Botswana: Okavango Delta, Chobe, Northern Kalahari, 2nd; The Bradt Travel Guide

by Chris McIntyre

• ISBN13: 9781841621661
• ISBN10: 1841621668
• Edition: 2nd
• Format: Trade Paper
• Copyright: 2007-03-01
• Publisher: Bradt Travel Guides

Summary

The Bradt guide to Botswana concentrates on the prime regions for travellers in the north of the country, with the essentials on the gateway cities of Gaborone and Maun. The Okavango Delta is a wetland paradise and one of the top destinations in Africa for wildlife enthusiasts who will delight in the thorough descriptions of the unique ecosystem and its multitude of bird and plant life. Other key regions covered in depth are the Chobe National Park - an important conservation area - the Linyanti Swamps, Central Kalahari Game Reserve and Tsodilo Hills with their wealth of bushman rock art. Chris McIntyre is a director of a UK travel company specialising in southern Africa. He travels regularly throughout the region, including extended trips to Botswana. He is also the author of Bradt's Namibia and Zambia guides, in addition to contributing articles to several travel magazines.

Author Biography

Chris McIntyre is a director of a UK travel company specializing in southern Africa. He travels regularly throughout the region, including extended trips to Botswana. He is also the author of Bradt's Namibia and Zambia guides and contributes articles to several travel magazines.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements	p. VII
Introduction	p. IX
General Information	p. 1
History and Economy	p. 3
History	p. 3
Economy	p. 16
People and Culture	p. 19
People	p. 19
Language	p. 34
Education	p. 37
Cultural guidelines	p. 37
Giving something back	p. 39
The Natural Environment	p. 43
Physical environment	p. 43
Flora and fauna	p. 53
Conservation	p. 62
Planning and Preparation	p. 67
When to go	p. 67
Entry requirements	p. 73
Getting there and away	p. 74
Organising and booking your trip	p. 77
Money and budgeting	p. 88
What to take	p. 92
Health and Safety	p. 99
Before you go	p. 99
In Botswana	p. 103
Safety	p. 113
Into the Wilds	p. 117
Driving	p. 117
Bush camping	p. 121
Walking in the bush	p. 125
Boating	p. 128
Minimum impact	p. 130
Botswana Today	p. 133
Getting around	p. 133
Accommodation	p. 135
Food and drink	p. 135
What to buy	p. 137
Organising and booking	p. 137
Communications and media	p. 139
Other practicalities	p. 142
The Guide	p. 145
Maun	p. 147
Getting there and away	p. 147
Orientation	p. 149
Getting around	p. 149
Where to stay	p. 150
Where to eat and drink	p. 159
Nightlife	p. 161
Shopping	p. 161
Other practicalities	p. 162
What to see and do	p. 164
Tourist information, travel agents and tour operators	p. 167
The road north of Maun: to Moremi and Chobe	p. 173
Kasane and the Northeast	p. 175
Kasane	p. 175
Around Kasane	p. 188
Chobe National Park and Forest Reserve	p. 191
Background information	p. 191
When to visit	p. 196
Chobe riverfront	p. 198
Driving from Kasane to Savuti	p. 205
Chobe Forest Reserve	p. 209
Liambezi area	p. 211
Ngwezumba pans	p. 211
Savuti	p. 212
Driving south from Savuti	p. 220
Linyanti	p. 222
Linyanti, Selinda and Kwando Reserves	p. 225
Background information	p. 225
Linyanti concession (NG15)	p. 226
Selinda concession (NG16)	p. 230
Kwando concession (NG14)	p. 237
The Okavango Delta - Moremi Game Reserve	p. 241
Background information	p. 241
The Mopane Tongue	p. 248
The private areas of Moremi (NG28)	p. 264
Okavango Delta - Private Reserves around Moremi	p. 273
Gudigwa (NG12)	p. 276
Khwai community concessions (NG18 and NG19)	p. 276
Kwara Reserve (NG20)	p. 276
Xugana, Camp Okavango and Shinde (NG21)	p. 280
Vumbura and Duba Plains (NG22 and NG23)	p. 284
Community area (NG24)	p. 289
Jao, Kwetsani, Jacana and Tubu camps (NG25)	p. 290
Abu Camp and Macatoo (NG26)	p. 294
Pom Pom, Kanana and Nxabega (NG27A)	p. 299
Delta, Oddballs, Gunn's and Eagle Island (NG27B)	p. 303
Xigera, Mombo and Chief's Camp (NG28)	p. 309
Gubanare and Xudum (NG29 and NG30)	p. 309
Chitabe and Sandibe (NG31)	p. 314
Stanley's, Baines' and budget mokoro trips (NG32)	p. 318
Sankuyo Tswaragano Community Trust (NG33)	p. 322
Sankuyo Community Trust and Starling's (NG34)	p. 323
Mankwe (NG43)	p. 326
The Okavango Panhandle and Northwest Kalahari	p. 329
The Panhandle	p. 329
The delta's western fringes	p. 338
The northwest Kalahari	p. 345
The Kalahari's Great Salt Pans	p. 365
Background information	p. 365
Getting organised	p. 372
Nxai Pan National Park	p. 373
Makgadikgadi Pans	p. 380
Makgadikgadi Pans National Park	p. 395
The Central Kalahari	p. 405
Background information	p. 405
Practical information	p. 410
What to see and do	p. 416
Rakops	p. 420
Livingstone and the Victoria Falls	p. 421
History	p. 421
Geology	p. 423
Useful information	p. 425
Livingstone	p. 425
Wildlife Guide	p. 469
Language	p. 489
Further Information	p. 491
Index	p. 497
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