IgVkZa COMPANION EASTERN BOTSWANA 1 “Half the fun of the travel.. is the aesthetic of lostness” Ray Bradbury Welcome to Botswana Botswana is well known for having Dog, Cheetah, Brown Hyena, Cape some of the best wilderness and Vulture, Wattled Crane, Kori Bustard, 7wildlife areas on the African and Pel’s Fishing Owl. This makes continent. With a full 38 percent your safari experience even more of its total land area devoted to memorable, and at times you will feel national parks, reserves and wildlife simply surrounded by wild animals. management areas – for the most part The first – and most lasting unfenced, allowing animals to roam impressions – will be of vast expanses wild and free – travel through many of uninhabited wilderness stretching parts of the country has the feeling of from horizon to horizon, the sensation moving through an immense Nature of limitless space, astoundingly rich wonderland. wildlife and bird viewing, night skies Botswana is a rarity in our over- littered with stars and heavenly bodies populated, over-developed world. of an unimaginable brilliance, and Untamed and untameable, it is one stunning sunsets of unearthly beauty. of the last great refuges for Nature’s As well, with more and more magnificent pageantry of life. cultural tourism options on offer, Experience here the stunning you will be charmed by the people beauty of the world’s largest intact of Botswana, visiting their villages inland Delta – the Okavango; the and experiencing first-hand their rich unimaginable vastness of the world’s cultural heritage. second largest game reserve – the But perhaps most of all, Botswana’s Central Kalahari Game Reserve; the greatest gift is its ability to put us isolation and other-worldliness of the in touch with our natural selves. It Makgadikgadi – uninhabited pans the offers that vital link so keenly felt by size of Portugal; and the astoundingly inhabitants of the developed world, prolific wildlife of the Chobe National a pervasive void we feel but often Park. cannot name – our connectedness Botswana is the last stronghold with Nature and the astonishing for a number of endangered bird and diversity of plants and animals to be mammal species, including Wild explored. About Us... The Botswana Tourism Board TO plan, develop and implement TO set performance targets and (BTB) was established by an Act of tourism marketing and promotion to design programmes aimed at IParliament in 2003. Its mandate is to strategies aimed at creating and facilitating the continued growth and market and promote Botswana as a sustaining a positive image of development of tourism; premier tourist destination of choice, Botswana as a tourist and investor TO develop and implement to promote Botswana as a tourism destination; appropriate strategies for achieving investment venue, and to grade and TO plan, formulate and implement annual work plan objectives and to classify accommodation facilities in strategies for promoting sustainable set performance targets aimed at the the country. The Board commenced tourism development in collaboration promotion of tourism business in its operations in January 2006. with the tourism industry’s private Botswana; A Board of Directors, consisting sector, local authorities, local TO investigate any matter that has a of 15 members and appointed by the communities and Non-Governmental negative effect on the tourism industry, Minister of Wildlife, Environment and Organisations (NGOs); and to make recommendations Tourism, governs the BTB. The Board TO determine policies for giving thereon to the Government; is comprised of the Chairperson and effect to the objects and purposes of TO manage and co-ordinate the Vice Chairperson, a representative the Act that established the BTB; Botswana’s tourism promotional and from the governing Ministry, and 12 TO advise Government to change, publicity programmes; members from the public and private review or formulate policy and TO provide market research sectors in the tourism industry. strategies where necessary; information and market intelligence BTB holds a broad portfolio TO implement Government on tourism; that touches nearly all aspects of policies and programmes aimed at TO promote the expansion of tourism development in the country, facilitating the continued growth and existing and new investment in including: development of the tourism sector; Botswana’s tourism sector; 2 LOCAL OFFICES Headquarters Tel: +267 391-3111 Fax: +267 395-9220 [email protected] www.botswanatourism.co.bw Main Mall Tel: +267 395-9455 Fax: +267 318-1373 Maun Tel: +267 686-1056 Tel: +267 686-3093 (airport office) Fax: +267 686-1062 [email protected] Kasane Tel: +267 625-0555 Tel: +267 625-2210/1 (airport office) Fax: +267 625-0424 [email protected] TO establish and expand local recreational and leisure tourism, Francistown as well as international travel trade and to bring them to the required Tel: +267 244-0113 networks to promote and sell marketable standard. Fax: +267 244-0120 Botswana; The grading system serves as a [email protected] TO market and promote the means to protect the consumer and establishment of joint tourism business guarantee quality accommodation Ghanzi ventures between citizen and foreign and services in Botswana. It also assists Tel: +267 659-6704 investors; the accommodation establishment to Fax: +267 659-6706 TO grade and classify accomm- benchmark its performance against [email protected] odation facilities in the tourism set standards. industry; Additionally, the grading system Palapye TO promote the improvement is a useful tool to indicate to travel Tel: +267 492-2138 of tourism industry standards, in the agents, tour operators and tourists the Fax: +267 492-2147 areas of service standards and a code general quality of accommodation [email protected] of ethics; facilities in the country. This can serve TO conduct tourism awareness as a guide for tourists planning their Tsabong campaigns within and outside destinations in Botswana. Tel: +267 654-0822 Botswana; and The system also provides a Fax: +267 654-0813/4 TO develop and improve existing framework to industry investors so that [email protected] tourism opportunities, and to diversify they are able to design their facilities to the sector to include other forms of attract the desired market segments. tourism, such as cultural and heritage BTB is funded through grants tourism, eco-tourism, entertainment, received from the Government. See page 31 for additional contact details for all local and international offices. Eastern Highlights Tour the Northern Tuli Game Explore the rich historical Visit Francistown’s Supa Reserve on horse back, mountain and archaeological sites of Ngwao Museum, an important bike or hiking. ancient civilisations. repository of northern cultures. IgVkZa COMPANION EASTERN BOTSWANA INTRODUCTION Welcome to Botswana 1 About Us 2 Highlights 4 DESTINATIONS Northern Tuli Game Reserve 6 Experience the exhilarating Enjoy the unique and Mapungubwe Hill 9 Motlhabaneng 10 waterfalls – and historical sites breathtaking topography of Solomon’s Wall 11 – of Moremi Gorge. eastern Botswana. Old Palapye 12 Photophoto Gorge 13 Tswapong Hills 14 Moremi Gorge 14 Selebi-Phikwe 16 Letsibogo Dam 16 Lepokole Hills 17 Francistown 18 Supa Ngwao Museum 19 Birds and Game Botswana 19 Tachila Nature Reserve 21 Domboshaba 23 REGIONAL MAPS Eastern Region 18-2 Francistown 18-3 Botswana fold out Distance Chart 18-4 INFORMATION Botswana at a Glance 24 Visitor Information 25 Emergency Numbers 32 BTB contact details 33 Produced by: Botswana Tourism Board, Gaborone September 2009 © BTB All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or utilised in any form and by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, without the written permission of BTB. Writer/Editor: Linda Pfotenhauer Graphic Design: Sarah Banks, Kolobe Botswana Cartography: Department of Surveys and Mapping IgVkZa COMPANION to... Northern Tuli Game Reserve Spectacular landscapes, rich and Private Game Reserve, and Mashatu 180 kilometres south to Martin’s Drift varied wildlife, and a host of historical, Game Reserve), the NTGR is home to that holds a string of commercial cultural and natural history attractions 48 species of mammals and over 350 agricultural and game farms, several Hdefine this unique and very striking species of birds, with an estimated of which also offer tourist facilities. corner of northeastern Botswana. 20 000 animals residing in the Travellers keen for a more active Straddling the Shashe, Motloutse reserve. safari experience will delight in all and Limpopo Rivers, which serve as Most naturally occurring wildlife there is on offer. You can hike the natural boundaries with Zimbabwe species are present, including reserve, bike the reserve, horse-ride and South Africa, the Northern Tuli elephant, kudu, zebra, impala, duiker, the reserve, and even hot air balloon Game Reserve (NTGR) comprises wildebeest, waterbuck, steenbok, and the reserve! 71,000 hectares of remarkably warthog. Large herds of eland – often At Mashatu Game Reserve, guests diverse habitat, including mophane not seen elsewhere in Botswana – can accompany elephant or predator bushland, riverine woodland, and are present, and these are indeed an researchers, to gain first-hand insights marshland, punctuated by towering awesome sight. All major predators, into the behaviour, feeding habits, sandstone cliffs, basalt formations and including lion, leopard, cheetah and