A LANDLOCKED COUNTRY THAT HAS BOOMING TOURIST ACTIVITIES

THE GOOD FACTS ABOUT  BOTSWANA 

Botswana is one of the world's most exciting travel destinations for exploring wildlife. It is landlocked by South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Namibia. The natural beauty of Botswana is found in its land formations, its wilderness, wildlife and its cultural diversity. To travel Botswana offers an unique experience in exploring wildlife, birds and game in its natural state. 
Botswana straddles the Tropic of Capricorn in the centre of the Southern African plateau between latitudes 17 and 27 and longitudes 20 and 30 east.  It is bordered by South Africa in the south and southeast, Zambia and Zimbabwe in the northeast, and Namibia in the north and west. The land is flat, with gentle undulations and occasional rocky outcrops. In the northwest, the Okavango River drains inland from  Angola to form the Okavango Delta. The Okavango Delta is one of the largest inland deltas in the world.  It provides sustenance to a rich profusion of wildlife, and it is still in its natural state - unspoilt and unpolluted. It attracts thousands of tourists throughout the year from all over the world. In this Delta, dryland mingles with wetland. 
It has marsh, river, grasslands, riverine forests of palms, islands, flood plains and lagoons. In fact, the Okavango Delta is an Oasis situated within the Kalahari Desert, and is part of the larger geographical network which embraces Moremi Game Reserve, Chobe National Park, Makgadikgadi and Nxai Pans and Mababe Depression. 
In addition to this Delta, Botswana offers a number of other exciting areas. In the central north-east is a large area of calcrete plains bordering the Makgadikgadi Pans. In the east, adjacent to the Limpopo drainage system, the land rises above 1.200 metres, and the Limpopo Valley gradually descends from 900 metres in the south to 500 metres at its confluence with the Shashe River.

Climate
Botswana is a very dry, semiarid land. The northern two-thirds of the country lies within the tropics. Daytime temperatures of 27 degrees Celsius may drop to below freezing point occasionally during the night. The rainfall ranges from 600mm in the Northwest to 250mm in the southern part. The rainfall is extremely unpredictable therefore there are frequent droughts.

Summer (September - April)
Frequent rain and thunderstorms; days and nights are very hot, but cooling off after rain spells.
Winter (May - July)
Dry and cold days and nights especially in the early hours of the morning.

Clothing
Generally throughout the year casual comfortable clothes are worn, blouses, shirts, shorts or light skirts are best. Some hotels in Gaborone do not permit jeans although they are useful on safari. Jerseys and jackets are necessary for winter mornings and evenings. Dull colours are more suitable on safari, white is not practical. In winter, warmer clothing is needed and track suits are very useful for sleeping in on safari. Comfortable shoes are essential.

Visa
Visas are required by all nationals of foreign countries excluding the following: All Commonwealth countries, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece., Iceland, Rep. of Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Namibia, Netherlands, Norway, Pakistan, Samoa (Western), San Marino, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, Uruguay and USA. Any visitor wishing to stay more than 90 days will have to apply for prior permission to the Chief Immigration Officer, PO Box 942, Gaborone, Botswana.
The following countries alhough Commonwealth countries do require visas: Ghana, India, Mauritius, Nigeria and Sri Lanka.

Visa application forms are obtained from:
Department of Immigration and Citizenship
P.O. Box 942, Gaborone, Botswana
Tel: +267 3611-300/342
Fax: +267 352-996

Car hire
Cars can be booked from anywhere in the world to be available on arrival at Gahorone airport. Cars, trucks, minibuses and four – wheel drive vehicles are also available, some with professional guides and drivers. 
There are three vehicle – hire companies in Maun. Vehicles from all three companies come with drivers for which there is no additional charge. Prices, which vary, are available on request, but in all cases fuel costs are an extra.

Health
Consult a doctor at least 2 weeks prior to entering Botswana on what precautions should he taken against malaria. There has been a dramatic increase in the incidence of malaria infection amongst visitors and residents of Botswana's malaria endemic areas. As a precaution boil or sterilize drinking water outside of the main towns.
Botswana like other countries has been threatened by the Aids pandemic. However, the government has put in place measures like the National Aids Control Program to help address the many problems that this scourge has created. The general advice given by Worldwide Aids awareness campaigns should be adhered to while in the country.

Currency
The unit of currency is the Pula. Notes are in P5, P10, P50 and P100. Coins (Thebe) are in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 25, 50, Pl & P2.
The Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Dinners Club are accepted as forms of payment, but only to a limited extent. Most hotels and lodges accept major foreign currencies or traveller's cheques, but the surcharge may be high. It is advisable to change money into local currency.

Commercial Banks
Barclays Bank of Botswana, Standard Chartered Botswana Limited, Stanbic, First National Bank of Botswana, Union Bank of Botswana and Zimbank of Botswana.

Banking Hours:
Monday – Friday: 09h00 – 14h30
Wednesday: 08h00 – 12h00
Saturday: 08h00 – 10h45

Major hotels have foreign currency facilities and most shops, lodges and travel agencies will accept travellers cheques.

Language
English is the official language. Setswana is the local language

Accessoires
Sunblock lotion, sunglasses, hats and insect repellents are essential. Binoculars are an absolute must.

Leopard FACT FILE: Swahili Name: Chui Scientific Name: Panthera pardus Size: About 28 inches at the shoulder Weight: Up to 140 pounds Lifespan: 21 years in captivity Habitat: Bush and riverine forest Diet: Carnivorous Gestation: Approximately 21/2 months Predators: Humans

The most secretive and elusive of the large carnivores, the leopard is also the shrewdest. Pound for pound, it is the strongest climber of the large cats and capable of killing prey larger than itself.

Physical Characteristics

Leopards come in a wide variety of coat colors, from a light buff or tawny in warmer, dryer areas to a dark shade in deep forests. The spots, or rosettes, are circular in East African leopards but square in southern African leopards.

Habitat

Dense bush in rocky surroundings and riverine forest are their favorite habitats, but leopards adapt to many places in both warm and cold climates. Their adaptability, in fact, has helped them survive the loss of habitat to increasing human settlement. Leopards are primarily nocturnal, usually resting during the daytime in trees or thick bush. The spotted coat provides almost perfect camouflage.

Behavior

When a leopard stalks prey, it keeps a low profile and slinks through the grass or bush until it is close enough to launch an attack. When not hunting, it can move through herds of antelopes without unduly disturbing them by flipping its tail over its back to reveal the white underside, a sign that it is not seeking prey.

Leopards are basically solitary and go out of their way to avoid one another. Each animal has a home range that overlaps with its neighbors; the male's range is much larger and generally overlaps with those of several females. A leopard usually does not tolerate intrusion into its own range except to mate. Unexpected encounters between leopards can lead to fights. 

Leopards growl and spit with a screaming roar of fury when angry and they purr when content. They announce their presence to other leopards with a rasping or sawing cough. They have a good sense of smell and mark their ranges with urine; they also leave claw marks on trees to warn other leopards to stay away. 

Leopards continually move about their home ranges, seldom staying in an area for more than two or three days at a time. With marking and calling, they usually know one another's whereabouts. A male will accompany a female in estrus for a week or so before they part and return to solitude.

Diet

As they grow, cubs learn to hunt small animals. The leopard is a cunning, stealthy hunter, and its prey ranges from strong-scented carrion, fish, reptiles and birds to mammals such as rodents, hares, hyraxes, warthogs, antelopes, monkeys and baboons.

Caring for the Young

A litter includes two or three cubs, whose coats appear to be smoky gray as the rosettes are not yet clearly delineated. The female abandons her nomadic wandering until the cubs are large enough to accompany her. She keeps them hidden for about the first 8 weeks, giving them meat when they are 6 or 7 weeks old and suckling them for 3 months or longer.

Predators

Leopards have long been preyed upon by man. Their soft, dense, beautiful fur has been used for ceremonial robes and coats. Different parts of the leopard the tail, claws and whiskers are popular as fetishes. These cats have a reputation as wanton killers, but research does not support the claim. In some areas farmers try to exterminate them, while in others leopards are considered symbols of wisdom. Leopards do well in captivity, and some have lived as long as 21 years.

Did you know?

• The elegant, powerfully built leopard has a long body, relatively short legs and a broad head. Its tawny coat is covered with dark, irregular circles called "rosettes."
• Both lions and hyenas will take away a leopard's kill if they can. To prevent this leopards store their larger kills in trees where they can feed on them in relative safety.

Hyena FACT FILE: Swahili Name: Fisi Scientific Name: Crocuta crocuta (spotted hyena) Size: 28 to 35 inches tall Weight: 90 to 190 pounds Lifespan: 25 years in captivity Habitat: Savannas, grasslands, woodlands, forest edges, subdeserts and mountains to 13,000 feet Diet: Carnivorous Gestation: 90 to 110 days Predators: Humans

Physical Characteristics
Of the three species of hyena in Africa, only the spotted hyena and the shy and much rarer, striped hyena (Hyaena hyaena) are found in East Africa. The smaller, and even shyer brown hyena (Hyaena brunnea) occurs only in southern Africa. Different from most other animals, female spotted hyenas are dominant over the males and outweigh them by about 3 pounds.
It is difficult to distinguish male and female hyenas by observation in the field. They are not hermaphrodites (having both male and female sexual organs), nor can they change their sex at will, as many people believe. Although the external female genitalia have a superficial similarity to those of the male, they are nonetheless female organs and only the females bear and nurse young. Why the female hyena developed in this manner is not known, but it may have been necessary for them to appear large and strong to protect their young from males, as hyenas have cannibalistic tendencies.

Habitat

Spotted hyenas are found in grasslands, woodlands, savannas, subdeserts, forest edges and mountains.

Behavior

Spotted hyenas are organized into territorial clans of related individuals that defend their home ranges against intruding clans. The center of clan activity is the den, where the cubs are raised and individuals meet. The den is usually situated on high ground in the central part of the territory. Its above-ground entrances are connected to a series of underground tunnels.
Hyenas mark and patrol their territories by depositing a strong-smelling substance produced by the anal glands on stalks of grass along the boundaries. "Latrines," places where members of a clan deposit their droppings, also mark territories. The high mineral content of the bones hyenas consume make their droppings a highly visible, chalky white. Hyenas are social animals that communicate with one other through specific calls, postures and signals. They quickly make their various intentions known to other members of the clan, or to outsiders. When a hyena's tail is carried straight, for example, it signals attack. When it is held up and forward over the back, the hyena is extremely excited. In contrast, it hangs down when the hyena is standing or walking leisurely. If frightened, the hyena tucks its tail between the legs and flat against the belly and usually skulks away.

Diet

The spotted hyena is a skillful hunter but also a scavenger. Truly an opportunistic feeder, it selects the easiest and most attractive food it may ignore fresh carrion and bones if there is, for example, an abundance of vulnerable wildebeest calves. It consumes animals of various types and sizes (including domestic stock and even other hyenas), carrion, bones, vegetable matter and other animals' droppings. The powerful jaws and digestive tract of the hyena allow it to process and obtain nutrients from skin and bones. The only parts of prey not fully digested are hair, horns and hooves; these are regurgitated in the form of pellets. As hyenas hunt mostly at night and devour all parts, little evidence remains of their actual meals. Although they eat a lot of dry bones, they need little water.

Caring for the Young

Hyenas usually bear litters of two to four cubs, which, unlike the other two species, are born with their eyes open. Cubs begin to eat meat from kills near the den at about 5 months, but they are suckled for as long as 12 to 18 months, an unusually long time for carnivores. This is probably a necessity, as most kills are made far from the den, and hyenas, unlike jackals and hunting dogs, do not bring back food and regurgitate it for their young. At about 1 year, cubs begin to follow their mothers on their hunting and scavenging forays. Until then, they are left behind at the den with a babysitting adult.

Predators

Lions (who will attack them at every opportunity), hunting dogs and strange hyenas are among the species that prey on hyenas.

Did you know?

• Hyenas make a variety of vocalizations, including wailing calls, howling screams and the well-known "laughter" used to alert other clan members up to three miles away of a food source.

• Hyenas eat a great variety of animal products, vegetation and, according to campers, even aluminum pots and pans.