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Wet season. Hottest month of the year. High humidity. Best time for birding in Okavango and Moremi
Wet season. Hottest month of the year. High humidity. Best time for birding in Okavango and Moremi
The rains start to calm down. Still very hot with drier days and nights.
Best game-viewing as animals concentrate around permanent waterholes and foliage. Summer is fading and night become cooler.
End of summer and the rains. Best game-viewing as animals concentrate around permanent waterholes and foliage
Best game-viewing as animals concentrate around permanent waterholes. Best to see Okovango Delta, Moremi and Chobe.
Best game-viewing as animals concentrate around permanent waterholes. Best to see Okovango Delta, Moremi and Chobe.
Best game-viewing as animals concentrate around permanent waterholes. Best to see Okovango Delta, Moremi and Chobe.
Best game-viewing as animals concentrate around permanent waterholes. Best to see Okovango Delta, Moremi and Chobe.
Best game-viewing as animals concentrate around permanent waterholes and foliage
Wet season. Hottest month of the year. High humidity. Best time for birding in Okavango and Moremi
Wet season. Hottest month of the year. High humidity. Best time for birding in Okavango and Moremi
As a former British colony, English is Botswana's official language. It is the official business language of the country as well as most written communications. English is taught at schools, and is widely spoken in all urban areas. In the rural areas, many local villagers (especially younger ones who have received schooling) will be able to converse in English, even though it might be a little bit more difficult to make themselves understood.
The majority of the population speaks Tswana, which is the national spoken language of the country. It is estimated that around 77% of the population of Botswana speak Setswana natively. Besides that, there are also over 20 smaller languages spoken by smaller communities.
Religion
Christianity is the most widespread religion in Botswana. The religion was introduced by the European colonialists in the mid-1870’s. However, many people still maintain dual religious practices, between Christianity and traditional religious worship.
Before the arrival of the colonial missionaries, the people worshipped Modimo, a greater God or Supreme Being who was also representative of the ancestors. They believed that a supernatural being was responsible for the creation of both humankind and the other animals and plants. For those that still follow a traditional belief system, ancestral worship is central to their daily religious practice, as it is believed that, if appeased, the ancestors will protect the family, strengthen the community and keep away ill omens.
Culture
In Botswana people live in community and believe in living together rather than being each individual. Batswana believe in working together and being united. Although the country is being caught by westernization, in rural areas people still have a traditional lifestyle and traditional beliefs. As such, owning cattle is a source of wealth and status. It forms an integral part of daily life and is venerated by many. Collecting water using the donkey cart is a weekly chore and is often the responsibility of the children in rural families. Music and dance are also part of the daily lives of the locals. School assembly start with a song, traditional songs are heard in churches, children are taught traditional music and dance at primary school, dance competitions are popular. The music is happy, infectious, and full of feeling
Botswana is the most democratically run country in Africa, with all its Presidents being voted for successively.
1867 - European gold prospectors arrive, mining begins.
1885 - British proclaim a protectorate called Bechuanaland.
1960 - Bechuanaland People's Party (BPP) is established.
1960 December - Britain approves new constitution for Bechuanaland. Executive Council, Legislative Council and African Council are established.
1962 - Seretse Khama founds Bechuanaland Democratic Party (BDP), later to become Botswana Democratic Party.
1965 - Gaborone becomes administrative centre.
1965 - BDP wins legislative elections, first to be held under universal adult suffrage. Seretse Khama becomes prime minister.
1966 September - Bechuanaland is granted independence and becomes Republic of Botswana with Seretse Khama as president.
1967 - Diamonds discovered at Orapa.
1997 - Constitutional amendments approved. Presidency is limited to two five-year terms. Voting age lowered from 21 to 18
2013 November - Global diamond giant De Beers completes the move of its rough stone sales operation from London to Gaborone, in what is seen as a step towards turning Botswana into one of the world's top diamond hubs
2014 November - Gay rights group wins legal recognition.
Local Botswana’s cuisine is more filling than exciting. Like most African countries, the base meal is maize or pap served with meat on top and sometimes vegetables. Botswana is no different.
The national dish of Botswana is called Seswaa, and it is unique to the country. It is a meat stew served over thick polenta or pap. For breakfast maize or sorghum porridge is popular. This is called Bogobe. It is made by pouring sorghum or millet flour into boiling water and cooking it till it becomes a soft paste. Bogobe if cooked without milk and sugar is also eaten with meat and vegetables for dinner. Mopane worms, like in may African countries, is also very popular, served boiled, deep fried or cooked. In safari camps however, a very high-quality international style cuisine is served as well as international drinks.
There are various traditionally produced alcoholic drinks in Botswana. Bojalwa ja Setswana (the beer of Batswana) is brewed from fermented sorghum seeds. A commercially produced and packaged beer, Chibuku, brewed from either maize or sorghum, is a favourite drink particularly in the villages, towns, and in some parts of the city. Khadi, which is brewed from various ingredients, the healthiest of which is wild berries, is also a widely consumed alcoholic drink among low-income groups in particular.
Ginger beer is a non alcoholic drink which is home made and appreciated by locals.
The current population of Botswana is 2,375,061 as of July 2019, based on the latest United Nations estimates. The population density 4 per Km2 (11 people per mi2) showing how sparsely populated is the country. 52.6 % of the population is urban, living within 100km of the city and more than 10% of the population lives in the capital city, Gaborone. The median age in Botswana is 24.7 years, with a life expectancy of 66.8 years old. The fertility rate as at 2018 is 2.83 children per woman with a maternal mean age of 24.7 years at the time of first birth.
79% of the population is indigenous Botswana and are known as Tswana. Major minority ethnic groups include the Kalanga and the San. There are about 10,000 San who still live the hunter-gatherer lifestyle, whom the government have unsuccessfully attempted to remove from the country. Only 3% of the population identify as white Africans. Botswana has a sizable Indian population of Indian-Africans of many generations who came from South Africa, Mauritius, Kenya and elsewhere. The country also has tens of thousands of Zimbabweans who came seeking better economic conditions.
Source: www.worldpopulationreview.com
Gaborone is the capital city of Botswana. It is a city which has developed greatly over the years. It is Botswana’s central business district. Visit the city to have an impression of the country’s level of development, otherwise it would be of no interest for a traveler.
The Okavango Delta is a vast inland river delta in northern Botswana. It's known for its expansive grassy plains, which flood seasonally, becoming a lush animal habitat. It was the 1000th site to be inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List in 2014.
The Kalahari Desert covers much of Botswana, and parts of Namibia and South Africa and is a large semi-arid sandy savannah. The Kalahari is home to the regal black-maned lion, secretive leopard and endangered African wild dog.
Chobe National Park, known as ‘The Land of The Giants’, is home to Africa's largest elephant population as well as the endangered African painted dogs. The Chobe River, is itself one of Africa’s most beautiful rivers, and a river cruise on the river is a must
Maun is the "tourism capital" of Botswana and is the main gateway to the Okovango Delta and Moremi Game Reserve. It is a mix of new buildings and traditional huts, and offers many facilities such as banks, shopping centres, restaurants.
Moremi Game Reserve lies on the eastern side of the Okavango Delta and was named after Chief Moremi of the BaTawana tribe. It is a protected area in Botswana and is the best place to experience excellent views of savannah game as well as bird-watching on the lagoons.
Bojalwa, a home brewed ginger beer which is a staple at many family get together also brewed commercially as Chibuku.
Mabele (sorghum) or bogobe (porridge made from sorghum) served with meat and vegetable sauces such as seswaa (shredded goat or lamb), morogo (wild spinach) or leputshe (wild pumpkin). May be hard to find in restaurants.
We enjoy a good braii with the family.
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