Sights in Botswana
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Nata Bird Sanctuary
The 230-sq-km community-run Nata Bird Sanctuary was proposed in 1988 by the Nata Conservation Committee and established four years later with the help of several local and international nongovernmental organisations (NGOs). Local people voluntarily relocated 3500 cattle and established a network of tracks throughout the northeastern end of Sowa Pan.
Although the sanctuary protects antelopes, zebras, jackals, foxes, monkeys and squirrels, the principal draw is the large population of water birds. Over 165 species of birds have been recorded here, including pied kingfishers, carmine and blue-cheeked bee-eaters, martial and black-breasted eagles, and secretary and kori…
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Kubu Island
Along the southwestern edge of Sowa Pan is Kubu Island, a ghostly, baobab-laden rock, which is entirely surrounded by a sea of salt. In Setswana, kubu means 'hippopotamus' (because there used to be lots here) and, as unlikely as it may seem given the current environment and climate, this desolate area may have been inhabited by people as recently as 500 years ago.
On one shore lies an ancient crescent-shaped stone wall of unknown origin, which has yielded numerous artefacts. The island is now protected as a national monument, with proceeds going to the local community. There is also a small camp site with pit toilets, though you will have to carry in your own water.
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Gcwihaba Caverns
Also known as Drotsky's Cave, this cavern system and its stalagmites and stalactites, which reach heights and lengths of up to 10m (33ft), were formed by water seeping through and dissolving the dolomite rock. The dripping water deposited minerals and built up the cavern decorations from the ceiling and floor. The !Kung people first showed these caves to a European, Martinus Drotsky, in the mid 1930s. Buried treasure from the late 19th century is said to be hidden somewhere in the caves.
There are two entrances to the caves but no guides, no lighting and no indication of which route to take. With absolutely no natural light sneaking in, spelunkers must carry several…
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Mokolodi Nature Reserve
Mokolodi Nature Reserve is home to giraffes, elephants, zebras, baboons, warthogs, hippos, kudu, impala, waterbucks and klipspringers. The reserve also protects a few retired cheetahs, leopards, honey badgers, jackals and hyenas, as well as over 300 different species of birds.
Mokolodi also operates a research facility, a breeding centre for rare and endangered species, a community education centre and a sanctuary for orphaned, injured or confiscated birds and animals. They also accept volunteers, though an application must be submitted prior to arrival, and a maintenance fee is levied according to the length of the programme.
The reserve is also home to the well-reviewed…
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Makgadikgadi Pans Game Reserve
During years of average to low rainfall, the Boteti experiences one of southern Africa's most spectacular wildebeest and zebra migrations between May and October.
The 3900-sq-km Makgadikgadi Pans Game Reserve extends from the Boteti River in the west to the Ntwetwe Pan in the east. Although the Boteti River only flows after good rains, wildlife congregates along the river during the dry season when the flow is reduced to a series of shallow pools, as these are the only source of permanent water in the reserve.
Basic supplies are available at the Khumaga (Xhumaga) village shop.
The main entrance to the game reserve is 141km west of Nata and 164km east of Maun. Another gate…
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Makgadikgadi & Nxai Pans National Park
Makgadikgadi & Nxai Pans National Park is administered by the Department of Wildlife & National Parks (DWNP), so camping is only allowed at designated camp sites, which must be booked in advance at the DWNP office in Gaborone or Maun. You will not be permitted into either park without a camp-site reservation, unless you're on an organised tour.
West of Gweta, the main road between Nata and Maun slices through Makgadikgadi Pans Game Reserve and Nxai Pan National Park, which protect large tracts of salt pans, palm forests, grasslands and savannahs. Since both parks complement one another in enabling wildlife migrations, Makgadikgadi Pans Game Reserve and Nxai Pan National…
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Nxai Pan National Park
The 2578-sq-km Nxai Pan National Park lies on the old Pandamatenga Trail, which once connected a series of bore holes and was used until the 1960s for overland cattle drives. The grassy expanse of the park is most interesting during the rains, when large animal herds migrate from the south and predators arrive to take advantage of the bounty.
The region is specked with umbrella acacias, and resembles the Serengeti in Tanzania (but without all the safari vehicles). The entrance to the park is at Makolwane Gate, which is about 140km east of Maun and 60km west of Gweta. The Park Headquarters is another 35.5km north along a terrible sandy track. A 4WD is required to get…
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Gaborone Game Reserve
The Gaborone Game Reserve was established in 1988 by the Kalahari Conservation Society to give the Gaborone public an opportunity to view Botswana's wildlife in a natural and accessible location.
Although the reserve is only 5 sq km, it boasts wildebeests, elands, gemsboks, kudus, ostriches and warthogs. The bird life, which includes kingfishers and hornbills, is particularly plentiful and easy to spot from observation areas. The reserve also has several picnic sites and a small visitor education centre.
All roads in the reserve are accessible by 2WD, and guided drives are not offered. The reserve is located about 1km east of Broadhurst Mall, and can be accessed from…
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Baines' Baobabs
In the south of the Nxai Pan National Park are the famous Baines' Baobabs, which were immortalised in paintings by the artist and adventurer Thomas Baines in 1862. Today, a comparison with Baines' paintings reveals that in almost 150 years, only one branch has broken off.
Baines, a self-taught naturalist, artist and cartographer, had originally been a member of David Livingstone's expedition up the Zambezi, but was mistakenly accused of theft by Livingstone's brother and forced to leave the party. Livingstone's brother later realised his mistake (but never publicly admitted it), yet Baines remained the subject of ridicule in Britain.
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Nhabe Museum
The Nhabe Museum is housed in a historic building built by the British military in 1939, and used during WWII as a surveillance post against the German presence in Namibia.
The museum offers a few displays about the history of the Ngamiland district and some temporary exhibitions of photography, basket-weaving and art. Donations are welcome. The museum also houses the Bailey Arts Centre, which allows local artists to produce and sell baskets, screen-printing, paintings and pottery, among other things.
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Matsieng Rock Carvings
The Batswana people regard this spot as one of the four 'creation sites'. According to legend, the footprint and rock carvings belonged to Matsieng, who marched out of a hole followed by wild and domestic animals. There is a small information board at the gate and, on the other side of the fence from the car park, a tiny room with some explanations. The site lies at the end of a well-signed 1km-long (0.6mi) 2WD track that starts about 6km (3.7mi) north of Pilane.
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Nata Delta
During the rainy season (November to May), huge flocks of water birds congregate at the Nata Delta, which is formed when the Nata River flows into the northern end of the Sowa Pan. When the rains are at their heaviest (December to February), the pan is covered with a thin film of water that reflects the sky and obliterates the horizon. Access is via a 4WD track from the village of Nata.
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Sowa Spit
The long, slender protrusion of Sowa Spit extends into the heart of Sowa Pan and is the nexus of Botswana's lucrative soda-ash industry. Although security measures prevent public access to the plant, private vehicles can proceed as far as Sowa village on the pan's edge. Views of the pan from the village are limited, though they're ideal if you're travelling through the area in a 4WD.
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National Museum, Monuments & Art Gallery
The small but diverse National Museum, Monuments & Art Gallery is a good way to kill an afternoon in the capital, especially if you're into taxidermy. For those not aroused by stuffed wildlife, there are also a number of ethnographic exhibits on precolonial and colonial history as well as a permanent collection of traditional and modern African and European art.
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Gweta
The dust-bowl town of Gweta serves as another gateway to the Makgadikgadi Pans, as well as an obligatory fuel stop if you're heading to either Kasane or Maun. The name of the village is derived from the croaking sound made by large bullfrogs, which, incredibly, bury themselves in the sand until the rains provide sufficient water for them to emerge and mate.
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Ntwetwe Pan
Although the Ntwetwe Pan was once fed by the Boteti River, it was left permanently dry following the construction of the Mopipi Dam, which provides water for the diamond mines in Orapa. Ironically, Ntwetwe is now famous for its extraordinary lunar landscape, particularly the rocky outcrops, dunes, islets, channels and spits found along the western shore.
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Gabatsadi Island
The enormous crescent-shaped dune known as Gabatsadi Island has an expansive view from the crest that has managed to attract the likes of Prince Charles. (He went there to capture the indescribably lonely scene in watercolour, but the paints ran because it was so hot!). The island lies just west of the Gweta-Orapa track, about 48km south of Gweta.
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Chapman's Baobab
About 11km further south of Green's Baobab is the turn-off to the far more impressive Chapman's Baobab, which has a circumference of 25m and was historically used as a navigation beacon. It may have also been used as an early post office by passing explorers, traders and travellers, many of whom left inscriptions on its trunk.
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Sowa Pan
Pan is mostly a single sheet of salt-encrusted mud stretching across the lowest basin in northeastern Botswana. Sowa means 'salt' in the language of the San, who once mined the pan to sell salt to the Bakalanga. Today, it is mined by the Sua Pan Soda Ash Company, which sells sodium carbonate for industrial manufacturing.
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Orapa House
Owned by Debswana diamond company, the Orapa House is designed to make use of natural daylight - without direct sunlight - for the purpose of sorting and grading diamonds from the world's largest diamond mine at Jwaneng. If you have time and aren't put off by red tape, you can muster a group and arrange a tour.
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Gobabis Hill
The most famous sight in the area is Gobabis Hill, which features several sets of 4000-year-old rock paintings of San origin. Some lie near the base at the northern end of the hill, though the best are halfway to the summit and face east. Visitors can park their 4WDs nearby and walk to the paintings.
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Maun Environmental Education Centre
The Maun Environmental Education Centre located in the Maun Wildlife Reserve is on the eastern bank of the Thamalakane River, and aims to provide school children with an appreciation of nature. If you're in town with the little ones, it may be worth bringing them here for an hour or two.
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Nata
The dust-bowl town of Nata serves as the gateway to the Makgadikgadi Pans, as well as an obligatory fuel stop if you're heading to either Kasane or Maun. Be aware that elephants graze alongside the highway in this region, so take care during the day and avoid driving at night.
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Gaborone Film Society
Screens classic films (mostly in English) every two weeks for members, but nonmembers are welcome. Contact the society for details, locations and prices, or check out the notice board at the National Museum.
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Green's Baobab
On the Gweta-Orapa track, 27km south of Gweta, is Green's Baobab, which was inscribed by the 19th-century hunters and traders Joseph Green and Hendrik Matthys van Zyl as well as other ruthless characters.
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