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The meandering Okavango Delta |
Botswana is one
of the finest tourist destinations on the African continent.
The Okavango, which originates in the uplands of Angola
to the north-west, flows into and then spreads over the sandy
spaces of the Kalahari to form
an immense and wondrous inland delta of lagoon and labyrinthine
channel, palm-fringed island and fertile floodplain. A number
of safari lodges and camps have been established in and around
this watery wilderness. This wilderness and the nearby game-rich
Moremi Game Reserve and Chobe
National Park reserves, offer the visitors the best of
several worlds, appealing variously to the game-viewer and
bird-watcher, the hunter and the sporting fisherman, the explorer
of hidden places and the lover of Africa in its loveliest
and least spoilt state.
From the calcrete
floors and ancient baobabs of the Makgadikgadi
Pans to the savannah grasslands of Chobe
National Park and the mophane woodland of the Tuli Block,
there is a wide variety of wildlife in Botswana.
However it is
in the Okavango Delta and Moremi Game
Reserve that visitors will find unforgettable beauty.
In the lush indigenous forests of the delta and its islands,
and along the floodplains spawned by this great marriage of
water and sand, more than 400
species of birds flourish.
On the mainland
and among the islands in the delta, lions,
elephants,
hyenas, wild dog, buffalo, hippo
and crocodiles
congregate with a teeming variety of antelope and other smaller
animals - warthog, mongoose, spotted genets, monkeys, bushbabies
and tree squirrels.
Interspersed throughout
Botswana are rich collections of historical
and cultural heritage. Unique San rock art, geological
wonders, and traditional
art are additional attractions located in various parts
of the country.
Experience of
a tourist is further enhanced by the friendly, hospitable
and warm-hearted people of Botswana.
Botswana offers
a truly unique African experience untouched by the more destructive
pressures of encroaching civilisation, presenting a wonderful
wilderness for the enjoyment of all who seek to reach just
that little bit further into Africa for a holiday of a lifetime.
PARKS AND RESERVES
Over 17% of Botswana's
land area has been set-aside as national parks and game reserves.
From the lush green of the Okavango Delta in the north to
the red desert dunes in the south, great areas of wilderness
have been carefully preserved to offer visitors an opportunity
to experience nature at its very best; to feel a sense of
solitude; to see an incredible variety of wildlife species
and to enjoy the prolific birdlife.
Within the national
parks and game reserves, areas have been set aside in which
visitors may camp. Many of these areas have only the most
basic of facilities or are completely undeveloped, whilst
other areas have formal ablution blocks. Although the national
road networks between main centres are tarred and in first
class condition, many of the access tracks that lead to the
parks and reserves, and many of the tracks within the protected
areas, are rough and sandy, requiring the use of a 4x4 vehicle.
Access to the
parks and reserves has been limited in order to ensure that
visitors have an enjoyable experience and can feel the wilderness
atmosphere. Because of this, advance bookings for campsites
are essential.
PARKS
AND RESERVES RESERVATION OFFICES
It is advisable
to make reservations well in advance. Such reservations can
be made through either of the two reservations offices:
Parks and Reserves
Reservation Office
P.O. Box 20364, Boseja, Maun, Botswana
Tel. (267) 661-265, fax. (267) 661-264
Location: Next to Police station in Maun
Parks and Reserves
Reservations Office
P.O. Box 131, Gaborone, Botswana
Tel. (267) 580-774, Fax. (267) 580-775
Email: parks.reservations.gaborone@gov.bw
Location: in the Government Enclave of Gaborone, opposite
the end of Queens Road
Opening hours:
7:30am - 4:30pm, closing for lunch from 12:45pm to 1:45pm
(Monday to Saturday) and closing at 12 noon on Sundays. Public
holidays are normal working hours. Closed only on the 25th
December.
FEES FOR PARKS
AND RESERVES
Private visitors
| 1.
Park entry fees |
Citizen
|
Resident
|
Non-resident
|
| Adults
- 18 years and above |
P10.00
per day
|
P30.00
per day
|
P120.00
per day
|
| Children
- 8 to 17 years inclusive |
P5.00
per day
|
P15.00
per day
|
P60.00
per day
|
| Children
- under 8 years |
free
|
free
|
free
|
| - |
-
|
-
|
-
|
| 2.
Camping fees |
Citizen
|
Resident
|
Non-resident
|
| Adults
- 18 years and above |
P5.00
per night
|
P20.00
per night
|
P30.00
per night
|
| Children
- 8 to 17 years inclusive |
P2.50
per night
|
P10.00
per night
|
P15.00
per night
|
| Children
- under 8 years |
free
|
free
|
free
|
| - |
-
|
-
|
-
|
| 3.
Vehicle fees |
Botswana
registered
|
Foreign
registered
|
| Motor
vehicles - under 3500kg PVT |
P10.00
per day
|
P50.00
per day
|
| Motor
vehicles - between 3500kg and 7000kg PVT |
P500.00
per day
|
P1,000.00
per day
|
| Motor
vehicles - over 7000kg PVT |
P800.00
per day
|
P1,500.00
per day
|
Please note:
All payments made at the Park or Reserve Entrance gates must
be in Pula cash. Entry fees for the Kgalagadi
Transfrontier National Park are different from the above
mentioned. See exchange rates.
However, SA Rands, US Dollars and GB Pound will be accepted
by entry points and reservations as from October 1st,
2001.
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10
BEST REASONS TO VISIT BOTSWANA
Unspoilt
wilderness
Botswana
has one of the lowest population densities in
the world, and with it's exclusive tourism policies,
the wilderness attractions are largely unspoilt
and uncrowded, promising an unparalleled African
adventure experience.
Unlimited
wildlife
Herds
of wildlife can be found throughout the country,
both in and outside the national parks, with growing
concentrations in the northern tourist areas.
Botswana has the largest population of elephants
in the world and is home to a migrant population
of over 120,000 of these massive creatures.
The
largest inland delta
The
Okavango is a labyrinth of lagoons, lakes and
hidden channels covering an area of over 17,000
square kilometres and the largest inland delta
in the world. Trapped in the parched Kalahari
sands it is a magnet for the wildlife who depend
on the permanent waters of this unique feature.
The
Kalahari
The
Kalahari desert which covers most of Botswana
is the largest stretch of wind-blown sand on the
planet, and hides many
remarkably adapted creatures which can be found
in its striking, stark landscapes.
The
ancient super-lake
The
flat salt-baked expanse of the Makgadikgadi
pans which, with the adjacent national park,
covers an area as large as Portugal, is the bed
of a once massive super-lake that covered much
of central and northern Botswana. In the rainy
season this unique landscape is filled with water
and remarkable bird and wildlife.
An
aviary of birdlife
Botswana
is a birdlovers' paradise with almost 600 species
of birds including many unique and rare specimens
which can be seen throughout the country. When
the Makgadikgadi
fills with the annual rains hundreds of thousands
of waterbirds migrate to Botswana adding to the
colourful spectacle.
Ancient
discoveries
Botswana
has a rich cultural history, much of which is
being discovered daily by amateur archaeologists.
This includes the stone wall ruins, patterned
pottery and Stone Age tools that litter the countryside,
not to mention the many rock art sites that punctuate
the rocky rim of the sandy interior of the country.
The
art galleries of Tsodilo
The
mystical Tsodilo Hills
west of the Okavango delta are not only the richest
rock art site in southern Africa with over 4,000
catalogued paintings, but this geological feature
is a sacred site of the Stone Age San
people. The area is alive with legends and,
as the local San will testify, the gods of old
are still strong at Tsodilo.
Enviable
infrastructure
Today
there is a well developed road and rail network
throughout the country. Many of the tourist attractions,
can be found in the camps deep in the heart of
the wilderness areas, almost all of which are
accessible by road or air.
Peace
and quiet
Unlike
much of Africa, Botswana is a safe and secure
holiday destination, with little crime and no
unrest. The people are passive and content, and
with a growing number of successful community
based tourism initiatives, there is a widespread
appreciation of tourists and the revenue they
bring to the country. Only normal precautions
need to be taken with valuables.
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