 |
|
|
|
JOURNEY
TO BOTSWANA AND EXPERIENCE A LIFETIME OF
MEMORIES
By
Helen C. Broadus
GETTING THERE. Botswana, roughly the size of Texas is a land-locked country bordered on the north and west by Namibia, the east by Zimbabwe and the south by South Africa. The easiest access to Botswana is by air with several international carriers flying into Gaborone on a regional basis. The country is also accessed by road and rail from South Africa. Internal transport within the country can be conducted by road on the good tar surfaces between major centers. For access to wilderness areas, air charter flights are the most convenient or, in the case of very remote sites, professionally organized 4X4 safaris are essential. Most of the country forms a high-lying continental plateau with few mountainous features. Grasslands and semi-desert conditions dominate the central and southern regions while the far north is tropical, including the Okavango Delta area. Except for the northern tropical region, the country's climate is typically continental with extremely high temperatures up to 40º C in the dry season and occasionally low night time temperatures falling below zero in some areas. Items to bring include when visiting Botswana: sun block lotion, sunglasses, hats and insect repellent are essential. Comfortable cool clothing and good walking shoes are also advised. HEALTH REQUIREMENTS. United States citizens do not require a VISA to visit Botswana and apart from the normal inoculation certificates, precautions against malaria are recommended as the disease is prevalent in the more popular wildlife areas. Malaria is a risk from November to June in the northernmost part of the country. Bilharzia is endemic, as is sleeping sickness transmitted by the tsetse fly in the reserves. Tick bite fever can be a problem when walking from the bush. Special precautions also need to be taken for cholera, typhoid and polio. Medical facilities in the major centers are sufficient to cope with most health emergencies. PLACES OF INTEREST. Gaborone was established as the capital after independence because of its convenient location near a major water source as well as it being on the route of the major rail lines between South Africa and the more northern states of the region. Now a modern capital, the city was originally named after Chief Gaborone who led the Batlokwa tribe here in the 1880s from South Africa. Today, the city is the location of luxury hotels, casinos and museums which preserve the country's historical and cultural heritage. The central and southern areas of Botswana are dominated by the Kalahari, which is not a true desert but a semi-arid region of erratic rainfall which provides enough dry grassland to support grazing wildlife. Most of northern Botswana was once covered by a great lake. Today, however, there is no water here except in the Okavango Delta to the north. It is now the largest salt pan on earth, the Makgadikgadi and other smaller pans like the Sowa and Nxai; all of which are dotted with rock formations which were once islands in the vast lake. The dominant life form today, however, is the hardy baobab tree, able to store its own reserves of water and capable of living for thousands of years. Okavango Delta &endash; A remnant of the vast lake system which once covered most of Botswana, the Okavango Delta is the largest inland wetland in the world and a rare example of a landlocked delta where the entire flow of a mighty river forms lakes and swamps where evaporation finally consumes all of the flowing waters. But, as the one oasis in a vast, dry land, the Okavango has been a magnet for all forms of wildlife and is the country's largest and best equipped tourist venue. The main access point is the town of Maun, which borders on the southern reaches of the delta as well as the Moremi Game Reserve, a large area of swamp and islands almost completely surrounded by the waters of the delta. Travel around these parts is best by traditional dugout canoes or between one camp site to another by air. Great Reserve &endash; The Chobe National Park in the far north of the country is a game reserve of more tropical nature. The climate there is tropical and has plenty of water supplied by the Chobe River. Even though it is one of the country's prime tourist attractions, this is still a pristine wilderness area. There is an excellent infrastructure of camps and trails with professionally guided game drives always available and the viewing absolutely spectacular. The Chobe region is easily accessed by air charter and visitors can be assured of game, birding and fishing activities unsurpassed in any of the country's other reserves. The park is justly famous for its elephant population which, at about 50,000, is the largest in Africa and an extraordinary concentration of lion who follow the annual zebra migration through the area. TEN BEST REASONS TO VISIT BOTSWANA 1. Arts and Crafts &endash; With a history of tribal cultures, there is a world famous art and crafts tradition which is mainly found near the capital. 2. Okavango &endash; Botswana's best tourist area has a unique ecology and plenty of wildlife and bird species, which can be viewed at close range from a "mokoro" or primitive dugout canoe. 3. Central Kalahari &endash; Most tropical of the semi-desert conditions, which dominate most of Botswana, the Central Kalahari Game Reserve also shows a wide array of game in their natural setting. 4. Makgadikgadi &endash; As the last remnant of a lake which was at one time the largest in Africa, the various salt pans of this area, dotted the one time islands and ancient baobab trees, are a reminder of how transient environments and the life that depends on them can be. 5. Tuli Block &endash; A region which is close to the capital but often neglected on tourist itineraries, the Tuli Block is a fascinating study of geology and ecology as well as one of the prime areas for the mineral wealth of the country. 6. Kalahari Gemsbok National Park &endash; Wild and remote - difficult to access except for the well equipped - this is an excellent location for those who seek a true wilderness area. 7. Gaborone &endash; One of Africa's newest capital cities, this is a good introduction to the country of Botswana, which has the highest growth rate of any other economy in the region. 8. Birding &endash; Botswana not only offers a countless number of migratory and resident species, but also boasts a bewildering array of raptors and other spectacular bird species. 9. Chobe &endash; A superlative wildlife reserve which has the largest elephant population in Africa (and therefore the world), Chobe is also blessed with lush tropical vegetation and greater rainfall than usually found in this dry country. 10. Cultural History &endash; Botswana not only preserves its local traditions, but has carefully protected its heritage of ancient human culture from the Stone Age artifacts of the salt pan areas up to the wealth of San rock art found across the country.
About the author: Helen C. Broadus is the Founder and President of Venue International Professionals, Inc. (VIP) which is a full-service international travel and tourism company based in the Washington Metropolitan Area. She has an extensive background built over more than ten years in the international travel and tourism industry, with a special focus on Africa and has conducted escorted tours to more than twenty African countries. She is currently the Secretary of the International Board of Directors of the Africa Travel Association (ATA) as well as a member of the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) and the Society for Accessible Travel and Hospitality (SATH). In 1997, she received the coveted Founder's Award from the ATA for her outstanding contributions towards the promotion of travel and tourism opportunities to the Continent of Africa. In 1999, she received the prestigious Intercontinental Hotel Group's Award for significant contributions to the promotion of travel and tourism opportunities to West Africa. She can be contacted toll free at 1-877-TO-VENUE or by e-mail at vipinc@erols.com.
Botswana,
Southern Africa: Trade & Tourism Botswana offers the visitor a choice of large, well managed game parks and preserves,with diverse and abundant wildlife. It is located north of South Africa, and is bordered by Namibia and Zimbabwe to the north. It is connected by a narrow strip to Zambia. The topography is mainly a broad, flat, arid subtropical plateau, with hills in the country's eastern section. The famous Okavango River empties into the Kalahari sands in the northwest, , which has created the world's largest inland river delta, home to wide variety of birds, plants, and small animal species. While in the delta, visitors will want to visit Chobe National Park, a beautiful grassland reserve famous for its herds of elephants. Travel in a south easterly direction, and you can visit the salt pans, of Makgadikgadi, with antelopes, blue wildebeest and flocks of exotic flamingos. The famous
Kalahari Desert makes up a large part of the remainder of
the country. Much more
Botswana information to come on this site Botswana Embassy
|
BOTSWANA,
a peaceful land with the double benefits of an expanding
economy and pristine wilderness areas, has the most famous
inland wetland in Africa, a stark contrast to the
semi-desert conditions which apply across most of the
country. Botswana has a vibrant and growing economy based on
free market principles sustained by a substantial income
from diamonds supplemented by vehicle manufacturing, beef
exports, tourism, other forms of manufacturing, income and
custom taxes. But most of all the country remains a peaceful
haven with low population densities and wonderful wilderness
areas where the wildlife not only includes the Big Five, but
many rare species which have not survived in other regions
of Africa where the impact of human civilization has been
more severe.