Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Linyanti-Chobe River system itself. In 1925, when the river experienced record flooding levels, the Savuti Chan-
nel remained dry.
According to the only feasible explanation thus far put forward, the phenomenon may be attributed to tectonics.
The ongoing northward shift of the Zambezi River and the frequent low-intensity earthquakes in the region reveal
that the underlying geology is tectonically unstable. The flow of the Savuti Channel must be governed by an im-
perceptible flexing of the surface crust. The minimum change required to open or close the channel would be at
least 9m, and there's evidence that this has happened at least five times in the past 100 years.
Sights
Savuti Marshes
For decades since the early 1980s, this vast open area in southern Savuti consisted less of
marshes than sweeping open plains, save for occasional inundations during the rainy sea-
son. But the area's name again makes sense with the return of water to the Savuti Chan-
nel. Once-dry tracks now disappear into standing water that draws predators and prey
from all across the region. The marshes lie between the Savuti Channel and the main
Savuti-Maun track. If the waters allow, we recommend the picnic spot as the perfect
riverside place for lunch.
NATURAL SIGHT
Leopard Rock
The rocky monoliths that rise up from the Savuti sand provide more than welcome aes-
thetic relief amid the flat-as-flat plains of northern Botswana. The outcrops' caves, rocky
clefts and sometimes dense undergrowth also represent ideal habitat for leopards. The
southernmost of these monoliths (the first you come to if you're driving from Maun or
Moremi Game Reserve) is known as Leopard Rock and sightings of the most elusive of
Africa's big cats are reasonably common here. A 1.6km-long sandy track encircles the
rock.
NATURAL SIGHT
Gobabis Hill
Another of the rocky monoliths, Gobabis Hill is home to several sets of 4000-year-old
rock paintings of San origin. The best are the depictions of livestock halfway up to the
summit on the south side of the rock; park at S 18
°
35.632', E 024
°
04.770', from where
it's an easy 150m climb up to the paintings. Be careful, however; the area is a known
haunt of leopards and we spent one blissful morning watching a pride of lions between the
paintings and the Savuti Channel just 200m away. The paintings are signposted as 'Rock
HILL
