Top Gear Botswana Special
In 2007 Clarkson, Hammond and May dared to venture 1000 km across Botswana in 3...
Famous for its spectacular natural beauty, amazing wildlife and rich lineage to early African anthropology and culture make Botswana a must for all African safari enthusiasts. If you’re planning a Botswana 4×4 self-drive safari, make sure to make a booking with 4×4 hire South Africa.
With many car hire companies available in South Africa, getting to Botswana can be a breeze.If you’re flying into Johannesburg it’s only 356 kilometers to get to Gaborone the capital of Botswana. This makes it a great and affordable trip for not only international travelers but locals as well.
One of the world’s leading travel guide books ‘Lonely Planet’ named Botswana the top destination to travel to for 2016 above other more likely destinations such as Japan, the USA and Australia, describing the country as “progressive, enlightened – but above all, invigoratingly wild.”
Considered as one of the seven natural wonders of Africa, the Okavango Delta is the jewel of African Safari. One of the reasons this phenomena occurs is due to yearly flooding of the Okavango River which sees vast amounts of rainwater reaching the Delta from Angola. This large amount of water concurs in relation to Botswana’s arid season which results in excessive relocation of wildlife from other dryer areas because of the time of year.
It’s believed that people have inhabited the area of Tsodilo Hills for around 100 000 years. This makes it one of the planet’s most ancient historical sites and a must-see location for anyone visiting Botswana. The main attractions are the cryptic rock paintings, which have captured the imagination of explorers for decades. There is also a museum where camping facilities are available as well as trails and walks and roughly 500 locations where the paintings of San people can be found.
It’s said that the Chobe National park has some of the largest numbers and widest variety of wildlife in all of Africa. Chobe is famous for its dense concentration of elephants which amount to roughly 50,000 one of the largest amounts in the world.
The Kalahari Desert which covers most of Botswana is unique in that it supports a variety of wildlife and a vast collection of fauna and flora including the Acacia tree as well as 500 other species of plants.
Located beside the southeastern border near South Africa on the iconic Limpopo River is the Tuli Block which has aptly been described as ‘The Land of giants’ and is a rare treat for any wildlife enthusiast. The reserve has an accessible vantage point to watch animals ensuring that one is assured to see various types of game. Some of the wildlife on offer includes 350 recorded bird species, waterbuck, eland, elephant, cheetah, lion and leopard. Caracal, aardwolf, hyena and jackals which can only be seen after dark.
It’s believed that Botswana is the country with 30% of the world’s wild dog population. With numbers dwindling over recent years for various reasons it’s safe to say that this definitely another valid reason to choose Botswana for your next African safari. The area is unfenced and is away from farming communities making it the ideal location for the dogs to exist in their natural habitat. If you’re looking for the ultimate African Safari guide, visit the Pembury Tours website.