Why you should visit Botswana this year April 16th, 2018
Why you should visit Botswana this year
There are many reasons why you should visit the beautiful African country of Botswana, only a few of which will be explored in this article. It really doesn’t take much to be convinced of the experience-value this country offers tourists.
We’re also heading into the best time of year to visit Botswana. From January to April, the wildlife is known to disperse and hideaway from the summer rain. But from May to October you hit the dry winter season where all the animals are out and about for you to admire and photograph. The cooler it is, the better your chances of animal spotting. When it comes to birding, any time of the year is the best time to come and visit.
Start arranging your leave days and checking flight details to get yourself to Botswana in the next month or so for a holiday you’ll never forget or regret. Some of the sights and experiences you can look forward to include the following.
The Okavango Delta
Visiting between March and August means the delta area will expand almost three times it’s usual size after the rain period. Which means there will be more to explore via cruise, mokoro traditional canoe or delta-side self-drives. It is the meeting place of around 260 000 animals during the dry seasons so you’ll want to be there and have your camera at the ready.
Its 15 000 square kilometers of land, islands and breathtaking flat landscapes to watch the sun set over and rise above. If you are looking for a unique safari and nature-based experience, then the Okavango Delta in Botswana is where you need to be.
The Kalahari
Another reason you may want to visit Botswana is to get a taste of the central Kalahari desert and what it truly has to offer. Namibia and the Northern Cape province of South Africa are only teasers of what the Kalahari Desert really is.
Take the Makgadikgadi Pans salt flats, for example. Wide areas of landscape indigenous to Botswana with a wealthy biodiversity of wildlife. Do yourself a favour and stay at Camp Kalahari on the Makgadikgadi Pans borders to experience the full wonder of this area. Explore the pans on horseback or quad bike and go for early morning game drives to spot some of the many animals out there waiting for you.
Somewhere in the Makgadikgadi Pans, you’ll find Kubu Island. The island is a national monument and sacred area to the locals where you can expect to find the granite outcrop and baobab trees. You can even camp here amidst the pans and experience a starlit sky like you’ve never seen before. It’s the perfect stop on the way to a safari park. All you need to do is stop and smell the salt.
Central Kalahari is also the place to see the magnificent zebra migration that happens every year between December and April (something to plan for next year). There’s more than salt and sand in the Kalahari and here, in Botswana, is where you will fully realise that.
Cultural tours
You can also admire the nature around you as you embark on a cultural tour with the local tribesman. Experience the San culture up close and personal. From medical practices and local delicacies to living experiences, you have the opportunity to learn and understand the ways of these traditional tribes. With their rich knowledge of their land, you will find a new respect for the people and environment of Botswana.
Beyond the traditional cultures, the city-culture of Botswana can be enjoyed through their Maitisong Festival, Maun Festival, Tjilenje Cultural Festival and Kuru Dance Festival where traditional singing, dancing and foods are present and celebrated.
The Chobe National Park
If you’re looking for another unique wildlife safari, which Botswana is abundant in, then you need to visit the Chobe National Park and go on a self-drive or tour-guided safari. Famous for their 70 000 odd elephants that roam around the area, the Chobe National Park is the best elephant-filled safari you’ll find... possibly in the world.
But there are more than elephants to be spotted in the park. Lions, buffalos, zebras, hyenas and so much more. From here, the Okavango Delta and Victoria Falls aren’t far away and can form part of an unforgettable African safari and nature experience.
Make Botswana one of your stops in Africa this year. Celebrate everything they have to offer from culture to wildlife and the unbelievably gorgeous environment. It’s the best place to watch the African sunset and wonder at the amazing nature of African wildlife. Nothing is stopping you from visiting this amazing place, so what are you waiting for?