Northern Botswana’s Boteti River, forming the western boundary of Makgadikgadi Pans National Park, lies within the basin of the ancient Lake Makgadikgadi. Each year, thousands of zebras and wildebeests migrate between the pans and the river, joined by springbok, gemsbok, elephants, and hippos along its banks. Birdwatchers encounter pelicans, fish eagles, and herons here, while the nearby pans transform into breeding grounds for vast flamingo colonies after the rains. Visitors can explore by game drive or boat when water levels permit, take quad biking excursions across the salt flats, sleep under the stars, or join cultural tours with local communities.
Located in the far reaches of northwestern Botswana, the Tsodilo Hills mark the highest point in the country. Abruptly rising 400 metres from the vast western Kalahari, these hills consist of four distinct mounds: the female, the male, the child and an even smaller ‘kopje’. Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the famed Tsodilo Hills are home to more than 4000 remarkable rock paintings and considered a sacred space for the San people. It is said that the Tsodilo Hills are one of the world’s oldest historical sites, which have been inhabited on and off for the last 60 000 years. Visitors can enjoy guided tours around this ancient spiritual mecca.
Situated in the northwestern area of the Okavango Delta, the Panhandle is a stretch of the Okavango River that follows a more-or-less straight course for approximately 70 kilometres before entering the wetlands. This deep channel serves as the main water source feeding the delta and offers excellent tiger and bream fishing, while the surrounding woodlands and the river’s shallow waters teem with a myriad of birds. The Okavango Panhandle is dotted with several villages and serves as a gateway to the scenic Tsodilo Hills, some 40 kilometres west, with their various tribal cave paintings, some dating back as far as 20 000 years. Visitors can enjoy excellent fishing, first-class birding, boating on the Okavango River and game viewing in the Mahangu National Park.
