Botswana is Africa’s best-kept secret — arguably containing the finest wilderness areas left in the world as large wilderness areas have been strategically set aside by its government to preserve some of the best wildlife reserves in Africa.
With an area of approximately 580,000 square kilometres, Botswana is virtually the same size as France and one and a half times the size of Japan. Situated in the centre of southern Africa, it is a landlocked country, with Namibia, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe as its immediate neighbours. Botswana lies an average of 950 metres above sea level and is more than 600 kilometres from the nearest coast. The Tropic of Capricorn bisects Botswana.
The magnificent Okavango Delta and neighboring Moremi Wildlife Reserve fans out across the north-western corner and creates a paradise of islands and lagoons teeming with wildlife and birds. The mighty Okavango River flows, and then trickles into the sands of the Kalahari Desert, creating the largest inland delta in the world. This miraculous creation spills for more that seven thousand square miles across the northern Kalahari, creating a vast oasis of crystal clear lakelets, lagoons, waterways and palm fringed islands. This oasis contains one of the densest populations of big game on the continent - especially lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and the endangered African wild dog.
The most striking features of Botswana are its flatness and aridity. With the exception of the eastern part of the country where the great majority of Batswana live and where summer rainfall is slightly higher, three quarters of Botswana is technically a desert. This is what makes the Okavango Delta even more remarkable. It is a wonderful wetland within a desert, getting its waters from rainfall in central Africa, 1000 kilometers away.
Botswana is one of Africa’s success stories. Prior to independence in 1966, it was one of the world’s poorest countries. When our partners started work in Botswana in the 1970s, very few people who lived outside Botswana had even heard of the Okavango Delta. In those early days East Africa was "king" of the safari circuit. Botswana was undiscovered and was only visited by a few hardy adventurers. But things were to change as South Africa became a favored destination with Nelson Mandela’s release, and the whole Southern African subcontinent became a desirable region to explore!
Within Botswana, there were big changes as well. Diamonds were discovered in the Kalahari shortly after independence and this kick-started the economy. Sir Seretse Khama was the country’s first post-independence president. He was a wonderful leader and one of the most pragmatic and far-thinking presidents any country could ever hope for. Seretse laid the foundation and the platform that Botswana needed to propel itself forward. Democracy has never been compromised and the economy has been booming since. On the wildlife front, Seretse’s son, Ian, is one of the country’s unsung conservation heroes. When he became head of the military, he positioned his troops to secure Botswana’s borders from poachers. The game concentrations within the country multiplied overnight and many people owe their jobs and careers to his actions. With less than two million inhabitants, Botswana is one of Africa’s most stable nations and is being heralded as a model for the rest of the continent (and the world).
The country’s leaders took the view that high quality / low volume tourism was the best way to create a sustainable industry that would employ a large percentage of its people, while still preserving the environment. Today wildlife and tourism employs about 45% of all the people who live in northern Botswana.
Today, Botswana remains focused on delivering the finest possible, authentic wildlife experience. This is accomplished through one of Africa’s most sensible land plans ever devised. Much of the country’s best wildlife land is outside the parks! This land has been resurveyed over the past 20 years and has been divided into massive private reserves that are leased out to safari companies such as Wilderness Safaris or to rural communities. Well over 30% of the country has now been set aside for wildlife. Qualified and reputable safari companies have to manage their operations within strict guidelines and with very strict carrying capacities to prevent overcrowding. These companies have to train and employ local people and they have to pay large amounts to the communities or the Government for the privilege of being there and communities are now being brought into the mainstream of the wildlife industry.
While most of the country’s best wildlife experiences are in these private reserves (or concessions, as they are known locally), the country still has areas for the general public to visit. These are not the areas to which you should be traveling to find the best private wildlife experience. The safari camps that A to A Safaris and our partners recommend are all in the private reserves.
In the land of Africa's original inhabitants, the San Bushmen, travelers will find a safe, quiet country with quality guides and exclusive accommodations. Botswana has a proud history as a stable peace loving democratic country. The Tswana people who form this nation are a progressive people with a deep sensitivity for their land.
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