WONDERFUL LANDSCAPE, FRIENDLY PEOPLE – THE LAND OF THE NO 1 LADIES’ DETECTIVE AGENCY IS A MUST-SEE DESTINATION

As a visitor destination, Botswana encompasses all that is best in Africa. If there is a better country in Africa to live in or visit, then many have yet to fi nd it.

Its wide-open spaces, far horizons, cloudless skies, teeming wildlife and warm and friendly people are coupled with good governance, the rule of law and a fi rst-rate infrastructure. All these ingredients combine neatly to make Botswana an almost perfect nation sightedness and wisdom in diversifying the economy away from exports of precious stones and minerals.

In terms of tourism, Botswana provides two distinct experiences for visitors. One is game viewing, which is confined mainly to the north and north-east and is based on the frontier towns of Maun and Kasane.

AFRICA’S BEST

Reserve – a land of unsurpassed beauty and a compelling mix of wildlife, history and culture. Coupled with the high standard of accommodation on offer, they provide an irresistible combination that many other African destinations find hard to match.

In addition to the better known Moremi, Chobe and Tuli parks, there is the 38,000 sq km Kgalagadi Transfrontier National Park, shared by Botswana and South Africa, of which more than two-thirds is located within Botswana.

The park was established in 2000 and covers an area of the southern Kalahari. It represents a different – certainly more arid – type of eco
system from those in the north. The Kgalagadi offers an interesting alternative to the nation’s better known and more frequently visited parks.

GATEWAY

Maun is the gateway to the famed Okavango Delta and the Moremi Game Reserve. The evocative Okavango offers the ultimate in game viewing and a unique safari experience. Its ever-changing landscape, as waters rise and then evaporate again over many months, guarantees the visitor a truly memorable African experience. Furthermore, Chobe National Park, generally accessed via Kasane, is widely considered Africa’s finest in terms of animal density and the overall visitor experience.

Meanwhile, the nation’s capital, Gaborone, should not be overlooked. It has a growing number of attractions for visitors, including Gaborone Village, the National Museum, the Three Chiefs Monument, great shopping malls, good restaurants and two fine golf courses.

Francistown, too, is growing in importance as a business centre and boasts several fine hotels. Botswana has gained international recognition through ‘The No 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency’ – the popular novels that have been turned into a television series on HBO and BBC. The extremely popular TV series has brought the local landscape to an audience that had, perhaps, never given much thought to Botswana. This can only be a good thing for tourism, especially as visitors to Gaborone can now take a ‘No 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency’ tour to see popular locations such as Zebra Drive and Speedy Motors. It proves, once again, that Botswana is more than just a wildlife destination.