Botswana - A Land Of Contradictions

Botswana, is a place we all hold dear. Its vastness, beauty, and abundant wildlife, coupled with its diverse landscapes, make it a unique destination. And I, like many of you, have a deep personal connection to this land that makes it feel like home, fostering a strong sense of belonging. It’s a place that truly deserves to be among the Seven Wonders of the natural world. The unique experiences it offers, from the haunting calls of hippos to the majestic sight of elephants, are sure to intrigue and excite any traveller.

But many towns are the epitome of the one-horse town, dusty, unimaginative, and to be honest, I find Botswanans to be aloof, often unfriendly and a little sullen. However, I understand that they may have every reason to be this way; after all, they’re the custodians of this rich, plentiful country. The age-old saying comes to mind, “Why does a dog lick its 8@77$?” The simple answer: “Because it can.” The same statement can be applied here. Attitudes are justified, I suppose…

Now that we were only one border post away from South Africa, and we had some time, we slowed down, dragging our heels. The thought of being “home” is quite daunting. Has the adventure been a dream?

An open invitation from friends influenced our decision to visit Kasane. As my Dad’s words, “Family and fish go off in three days!” echoed in my mind, we set off for this one-horse town on the Chobe River, a place of serene beauty flanked by the Chobe National Park.

Our dear friends Karen and Tienie didn’t hesitate for a minute (a good sign), and soon our vehicle, the Honey Badger, was reverberating excitedly at their gate.

Our stay on their expansive property along the Chobe River’s embankment was nothing short of magical. We whiled away the days in leisurely conversations, exchanging tales with two intrepid explorers who have an unparalleled knowledge of the bush. Their warm hospitality and our shared love for adventure made our stay truly memorable.

Currently, South Africans are spending the winter holidays in Botswana. Kasane is a popular stopover point for travellers entering the parks, due to its location at the northeastern boundary of Chobe National Park. Its road links make it a popular access point for tourists to the park, as well as those including it in an itinerary that takes in the Okavango Delta, the Caprivi Strip, and Victoria Falls.

Kasane is the location of Elizabeth Taylor’s remarriage to Richard Burton in 1975. I’m sure all Boomers will remember the pigeon egg-sized diamond and the extravagance of the occasion and the short lapse of time before the enchantment ended.

Kasane, a gateway town near Africa’s ‘Four Corners’ (a term used to describe the meeting point of four countries: Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe), holds a unique geographical significance. It serves as a significant administrative centre of the Chobe District, lying on the south bank of the impressive Chobe River.

The Namibian island of Impalila lies opposite the town on the north bank of the river, with a border crossing by passenger ferry into Namibia. I would often look nostalgically across the river and reminisce about the glorious, halcyon days we spent on the island — tiger fishing, game viewing, and being indulged by the then-owners and our friend Dawn, who ran a luxurious retreat at their lodge, where we were spoilt for choice. One could even indulge in a leisurely river cruise on a sumptuous houseboat. Imagine that.

I vividly remember nights filled with the haunting, guttural grunts of hippos and the wails of hyenas, and days with the majestic sight of elephants parading down to the river to drink, bathe, and display their strength, showing us their boisterous young ones before retreating into the bush. The occasional swish and splash of a monstrous crocodile returning to the water after a day in the sun or in pursuit of its dinner added to the orchestra of nature.

Just 8 kilometres east of Kasane lies the village of Kazungula, where Botswana boasts 1.6 kilometres of frontage to the Zambezi River, right below its confluence with the Chobe River. This is where the Kazungula border post, which facilitates the crossing of the Kazungula Bridge (a key transportation link connecting Botswana and Zambia), is located. Nearby, a second border post serves the road to Zimbabwe, leading east to Victoria Falls.

A few years ago, en route to Kasane from Nata, we free-wheeled into Kazungula with empty diesel tanks only to join a long line of trucks waiting for fuel. We joined the queue, chomping at the bit, but when there’s no fuel, what can you do?

Kasane is located at the northern end of the tarred highway from Francistown and Gaborone, the regional artery between southern and central Africa, particularly for trucks too heavy for the Victoria Falls Bridge’s periodic weight restrictions. There is also a tarred road to the Namibian border, 51 km west at Ngoma.

Last-minute shopping can be done in Kasane, where a Woolworths Food Market is located. Bliss when you’re down to tinned meals and rehydrated vegetables and the last of the tomatoes are squishy and overripe—the Wimpy beckons in red and white. A frothy, milky Wimpy coffee, waffle, or Cheese and bacon hamburger is seductive. We were positively salivating.

I am always fascinated by the clout of marketing and how humans adapt to changing climatic conditions. We love the heat of Botswana, with summer all year round, yet the shops display winter clothes, including coats, jackets, puffer jackets, and thermal vests. Locals are dressed in scarves, beanies, boots and thick tights. While we strip, they are layering. Amazing how the power of subtlety is enforced.

Karen and Tinnie, your hospitality and stimulating conversations have left a lasting impression on us. Thank you for providing us with a safe and tranquil spot in your garden. Our spot in your backyard was perfect, secure, enclosed and the ideal place to transition into “normal” life again.

You are generous, kind, and knowledgeable about a wide range of topics, from computer hardware to suggestions for the next stopover. With you, Tinnie, we saw firsthand how 3D printing works and how thin blue plastic threads are magically transformed into a usable object.

Your delightfully authentic and informative YouTube videos, Karin, have inspired us to share our voices. When we take another trip, we plan to share our experience with our viewers without the fear of sounding foolish.

Thank you for sundowners on the Chobe River while listening to the plaintive, baby-like wailing of the Trumpeter Hornbill, so iconic on the River. Braais in your garden, while sparks flew from the crackling fire in the fire pit, the odd wild animal venturing through the garden on its way to the river, all added to the magic and allure of your idyllic life.

I hope we’ll be able to reciprocate one day and know our door is always open. We might not have the Big Five roaming the streets. Still, we do have adorable African Penguins, Southern Right Whales, Bryde’s whales, dolphins, Great White Sharks, Chacma baboons, the cutest African Fur seals, and, occasionally, an elephant seal who, due to his popularity, demands private security, as well as African clawless Otters.

Instead of deliciously tender and tasty Botswana beef, we’ll indulge in our unique Galjoen or a Snoek on the braai. We’ll tempt you with Crayfish, black mussels, and farmed Perlemoen! We could go foraging for dune parsley and white mussels. Our wines are world-renowned, and craft beer is on tap.

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We were dragging our feet and were in no hurry to leave Botswana. Still, before overstaying our welcome or becoming fishy, we set off once again, and this time we spent a few nights at the highly recommended Chobe Mopani Forest Lodge.

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Chobe Mopani Forest Lodge

Chobe Mopani Forest Lodge overlooks a booming waterhole in the remote Kasane Forest Reserve. This relatively unexplored concession borders the Zambezi National Park in the northern reaches of Botswana near Kasane.

Campsite

Chobe Mopani Forest Lodge caters to self-drives, offering nine secluded, luxury camping sites with individual private campgrounds, each situated on a raised deck under the shade of Mopani trees, complete with a private verandah overlooking the surrounding bush.

Seating on the platform is elevated, and each has its own open-air hot/cold shower, toilet, basin, fireplace, and kitchen scullery. All are connected with power, allowing one to charge cameras or phones.

The two dining areas each have a small bar area, and like the rest of the lodge, overlook the bustling waterhole. We were assured that Safari goers can expect a fusion of flavours during meal times.

Dining at Chobe Mopani is a prolonged affair, and great care is taken with the dishes served. Hospitality here is top-notch, one guest told us.

We spent our days on the deck photographing our favourite wildlife subject, and once again, I have thousands of photographs of elephants. That majestic beast that never ceases to captivate and enthral us.

Like ghosts, herds of elephants would arrive all day long, bathe, dust bathe, drink at the fresh water point, and interact with one another. The young ones would play, mimicking the older bulls and teenagers, trumpeting, mud-bathing, or nestling close to the matriarch.

When new herds approached, it would be time to leave, and without fuss or bother, they’d turn and silently march back into the forest.

There were times, of course, when an old bull or a young male in must could become annoyed with a new clan, and a show of annoyance, power, and status would ensue. The loud rumbles and trumpeting would echo through the lodge, bringing excited guests out of hiding. These moments added an extra adrenaline rush to our experience.

Shy antelope would nervously approach the watering hole when the coast was clear, and they were like the colourful garnishing to the sightings served.

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Although we never tire of a watering hole, we needed to move on with an undertaking from Butch, which promised more opportunities to enjoy Botswana’s wildlife, natural beauty, and easy living. Who can resist a promise like that? I reluctantly packed my camera, lens and SD cards and stowed our utensils while my phone charged, ready for the next travel instalment.

Fortunately for me, there’s not a snowball’s chance in hell that Butch will pass Nata without stopping, even if it’s only for a beer. There are far too many bubbling recollections to pass through without giving them the attention they deserve.

Butch’s earliest memories, which date back to the 1985s, are all rooted firmly at his friends’ Nata Lodge, where he spent many memorable holidays, celebrations, or quick stops with family and friends.

Today, Nata Lodge, situated near the Nata Bird Sanctuary, is under new management, and I think it’s too hard for Butch to visit, knowing his BFFs are far away in Australia.

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The Honey Badger, once the wheels were deflated, handled the thick sand, and eventually we arrived at Eselbe Backpackers at lunchtime.

Their website poses the following question. “Do you like a laid-back and familiar atmosphere where you can easily socialise with other travellers? Are you an adventurer, a cyclist, a biker, or a backpacker travelling by car or using public transport? Or are you looking for a relaxed weekend getaway to recharge your batteries?” Absolutely. We nodded in agreement. We liked what we saw.

Nata is the gateway town to Eastern Botswana, with access to the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans, a seasonal hypersaline lake well known for its elephants, giraffes and ostriches that can be seen from the roadside. During the rainy season, the pan hosts the world’s largest flamboyance of Lesser Flamingos and squadrons of Pelicans. Conditions are perfect for breeding, and recent bird counts have exceeded historical records.

Nestled a short distance from the main road, where the rumblings of large trucks are muffled, Eselbe Camp is the perfect stopover if you are on your way to Maun to visit the Okavango Delta or Kasane to visit the Chobe National Park.

The unimaginative, dusty village of Nata lies along the Nata River, which serves as a crossroads for routes to Maun and Kasane, providing essential services to travellers. The real attraction to the town would be the lodges, reserves and the pan.

Every year, thousands of flamingos and pelicans gather in the breeding grounds at the Nata Bird Sanctuary, only a 20-minute drive from Eselbe Camp, located along the banks of the Nata River.

Offering scenic views and tranquil surroundings, amazing birdlife and in the evening, stargazing by the fireside. 

​THE CAMP

Central to the camp is a fire pit, where guests gather. We soon realised that guests hail from around the world, ready to share stories and adventures while enjoying open-air cooking. A communal dining table is where guests share meals, stories and travel tips.

We didn’t stay for the night, but it was soon evident that guests are encouraged to relax in hammocks or float on downy cushions in the lounge, where they can stay connected to the internet if they wish, or settle with a book by Alexander McCall Smith, Peter Allison, Michael Stanley or Robyn Scott.

I would’ve been quite happy to lend an ear to the sounds of nature or the twittering of birds around the camp.​

​I’m sure a night or two would’ve awakened the Hippy in me, and I could see myself floating around in a flowing patchwork, calico, ruched skirt and embroidered cheesecloth gypsy top and flowered everlasting soles on my feet.

This eco-friendly campsite is powered by solar energy, where recycling & zero-waste initiatives are encouraged. I told Butch we could stay here, living in harmony with nature and the wildlife, reducing our impact on the environment.

He had other ideas, and so we set off to the Camelthorn Farmstead after being turned away at a larney Lodge where the receptionist smugly told us they were full. The first time this has happened in all our eight years travelling in the Honey Badger.

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Camelthorn Farmstead.

Camelthorn Farmstead Accommodation is a family-owned and operated camp situated on the banks of the Boteti River, adjacent to the Khumaga gate of the Makgadikgadi National Park. Located just 140 km from Maun, the camp provides a peaceful and secure retreat amidst lush, tree-lined surroundings.

The property offers a serene environment, ideal for relaxation and serves as a perfect base from which to explore the quieter, less frequented western section of the National Park.

Our arrival at Camelthorn Farmstead was in the nick of time. The owners, a young couple, ex-pats from South Africa, were packed and ready to leave for a short trip to Johannesburg, and, believe it or not, they permitted us to stay for as long as we liked. With only their trusted manager in charge, we had the run of the estate. 

Butch and I decided to make the most of our time in this heavenly corner of Botswana and submerged ourselves in farm life.

Every day we’d wander down to the Boteti river, keeping to our side of the fence, to watch the goings on at the watering hole, or rather the remaining pools that have survived the winter.

Large pods of hippopotami grunt and wallow in the waters, surveying their patch, and when they’re ready, some would surreptitiously appear on the river’s edge to sunbathe in the warm winter sun.

Elephants rule in Botswana, where they’re densely populated, and during the winter, they too gravitate towards watering holes alongside gazelles, cattle, and even a herd or two of goats.

Nothing is more evocative than the “kyow-kow-kow” cries of a Fish eagle as it throws its head back and announces itself before taking off and swooping down, talons outstretched, its wings extended, the ends dipped to slow itself into a glide as it sweeps in to scoop up a fish.

Butch and I felt like landed gentry and made good use of every opportunity to squeeze every drop of pleasure out of our stay. He cooked, I baked, kneaded bread dough, and we treated ourselves to warm Roosterkoek, smothered in melting butter, and the last of my guava jam and blue-veined cheese from Kenya. Contentment oozed through my fingertips.

It would be amiss of me not to mention that there are always the ridiculously ordinary tasks to be done, and laundry awaits no man, and when the laundry basket groans, we do that too. This time, a washing line with a view.

We trotted along the fence line to stretch our legs and to see what lurked on the other side. We watched the sunset crimson and lay in later than usual, knowing our escapade days were numbered.

It is also an excellent stop for 4x4 (the thick sand demands a capable vehicle) enthusiasts eager to witness the spectacular zebra migration and discover the iconic salt pans of the region. We were treated to large herds of elephants and a magnificent pod of hippopotami and gazelle coming down to the sluggish river and watering holes. 

We certainly experienced the beauty and tranquillity of Camelthorn Farmstead.

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No matter how slow we went, the border post and our return to South Africa loomed like a beckoning forefinger, saying, ‘Come along, it’s time to go home.’ Butch and I both had mixed feelings about the whole thing. An unknown future awaited us. Yes, it would be fabulous to see our friends and family, especially my Dad, Butch’s sisters, nephews, and nieces. I believe he was looking forward to familiar roads, less stressful situations on good, tarred surfaces, and, if the need arose, good, world-class services. It was time. I know.

From Boteti, we trundled half-heartedly along the straight, tarred road flanked by a sea of white sand. As if mimicking our mood, the weather turned sombre, and for a kilometre or two, we had to turn on the wipers for a cloud burst, and then a sandstorm came rolling across the plains, its fury roiling, bent on attacking us head-on. The fact that our windscreen was filthy added to our moodiness.

Herds of cattle passing through had their heads turned down as the sand walloped their hides.

Melancholia engulfed us, and for our last few nights, we decided to camp and stay at Goo-Moremi Campsite for a few days—the perfect antidote.

I could hike, we’d cycle, walk and make the most of each precious minute because we didn’t know when or if we’d be back.

The GPS announced that we were in the Serowe-Palapye district.

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Goo-Moremi Campsite

“Goo Moremi Gorge” is a community-based cultural and heritage Tourism camp managed by the Moremi-Manonnye Conservation Trust in partnership with the Botswana Tourism Organisation.

Moremi Gorge is situated on an expansive 1,836-hectare conservation zone at the foot of the Tswapong Hills, approximately 342 km from Gaborone and 67 km east of Palapye.

The official National Heritage Site is characterised by perennial streams that have cut deep gorges into the hills, with waterfalls cascading into deep pools surrounded by lush vegetation. The gorges are home to a diverse array of wild animals and birdlife.  

Set hidden amongst thorny Acasia trees and majestic Baobabs, the campsite offered us the perfect spot to transition.

On foot, we explored the footpaths and boardwalks, stopping at every notice board to learn about Botswana’s people’s culture, traditions, and lore.

At the restaurant, we’d hook up to the internet to catch up on the news, social media, and get up to speed on the arrangements that had been made and planned for our return.

Important historical sites are marked and attached to trees, and informative, descriptive explanations for the tribal and historical uses and significance of that particular space.

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The spiritual significance of Goo Moremi Gorge

Goo Moremi Gorge is not only a natural wonder but also a place of deep spiritual significance for the Bapedi/Batswsapong community. The gorge is believed to be the home of the community’s ancestral spirits, known as badimo. The area is a national heritage site.

Hiking in the gorge is only allowed with a guide, and there are strict rules to follow, such as no whistling, littering, or making noise in certain areas.

The gorge is also a breeding site for endangered bird species, including the Cape Vultures and Black Eagles. We did spot the eagles and vultures circling above us, but unfortunately, we never got close enough to observe them. (if I'd made it to the seventh waterfall, who knows?"

The Story of the “Alarm Stone” further emphasises the gorge’s spiritual importance, as it is said to signify the passing of a great chief, which is a significant event in the community’s history. Coins are placed on the stone to honour the chief and for seeking redemption or miracles and favours to be granted.

With our guide, Dibapelo, Butch and I trekked up the gorge, hoping to reach the waterfalls, but Butch’s knee was becoming bothersome, and his changing eyesight prevented him from completing the hike.

I continued with the guide until I called it a day, when it was required that I cling to the side of a cliff face feet first while gripping chains as I scuttled like a rain spider to a path a few hundred meters east. Enough was enough. After all, I do not have suction pads under my feet like a chameleon or ghecko, I grumbled inwardly.

My hammock, under a baobab tree, was where I’d spend the rest of our time here.

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We were stamped out of Botswana, and without any fanfare, we were back on home soil at Lephalale - Doornplaats.

The adventure and amazing, extraordinary revelations of travel are seared into our souls, and believe me, we’ll be sticking around to wallow in it all for a while yet.

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