What are the main areas to visit in Botswana?
Botswana has a well earned reputation for the spectacular game viewing. Probably most well known is the Okavango Delta. This, the largest inland delta in the world, is a mass of water, reed-beds, forested copses and wide flood plains. It floods seasonally between December and May when the torrential rains in Angola head downstream and fill out the narrowing channels. Water being as elemental as it is, this verdant patch in an otherwise parched country attracts a wealth of bird and animal life. Furthermore, the water adds another dimension to game-viewing so those who are keen to escape from the vehicle can enjoy the peace and proximity of a dug-out mokoro.
The water of the delta seeps into the sands of the Kalahari. Lying in the centre of the country, the Kalahari is as inhospitable as you can get without being on the moon. Somehow, life survives and thrives here in many different guises. You can expect to see the painted gemsbok with its pair of unicorn-like horns, giraffe and numerous other plains game. The desert is also home to two very special kind of folk: the skilful San tribesmen, and the affectionate, gregarious meerkat. Camps here are few and far between so your options are limited; however the area is a stark contrast to the delta and well worth a visit.
Slightly northwest of the Kalahari lie the vast Makgadikgadi Pans (try saying that 5 times very fast) and Nxai Pans. A mirage-inducing expanse of the whitest white you’ve ever seen stretching in every direction is basically what it is, and utterly astounding. Some of the camps in this area have taken on the rather eclectic, other-worldly nature of the place and a visit to the well-regarded Jacks Camp is not to be missed if you can manage to fit it in. Particularly worth mentioning are the nights out with only a bed-roll under the stars on the pans or among the baobab trees on the rock islands.
Back up north is the Chobe River which divides Botswana from the Caprivi Strip of Namibia. TheChobe National Park is a broad umbrella for a number of distinct eco-systems. The Chobe River area is a band of lush waterways and woodland, which stretches back into more arid bush and savannah. To the northwest lies the Linyanti River where reed-beds and marshes give onto seasonal rivers and copses of hardwood trees. The Chobe Savute area (or Savuti) is generally more arid though with important dry-season waterholes.
All these areas offer good game viewing although there are seasonal variations in numbers and the best times to visit differ depending on if you are eager to see the breeding plumage of the paradise flycatcher or a pride of 40-odd lion. You can also opt for places that offer walking, boating or even horseback as the means for getting out an about. It is worth thinking about what kind of experience you are looking for to narrow down the selection.
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