Botswana as a safari destination in Africa will not disappoint you not with the many tourist destinations that are scattered all over the country. The country can be visited all throughout the year for as long as you have a bucket list of all the activities that you want to carry out when you get to the country. The different tourist activities are carried out at the various tour destinations within Botswana and some of the interesting ones that you should not miss have been noted below so that you get to do even those that are not on your list.
Visit the Kalahari Desert and meet the Bushmen
The Kalahari Desert is the largest Desert on the African continent and it passes though Botswana before continuing to the neighboring countries. The Kalahari is a home to the famous Bush men who are believed to be the earliest settlers in Botswana. These have a beautiful culture that they still practice irrelevant of the fact that there is civilization all around them and once in the Desert you will learn how to get water from underground, their history which is always told around the fire by the elders in the evening and you can also enjoy their delicious food while learning more about them.
Go back in time at the Botswana National museum
The Botswana National museum is located in the capital city of the country and once you get there, you will be transported back in time not with all the regalia form the chiefdoms in the country and all the art depicting Botswana during the bushmen times, colonial times and present times. It is one of the few places in the country that will tell you all you need to know about the history of Botswana as a country.
Visit the Makgadikgadi salt pan
The Makgadikgadi salt pan are the largest salt pan in Botswana and a top tourist destination in the country. The towering baobabs that are found near the salt mines are believed to be homes of spirits of former ancestors and the locals around the pan can tell you more about the unique baobabs. The slat pan is also a home to the world’s most feared predator the lion and these can be seen all throughout the year and even though it is not an easy trip to the pan, it will be worth it and all you will need is a lot of water.
Explore the Orange River
The Orange River is the longest River in Southern Africa and you cannot visit Botswana without taking a trip to one of its treasures. It is a good place for all tourists to relax after a long day, go for swimming, fishing, and enjoy a boat ride along the River and later on go camping at the banks for all those that love the wilderness. The Orange River is also a good place to go for all those that love birding especially during the wet season as many migratory birds will be seen floating around the river like the African fish eagle, the snake banded eagle and many more other bird species.
Explore the Baines baobab
The Baines baobab were discovered by Thomas Bane and the reason as to why you should visit them is because of their humongous size. The locals say that during the war times, many people would hide in the trunk of the tree in order not to be killed and when you visit the trees, you can still also try to fit into the tree to see whether you fit. And it is also a good place for all those that love camping in the wild and open area but this will mean that you have to take your own camping gear.
Go for a game drive through the Kalahari Game Reserve
Also located in the Kalahari Desert, the game drives are always fun as the animals can easily be spotted due to the scarcity of water sources in the Desert. Some of the wild animals that can be seen in the game reserve include antelopes, ostriches, the black backed jackal, squirrels, a few lions and many more others and as the sun is setting, enjoy the magic that it brings on the salt pans where salt mining usually takes place and remember to take lots of water.
Take a trip to the Mokodoli Natural reserve
Mokodoli Natural reserve is mostly known for the large number of black Rhinos that habitate within the different corners of the park. This was set up so that the black rhino that had become extinct was preserved for the future generation and that is why you will find numerous schools taking trips to the reserve in order to learn more about the wild life in Botswana.
Visit the Moremi Game reserve
The Moremi Game reserve is the largest game reserve on the African continent and it was set up by conservationists who wanted to preserve the eco system surrounding the reserve and also keep the animals safe from being poached on by the locals. Located in the Okavango Delta some of the animals found in Moremi include lions, the white rhino, the leopards, the black rhinos and many more other species.
Explore the Nxai Pan National park
The Nxai Pan National park is located in the north eastern part of Botswana and besides the animals that are found here which include giraffes and zebras on their annual migration, the sand dunes, salt pans and the baobab trees are some of the top tourist attractions in the Nxai National park.
Relax at the Ngami Lake
Lake Ngami is a getaway for most birders who visit Botswana due to the prescience of the many bird species that habitate around it the commonest being the Kalahari Robin and the pink lesser flamingo. The best time to visit is during the wet season although even during the dry season you will find a few birds still lounging around. When you visit during the dry season you will find that the Lake has dried up but it still fills up during the wet season.
Visit the Chobe National park
The Chobe National park is one of the largest parks in Botswana and with the many animals that habitate within the Park, it is quite easy for one to enjoy the wild on a game drive through the park. Some of the animals that are found in the chobe include hippos, crocodiles, Zebras, giraffes, wild dogs, bush pigs, elephants and many more others and after you can relax at on your boat cruise around the park. The best time to visit is between the months of May to September.
Drive through the Okavango delta
The Okavango delta is a good place to visit for all those that love sightseeing and game viewing. Located within the Kalahari Desert, it has a lot to offer to tourists in terms of animals like zebras, giraffes, lions and boat riding using the local canoes known as Mokoro on the Okavango River.
Hike up the Tsodilo hills
The Tsodilo hills consist of three rocks that have old paintings that are believed to have been painted by the old San people. The San believe that the first person on earth was created from these hills and that it is also a resting place for all the spirits of the dead. Hike up the Tsodilo hills to enjoy more stories from the locals and enjoy the unique rock paintings.
Go to the Khama Rhino sanctuary
The Khama Rhino sanctuary just like the name suggests was set up in order to save the almost extinct black and white rhinos in the country. The rhinos had been poached up to extinction and in order to save them the government opened up a sanctuary just for them and although there are other animals and birds that can be seen within the sanctuary, the rhinos are the most predominant and all the fees that you pay at the entrance help in preserving the extinct animals and making the necessary renovations at the sanctuary.
Take a hike up the Kgale hill and visit the three chiefs’ statues
The Kgale hill is located in Gaborone and is well known for having some of the best hike routes in Botswana. They are sometimes known as the sleeping hills and once you get to the top of the hills, you will have a clear view of the whole city below for as long as you follow the marked trails so that you avoid getting lost.
The three chiefs are all about the history of Botswana and they are statues of chief Bathoen, Khama the third and sebele the first. A visit here will leave you with the knowledge of what the chiefs did for Botswana as a country and the tour guides will also give you an insight of how far Botswana has come as a country historically.