Drive the back roads Botswana from the Knysna Forest through the Baviaanskloof
Your guide to 12 days of adventure: Boteti River, Okavango, Nxai Pan, Makgadikgadi, Tuli Block and more!
It always starts out tentatively. But a Swainson’s spurfowl never stays tentative for long. Once you’ve opened your eyes in your tent, it will unleash its full cackle. And isn’t it just the best sort of cackle to hear? This easy-to-follow route aims to take you to that happy moment. Botswana is one of our most accessible neighbours. The tar roads are decent (though a few need serious work), the people are friendly and the prices are still reasonable. In go! #104 we presented a Classic Road Trip through the northern parts of Botswana, including the Zambezi Region (former Caprivi Strip) in Namibia and Vic Falls in Zim, which we called the Great Northern Loop. (The Great Northern Loop also features in our 2017 go! Botswana guide.) In this article we offer an alternative: Central Botswana. Central Botswana is much closer than the northern parts of the country, so you’ll immediately save money on fuel. The total distance within Botswana’s borders is about 1 600 km, measured from when you enter and exit at our suggested border posts. In comparison, the Great Northern Loop is 2 400 km long. Easily 99 % of the roads you’ll drive will be tarred, making it a stress-free trip if you own a 4x2 SUV or sedan. You’ll still have to drive short stretches of sandy or gravel road from the tar to your overnight spot, but these are easy-peasy. The route is designed to deliver you to key jump-off points. At these points, you can usually sign up for a guided 4x4 tour and head into truly wild Botswana. That’s right: Someone else does the hard driving! This way you don’t have to invest in a 4x4 yourself, nor any of the expensive gadgets. You don’t even need a GPS. Even if you don’t go on extra guided trips, you’ll still experience wonderful things: You’ll hike into Goo-Moremi Gorge, crowded with ferns, and you’ll marvel at mirages dancing on the Makgadikgadi Pans. You’ll relax under a baobab near Gweta, hear the call of a fisheagle over the Boteti River and see wildlife in Khama Rhino Sanctuary. Buckle up this winter and head into Central Botswana. That Swainson’s spurfowl is waiting...
DAY 1
Border post to Goo-Moremi Resort (113 km from Grobler’s Bridge, 210 km from Stockpoort) The best place to start this road trip is either at the Stockpoort or the Grobler’s Bridge border posts. Stockpoort (called Parr’s Halt on the Botswana side) is very quiet and easy to slip through, but you’ll have some dirt road to deal with on the Botswana side before you reconnect with the tar network. Using Grobler’s Bridge (Martin’s Drift on the Botswana side) means you’ll be on tar all the way, but it’s a busier crossing and you might have to queue for a while. Today you’re aiming for Goo-Moremi Resort – an easy day’s drive from Gauteng. If you live in a province further south, you’ll have to add a day or two of driving to get to the border. (Sorry for those in L’Agulhas…) The tar stops at the village of Moremi – you’ll already see the Tswapong Hills in front of you – and the remaining sandy track is short and easy to navigate. The campsite and neat chalets at Goo-Moremi Resort lie at the foot of the hills. If you have time, visit Old Palapye before you drive to Goo-Moremi. Old Palapye was the region’s most important settlement between 1889 and 1902, when the Bamangwato tribe (from which the Khama family is descended) made it their base. You can still see the ruins of the old London Mission Church (pictured), a beautiful grove of 42 makosho trees and other sites. If you want to visit, you must first register at the chief’s office in Malaka. Remember that you are not allowed to bring meat across the border from South Africa – buy tonight’s chops in Palapye at the Bosveld Meat Market ( 00 267 492 1722).
GPS POINTS
Old Palapye/London Mission Church: S22.64555 E27.29268 Makosho trees: S22.66688 E27.22346 Chief’s office in Malaka: S22.61544 E27.33223 Bosveld Meat Market: S22.54103 E27.08859
STAY HERE
Goo-Moremi Resort Park fee: P60 (R75) per adult; P45 (R56) per child aged 6 – 15 (only day visitors pay this park fee). Plus P50 (R62) per car one- off (applies to overnight guests too). Accommodation: Five big, shaded campsites with excellent facilities. Camping costs P200 (R250) per adult; P60 (R75) per child aged 6 – 15. The six chalets look out towards the Tswapong Hills. Chalet for two: P1100 (R1 373) per night. Chalet for four: P1 500 (R1 872) per night. Firewood P30 (R37) per bundle. GPS: S22.58262 E27.43094 Contact: 00 267 71 247 225 ( Wendy); goomoremiresort@gmail.com
WHAT ABOUT MONEY?
Botswana’s currency is the pula and you’ll need to draw some at an ATM using your SA debit card. You’ll most likely need to pay for fuel using cash (pula), but some accommodation places will have credit card facilities.
DAY 2
Goo-Moremi to Khama Rhino Sanctuary (132 km) Your holiday has started! Once that Swainson’s alarm call has stirred you from your tent, get up and take a stroll around the campsite – you might catch sight of a kudu. After breakfast, go on a guided hike into the gorge. It takes about two hours, even though you only walk a couple of kilometres. You have to hop from rock to rock to cross some parts of the narrow stream, and elsewhere you have to steady yourself using a chain or some other metal support to get over a tricky section. Still, it’s an easy hike for anyone with moderate fitness. The reward is great: Who knew there were waterfalls in Botswana? The hike ends at a spot where you’re likely to see vultures in the sky. Their colony is higher up the gorge, but by midmorning they should be riding the thermals. From Goo-Moremi, follow the tar road to Palapye (take a turn past Old Palapye today if you ran out of time yesterday) and then carry on to Serowe. Serowe is a big town with a mellow atmosphere. You’ll find supermarkets, ATMs, petrol stations and medical facilities. It’s a good place to do shopping as you’ll be away from big towns for the next few days. Before the town centre, at the traffic light where the A14 turns off to the right (you’ll take that later to get to Khama Rhino Sanctuary), you’ll see the Boiteko Junction Centre on the right. There’s a Superspar here, and a cellphone shop where you can buy a local SIM card. There’s a good butchery called Sandveld Meats nearer
the town centre. Call them in advance and have all your meat cut and vacuum-packed to your specifications. They’ll even do a drop-off for you at Khama Rhino Sanctuary. (Call Bathusi 00 267 71 722 639). Khama Rhino Sanctuary is a small reserve about 30 km north of Serowe along the A14. It’s the best place in Botswana to see rhino, and you should see lots of other animals too. Park at Malema Pan and wait for the animals to come and drink. The tracks in the reserve are sandy, but since the campsite is near the entrance gate you’ll get there without breaking a sweat. If you’re driving a Corolla, book a game drive at reception so that you won’t have to negotiate the deeper sand on the game-viewing routes. Maybe you simply want to enjoy the campsite. There are big mangetti trees and the birdlife is prolific, from your friend the Swainson’s to grey go-away-birds, yellowbilled hornbills, crimson-breasted shrikes and the very entertaining to watch southern pied babblers.
GPS POINTS
Boiteko Junction Centre: S22.42169 E26.74525 Sandveld Meats: S22.83703 E26.70363
STAY HERE Khama Rhino Sanctuary Park fee: P86,50 (R108) per adult per day; P43,25 (R54) per child aged 6 – 12. Vehicle: P106,50 (R133). Accommodation: Camping costs P118 (R147) per adult; P64 (R80) per child aged 6 – 12. Chalet for two: P703 (R877) per night; chalet for four: P805,40 (R1 005) per night; bush chalet for six (no electricity): P934 (R1 166) per night. These rates include a government tourism levy. GPS: S22.23474 E26.71999 Contact: 00 267 463 0713; khamarhinosanctuary.org.bw
DAY 3
Khama Rhino Sanctuary to Tiaan’s Camp (379 km) Today is a long day on the road, but the A14 tar road (which later becomes the B300) is relatively quiet. Stick to the speed limit: Botswana’s traffic cops don’t mess around. Be on the lookout for donkeys, cattle and smaller livestock on or close to the road verges – they’re also the reason why you should never drive after dark in Botswana. Fill up in the mining town of Letlhakane if necessary – nearby Orapa is a closed diamond mining town and you can’t drive in without a permit. After the bushveld of Khama Rhino Sanctuary, the landscape opens up: West of Orapa you’re driving parallel to the southern edge of the enormous Makgadikgadi Pans. At Mopipi you’ll see Lake Xau to your left – that’s where the Boteti River ends. If you’re driving a bakkie, you can take the unmarked turn-off to Lake Xau for a closer look. When there’s water in the lake it attracts hundreds of pelicans, flamingos and other birds. By camping next to the Boteti – as you will be doing for the next couple of days – you’ll get to experience nature and its cycles. Wild animals follow grazing and water and you might see hundreds of zebra, or none at all. Outside of reserve borders, you’ll also get to appreciate how livestock farmers make a living, sometimes seemingly against all odds. (Botswana is a major exporter of beef.) Tonight you’ll sleep at Tiaan’s Camp on the outskirts of Xhumaga, next to the Boteti. This is the jump-off point for Makgadikgadi National Park, across the river. If you’d like to see the park on a guided trip, make a reservation in advance with Tiaan’s Camp. They also offer day tours to other 4x4 parks in the area, like the Central Kalahari Game Reserve and Nxai Pan National Park. Extend your stay at Tiaan’s to two or three nights if you want to do these excursions.
GPS POINT
Unmarked turn-off to Lake Xau: S21.21564 E24.84349
STAY HERE Tiaan’s Camp Accommodation: The campsite has eight stands with power, water and some with shade nets. Camping costs P135 (R169) per person. The six chalets sleep two people each, but a single bed can be carried in for a child. Chalet accommodation P1 130 (R1 403) per night. Meals are available – book in advance. Three-course dinner P190 (R236) per person; breakfast P90 (R112). Day trips: Makgadikgadi National Park (min four people, three hours) P290 (R360) per person, plus P70 (R87) per person park fee and P150 (R187) per vehicle to cross the pontoon (one way). Nxai Pan National Park (minimum four people, includes picnic lunch) P995 (R1 236) per person. Central Kalahari Game Reserve (minimum four people, includes picnic lunch) P1 350 (R1 677) per person. GPS: S20.469404 E24.514594 Contact: 00 267 77 152 753; 00 267 72 234 998; 00 267 74 848 055 (Heike); tiaanscamp.com
DAY 4
Tiaan’s Camp to Drifters Maun Lodge (108 km) Follow the B300 tar road all the way to Motopi, where you’ll cross the Boteti via a bridge to reach the A3 tar road. Head west on the A3. About 23 km before you reach the turn-off to Drifters Maun Lodge, you’ll have to pass through a veterinary control point. These are common in Botswana and help to stop the spread of foot-and-mouth disease, among other things. There are usually two stop signs at these control points. Stop at the first one until the officer signals that you can advance to the second one. Stop again. You might have to show your driving licence and in some cases your car might be searched. You’re driving east to west, so you should be allowed to take meat through. If you’re not, remember that the officer’s word is law. Despite its name, Drifters Maun Lodge is about 30 km outside Maun. That’s a good thing. The lodge is on the banks of the Boteti, away from the hustle and bustle, but you’re only a half-hour drive away from the shops.