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Botswana

A landlocked country in southern Africa, Botswana enjoys a mild climate in the east; the Kalahari Desert dominates the west and south.

For game viewing Botswana has to be top of the list, the Okavango exhumes rich wildlife and abundant birdlife. You can watch migrations, see the elusive wild dog, observe the annual floods and view the release of captive bred rhino.

The Okavango Delta and Chobe National Park in the north are areas of outstanding natural beauty, rich in animal life. Elephants at Chobe are the largest in body size of all living elephants; they number about 120,000. Stable and prosperous, Botswana has blossomed since independence from Britain in 1966. It is Africa's longest continuous democracy and one of the world's biggest diamond producers.

Botswana "Must Do's"

Okavango Delta
The Kavango river flows into northern Botswana from the Angolan highlands. Here the river fans out into what is effectively a huge evaporation pool, known as the Okavango Delta. This is a superb protected habitat and without doubt one of Africa's greatest natural resources.

To the north of Okavango is the smaller Linyanti Swamp, a superb game area containing some of the best lodges in the country. Highlights include elephant, wild dog and hippo-hunting lion. This area makes an excellent addition to a safari in the Okavango and a superb substitute for the over-touristed Chobe waterfront.

The Panhandle is the main watercourse supplying the Okavango Delta and although not being a real game-viewing area, it can provide a good lower cost option for the water-based part of a safari. Tsodilo Hills is a little visited area adjacent to the Panhandle with some interesting cave paintings and walking trails.

Safari
Staying on a private concession allows for a more intimate experience, take advantage of the night drives, where the anticipation of seeing animals heightens, the bird hides, the excellent rangers with a wealth of knowledge. And to finish it all off why not escape the civilised atmosphere of your lodge and get close to nature on a sleep out, high platforms allow you to survey the vista and when night falls the sounds of the bush encapsulate your soul.

Mokoros
Mokoros are the traditional mode of transport in the Delta. Based on a simple hollowed-out tree trunk, these unstable little craft are swiftly and silently poled along by very well-balanced boatmen. To travel through the Delta in a mokoro, just inches above the water, is one of the simplest of pleasures. Lying back and losing focus as the clouds race through the reflections in the reeds. Catching sight of a brightly coloured kingfisher or tiny reed-hopping frog as you slide silently by.

A good mokoro trip is a meditation. Make sure you allow sufficient time for it to carry you away.

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