Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Walking safaris in the company of an armed guard form part of the available activities
at many lodges, and leaving the safety of your vehicle will sharpen your senses and your
awareness of your surroundings. Places where such hiking excursions along nature trails
are possible include the Okavango Delta, the Central Kalahari Game Reserve (CKGR)
and the Makgadikgadi Pans. The treks run out of the luxury lodges of the Makgadikgadi
Pans or the CKGR, for example, are a fascinating opportunity to explore the arid environs
with San guides, who can point out the hidden details of the landscape and its specially
adapted flora and fauna.
You don't need to be staying at a luxury lodge or tented camp to explore a small corner
of the Delta on foot, as many of the
mokoro
expeditions organised from Maun include
walking components. Also, a small but growing number of mobile safaris in the delta and
Moremi Game Reserve, organised from Maun, involve multiday hikes.
Options are limited for more free-range hiking, but the Tsodilo Hills, where trails lead
up to thousands of rock-art sites, is undoubtedly the premier spot. Guides are available
from the main campsite in the region. Another possibility is the Tswapong Hills in the
country's east, which sees very few tourists. For both, you'll need to be entirely self-suffi-
cient.
HORSE RIDING
Cantering among herds of zebras and wildebeest is an unforgettable experience and the
horse-riding safaris in Botswana are second to none. You'll need to be an experienced
rider as most horseback safaris in Botswana don't take beginners - after all, you need to
be able to get yourself out of trouble should you encounter it.
Try the following operators.
African Animal Adventures
(
Click here
)
Expeditions from Maun.
Grassland Safari Lodge
(
Click here
)
Safaris into the CKGR.
Mashatu Game Reserve
(
Click here
)
In the Tuli Block.
Uncharted Africa
(
Click here
)
Out onto the salt pans of Makgadikgadi.
MOKORO TRIPS
Travelling around the channels of the Okavango Delta in a
mokoro
is a wonderful experi-
ence that is not to be missed. The
mokoro
is poled along the waterways by a skilled poler,
much like an African gondola. Although you won't be spotting much wildlife from such a
