| |
|
|
| |
Home
>
World
> Africa
> Botswana
|
The Northeast
FRANCISTOWN: Francistown is a stopping-off point for visitors on the way to the Okavango, Moremi and Chobe game reserves. The area has been inhabited for about 80,000 years, but the town was created in 1867 with the discovery of gold. There are still mines working in the area. The Supa-Ngwao Museum has displays on local history, an information centre and a craft shop with books and maps. There are several reasonable hotels and restaurants, and some of Botswana’s best nightlife, which is still somewhat limited.
MAKGADIKGADI AND NXAI PANS: Situated only 37km (23 miles) north of the main Francistown to Maun road, the entrance to Nxai Pan National Park marks the start of a vast area (roughly the size of Portugal) once covered in giant, shallow salt lakes. Only rare shallow islands of palms and baobabs break the flatness of the countryside. The 2578 sq km park, incorporating the Nxai and Kgama-Kgama Pans, is grassland, teeming with plain animals such as zebra and wildebeest.
The sands of the Makgadikgadi Pans, part of which is protected by a 4900 sq km national park, gleam white with salt in the dry season, transform into a shimmering lake in the rainy season, when thousands of brilliant pink flamingoes arrive to paddle in the brine. Herds of zebra and wildebeest also come to drink here. When the Makgadikgadi loses its water the animals move on to the Boteti River where they remain until the following rainy season, which heralds their movement northwards again to the Nxai Pan. A new cultural village, Planet Baobab, has been established close to the Nxai Pan, and luxury camps in this area include Jack’s Camp and San Camp. Non-game-viewing activities include quad biking in the dry season.
Copyright © 2003 Columbus Publishing Ltd.
Terms and Conditions apply.
|
|
|
|
|
