External Reviews
The Guardian, UK:Travellers might well wonder why we haven't heard more about Botswana. The answer is for all the right reasons: it's a peaceful, stable country that has never been colonised or plundered by anyone's empire and has escaped the political and economic problems that have afflicted its neighbours and much of Africa. But as a travel destination it should be big news. Some argue that it is the premier destination for safaris, offering everything from big game to wildlife in some of the most remote and unspoilt areas of the continent.
Most visitors to this small republic will come for the wildlife. Situated between South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe and Zambia, it has a stable, democratic heritage that its neighbours have struggled to attain. As the world's largest exporter of gemstone diamonds, as well as a large exporter of beef to Europe, Botswana has the benefit of a solid economic base.
For its natural environment, this is good news. Botswana has not been forced to quickly exploit its tourist potential, and prefers to dissuade large numbers of visitors. This means safaris here are liable to be expensive affairs. But on the plus side you won't be sharing a wilderness experience with Jeeploads of other visitors.
A favourite place to visit is the Okavango Delta, where floodwaters have covered a plain and attract huge numbers of animals and birds. This verdant patch makes only small inroads into the vast Kalahari desert, where the San bushmen still can be found. Across huge swaths of the country, there's barely a road or fence and huge, migrating herds of elephants and buffalo roam freely. Lions and other predators are comparatively plentiful too.