San people. An interesting aspect of Savuti is the mysterious Savuti Channel, which has a history of drying up and flowing again. Savuti means “Unpredictable – Something that cannot be explained” – and refers to the unpredictability of the Savuti channel, flowing, one day, like a river into the Savuti Marsh, and then, without warning or reason, drying up again. It is thought that this sequence of water flowing has much to do with the movement of tectonic rock plates below the surface of the Kalahari Desert.
Makgadikgadi Pans
Makgadikgadi is one of the largest salt pans in the world, covering an area of 30,000 sq kms,, is part of the Kalahari Basin and is largely uninhabited by humans.
The pans, a dry, salty clay crust, are seasonally covered with water and grass. It is at this time that the area is a haven for birds and animals in this, normally, arid part of the world.
Central Kalahari
The Central Kalahari Game Reserve is the largest, covering and area of 52,800 sq. kms. and most remote reserve in Southern Africa, offering the adventurous traveller a real wilderness experience. This means a total absence of shops, fuel, electricity, cell phone or internet access, and most importantly water (except at the Game Scout Camp at Xade).
The inhospitable desert habitat doesn’t support the wide variety of safari animals found in greener destinations – although sightings in this arid landscape may be few, they are very special.
The lack animal and plant life is compensated for by vast blue skies by day and endless stars by night with the chance to experience one of the wildest places on earth where large predators may walk through your unfenced campsite or lodge at any time.
Moremi Game Reserve
Moremi Game Reserve rests on the eastern side of the Okavango Delta and was named after Chief Moremi of the Batswana tribe. It was designated a Reserve and not a National Park, as this meant the local people, the Bushman that lived there, were allowed to stay in the Reserve.
The Reserve covers 5,000 sq. kms. and encompasses a great diversity of environments from mopane woodland and acacia forests, to floodplains and lagoons. Only about 30% of the Reserve is mainland, with the bulk being within the Okavango Delta itself.
Its varied landscape combining permanent water and drier areas provide habitat for viewing savannah game as well as bird watching on the lagoons.
Moremi is the home to over 400 species of birds (from water birds to forest dwellers), and a vast array of other species of wildlife, including Red Lechwe and African Wild Dog.
Tuli Block
The Tuli Block is a narrow fringe of land at Botswana's eastern border wedged between Zimbabwe in the north and east and South Africa in the south. It consists mainly of privately owned game farms offering safari tourism. The eastern section has been declared a game reserve, known as the Northern Tuli Game Reserve.
Northern Tuli is known as the “land of the giants” this name was given because of the huge trees along the Limpopo River, the Baobabs among the Koppies, and also because of the large herds of elephants and Africa’s biggest antelope, the eland. Other wildlife you can expect to see is waterbuck, cheetah, lion – some black maned. There are 350 recorded species of birds in Tuli Block including the Boulder Chat, the Short-Toed Rock Thrush and Ostriches.
There are many incredible areas that we may not mention here as we are yet to explore them ourselves. If you wish to visit somewhere not mentioned, we will use our resources and connections to assist you putting together the perfect trip.
Okavango Delta
The Okavango Delta is a vast inland river delta in northern Botswana. It is often referred as the ‘jewel of the Kalahari’, which is a semi-arid sandy expanse that covers 85% of the country. Fed by the annual floodwater from the Okavango River, rising in Angola and flowing into Botswana, the delta supports a wide array of wildlife. It is known for its far reaching grassy plains, which provide a lush animal habitat. Here, you can navigate the waters in dugout canoes, called mekoro (pl), and see hippo, elephant and crocodile. Whilst on dry land you may be lucky to spot lion, leopard, and rhino along with many antelope species. The Delta is also a prime birding destination with Pel’s Fishing Owl, White Backed Night Heron, and Coppery Tailed Coucal, often seen along with many others from the over 400 species present.
Chobe National Park and Chobe River
In the North of Botswana lies the Chobe National Park, a vast eco-diverse park along the Chobe River which forms its northern border for nearly 60 kms. The vegetation within the park varies from lush flood plains to the scorched Savuti Marsh
The Chobe National Park is home to a huge elephant and buffalo populations. Lion prides can often be viewed following the buffalo herds, one of their favourite prey. All the iconic African wildlife occur in the park with a few, the Puku Antelope, found nowhere else in Botswana.
The Chobe River offers excellent bird and game viewing. The bird life which can be seen includes Burchell's Sandgrouse, Olive-tree Warbler and Pallid Harrier as well as many raptor and water birds.
In the south of the Park is the Savuti region. This area is steeped in history stretching back to its first inhabitants, the San people. An interesting aspect of Savuti is the mysterious Savuti Channel, which has a history of drying up and flowing again. Savuti means “Unpredictable – Something that cannot be explained” – and refers to the unpredictability of the Savuti channel, flowing, one day, like a river into the Savuti Marsh, and then, without warning or reason, drying up again. It is thought that this sequence of water flowing has much to do with the movement of tectonic rock plates below the surface of the Kalahari Desert.
Makgadikgadi Pans
Makgadikgadi is one of the largest salt pans in the world, covering an area of 30,000 sq kms,, is part of the Kalahari Basin and is largely uninhabited by humans.
The pans, a dry, salty clay crust, are seasonally covered with water and grass. It is at this time that the area is a haven for birds and animals in this, normally, arid part of the world.
Central Kalahari
The Central Kalahari Game Reserve is the largest, covering and area of 52,800 sq. kms. and most remote reserve in Southern Africa, offering the adventurous traveller a real wilderness experience. This means a total absence of shops, fuel, electricity, cell phone or internet access, and most importantly water (except at the Game Scout Camp at Xade).
The inhospitable desert habitat doesn’t support the wide variety of safari animals found in greener destinations – although sightings in this arid landscape may be few, they are very special.
The lack animal and plant life is compensated for by vast blue skies by day and endless stars by night with the chance to experience one of the wildest places on earth where large predators may walk through your unfenced campsite or lodge at any time.
Moremi Game Reserve
Moremi Game Reserve rests on the eastern side of the Okavango Delta and was named after Chief Moremi of the Batswana tribe. It was designated a Reserve and not a National Park, as this meant the local people, the Bushman that lived there, were allowed to stay in the Reserve.
The Reserve covers 5,000 sq. kms. and encompasses a great diversity of environments from mopane woodland and acacia forests, to floodplains and lagoons. Only about 30% of the Reserve is mainland, with the bulk being within the Okavango Delta itself.
Its varied landscape combining permanent water and drier areas provide habitat for viewing savannah game as well as bird watching on the lagoons.
Moremi is the home to over 400 species of birds (from water birds to forest dwellers), and a vast array of other species of wildlife, including Red Lechwe and African Wild Dog.
Tuli Block
The Tuli Block is a narrow fringe of land at Botswana's eastern border wedged between Zimbabwe in the north and east and South Africa in the south. It consists mainly of privately owned game farms offering safari tourism. The eastern section has been declared a game reserve, known as the Northern Tuli Game Reserve.
Northern Tuli is known as the “land of the giants” this name was given because of the huge trees along the Limpopo River, the Baobabs among the Koppies, and also because of the large herds of elephants and Africa’s biggest antelope, the eland. Other wildlife you can expect to see is waterbuck, cheetah, lion – some black maned. There are 350 recorded species of birds in Tuli Block including the Boulder Chat, the Short-Toed Rock Thrush and Ostriches.
