Mababe is a small rural settlement located in the eastern part of Botswana’s North-West District, set on the vast, wild plains of the Mababe Lower Depression. Jaw-dropping vistas of yellow bushveld, sparkling rivers, and bright green forests attract nature photographers and plant enthusiasts, as well as hikers. However, it is the area’s wildlife that is its major drawcard: visitors can look forward to seeing large herds of buffalo, a good number of lions, elephants, hippos, giraffes, and cheetahs. A range of guided walks, game drives, and other activities are on offer.
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.
Adventurous travellers seeking a truly remote African safari will be thrilled to discover it in central Botswana. The Central Kalahari Game Reserve is the second largest game reserve in the world and one of the least visited, nothing can prepare you for the sheer wonder of exploring this vast reserve with its wild, untouched beauty. The landscape is dominated by sand veld, acacias, and Kalahari apple-leaf, interspersed with grasslands and dotted with occasional sand dunes, pans and fossil river valleys. While the reserve is home to an impressive variety of wildlife, there is one animal that is rather obviously absent, the human being. It is this lack of human traffic, combined with the park’s lack of infrastructure, that makes for a challenging and marvellously authentic African experience. Visitors need to be entirely self-sufficient but those willing to make the effort will be richly rewarded.
Set on the banks of the beautiful Thamalakane River in northern Botswana, Maun is the third-largest town in this spectacularly scenic southern African country. Maun is the starting point for most expeditions into the Okavango Delta and as a result, has developed into a bustling metropolis that is considered Botswana’s tourism capital. Area attractions include a renowned riverboat that offers cruises up and down the Thamalakane River; the forest groves of the Maun Game Reserve; and Moremi Game Reserve, home to hippos, lions and rhinos. Maun also serves as the jumping-off point for many safaris and air charters as well as offering private 4x4 rentals. Don’t miss the opportunity to visit the Nhabe Museum exhibiting the local history, art and culture of the Ngamiland region.
