The authentic African Safari adventure by road through 6 countries, this stop is Botswana!

---

This blog has been long coming; it should be dated somewhere in 1996 or so when I was still at the University in my final year, but my dates fail me as I try to recollect my thoughts while going down memory lane. I do remember most of my time down in Botswana and my revisit years later in 2002. I shall tell you more as time goes by and the dates will come back to me. What you need to know is that the adventurer in me was being awoken at this time and I took advantage of a daring road trip from Uganda through Kenya to Tanzania. After a week of rest and touring Dar-es Salaam, my friends and I started off again on the road for South Africa; one of my friends was a native of Botswana and that is how I came to be in Botswana at the time. Here we go for this beautiful African country;

Botswana is flat, and up two thirds is covered by Kalahari Desert. To the south and southeast is South Africa, Namibia to the north and west, Zimbabwe to the northeast. The border with Zambia to the north is poorly defined but at most is a few hundred meters long. What makes the country a destination of interest in tourism is the wildlife of the Okavango Delta, the renowned Kalahari Desert and the famous Chobe National Park in the northeast known for its massive elephant herds. Now for the budget traveler, it might seem like an expensive destination; however the shift from the luxury Okavango Delta camps to affordable itinerary safaris is drawing many adventurer travelers to the country.

When I first visited Botswana, I was only passing through enroute to South Africa (Johannesburg), but a friend talked me into a trip to the Delta area where her family owned property. Then I cared less for a safari, being and African brought up in Africa, a vacation or a tour of the park sounded like a waste of time. Africans in general do not do holidays, vacations, time off, call it whatever you like. Looking back now, it seems like an opportunity wasted indeed.

Tourism: When to travel; Anytime of the year is fine, no seasons means you will have to deal with only one type of weather, much of it is really just hot. As always, if you are traveling for the first time, it is advisable to use a competent tour operator unless you personally know someone there who can show you the place without robbing you dry.

Recommended tour operators you can use include Wilderness safaris, Sense of Africa and Uncharted Africa Safari Company. Of course there are many other operators you can use, take time to research and read reviews about the operator you choose. The road tours of course are the best, because they include cultural stops to villages with welcoming natives. For the adventurer, a self-drive guided tour gives you the real feel for Africa right down to the dirt and sweat.

When I was a Travel consultant and Tour operator, I used South African Airways Vacation packages because they included the flights and were normally cheaper due to the numbers of travelers. Package tours are a great way to save money as well because they are inclusive of accommodation and sometimes food. Besides while you are in Africa, why visit just one country? You can combine three or four countries with South African Airways. From the United States, the airline has flights out of New York’s JFK airport and Washington Dulles Airport. Areas of interest while in Botswana;
Moremi Game Reserve in which the Okavango liesThe Savute ChannelDama Tau National ReserveChobe National Park



We had family helping us here, so my experience was more personal as far as the company and tour guide goes. We went to Chobe National Park to see the large herds of elephants. The car we used was not a typical safari car so the whole head out of the car was missing! Chobe National Park has the largest concentration of Elephants in all of Africa. Located in the northeastern part of Botswana it attracts thousands of tourists each year. Like the Serengeti and Masai Mara in East Africa, it has a great Zebra migration each year, a spectacular event not to be missed. When I was there many years back, the migration was already complete, but I was still able to experience the large herds as well as other wildlife like hippos, warthogs, the great African elephants, giraffe etc. Accommodation for visitors to the park is mostly concentrated in Kasane. It is also the place where the river is wide enough for one to go on a kayak to watch the famous sunsets. In the evening, the tranquility of the river sends you to another place and another time.

Culture: Botswana is definitely the new destination for an authentic African Safari experience. Experience the culture while you are there too, Botswana has a unique, diversified, and rich culture. While English is the official language, the natives speak Setswana a bantu dialect spoken throughout the country. Traditionally, the men in Botswana are in charge of tending animals since they are herders, the main food includes meat and milk from the animals. Women like in most of Africa are responsible for the home, child bearing, gathering of fruits and vegetables to subsidize what is brought in by the men. The fields are cultivated and the main crops include grains like millet and sorghum used to make porridge and mash.

In the countryside, Morama, an underground tuber, and Kalahari truffle are used to supplement diets. Bizarre foods like mopane worm, long caterpillar grub like and bugs cooked in hot ash or deep fried. You must try the traditional palm wine, nothing like you have ever tasted, the sorghum beer known as Bojalwa is the most common home brewed beer.

"Travel is an exciting and adventurous passion, it is quite expensive but the reward outweighs the expense. If you can afford it, do it!" Africancrab.

---

Photos

Botswana
Giant baobab tree

Okavango Delta
Outstanding sunsets

Okavango Delta
Water lilies in the channel

Comments

[Travel Blog]

Travel Blog
I like veray Blogs Package tours are a great way to save money as well because they are inclusive of accommodation and sometimes food. <a href="http://www.maitravelsite.com/"Travel Blog

[Africancrab]

Tours
I think most travel companies in Africa have inclusive packages, just not exactly full board with all 3 meals.

[Flight to Johannesburg]

Flight to Johannesburg
nice post and pics r vr beautiful thnx mate for sharing it

[Dancing Dave]

SIX COUNTRIES
In Africa perchance...part of my soul is in Africa as my blogs impart...I will watch your travels with interest...and your sunsets I'll post on Sunsets thread on the Photography Forum...keep 'em coming.

[Africancrab]

Thanks you
Thanks for the comment Dave, Africa is home for me, and home is where the heart is. I have so much to write about Africa.