Visit Botswana:
Botswana, a country located in the heart of the African continent, is a destination that
captivates; we had long been wanting to visit. With its impressive biodiversity and
vibrant culture, this country offers an unforgettable experience to enjoy its natural
treasures.
In Botswana, Setswana is primarily spoken, although English is widely used, especially
in urban and tourist areas. The local culture is diverse and rich, with traditions rooted in
the country's history and its people. Batswana are known for their hospitality and
warmth, and you can feel it as soon as you set foot in the country.
Tourism plays a crucial role in Botswana's economy, being one of the main drivers of
development. With responsible management of its natural resources, the country has
preserved its unique environment, attracting travelers from around the world in search
of authentic experiences in nature.
Our 11-day experience in the country: customers in a way that’s current and interesting.
This itinerary worked very well for us to fully enjoy each place; the hotels were
incredible and offered many activities to explore each natural environment. Everything
was arranged by Safari.com (https://www.safari.com)
4 nights in Chobe – Chobe Game Lodge (https://www.chobegamelodge.com/)
3 nights in Savuti – Ghoha Hills (https://ghohahills.com)
3 nights in the Okavango Delta – Camp Okavango. (https://desertdelta.com/camps/camp-okavango/ )
Chobe National Park: Boat and Game Drives
We began our adventure with four nights in Chobe, where we stayed at the Chobe
Game Lodge. Located in the heart of Chobe National Park (it is the only lodge
within the park, strategically positioned for safari enjoyment), this lodge offered
us a safari experience by 4x4 and boat; we could see elephants – it has the largest
elephant concentration in Africa – lions, giraffes, and a variety of exotic birds in their
natural habitat.
The decor, food, and service added to making the experience truly unique. Highly
recommended.
Another particularity of this hotel is that all the guides are women (something that is not
very common; from all the countries we visited, guides were always men). They are
known as the Angels of Chobe, and this initiative to have women in these positions
started a few years ago.
The management team of the company to which the hotel belongs noticed how well
guests reacted to having a female guide, so gradually, they encouraged more women
from the team to train as guides and be part of this new era of staff.
Chobe National Park – Savuti: Game Drives
We continued our journey to Savuti, where we spent three nights at Ghoha Hills Lodge.
Located on a hill with panoramic views of Chobe National Park, this lodge gave us the
opportunity to explore one of the most remote and wild regions of Botswana. Known for
its lion prides and migrating elephants, Savuti left us breathless with its stunning
landscapes and close encounters with wildlife. We traveled in April, so the autumn
colors, sunsets during the golden hour were ideal for photography.
Regarding the hotel, the tents have a direct view of the Park, the beds are extremely
comfortable, and the hotel service is extraordinary. The entire team was incredible.
We had several action-packed situations, and that's what fascinates me about safaris;
you don't need to have expectations, you need to let yourself be surprised and enjoy
every second. Nature gives us unique moments, and I believe each one of them is
valuable.
But in particular, it can happen that a "quite" morning can turn into a NatGeo
episode ina matter of minutes. In our case, while on the way to the airstrip, we
encountered a pack of wild dogs (at least more than 10), trying to hunt some impalas,
and then a lioness arrived to claim her territory. Impressive!
Okavango Delta: Boat and Walking Safaris + Helicopter
Our last stop took us to Okavango, where we spent three nights at Camp Okavango.
Located on a private island in the heart of the Okavango Delta, this luxury camp offered
us a unique experience of water safari. We navigated the winding channels of the delta
in traditional mokoros and boats. We also did walking safaris, something very special to
have a different type of experience with the animals and the place, and finally, we took
the helicopter ride over the Delta. This is highly recommended; although it is not the
most affordable activity, it is unique to see everything from above, see the interaction of
the animals, and their distribution over this unique space in the world.
The rooms are spacious with excellent decoration; the entire hotel is connected by
walkways, where you constantly come across animals around. At night, we fell asleep
listening to the roars of the lions; it was amazing.
Airports:
Our arrival was at Kasane airport, from Angola the easiest way is to go via
Johannesburg and make the connection from there (Airlink works perfectly).
An alternative to Kasane is Maun airport (we used it to return, again via Johannesburg).
From South Africa, either through Johannesburg or Cape Town, you can easily reach
from all continents.
Prices:
Botswana is characterized by having higher prices than other neighboring
countries where safaris can also be done; however, it is completely worth visiting the
country to know all these unique places. The Okavango is an atypical delta that flows
into the Kalahari.
Being so prepared for tourism, due to the importance it represents for the country's
development, the entire experience is always up to what is expected.
Other places to visit:
Beyond the 3 places we chose to visit, there are other important
points in the country to know:
- Moremi Game Reserve
- Khama Rhino Sanctuary
- Nata Bird Sanctuary – highly recommended for bird watching.
- Makgadikgadi Pans - the largest salt flat pan in the world.
- Kalahari Desert
- Elephant Havens orphanage - 1h drive from Maun.
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