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Honour Boipuso Independence Week at Botswana’s Heritage Spots

admin — Mon, 09 Aug 2021 14:30:03 +0000

The Independence Day of Botswana, commonly called Boipuso, is a national holiday observed in Botswana on September 30 of every year.

Botswana is sought after by tourists from across the globe. Lonely Planet describes Botswana as “Blessed with some of the greatest wildlife spectacles on earth, Botswana is one of the great safari destinations in Africa”. It is also a country growing in stature with a secure economy and political stability.

Celebrate Independence Day and experience your beautiful Botswana like never before. Fatshe leno la rona!

Under One Botswana Sky and its sister properties with Kwando Safaris are offering great deals for the long weekend, get in touch with our team for resident’s rates.

Here’s a guide on where to honour Botswana’s heritage.

1. Visit Botswana’s first national park

Kasane’s oldest tourism offering, Chobe Safari Lodge is a landmark establishment on the border of Botswana’s first and oldest national park. Following the successful and prosperous tourism appeal of the Kruger National Park, the vast lands of the Chobe district were officially declared as a non-hunting zone in 1932 by the resident commissioner, Charles Rey, in then-Bechuanaland. However, the area was proclaimed a national park just one year after independence in 1967.

Chobe Safari Lodge has helped travellers explore Chobe National Park for 60 years. Set up to overlook the charming Chobe riverfront, this lodge is the only one in town sharing a border with Chobe National Park.

Book now: Celebrate Independence Day and experience Chobe as you’ve never seen before! Just BWP799 B&B per person sharing. Book three nights and get a free river cruise 🎉 Call 625 0336 to make a reservation or mail diane@chobesafarilodge.com

2. Explore Botswana’s blessed UNESCO World Heritage

The Okavango Delta is one of the best places in the world to go on safari and was declared the Earth’s 1000th UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2014.

Each of our Okavango Delta camps is situated in a private concession, offering an exclusive safari experience with a light-on-the-earth footprint.

Meander by Mokoro at Moremi Crossing

Eco-friendly Moremi Crossing rests below tall palm trees in the Okavango Delta. It’s islanded for most of the year when water, flowing south from the highlands of Angola, fills the swampy floodplains. This incredible annual descent of water makes Moremi Crossing an ideal destination for boating and walking safaris.

Book now: Experience the Okavango Delta with us from just BWP1900 per person per night fully-inclusive 🎉 Please email reservations1@underonebotswanasky.com or reservations@underonebotswanasky.com for enquiries

Celebrate in Style at Mma Dinare

An intimate, relaxed camp, Mma Dinare comprises just eight tents that all share a jaw-dropping communal deck, outdoor firepit and dining area with views that make the most of the abundant Gomoti River that flows right past. Parades of elephant are regular visitors to these scenic floodplains, as are Red Lechwe and, of course, enormous buffalo herds.

Bordering the open plains of the Moremi Game Reserve, guests can expect plenty of wonderful wildlife sightings. Predators, such as jackal, leopard and prides of lion are regularly spotted and the Dinare concession is a known hotspot for seeing African Wild Dogs.

Book now: Enjoy a luxurious stay at our newest lodge from just BWP2900 per person fully inclusive 🎉 Please email reservations1@underonebotswanasky.com or reservations@underonebotswanasky.com for enquiries

3. Make for Makgadkigkadi, the motherland

A recent study of mitochondrial DNA states that the mother of all modern humans originated in northern Botswana 200,000 years ago. The Makgadkikgadi might very well be our motherland!

Located within this unique environment, Nata Lodge provides a shady refuge while still blending naturally into its surroundings. Luxury chalets and camping tents balance out the preferences of different types of travellers. The main areas, such as the swimming pool and bar, are spaces to relax and reflect on the day out on the pan or meet others.

Book now: Embrace the sun-kissed sanctuary of Nata Lodge from just BWP699 per double room per night 🎉 Call 247 1112 to make a reservation or mail diane@chobesafarilodge.com

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Botswana residents rates are available – please enquire!
These rates are valid with immediate effect for stays until 14 November 2021 inclusive.
Single supplement is 30% and chargeable for those aged 18 and above.
Self-drive is possible to Mma Dinare in a 4WD (essential).
Mma Dinare: A game drive transfer from Maun (3h+, one way) is included in the rate for a minimum of 2 pax.
Should the Botswana government impose an alcohol ban, prohibiting the consumption of alcohol in camps, there will be no refund or reduction on the rates.

Please note, Gunn’s Camp is closed for maintenance and Rra Dinare is only operational when Mma Dinare is full.

The post Honour Boipuso Independence Week at Botswana’s Heritage Spots appeared first on Under One Botswana Sky Blog.

Travel Update: Rivers and Re-openings in Botswana

admin — Tue, 09 Jun 2020 16:32:58 +0000

Despite the worldwide lockdown (and a distinct lack of guests to enjoy it) we’re thrilled to have Botswana’s rivers return in such abundance.

In May 2019, President Mokgweetsi Masisi officially declared drought across Botswana. Thankfully, excellent rains have fallen and our lodges across the Okavango Delta are surrounded by floodwaters once again.

In a double dose of good news, many camps and lodges are also open again! Where’s the first place you want to go?

Here’s an update on the rivers and re-openings in Botswana’s best addresses.

Chobe Safari Lodge and Chobe Bush Lodge Update

Botswana’s National Parks have been open for 14 days already following the national lockdown, which lasted for seven weeks to help contain the spread of the Covid-19 virus. The elephants of Chobe National Park are still going about their merry munching business and the Chobe River floodplains are positively brimming.

This video taken from Chobe Safari Lodge shows how high the Chobe River has risen. In fact! Our favourite sundowner spot, Sedudu Bar, was even underwater in May 2020.

However, Chobe River water levels are already starting to subside again.

Safari operators across Botswana are working towards recommencement of travel for international guests around October. However, tourism is likely to only be open for selected destinations as global governments and tourism bodies monitor the global pandemic and subsequent border controls.

The Botswana Tourism Organisation has issued strict Tourism Industry Covid-19 Guidelines for reopening.

We are incredibly pleased to help pioneer resumption of travel with the announcement that Chobe Safari Lodge and Chobe Bush Lodge are open for local travel from today, 10 June 2020.

Chat to us about planning your future safari in charming Chobe National Park.

Okavango Delta Water Levels 2020

The rain in Angola falls between November to April before slowly meandering south into Botswana. Usually, the Okavango Delta fills by late May or June and floods peak during July and August.

Contradicting the most water-laden plains, this is actually Botswana’s dry season.

There are water stations at various points of the Okavango River system. Data from Hydrology Services in Namibia showed water levels rising steadily and 2020 waters at their highest in past five years. On 24 February 2020 water levels measured 7.06m at Rundu compared to 2019 measurements of 5.14m and well above the annual average of 5.59m.

After entering Botswana at Mohembo, the Okavango River then spreads near Seronga where it starts to form Botswana’s UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Okavango Delta. There are then three main channels that develop, namely Thaoge, Jao and Nqoga. Jao is the central channel and seems to be carrying the most water this year. This middle channel later becomes the Boro River.

After 18 months since the last floods and having travelled 2000km from the Angolan highlands, these are the first waters of the 2020 Okavango flood. On 12 May, the Boro River brought water to the safari base town of Maun, passing it into the Thamalakane River.

As rivers start to reform again it is tradition for Batswana to fetch water from these fresh floodwaters. Many believe it is the beginning of new life for everything.

On 20 May 2020, floodwaters travelled a further 13km since passing below the Matlapaneng Old Bridge and continue to hit the Boteti River on 28 May 2020.

Moremi Crossing and Gunns Camp Report

Last year we introduced game drive safaris to Moremi Crossing and Gunns Camp due to dry conditions. However, both camps are now back to being water-based stays again as floods have completely islanded the lodges!

Camp managers report that the boats are back on the water and walking safaris will take place on Chiefs Island (via a mokoro crossing over the Boro River) until the Okavango Delta swamp waters recede again. You’ve gotta love the rhythms of nature!

Note: As of April, Pom Pom camp is now part of the Kwando Safaris family.

Mma Dinare and Rra Dinare Lodge Report

Although we have had no guests for the past two months, our camps have still been busy. A skeleton staff remained on call to ensure lodge upkeep, and they have also enjoyed some fabulous sightings.

Both Rra Dinare and Mma Dinare lodges are located to make the most of glorious views and game across the Gomoti River. Floodplains are full again and at much higher water levels than last year. These lodges share the same concession, which borders Moremi Game Reserve.

If you’re confused about concessions, read this guide to the Okavango Delta, which lays it out simply for travellers.

Mokoro excursions are all in action and expose visitors to the soothing tranquillity of the floodwaters up close.

Nata Bird Sanctuary Report

Sadly, the blessing of floodwaters has not extended as far as Sua Pan in the Nata Bird Sanctuary. The Nata River received water twice this year but with very shallow flows. At the moment, the Makgadikgadi Pans here are bone dry, but that doesn’t make it any less magical.

Nata Lodge is also open for business!

Keen to see Botswana in all its glory? Contact us about staying at one of our lodges or camps for local deals.

The post Travel Update: Rivers and Re-openings in Botswana appeared first on Under One Botswana Sky Blog.

World Animal Day: Celebrating Botswana’s Beasts and Birds

admin — Wed, 25 Sep 2019 09:10:43 +0000

From the footprints of a big cat and the joyful frolicking of elephants in cool water to the resounding call of the fish eagle above and the kori bustard’s comical walk on the ground below, we celebrate Botswana’s diverse wildlife this World Animal Day.

Poaching and illegal wildlife trafficking are having devastating effects on many of Africa’s wildlife species, with some populations left highly vulnerable to extinction and the health of ecosystems already experiencing the serious knock-on effects. An Africa without animals is an unimaginable reality and on a safari in any of Botswana’s wilderness areas, it is the beasts and birds that steal the show, no matter how big or small.

That is why, this World Animal Day, we take you on a photographic journey of some of Botswana’s incredibly beautiful and diverse wildlife that we are so honoured to experience every time we go exploring into the bush:

Flamingos strut across the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans, where they come to breed and rear their chicks when the water levels are just right.

A leopard prowls amidst the dry and bare bushes of its territory in a wintery Moremi Game Reserve, one of the best places in Botswana to witness this exquisite feline.

A herd of buffalo stand alert in south eastern Okavango Delta, a stronghold of these powerful members of the famous Big 5.

A multi-generational elephant family quench their thirst at the shoreline of the Chobe River in Chobe National Park, home to an impressive 120 000 elephants.

Unable to fly away, an ostrich begins to pick up speed running across the flat and dry landscape near the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans.

A lone wildebeest kicks up dust as it crosses a particularly dry area of the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans on its way to find good grazing grounds and reliable water.

Contact us for more information on Botswana’s different wilderness areas and which of our properties will best-suit the kind of wildlife safari experience you are dreaming of.

The post World Animal Day: Celebrating Botswana’s Beasts and Birds appeared first on Under One Botswana Sky Blog.

Gallivanting by Game Drive at Moremi Crossing & Gunn’s Camp

admin — Wed, 21 Aug 2019 10:16:41 +0000

As of the end of July, game drive safaris are now offered at both Moremi Crossing and Gunn’s Camp in the Okavango Delta!

With water levels lower than usual in the Okavango Delta, there are greater expanses of unexplored land mass within our private concession that offer perfect opportunities for wildlife viewing by game drive. Game drives are a new additional activity, which will be available to guests at Moremi Crossing and Gunn’s Camp during the drier cycles when water activities may become more limited.

Game drives added to two camps

The introduction of game drives adds even more value to these well-priced delta camps popular with smaller groups, families or travellers looking for a more intimate and authentic delta experience. Enjoy a morning or late afternoon game drive exploring the remote wilderness and diverse wildlife in our private concession, with sundowners ending off the afternoon drive.

Enjoy a chilled drink while watching the sun set over the Okavango Delta before heading back to camp

From Gunn’s Camp, game drive vehicles will carry a maximum six guests per vehicle, while those from Moremi Crossing will take up to nine guests. Game drives are offered as one activity only per night’s stay and there is no private vehicle option available at these camps.

Mekoro and walking safaris remain

During high water season our guests will once again get to delight in the ever popular mekoro, boat cruise and fishing for the ultimate delta experience.

Cruise through the interconnected channels of the Okavango Delta on a mekoro when water levels are high

Walking safaris on the famous Chief’s Island in the Moremi Game Reserve, as well as within the concession, in combination with seasonal mekoro remain the highlight and a year-round activity.

Year-round adventure camping

What’s more is that this is the only area where guests can book a night or two in the wilderness for an adventurous and rustic experience in our bush camp.

Camp in the remote wilderness of the Okavango Delta no matter what time of the year

Adventure camping is now available year-round and must be pre-booked. The nights spent camping in the wilderness must be in between at least one night at Gunn’s Camp or Moremi Crossing.

Contact us for more information on these exciting safari experiences.

The post Gallivanting by Game Drive at Moremi Crossing & Gunn’s Camp appeared first on Under One Botswana Sky Blog.

Why You Should Take a Bush Walk in Botswana

admin — Thu, 23 Aug 2018 12:27:04 +0000

Step out of the safari vehicle and into the wilderness on a bush walk in Botswana.

Taking a game drive in a safari vehicle is perfect for sighting wildlife from a higher angle, particularly if the bird or animal is far off and a pair of binoculars is needed. In order to have a more intimate encounter with the local fauna and flora, however, you’ll want to put on your walking shoes and take to the stomping grounds of Botswana’s abundant wildlife.

If you’re not yet convinced about the bush walk experience, here are three reasons that may just help you make up your mind.

1. Journey off the beaten track

Explore Botswana on foot © Under One Botswana Sky

Leaving behind the paths well-ridden by many safari vehicles means you get to encounter the small details of the bush, which might otherwise pass you by when elevated during a game drive. The intricacy and inter-connectivity of the local ecosystem through which you walk is visible, for instance, in the architecture of a bird’s nest and the various symbiotic relationships that occur between birds and animals.

Enjoy bush walks at Chief’s Island when at Moremi Crossing © Under One Botswana Sky

Nestled into the palm-fringed Ntswi Island in the Okavango Delta and bordering the Moremi Game Reserve, Moremi Crossing is an ideal spot from which to visit Chief’s Island to view abundant game from the ground. Going into the bush on foot means being an active part of the wildlife experience rather than simply observing from a safari vehicle. An exciting part of a bush walk is taking paths that are completely inaccessible to vehicles; hike to caves, waterfalls and elevated rocky outcrops.

2. Learn something new

Get up close to Secretary Birds © Under One Botswana Sky

Do you fancy yourself something of a detective? Well, a bush walk is a great way to figure out the clues of nature. The highly experienced and knowledgeable ranger that guides you through the bush will teach you how to identify animal spoor and droppings, the calls of various species of birds, and the difference between medicinal and poisonous plants.

Adventure in the wilderness surrounding Rra Dinare © Under One Botswana Sky

In the south eastern section of the Okavango Delta, Rra Dinare offers stunning views of the Gomoti River, connecting floodplains, riverine forest and the wildlife that inhabit this area. Bush walks starting from either Rra Dinare or Mma Dinare are seasonal and dependant on the water levels. When they are possible, you can learn about the plants and insects that are characteristic to this particular delta biome.

3. Get in touch with nature

Find peace in the company of giants © Under One Botswana Sky

Few would doubt that surrounding yourself and connecting with the natural world is good for the soul. Another key benefit to trekking through the bush is that it should help to slim down your waistline, which might be necessary after indulging in the scrumptious snacks offered on game drives.

Immerse yourself in nature when at Gunns Camp © Under One Botswana Sky

However, don’t be alarmed about the level of fitness needed to embark on a bush walk. It’s not meant to be a strenuous day-long hike or a fast sprint to the end point. Rather, chat to the guide about what pace you would like to go at and what interests you have so that they assist you in getting the most out of the experience. Similarly placed as Moremi Crossing, Gunns Camp is also a good place from which to explore neighbouring Chief’s Island on foot.

If you’re interested in booking a safari, chat to us about how we can customise an itinerary for you that will include all modes of game-viewing transport.

The post Why You Should Take a Bush Walk in Botswana appeared first on Under One Botswana Sky Blog.

Botswana – National Geographic Traveller

admin — Fri, 16 Sep 2016 08:39:35 +0000

Their trunks are each other, two teenage tugging and pulling twisted around elephants knee-deep in water, before letting go and continuing the with jostling their foreheads.

Soon, another male joins this play fight and all three are piled up, bodies together, legs and proboscises akimbo, roughhousing in the Chobe River in the afternoon sun. These prepubescent males hold me transfixed, as does the rest of their family, as I watch from a small boat a short distance away. There’s the matriarch alongside the other adult females in the group, plus the three teenagers and two babies, all at the edge of the river, drinking, floating, scratching themselves on the ebony and jackalberry trees, playing and swimming, taking delight in the fact that here in the water their bodyweight is reduced by half by the buoyancy in their bellies.

The babies mostly find shelter under the legs or the trunks of the females, but sometimes they stand alone, tentatively working out what this trunk thing does — up until they’re a year old elephants can only use their mouths to drink water but when they’re fully grown they can take in eight litres with one big snort. These babies are a comical sight — with big moon faces and fuzzy hair on their heads — and as I marvel at them, the tiny elephant singing ‘in a military style’ during Colonel Hathi’s March in The Jungle Book springs to mind. And so, gazing at the largest animals in Africa going about their daily business, I hear the refrain ‘hup, two, three, four’ and ‘We’re a crackerjack brigade. On a pachyderm parade. But we’d rather stroll to a water hole.

For a furlough in the shade.’ Chobe National Park, in Northern Botswana, has one of the largest concentrations of game in Africa, and the Serondela area — e fectively the Chobe riverfront — is the prime spot for viewing Kalahari elephants, whose large, flapping ears are said to resemble the shape of the African continent. On a very good day you can see hundreds of pachyderms as they come down the red hills in a diagonal line towards the water, where they might remain for some hours.

Today is a good day. Some tentatively skirt the edge of the river, while others plunge right in and splash water behind their ears to cool their veins. Others mix sand with water to make a sort-of mud bath that helps them su focate biting parasites as well as reduce their temperature. Babies trip over their own feet, or those of others, or hang on to their mother’s trunks or legs for stability. The whole thing is such an utterly breathtaking spectacle I well up at the privilege of seeing it.

“Here in the water is when you see that the true colour of the elephant is not in fact grey or brown but a charcoal black,” says Isaac, my captain and guide. As he tries to keep the boat steady, he tells me that elephants live in social structures but also split up into a breeding herd that’s led by the grandmother, the matriarch, and a bachelor herd led by a patriarch, who instils discipline in the young, marauding boys. He points to the rough-playing teenagers. “When those naughty boys are in puberty — between the ages of 12 and 18 — the matriarch kicks them out to try to avoid interbreeding.”

Further along the Chobe, we come across a solitary male, standing in marsh grass in the middle of the river, tugging up great tuffs of green, swishing them around and beating them a bit, before putting this in his mouth. He’s out here on his own because he’s older and prefers solitude to the fighting and power struggles among younger adult males. “Solitary bulls have had enough of the young men in the breed so they keep to themselves,” Isaac explains. “They shake the grass to take care of their molars.

They have six sets in their lifespan of 65 years so they need to slow down the flattening of this last set or they won’t be able to chew grass and will suffer from malnutrition.” As we putter along the Chobe, the abundance of birdlife is astonishing — over 450 species of bird call this place home. I see kingfishers (malachite and pied), pygmy geese, helmeted guineafowl (‘Chobe chicken’), and beautiful southern carmine bee-eaters — their plumage bright in breeding colours — flying in and out of nest chambers as they excavate. Sitting on the skeleton of a tree is an African cormorant, its red throat slightly puffed up as it lazily spreads its wings so that it can dry off after the rains, cleaning itself with its own natural oils before it’s able to fly away. Further down the river, up on another tree, are a pair of fish eagles — I watch as one swoops down and pulls its prey out of the water with its talons before returning to share the spoils with its monogamous partner.

Along the water’s edge, impala and lechwe lick mineral salt from the dirt to help neutralise the high levels of tannins in the leaves they’ve eaten from the acacia tree. There are Cape buffalo — accompanied by little oxpeckers, quietly picking away at ticks and scabs on the body of the animal — considered the most aggressive of the Big Five. “In Southern Africa, buffalo are nicknamed ‘the dagger boys’,” says Isaac. “And in East Africa, they’re known as the Black Death.” We rise at dawn the next day for a game drive out from Chobe Safari Lodge into the park. A pride of lions has been seen and we’re going to track them down. The low morning sun begins to rise and dust whips up around our viewing vehicle but our guide finally spots spoor — lion footprints. He scans the land with binoculars. We wait. And then they come — five of them, nonchalantly crossing the red road in front of us. Just as quickly, they’re gone.

Famous footsteps

It’s when I take a single-prop aircraft from Kasane airport that I learn to appreciate the wide Botswana sky and the colours of the land. Vast tracts of uninhabited wilderness unfold below me — I watch the umber tones of the earth change to a salty white and follow the watery trails of the Okavango Delta.

We land at a tiny, basic airstrip, where I’m met by two men driving a big red tractor with a trailer attached carrying a chair for yours truly. The men introduce themselves: Shakapira, the guide for my stay at Moremi Crossing, and Shooting, his deputy, a trainee guide who shadows his mentor to learn more about the wildlife and the landscape around us. The waters of the Boro River and its channels are low on my visit so our activities are confined to slow, gentle excursions both on foot and in a mokoro — a traditional canoe once dug out of ebony but now less regally carved from fibreglass. First we head out in the poled mokoro, brushing past reeds and waterlilies, accompanied by bright-red dragonflies skimming the water’s surface and a plopping soundtrack of catfish plunging into the shallows looking for bugs. We see fish eagles as well as saddle-billed and marabou storks.

But it’s not long before we stop. Shakapira — who’s poling — is suddenly cautious. “Hippo,” he says. There are a tail of small crafs behind us and Shakapira takes to his radio and warns the other guides that he’s seen a hippo in the long grass. But they go on. We stay where we are and then suddenly the hippo, which has slipped unseen into the water, breaches baring its enormous fat teeth and starts charging towards us.

Quickly the little boats turn and make haste the other way, amid peels of laughter, masking the underlying fear of a close encounter. “I don’t like hippo,” explains Shakapira. “When I was 14, I went fishing with my friends. We caught a lot of fish in our two mokoro and suddenly I realised that my mokoro was on top of a hippo. Then the hippo kicked my mokoro — luckily my bag of fish flew out and landed on the bank. I swam to the edge and went up on the sandbank and watched the hippo fight with the mokoro. He trashed it. That is why I don’t like them. Whenever I see a hippo, I tell the guys we should turn back or take a diferent route.” And so it is that the hippo stalls us time and time again. Three times we turn around, and take to the bank — Shakapira, me, then Shooting, walking amid palms, leadwood, knobthorn and sausage trees (named afer its huge, hanging fruits, which, should you wish to keep your head, it’s important to avoid).

All the time we’re accompanied by the call of the Cape turtle dove — which Southern Africans like to say is them singing, ‘work harder’ and ‘drink lager’ — and the grey lourie, a creature known locally as the go-away bird, which emits a nasal call that sounds like ‘g’way’. As we walk, Shakapira stoops to examine tracks for freshness. “Elephants have three pads on the back,” he explains. “Cats keep their nails retracted and only put them out when they’re attacking.”

We brush past heavily aromatic sage and wild basil, with butterflies all around us. We see zebras, wildebeest and ostriches. Side-striped jackal. A python. A lonely bull elephant spots us and starts shaking his ears. Shakapira whispers us away. From the top of a termite hill, we look out and view a group of hippos frolicking, some yawning, all revelling in the muddy water blithely ignoring the tremulous sound of thunder and their three human observers.

Back at our tented camp at Moremi Crossing, Shakapira, Shooting and I sit on the deck overlooking the delta, listening to the torrential rain (known as pula, which is also the name of the local currency) drumming on the thatched roof and making the hippo grass dance under its weight. Shooting has a guide exam in less than a week and I’m keen to sit in on the lesson. The student points out the kudus grazing on the other bank, then helps me identify mangosteen, learn the difference between pampas and hippo grass and discern the call of the cucka bird.

Shakapira and Shooting ask about my country, Scotland, which they think is in England, and smile when I tell them I’m from Livingstone’s country.“Dr David Livingstone would be proud of us,” says Shakapira. “Since we got independence we’ve never been in a war and we have a good democracy. My best lieutenant in my life is Seretse Khama [Botswana’s first president] — he gave us everything. And now our people believe in sitting in parliament talking, not shooting people with guns. I love Botswana. I love my country.”

Before independence in 1962, Botswana was a British protectorate known as Bechuanaland. Since taking hold of its own reins, it’s become the most politically stable country in Africa, and its first president, Sir Seretse Goitsebeng Maphiri Khama, is a national hero. His son, Ian Seretse Khama, is the country’s current president and has spearheaded the drive towards the preservation of wildlife with a vigorous anti-poaching strategy — most particularly with regard to rhinos — that’s helped to make Botswana the wildlife haven it is today.

A saddle-billed stork flies over an elephant, over on the other side of the channel; the pula continues to batter on the roof and I take a moment to ponder my location. In Alexander McCall Smith’s The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency novels set in Botswana, the lady detective, Mma Precious Ramotswe, says, ‘I am just a tiny person in Africa, but there is a place for me, and for everybody, to sit down on this earth and touch it and call it their own.’ This country is not my own, but the Batswana have welcomed me like they did Dr David Livingstone. I can see why my countryman chose to make this country his own.

Originally published in the National Geographic Traveler Magazine by Audrey Gillan (print magazine article).

Visit the National Geographic Traveler website.

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Unforgettable Destinations For Your Honeymoon – Botswana

admin — Wed, 29 Jun 2016 06:45:25 +0000

Whether you’re looking for a luxurious yet affordable island accommodation, the adventure of a lifetime, or a private and romantic getaway, there are plenty of destinations that will meet and even exceed your expectations.

The old standbys like Hawaii are great, and have become established for a reason, but there are many possibilities beyond the obvious, in this vast and beautiful world we live in.

Botswana, Africa is full of adventure, sights to see, and wonderful people to interact with.
The most breathtaking safari adventure is waiting for you in Botswana. Untouched wilderness gives you access to amazing sights, from lions stalking their prey to beautiful bird life.

Under One Botswana Sky offers six lodges and camps to choose from, at various price points giving access to four major safari destinations. You won’t find a more wildlife-rich experience than in Botswana.

Originally posted on the Huffington Post. Read the whole article here.

The post Unforgettable Destinations For Your Honeymoon – Botswana appeared first on Under One Botswana Sky Blog.

How to Choose Safari Accommodation

admin — Mon, 21 Dec 2015 12:18:55 +0000

Imagine sleeping in a humble tent in the deepest African bushveld, only accompanied by the raw sounds of wilderness. For many, this is precisely how a safari should be experienced. But safari accommodation comes in a variety of other forms too. From camping on the banks of the Chobe River to staying in modern boutique rooms with stylish design, there are plenty of options to choose from.

Luxury Safari Tents

Sleeping in a safari tent gives you the opportunity to be close to nature and experience the real spirit of Africa. Hearing wildlife roaming past your tent or birds chirping their melodious mating calls near Pom Pom, Gunns Camp or Moremi Crossing in the heart of the Okavango Delta is a thrilling affair.

Safari Rooms

Staying in a contemporary setting can also be a base for your Botswana safari experience. Chobe Bush Lodge’s rooms provide a comfortable stay with bush-style design. The safari rooms are made of an intriguing mix of modern-day luxuries and traditional African décor.

Camping

Camping is a brilliant option for those who are keen to experience an authentic wilderness stay. You cannot get much closer to wild nature than setting up a tent on a campsite overlooking the Chobe floodplains or just beyond the secluded Makgadikgadi Salt Pan, surrounded by utter silence.

Thatched Chalets

The great thing about Nata Lodge’s chalets is the fact that they are built on stilts and set in a rustic African style to seamlessly combine the essence of Africa and the comfort of home. One of the chalets has also been built to accommodate the physically challenged and guests who require easier access to the shower and toilet.

Rondavel

Chobe Safari Lodge’s original accommodation type, the traditional thatched rondavel, provides an excitingly unique safari visit. These independently positioned units create an intimate wilderness base.

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Candice’s Botswana Trip

admin — Fri, 14 Aug 2015 13:04:02 +0000

Day 1

An excited Candice flew from Cape Town to Maun via Johannesburg. The Airlink flight from Jo’berg to Maun was delayed for 2 ½ hours and she whiled away the time watching how Airlink handled the situation and found it fascinating eavesdropping the reactions of the passengers especially as 90 % of the flight was American tourists, which happens to be our key market.

A note from Candice regarding immigration at the Maun border: “Expect an inordinate amount of paperwork and hand writing of forms and documents – nothing is electronic!”

She was met by a rep from Moremi Air and promptly air hopped into Pom Pom Camp. Besides the awe inspiring views of the Okavango Delta from the air, it was exciting when the pilot needed to buzz low over the runway to chase some animals away before landing – welcome to Botswana!

Candice loved Pom Pom Camp, especially the staff. From the ‘welcoming committee’ who sang for her on arrival, to the fun but professional managers (Andy and Dineo) to her great tracker and guide team, BT and Shaku.

Her first night was quite eventful when during a short rain storm, a yapping hyena decided to take shelter under her tent (raised on stilts). She was able to relax and laugh about it the next morning when her guides took her on a calming mokoro (dugout canoe) ride along the winding waterways of the Okavango Delta.

Some facts:

Pom Pom Camp has nine units with unit 3 being a family unit and unit 9 being the honeymoon suite with the amazing bath that we featured in our Best Baths Blog post. Safari activities include game drives and mokoro rides and the camp also features a pool.

Day 2

Her next stop was Gunn’s Camp, also in the Delta overlooking the Moremi Game Reserve, and only a 15 min airhop away. Compared to Pom Pom, Gunn’s Camp is more established and slightly smaller with only 6 units. A memorable feature is that the camp is on an elephant migration route which is a sight to behold. The walkway between the tents and the public area is about 200m long, and happens to be exactly where the elephants cross! Candice was hosted by Chocs and Dudu (the managers) and taken on a later afternoon river cruise.

She also site inspected the nearby Moremi Crossing Camp which is the largest of the three camps with 17 suites, and therefore more suited to groups. The tents are slightly smaller and the reception area is designed and crafted out of local products to resemble a turtle!

Some facts:

Safari activities at these two camps include river cruises, mokoros and walks in the Moremi Game Reserve.

Day 3

It was an hour’s flight from the Moremi region to Kasane in the Chobe region. Kasane is the entry/ exit hub for travellers going from the lodges and camps in Botswana’s Chobe National Park to Zambia – in particular to and from Victoria Falls.

Here Candice stayed at Chobe Safari Lodge, one of our favorites which always receives great feedback from our clients. Even though it is a large lodge, this Kasane accommodation is cleverly laid out and managed so that you don’t feel it. PLUS the game viewing is superb here.

Some facts:

The river cruise boat takes up to 40 people at a time and departs once a day in the afternoon.

Day 4

Her final stop on her whirlwind agent’s inspection trip was Nata Lodge. Located midway between Maun and Kasane and more popular with self-drivers, the lodge is set just a few minutes away from the Sua salt pans and is a paradise for birders. The accommodation is less luxurious than Pom Pom, Gunns and Chobe Safari Lodge, but she definitely got to experience the warm hospitality that Botswana famous for!

Some facts:

There are 22 thatched ‘rondavel’ units each fitted with air conditioning; 1 wheelchair friendly suit and 10 tented units. There is an oasis-styled swimming pool. You can do an excursion to the salt pans in the afternoon. It takes place within the Nata Bird Sanctuary. Various birds and antelope roam the pans. There are no big cats or predators here.

Originally published on Southern Destinations by Stef Black.

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