Botswana

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Overview | History | Culture | Sightseeing | Expenses and Travel Tips | Support | Map

Overview:

Botswana has lots of wide-open spaces - and lots of wildlife to fill them. More than 80% of its rather small population of 1.6 million people live in a scattering of towns and large villages, leaving plenty of room for animals - and travelers - to roam the countryside unhindered. The bad news is that traveling by road through the parched desert can be tedious and dusty, with long stretches of nothing but thorn bush to look at and no towns in sight to relieve the monotony.

The country has some of the largest remaining herds of wildlife in Africa. And you get to see them in the real wild - lazing in the waters of the Okavango Delta, grazing on the grasslands of Chobe National Park and tracking the arid salt pans of the Kalahari Desert.

What you won't encounter in Botswana are large flocks of travelers. The high fees discourage large crowds and keep tourist density low and the sense of being surrounded by nature high. Botswana can afford to be so exclusive because its mineral wealth has made it less dependent upon tourist dollars than its poorer neighbors. It is one of the world's largest diamond producers, and it has reserves of gold, copper and nickel.

Botswana is a landlocked country dominated by the Kalahari Desert in the south and west (more than two-thirds of the nation is desert). The northeast is characterized by gently rolling tablelands interspersed with granite kopjes, or hills, formed of giant rocks balanced upon one another in sometimes fantastic formations. In the north-west, the Okavango River flows in from Namibia and soaks into the sands, creating 15,000 sq km (5850 sq mi) of convoluted channels and islands that comprise the Okavango Delta.

Most of Botswana is covered by savanna - either acacia or low thorn scrub. The country's only deciduous mopane forests are in the north-east - there are stands of commercial timber as well as both mongonga and marula trees, whose edible nuts once served as staple foods for the San people. The soft wood of the marula is used in local crafts, and its fruit goes into a local beer.

Although it straddles the Tropic of Capricorn, Botswana experiences extremes in temperature. Days are normally clear, warm and sunny, but nights range from cool to bitterly cold. In the Kalahari, subfreezing nighttime temperatures are normal in June and July; where there's enough humidity, frosts are common. Botswana is primarily a dry country, but a summer rainy season lasts roughly from November to March. From late May to August, rain is rare anywhere in the country.

Currently, Botswana's biggest problems are unemployment, AIDS, urban drift and a rocketing birthrate, which has begun to slow in recent years due to the spread of AIDS through the child-bearing age groups.

Population: 1.6 million
People: Batswana (60%), Bakalanga, Basarwa, Bakgalagadi
Language: Setswana, English
Religion: indigenous beliefs (over 50%), Christian (30%)

History:

The San people (Bushmen) are believed to have inhabited Botswana for at least 30,000 years. They were followed by the pastoral KhoiKhoi (Hottentots) and later by Bantu groups, who migrated from the northwestern and eastern regions of Africa sometime during the 1st or 2nd century AD and settled along the Chobe River. Different Bantu groups, including the Tswana, lived relatively amicably in small groupings across the Kalahari until the 18th century.

By 1800, all suitable grazing lands around the fringes of the Kalahari had been settled by pastoralists, and peaceful fragmentation was no longer a feasible solution to disputes. Furthermore, Europeans had arrived in the Cape and were expanding northward, and aggression after the 1818 amalgamation of the Zulu tribes in South Africa made the scattered Tswana villages highly vulnerable. In response, the Tswana regrouped and their society became highly structured. Each Tswana nation was ruled by a hereditary monarch, and the king's subjects lived in centralized towns and satellite villages.

The orderliness and structure of the town-based Batswana society impressed the Christian missionaries, who began to arrive in the early 1800s. None managed to convert great numbers of Batswana, though they did manage to advise the locals, sometimes wrongly, in their dealings with the Europeans who followed. Meanwhile, the Boers began their Great Trek over the Vaal, crossing into Batswana and Zulu territory and attempting to impose white rule on the inhabitants. Many Batswana went into service on Boer farms, but the association was rarely happy and often marred by rebellion and violence. By 1877, animosity had escalated to such a level that the British finally stepped in to annex the Transvaal, thereby launching the first Boer War. The Boers dawdled after the Pretoria Convention of 1881 but moved back into Batswana lands in 1882, prompting the Batswana to ask again for British protection.

The British stepped in but didn't dance to the Batswana tune. Lands south of the Molopo River became the British Crown Colony of Bechuanaland, while the area north became the British Protectorate of Bechuanaland (which is now Botswana). Apart from a few years when it seemed Britain was going to cede control of Bechuanaland to Cecil Rhodes' British South Africa Company, Britain maintained control until 1966. Nationalism built during the 1950s and 60s, and as early as 1955 it had become apparent that Britain was preparing to release its grip. Following the Sharpeville Massacre of 1960, the Bechuanaland People's Party was formed with independence as its aim. General elections were held in 1965, and Seretse Khama was elected president. On September 30, 1966, the Republic of Botswana gained independence.

Botswana was economically transformed by the discovery of diamonds near Orapa in 1967. While most of the population remained in the low income bracket, this mineral wealth provided the country with enormous foreign currency reserves, pushing the pula to its position as Africa's strongest currency.

The country suffered devastating floods in 2000 that left 70,000 people homeless, while droughts in recent years have caused considerable suffering, especially in the west. In 2004, Botswana's AIDS and HIV infection rate was 37.5%, and the country was experiencing an unsettling influx of refugees from Zimbabwe. Despite these challenges, Botswana remains a peaceful nation.

Culture:

The original Botswana artists were everyday craftspeople who injected individual aesthetics into utilitarian implements such as pottery, fabrics and tools. Botswana's baskets are exquisite, employing designs with such evocative names as Tears of the Giraffe, Urine Trail of the Bull and Forehead of the Zebra. Because indigenous languages have only been written since the coming of the Christian missionaries, Botswana doesn't have much of a literary tradition. All that survives of the ancient myths and praise poetry of the native peoples has been handed down orally and only recently transcribed.

Food

Meals usually include meat (local game or beef), a wide variety of vegetables, and English and South African desserts. In Gaborone, there are several European and Asian restaurants; in other cities, the food tends to be a bit plain and bland (beef, lamb and chicken are usually available). Seswaa is a traditional beef dish served with pap, a soft maize meal. Some travelers to the region take along a small bottle of hot pepper sauce to enliven the taste of the food.

One local delicacy worth sampling is dried mopane (pronounced mo-PAH-nee) worms. These are not really worms but dried caterpillars that consume the leaves of mopane trees. They are often carried around and eaten like potato chips. Be aware that these are definitely an acquired taste (to us they taste like dried cardboard), but you are not likely to get ill from the experience of eating them.

A local brew called khadi, made from wild grewi berries, tastes something like apple cider, but people have been known to add tobacco, gunpowder, wood alcohol, Brasso and even more unwholesome substances to it. It is best to stick to bottled beers. Around the Makgadikgadi and Okavango areas, you'll find muchema, an interesting palm wine.

Religion

Botswana's early tribal religions were primarily cults in which ancestors directed family matters from their underworld domain and were contactable only through the heads of family groups. Religious rites included male and female initiation ceremonies and rain-making rituals. Polygamy was practiced, and a man's estate was inherited by the children of his head wife. Missionaries dislodged nearly all the traditional practices, and Christianity is currently the prevailing belief system in Botswana. English is the official language of Botswana, but the most common language is Setswana, a Bantu language understood by over 90% of the population.

Sightseeing:

Chobe National Park

Chobe covers 4,300 square miles and has a greater variety of wildlife than anywhere else in Botswana. Kasane, at the northern tip of the park, is the park's gateway and administrative centre. The town itself doesn't offer much, but it's a good place to base yourself for visits to the park.

Elephants - 70,000 of them in herds of up to 500 - are the main attraction at the park, closely followed by lions, cheetahs, hippos, buffaloes, giraffes, antelope, jackals, warthogs, hyena, crocodile, otter, zebra and any number of bird species.

Gcwihaba Caverns

Also known as Drotsky's Cave, this cavern system and its stalagmites and stalactites, which reach heights and lengths of up to over 30 feet, were formed by water seeping through and dissolving the dolomite rock. The dripping water deposited minerals and built up the cavern decorations from the ceiling and floor. Buried treasure from the late 19th century is said to be hidden somewhere in the caves.

There are two entrances to the caves but no guides, no lighting and no indication of which route to take. With absolutely no natural light sneaking in, spelunkers must carry several strong torches (flashlights) as well as emergency light sources. The cave also supports a population of bats, including the large Commerson's leaf-nosed bat. The area around the caves has some pleasant spots for camping, but there are no facilities.

Okavango Delta

The Okavango disappears into a maze of lagoons, channels and islands in north-western Botswana. It's the largest inland delta in the world, and it teems with wildlife. Most obvious are the thousands of birds, but there are also elephant, zebra, buffalo, wildebeest, giraffe, hippo and kudu. In the centre of the delta, the Moremi Wildlife Reserve totals around 1,200 square miles and is officially cordoned off for wildlife preservation.

Serowe

With around 90,000 people, sprawling Serowe, is the country's largest village. It has been the capital of the Ngwato people since King Khama moved here in 1902. The Khama III Memorial Museum tells the story of the chiefs of the Ngwato people. Displays include personal effects of King Khama III and artifacts illustrating the history of Serowe. There is also a natural history display featuring a collection of African insects and snakes of the region.

Tsodilo Hills

Four lonely chunks of rock rise abruptly from a rippled, ocean-like expanse of desert. They are imbued with myth, legend and spiritual significance for both the Makoko and Dzucwa San, who see the hills as the site of creation itself. More than 2750 ancient rock paintings have been discovered at well over 200 sites here. And as in most of Southern Africa, the majority of these are attributed to ancestors of today's San people. There's a museum near Main Camp, which extols the sacred nature of the hills.

Expenses & Travel Tips:

With hopes of preserving the country's natural assets while deriving the benefits of tourism, the government has instituted a policy of courting primarily high-cost, low-volume tourism.

Full banking services are available in major towns, and there's no trouble exchanging traveler's checks, particularly those issued in US currencies. In remote towns and villages where there are no established banks, traveling banks are available weekly or monthly. These rural banking services may change foreign traveler's checks but are unlikely to deal with cash. Most major credit cards are accepted at restaurants in the larger cities and towns.

Tipping

While tipping isn't exactly required, it's now expected in many restaurants. In most places a service charge is added as a matter of course, so if you feel the urge to augment that, about 10% should suffice. Taxi drivers generally aren't tipped. Tip about three pulas to the rangers for each game drive.

Getting Around

Botswana has six major bus routes and a good train line running through Francistown, Gaborone and Lobatse, with service that's reliable and inexpensive. Overall, however, Botswana's public transport is a terrible, and - though it's never entirely safe - this is one country where you may want to hitchhike. If you're hitching the back roads, make sure you've got camping gear and enough food and water to keep you going for several days of waiting.

Souvenirs

Be aware that Botswana has a very strict ban on "trophies." It is illegal to take anything out of Botswana that comes from an animal (including horns, hooves, skins, bones, teeth and feathers) without a government permit or a receipt from a licensed shop. Penalties for violating this ban are severe. And don't buy ivory. A tightly regulated ivory trade may be legal in Botswana, and the elephants may be thriving there, but humanitarian considerations aside, many Western countries won't let you bring it back home.

Support During Your Placement:

We will be available to give you any support, advice, or guidance you may need with any issues. There will always be an emergency number for you to contact. Our aim is to ensure that you have a happy and successful experience during your stay in Botswana.