Botswana is a beautiful country located in the region of Southern Africa . The citizens of this country are known by the name of Botswana.
Up to 70% region of this country is covered by Kalahari Desert.
It is also one of the sparsely populated countries in the world.
It is world’s 48th largest country with an area of 581,730 square kilometers. In Botswana, there are diverse areas of wildlife habitat.
There are grasslands and savannas along with desert and delta areas. Hence, a number of rare mammals and birds are found here.
The endangered African Wild Dog is also found in North Botswana. It is the center of tourist attraction because of its flora and fauna.
The Chobe National Park and Moremi Game Reserve are the places that attract a huge number of tourists visiting this country every day.
Orapa mine , located in Botswana is the largest diamond mine in the world.
Best things to do in Botswana
The official language of Botswana is English but Setswana is spoken widely all over the country. Around 70% of the people in this country belong to Christian religion.
Botswana is also known for its uniqueness in food items.
The Botswana Tourism Organization, official tourism group of the country, is developing at a rapid rate and is looking after tourists properly.
Here is a list of my favorite beautiful places to visit and famous things you shouldn’t miss on your trip to Botswana.
Chobe National Park
Chobe National Park is located in Northern Botswana.
It is country’s third largest park. It is famous because it is the first national park of Botswana. The elephants and hippos are world famous.
It contains about 50,000 elephant population which is no doubt the highest in Africa.
The elephants living here are known as Kalahari Elephants which are the largest in size among all other types of elephants. There is a river named as Chobe River.
The river is quite wide with park on one side and Angola on the other. It is known as the best camping site.
You will find a large number of tourists camping in this park. Don’t miss the chance to enjoy the sunset at the river because the view in front of you will be breathtaking.
The whole staff is very friendly and hardworking and there will be a number of guides available to take you on a tour of this huge park.
It will be a great fun for you to enjoy the boat safari on Chobe River Lodge.
The staff provides an outstanding accommodation with clean washrooms and proper hygienic food. It is the best place to enjoy wildlife.
Most beautiful places in Botswana
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park is a large wildlife preserve in Southern Africa.
This park is divided between South Africa and Botswana. About three quarters of the park lies in Botswana and rest one quarter lies in South Africa.
Because of its location on the frontiers of both countries it is known as trans– frontier. Kgalagadi means ‘place of thirst’.
It is named so because of the surrounding Kalahari Desert.
Here weather can reach extremes and nights can be freezing cold in winters. It is famous for its varied wildlife.
This park is the home to many mammals like lions, cheetahs and hyenas etc. within this park there are three tourist lodges known as rest camps.
There are six wilderness camps in this park which provide shelter and washing water. It is advisable to have food, drinking water and firewood from lodges and other shops.
There are air conditioned rooms and swimming pools in the lodges along with other excellent services.
Famous places in Botswana
Okavango Delta
This largest inland delta in the world is located in Maun.
This delta, shaped like a fan, is located deep within the Kalahari Basin and is known as the ‘jewel of Kalahari’.
This delta presents before you the untouched natural beauty of Botswana. The journey to reach Okavango Delta can be described as nothing but adventurous.
This delta is fed by Okavango River which is the 3rd largest river in Southern Africa.
This delta has been steadily developed by million tons of sand carried down the river from Angola.
Major tourist attractions in the Delta and other dry land areas are game viewing, birding and boating etc.
People love this camp site.
The most spectacular view is of rare animals and birds over here.
You will be able to see both black and white rhinos while visiting this place. It contains almost 1300 species of flowering plants.
However it is notable that game viewing depends a lot on the season, water and availability of food. The Mokoro ride is the ride that will attract you the most.
This place is definitely photogenic and you will not miss to click a lot of pictures and make some good memories after visiting this place.
It is a safe place without any mosquitoes and snakes.
My favorite stuff to do in Botswana
Gaborone Sun
Gaborone is the capital and the largest city of Botswana. The Gaborone Sun is the most beautiful hotel which attracts a lot of tourist attraction.
It offers its guests a great retreat in the heart of this capital city.
It offers fantastic accommodation, business and entertainment facilities to the people visiting this hotel. It provides all the well – equipped conference facilities.
This hotel has a gym, tennis court, pool and a casino for maximum entertainment of its guests.
It has an accommodation of about 196 rooms which are fully – furnished and decorated in an Africcan theme which looks stunning and extraordinary when visiting the first time.
The hotel has several restaurants which provide excellent quality fresh food to its guests.
The staff of the hotel is very friendly and holiday camp is also there for kids. You will find all kind of recreational activities
while visiting this hotel. All the tourists enjoy Golf, tennis, Squash and swimming in the clean water of swimming pools.
Fun things to do in Botswana
Moremi Game Reserve
Moremi Game Reserve is situated on the eastern side of Okavango Delta.Moremi is ranked as one of the most beautiful reserves in Africa, possibly in world.
It is considered to be the most beautiful Wildlife Sanctuary in Africa. It is considered as the most ideal Botswana Safari Destination.
This reserve is maintained and officially protected by Botswana National Parks.
It is home to many elephants and the endangered species of African Wild Dog.
You will find many other animals here, some of them named as Buffalo, Zebra, Lions, Cheetahs, leopards and many more.
It is popular destination for the self – drive camper. Mopane woodland and forests are the most appealing areas with lagoons and wildlife to explore.
It is advisable to carry a lot of food and water with you.
This place will give you an ideal Safari experience. Don’t forget to take a guide with you because it is easy to get lost in this area.
Most the guides are English speakers so there will be no problem in communicating. Birding is excellent in summers.
You will find some useful information and exciting Moremi Safari Packages that will help you to explore this amazing area.
Don’t forget to click a number of pictures of all the animals. It will be a wild and challenging experience for you.
So don’t miss this stunning animal and bird life on your trip to Botswana.
Popular Botswana tourist attractions
Makgadikgadi Pans
Makgadikgadi pans are located in the Makgadikgadi Pans National Park in Botswana.
It is such a vast and silent place with featureless salt, sand dunes, grassy plains and patches of Kalahari Desert.
These pans are the remains of an ancient super lake and hence all surface glistens with salt. Largest salt pans are actually found outside the boundary of Makgadikgadi Pans National Park.
The rainy season over here attracts a large number of water birds.
The pans can retains water until April/May as the rain begins in November and lasts till March.
This place is really unique and if you want to experience something different on your trip to Botswana, don’t miss this place.
Sleeping under the shining stars can be a memorable experience for you. The best time to visit this area is from April to November.
The main highlight of these pans is a famous group of baobabs known as Baines Baobabs . After rain the bird life is actually spectacular.
The San People, also known as The Bushmen of Botswana, have adapted to live in this desolate landscape.
It can be a memorable experience for you to learn about their way of life and they will teach you some strategies to live in desert areas.
This is once in a lifetime experience so you better not miss these pans while planning your trip to Botswana.
What else to do in Botswana?
Central Kalahari
The real attraction of Kalahari lies within the environment as it is nothing but a remote area which is untouched by human habitation.
It will give you such an amazing wildlife experience that you will lose track of time enjoying the views here.
The Central Kalahari Safari Packages are also available which will give you the perfect opportunity to adore this landscape while staying in the comfort zone of lodges.
It is an ideal place to adore the openness around you.
Gazing at beautiful stars on a full moon night will become one of the best experiences of your life when there will be absolute silence except some distant roaring sound of lions.
People came to this place for camping.
The immense and semi – arid environment of the Central Kalahari Game Reserve is also an attraction.
The desert are all around conserves the water and energy in an interesting way.
A huge number of birds and animals will be there to add to the beauty of this desert.
Is Botswana worth visiting?
The answer is Yes. Botswana is worth visiting. This is because it is such a magical place
full of beauty and adventours.
Make sure you visit the following stunning hills:
Tsodilo Hills
The Tsodilo hills are located bit off the tourist route in Shakawe in Northwest Botswana.
These hills are definitely worth a visit on your trip to Botswana in order to witness the beautiful rock art by the San people who are also called as the Bushmen of Botswana.
This tourist attraction site is included in the UNESCO World Heritage Site list.
The San Bushmen painted a thousand of rock paintings on these hills. If you are a student of archeology then the site of beautiful paintings will leave you speechless.
Exploring the hills is not less than an adventure. Don’t forget to wear comfortable shoes and bring lots of drinking water with you.
There are walking trails – Rhino trail, Lion trail and Cliff trail mainly.
It is important to take a guide with you because you will not like to miss some importing paintings while going on your own.
Guides can be easily arranged.
There is also a small museum at the entrance of this sacred site for the San People. This is the only collection of Rock Art in South Africa.
While visiting there at evening time, you will notice that these glimmering copper hills provide a stunning view at the time of sunset when different colors reflect from the rocks.
What else to see in Botswana?
Tuli Block
The Tuli Block is situated between the Sashe and Limpopo rivers where three international borders meet.
Tuli is a river in Zimbabwe which has given name to this region in Botswana. It is the largest privately – owned game conservation area in Southern Africa.
It is also known as ‘the land of the giants’ for its old giant trees.
This landscape of natural beauty has amazing topography and rocky features carved from ancient rocks.
This whole area is very beautiful and the guides will give you proper knowledge. It will give you an amazing wilderness experience.
This block also contains the Mashatu Game Reserve, Tuli Nature Reserve and both are for game viewing.
If you have interest in birdlife then this place will amaze you with 350 different species. In wet summers you can enjoy the large number of newborn antelope.
The tourists simply adore the aesthetic beauty that this region offers.
The night time at Tuli Blocks gives you the chance of star – grazing because of the vast and clear sky and you can enjoy your time finding the constellations.
The lack of vegetation over here will give you the chance to enjoy the sight of Leopards in their natural habitats.