TRAVEL GUIDE 2017/18. RSA R59 (VAT incl.) N$61,50 (Namibia) Giraffes, Chobe Picture: Charl Stols

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1 TRAVEL GUIDE 2017/18 RSA R59 (VAT incl.) N$61,50 (Namibia) Giraffes, Chobe Picture: Charl Stols

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4 CONTENTS COVER PICTURE CHARL STOLS / PANGOLIN PHOTO SAFARIS 6 EDS LETTER 8 HOW TO USE THIS GUIDE 10 AT THE BORDER 12 MAP OF BOTSWANA Two double-page maps to make your Botswana tour easy. 16 BOTSWANA FOR BEGINNERS Never been? Read this! 18 THE GREAT NORTHERN LOOP Our classic 12-day itinerary to all the best places. 22 BOTETI THE RIVER OF PATIENCE Things are happening next to this forgotten river. 32 MY HEART BEATS FOR TULI Plan a long weekend from Gauteng. Easy! 40 PALAPYE: FORGOTTEN VILLAGES AND FORBIDDEN GORGES Your step-by-step route guide to this gem of a destination in the south. 44 MEET THE PEOPLE OF FRANCISTOWN Where do the locals hang out over weekends? 55 NXAI PAN BOTSWANA S NEXT BIG THING This park has everything except the crowds. 62 KHAWA S KALAHARI Wilderness pure and simple. 68 MOREMI & CHOBE THE WILDEST SHORT CUT IN THE WORLD A rocking road trip from Maun to Kasane. 78 THE ZAMBEZI/KAFUE ROUTE Add some Zambian magic to your Botswana holiday. ACCOMMODATION 83 Location map and notes 84 Kgalagadi & Mabuasehube 84 Zutshwa & Kaa 84 Khawa & Werda 85 Gaborone, Lobatse, Kang & Ghanzi 85 Central Kalahari & Khutse 86 Serowe & Palapye 86 Tuli Block 88 Sehithwa & Maun 89 Boteti River 90 Makgadikgadi Pans 92 Orapa & Letlhakane 92 Nxai Pan 93 Gweta, Kubu Island & Nata 94 Francistown 94 Okavango Panhandle 95 Tsodilo Hills 96 Moremi 98 Chobe & Kasane 100 Pandamatenga 100 Okavango River (Namibia) 101 Kwando River (Namibia) 102 Chobe River (Namibia) 102 Zambezi River (Namibia) 104 Map: Vic Falls & Livingstone 107 Zambezi River (Zambia) 107 Kafue (Zambia) 108 Livingstone (Zambia) 110 Vic Falls (Zimbabwe) 48 PHOTOS CLASSIC CHOBE Guides from Pangolin Photo Safaris share their finest wildlife images. 114 BOTSWANA AT ITS BEST Waterskiing in the bundu! TOUR BOTSWANA 54 Mpafa formal accommodation tour 82 Special photography tour 106 Bhejane camping tour SHELLEY CHRISTIANS Botswana

5 Premier STAY AT BOTSWANA S BUSINESS AND ENTERTAINMENT ADDRESS Whether you fly, or drive the scenic 3½ hours from Johannesburg, The Grand Palm Hotel Casino and Convention Resort and the nearby 4-star Peermont Mondior hotel are your first choice for business and entertainment in Botswana. Just a few minutes from the centre of Gaborone and the Sir Seretse Khama International Airport, The Grand Palm Resort, offers superior accommodation in the luxury Peermont Walmont hotel and 3-star Metcourt Inn with FREE airport shuttle services and FREE high speed wi-fi available for residents, lively entertainment, extensive dining choices, the Camelot Spa and world-class conference facilities at the Gaborone International Convention Centre (GICC), all set in beautiful landscaped gardens. One of the finest facilities of its kind in southern Africa, the awardwinning GICC is a multifaceted convention centre which hosts from 8 to 1800 delegates in a variety of elegant venues while the resort offers high speed wi-fi coverage and a free airport shuttle service. The all-suite Peermont Mondior hotel, situated in the heart of Gaborone, is a favourite with discerning business travellers for its exceptional standards and renowned Botswana hospitality. FOLLOW US Call Peermont Central Reservations on +27 (0) or Tel: (Direct) Book online at PEERMONT PROUDLY SUPPORTS THE NATIONAL RESPONSIBLE GAMBLING PROGRAMME. PROBLEM GAMBLING COUNSELLING TOLL-FREE LINE PLAYERS MUST BE 18 YEARS OR OLDER. WINNERS KNOW WHEN TO STOP.

6 EDS LETTER Botswana is a vast country. Our scenic neighbour to the north is filled with rugged bushveld, calm waters and sprawling landscapes, and it offers some of the best self-drive holiday opportunities in Africa. This guide will hopefully inspire you to travel to Botswana, and once you ve made the decision to go, it will help you plan your trip. If you don t have many leave days saved up, you don t have to drive much further than the south: Destinations like the Tuli Block (page 32) and Khawa in the Kalahari (page 62) are just a hop and a skip over the border and they re awesome. We also went looking for destinations off the tourist trail places like Nxai Pan and the Boteti River. A trip to Botswana can easily be expanded to include the Zambezi Region in Namibia and The wildest place you visited? Definitely the area around Magotho Camp on the Khwai River in Moremi Game Reserve. Also, the landscape I got lost in when I tried to drive a circular route in Chobe National Park along tracks I really shouldn t have driven on my own. (See page 68.) Were you nervous? Yes, at the first water crossing near Mababe and at every one of the 15 crossings that followed. I held my breath every time the nose of my Isuzu disappeared into the dark water. In Nxai Pan National Park, roaring lions made my tent feel paper thin (page 55), but I think I was most nervous in the hair salon Victoria Falls on the Zimbabwean or Zambian side, so we ve included places to stay in those areas, too. If you have the time, try to head to Kafue National Park in Zambia as well (page 78). Don t buy a filling station map on the way to the border. The maps in this guide will show you the way. Two double-spread maps cover Botswana and the adjacent parts of South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe and Zambia (pages 12 15). Then there are more detailed full-page maps of parks like Moremi (page 74), Chobe (page 76) and Nxai Pan (page 61). You don t want to get lost between Xaxanaxa and Savuti! See you on the road. toast@weg.co.za francois.haasbroek@media24.com BEHIND THE SCENES Willem van der Berg is a regular contributor. For this special issue, he explored the Boteti River, Nxai Pan, Moremi and Chobe. behind the Shell in Letlhakane (pictured here). Nigel the hairdresser took an hour and a half to tame my hair! Were you ever afraid? I was certainly more aware of everything that could go wrong because I was travelling alone. I was most afraid on my last night at Linyanti. I was afraid I d never see the sunset I d just witnessed again. If you could go back, which tree would you pitch your tent under? I d go straight back to the camel thorn trees at Magotho in Moremi. Follow Willem s travels on EDITORS GO BOTSWANA 2017/18: TOAST COETZER (ARTICLES), FRANÇOIS HAASBROEK (MAPS) COPY EDITORS: MARIJCKE DODDS, MARTINETTE LOUW, JON MINSTER ART DIRECTOR: LYNNE FRASER EDITOR-IN-CHIEF (WEG & GO): PIERRE STEYN HEAD OF MEDIA24 PRINT MEDIA: ISHMET DAVIDSON GENERAL MANAGER LIFESTYLE: RAJ LALBAHADUR GENERAL MANAGER LEISURE (MONTHLIES): NERISA COETZEE PUBLISHING & PRODUCTION MANAGER: GERDA ENGELBRECHT PRODUCTION MANAGER: KERRY NASH FINANCIAL MANAGER: MUNEEB ADAMS CIRCULATION MANAGER: RIAAN WEYERS riaan.weyers@media24.com GROUP ADVERTISING GENERAL MANAGER ADVERTISING: DAVID HAY CENTRAL SALES MANAGER (GAUTENG): TAMMY HOLTSHAUSEN BUSINESS MANAGER (KZN): THERESA LAVERY theresa.lavery@media24.com DIRECT & CLASSIFIED SALES BUSINESS MANAGER SALES: DANIE NELL danie.nell@media24.com JOHANNESBURG JEANINE KRUGER jeanine.kruger@media24.com LIZEL PAUW lizel.kok@media24.com SHARLENE SMITH sharlene.smith@media24.com THEATHOMAS tthomas@media24.com CAPE TOWN NICK FITZELL nick.fitzell@media24.com SANETHA MEINTJIES sanetha.meintjies@media24.com DESIGNER: PAIGE VILJOEN SUB-EDITOR: BRIGITTE BLANCKENBERG MARKETING: LISE COETSEE lise.coetsee@media24.com WHERETO FIND US CONTACT: DONVÉ MYBURGH donve.myburgh@media24.com CAPE TOWN: POSTAL ADDRESS: PO Box 740, CapeTown, 8000 STREET ADDRESS: 4th floor, Absa Building, cnr of Adderley & Riebeek streets, CapeTown, 8001 Order a copy of go! Botswana online at winkel.weg.co.za, call or verkope@media24.com For a digital magazine, go to mysubs.co.za PRINTING Paarl Media Cape All rights reserved DISTRIBUTION On the Dot Published by Media24, a division of Naspers, 40 Heerengracht, CapeTown, 8001 Botswana

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8 How to use this guide This magazine will inspire you to plan your own trip to Botswana. But where to start? Here s what you should know. MAPS There are four detailed map pages that cover the whole of Botswana (pages 12 15). These maps indicate all the tar roads and main gravel roads, as well as the distances between the big towns. Use the maps to plan your route if you re travelling in a 4x2 and you d prefer to stick to the main routes. When you re driving 4x4 routes in wilderness areas like Moremi, Chobe or Makgadikgadi Pans, our maps should be used in conjunction with other quality guides and maps. We recommend the GPS products from Tracks4Africa ( tracks4africa.co.za). GPS CO-ORDINATES We ve used the decimal degree format in this guide. Set your GPS to the same format to avoid confusion. We checked all the co-ordinates using Google Earth and there might be small discrepancies. Let us know if you pick up an error. PLACES TO STAY Turn to page 83 for 133 places to stay in Botswana, the Zambezi Region in Namibia (formerly the Caprivi Strip) and around Victoria Falls on the Zambian and Zimbabwean sides. We ve listed the best campsites always the most affordable option plus a selection of lodges, self-catering units and other places. For a full list of accommodation available at a particular place, visit their website (supplied) or call the lodge or camp directly. Sometimes we ll also list a few luxury alternatives to give you an idea of the range of accommodation available in a particular region. RATES Accommodation rates and other prices listed in this guide were correct at the time of going to print. We have included rand conversions, but these might change. Use the rates as a general guideline: Always callor a place beforehand to check current prices. Rates also vary depending on the season. In Botswana, winter is considered peak season so summer rates will be lower. When you book accommodation, make sure to mention that you re South African SADC residents often get a discount. MONEY The rand is equal in value to the Namibian dollar and you can use rand anywhere in Namibia. InBotswana, only pula is accepted. (Some tourism destinations are the exception.) In Zimbabwe and Zambia you ll need US dollars. Always carry cash with you many shops and filling stations don t accept South African debit and credit cards. Get US dollars from your bank in South Africa beforehand. ATMs in the various countries dispense the local currency: pula in Botswana, US dollar in Zim and kwacha in Zambia. Travel with two or more debit and credit cards (eg Visa and Mastercard) and remember to notify your bank that you ll be using these cards in other countries before you leave. BORDER POSTS Turn to the maps on pages we ve listed the opening and closing times for all the border posts. Allow extra time for unforeseen hold-ups. Want to beat the border blues? Turn to page 10 for some handy tips. TELEPHONE NUMBERS The international dialling code for each country is included ahead of each number. If you re calling from South Africa, remember to add 00 : Botswana ; Namibia ; Zimbabwe ; Zambia WEBSITES & ADDRESSES Some older websites require you to type the www into the address bar in order for them to work; others don t. Sometimes we list addresses instead. Botswana

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10 AT THE BORDER Border crossing made easy Avoid hassles when you enter another country with these tips and guidelines. BORDER FEES Use the amounts here as a rough guide. Prices may change at short notice. Some fees (like carbon tax) will vary according to the size of your vehicle s engine. Botswana Fees are payable in pula you can exchange rand for pula at most border posts, usually informally. Vehicle fee P152 (R193). If you re planning to exit and re-enter Botswana during the same holiday (usually if you add Caprivi to your itinerary) it s better to pay for a multiple-entry pass (P217/R275). PLATJAN BORDER POST ALICE INGGS Namibia You can pay in rands (cash). Vehicle fee R277; trailer R177. Zambia Some fees are payable in US dollars only and others in kwacha (K). You can exchange dollars for kwacha informally at most borders check the exchange rate beforehand. Carbon tax K150 (R213) for a vehicle with a three-litre engine; insurance K304,50 (R432). council levy K30 (R43); toll US$20 (R259). Zimbabwe Fees are paid in US dollars. Carbon tax US$15 (R194); insurance US$30 (R388); road tax US$10 (R129). FOR YOUR VEHICLE ZA sticker stuck on the back Two emergency triangles Fire extinguisher Reflective vest wear it when you get out of your car at the side of the road to fix a tyre. White/silver reflective strips stuck to the front bumper; red reflective strips stuck to the rear bumper. This is compulsory in Zimbabwe and Zambia. Buy the strips at Midas. BORDER TIPS Use a small border post. Our favourites are McCarthy s Rest and Middelputs in the Northern Cape, and Platjan and Stockpoort in Limpopo. Try to avoid the bigger border posts, especially around the end of the month and during peak holiday season. Keep cash handy; most border posts don t have card facilities. Take note. Before you leave home, write down the serial number(s) of your camera, lenses, cellphone, laptop, GPS etc. Print copies of this list and attach a copy to a customs declaration when required. Leave your meat at home. What?Yes, we know our readers like to take their favourite butcher s cut on holiday, but it will mean a lot less border-crossing stress if you leave your meat at home. This will also make passing veterinary control points less of a hassle (there are many in Botswana). Simply buy meat in Botswana it s available everywhere. See the accommodation listings on page 83 for our favourite butcheries. Botswana COMPULSORY PAPERWORK Passport with more than two blank pages; valid for six months or more. (You don t need a visa to visit Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe or Zambia.) Vehicle registration documents copies will do. Remember your trailer s documents, too. Letter of authorisation from the bank if you re still paying off your vehicle, or from the owner of the car if you re borrowing your cousin s Cruiser. This should specify the dates you intend to take the vehicle across the border, countries you plan to visit, the registration number, and the physical address, ID number and name of the owner. Unabridged birth certificates for all children under 18. SA driving licence it s valid so bring it.