Botswana accommodation

Botswana Travel Guide

click for full travel guide

Botswana is one of Africa’s, nay the world’s, great development success stories with an annual growth in its economy of 9% over the past 10 years. This makes it one of the fastest-growing economies in the world. The former British protectorate of Bec ... more...

The former British protectorate of Bechuanaland came into being in 1885 when the Tswana found themselves simultaneously under attack from the Ndebele and being squeezed for farming land by the Boers. By the time protection had been lifted, much of Bechuanaland had been absorbed into the Union of South Africa. The intention had always been that the rest would be absorbed at some later point, but apartheid put an end to that idea.

Britain would eventually give independence to the remainder, therefore, in 1966 under the leadership of the charismatic Sir Seretse Khama, whose son is the current president. In 1968 – two years after independence, luckily for the Batswana – diamonds were discovered in large quantities near Selebi-Phikwe. These stones and tourism would be the key to Botswana’s surge of economic growth and sudden improvements in the infrastructure.

70% of Botswana’s land surface is in the Kalahari, making subsistence farming a tough means of survival. 17% of the country, on the other hand, falls under the control of the conservation bodies and, in the north, the Okavango Delta is the world’s largest inland delta.

Every year, 11 000 cubic kilometres of water runs out of the Kavango River and into the 15 000 sq km area that forms the swamp. It is here that much of Botswana’s tourism is focused and, due to its distance from the major centres, getting there can be either arduous or costly (or both)!

San-itising the Bushman

No group of people has more names than the Bushmen but attempts to be inoffensive and to distinguish them from the so-called Hottentots have caused more confusion than enlightenment. The most accepted name for them nowadays is The San, combining with Khoi (Hottentots) to make the word Khoisan, which seems to cover all options. In Botswana they are also known as the Basarwa, the !Kung and the Khwe. Strangely, for all efforts to give these hunters a name, they have no collective name for themselves. They have their own group names, such as Ju/’hoansi (for the people on the Namibia/ Botswana border) or Hai//om (for those around Etosha). And the term they favour for their group, if any? Bushman – the very name that the politically-correct world is trying to avoid!

Did you know?

Currency: Pula

Independence: From Britain on 30th September 1966

Official languages: English, SeTswana

Head of State: President Ian Khama

Capital: Gaborone

Top Traveller's Tips

Mokolodi Nature Reserve, Wildlife Sanctuary and Rehabilitation Centre, 15km south of Gaborone. www.mokolodi.com

Tsodilo Hills – believed by the Bushman to be the site of the Creation. Vast numbers of rock art paintings, including the well-known Dancing Willies. www.go2africa.com/botswana/tsodilo-hills

Makgadikgadi Pans – one of the largest salt pans on earth and at the centre, the extraordinary Kubu Island, a rocky outcrop crowned with baobabs, rising out of the dust. Extraordinary mirages – the ostriches seem to be standing on their heads. www.makgadikgadi.info/

Chobe National Park – home to some of the best and most exclusive game-viewing on earth and the site of Richard Burton’s second marriage to Elizabeth Taylor. Game indeed! www.chobe-national-park.com

Moremi – mopane, acacia, flood plains and lagoons on the edge of the Okavango Delta. Surely this is one of the most beautiful and unspoilt spots on earth.

Savuti – an unfenced camp in the middle of the reserve. The ablution blocks have fortifications to keep out the elephants so take shelter there if you are invaded. A number of luxury lodges exist nearby for more costly sanctuary. Nearly 300 species of bird have been recorded in Savuti. www.savuti.com

Nxai Pan – remote camp, favoured by Britain’s Prince Harry. Past the Baines Baobabs between Gweta and Maun. www.game-reserve.com/botswana_nxai-pan

Francistown – Botswana’s second biggest city was the centre of Africa’s first gold rush and is surrounded by abandoned mines.

Kasane, where four countries meet, and the Kazangula Ferry. The rather precarious car ferry that carried generations of foolhardy adventurers is now avoidable. There is a new bridge at Katima Mulilo but it’s a long way around. www.kasaneonline.com

Botswana’s Kalahari – on this side of the border with South Africa, there are 4x4 routes with rustic campsites for the hardy in the Transfrontier Park.

Festivals & Fun

Maitising Festival, Gaborone – there’s a free outdoor programme at four centres in the capital. Also arts, crafts, theatre, marimba bands and more. 9 days of it! (March) www.maitisong.org

National Music Eisteddfod, Selebi-Phikwe – schools, universities and choirs get together for a month-long contest (July) www.kadmusarts.com/festivals

Maun Carnival, Maun – live music and a parade through the streets of the ‘tourism capital’ (August) www.maunfestival.com

Features, creatures & Flower power

The Kgalagadi covers most of Botswana but, by definition, it doesn’t cover it with much. It is a region of well-drained sand, low vegetation and salt pans. The bush consists of scrubs and grasses and it is a wonder that anything survives here, but Botswana’s national parks offer some of the most fascinating game-viewing in the world.

Critics Cuisine

Planet Baobab, a roadside oasis just before Gweta on the way from Nata. Believe me, you’ll need a proper cold drink by the time you get this far +267 21 2277

Botswana’s food is much like that of its neighbours but we have sourced a couple of specialities, nevertheless. Ask for seswaai and you will be served a dish of heavily-salted minced meat. If you are feeling braver, put in an order for serobi – goat or sheep intestines, cooked until soft, hooves included!

hide