Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
MANYANA
Manyana is famous for its Zimbabwean-style
rock paintings
, which date back over 2000
years and feature paintings of three giraffes, an elephant and several antelopes. The site is
located on the southern extreme of an 8m-high rock overhang about 500m north of the vil-
lage. Because the site is hard to find, it's a good idea to hire a local from the village to act
as a guide.
Before leaving the area, it's also worth visiting
Dimawe Hill
, an important historical
site where several groups of warriors under Chief Sechele I halted the invading forces of
the Boers from South Africa in 1852. The ruins are scattered around the granite hills, not
far from the roadside about 5km before Manyana. Nothing is signposted, but it's a pleas-
ant place to wander around.
The bus (P15, 1½ hours) from Gaborone stops at the T-junction at the end of the road in
Manyana village.
THAMAGA
The rural village of Thamaga is home to the
Botswelelo Centre
( 599 9220; Molepo-
lole Rd; tours P5; 8am-5pm)
, which is also known as Thamaga Pottery. This nonprofit
community project was started by missionaries in the 1970s and now sells a wide range of
creations for good prices. Tours must be booked in advance. Buses run frequently from
the main bus terminal in Gaborone (P12, one hour).
Situated about 5km east of the Botswelelo Centre in Mmankgodi, 2km off the Gabor-
one-Kanye road,
Bahurutshe Cultural Lodge
( 7241 9170;
www.bahurutshelodge.com
;
campsites/chalets P75/400)
is an innovative cultural village,
chalet complex and camping ground where visitors can very easily access the traditional
elements of Batswana music, dance and cuisine. The comfy chalets really do up the
African-hut thing, with cool stone, mud walls and rustic-smelling thatch enclosing you in
the evening.
South of Gaborone
MOKOLODI NATURE RESERVE
This 3000-hectare private
reserve
( 316 1955;
www.mokolodi.com
;
per vehicle per
day P60, day/night game drives per person P140/200, giraffe/rhino tracking P490/590;
7.30am-6pm, often closed Dec-Mar)
was established in 1991 and is home to giraffes,
elephants, zebras, baboons, warthogs, rhinos, hippos, kudu, impala, waterbucks and
