Botswana: Top 10 attractions in the African country

Okavango River

The Okavango is the country's main natural attraction - "the river that never finds the sea".

This giant-sized river begins in Angola, where it is called Kubango, and in Botswana the river disappears into the sands, forming 15 thousand square kilometers of a continuous labyrinth of lagoons, channels and islands.

In the Okavango basin there is the Moremi Reserve, known for its rich nature. Many representatives of African fauna live here: elephants, zebras, buffaloes, giraffes, hippos, cuda. Here they organize fascinating safari tours for all comers.

Makhadhikkhadi and Nxai Pan National Parks

Makhadikhadi and Nxai-Pan National Parks are a huge plateau basin that was once the largest lake in Africa. Now the place resembles a flat plain covered with salt crust with fantastic looking depressions.

There are many legends and stories associated with these places, which you can learn in detail by visiting a couple of recommended local villages for tourists. One of these is in the Njuca Hills area 26km south of the main park entrance - the best place to see the annual migration of zebra and gnu antelope during the rainy season, as well as an abundance of water birds. In the south of Nxai Pan Park lies the Baobab Bainesa area, famous for its group of large baobabs (atypical for these areas, by the way).

Kgalagadi Nature Reserve

Kgalagadi Game Reserve was opened in May 2000 by mutual agreement between South Africa and Botswana, combining the Kalahari Park and Gemsbok. Basically, the park is a protected area of the southern part of the Kalahari Desert: the natural conditions here are very harsh, and the struggle for survival is boiling over. The main inhabitants of the reserve are hundreds of antelopes, birds of prey, lions, leopards and cheetahs. Almost all the fauna of Africa is represented here, except for elephants, giraffes and zebras.

The park is divided into several large zones, connection between which is possible only by four-wheel drive cars. Despite the fact that part of the park is actively visited by tourists, the ancient tribes of the Myer and Khomani still live on the territory of the park.

Gaborone City

A great place for sightseeing tourism in Botswana would be the city of Gaborone, the capital of Botswana. It is not distinguished by luxurious architecture and an abundance of entertainment centers, but there are many interesting museums and art galleries.

In the capital you can visit the National Museum, where you can not only see unique exhibits, but also buy your favorite works of art. There is also an Ethnographic Museum in Gaborone, and recently the National Gallery of Art was opened. All these places will help inquisitive travelers to immerse themselves in the culture of the country and get a full picture of the life and life of its inhabitants.

Serovo settlement

Exceptional from the historical point of view is the ancient settlement of Serovo, which hundreds of years ago was the capital of the powerful state of Hami. Nowadays, a significant part of the monuments of the settlement is connected with the name of the legendary leader Hami III, to whom even a museum is dedicated here.

Among its exhibits are personal belongings of the emperor, as well as historical artifacts relating to the most important periods of his reign. An important attraction for the settlement is the Royal Cemetery, as well as the ruins of ancient buildings, which are more than a thousand years old.

Moremi Reserve

This reserve is located right in the Okavango Delta and is the best place to observe nature due to the presence of the Big Five.

What makes this place unique is the fact that it is home to some of the most endangered species: cheetah, white and black rhino, deer and lions. Some 450 bird species such as gray amaranths, small long-tailed birds, pink-throated puffins and over 1,000 plant species have been found in Moreme, making this the most diverse ecosystem in Africa.

Gchwihaba Caves

The Gchwihaba Caves are rare natural formations on the African continent. Water has created an artistic design in the form of multicolored walls and vaults of all colors of the rainbow. The caves are decorated with stalagmites and stalactites. Some of them reach a height of 10 meters.

Numerous groups of speleologists, tourists and treasure hunters search for the treasure left here, which is believed to have been hidden from European colonizers by people from local dynastic families. Much of the cave route promises an easy walk through picturesque halls and passageways with many tempting traverses and tunnels. There are also dangerous sections that precipitate into underground chasms or threaten with rocks.

Kalahari Desert

Kalahari is the largest desert in South Africa. Its territory covers about 600 thousand square kilometers. Kalahari comes from an ancient local dialect and means a place without water.

The Kalahari Desert is a pure and wild space where the rays of the rising sun fall red on the vast horizons. The landscape is a mixture of sprawling acacia bushes growing amongst sand and rusty dunes.

Tsolido Hills

The Tsolido Hills are a unique archaeological area of world significance, where researchers have discovered the richest collection of rock paintings on the African continent.

In total, there are more than 4,000 drawings, most of which date back to the Stone Age. This natural area is interesting not only for its rock art, but also for its views. The reserve has several hiking trails of varying difficulty for active travelers.

Chobe National Park

Chobe National Park is known for its population of about 120,000 elephants, the kings of the African safari.

Here in the afternoon, you can see large herds of elephants and buffalo approaching the waterhole. This phenomenon is particularly fascinating as the sun descends over the horizon. And the diversity of animals and landscapes here is so phenomenal that these places should be included in every African travel program.