Botswana
Easily one of best safari destinations in Africa, Botswana is a wild and dramatic land characterised not only by its bountiful wildlife, but also by its extraordinary scenery: from shimmering salt pans and diamond-rich deserts to raging rivers and fertile flood plains.
Botswana is a nation synonymous with peace and tranquility, offering a land of natural beauty, wilderness, wildlife and cultural diversity. Bordered by South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Namibia, most of the country consists of near-desert with the Kalahari occupying the western part of the nation.
With no outlet to the sea, the Okavango Delta empties into the sands of the Kalahari Desert, irrigating this vast area. The Delta has a huge animal population including crocodile, red lechwe, sitatunga, elephant and buffalo. One of the most impressive ways to explore the Okavango is by elephant or in a mokoro, a dug-out canoe polled along by a guide. The Okavango is a moving, mysterious, placid and beautiful place where you can navigate the network of channels and revel in this outstanding natural beauty.
Chobe National Park has one of the largest elephant populations in the world, numbering around 120,000. The Chobe River meanders along the northern edge of the park, where four eco-systems offer lush plains, swamps and dry hinterland. Home to predators such as lions and spotted hyenas as well as large numbers of other big game species, game viewing along the Chobe River is particularly rewarding between the months of June and October.
Makgadikgadi and Nxai Pan National Park provide an ethereal experience of mirages, shimmering lakes and flying ostriches. The vastness of both the sky and horizon offer the perfect backdrop to view grazing herds of cheetah, hyena and lion. The Nxai Pan is an extensive grass plain covered with beautiful acacia trees, roamed by wildebeest, zebras, giraffes and springbok.
The beautiful Moremi Wildlife Reserve is one of rich diversity, with lily covered wet plains, open grassland and dense acacia forests. Game viewing is both breathtaking and tranquil, allowing you to experience not only big game but also the abundant fauna and birdlife that inhabit the reserve.The Xakanaxa, Gcobega and the Gcodikwe lagoons can be visited by boat allowing a peaceful water-based wildlife experience.
The country also houses Africa’s oldest continuous democracy. However, tourists venture to this expanse of Southern Africa for one reason: the great outdoors.
