Beautiful Botswana - The Travel Podcast

Dr Sallie Burrough knows the Makgadikgadi from the inside out by soil samples and mud. She  is Trapnell Fellow of African Environments at the University of Oxford, a Quaternary Scientist, National Geographic Explorer and leading expert on the prehistory of southern African saltpans. In this episode she shares why the pans matter academically, what makes them noteworthy and how their time scale is so vast it is hard to comprehend.The pans have been highlighted by many of my interviews and it was special to be able to share this place that has come up frequently with someone who knows it intimately despite not living in Botswana or visiting often.Please note that when Dr Burrough mentions looking for spear heads that these are ancient artefacts and their removal is illegal and not supported by Dr Burrough or this podcast. We both hope that this episode inspires to look more closely for signs of the lives lived in these places before you but ask that you please leave the sites as you found them as part of this very special place.Music track credits: Tafi Maradi Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Ncinci Motsemme is enthusiastic about all things and particularly food. She joins me from her new restaurant in the heart of Maun, Kwa ga Ncinci, to discuss different foods eaten in Botswana and their cultural meaning. We discuss foods that are readily accessible as snack foods from Tuckshops through to regional and seasonal foods and foods found predominantly at celebrations.Kwa ga Ncinci can be found on the corner of Sir Seretse Khama Road and Motshaba street in the centre of Maun across the road from the Nhabe Museum. She serves innovative dishes combining traditional and western elements in a casual outdoor setting and serves a refreshing mint cooler.The getaway she mentions in the snapshot session is 2.22 Bed and Breakfast and the owner Thomas can be contacted on +26772246751.Music track credits: Tafi Maradi Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

I headed off on a break in June and went exploring our neighboring country Zambia. It was my first time crossing a border with Covid-19 regulations and requirements so I am sharing my experience in this bonus episode.We crossed the new Kazangula Bridge between Botswana and Zambia and I share both tips on crossing into Botswana through any border post as well as the process required to enter Zambia.I share a lot of info so have a pen and paper handy!Covid-19 PCR testing in Botswana: Diagnofirm (countrywide) or CT Diagnostics at Okavango Air Rescue (Maun)Bridge tolls (one way): $15 passenger vehicle or $20 for 2x4 and 4x4Please note I recorded this episode in the bush and was not able to check all my facts prior to recording - I got one wrong - Children under the age of 18 need to travel with unabridged birth certificates not under 16 as mentioned in the episode.Please get in touch if you have suggestions for future bonus episodes! beautifulbotswanapodcast@gmail.com

Moa Monwela is a professional guide who grew up in Maun and has a shared history with the village. He joins me to discuss the history of Maun and he shares his experiences growing up here and the changes he has seen over the decades. in 2011 Moa founded Endurance travel and based himself out of one of the hotels offering experiences to people visiting Maun who are not able to get into the camps and lodges and wildlife areas for longer. He shares the activities available to people spending a night as well as his view on this place he calls an international village. We answer the question of is Maun only a donkey town, and the answer is no, it is so much more. Its a quirky place that is hard to understand in a short visit but there are some wonderful new offerings available that give an opportunity to understand the place a bit more. The Okavango Craft Brewery and the tour they offer was featured in Episode 13.Your Experience Botswana is a new cultural tour that is just being launched.

Dr Mike Murray-Hudson returns to attempt to predict this year's flood. Making predictions of a natural occurrence is not easy but Mike shares his expectations based on his years of experience. We discuss base floods in the Eastern Delta in the Gomoti region and the new data that are being collected there and at Divundu. He discusses the impacts of the low flood of 2019 and the peat fires that followed on the vegetation and water flow and how that impacted the 'fast flood' of 2020.Mike also suggests what he thinks we will see in terms of 2021 flood over the next few months and what the high local rainfall means for wildlife in the area.

Our summer clouds  have disappeared and the stars are becoming more visible. I have asked Stephen O'Meara, author of the wonderful book Night skies of Botswana to join me for a bonus episode updating us on what to expect from the night skies in the next while.Steve also shares some info on when to look for the man in the moon and what a Supermoon really is and how to get the best view of the moon looking as large as possible.Steve's episode was the most listened to of last year and there is so much to share about the stellar events over the coming months so let me know if you would like more of these bonus episodes by popping a mail to beautifulbotswanapodcast@gmail.com.

Ecoexist  is a project in Northern Botswana established in Eretsa village in 2013. The project was established by Dr Anna Songhurst,  Dr Graham McCulloch and Dr Amanda Stronza to support communities living on the edges of wildlife areas who share their space with elephants. Graham joins me to share their work in the area and the realities of life in this area. As well as the story of how this work led them to develop and open Maun's Okavango Craft Brewery and associated brew pub. This innovative business produces a line of craft beers with the goal for them to be available to be enjoyed in camps across Botswana. In this episode Graham mentions the Ele Express buses sponsored by Natural Selection that operate in the area ensuring children and commuters stay safe. He also references Big Sip Co. in Gaborone and River Brewing Co. based in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe as other craft beer producers in the area who work closely with OCB.In the snap shot session he mentions the book: African Adventures Guide: Botswana by Mike Main as his recommended travel resource. Also mentioned is our other locally crafted alcohol brand: Okavango Gin and the fly in craft beer or gin stop experience offered by Helicopter Horizons.

Jason Kennaugh has deep family farming roots in Ghanzi, Botswana and after moving to Maun for his kids' schooling witnessed people needing help with recovery after getting stuck and so started 4x4 Bushwarrior recovery service. In this episode he shares what he learned through his years of Kalahari driving on the farm and then what he has learned about driving in the Delta after many rescues and recoveries. There are some similarities, tyre pressure being one of them, and some differences.If you are intrigued by the idea of driving yourself through Botswana or want to drive the area with less wear on your car then listen to this episode where we discuss sand, mud and water driving and Jason shares the gadgets he uses the most.Thank you to Martha and Kneen Charlton listening from the UK who asked for an episode on self-driving in Botswana. We have only touched on the technical vehicle stuff in this episode and more on campsites and camping tips will follow.If you would like to request a topic for me to interview on please get in touch at beautifulbotswanapodcast@gmail.com.Jason recommends the following resources, tools and gadgets:Garmin inreach gps that is able to send messagesIndeflate tyre devise for equalising tyre pressureGeotracker map appMaps.me map app4x4community forum for BotswanaFollow the 4x4 Bushwarrior on Instagram @4x4_bush_warrior

Grant Nel of Last Chance Safaris is a private safari guide extraordinaire and includes guiding worldwide for the Smithsonian Museum as one of his roles. In this episode he shares his immense knowledge about his town and backyard in Kasane as well as some special stories and anecdotes from the history of this corner of Botswana. He discusses the differences between Kazangula, Kasane and Lesoma valley as well as shares the history of conservation and wildlife in this area.We discuss some of the developments in the area in recent years as well as the challenges of being in an area where four countries meet and dealing with human wildlife conflict. For more of Grant's stories follow Grant's blarns where he shares some of his favorite fireside tales.Okavango craft brewery as mentioned by Grant in the interview is online at https://okavangocraftbrewery.com/ and I hope to share their story in a future episode soon.

Kaay and Kane Motswana grew up in neighbouring villages in the Northern Okavango but only met as adults working in the tourism industry. In this episode this wonderful couple share their insights into growing up surrounded by wildlife and discuss the impact this has had on their careers and businesses. They share some advice for younger tourism professionals who may be looking to start their own businesses as well as their love and passion for Botswana and its wild spaces.They run a travel agency Safari Embassy which books trips to Botswana and around Africa as well as trips with their Mobile Safari company Kane's Adventure Safaris.Great Plains Conservation's Student Conservation Camps which Kane participates in every year is mentioned in the episode.

Clare Doolan is the Safari Destinations Sales and Product Manager which allows her to travel around the world educating travel agents and tour operators about Botswana and its regions. Clare joins me in this episode (recorded in September 2020 but only released now) to discuss what she loves about living in Botswana. How her time out of Botswana due to Covid has impacted her view of the country and  what she enjoys most about being able to call it home. Clare is a true explorer and enjoys the back roads as much as the luxury lodges and we chat about how Botswana gives her the freedom to be a little bit naughty and a true sense of freedom to explore.Despite the conversation around Covid-19 being a few months old it is still relevant as we compare how she experienced lockdown in Botswana to summer 2020 in Europe and discuss why a safari is the ultimate socially distanced holiday.I am very pleased to jump start the 2021 episodes of the podcast with this interview which covers a lot of our previous conversations including Chobe National Park, photography, cultural experiences and sleeping under the stars on the Makgadikgadi Pans.Clare's photograph of the leopard in the tree can be found at www.getaway.co.za which was taken at Ker and Downey's Kanana camp.Please follow Beautiful Botswana on Facebook or send an email to beautifulbotswanapodcast@gmail.com to share your feedback on the podcast. Thank you for your patience in waiting for this next episode and many apologies for the hiatus in recording.

Stephen James O'Meara, astronomer and author of a new book on Botswana's stars: Nights skies of Botswana joins me to discuss what makes Botswana's skies worth seeing, what is the best time of year to visit if you are an avid star gazer and we celebrate all that makes the sky so special.Join us to be reminded to look up at the night sky wherever you are in the world and to imagine sitting quietly under the milky way appreciating this under-appreciated experience Botswana offers. Steve shares some local lore shared in his book as well as a different perspective on the night sky he learned from the Basarwa people.Stephen's book can be bought as a kindle version or pre-ordered in paperback from the following link: https://www.amazon.com/Night-Skies-Botswana-local-star-ebook-dp-B086DHNY5Q/dp/B086DHNY5Q/ref=mt_other?_encoding=UTF8&me=&qid=If you would like to know more about his experience and how to get in touch with Stephen please visit his website.If you are enjoying the podcast please leave a review on itunes or share with friends and family. Follow us on Facebook and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.

Grant Reed of Letaka Safaris and African Guide Academy shares his insights after years in the Mobile Safaris sector of Botswana tourism. Grant has guided, operated and sold mobile safaris in Botswana for over 2 decades and in this episode he takes us out into the bush and shares the unique experience that is a good mobile safari. We discuss the variations of mobile safaris and what the different options mean for a traveler as well as what makes a Mobile safari unique and why it may be the perfect fit for you.Grant mentions Nogatsaa region of Chobe where you can find Nogatsaa Pans Chobe Lodge as well as the book Okavango: A field guide by Gutteridge and Reumerman

Koketso Mookodi of Wild Bird Trust Botswana discusses celebrating Indigenous knowledge through their work in the region. We look at her current project, the Educators expeditions, for which she has received a National Geographic grant. The Ngashi Classic and what to expect from it in 2020 and celebrating the unique cultures of this region. Koki shares some unique tips on safari'ing locally and her insights from her Mandela Washington Fellowship in New York in 2017. This is an episode about being proud of what we have in region, celebrating what makes it unique and benefiting the people living alongside tourism through education, adventure and exploration.For more info on the work she is doing visit www.wildbirdtrust.com.

James Wilson, Marketing Director of Desert and Delta Safaris, lived for many years at their lodge Chobe Game Lodge in the Chobe National Park. James joins me today to talk about the park that was literally his back yard for years. We chat about Savuti and the landscape and wildlife of this area before moving onto discussions about the Chobe Waterfront. We look at what makes it worth visiting and how to have a unique experience in this busy corner of Botswana - busy with wildlife and visitors! James mentions some less known regions of Chobe and we briefly discuss where to stay in the Kasane area.To keep abreast of Chobe follow James and his group and hashtag: #ThisisChobe Places mentioned by James include:- Ghoha Hills and Nogatsaa Pans Lodge- The Old House, Kasane- Ngoma Safari LodgeJames also references the book: Okavango: Sea of Land Land of Water by Peter Johnson and Anthony Bannister.

Matthew Copham of Safari Footprints joins me to discuss his passion which is photographic safaris. We discuss why Botswana makes such a great destination for photographers (and any traveler) and what he recommends a photographer looks for when planning a photographic safari to Botswana including recommendations of areas to visit. We chat photography through the seasons, when a first time visitor should try to visit to improve their odds of great interactions and what to do to maximise your opportunities for exciting photographs when you are here.We also discuss when to put your camera down and the benefits of travelling with a private guide if that is an option for you.Camps mentioned by Matt that have photographic hides are: Mashatu and Hyena Pan.

Bonty Botumile, Bessie Head Literary Award winner and story teller extraordinaire joins me to discuss cultural tourism in Botswana. We consider the limited cultural experiences that are available for visitors and the opportunity for product development this presents for entrepreneurs. We also discuss the challenge of representing culture in an area with many ethnic groupings and how Bonty developed her cultural tourism product. Listen in if you are interested in visiting Botswana because of its people or if you would like to have a better understanding of what is available to better know the people of the country.Join us as we branch away from wildlife and safaris and consider the people of the country that make any trip to Botswana unforgettable.To find out more about Thari-E-ntsho and Bonty's work visit www.botswanastories.com or follow them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/tharientshostorytellersBonty's books are available at The Bushman Curio shop at Maun Airport.Kwara camp of Kwando safaris mentioned by Bonty is her top sundowner spot and Bonty is heading to Kubu lodge in Kasane on the banks of the Chobe River once lockdown is over.Music track credits: Tafi Maradi Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Dr Mike Murray-Hudson is a Senior Research Fellow at the Okavango Research Institute of the University of Botswana in Maun as well as long time resident and Okavango Delta lover. As a wetland ecologist he is an expert on the hydrology of the Okavango and joins me to discuss the impact of the drought of 2019 on the Okavango Delta and what we can expect in flood levels and seasonality going forward. We discuss the importance of these variations as well as how they impact a safari experience.Join us for a conversation where we aim to get under the skin of the Okavango's beauty and celebrate the variability and diversity that make it so special.For monitoring data and to visually observe the fluctuations discussed in this episode please visit:http://www.okavangodata.ub.bw/orihttp://www.monitoringdata.ub.bw/For more information on the important work done by OKACOM on the management of the Okavango basin please visit: http://www.okacom.org/Music track credits: Tafi Maradi Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Simon Byron of Beagle Expeditions joins me to discuss broadly the safari destinations of Northern Botswana. Simon walks us through a brief discussion of the geography of the areas, discusses the differences between the regions and gives a broad understanding of what to expect in the different areas at different times of year. Join us for our conversation that gives an overview of the many different regions to visit in Botswana and offers a great introduction into what areas there are to visit.The book mentioned in the snapshot round is Okavango: A Field Guide by Lee Gutteridge and Tony Reumerman.To find out more about Simon and the work he is doing visit: www.beagleexpeditions.comMusic track credits: Tafi Maradi Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/