Click on the picture to see more photos.
Text and Photos: Sergi Reboredo
Botswana is one of the most beautiful countries of Africa and visit accompanied by the prestigious Orient Express becomes still more romantic and evocative , if possible. Its size is similar to Spanish , and bordered to the south by South Africa, Namibia to the west , the east by Zimbabwe , Angola Northwest and Northern Zambia. No access to any ocean, but the huge oasis that forms the last part of the Okavango River after crossing the Kalahari Desert is not negligible .
The Okavango Delta is unique even in its formation. It is the only delta in which their waters flow into the sea. It covers a very extensive area of ??15,000 km2 and 22,000 km2 during floods forming a huge alluvial fan where the Okavango River waters are spread over a colossal ideal for floodplain habitat for many animals.
Among these animals , the elephant is undoubtedly the king . African country is home to more elephants , nothing more and nothing less than 150,000. This means that for every 12 inhabitants botswanos an elephant . Growth has been exponential on the basis that in 1987 its population was less than 50,000 . This has served as an excuse for the government to legitimize their game , far from banned following the deplorable case of King Don Juan Carlos has continued to increase treasuring public coffers and not so public with huge amounts of dollars to grant hunting permits . Fold an elephant costs a not inconsiderable figure of 37,000 euros.
Savute , in the heart of P.N. Chobe
We begin our safari in the heart of the Chobe National Park , Savute specifically , place that is located in one of three lodges that has the prestigious Orient- Express in Botswana. We moved in a small plane from the air CESNA and are beginning to descry the first herds of elephant, quite common when you consider that in this part of the country are counted more than 100,000 elephants . Savute , elephants reign supreme , is home to the largest concentration of African elephants in the world and the ideal location to discover the largest creatures on the planet in its heyday . From the ponds you can see the hierarchical life of these mammals , where many species often pass by waiting so you can find them relaxing drink them too. Savute lions also are one of the larger social groups in the region.
Chobe National Park covers an area of ??10,698 square kilometers, making it the third largest reserve in Botswana , after the Central Kalahari Game Reserve and the Gemsbok National Park. In addition to elephants , Chobe is also home to one of the most amazing attractions Botswana : the annual migration of zebras. It is also remarkable for Kaffirs buffalo herds , being the most southern place where they can be seen as the puku antelope and bushbuck , by the amount of birds and the wonderful sunsets , when tourists cross the river by boat and enjoy the abundance of hippos.
If other areas of Botswana boast of its waters and lush vegetation , Savute is a lesson in aridity. The rain in this land so dry is scarce and precious . In Savute you discover how little they have changed their dry plains since David Livingstone strolled through these lands in 1851 before discovering the Victoria Falls. This area is also famous for housing the paintings of the first Bushmen that inhabited the region , and today have been forgotten and displaced by the government since the lands in which they live have discovered several diamond mines.
The Savute Elephant Camp , and is the name of the camp is located right in the Savute Channel , an eccentric waterway decades ranging from completely dry or flooded , in perfect harmony with its inhabitants and the environment. His welcoming canvas tents twelve o'clock , an interior feature exquisitely decorated with mahogany furniture , a huge canopy bed with mosquito net hanging , air conditioning and a veranda overlooking the canal from which it is possible to have an unexpected visit from an elephant. Evidently the shops do not have TV as the entertainment goes simply by opening one of its windows.
Our guide, Baker belongs to Batswana , one of the 26 tribes of the land of the Tswana , who lives dedicated to travelers teach the secrets of the wild animals . We started our visit before despunten the first rays of sun, uploaded to a Toyota Land Cruiser convertible. The animals begin to wake up and make sounds characteristic . The first thing I spotted , it can not be anything other than a herd of elephants . Then enter the scene zebras, impalas , antelopes and birds endless hard qualification for those who are not skilled in the art . Being in the front row and watch the animals so close is a privilege that can not have every day. Continue into sand winding roads where it is hard to find other vehicles. The baobabs also make an appearance if possible giving a touch more romantic to ride yet . We stop on the road under the shade of its branches centenarians for tea and stretch your legs . After a while, we were notified by radio that a pride of lions is near where we live. Seeing them for the first time a few meters is amazing. Not even flinch by our presence , it's like watching a documentary in person.
Eagle Island Camp, the river safari.
Located in Central Okavango Delta , Eagle Island Camp is a camp built on the water , with shops and thatched roofs , in one of the islands in the lagoon Xaxaba , whose name literally means "island of tall trees ." It is a nice retreat from the African sun protected , thanks to the shade provided by a canopy of native trees. Located in one of the most pristine and natural delta, a region with a variety of channels and large wetlands. It is completely surrounded by water, and silence, broken only rarely for some hippo or some bird diving prevails throughout the complex . As if this were not enough, the New York Times newspaper has awarded its bar, the Fish Eagle , with the distinction of being one of the most romantic bars worldwide.
The most characteristic feature of this camp is to explore the delta and spot their animals from the water leaving behind the plain and classic 4x4 safaris . This uses the mokoros , shallow draft canoes are perfect to cut through channels , and have always served the tribes in the area to move around here . It is made of a single piece of ebony, and to navigate the guide with two passengers . Browse shallow water in which by a sort of pole to be staring at the bottom allows you to take the necessary momentum to move. By being silent and being so close to the water allow many birds that inhabit the adjoining branches not asunten channels and reveal ourselves closely.
They estimate there are about 460 different species of birds in the delta , along with some 1,300 species of trees and plants. Although the Okavango Delta is technically known as a swamp , the water is quite pure and free from impurities , with an abundance of fish. Not surprisingly, this area houses the highest concentration of ospreys in the world. Also, the huge amount of food attracts all varieties of birds with an appetite for fish, including herons , cormorants , pelicans and storks.
Carve these streams as a gondola looking like kingfishers diving can experience as relaxed , but also we can find the presence of other less friendly animals such as crocodiles and hippos . Precisely , these aquatic mammals , which can weigh more than 3 tons , are considered one of the most aggressive creatures in the world and as the most ferocious animal in Africa. To prevent this from happening , the mokoros only used in shallow water, and in the larger channels are used motorboats .
Besides boating can also visit on foot some of the 50,000 islands in the delta. In these safaris is easy to find zebras , antelopes red , buffalo , baboons and giraffes. Some of these islands are inhabited. Traditional methods of life , such as mud and straw huts are interspersed with glimpses Western as fashion clothing , sunglasses or satellite dishes. When Westerners come prepared makeshift craft a market in which there are missing necklaces , bracelets , bags, and a lot of baskets .
Khwai River Lodge , a night safari.
Khwai River Lodge is one of the oldest hotel- safari Botswana , opened in the late 60s by the late Sir Seretse Khama , the first president of independent Botswana . It is situated on ancient indigenous plants and fig trees , eight kilometers northwest of the north gate of the Moremi Wildlife Reserve hunting . Moremi Nature Reserve , dry landscapes dotted with swampy plains , is considered by many as one of the most beautiful reserves. Moremi , which represents approximately 20 % of the delta surpeficie , has a wide variety of animals: buffalo , elephants , giraffes , lions , leopards , cheetahs , wild dogs, hyenas , jackals and antelope.
The advantage of the Khwai River Lodge on the rest lies mainly in that it is located in a private area , which allows you to practice night safaris . To do this, the vehicles are equipped with a huge flashlight is powered directly from the car battery and allows to view the animals that are less than 100 meters.
Leopards Contemplating day is something that happens quite often in Moremi . In fact part of the morning we spent chasing a male and a female who roamed the area. Now, see them in full night fighter and too big. He likes mostly hunt at night , which you can see at a glance. Guided by the smell moves with great agility and ease in search of prey . Their legs are relatively short and has a long body supported by a strong bone structure. Subsists thanks to its opportunistic hunting, while his ability to run reaching almost 60 mph and is unequaled ability to climb trees carrying their prey. See it in action is the final touch to a luxury safari full of emotions.
GETTING THERE From Spain and practically from any European city there are direct flights . Botswana 's main airport is the Sir Seretse Khama International Airport , 11 km north of the capital , Gaborone , although the most widely used to access the safari is to Maun . The best combination is to fly to South Africa and from there Air Botswana
www.airbotswana.co.bw or South African Airways www.flysaa.com connect with different airports in Botswana for just over 400 euros.
You can travel to South Africa via Paris for just over 500 euros in low season and 1,000 euros in high season. The company Air France (www.airfrance.com)
flies daily between Paris and Johannesburg.
On average, a one way ticket between isolated lodge Maun and the Okavango Delta is $ 150 to $ 200. Now , these services are highly regulated and must be booked as part of a safari package with compulsory reservation at one of the lodges. It is very important to note that passengers of charter flights (often planes CESNA ) can only take 10 to 12 kg of luggage per person and is very convenient that luggage is rigid or exceed the measures.
CURRENCY Pula is the name of the currency of Botswana. It is divided into 100 Thembe . Pula means "rain" in Tswana and its fractions or Thembe , " drops " , referring to the precious and scarce liquid element. There are notes of 10P , 20P, 50P and 100P and coins 5t , 10t, 25t , 50t , 1P , 2P and 5P . In some properties you can pay with credit cards and also accept dollars . At the time of writing this report amounted to 11.16 EUR 1 Pula .
CLIMATE: WHEN TO GO The climate of Botswana is not uniform. Thus, in the north are a tropical climate in the central and southeastern part is desert , and the rest of the country the temperatures are mild . The rains make their appearance from October to May and profusely in December and January , however , are irregular and the country suffers frequent droughts . October is the hottest month between June and September and the days are sunny , dry and mild . In each of the stations wildlife and landscape are totally changing . There is no bad time to travel to the delta , all depends on what you prefer to see .
MARCH - MAY
( SEASON )
Finalize the rains
Occasional rains in early March
Low humidity
Temperature with beautiful warm sunny days
The herds are scattered but there is still much to do
JUNE -AUGUST
( SEASON / HIGH )
Arrival of Winter
Hot, sunny days and cold nights
The water holes dry up and the animals are concentrated in permanent water reserves
They are visible herds of elephant, buffalo and antelope
SEPTEMBER - NOVEMBER
( HIGH SEASON )
Turn up the heat during the day and night
Very hot in October - temperatures can reach 40 °
dry Land
Begin the first migrations of birds
Nesting season (Colonies of bumblebees)
Huge herds of elephants
Antelopes begin to leave their offspring in November
DECEMBER - FEBRUARY
( GREEN STATION )
Heavy rain
Moisture rises
The soil and vegetation are green and beautiful
The dispersion of the animals is supplied with abundant vegetation and water
Winter migratory species and nesting
Great variety of birds and moths
Zebras and impalas give birth to their young
Vegetation protects the young
WHERE TO STAY : CAMPS AND ACTIVITIES:
The 12 luxury tents and thatched roof are equipped perfectly for the desert air and superbly appointed with shower and dressing room. They also have private terraces, and two of them have outdoor showers overlooking the Savute Channel.
Savute Elephant Camp overlooks the exciting but often dry Savute Channel, nestled between towering acacias in arid and semi-desert area of spectacular beauty.
The camp is named after the abundant number of elephants can be seen in the pond a few meters. These pachyderms love fruits acacia trees, and so they discover, cautiously exploring around the camp stirring the soil with their horns.
The camp is adjacent to the Chobe National Park. Its location and years of experience and knowledge of the guides (all are in the surrounding areas) ensure a memorable stay here.
This camp is a paradise for bird watchers. It is located in wetlands outside the Moremi Game Reserve , with 12 luxury accommodations on the shores of the lagoon in Xaxaba , " the island of the tall trees ." Built of wood with thatched roof and canvas walls , each of the stores has been situated in its own elevated platform to offer visitors the best views of birds , hippos , antelopes , giraffes and elephants occasionally .
Eagle Island is a quiet place , perfect start to the safari or relaxing after the hustle jeep experience . Because of the delta, the abundance of water confined animal life you can see , even the birds are here very numerous.
Most of the flora and fauna that will - sailing guests onboard mekoros ( traditional canoes ) or while roam around the islands is unique to this area . Walking through the islands offers a more personal experience , with the opportunity to discover more carefully balanced ecosystem of the Moremi Reserve .
The camp offers fishing trips : an alternative to safaris to fishing enthusiasts and apprentices The fishing trip takes place along the Canal Bora , one of the main tributaries that feed the Okavango Delta . This area is home to many species of fish, including freshwater pike , catfish and tilapia , commonly known as main catch bream. Eagle Island Camp practice capture fisheries and released and made ??available to customers their rods and reels .
Built under a canopy of trees on the banks of the lagoon Xaxaba , the Fish Eagle Bar has been named " one of the most romantic bars in the world " by the New York Times, the perfect place to watch the sunset after a long day in the Okavango Delta.
Khwai River Lodge is situated on the banks of the Khwai River , adjacent to the Moremi Game Reserve and the Okavango Delta outside . On its banks and wetlands inhabited by numerous species, hippos , elephants , lions , leopards , antelopes and abundant species of birds - just a few meters from the camps , open laterally through the dining room and from the lawn overlooking the pool.
The camp has 15 luxury tents magnificent , suite with copper bath Victorian style outdoor shower, private pool and a secluded terrace. Each store has a shaded area with a hammock and comfortable chairs overlooking the Khwai River and its abundant wildlife . Equipped with all modern amenities , including mini -bar and ventilation - air conditioning shops were decorated by the famous designer Graham Viney .
When descending the plane to the Khwai River Lodge , guests enjoy an aerial view of the three ecosystems discovered in the Orient- Express Safaris : a mixture of greenery along the river, the water and the dry and dusty savanna.
Khwai River Lodge offers safaris 4X4 Car sighting in the morning and late afternoon . It is also possible to make excursions under the floodlights and even walk at dusk to observe animals.
WHAT TO BRING TO SAFARI
- Camera and numerous memory cards
- Hat and sunscreen
- A good pair of hiking shoes
- binoculars
- Malaria medication (consult your pharmacist or doctor before traveling)
- Insect repellent
- Warm clothes for the first few hours of the day and night and light clothing during the day
- Swimsuits and Sunglasses
-
- MORE INFORMATION
Botswana does not have an embassy in Spain. The closest one is in France.
Avenue d'lena, 88, 75116 Paris (France)
Tel: (+33) 147 20 08 23
Fax.: (+33) 147 20 42 58
- Spain does not have diplomatic representation in Botswana
The nearest embassy is in Namibia.
- embespna@mail.mae.es
Bismarck St., 58; 21811 Windhoek (Namibia)
Tel.: (+264) 61 22 30 66
Fax.: (+264) 61 22 30 46
Orient Express: www.orient-express.com
THE BEST GUIDE TO BOTSWANA:
BOTSWANA IN YOUR POCKET
Publication date: March 2013
Language: Castilian
Price: 9,95 €
BEST GUIDE PDF
Children Botswana
Children Botswana: safaris also for the kids
REFERRED TO THE SPECTACULAR BIRD MIGRATION IN BOTSWANA HAND OF ORIENT-EXPRESS
The 'wattled crane, "in danger of extinction, will have two trips dedicated in 2014
Every year in the month of November, migratory birds returning to South Africa to escape the cold winter in the northern hemisphere. Safari Camps - Orient- Express in Botswana -Eagle Island Camp, Khwai River Lodge and Savute Elephant Camp - have prime locations to see them return home.
Among the most exotic birds such migration include the steppe eagle , lesser spotted eagle , the European bee-eater , European white stork and the stork shaggy . During the spring and summer evenings , storms and showers of Botswana will dry vegetation fueling its desert areas of scrub and savannah , and wake up to all kinds of insects , birds favorite food . Also at this time , thousands of winged termites juicy abandon their nests for their nuptial flight , which is to find a mate , build a nest and establish a new colony. No doubt other food for migratory birds that are coming to South Africa from all over the world.
Heaped abundant rainwater Savute natural ponds attract a variety of storks , especially valued by lovers of birds and termites also feed on one of the predators of these : the frogs. Eagles also eat termites , in Savute as Khwai River reservation .
But not only come together north of Botswana birds this season. Around December, produces the second largest migration of zebras in the world , making the journey from Linyanti to Savute and Mababe depression , the seat during the wet season . This spectacular migration is becoming a spectacle of great interest in the area, since zebras are installed in Savute for many weeks to give birth to their young and feed them with new fresh herbs in the area, before heading Mababe far south . These same Savute zebras to reappear in March and April, on his way back along the Chobe and Linyanti rivers during the dry season .
Lurking more than 25,000 of these are zebras predators and scavengers in the area, attracted by the unlimited number of dams and their offspring weak and insecure . A feast for hungry hunters unbeatable and incomparable spectacle to the prying eyes of the customers of Orient- Express , thanks to high-quality Zeiss binoculars from their camps - safari .
Travel 4/6 night safari and 1 night stay at the Mount Nelson Hotel, Cape Town from € 2410 / € 3860 approx . / Person sharing regime in 2014 .
Safaris in favor of ' wattled crane '
Always committed to the people and environment of their properties around the world , Orient -Express has recently shown its concern over the ' wattled crane ' , one of South Africa's most endangered species with less than 8,000 copies worldwide . Therefore presented two trips in defense of this bird for 2014 .
The Okavango Delta , home of three safari camps - Orient- Express and concentrated to the largest population of ' cranes caruncladas ' in the world, is an area of ??ongoing study for the Wattled Crane Project ( Wattled Crane Project ) . Orient- Express offers two solidarity stays six nights with a very special host : motivational speaker and Braam Malherbe convinced environmentalist , internationally renowned figure in the fight for the environment and a writer , television host or peer educator .
His presence will be inspiring and very exciting for guests , making make the protection of this species on a journey of personal development. This experience will take place on two dates : 7 to March 13 or 11 to April 17 , with three nights at the Khwai River Lodge and three nights at Eagle Island Camp or the Savute Elephant Camp, including two watching daily safaris (special price from € 2540 approx . / person sharing scheme if they book before October 31 ) .
More information at:
www.khwairiverlodge.com; www.savuteelephantcamp.com; www.eagleislandcamp.com
Orient-Express Hotels Ltd.
Orient-Express Hotels Ltd. is a hospitality company and operator of sophisticated travel adventures. Her unique experiences are the ultimate expression of the true culture of each destination. The Company has offered exceptional luxury travel experiences since 1976, when it acquired the Hotel Cipriani in Venice, shortly after recreating the legendary Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, linking London, Paris and Venice, among other European cities. Orient-Express Hotels Ltd. owns 46 hotels, cruises and luxury trains in 22 countries, with outstanding properties such as the Hotel Cipriani in Venice, the Grand Hotel Europe in St Petersburg, the Hotel Ritz in Madrid, the Mount Nelson Hotel in Town Cape, the Copacabana Palace in Rio de Janeiro and the Maroma Resort and Spa on the Riviera Maya. The company also owns six luxury trains three river cruises and the legendary restaurant "Club 21" in New York.www.orient-express.com
Introduction
Khwai River Lodge is one of the oldest hotel- safari Botswana , opened in the late 60s by the late Sir Seretse Khama , the first president of independent Botswana . It is situated on ancient indigenous plants and fig trees , eight kilometers northwest of the north gate of the Moremi Wildlife Reserve hunting . Moreover, with its views overlooking the Khwai River and is the perfect place to watch the scenery of the African savannah perennial and discover its varied species of birds.
General manager
Warren Stone
Animal Life
Khwai River forms part of the Okavango Delta . The camp is located in Moremi , one of the largest reserves in Africa majesty house boasts the largest specimens , fast , bright and beautiful , as the abundant crocodiles and hippopotamuses that dwell in the land or herds of zebras and antelopes satisfied tear the grass surface . Where they are fed all kinds of predators lurking lions, leopards and panthers , hyenas and wild dogs.
Accommodation
The 14 luxury tents with double beds and thatched roofs are beautifully decorated with indoor showers and dressing rooms. In addition, stores are located on a platform overlooking the Khwai River .
The suite marathon center - which means place of love has two outdoor showers and Victorian style bath . Guests staying in it have a dedicated guide and private use of a vehicle for spotting animals .
The facilities include:
Individual water heaters for hot gas
Vanity and double sinks
Private veranda with hammock and wooden furniture
Mini - bar
Cleaning Kit for shoes
Mosquito and insect repellent
Safe own
Phone to communicate between the camps
Toiletries and toilet Marula
Air conditioning / heating
240v power points AC and 32v DC
Hair Dryers
Electric ceiling fan
110v/220v plugs for shavers
Facilities for charging video
24 hours DC Lighting in rooms
Internet Connection
Satellite Phones for communication between the stores
Meals
The covered dining area offering delicious cuisine
Covered in bar room
Bonfire with space to sit around
Availability for private dining requested in advance
Facilities
Platform to observe the river - the perfect way to identify the species that live there
Heated pool - from which to observe hippos
Ceiling fans
telescopes
Spa treatments , massages , manicures, pedicures and facials
illuminated trails
Slide Projector and screen
Conference
Satellite phone available at extra cost
Stores with toiletries curiosities , photography and video accessories , safari clothing , local art and handicrafts
Laundry service
Reference Library and audiovisual installations
VHF radio communications and emergency facilities 24 hours
Reception and transfer to guests at Maun Airport by the representative of Orient- Express
Transport to and from the hotel for guests to spend the night in Maun
All flights Air Botswana and Air Namibia are automatically reconfirmed for guests
Welcome news program
Private Runway
You can organize a private charter flight direct from Johannesburg Lanseria airport to camp
Spa and fitness
Internet Room
Activities
Khwai River Lodge offers activities morning and late afternoon to observe animals. These activities are carried out in the safari expedition vehicle , designed for your comfort and safety.
Activities include :
Guided walks or drive to see animals
Car trips after dark to observe animals
Bird watching
Flights to observe animals on request
Services on request with charges
Environmental Manager of the company
Private guides and vehicles
References and specialized partners
Flights to observe animals in helicopter and airplane
Exclusivity camp (subject to availability )
Introduction
Located in Central Okavango Delta , Eagle Island Camp is a camp built on the water , with shops and thatched roofs , in one of the islands in the lagoon Xaxaba . Xaxaba literally means " island of tall trees ." The camp is a nice retreat from the African sun protected , thanks to the shade provided by a canopy of native trees. Located in one of the most pristine and natural delta, a region with a variety of channels and large wetlands.
The animal and bird life of this region is very rich and can be seen aboard species mekoros ( traditional dugout canoes ) , motor boats , cruises of 14 seats at sunset and Bell Jet Ranger helicopter ( additional cost) . For intrepid explorers eager to follow tracks and noise in the bushes , the camp offers guided walks . Further, the magnificent sunsets can be enjoyed -a rain - covered from the Fish Eagle Bar or from the raised platform overlooking the lagoon.
General manager
Warren Stone
Animal Life
The Okavango wetlands are a treasure to enjoy their animals and natural wonders . Sightings and sounds change according to the season and even the hours.
The experience is unique . Not far from the camp you can blast your way through the channels created by hippos and even follow his footsteps through thick reed fields . When the sun rises , the sound of small frogs in ponds comes to an end after the ' evening concert ' . The fabulous bright plumage of a kingfisher attention. Is throwing darts at the swamp , having breakfast on a fish that twists on itself . Now you would be the envy of any ornithologist, floating like you're in a sky of feathers.
Although the Okavango Delta is technically known as a swamp , the water is quite pure and free from impurities , with an abundance of fish. Not surprisingly, this area houses the highest concentration of ospreys in the world. Also, the huge amount of food attracts all varieties of birds with an appetite for fish, including herons , cormorants , pelicans and storks.
In drylands , guests can see buffalo, red antelopes , baboons , hippos , elephants and giraffes.
Accommodation
At Eagle Island Camp , contact with nature is not incompatible with comfort. It has 11 luxury tents with twin or double bed and views over the lagoon. The tents are very comfortable and spacious suites with bathrooms and dressing rooms that have been designed to be in harmony with the natural environment around them.
The camp also has an impressive private suite. Away from the other stores , has a spacious deck with views and two chairs . The perfect setting to relax and enjoy the African sun , with a heated pool hidden among the trees for shade and privacy. The suite also has a double shower and a beautiful copper bath Victorian .
The facilities include:
Individual water heaters for hot gas
Vanity and double sinks
Private veranda with hammock and wooden furniture
Mini - bar
Cleaning Kit for shoes
Mosquito and insect repellent
Safe own
Phone to communicate between the camps
Toiletries and toilet Marula
Air conditioning / heating
240v power points AC and 32v DC
Hair Dryers
Electric ceiling fan
110v/220v plugs for shavers
Facilities for charging video
24 hours DC Lighting in rooms
Internet Connection
Satellite Phones for communication between the stores
Meals
Indoor and outdoor dining and seating
Platform and Bar overlooking Fish Eagle - the ideal way to watch the sunset over the Delta
Bonfire with space to sit around
Conference
Facilities
· Large heated pool located next to the lagoon
illuminated trails
Stores with toiletries curiosities , photography and video accessories , safari clothing , local art and handicrafts
VHF radio communications and emergency facilities 24 hours
Slide Projector and screen
Satellite phone available at extra cost
telescope
Laundry service
Reference Library and audiovisual installations
Checklist of flora and fauna , talks and readings
First Aid Kit
Reception and transfer to guests at Maun Airport by the representative of Orient- Express
Transport to and from the hotel for guests to spend the night in Maun
All flights Air Botswana and Air Namibia are automatically reconfirmed for guests
You can organize a private charter flight direct from Johannesburg Lanseria airport to camp
Activities
Eagle Island Camp offers morning and evening activities for spotting animals . They can be done in stealth motor boats or mekoros ( traditional canoe ) through the clear waters of the Okavango .
Activities include :
Guided tours of watching animals and birds - one of the best places in the world
Cruises in motor boats ( June to September when water permit)
Traditional Canoes ( mekoros ) and sunset cruises on a boat for 14 people ( when the water permit)
Talks about wildlife and astronomy with the director of environmental
Helicopter Safaris on Delta flights ( 30 minutes free for guests booking 6 nights between different fields . Stays of less time does not include the helicopter ride free but is available at extra charge )
Services on request with charges
Environmental Manager of the company
Guides and private vehicles
References and specialized partners
Flights to observe animals : Cessna 206 airplane
Exclusivity camp (subject to availability )
Awards
New York Times : " One of the most romantic bars in the world"
Khwai River Lodge is situated on the banks of the Khwai River , adjacent to the Moremi Game Reserve and the Okavango Delta outside . On its banks and wetlands inhabited by numerous species, hippos , elephants , lions , leopards , antelopes and abundant species of birds - just a few meters from the camps , open laterally through the dining room and from the lawn overlooking the pool.
The camp has 15 luxury tents magnificent , suite with copper bath Victorian style outdoor shower, private pool and a secluded terrace. Each store has a shaded area with a hammock and comfortable chairs overlooking the Khwai River and its abundant wildlife . Equipped with all modern amenities , including mini -bar and ventilation - air conditioning shops were decorated by the famous designer Graham Viney .
When descending the plane to the Khwai River Lodge , guests enjoy an aerial view of the three ecosystems discovered in the Orient- Express Safaris : a mixture of greenery along the river, the water and the dry and dusty savanna.
Khwai River Lodge offers safaris 4X4 Car sighting in the morning and late afternoon . It is also possible to make excursions under the floodlights and even walk at dusk to observe animals.
This camp is a paradise for bird watchers. It is located in wetlands outside the Moremi Game Reserve , with 12 luxury accommodations on the shores of the lagoon in Xaxaba , " the island of the tall trees ." Built of wood with thatched roof and canvas walls , each of the stores has been situated in its own elevated platform to offer visitors the best views of birds , hippos , antelopes , giraffes and elephants occasionally .
Eagle Island is a quiet place , perfect start to the safari or relaxing after the hustle jeep experience . Because of the delta, the abundance of water confined animal life you can see , even the birds are here very numerous.
Most of the flora and fauna that will - sailing guests onboard mekoros ( traditional canoes ) or while roam around the islands is unique to this area . Walking through the islands offers a more personal experience , with the opportunity to discover more carefully balanced ecosystem of the Moremi Reserve .
The camp offers fishing trips : an alternative to safaris to fishing enthusiasts and apprentices The fishing trip takes place along the Canal Bora , one of the main tributaries that feed the Okavango Delta . This area is home to many species of fish, including freshwater pike , catfish and tilapia , commonly known as main catch bream. Eagle Island Camp practice capture fisheries and released and made ??available to customers their rods and reels .
Built under a canopy of trees on the banks of the lagoon Xaxaba , the Fish Eagle Bar has been named " one of the most romantic bars in the world " by the New York Times, the perfect place to watch the sunset after a long day in the Okavango Delta.
Savute Elephant Camp overlooks the exciting but often dry Savute Channel , nestled between towering acacias in arid and semi-desert area of spectacular beauty .
The camp is named after the abundant number of elephants can be seen in the pond a few meters . These pachyderms love fruits acacia trees , and so they discover, cautiously exploring around the camp stirring the soil with their horns .
The hierarchical life of elephants can be watched closely in ponds, where numerous species often pass by waiting so you can find them relaxing drink them too. Savute lions are one of the larger social groups in the region.
The camp is adjacent to the Chobe National Park . Its location and years of experience and knowledge of the guides (all are in the surrounding areas ) ensure a memorable stay here .
ACCOMMODATION
Each of the luxurious thatched tents in the camps of the Orient-Express Safaris are equipped for the desert air and superbly decorated . They also have showers and changing rooms , and private platforms with beautiful views.
The facilities include:
· Individual heaters for hot water .
· Vanity and double sinks
Private veranda with hammock and wooden furniture
Mini - bar
Cleaning Kit for shoes
Mosquito and insect repellent
Safe own
Telephone communication between the camps
Marula toiletries
Air conditioning / heating
240v power points AC to 32v DC
Hair Dryers
Electric ceiling fan
110v/220v plugs for shavers
Facilities for charging video
24 hours DC Lighting in rooms
Internet Connection
Satellite Phones for communication between the stores.
SEASONAL VARIATIONS
MARCH - MAY
( SEASON )
Finalize the rains
Occasional rains in early March
Low humidity
Temperature with beautiful warm sunny days
The herds are scattered but there is still much to do
JUNE -AUGUST
( SEASON / HIGH )
Arrival of Winter
Hot, sunny days and cold nights
The water holes dry up and the animals are concentrated in permanent water reserves
They are visible herds of elephant, buffalo and antelope
SEPTEMBER - NOVEMBER
( HIGH SEASON )
Turn up the heat during the day and night
Very hot in October - temperatures can reach 40 °
dry Land
Begin the first migrations of birds
Nesting season (Colonies of bumblebees)
Huge herds of elephants
Antelopes begin to leave their offspring in November
DECEMBER - FEBRUARY
( GREEN STATION )
Heavy rain
Moisture rises
The soil and vegetation are green and beautiful
The dispersion of the animals is supplied with abundant vegetation and water
Winter migratory species and nesting
Great variety of birds and moths
Zebras and impalas give birth to their young
Vegetation protects the young
WHAT TO BRING TO SAFARI
Camera memory cards and numerous
Hat and sunscreen
A good pair of hiking shoes
binoculars
Malaria medication ( consult your pharmacist or doctor before traveling )
Each store of Orient- Express provides insect repellent
The dress for dinner can be elegant but casual
Warm clothes for the first few hours of the day and night and light clothing during the day
Swimsuits and Sunglasses
OUR STYLE
The Orient- Express Safaris offer alternatives to traditional roundtable dinners , common to other lodges. Tables can be prepared for two people or for private parties. It is also possible to arrange private dinners on the platform of the store, in a hidden corner overlooking the Khwai River and in the distant Eagle Fish Eagle Bar Island. There is also a traditional dining " boma " in Khwai River Lodge and Savute Elephant Camp , built with local wood floating in the sea and were picked up on the beach.
The driving tours are conducted in small groups of four or six people accompanied by a guide , but you can also request a private guide for an additional price .
The Orient- Express Safaris have lowered the age of the youngest guests at age eight . In this way younger families now have the chance to spend time together while enjoying exciting adventures and complete relaxation offering the Khwai River Lodge , Eagle Island Camp and Savute Elephant Camp . Visits by car and private dining are also offered to families who wish to enjoy a unique experience in the camps.
The Westcliff (South Africa)
TECHNICAL
SITUATION
The Westcliff is located in a field of 1.2 acres with magnificent views over the Wescliff Zoological Gardens , a quiet northern suburb of Johannesburg. Located 10 minutes from the best shopping in Sandton , is also very close to the M1 , main road from Pretoria and very well connected to the Gautrain high - speed rail link to the airport , and within walking distance Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg.
DIRECTOR GENERAL
Andrew Cook
DESCRIPTION
The Westcliff , elegant hotel set amidst a lush hillside , consists of Mediterranean style villas surrounded by beautiful gardens and residences work of Herbert Baker ( famous architect of South Africa) . The classic architecture and facade construction blends perfectly with the natural elegance of its interior , designed by Graham Viney , interior designer based in Cape Town.
ROOMS
It has 81 rooms and 36 suites , all individually furnished and equipped with complimentary high-speed Internet . Many rooms also include private terraces and three of them have pool. In the business wing are 32 rooms with terrace equipped specifically to meet the demands of the modern business traveler : printer, copier , fax , high speed internet , mains adapters and butler service.
SERVICES
24-hour room service and specific areas for meetings and conferences . Parking and free shuttle bus service to major shopping areas and nearby offices . Wireless access points on the terrace , the pool business wing and in the restaurants and the Polo Lounge Bar Concierge Service Orient -Express also organizes excursions and safaris and hot air ballooning .
SPORTS
The hotel has two outdoor heated pools with great views and two private areas and luxury suites connected . Inside the property there is also a floodlit tennis court and a gym with latest equipment technology with wellness facilities and squash practice and Parkview Golf Course .
MEALS AND ENTERTAINMENT
La Belle Terrasse and Loggia serves daily breakfast, lunch and dinner , using the freshest South African products and offering a contemporary dining experience in an environment of high cuisine. The a la carte menu , presented by the head chef Nicky Gibbs , uses locally sourced ingredients to create dishes like roasted eggplant soup cold, tahini , fried ostrich , portabelini mushrooms and grilled shrimp with a white truffle butter. The wine menu , which changes monthly , is a selection of the best crops of the country. The conservatory and pool terrace are ideal for brunches and light meals throughout the day , enjoying the spectacular views from the infinity pool of the Zoological Gardens . The Polo Lounge and Bar serves a wide selection of cocktails and is very popular in the local market . The bar has recently launched new covers , Belgian beer and tequila to the letter.
BOTANY SPA SUITES:
Botanica Spa Suites at The Westcliff offers a sublime sensory experience and relaxation . Amidst the landscaped gardens on the cliffs are three large suites converted to treatment rooms with private bathrooms and locker rooms. The exclusive Pevonia Botanica cosmetics , made ??from the best natural marine and botanical ingredients are employed here in specific facial and body treatments for men , pregnant women and couples. Also available Elemis treatments .
MEETING AND CONFERENCE
Opened in 2003 and adjacent to the business wing , Jacaranda Hill is a meeting area and conference center designed to accommodate executives and gala dinners up to 150 people , board meetings or intimate dinners for 10. Jacaranda Hill has technology for businesses and restaurants, plus a ramp that allows vehicle access to the ballroom (perfect for boats and shows) . Among its special features are the best art audio visual and IT equipment combined with the elegance of the interior finish and furnishings, as the shiny mahogany conference table French polished . The hotel has four additional spaces available for small events and business . The rooms can accommodate between 8 and 60 s , depending on the nature of the event and whether the cocktail or dinner . The hotel also has a complete secretarial service and airport limousine on request.
LOCAL POINTS OF INTEREST
Among the attractions in Johannesburg include heritage walks Westcliff , zoological gardens and Moyo Zoo Lake , the Newtown Cultural Precinct, the Afrika Museum , the Nelson Mandela Bridge , Soweto , De Wildt Cheetah Breeding Station, the museum memory of Hector Pieterson , Rosebank craft market , Constitutional Hill , the market Theatre complex , and the gold Reef City, a fascinating reconstruction of the time of the gold rush. A short drive away is the Cradle of Humankind , a World Heritage Site by UNESCO , the Sun City resort and the world famous Kruger National Park , as well as private safari lodges .
CONTACT:
The Westcliff, 67 Jan Smuts Avenue, Westcliff 2193, Johannesburg, South Africa
Tel: +27 11 481 6000 Fax: +27 21 481 6010
www.westcliff.co.za
The story of The Westcliff
In 1994, when Nelson Mandela became South Africa 's first democratically elected president , James B. Sherwood , founder of Orient -Express Hotels , saw how the new energy of the country became a very attractive opportunity .
The business instinct Sherwood has been confirmed over the years, and in the case of the Mount Nelson Hotel Cape Town became apparent in a very forthright in its balance sheet. Do not forget that among the 50 properties and international experiences Orient -Express Hotels , this has been without doubt one of the most profitable has generated. Also in 1992 , the group acquired Orient- Express Safaris, an exclusive collection of camps in Botswana. And that Sherwood was convinced that a summer residence in Johannesburg could provide essential luxury scale between Cape Town and Botswana.
When considering potential acquisitions, Sherwood insisted that the property had a cache itself , expandability and potential for commercial viability. Why were analyzed several possibilities and the final vote was the set of structures developed by The Westcliff . The property had all the ingredients required and their proximity to the zoo meant that guests could wake up to the sounds of Africa. Thus, Orient- Express acquired the property and The Westcliff began operating in 1997, with its official opening in March 1998 .
The love story of Sherwood northern Italy contributed to the decision to maintain the Tuscan style of the property. At that time some changes were necessary and neighbors needed assurances that the atmosphere of the neighborhood would not be affected . Therefore, the authorities of the area - the Parktown & Westcliff Heritage Trust and local residents , joined forces and soon became evident that all parties have the same goal.
It also held fruitful discussions that led to results that pleased everyone, including the relocation of the entrance to the property of the district center to the outermost part of it.
In 2002, the year the Westcliff neighborhood celebrated its centenary , a research firm published a series of reports that placed as the second healthiest suburb of Johannesburg, and fifth in the country , in what is described as the category "Upper Crust " ( higher social class ) .
Ironically , the neighbor Parktown , as requested by the "Upper Crust " of the 1890s , could not enter the top 50 main districts , probably because the area today is home to large companies and institutions rather than residences . 56 Some of the oldest and largest houses have been demolished to make way for the School of Education and Application of Pieter Roos Park , and a larger number were killed when the North M1 was built in 1975.
Rand 's fortunes were generated between the discovery of gold in 1886 and the Anglo- Boer War of 1899 , and the new rich , called by The Star as " Upper Crust of Johannesburg " , sighed to build large houses in Parktown , then an upscale residential neighborhood .
Florence Phillips scored the trend. In 1892 traveled north from the dusty mining town . When you reach the top and see the plateau extending towards Magaliesberg and Sachsenwald forest below ( planted to provide miners wooden objects for the quarry and today Saxonwold neighborhood ) decided that her husband had to build a house there. Described as "a boldly luxurious new mansion located in the highest mountain edge north of the city " was called " Hohenheim " house on high (unfortunately was demolished in the 60s to make room for the Johannesburg General Hospital ) .
Soon other successful entrepreneurs followed suit , and this private town lit streets became famous for its luxurious dinners , dances and parties . The war ended in 1902 , and although the discontent of miners became evident in 1907 , Parktown continued to grow in popularity.
Throughout these days , quartzite Hill Orange Grove, where The Westcliff was built , remained intact , with the exception of Glenshiel , one of the most famous historic houses in Johannesburg. Designed by Sir Herbert Baker and built by Sir William and Lady Dairymple in 1908 , was declared a national monument in 1979 and now houses the offices of the Order of St John . Sir William , mining magnate , and his wife Isobel , actress, were known for the great entertainment provided their celebrity guests. The Atholone Princess was among guests .
It was not until 1922 , the year of the infamous miners' strike , when the Westcliff neighborhood development began to accelerate . It happened after an application to build a single residence in the neighborhood was approved by " an employee unhelpful " . EM Macphail wrote in The Story of Westcliff that an attractive apartment building was then raised gable named Westcliff Flats, and later called Murray Gordon Mansions .
The construction of large houses in Westcliff was launched . The extravagant taste, unsophisticated , the mining magnates and the stunning views offered by the mountains led to the concentration of power and money that continues today . The use of local stone with architectural features such as the " foundation worn " by Sir Herbert Baker , make the houses seem to grow out from the hill and Westcliff provides an air of distinction and enviable ease . (Tours through many houses and gardens, not normally accessible to the public, are hired regularly by the Parktown & Westcliff Heritage Trust ) .
Another personality with a profound influence on the development of the Westcliff neighborhood was Raymond Schumacher ( 1871-1944 ) . Educated at Harrow , showed a British pedigree impeccable appearance , but would end showing German ancestry from his father. Schumacher came to the area with his young wife in 1894 , having joined as a clerk at H Eckstein & Co. In 1889 , at the age of 28 years , became a full partner . Rand Mines were founded in 1893 and the turn of the century and director Schumacher was almost all companies in the group . Rand Rifles served as captain during the Anglo- Boer War , and returned to Johannesburg in 1902 to continue his career at Rand Mines . He was appointed director of the company and this position Braamfontein had great influence on the development of Parktown and Westcliff .
He is remembered as a shrewd entrepreneur and visionary, ahead of his time. For example, when 121 acres of what was then the forest is now Braamfontein and Johannesburg Zoo , were delivered to City Hall, Schumacher enthusiastically supported the gift of a menagerie collected by Sir Percy Fitzpatrick , author of Jock of the Bushveld . A civic gesture not only because it reduced the cost of keeping animals .
Shumacher selected one of the finest sites in Westcliff Ride for your home, and instructed Baker home design : Pallinghurst a particularly attractive building that rises majestically from the hill. Hope Schumacher and his wife had a daughter, Hazel, and lived there until 1916 , when a strong anti - German atmosphere disturbed the family, he returned to England .
The Schumacher Pallinghurst donated for use as a nursing home and years later was established as Hope nursing home , later called Mrs Hope Schumacher. Today it is working.
According to MacPhail , the original building built in Westcliff , Mansions Murray Gordon , became a nursing home , but the foundation encounter financial difficulties and in no time be degraded into a ruin.
The idea of ??restoring the building came too late, and was demolished in 1975. At times he thought of building a building (which would block the view of many residents ) , but these plans were scuppered by the vigilance of the Parktown & Westcliff Heritage Trust .
In early 1993 , however , developers appeared and with them the collective suspicion of Westcliff . Eight groups of luxury houses for younger were to be built in the location now occupied by The Westcliff . The Mormons began to raise their voices around the neighborhood , a schism between the old order and the new threatened to disrupt the friendly nature of this dwelling-place .
The developer thought " something palatial Tuscan terracotta " . The end result was impressive but it came at a bad time . The market was unstable and the buildings were empty for two years. Although according to legend was responsible bitter ex - resident of the nursing home that could have put a curse on the site : " No one will live here."
Haunted or not, his fate changed . It became a hotel in the tradition of the great hotels of the world. And indeed , no one lives there ...
***
The Orient- Express group paid tribute to the neighborhood of Westcliff , one of the most historic in Johannesburg , calling the rooms and buildings Westcliff like some of the old houses in the area, and with the same names as those who designed, built and occupied the neighborhood.
Captions
001- CQ4300 : Aerial views from Camp Khwai River Lodge by Orient Express in Botswana , within the Moremi Game Wildlife Reserve and the city of Maun . The best time to visit the delta depends on what you want to see . If you are looking for are large animals, the best period is between May and October, when the water recedes and those are concentrated around water. If you want to see are birds and lush vegetation , the best time is between November and April, the rainy season .
There are about forty lodges and camps in the Okavango Delta . The camps , where you can camp or rent a lodge (house or pavilion ) are government property in Moremi Reserve , but not in the heart of the delta, where are the private. To access them you need an all-rounder , one mocoro , a helicopter or a plane , reserved for the most expensive, they have no path .
The Botswana government's intention is to avoid mass tourism on the fragile ecosystem of the park, and therefore stay and accommodation within the park are very expensive. If accessed from Gaborone , the capital of the country, must go to Maun , the southern gateway to the delta, and from there follow the road that skirts around the park or hire a flight with Air Botswana, whose rates are very high , to go to private lodges . Typically, follow the road to the Chief Island in the Moremi National Park , where a dozen state camps , but if coming from Namibia, to the north, it is normal to descend to Sepupa , where a camp and an airfield from you can fly over the delta . From this village the road continues along the Delta to the west , crosses Etsha populations and Nokaneng , located west of Delta and nearby airfields , down to Taso and Toteng , at the southern end , where the mountains close the delta, and Maun and Shorobe rises to the southeast of the park, from which follows a path that borders the park to the east and from which you can access the Chobe National park , on the border with Zimbabwe and Zambia.
Many of the camps organized excursions on foot and camping on islands that can be reached mocoro , canoe with locals that travel from island to island, and from small to do safaris . The ATV displacements within large islands and around the delta, are constrained in many cases by the height of the water in time of flood covers the sandy roads . In private areas even be organized nights out with ATVs, but never in the national park if you are not a scientist.
002- CQ0196 Aerial views from the plane before take the Camp Savute Elephant Camp by Orient Express in Botswana in the Chobe National Park . From the plane we can enjoy spectacular views of the Delta and the fascinating habitat that forms the Okavango river which rises in Angola through Namibia and Botswana comes to lead to this fabulous Delta forming inside before disappearing beneath the sands of the Kalahari Desert . The rich flora and abundance of water makes the Okavango Delta region ideal home for many species of predatory mammals and birds. On arrival reception at the strip and transfer to Lodge . In the afternoon after having refreshed and enjoy a delicious lunch will to make his first start mokoro safari . Scroll the Delta channels in these simple craft hearing only the sounds of nature will be an unforgettable experience. You can observe wildlife in the Delta from the tiny frogs resting in the reeds to elephants moving from island to island. Come to one of the nearby islands and accompanied by your expert guide will conduct a walking tour with the chance to see hippos impala wildebeests zebras giraffes elephants and lions and leopards hopefully . Return to the lodge mokoro and time to rest and sit and watch the stunning sunset light on the Okavango Delta and hippos begin to leave the water in the canals . Dinner around the fire.
003- CQ0174 : Internal flights in light aircraft CESNA between different camps in Botswana. ACROSS THE CAPRIVI , one of the best kept secrets of Namibia, Mahango reach the reserve , one of the least visited of the continent. After crossing the border with Botswana , arrive at Tsodilo Hills, Bushman ancient shrine that houses one of the collections most impressive paintings speedboat Africa.With all we enter the lushness of the Okavango Delta and once reunited with our local guides we sail in mekoro ( traditional canoes ) to the heart of the delta , here enjoy a free camping in one of the most spectacular wilderness areas on the planet. Our third night in the Delta, sleep in a houseboat , a wonderful evening in a unique ecosystem. In plane fly over the entire length of the delta, from the north shore to the south end , where the water die in the sands of the Kalahari Desert . In 4x4 will live moments of great emotion through the heart of the Moremi Reserve located in the Okavango Delta , one of the most beautiful reserves in Africa and least known . We will follow up to Savute challenging tracks , exclusive area of the Chobe National Park where we will set up our camp and looking for the populations of lions and leopards. Bordering the river, cross the spectacular Chobe National Park , the last stronghold of the great herds of elephants to finish discover this African wildlife sanctuary doing a boat safari on the Chobe River , the source of life of this magnificent park. We will leave the wilderness of Botswana and Victoria Falls reach . Here we stay at the Victoria Falls Hotel 5? , A colonial jewel where we can enjoy a unique view of the African continent and parted with the sound of " Mosi oa Tunya "The Smoke that Thunders !
004- CQ0431 : A 4x4 in traveling several tourists photographing elephants drinking water at a waterhole near the Savute Elephant Camp by Orient Express in Botswana in the Chobe National Park . The United Nations warned today that the plague raging elephant Botswana since King does not hunt in this country could reach other regions such as South Africa and , eventually , reach even to Europe. In Botswana , the swarms of elephants and have destroyed 90% of the country's crops and animals have been used to living in urban areas . African governments , frightened , take weeks asking Spain to be given permission to Don Juan Carlos to resume hunting of elephants "and then placed in the appropriate place in the food chain of the Savannah before all the African ecosystem crumbles " . The king and his rifle to hunt elephants occupied an essential niche in the balance of the Savannah . " The elephant has adapted to share habitat with His Majesty the King , shortening their reproductive cycles to increase the population and survive extermination. He had established a sort of equilibrium between the pressure trophic reproductive and brake elephant population which involved the homicidal rage of the king and his rifle to hunt elephants , "said Els Konstabel , Civil Protection spokesman in South Africa. According Els , " the king of Spain had been fully integrated into the savanna ecosystem , standing at the top and acting as a sort of third-order carnivore , above even the big cats. Now, Juan Carlos I, the elephant population is out of control and we can not curb it . " " I turn on the kitchen light and see steam in stampede to hide behind the trash or in the fridge ," a Johannesburg woman whose house is infested with elephants , example of how far it has spread the plague of elephants Botswana . " My husband stepped on one barefoot and gave us much disgusted because with these bones creak so strong they have." Royal House sources have warned that Juan Carlos - known among the local population of Botswana as " white devil who kills elephants prominent chin and hugs the ground sporadically " - do not plan any hunting safari in the coming months . Especially since the controversy that arose with his last trip , in which he hurt his hip, and for which he was forced to publicly apologize to all Spanish . " Juan Carlos I to you is a king. For us it is a god. And one should not ask God for forgiveness. 'He that falls ' is chosen to end this endless plague and only he can help , "he says solemnly Konstabel Els .
005- CQ1103 : An elephant out of the water at a waterhole near the Savute Elephant Camp by Orient Express in Botswana in the Chobe National Park . Botswana announced eight months after King travel to ban the hunting of elephants in 2014 . No more hunting of elephants in Botswana , where King Juan Carlos was broken hip eight months ago during a trip to hunt elephants. The country will prohibit the commercial hunting of wild animals , including elephants , from 2014 to prevent the population of certain species continue to decline . " The Government has decided the indefinite suspension of hunting wild animals for commercial purposes from January 1, 2014 " , the ministry of Environment in Botswana. The Executive believes that " this sport is not compatible" with their commitments to conservation and protection of the local fauna " or the development of the tourism industry in the long term." The big game is an activity practiced by amateurs , often very rich , and the country is home to a large population of elephants , lions and buffalo. " We can not let this decrease represents a real threat to the conservation of our natural heritage and long-term health of the local tourism industry , the second largest source of revenue after the diamond," the ministry said in the statement. Tourism contributes 12% of GDP in Botswana. The King was involved in the controversial hunting invited by Saudi businessman Mohammed Eyad Kayali and the Government said that the trip had not led to any extra expense. At that time, the risk premium was sky and a few days before had said that youth unemployment will lose sleep . His words from the hospital after hip surgery triumphed in social networks: "I'm sorry . Was I wrong and will not happen again ." The NGO WWF eliminated weeks after the honorary presidency of the king.
006- CQ0373 : Elephants drinking water at a waterhole near the Savute Elephant Camp by Orient Express in Botswana in the Chobe National Park . Botswana banned elephant hunting trip months after King Starting in January the government of the African country by law to protect local wildlife, tourism revenue . Botswana , so far the paradise for hunting , prohibit this practice from January 2014 to halt the decline of some species , as announced by the Government of the African country . King poses with the owner of Rann Safaris , facing an elephant killed during a hunt in 2007 . RANN SAFARI SAFARIS RANN "The government has decided to suspend from the January 1, 2014 for an indefinite period of hunting of wild animals practiced in the commercial arena ," according to a statement from the Ministry of Environment. Botswana wants and be " consistent with its commitments to the conservation and protection of local wildlife and the development of the local tourism industry in the long term." Big game hunting is a sport practiced by amateurs , usually high-income people , as King Juan Carlos , whose expedition to Botswana to hunt elephants in April caused a scandal in Spain , during the economic crisis .
ELEPHANTS , LIONS AND BUFFALO Botswana is home to a large population of elephants , lions and buffalo, but the government fears the big game then decrease their number . " The decline in the number of copies is a real threat to the conservation of our natural heritage and long-term health of our local tourism industry , which is the second source of income in the country , behind the diamond " explains Government in a statement. Tourism contributes 12% of GDP in Botswana.
007CQ1374 : A lioness resting and while tourists a 4x4 photograph Orient Express them constantly in the vicinity of Camp Savute Elephant Camp by Orient Express in Botswana in the Chobe National Park . The lion ( Panthera leo) is a carnivorous mammal of the Felidae family and one of the species of the genus Panthera. Some males , exceptionally large , weighing up to 250 kg , 3 making them the second -largest living cat after the tiger . Wild lions live in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia with a critically endangered population in northwest India , having disappeared from North Africa , the Middle East and western Asia in historic times . Until the late Pleistocene , about 10 000 years ago , in large terrestrial mammals , the lion was the most widespread after humans. They were found in most of Africa , much of Eurasia from western Europe to India , and America, from the Yukon to southern Mexico . If they survive childhood difficulties , lionesses living in a secure habitat such as Kruger National Park can often reach the age of 12-14 years , whereas lions seldom live more than eight years. However, cases of lionesses are known to have lived twenty years in the wild . In captivity , both males and females can live over twenty years. They typically inhabit savanna and grassland, although they may take to bush and forest . Lions are unusually social compared to other cats . A pride of lions consists of females who have a family relationship and offspring and a small number of adult males. Groups of female lions typically hunt together , preying mostly on large ungulates. The lion is an apex and keystone , although it can have a scavenger behavior if given the opportunity . While lions do not normally hunt humans selectively , some of them may become cannibals and seek human prey . The lion is a vulnerable species in its range African over the past two decades has suffered population declines , possibly irreversible , of between 30% and 50 %, 1 populations are not viable outside reserves and national parks delimited . Although the cause of this decline is not fully understood , habitat loss and conflicts with humans are currently the most important concerns . They have had lions in captivity since the days of ancient Rome and from the late eighteenth century have been something very sought after and exhibited in zoos worldwide . Zoos themselves are collaborating in breeding programs to protect the endangered Asiatic subspecies . The males are very easily distinguished thanks to its mane , making her head one of the most widely known animal symbols in human culture . Appears often in literature , sculpture , painting , on national flags , and in contemporary films and literature .
008- CQ1350 : A lion walking quietly by the vicinity of Camp Savute Elephant Camp by Orient Express in Botswana in the Chobe National Park . Prohibited hunting of lions in South Africa and Botswana. The Botswana government has banned lion hunting . " From unilaterally by surprise and for an indefinite period ," added the Spanish hunters high standing . The South African authorities have virtually decided the same this summer. There is also not permitted to hunt more than 10 lions a year. Terrible news. Where will they go now these illustrious killers down to lions? Will they stay without your precious carpet lion "real "? Luckily for these emulators of Clark Gable in Mogambo , there are still possibilities in Africa to hunt lions galore , private estates canned properly secured to prevent leaks to the field of competition . The body of a hairy male killed by oneself comes to cost about $ 22,000 , although the prohibitions that its price may fired in the near future , never better employed the verb. And if the seasoned hunter misfires should not worry about the integrity of his ass , as the companion guide knock you for it but do not tell anyone. In Africa some 40,000 live in the wild lions , about half of which was 25 years ago. Against this, the foreign exchange generated by tourism hunting of this animal generates about 146 million euros per year and maintain 6,000 jobs . The business could reconverted photographic safari , but not so interested . The hunter arrives, kills , pays and leaves. The Pacific is quieter tourist , want to know , see , walk . Also not done photos with the corpses , living like animals . Strange people .
009- CQ1326 : A lion lying peacefully in ls savannah camp near Savute Elephant Camp by Orient Express in Botswana in the Chobe National Park .
The five major mamífereos Okavango .
These terms tend to be used in Africa to set animals more attractive for visitors. For the big five every tourist looking for : the lion , panther , elephant , rhino and buffalo , join cheetah and wild dog ( African wild dog ) , to give rise to the Seven ( the magnificent seven ) of Okavongo few can see in the wild.
Okavango Lions are famous for their size and strength , and it is said they are the only swimmers lions exist because they are forced to do so when the summer the leaves grown in islets isolated antelopes and impalas , their usual prey , leave . The Chief Island in the Moremi National Park , there is a small population of lions in decline that feeds exclusively on buffalo. An estimated twenty lions are beset and harassed by a thousand buffalo face planted them . These cats are extremely muscular , because black buffalo hunting requires a huge fortress . Several lions, lionesses generally , attack the herd in search of exemplary weaker, but when it is attacked and lying on the ground , the rest of the pack is back and with horns and legs turn to attack hunters. The result is a pride of lions in decline.
Elephants are numerous in the Okavango . Its advance signs are abundant everywhere : droppings , peeling or felled trees , paths of passing herds , which can be more than fifty individuals. It is easy to find on the shores of the islands, where the vegetation is more abundant and it is not uncommon to see males lonely little islets , browsing on trees . Elephants have no problems navigating a shallow water system like the delta .
The leopard, the prince of the predators , is a lonely hunter very difficult to observe , because he lives in almost any habitat , hunting at night and hide during the day to sleep in the branches of trees , often large and thick foliage that completely hide except for a seasoned observer . Since there are not many and they are located, must rely on local guides to find them.
Rhinos are scarce in Botswana because they have always been persecuted by man and not an animal that likes water , so can not take refuge in the marshes. In 2002 , they were reintroduced to the Chief Island four white rhinos can be seen north of Eagle Island Camp . Black rhinos are endangered , but they are making efforts for recovery in the Khama Rhino Sanctuary in Botswana.
The black buffalo ( Syncerus caffer ) live in areas with lots of pasture , water and shade , ie where median islands that make life of the herds . They are very dangerous in the wild.
The wild dogs or wild dogs ( Lycaon pictus ) are extremely intelligent animals that hunt in packs and are enviable strategies that allow them to hunt antelope as large as the kudu , but they are too trusting with people and are in danger of extinction.
The cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus ) is the fastest animal in the world . It is located in the most remote areas of the delta and is in danger of extinction in the wild, it is easy prey for predators such as lion or leopard . However, they have created at least five reserves in South Africa where they play smoothly because they are a profitable tourist attraction .
The five large birds of Okavango .
The Okavango Delta is also possible to see the Big 5 Birds , the five most spectacular birds of Africa.
The kori bustard ( Kori Bustard ) in English , kori bustard , can have five feet tall and weighs 19 kilos . Preferably live in wooded savannah and breeding between October and February. It moves slowly while looking through the grass insects and seeds.
The African jabiru or Senegal ( Ephippiorhynchus senegalensis ) in English , Saddlebilled stork , is a stork which can measure 145 cm in length and up to 270 cm with wings open . It has a white body and neck and black wings , feathers unless the bottom, white . The most striking part of this bird is , however , the peak , huge and red with a black band in the center. Breeding between January and July. It feeds on fish , frogs , small birds and crustaceans.
The common fish owl ( Scotopelia movie ) , in English, pel 's fishing owl , can measure 60 cm high and 150 cm with wings open . Capture up to 2 kg fish , frogs , crabs and even small crocodiles . Breeding in the Okavango Delta between January and June, and it is not uncommon to hear at night.
The hornbill Earthling ( Bucorvus leadbeateri ) in English , southern ground hornbill, is like a big turkey and completely black which can measure up to 120 cm tall and weigh 4 kg . It is a carnivorous bird that eats turtles , reptiles , frogs , insects and small mammals the size of a hare. It lives in groups of up to eight people and has a very distinctive song you hear in the morning , like IUD IUD . Breeding between October and November.
The Martial Eagle ( Polemaetus bellicosus ) in English , martial eagle , is a large eagle , dark brown , which can measure 80 cm high and up to 250 cm with wings spread and weigh up to 6 kg . Breeding between February and August and a single egg takes six to twelve months of becoming an adult . It feeds on birds , reptiles and mammals up to the size of a goat.
010 - CQ0499 : One of the guides Savute Elephant Camp by Orient Express in Botswana in the Chobe National Park . uploaded to one of the 4x4 vehicles at the time of a safari . Located in central South Africa , Botswana , landlocked , extends about 1,100 km from north to south and 960 km from east to west , covering an area equivalent to that of France, slightly larger than Spain . The borders South Africa , through Limpopo and Molopo rivers , the Northeast , with Zimbabwe , while Namibia embraces western and northern borders . In Kazungula , in the remote North , four countries - Botswana, Zimbabwe , Zambia and Namibia - converge in the center of the Zambezi river current . Most of the territory ( 75% ) is in the Kalahari , the southern African desert but not really a desert , as it is covered with grass and shrubs , but no waterways in the area if we except the river Boteti , which makes it a land not suitable for agriculture or livestock and has earned the nickname land of thirst. A plateau of about 1,200 meters divides the country into two regions , each with its own drainage system . In the north are the marshy basins Makgarikgari and Okavango . A large expanse of savanna , where they develop animal husbandry and agriculture ( main economic activities of the country) , marks the transition from the desert steppes and forests OS of N and NE . The most important rivers are the Okavango , Limpopo and Chobe . Among the lakes, the Ngami and Xau . Botswana is considered as one of the reserves of flora and fauna most important African continent. It is in the Chobe National Park and Pan Nxai where they concentrate most animal species. Botswana Drylands are home to more than seventy species of snakes , among which the black -necked cobra and many arboreal and poisonous vines , abundant in the Okavango , but not usually approach humans. This part of South Africa offers a taste of indefinite species common birds and hosts a set of colorful and exotic birdlife . Among the birds are the elegant gray crowned crane neck , the gray Turaco with its characteristic cry , the beautiful Lilac-breasted ratchet and the austere clerk or snake , snakes Defeating repeatedly jumping on them. National parks and reserves most beautiful of Botswana are home to a surprising variety of wildlife and inhabit them elephants , cheetahs , wild dogs , leopards , hyenas , giraffes , hippos and zebras. Most of the nation is covered by savanna , consisting of acacia or thorn bushes. The only mopane forests are in the Northeast, where there are areas where wood is used for construction. In the same area and marula trees grow mongonga whose edible fruits served in the past as food base of the San people . The marula softwood used in local crafts , and its fruits are used to make a kind of beer.
011- CQ1033 : An elephant bathes peacefully in one of the streams near the camp Savute Elephant Camp by Orient Express in Botswna , in the Chobe National Park . African elephants compete with the people of Botswana , and protected areas are inadequate to ensure the survival of elephants , especially in arid and semiarid regions, where the elephants depend on resources and space also used by the population. Due to climatic variables and other environmental variables , elephants should still remain mobility and opportunism , so that confinement to reservations is impractical and harmful . In the Policy Conservation Wildlife 1986 clearly recognized that if not given value to the resources of wild species , the imperatives of other land uses will inadvertently contrary to the continued existence of wildlife resources in reasonable quantities. Conflicts between elephants and people resulting from a growing population of elephants in Botswana can be long-term adverse early if communities living alongside elephants estimate that their livelihood is adversely affected by a "resource" that does not benefit them ( communities ) directly . In this policy, and other government policies, such as the Tourism Policy and the National Conservation Strategy , emphasizes the use of natural resources of the country, including elephants , on a sustainable basis for long-term good of Botswana . When communities feel that conservation is only a net cost to them , and increasingly expressed over those feelings , it may not be possible to obtain their cooperation in achieving compliance with conservation objectives . The trade in elephant products is not only essential for elephant conservation , habitat and other species , but also to meet basic human needs in the elephant range . Conflicts between people and elephants, as mentioned herein, reached major proportions , and communities that elephants are a pest. With elephant products , including ivory obtained in communal areas , can increase the value of elephants to those communities, and the community appreciate elephants more . With this direct benefit they receive , communities that estimate increasingly interested in the continued existence of elephants in reasonable quantities. At the last auction of 1999 in accordance with Decision 10.1 , 30% of the product has gone to adjacent communities range of elephants , and the rest is allocated to the conservation of elephants. In Agenda 21 and the Convention on Biodiversity was established that each country has the right to use its natural resources as it sees fit . Botswana therefore requests to be granted this right with respect to its elephant population . The storage and stockpiling ivory incurring costs. Campbell (1990 ) reports that more water available Botswana surface before now . It is noted that as the elephants are a species that depends on water distribution was wider then . Based on information from previous explorers , Campbell concludes that the distribution of elephants reached its peak in the late eighteenth century . It is believed that drought water sources Kgalagadi , the extension of human settlements and in particular , excessive hunting for ivory obtaining the 1800s have contributed to the decline of the elephant population , which reached its minimum around 1890 . During that period , it was announced that there were only small concentrations of a few hundred animals in the vicinity of the Okavango Delta , the western part of Chobe and Linyanti and Kwando rivers , north , and southeast Tuli Block . Child (1968 ) and Sommerlattee ( 1976 ) reported that concentrations of elephants appeared along the eastern part of the Chobe River and to the south, in the Chobe District , in the mid 1960s. These observations indicate a reoccupation of parts of the former range of elephants in northern Botswana , which had been abandoned at the end of the century . The rules of distribution and current population estimates are derived from elephant aerial surveys that are part of the animal census started in 1996 and have continued since. The distribution of elephants in the northern range broader depends on the availability of surface water. During wet water is normally available in the whole range of elephants , which are some seasonal deposits . During this time of year there is a greater distribution of elephants in the dry season distribution is concentrated mainly along perennial water sources of the river systems of the Kwando - Linyanti - Chobe on the border between Botswana and Namibia. Such concentrations are superimposed inside Namibia. There are small concentrations along the Zimbabwean border what is probably continuous with populations on the other hand, since there are no real barriers to movement . Other concentrations are found on the western shores of the Okavango Delta . There are elephants in northern Tuli Block throughout the year , although some of them for some time regularly cross the Tuli Circle of Zimbabwe.
012- CQ1131 A copy adult elephant wanders near Savute Elephant Camp by Orient Express in Botswna , in the Chobe National Park . The King will not be able to hunt elephants in Botswana. Botswana , so far the paradise for hunting , prohibit this practice from January 2014 to halt the decline of some species , as announced by the Government of the African country . " I'm sorry, I was wrong and will not happen again ." Just in case it gives to repent , from January 2014 will not have the opportunity. From that date , the Botswana government indefinitely suspends hunting of wild animals. Your president wants to halt the decline of some species such as the elephant , which has declined in numbers in recent years , and believes that protecting local wildlife seriously endangers the country's tourism industry , its second largest source of income after diamond sales , with 12% of GDP. Elephant hunting is illegal in many countries in Africa , but not in Botswana. The news has caught traders by surprise and hunting industry in the country. Jeff Rann is the man who accompanied the king in his hunt. 20,000 euros Cobra accompany only the millionaires who will go with him to hunt elephants. He is one of those defenders that they consider this practice to control overpopulation : " We are not doing to their detriment, we try to control their habitat , their condition and give them a better life." Until January 2014 , these companies have more than a year to restructure their business simple photographic safaris hunting .
013- CQ0748 : Birds of all kinds roam about Savute Elephant Camp by Orient Express in Botswna , in the Chobe National Park . Bird watching is a fascinating attraction in the country , Botswana is a prominent home to over 575 species of birds.Gcwihaba Caves is a must in Botswana.Nata Bird Sanctuary is a reserve well preserved , mainly for different types of species of birds and wildlife. Kubu Island is famous for its baobab trees that are also part of the major tourist attraction in Botswana. Victoria Falls is a fascinating attraction to visit in Botswana. It has the best sports adventure activities that you can enjoy participating in the shipment example, the body , canoeing, kayaking , boating rafting.Those bet , fishing , abseiling and water is not really interested in these activities are eligible for nature walks during his visit to different national parks and the magnificent falls . At this point , you will receive the best memories of a lifetime . Many people may wonder what the best time to visit Victoria Falls, this is often dependent on the water flowing over the falls and rainfall in the Zambezi River . Other must-see are horse safaris and elephant , . You will have the opportunity to see a large population of elephants, while enjoying their game takes on the 4 wheel drive . See also other species of wildlife and birds that will make your safari memorable. Returning to the units of the evening is an opportunity , and to take a look at some of the rare animals that can not be seen during the day .
Kalahari Desert . The Kalahari Desert extends to many parts of Botswana. It is on record that covers a large percentage of the country . You can find this funny if I told you that you will see different types of wildlife in the desert. However, there are game reserves located in the desert , for example, Khutse Game Reserve Transfortier Kgalagadi Park and Central Kalahari Game Reserve. Activities who become famous in the reserve include guided nature walks , sunbathing, visits the village , along with game drives .
014- CQ0442 : Some wildebeest roam near Camp Savute Elephant Camp by Orient Express in Botswna , in the Chobe National Park . In the first days of June sees one of the most characteristic events of Africa , thousands of wildebeest moving across the plain toward its summer quarters in search of better pastures. This unstoppable march , a thousand times filmed , photographed and commented , is the best known of this key species in the food chain of the savanna . Before embarking on his annual trip , there have been bridal stops within the herd , dotted with violent disputes among males for the conquest of a territory where they produce small copulations with females that have been able to attract . With the females and fertilized , different start joining groups forming endless streams of individuals who will not stop until you reach fresh grazing areas of Lake Victoria or the Ngorongoro Crater, where they will spend five or six months before returning to their places of origin. Now when births occur , staggered over a period of two or three months, and when the importance of wildebeest as an indispensable link in the food chain is evident . Knowing the explosion of life , many predators are clustered near herds of wildebeest in search of easy prey , causing high mortality in newborn calves and between individuals old or sick for this year has been the your last migration . The wildebeest inhabit the savannas of eastern and southern Africa . They can delay birth at will by choosing the most appropriate time to give birth to their young. There is another species, white-tailed , living in very localized areas of South Africa was and is on the verge of extinction.
015- CQ0748 : A beautiful hornbill bird trying to pose near the Savute Elephant Camp by Orient Express in Botswna , in the Chobe National Park . Hornbills ( Bucerotidae ) are a family of bird found in tropical and subtropical areas of Africa , Asia and Melanesia. They are characterized by a long beak , down - curved bill which is frequently brightly colored and sometimes has a casque on the upper mandible . Both the common English and the scientific name of the family refer to the shape of the bill, " Hornbill " being " cow horn " in Greek. They possess a kidney from two lobes. Hornbills are the only birds in which the first two neck vertebrae ( atlas and axis ) are fused together , which probably provides a more stable platform to carry the bill [1] The family is omnivorous feeding fruit and small animals .. They are monogamous breeders nesting in natural cavities in trees and sometimes cliffs. A number of species of hornbill are threatened with extinction , mostly insular species with small ranges. In Botswana have been recorded some 600 species of birds. This figure includes also the migratory birds that are not always present. Depending on rainfall , climate , temperatures and food . There are a variety of these species in the reserves and parks and also in the north and east of the country. Over 400 species develop in the region of Gaborone. Numerous aquatic birds : herons , pelicans , pink flamingos and storks.
016- CQ0837 : A couple of tourists photograph with a land turtle camp near Savute Elephant Camp by Orient Express in Botswna , in the Chobe National Park .
The leopard tortoise ( Geochelone pardalis ) is a species of turtle and surrounded Testudinidae family who lives in the savannah of Africa, from Sudan to South Africa. This tortoise is a turtle grass living in semi -arid areas , in grassland , although some leopard tortoises have been found in wetter areas . This is the most widely distributed tortoise in South Africa . It has a wide distribution in sub-Saharan Africa , including recorded localities in southern Sudan, Ethiopia , East Africa ( including Natal) , Zambia , Botswana , Namibia , Angola and South Africa . The G. pardalis are the fourth largest species of tortoise after African spurs turtle ( Geochelone sulcata ) Tortoise Galapagos and Aldabra Giant Tortoise ( Geochelone gigantea ) . The genus name is a combination of two words : Geo ( γαια ) meaning "land" or "land " in Greek, and Chelone ( Χελωνη ), which means "turtle" . Its specific name pardalis is the word pardus , meaning " leopard " and refers to stains leopardas turtle shell . The leopard tortoise has two recognized subspecies :
Geochelone pardalis pardalis The less common , both in captivity and in the wild, is located mainly in South Africa, in a small area comprising the western South Africa and southern Namibia. It is characterized by a darker (more black than the presence of yellow). Males of this subspecies are dimensionally larger than the females, and in general is the largest subspecies .
Geochelone pardalis babcocki The most common , is distributed over a vast area that stretches from Ethiopia to South Africa . The main differences are the increased presence of yellow to black , generally smaller size (apart from the giants of Ethiopia and Somalia) , and the size of the males smaller than females. Besides the adult backrest this subspecies have more convex . The offspring of both subspecies can be distinguished by the color of the areola , in G. p. babcocki black spots core plaques are along the midline while the G. p. pardalis are lateral . The leopard tortoise is the fourth largest species of tortoise in the world and the second largest in Africa after Geochelone sulcata , adults can reach 60 cm . The larger specimens can reach 70 cm in length, giant leopard tortoises in Ethiopia and Somalia can reach 100 cm in exceptional cases. The average adult size is 35-40 cm with an average weight of 13-18 kg , although some specimens can reach and measure 50-60 cm and reach a weight of 40 kg.1
Turtle is a large and very attractive . The shell is high and vaulted , and the pyramid -shaped shield s not uncommon. The skin color and the background color is cream to yellow , and the shell is marked with black spots, stains and even dashes or stripes . Each leopard tortoise is marked uniquely. It is characterized by a predominantly colored yellow with irregular black spots around the shell, but some specimens may show a greater lack of black that makes it even more special. The plastron is light, with darker features . The shell has a pyramidal shape . The skin of the legs and head and is clear. It is a very long-lived animal , the leopard tortoise does not reach sexual maturity until it is between the ages of 12 and 15 years . The leopard tortoises in captivity , however , grow faster and can mature with only six years of age. The leopard tortoise male chases the female and hits the shell for you to stay still . During mating , the male emits loud vocalizations. After mating , the female lays a setting composed of between five and 30 eggs , although the average is between eight and ten . The South African leopard tortoise (G. pardalis pardalis ) is much more difficult to breed in captivity than the common leopard tortoise , g . p. babcocki . In the incubator the temperature should be maintained between 28 ° C and 30 ° C and a humidity of 80% and a substrate moist. Hatching time varies between 130 and 180 days. On the day of hatching , often hastened by a rainy day , turtle breeding egg breaks by a horny tubercle located between the external nares and upper jaw that disappears after a few days. Hatching is forty -eight hours a period during which the yolk sac is absorbed completely. The leopard tortoise is adapted exclusively herbivorous species in arid environments . Need a diet with a high fiber content and high levels of calcium, herbal field as dandelion, plantain, clover and alfalfa, but especially thorny plants also dry herbs . Their diet is mostly hay, a few vegetables, herbs , field mixed salad , chicory , endive , alfalfa , hibiscus flowers , clover , tomatoes , cabbage , broccoli, beets, lettuce, watercress , and tubers in general. Lack of fiber causes problems such as diarrhea and dehydration , weight loss , bowel collapse , increased susceptibility to intestinal worms and flagellates . It will also be recommended that they add calcium to your food , to strengthen your bones and shell. It should also be noted that they need to have on hand a bowl with fresh water. You should not have more than 5 or 10 cm deep , and the water will be renewed daily. High doses of protein or phosphorus together with calcium intake exigua cause permanent deformation of the backrest and organ damage . An obvious symptom of poor diet is a trellis with spiky and ridged scales at the sutures , a phenomenon known as pyramiding . Instead, a smooth carapace oval indicates proper nutrition . A captive leopard tortoises should be allowed to graze on grass or turf . Its diet consists mainly of grass , all kinds of herbs. Your diet should be full of fiber and should be given a calcium supplement . The diet can be supplemented with green leafy vegetables such as cabbage , kale , and turnip greens . Grape leaves , if any , are very nutritious and a good addition to the diet. They can also be fed fresh and dried alfalfa , but only in small quantities , as it is very high in protein. Animal protein is very harmful , and the fruit should not be taken since it contains too little sugar and calcium, and their causes diarrhea and inernos parasite multiplication . The blades of the prickly pear cactus and bring lots of fiber and calcium, making them ideal for leopard tortoise
017- CQ0573 : A Grant 's gazelle jumping under the watchful eye of wildebeest near the camp several Savute Elephant Camp by Orient Express in Botswna , in the Chobe National Park . Thomson 's gazelle ( Eudorcas thomsonii ) is a bovid mammal species belonging to the genus Eudorcas.2 is one of the most agile and elegant antelopes , forming large flocks that live near a water source grasslands of North Africa. Its name comes from the nineteenth century Scottish explorer Joseph Thomson called
Gazelle is the most common type and one of the main pillars of support from predators such as the crocodile , lion, leopard and cheetah. Their number is about 500,000 copies. It has the golden brown back and white underparts with a very distinctive black stripe that runs along its side , its main difference with Grant 's Gazelle looks very similar , and these dark bands serve to blur its outline. In this way it makes it more difficult to discover predator away . Both males and females have horns slightly curved backwards, with ring -like protrusions . It weighs about 20 kg or 30 kg and measures 60 to 65 cm at the height of the cross. They are in Africa 2nd fastest animal after the cheetah as it reaches 80 km / h . Their longevity is 10-15 years. Thomson 's gazelle lives in the grasslands of the sheets in Tanzania and Kenya , and in areas of scrub is drier Sudan. That gregarious and wandering in herds of up to 200 animals. In each herd is a defined social hierarchy adult males tend to remain apart from immature males , while females are bonded groups . This inhabitant of the open field should be alert to any sign or smell of their numerous enemies , the scariest is the cheetah. Although easily scared , these gazelles can be seen grazing peacefully in the sight of a pride of lions snoozing .
018- CQ0822 : During the game we are quite safari giraffes groups near Camp Savute Elephant Camp by Orient Express in Botswna , in the Chobe National Park . The giraffe is an animal unmistakable , rangy body covered in stains is unusual, and most people enjoy watching it . In fact they are one of the most popular animals in zoos worldwide . It is also the highest, but that does not stop it from becoming prey to a variety of meat eaters. They are very quiet and feed on plants from their natural habitat . At the top of the trees found most of the food we consume . This means that food availability have more than other animals. They are sociable . Females tend to be very good in their herds. Young males are very competitive , because the power depends on the right to mate with females . You can spend a very long time before they are strong enough to be able to mate , why they have been seen engaging in sexual behavior with other males. Each giraffe is unique in the world , have their own pattern of spots , which serves the researchers to identify both in the wild and in captivity . These spots vary in size, shape and even color. The males are darker and has no hair on top of his horns . It is often believed that giraffes are among the most peaceful animal in the world. Do some basic sounds , but not very often. It is believed that most of their communication is done in tones so low that humans can not hear. This is a fascinating fact that many researchers they would like more time to better understand these animals. Nigerian Giraffe is the species considered to be endangered at the moment . It is commonly known as the West African Giraffe and are not serious efforts have been made to protect it. When you consider the long list of animals that are desperately low numbers , it needs tend to be overlooked . If they do not have to worry much natural predators , only about a quarter of the offspring reaches maturity . This is because the lions and other animals they see them as an easy target. That, combined with the fact that they have a gestation period of over a year , causing their numbers are very difficult to increase. Giraffes can live in the wild of about 20 to 25 years with the right conditions. Sleeps short time, about 2 hours a day in periods of about 10 minutes. Almost always do upright, with the exception of the weak and the young.
019- CQ1434 : Camp Rock paintings near Savute Elephant Camp by Orient Express in Botswna , in the Chobe National Park . Chobe National Park wet and dry cycles shape the landscape and dictate the nature of the wild inhabitants of the plain. Acclaimed worldwide for its abundance of animals, Savute promises an unforgettable experience . Here the crocodiles swimming in the same channel where wild dogs hunted only a few years ago. Beyond , the hills of home Gubatsa leopards and paintings of the life of primitive men once inhabited the area.
Animals . Chobe National Park is known for the high concentration of elephants, with more than 50,000 is the largest grouping of these adorable elephants in Africa.
The baobab tree . Chobe National Park is home to the baobab tree . These wonderful trees are thousands of years and can reach heights of up to thirty meters ( 98 feet). The baobab is an integral part of the ecological system and is often home to a wide range of animals, from tiny creatures to larger mammals. In fact, hollow baobabs have been used as shops , houses and even a prison.
020- CQ0652 : Several giraffes drinking water at a waterhole near the camp Savute Elephant Camp by Orient Express in Botswna , in the Chobe National Park . The giraffe is one of the two living species of Giraffe family , along with the okapi. The family was very broad, with many species . The giraffes evolve ramoneador a large mammal , about three meters and looking antelope that lived in Europe and Asia makes between 30 and 50 million years .
The oldest known jiráfido is Climacoceras , like deer , with horns like the giraffe. Emergence early Miocene . Examples include the genera late Palaeotragus and Samotherium , the middle Miocene . Both were of considerable height on the cross , had developed a simple and unbranched antler like modern giraffes , but still had relatively short neck . Comparison jiráfidos African Miocene : Palaeotragus ( the highest ) and Climacoceras ( the lowest ) .
From the late Pliocene , the variety of jiráfidos fell sharply, to be only the two species referred to above. The genre of the modern giraffe evolved during the Pliocene , and includes other long-necked species , such as Giraffa jumae that survives today . Alan Turner proposes in his book Evolving Eden (2004 ) , that the ancestors of the giraffe would be dark with pale spots , and those spots went to have a way estellada before forming the lattice model found today . The modern species Giraffa camelopardalis appeared during the Pleistocene million years ago .
The evolution of the length of the neck of the giraffe has been the subject of much debate. The classic explanation is that the neck is lengthened to reach higher vegetation that was not accessible to other herbivores , giraffes giving a competitive advantage. However, an alternative theory proposes that evolve as secondary sexual character , giving males an advantage to the " necking " to establish dominance and access to receptive females . This theory is based on that giraffes eat low shrub often , and that the neck of the males is significantly longer than that of females. However, this theory is not universally accepted , and recent studies have questioned , supporting the classical explanation .
021- CQ0633 : It's easy to find giraffes near Camp Savute Elephant Camp by Orient Express in Botswna , in the Chobe National Park . The giraffe ( Giraffa camelopardalis ) is a species of artiodactyl mammal Giraffe family in Africa itself . It is the highest of all living species of land animals. The top of the head may eventually be found to 5.8 m high and can weigh from 750 kg to 1.6 toneladas.2 The common name ' giraffe ' and first binomial name comes from the Arabic Giraffa ? ? ? ? ? ? ( ziraafa or zurapha ), which means "high" . The second term gives the species name comes from the Greek camelopardalis καμηλοπ ? Ρδαλη camelopardale and Latin camelopardalis, which means " camel leopard " . The giraffe is related to deer and cattle , but belongs to another family , the jiráfidos ( Giraffe ), comprising only the giraffe and its closest relative, the okapi. Julius Caesar introduced the first giraffe in Europe brought their campaigns in Asia Minor and Egypt where he met Cleopatra. Without knowing clearly what animal was christened cameleopard Romans , a cross between a camel and leopard , becoming the scientific name used today. The giraffe normally inhabits savannas or open space . However, when food is scarce , it is able to venture into areas with denser vegetation . Giraffes prefer acacias growing areas . Can drinking large quantities of water when available, which enables them to survive long periods in dry dry .
022- CQ1146 : Authentic savannah landscape near Camp Savute Elephant Camp by Orient Express in Botswna , in the Chobe National Park . In Botswana the climate varies depending on the area . The country has relatively low elevation relative to sea level, with little significant landforms and surrounded by much higher areas which favor the stagnation of high pressure , which in turn prevent the entry of humid winds . Although located on the Tropic of Capricorn, Botswana has large thermal variations in summer temperatures are high both day and night with highs of 40 ° C and minimum to 28 ° C. In the Kalahari , the thermometer can descend at dusk beyond the 0 ° C in June and July in wetter sites , used to frost . While in neighboring Zimbabwe and South Africa the rainy season takes place between October and April, Botswana is very rare to begin before the end of November , ending in February.
When to go . The austral winter ( May to August ) is a good time to visit Botswana , because the days are usually mild and wild animals never stray far from water sources . In any case , should be considered which also coincides with school holidays in Europe, North and South Africa , so there may be many visitors . Overall , June, early July and September are the months less crowded. This season is not conducive to travel secondary roads , enjoy the contemplation of the wildlife or explore the Okavango , as persistent rain could disable sandy roads and animals when they are dispersed with water.
POPULATION 1,780,000 inhabitants (2006 ) Life expectancy is just 33 years. The average number of children per woman is 2.79 (one of the lowest rates in Africa ) . Almost 80 % of the population is literate. An estimated 37.3 % of the population is infected with the HIV virus (AIDS ) .
ETHNIC GROUPS : Batswana 95 % , Kalanga , Basarawa and Kgalagadi 4% , white 1 %
In Botswana live more than 45 000 native Basarawa or Bushmen ( Afrikaans , boschjesman , " man of the forest " ) , people of small stature and dark brown complexion , especially in the Kalahari , inhabited for at least 20,000 years . Also known by the names of San or Khoisan , is one of the richest ethnic groups and together with only two pygmies prenegríticas and oldest races of Africa . They are traditionally hunter- gatherers who speak one of the Khoisan languages ??, characterized by incorporating popping sounds or clicks . The rest of the population belongs to the Bantu and are concentrated in the eastern highlands .
Language . The official language is English and Setswana national Bantu (both can be considered official ) . There are several local languages ??as : Kalanga , Mbukushu , Herero and Cungo . The Cungo , is a Khoisan language (or Khoisan ) also spoken in northern Namibia and Angola. In total , it has about 5,000 speakers of ethnic Bushman . Possibly it is the same language as the akhoe and vasekela . Do not have the click consonant labial typical South Khoisan languages ??.
NOTE: This information is recorded as long as the name of the country of Botswana in its English meaning and known internationally . In Castilian can be applied also in Botswana Spanish name .
RELIGION 50 % animist indigenous beliefs , 50 % Christian ( the border between the practice of local religions and Christianity is in many cases difficult to determine ) . There are Hindu and Muslim minorities . In the primitive religions Botswana tribal chieftains addressed family issues from the underworld . Among the highlighted rites ceremonies and male and female initiation rituals for rain . Polygamy was practiced and property of one man 's sons inherited his first wife. Folklore San ( Bushman ) is very rich, and has supernatural explanations of worldly events , orchestrated by N'odima , the good and Gcawama , the malicious trickster . The missionaries moved almost all traditional customs.
HOLIDAYS
1 and 2 January , New Year
Friday and Saturday and Easter Monday Santos
May 1 , Labour Day
July 1 , the day of Sir Seretse Khama .
Third Monday and Tuesday in July , President's Day .
September 30 , the day of Botswana.
October 1
December 25 , Christmas
December 26 , Boxing Day
The holidays are closed banks , Ministries and Official Centers
23 - CQ0860 : A pair of blue chest rattles ( Lilac - breasted Rolle ) of beautiful plumage perch in a tree near the camp near Savute Elephant Camp by Orient Express in Botswna , in the Chobe National Park . "Lilac Breasted Roller" and in Spain is known for " Ratchet Lila" , hope you like the same thing to me when I saw it , I tell you a little about him.
Name: Lilac Breasted Roller.
Spain : Ratchet Lila
Latin: coracias caudata .
Biometrics:
Length: 36 cm
Weight: 104 g
Appearance: The average size of the Lilac Breasted Roller is 14.5 inches. The washed green head is large, the neck is short , the greenish yellow legs are rather short and the feet are small . The beak is strong, arched and hooked tip . The narrow tail is of medium length. The back and scapulars are brown. The shoulder of the outer bands of the wings , flight feathers are violet and hips . The bases of the primaries and their coverts are pale greenish blue and the outer tail feathers are elongated and blackish . The chin is whitish shade , rich lilac of the breast. The underparts are greenish blue . The bill is black and eyes are brown. It has large wings and strong flight .
Diet : Roller Lilac Breasted eats grasshoppers, beetles , lizards occasionally crabs and small amphibians. They capture their prey from the ground.
Breeding : They nest in tree holes unlined natural or termite mounds . Sometimes they take over woodpecker or kingfisher nest holes . They lay 2-4 white eggs which are incubated by both sexes for 22-24 days. At 19 days, the chicks are fully feathered and grayish brown .
Behavior : Roller owe their name to their impressive courtship flight , a quick dip and significant elevation surface with fast rocking motion , accompanied by loud raucous calls .
All Roller appear to be monogamous and highly territorial . Lilac Breasted Roller perch on a dead tree , surveying the dam area . A typical aspect of their behavior is that animals also eat fleeing wildfires. It is a fast flyer , enjoy acrobatics during the breeding season . Actually race " on the wing " . They live in pairs or small groups , but they are often alone . Its call is a loud squawk rough, ' zaaak ' . They are partly migratory , but in some areas are sedentary. To feed precipitate from a lofty perch next to their prey and eat it on the ground or return to a perch where hit before swallowing it whole . They are territorial, defending feeding grounds also temporarily small, so that individuals are regularly spaced along the roads. They scare off many species from near their nest , even after breeding.
Habitat : Grasslands , open woodland areas where palm trees grow alone.
Where found : The species extends more or less continuously throughout eastern and southern Africa from the Red Sea coast of Ethiopia and Somalia , north-west of the north coast of Angola and South Africa. Lilac Breasted Roller inhabit acacia country with well spaced trees , riparian areas and farmland , but are not associated with the human environment.
024- CQ0891 : Savute Elephant Camp by Orient Express is located in the dry Savute Channel in Chobe National Park . The experience here is radically different from the other southern safaris Orient- Express , to be in the rugged, semi-arid northern jungle region of Botswana. Savute personifies the eternal contrast of Africa. If the other two camps boast of its waters and lush vegetation, Savute is a lesson in aridity. The rain in this land so dry is scarce and precious . Set in the mysterious Savute Channel - an eccentric waterway decades ranging from completely dry or flooded , the whole ethos of the Savute Elephant Camp is in line with its inhabitants and the environment, even though no water has flowed from 1983. In Savute you discover how little they have changed their dry plains since time began . And also the privilege of being in one of the last corners of the planet governed by nature. This area is famous for its spectacular birds and landscapes, but also offers the opportunity to see the cave paintings of the Bushmen who first inhabited the region. The camp is located in the Chobe National Park , where the regulatory rules prohibit driving or walking at night.
Director : Warren Stone
Animal Life : Every day , at dawn or dusk as a professional ranger 4X4 safari guide you through so you can see how many and impassive graze herds of Impala , tsessebe , giraffes and zebras and a wide variety of powerful predators : lions , leopards and cheetahs. It is also likely to see many wildebeest , warthogs , kudu , black backed jackal , antelope , bat-eared foxes , vultures , hornbills and eagles. Savute , elephants reign supreme , is home to the largest concentration of African elephants in the world and the ideal location to discover the largest creatures on the planet in its heyday . When the rains come December , this completely changes arid dry plains and maintain , for a short period , herds of zebras migrating by the thousands. On their way they encounter opportunistic predators like lions and hyenas. Truly a sight to behold.
Accommodation: The 12 luxury tents and thatched roof are equipped perfectly for the desert air and superbly appointed with shower and dressing room. They also have private terraces, and two of them have outdoor showers overlooking the Savute Channel .
025 - CQ1284 : A 4x4 passes by several baobabs stationed along the road near the camp Savute Elephant Camp by Orient Express in Botswna , in the Chobe National Park . If we discover one of the world 's rarest trees , we can not take a look at Baobab or Adansonia . From Africa , not known for the beauty of its foliage and the showy and aroma of flowers and fruits , rather, lack of it , and therein lies its charm. With an almost prehistoric, but does not reach the size of a giant redwood , the truth is that your hand, anyone feel small . There are eight species of baobab , seven of which are found in Africa , six are endemic to Madagascar and one in Australia . It is one of the iconic trees of the African island , and as many plant species , its origin holds a legend. They baobab in Africa was one of the most beautiful trees of the continent, admired by all for their foliage and flowers. His vanity grew so much that the gods punished him , burying its branches and exposing their roots. Indeed , it seems an inverted tree with its branches spread in anarchic order , aims seek forgiveness from the gods.
A very peculiar tree
It can reach a height of more than thirty meters and a width that reaches twelve feet in diameter. These dimensions vary depending on the species: Adansonia digitata , native to continental Africa , or randidieri adansonia , Madagascar, can measure more than 25 meters , while the variant of Australia , Adansonia gibbosa , rarely reaches ten meters and rubrostipa adansonia usually measured half .
Her appearance impressed Antoine de Saint - Exupéry in a way that made ??them the stars of one of the chapters of his masterpiece, " The Little Prince " . In addition , the extraordinary longevity of these trees is one of his characteristic : can reach up to 3,000 years.
The baobab is a deciduous tree , which has only foliage in the summer months , the rest of the year, its branches remain bare , a blow to the bearing which , according to tradition , had in his day.
It has a smooth trunk with a wood composed of multiple fibers , so it is used routinely to make baskets or paper . This wood is it possible that within the tree can store thousands of gallons of water that the plant will consume during times of severe drought , quite common in Africa .
Its flowers , which are yellow or white, open at night , and are pollinated by bats . They , like the trunk, practical utility , since the adhesives are produced pollen . The fruit, which is edible , provides vitamin C. It also can be ground or roasted , to make a drink similar to coffee.
026- CQ0740 : During the game safari is not uncommon to see birds of prey and owls on branches near the camp baobabs Savute Elephant Camp by Orient Express in Botswna , in the Chobe National Park . Owls are well known to be very versatile birds in their habitat. They are able to live in a variety of places, and some of them can get to surprise you. The most common place to find owls are forested areas. They have a place that mark as their own territory , and where they can hide during the day from predators and access to a lot of different food sources because of the other creatures that live in the forest.
Some species of owls are able to live in the rainforests , they do very well with moisture and rain . They are able to find good places to live and to protect them from their environment , however , these places are more predators which have to hide .
Some people assume that only owls live in trees , however, take any opportunity they can to find shelter or claim any environment. For example , they can live in the trunks of trees and on the tops of the stables , others live in shrubs and bushes , in which you might never think to look . The owl is an animal very fast , your vision is unique and has very sharp claws , so hunting for food is not difficult . For the owl is very important to hunt their own food , the prey is something you hardly see in an owl.
Food is something that varies depending on factors such as season or where they live , however is common to see them catching mice , rabbits , spiders , insects , snails , worms , crabs and sometimes fish and reptiles.
The owl has an excellent sense of hearing , which allows hunting even when completely dark. It is capable of immobilizing with his claws in a split second their prey , which can lead flying somewhere near or with the aid of its beak & devour it in the air , this depending on the type of fish concerned.
The amount of food that the owl needs depend on issues such as the species and its size, a remarkable feature is the fact that the owl swallows its food, not chew . It uses its beak to tear easily swallowable pieces & everything goes directly to be digested , which is why after about ten hours form granules which regurgitates . These granules are formed by things like crushed bones , skin & feathers, which they are unable to digest.
027- CQ0539 : Several baobabs stationed along the road near the camp Savute Elephant Camp by Orient Express in Botswna , in the Chobe National Park . The African baobab tree trunk is a massive bottle-shaped or irregular and full of knots. Their height can vary between 5 and 30 m and trunk diameter exceeds 11 m. The bark is smooth and wood fiber with little water content . The leaves sprout only in the rainy season , in summer in the northern hemisphere and winter in the southern hemisphere . Adult tree leaves are compound having from 5 to 11 leaflets arising from petiole same circle and whose edges are integers in all species except rubrostipa species , which have serrations . Young trees have simple leaves and go slowly lobulando . The flowers are hermaphrodite , actinomorphic , about 10 cm , with white petals . All species bear fruit at the end of the dry season or early wet . The dried fruit is a berry or a thick capsule shaped elongated melon . Seeds are numerous , large kidney-shaped . Wrapping the seeds is a cream colored flesh , whose texture ranges from earthy to spongy by species and age of the fruit. Seeds live more than five years.
Baobab take the form of bottles for the mature stage , from two hundred years . In good condition, on sandy soil , with a temperate climate and rainfall between 300 and 500 mm can live up to 800 or 1000 years , although there is talk of copies that have reached 4000 years.
028 - CQ0561 : One of the 4x4 vehicles Orient Express makes a stop along the way at sunset to have tea and watch the sunset next to a baobab . Near Camp Savute Elephant Camp by Orient Express in Botswna , in the Chobe National Park . Different species of baobabs : Adansonia digitata : the baobab par excellence. It grows in all continental African semiarid , reaches 25 m in height and 10 meters in diameter. The cup is rounded and has one or more secondary trunks . Leaves having 5 to 7 leaflets . The fruit is spherical or ovoid . In the Sahel there are four types of this species, the black bark , the red bark , the bark gray and dark leaf (dark leaves) . The latter is most appreciated leaves as a vegetable , gray is best for the fiber and the other for the fruits . Adansonia grandidieri . Proper of Madagascar, is the most high ( 25 m ) and slender than the others ; acilindrado and smooth. It is also the tree that has more uses and has been tapped . The bark, of a reddish gray , and that the mature tree is 10 to 15 cm thick, is so fibrous that there is any tree that is removed to a height of two meters for fabrics as they readily regenerated . The fruit is globose , twice as long as wide. The pulp of the fruit is eaten fresh and seed oil is extracted for cooking. In some areas the goats fed with these berries , the goats digest the pulp and expel the entire seed . Wood, sponge , is rich in water and has concentric rings showing the growth years .
According to legend, the trees of this species harboring solitary spirits, and it is not unusual offerings at the feet of the larger fish .
Adansonia gregorii ( syn. A. gibbosa ) . Endemic to Australia . It grows on rocky outcrops , riverbeds and flood plains of northwestern Australia . Rarely exceeds ten feet tall and the cup is irregular . Check the leaves between November and March. The Australians call it dead rat tree or bottle tree .
Adansonia madagascariensis . They can measure 5-12 m be in very different ways . It grows in the northeast of Madagascar and can even penetrate a few meters into the sea. The fruit is wider than long . It blooms in February and check the leaves in November. If planted in the nursery , swollen roots are an excellent vegetable .
Adansonia perrieri . It also grows in northern Madagascar. There are few specimens of this endangered species . No more than 15 meters high and since it is in the southern hemisphere check leaves between November and April , as the rest of baobabs of Madagascar.
Adansonia rubrostipa ( syn. A. fony ) . It grows in the west and south of Madagascar, in sandy or clay . It is the smallest of the baobabs of Madagascar, of 4-5 m, but copies can be found up to 20 meters high. They are thick and taper before the branches , giving them a very special bottle shape . The bark is reddish brown . The blades are serrated . It is an important food source for the lemurs .
Adansonia suaresensis . It grows in northern Madagascar. Also in great danger . It is a tall species , measuring up to 25 m and has a slender trunk about 2 m in diameter. The foliage is large , the leaves are 6-11 yellowish green elliptical leaflets . The fruit is twice as wide as long . Its seeds are the largest of the family.
Adansonia za . It grows from the southern to northwestern Madagascar. The trunk is cylindrical and often irregular . Edible seeds and trunk are often used as deposit of dirt.
029- CQ1275 : The last rays of sunshine leave us postal authentic sunsets near Camp Savute Elephant Camp by Orient Express in Botswna , in the Chobe National Park . AIR TRANSPORT: There are no direct flights from Spain to Botswana being the best combination that is via Johannesburg . The national airline is Air Botswana ( BP ) which only operates within Africa . While some African and British airlines offer international flights to Gaborone , is often cheaper approach the region flying to Harare (Zimbabwe ) , Windhoek (Namibia ) and Johannesburg ( South Africa ) and travel by road to Botswana . Seretse Khama International Airport is located 15 km northwest of Gaborone. There is no regular bus from the airport but the President Hotel , Motel Oasis , the Gaborone Sun Hotel and Palma Hotel are Granes minibuses ( combis ) . There are also taxis. In Kasane began operations in 1992, a major airport that Gaborone. In 1996 another was opened in Maun International Airport receives direct flights from Johannesburg , Windhoek and Gaborone. Domestic flights . The major areas of the country are connected through the air . There are airports in Francistown , Maun , Selebi - Phikwe , Ghanzi , Pont Drift, Kasane and Maun Jwaneny . There are two companies in Gaborone : Kalahari Air ( PO Box 10102 , Gaborone . Tel : 351 804 ), which offers trips to Namibia, South Africa , Lesotho , Swaziland , Zimbabwe and Zambia , and Okavango Air Services ( PO Box 1966 , Gaborone . Tel : 313 308 ) .
Air fares are expensive.
SHIPPING : Botswana does not border and therefore lacks seaports. Nevertheless, a way to move the country from Zambia is using the Kazungula Ferry across the Zambezi River .
RAIL TRANSPORT : There are good connections between South Africa and Botswana (from Johannesburg , Mafikeng and Ramatlhabama to Gabarone ) Zimbabwe and Botswana ( Gaborone to Plumtree , Bulawayo and Harare ) . From Gaborone to Bulawayo takes 20 hours, you should bring food and drink for the trip. Botswana has assisted in the construction of the Limpopo (Zimbabwe ) to Mozambique , which will accelerate the availability of alternative routes to Botswana. Other plans include the extension of the network to Namibia. Inside the country, there are rail links between Ramatlhabama , Lobatse , Gaborone , Palapye and Francistown and continues to extend the rail network.
BUS TRANSPORTATION : The Trans -Namib bus travels between Ghanzi and Gobabis (Namibia ) . There are minibuses between Gaborone and Johannesburg . Those heading to Zimbabwe include service from Gaborone to Francistown , Bulawayo and Harare , and Kasane to Victoria Falls . The line between Livingstone (Zambia ) , Victoria Falls (Zimbabwe) and Windhoek (Namibia ) has stop in Kasane .
ROAD NETWORK : Botswana has over 2,500 km of paved roads . Others are of sand. There are roads that often coincide with the route of the railway linking Botswana with South Africa and Zimbabwe There are numerous border crossings with neighboring countries , the most common being Plumtree and Kazungula from Zimbabwe , the Ngoma Bridge, Mohembo - in both ends of the Caprivi Strip , and Buitepos from Namibia and the Pioeneer Gate from South Africa. Road can be accessed by any of the border crossings , but at the border must sterilize the tires and shoes with proper treatment to prevent the spread of FMD . Despite the shift means outlined , public transportation is virtually nonexistent and although not very safe resultre , Botswana is one of the countries in which it is preferable to hitchhike. This practice is so institutionalized that involves a fee of about $ 0.5 per 100 km. In case of traveling the back roads , it is best provided equipment , enough food and water to survive several days of waiting .
DRIVING : Every year the number of tourists traveling in cars rented by the country , so it is necessary to recommend prudence in the conduct of the most visited areas . First, they drive on the left. The driving style of the locals is sometimes crazy so caution is advised , given the frequency of serious accidents occur . Secondly, driving in the Okavango Delta and the Kalahari takes place in circumstances of great difficulty , being essential to the use of ATVs . The roads are very sandy , so often get stuck . Also in the rainy season most of the tracks are covered with water and mud, making it difficult to drive. There is no gas station between Maun and Kasane ( the only two towns in the parks of Moremi and Chobe ) . Therefore, it is necessary for drivers to delve into these areas have extensive experience in off-road driving . It is advisable to travel in more than one car and always do it with sufficient fuel , spare parts, food and water, always calculating in excess, because the unexpected can lengthen the trip. In the Kalahari dry lakes is also necessary to travel with GPS. In visits to National Parks must exercise caution because of the abundance of wildlife. On guided tours , you must scrupulously respect the directions of the person responsible . Independent travelers should follow the instructions found at the entrances to the Parks, respecting basic rules like not sleeping in the open , not off the vehicles except in areas where expressly permitted and not away from the camp at night , with increasing activity of wild animals (especially lions and hyenas ) around the campsite .
030- CQ1251 : Sunset near the camp Savute Elephant Camp by Orient Express in Botswna , in the Chobe National Park . BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE HISTORY OF BOTSWANA : It is believed that the San people ( Bushmen ) lived Botswana thirty thousand years ago still Tsodilo Hills with over 3,500 paintings the best proof of this . They were followed by the Khoi -Khoi ( Hottentots ) of cattle culture , and later the Bantu, who migrated from the northwestern and eastern regions of Africa between the first and second centuries of our era and settled along the Chobe River . Until the eighteenth century various Bantu groups such as Tswana , grouped in small communities lived peacefully in the Kalahari. Disputes mutually conducive separations . By 1800 , the pastures along the Kalahari were occupied by shepherds and peaceful separation ceased to be a feasible solution to dissensions . Moreover, the Europeans had come to the Cape and expanded northward . Upon binding of the Zulu tribes in South Africa in 1818 , the settlers attacked the scattered Tswana peoples , enhancing their vulnerability. In response , regrouped and society was structured in a complex way : a hereditary monarchy regulated every nation and subjects Tswana populations residing in centralized and satellite populations . The order and structure of Tswana society impressed the Christian missionaries, who were introduced in the early nineteenth century . They failed to evangelize a large majority , but got advise , sometimes wrongly , in their dealings with Europeans. Meanwhile , the Boers initiated the Great Migration (Great Trek , 1834-1844 ) to the Vaal , crossing the Tswana and Zulu territory and imposing Western laws . Many Indians worked on farms boer, but the rebellion and violence led to the failure of this working partnership . In 1877 the animosity had grown so that the British intervened to annex the Transvaal , triggering the Boer War . Following the 1881 convention Pretoria Boer pressure decreased , but the following year returned to Tswana land , who returned to claim British protection. Britain 's intervention led to indigenous peoples to accept their conditions. The lands south of the Molopo River became known British Crown Colony of Bechuanaland, while the area north became the British Protectorate of Bechuanaland (now Botswana ) . Not counting the years when Britain ceded control to the South Africa Company of Cecil Rhodes , dominated the country until 1966. Nationalism had developed extensively during the fifties and sixties. After the Sharpeville massacre in 1960 , formed the Bechuanaland People's Party , whose aim was focused on independence. In 1965 general elections were held , and Seretse Khama was elected president. The September 30, 1966 , the Republic of Botswana gained independence . With the discovery of diamond mines near Orapa in 1967 , Botswana became economically . Although most of the population belonged to the most disadvantaged , this mineral wealth gave the country huge foreign reserves and Pula ( Botswana currency ) became a major African currencies . But in 1999, the international diamond market collapsed and took the first budget deficit in 16 years in Botswana . In any case , in relation to the rest of Africa , still enjoys great stability and wealth. The government is considered pragmatic and pro-Western , although there is some concern about the increasing military infrastructure spending . Currently, Botswana 's biggest problems are unemployment, AIDS, population exodus to the cities and unstoppable birth rate , which has started to decline in recent years by the spread of HIV and AIDS in the age groups to have children. The country suffered from devastating floods in 2000 that left 70,000 homeless , while droughts in recent years have caused great human suffering , especially in the west. In 2004 , the rate of HIV infection and AIDS in Botswana was 37.5 % , and the country attending a migratory influx of refugees fearful of Zimbabwe. Despite these problems , Botswana remains a peaceful nation .
031- CQ1516 : Aerial views from Camp Savute Elephant Camp by Orient Express in Botswna , in the Chobe National Park and Camp Eagle Island Camp by Orient Express Camp , outside the Moremi Game Reserve in Botswana . The Okavango River is a long African river , which rises in the plateau of Bie , Angola , in a fairly rainy , and after a journey of almost 1,000 km enters a drainage basin , and in Botswana , where he has been an extensive alluvial region improperly named and known throughout the world as the Okavango delta . As leads to an area with a very arid climate , it is an allochthonous river , such as the Nile River in Egypt , or the Niger River in Mali. Its watershed drains an area of 721 277 km ² . The rainy season in the delta coincides with that of Angola , which takes place between October and April and in flood of the Okavango River , which begins to be felt in December and takes nine months to complete due to the low gradient of the river , about 60 m at 450 km. The rains are more abundant in the north and lower in the south, where the river goes into the Kalahari.
In the town of Maun , the southern gateway to the Okavango Delta , the contrast between day and night is great in winter , with an average minimum 6 ° C and an average maximum of 23 ° C. Frosts are not uncommon during cold spells .
These terms tend to be used in Africa to set animals more attractive for visitors.
Okavango Lions are famous for their size and strength , and it is said they are the only swimmers lions exist because they are forced to do so when the summer the leaves grown in islets isolated antelopes and impalas , their usual prey , leave . The Chief Island in the Moremi National Park , there is a small population of lions in decline that feeds exclusively on buffalo. An estimated twenty lions are beset and harassed by a thousand buffalo face planted them . These cats are extremely muscular , because black buffalo hunting requires a huge fortress . Several lions, lionesses generally , attack the herd in search of exemplary weaker, but when it is attacked and lying on the ground , the rest of the pack is back and with horns and legs turn to attack hunters. The result is a pride of lions in decline.
Its advance signs are abundant everywhere : droppings , peeling or felled trees , paths of passing herds , which can be more than fifty individuals. It is easy to find on the shores of the islands, where the vegetation is more abundant and it is not uncommon to see males lonely little islets , browsing on trees . Elephants have no problems navigating a shallow water system like the delta .
Since there are not many and they are located, must rely on local guides to find them.
In 2002 , they were reintroduced to the Chief Island four white rhinos can be seen north of Eagle Island Camp .
The black buffalo ( Syncerus caffer ) live in areas with lots of pasture , water and shade , ie where median islands that make life of the herds . They are very dangerous in the wild.
The cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus ) is the fastest animal in the world . It is located in the most remote areas of the delta and is in danger of extinction in the wild, it is easy prey for predators such as lion or leopard . However, they have created at least five reserves in South Africa where they play smoothly because they are a profitable tourist attraction .
Located in Central Okavango Delta , Eagle Island Camp is a camp built on the water , with shops and thatched roofs , in one of the islands in the lagoon Xaxaba . Xaxaba literally means " island of tall trees ." The camp is a nice retreat from the African sun protected , thanks to the shade provided by a canopy of native trees. Located in one of the most pristine and natural delta, a region with a variety of channels and large wetlands. The animal and bird life of this region is very rich and can be seen aboard species mekoros ( traditional dugout canoes ) , motor boats , cruises of 14 seats at sunset and Bell Jet Ranger helicopter ( additional cost) . For intrepid explorers eager to follow tracks and noise in the bushes , the camp offers guided walks . Further, the magnificent sunsets can be enjoyed -a rain - covered from the Fish Eagle Bar or from the raised platform overlooking the lagoon.
Eagle Island Camp offers morning and evening activities for spotting animals . They can be done in stealth motor boats or mekoros ( traditional canoe ) through the clear waters of the Okavango .
Activities include :
Guided tours of watching animals and birds - one of the best places in the world
Cruises in motor boats ( June to September when water permit)
Traditional Canoes ( mekoros ) and sunset cruises on a boat for 14 people ( when the water permit)
Talks about wildlife and astronomy with the director of environmental
Helicopter Safaris on Delta flights ( 30 minutes free for guests booking 6 nights between different fields . Stays of less time does not include the helicopter ride free but is available at extra charge )
Services on request with charges
Environmental Manager of the company
Guides and private vehicles
References and specialized partners
Flights to observe animals : Cessna 206 airplane
Exclusivity camp (subject to availability )
At Eagle Island Camp , contact with nature is not incompatible with comfort. It has 11 luxury tents with twin or double bed and views over the lagoon. The tents are very comfortable and spacious suites with bathrooms and dressing rooms that have been designed to be in harmony with the natural environment around them. The camp also has an impressive private suite. Away from the other stores , has a spacious deck with views and two chairs . The perfect setting to relax and enjoy the African sun , with a heated pool hidden among the trees for shade and privacy. The suite also has a double shower and a beautiful copper bath Victorian .
The facilities include:
Individual water heaters for hot gas
Vanity and double sinks
Private veranda with hammock and wooden furniture
Mini - bar
Cleaning Kit for shoes
Mosquito and insect repellent
Safe own
Phone to communicate between the camps
Toiletries and toilet Marula
Air conditioning / heating
240v power points AC and 32v DC
Hair Dryers
Electric ceiling fan
110v/220v plugs for shavers
Facilities for charging video
24 hours DC Lighting in rooms
Internet Connection
Satellite Phones for communication between the stores
Conference
Facilities
· Large heated pool located next to the lagoon
illuminated trails
Stores with toiletries curiosities , photography and video accessories , safari clothing , local art and handicrafts
VHF radio communications and emergency facilities 24 hours
Slide Projector and screen
Satellite phone available at extra cost
telescope
Laundry service
Reference Library and audiovisual installations
Checklist of flora and fauna , talks and readings
First Aid Kit
Reception and transfer to guests at Maun Airport by the representative of Orient- Express
Transport to and from the hotel for guests to spend the night in Maun
All flights Air Botswana and Air Namibia are automatically reconfirmed for guests
You can organize a private charter flight direct from Johannesburg Lanseria airport to camp
036 - CQ3022 : A tourist rests peacefully in the sun at Camp Khwai River Lodge by Orient Express in Botswana , within the Moremi Wildlife Reserve hunting with an elephant in the background. Other places in Moremi are: Las Salinas de Makgadikagadi . These salt pans are famous in Botswana and is the largest in the world. These have only been able to attract many tourists who really want to know how to make salt. Much earlier, recognized pans have been a huge lake , but later split.Some of places to see in Makagadikgadi pans are migration of flamingos in Nata Bird Sanctuary , along with the annual migration of zebras. You will be amazed at the landscape of the country.
Xakanaxa Laguna . Strategically located in the heart of Moremi reserve , which is home to beautiful antelopes and wild dogs . The lakes offer the best environment that will make you sit back and relax while enjoying nature.
Mashatu Game Reserve. It is recognized as one of the hunting most charming of the southern part of Africa and privately owned. It is located in the eastern part of Botswana. Visit this book will give you the opportunity to see the rare species of birds , such as black martial eagle, hornbill , along with kingfishers and rollers. That is going to take a closer look at these species in the game reserve . Night trips are also offered in the reserve , this is only organized for tourists who want to see nocturnal animals such as wolves earth, genet , leopard and many others. Off road cycling and driving is also part of the package.
A Botswana safari will certainly make your experience memorable one . It has several safaris , such as mobile camping trips , self drive safari , quad safari, fly in Safari along with walking safari . Only you will be spoiled for choice. The horse safari is one of their own kind, taking this will give you the opportunity to take a closer look at the wild animals when you are on a game drive . Botswana is well known for its large population of elephants , a safari to see only this will be a memorable experience . Other Safaris include mountain biking safari, bird watching and fishing safaris . Enjoy the best tourist attractions in Botswana.
Orient Express Botswana safari will certainly make you enjoy your stay , offering luxury accommodation and the most prominent are the shelters that are strategically located in the tourist attractions such as the Okavango Delta . The services and facilities are excellent, with a greater proximity of the desert. The hotels are another option, but they are in big cities like Maun , Francistown Gaborone or even . For a safari adventure , caravanning and camping are the best choice for your accommodation . Enjoy the varied culture of Botswana and visit craft stores that offer beautiful African elements . Enjoy the lively nightlife of Botswana.
037- CQ1762 : A couple of tourists enjoy a boat safari from Camp Eagle Island Camp by Orient Express , outside the Moremi Game Reserve in Botswana . Moremi Crossing is located in the southernmost part of Chief's Island, a small island full of palm trees and different trees , called Ntswi . This island is surrounded by the rich alluvial plains of Moremi . Access is by plane , after a short scenic flight from Maun for about 20 minutes. During this fascinating scenic flight over the Okavango Delta , enjoy the exciting drawings created meandering waterways and contrasting colors with land areas that rise above the waters of the Delta . In the north of the Okavango Delta waters flowing quickly and the view is limited by the high reeds and papyrus growing on the edge of the channels. In the area south of the Delta, around MOREMI CROSSING, enjoying sweeping views of the floodplains of the Moremi Reserve .
38 - CQ2869 : A hippopotamus stands out among the reeds in the Water Safari Camp Eagle Island Camp by Orient Express , outside the Moremi Game Reserve in Botswana . Although not a strictly nocturnal animals are active at night . They spend most of the day sleeping or wallowing in the water or mud with the other members of their group . The water serves to keep their body temperature down and prevent your skin from drying . Except to eat most of their lives ( courtship struggles including delivery) occurring in the water. They leave the water at dusk and travel inland, sometimes up to eight kilometers , to graze on short grass , their main source of food , helping to draw the entire lips. They spend four to five hours grazing and can consume about seventy pounds of grass each night ( about 5% by weight) 17 11 Like most herbivores, consume other plants if given the chance , but his diet in the wild consists almost entirely of grass , with a minimum consumption of plants acuáticas.18 They have been seen eating carrion sometimes but very rarely, and always near water , and there are even reports of cannibalism and depredación.19 the anatomy of the stomach of hippos is not suited for a carnivorous diet , so eating meat is probably due to aberrant behavior or nutritional stress. Although their diet is mostly herbal land , since they spend most of the time in the water most of their bowel movements occur in the water, creating allochthonous deposits of organic matter in the riverbeds . These deposits have an ecological function clara.18 Because of its size and habit generally use the same paths to feed, hippos can have a significant impact on land spanning both because these areas are free of vegetation and by the depressions in the ground. If this occurs for extended periods may divert marsh channels and canals. Adult hippos can not float and swim. When in deep water, they usually propel short jumps along the bottom , move at speeds greater than five miles per hour in the water . However, young people do move float and pulse usually swimming with his hind legs. Adults emerge to breathe every three to five minutes , and the young have to breathe every two or three minutes. The process of the surfacing and breathing is automatic, and even a hippo sleeping underwater will rise and breathe without waking. When submerged the nostrils shut . Studying the interaction between males and females has long been complicated. As there is no sexual dimorphism in this species is very difficult to distinguish them in the wild. Although they like to be in proximity to each other , does not seem to form social bonds except between mothers and children , and are not social animals. The reason we come together as close to each other is unknown. Are territorial only in water, where a male controls a small stretch of river about 250 m long on average to establish mating rights and containing ten females. Larger groups can contain up to a hundred individuals. Allow the presence of other males in your area, but always to submit to the authority of the dominant male. Within groups tend to segregate by gender. Young males with other males remain unmarried females remain with other females and the dominant male remains alone . When they leave the water to go to eat, they do individually. Hippopotamuses appear to communicate verbally, grunts and bellows, and are believed to have some ability to echolocation , but the purpose of these vocalizations is unknown. They can keep their heads above water part and issue a cry that travels both by water and by air, and respond to it both hippos that are on and off the water.
039- CQ2469 : Among the reeds that grow in the water you can see a huge variety of birds during the Water Safari Camp Eagle Island Camp by Orient Express , outside the Moremi Game Reserve in Botswana . With an area of ??approximately 3,900 square km , this reserve was created in the 1960s to protect the most wildlife -rich Okavango Delta . In 2008, the tourism fair in the prestigious Association of Travel and Tourism South Africa , Indaba , was voted as "the best wildlife reserve in Africa." It is the first reserve in Africa created by local residents. The people of Ngamiland Batawana , led by Mrs. Moremi , wife of late Chief Moremi III , concerned about the rapid extinction of wildlife on their land , mainly due to over-hunting , made ??the wise decision to proclaim Moremi as reserve in 1963, making her the only officially protected area of the Okavango Delta , acquiring a great scientific , environmental and preservation and as a result , is classified as one of the most beautiful reserves in Africa, and even possibly the world. The reserve has a split personality , one side has large areas of land elevations amid extensive marshes . Located in the central and eastern Okavango , Moremi includes language that encompasses the northeastern part of the Reserve, and Chief's Island , in the inner Delta , claiming to be one of the most diverse and rich ecosystems of Africa , resulting in a spectacular bird watching, over 400 species of birds, some migratory and other endangered species , and animal watching, including all carnivorous and herbivorous species in the region in their natural habitat . Black and White rhinos were recently reintroduced to the reserve, thereby making it a destination to find ¨ ¨ the big five . The most predominant vegatación ranging from Mopane forests and thorny bushes to dry savanna , grasslands , floodplains , riparian forests , lagoons , islands , wetlands and perennial streams . Moremi is a common destination for the camper without driver , and usually is usually combined with Chobe National Park to the northwest . Within Moremi attractions are:
- The Third Bridge , located near the beautiful River Sekiri , surrounded by thick forests of papyrus , is a favorite , creating unforgettable memories of spectacular sunsets in the Okavango . It is literally the third wooden bridge if we come to the reservation by the south gate . It's a nice rustic bridge that saves a pond colored sandy tannins on the river, a great place to camp and make a picinic in their old camp , the most popular of booking. It is not advisable to swim in the area, because you can find crocodiles and hippos in the reeds .
- Mboma Island , grassy island of 100 square kilometers is not really just an extension of the language of Moremi . It consists of a sandy meander 25 km , constituting a very nice optional excursion begins about 2 miles west of Third Bridge .
- Xakanaxa Lediba , this gap has one of the largest colonies of herons in Africa , which makes it a paradise for bird watching . A part of herons , can spot marabouts , African jabiru storks , ibis different classes ( tantalum African sacred ibis and glossy ibis ) and egrets and abundant animals and fish .
Some shelters category in the area, organized boat and mokoro circuits for their customers , they can join if they wish but if they are staying in shelters the price is quite high but always negotiable . The route between the North gate Xakanaxa Lagoon is one of the most scenic rides in the country. Worth making a stop at the lagoon Dombo Hippo , about 14 km southwest of the north gate , where hippos throng on the shore, we can see these wonderful animals from a high lookout . There are also two ponds Paradise troughs and as the name suggests are wonderful for observing animals. The only way to reach Moremi is in off-road safari vehicle or plane as there is no public transport. If you have a reservation at Delta camp , it usually takes care of the transfer itself in aircraft, vehicle or boat, albeit with an additional cost.
040- CQ2879 : An elephant wanders the camp nearby Eagle Island Camp by Orient Express , outside the Moremi Game Reserve in Botswana . Located in Central Okavango Delta , Eagle Island Camp is a camp built on the water , with shops and thatched roofs , in one of the islands in the lagoon Xaxaba . Xaxaba literally means " island of tall trees ." The camp is a nice retreat from the African sun protected , thanks to the shade provided by a canopy of native trees. Located in one of the most pristine and natural delta, a region with a variety of channels and large wetlands. The animal and bird life of this region is very rich and can be seen aboard species mekoros ( traditional dugout canoes ) , motor boats , cruises of 14 seats at sunset and Bell Jet Ranger helicopter ( additional cost) . For intrepid explorers eager to follow tracks and noise in the bushes , the camp offers guided walks . Further, the magnificent sunsets can be enjoyed -a rain - covered from the Fish Eagle Bar or from the raised platform overlooking the lagoon. The Okavango wetlands are a treasure to enjoy their animals and natural wonders . Sightings and sounds change according to the season and even the hours. The experience is unique . Not far from the camp you can blast your way through the channels created by hippos and even follow his footsteps through thick reed fields . When the sun rises , the sound of small frogs in ponds comes to an end after the ' evening concert ' . The fabulous bright plumage of a kingfisher attention. Is throwing darts at the swamp , having breakfast on a fish that twists on itself . Now you would be the envy of any ornithologist, floating like you're in a sky of feathers. Although the Okavango Delta is technically known as a swamp , the water is quite pure and free from impurities , with an abundance of fish. Not surprisingly, this area houses the highest concentration of ospreys in the world. Also, the huge amount of food attracts all varieties of birds with an appetite for fish, including herons , cormorants , pelicans and storks. In drylands , guests can see buffalo, red antelopes , baboons , hippos , elephants and giraffes.
041- CQ2201 : During Water Safari Camp Eagle Island Camp by Orient Express , outside the Moremi Game Reserve in Botswana , we find an interesting variety of birds. Moremi covers an area of ??4,871 km2 , the eastern part of the Okavango Delta . Basically described as one of the most beautiful wildlife reserves , combining mopane forests and acacia trees , flood plains and lagoons.
Moremi is highly regarded by the great variety of flora and wildlife.
Birdlife is prolific and varied, ranging from water birds to shy forest dwellers . There are several species of ducks and geese an interesting variety of herons .
There are numerous elephants especially during the dry season , as well as other species of animals ranging from buffaloes , giraffes , lions , leopards , cheetahs , wild dogs, hyenas , jackals and all kinds of antelope , large and small , including the red lechwe .
The amount of wild dogs is declining everywhere , however you can see regularly in Moremi and are the subject of a project carried out in the area since 1989 .
Moremi is best visited in the dry season and the best time for safari from July to October, when animals are concentrated in permanent waters , although the safari is productive at any other time of year ( what you see , obviously varies according to season ) .
42 - CQ2078 : A pair of warthogs fights while performing the walking safari conducted in the vicinity of Camp Eagle Island Camp by Orient Express , outside the Moremi Game Reserve in Botswana . Social behavior and reproduction of these warthogs . This species of wild boars are not territorial , but occupy an area of action. Wild boars live in groups called sounders . Females live in sounders with their young and with other females . Females tend to stay in their natal groups , while the men go , but stay within the home range . Subadult males associate in bachelor groups but leave alone when they become adults. Adult males only join sounders that have estrous females . Warthogs have two facial glands - tusk gland and sebaceous gland . Warthogs of both sexes begin mark around six to seven months of age. Males tend to mark more than women . The places that are indicated are for sleeping and feeding areas and springs. Warthogs use tusk marking for courtship , antagonistic behavior , and set the state . Warthogs are seasonal breeders . Rutting begins at the end of the dry season or early rainy and delivery begins near the start of the next rainy season . The mating system is described as " overlap promiscuity " : the males have ranges overlapping several female ranges , and daily behavior of the female is unpredictable. Boars employ two mating strategies during the rut . With the " staying tactic " , a boar will stay and defend certain women or a valuable resource for them. In the " itinerant " tactical boar sows in heat seek and compete for them. Boars will wait bristles arising out of their burrows . A dominant boar will displace another boar is also courting his wife . When a sow leaves her den, the boar will try to prove his dominance and then follow her before copulation. For the " staying tactic " , monogamy , polygamy, female - defense polygyny or defense resources , while promoting " roaming tactic " promotes scramble - competition polygyny . Typical gestation period is five or six months. When you are about to give birth, sows temporarily leave their families to give birth on a separate hole . The litter is seven fifty-eight piglets , with two to four typical . The sow will stay in the hole for several weeks nursing her piglets . Warthogs have been observed to participate in allosucking . The bristles nurse foster piglets if they lose their own waste , which cooperative breeders . Allosucking not seem to be a case of mistaken identity or milk theft and may be a sign of kin altruism . Piglets begin paste in about two or three weeks and are weaned at six months . Warthogs are considered a kind "follower " , as the young are kept close at all times and do not hide .
Condition . The wild boar population in South Africa is estimated at around 250,000 . Typical densities range between 1 and 10 km in protected areas , but local densities of 77 km are in short grass in Nakuru National Park . The species is susceptible to drought and hunting, which can result in localized extinctions . The Common Warthog is present in many protected areas throughout its range .
043- CQ1956 : A speedboat sails the Okavango Delta on a water safari camp organized from Eagle Island Camp by Orient Express , outside the Moremi Game Reserve in Botswana . There are rivers that die at sea , waterways that run for miles over land , fatter , increasing its flow, to release into the ocean. There are others that flow in lakes, in other rivers ... But there are other , very few, who defied the established just pouring water into the desert sands inland, disappearing , vanishing as if by magic . This is what happens to the Okavango River , 1,600 miles after birth. After sprouting in southwestern Angola ( which has the name of Cubango ) , turns east , away from the sea, starting its journey along the border between South Africa and Namibia ( then being known as and Okavango ) to go to die to Botswana . Well away from the Atlantic and Indian Oceans , in the middle of the southern cone of the continent , creating the largest inland delta in the world . Is the Kalahari which hosts the river , especially in the months of July and August , shortly after entering Botswana to the north. The aerial image is sensational phenomenon : in half the prevailing aridity , pale and bright land , languages ??stained green water their journey south. It looks like a tree without branches whose roots move unsuccessfully to nowhere. Such is the size of the delta (16,000 square miles , slightly larger than the area of ??the province of Huesca ) that would have to climb on a satellite to see this accurately , but the flight can be done in light aircraft from Maun helps to gain an great idea of what is happening there . The river moves perfectly ordered , channeled , forming a broad riverside to reach the height of Sepupa , where everything is messed up , it overflows . This is where begins the inner delta , where the river splits into a thousand and one different routes (more the higher the water level that year) creating a maze of islands, rivers , streams , rivulets , brooks ... tens of kilometers later vanish , disappear .
044 - CQ2129 : The flowers and small water lilies are a constant in the aquatic safari camp made ??from Eagle Island Camp by Orient Express , outside the Moremi Game Reserve in Botswana . The Okavango Delta . It is one of the most fascinating and perplexing of the black continent , where the water meets the sands of the Kalahari Desert into a small universe of unique and extraordinary wildlife . This is a very good , like the nearby Serongo , to get to know the delta transported in a mokoro , small canoes traditionally constructed from a tree trunk . A boatman located in the rear pushing us easily with a pole four to five meters through wide channels . The delta begins to open there and taking thousands of branches not yet appreciate as well as in the other famous place : Maun , situated on the southwestern tip of the delta. Self-described as "the gateway of the Okavango Delta ," Maun is one of the most tourist places of the country. But that, in Botswana , is almost to good : many offer many different camps to stay, banks and decent restaurants , lots of activities ... The concentration of tourists is so scarce and hotels are far apart from each other along the river sometimes hard to believe we're in a really touristy , especially when compared with the coast of Spain . This is a great starting point for a tour of two or three days in the dugout . Each supports up to two people and rower , who serves as guide . A cooperative is managing all mokoro trips , setting rotations between the rowers to benefit the entire community. The standard rates are per day , part of which goes to a common fund for community improvements . The idea is that the benefit will be divided equally . From Maun , transport us into a motor boat by one of the streams to Boro, the starting point . From there we enter the realm of water , silence, slow motion . Sitting on the floor of the boat , move by tongues of calm waters , almost motionless , completely transparent but with a reddish color . The water is often camouflaged by vegetation that invades the bed and its surface and sometimes Waterman invents the way , pushing above the reeds and water lilies , without too much difficulty . On the horizon, in the islands identified by the trees (palm , ebony or sausage tree curious ) are quick to appear birds ( kingfishers, herons , eagles ) and some antelope. But to see larger animals still have to go deeper into the delta and land search . In some of the thousands of islands that make up the delta is home to large mammals . Water, and in the middle of the desert, is life and so the delta is one of the best places in the region to see them. Contrary to popular belief , water does not disappear delta down, not filtered. Well, not all . It is estimated that only 2 % form part of the aquifers that are in the area . The vast majority evaporates (36% ) or sweat (60% ) consumed by plants that are born and live through it . The rest flows into Lake Ngami , in the southwestern part of the delta.
045- CQ2453 : You have to be very careful with hippos in the water safari camp made ??from Eagle Island Camp by Orient Express , outside the Moremi Game Reserve in Botswana . The common hippopotamus is the third largest land animal in the world today ( after the elephant and the white rhinoceros ) . They can live in water or land navigate , and its specific gravity allows them to sink and walk or run under water along the bottom of rivers. They are considered current megafauna , but unlike all other African megafauna , have adapted to a semi-aquatic life in rivers and freshwater lakes . Due to its large size , hippopotamuses are difficult to weigh in nature and most of the estimates of its weight in the wild come from operations in the 1960s. The average weight for adult males between 1500 and 1800 kg . Females are smaller than males , with average weights between 1300 and 1500 kg.9 Older males reaching weights much larger , reaching at least 3,200 kg and sometimes up to 4500 kg . The males seem to grow throughout their lives, while females reach a maximum weight at around age twenty-five . They measure between 3.3 and 5.2 meters long including the tail , of about 56 cm , and about 1.5 m tall at the shoulders . The range of common hippo measures overlaps with the white rhino , the use of different metrics makes it difficult to establish which of these two animals is the largest land animal after elephants. Despite being a chubby -looking animal with its large barrel-shaped torso , on land can run faster than a human. Estimates of their running speed vary from 30 , 40, or even 50 km / h , it can only maintain these high speeds over short distances. His mouth is huge and their jaws can be opened at an angle of 150 degrees , the neck is short and robust and greatly elongated body and thick, with the back to the rump higher than in the cross and buried in the central part , the belly , broad and rounded , is hanging and comes to touch the ground when the animal walks through a swamp . The eyes , ears and nostrils are located on top of the head, allowing them to stay in the water with most of the body immersed in the water and mud of tropical rivers to stay cool and avoid sunburn. Has short legs with four fingers well developed in each terminated in hoof and graviportal skeletal structure is adapted to support the great weight of these animals. Like other aquatic mammals , the hippopotamus has very little hair . Although not a ruminant stomach has a complex comprising three divisions or chambers . The skin is smooth with pleats on the chest and neck and almost hairless except for a short bristles on the head and tail. It is gray purple, with the lower body and around the eyes and pinkish brown ears , are common cases of albinism. The epidermis (outer layer ) is uniformly thin, and the endodermis varies from 5-6 cm in back and rump less than 1 cm in head and belly. Their skin secretes a natural sunscreen reddish , which causes sometimes say that " blood sweat ," but is neither blood nor sweat , this secretion is initially colorless , for a few minutes and eventually turn red orange color brown . We have identified two different pigments in the secretions , one red ( hiposudárico acid ) and one orange ( norhipposudoric acid ) . Both are highly acidic compounds and inhibit the growth of disease-causing bacteria on the other hand , the light absorption of these pigments reaches the ultraviolet range having an effect sunscreen . All hippos, even with different diets , secrete these pigments , so it does not seem to occur based on their supply. In contrast , animals can synthesize protein precursors pigments , as the amino acid tyrosine . They have 2-3 pairs of incisors and canines of the lower jaw have the appearance of two large tusks , which can be overcome in the case of males 50 cm in length (half in the case of females ) and achieve a 4 kg weight , are triangular , curved in a crescent shape , blunted at the end thereof and provided with longitudinal grooves . The tusks of the upper jaw are much shorter and weaker , and also curved and blunt at the tip. We measured the bite force of a adult female hippo at 8100 N.
046- CQ2371 : Landscape mokoro photographed from a boat in the water safari calls made ??mokoro canoe camp starting from Eagle Island Camp by Orient Express , outside the Moremi Game Reserve in Botswana . Before starting, safety measures in case of an unwanted encounter with hippos, buffaloes , lions ... Our local guide that we followed in James to single file , stopping to explain each fingerprint , every bone , every turd and every path were finding . It was like slowly sweep the ground in search of our prey . At the safari we saw a variety of animals, since in those rainy months are scattered remote areas. Oddly enough, the Okavango Delta level is low during the summer rainy season and high in the dry winter. This is because the mass of water drained from the delta, arriving from Angola about six months after he had fallen . That is, water that is raining in the mountains of that country during November to March takes the time to travel the 1,000 km due to the unevenness of only 60m . Before starting the 2 hour hike we saw a fire at a nearby island that would accompany us during the three days . We arrived at the camp with the sun already set , time that hippos began their activity . Dinner was better but still , with food not play. Although our 3 guides told us that the fire could not reach because it separates a channel , I was not all me to sleep peacefully. I would have about 500 meters and at night you could hear burn as if on the same side . Being completely covered channels of vegetation , giving the feeling of uneasiness , that there was no separation between that area and our own. On Monday, following the advice of our guide - leader , we got up at 5:30 am for some breakfast and go to the mokoro to another place, where we would do the next safari . This was the safari which justified the money spent. It lasted four hours and saw zebras , wildebeest , elephants , a group of over 20 giraffes , hippos , ... and so on foot, with no barrier between animals and us. The only bad thing was the intense heat that made those three days , it was horrible. At the turn of safari, James left the leadership to his two young apprentices , who were we also chanting the name of all that is moving our way. Must see as animal life , the less we can be dangerous for them to walk , the more scared and keep their distance . We smelled and remained with her ??until she ran to get away . But just going with zebras that huge group of giraffes. It also indicates that they are accustomed to vehicles used for safaris . But the feeling of walking in silence and without any motor vehicle is not paid with money. The hike was about 4 hours and during it we went through small sections burned by the fire we saw yesterday and we still looked burn at close range. We returned to camp for lunch and then I began to take a nap . About 17h hopped back into the mokoros to see the sunset between the channels, from the water. Very nice sunset , though I could not place my tripod anywhere or stand up to any photos. At night we could enjoy various kinds of natural lighting . On the one hand , and no light pollution the beautiful sky with its well marked Milky Way and Jupiter , on the other a lot of small insects that emit a flashing light either while flying or standing , also the glow of the fire and finally a storm in the distance. On Tuesday at the same time and after breakfast standing up . This time we started the short walk without using mokora , Nearby the first day. As I supposed , saw fewer animals. A pair of elephants solitary and a group of four hippos in a small lake as highlights. About 9:30 am we were back at camp, too much down time doing nothing. While on one side and I was glad , because the weather was hot without water reserves , better to be chatting or thrown at the store. At 14h and we had it picked up and we were starting back to the Boro season . The trip was somewhat shorter downstream as we would . The hostel guy had the very great idea to bring a cooler with cold drink. So I had a beer with Marcelo back to the hostel and a storm that accompanied us on the last leg . I had to wait , once already in the hostel, to abate the storm to start reassembling the store. At night also dropped some rain , but luckily did not get to test my store Made in China. I did also avoid it, as I always wanted a place covered by a tree and if possible with a little slope. As for the mattress, fully engaged to him , but every night I had to inflate to put up with the hours of sleep . Diana and Chris told me about their visit prior to the Okavango Delta to a salt desert located between Maun and Kasane , specifically had to stop at Nata . This place known as the Makgadikgadi Pans ( pan ) is located within the national park called Makgadikgadi & Nxai National Park.
047- CQ2392 : water held in mokoros Safari in the Okavango Delta camp starting from Eagle Island Camp by Orient Express , outside the Moremi Game Reserve in Botswana . Free camping in the middle of the Okavango Delta is an amazing experience . It allows you to be in touch with nature and allowed us to see one of the most incredible sunsets of our trip to South Africa . The special thing about this evening was that we saw from a mokoro in the middle of the calm and clear waters of the Okavango Delta mokoro Botswana.El ( makoro mocoro or canoes ) is a kayak or canoe was originally made ??of ebony , although today are fiberglass . Usually led by a guide will ( poler ) that leads to a pole . It also has room for two passengers and material support for the night in the camp. In our case we sat on mats then helped us to sleep. Tip: If you have the opportunity to choose is important that the poler speak at least some English and is young and eager to communicate. Our experience with these people was really very good , at night by the fire were telling stories and sharing dinner with us on an island in the Okavango Delta . How did we get ? We went by plane from the airport Maum , to the airport or better described the Sepupa airstrip . From there by truck to reach the shores of the river to catch the mokoro . I have no words to describe what it means to fly the largest inland delta in the world, but the few I could find and use in Article Flying over the Okavango Delta . The mokoro impressive is the tranquility and silence you closer and see wild animals , we saw hippos , elephants , eagles ... but best of that day was the sunset. As we were going to sleep on an island in tents in the middle of the river, did not need to come back soon to continue the route along the river lost, so we could not stay to see the sunset . Instead of describing you have some photos that speak for them mismas.Baño in the river. The waters are crystal clear and in places with current seems not dangerous to swim as long as the guides or polers so allow. I do not bathe for a chance get coccidia ( a parasite Local ) . They are usually in stagnant water , and mainly in the Zambezi River . Some friend if that bathroom and if I were I would bathe , because I did there as a precaution but a week after rafting on the Zambezi River end I poured in more than 14 occasions , and I think I swallowed so much water that contributed to the drying of the delta .
048- CQ2340 : Water Safari calls made ??mokoro canoe camp starting from Eagle Island Camp by Orient Express , outside the Moremi Game Reserve in Botswana . The waters of the Okavango are swallowed by the arid Kalahari Desert . But before disappearing branch and flood a vast expanse of land forming a delta that is one of the greatest wildlife havens . The sun sets mokoros referred from , the traditional local Boats , while living close the life cycle of every day ... THE DELTA OKAVANGO MOKORO . Sunday was the Lord's day , Mr. Okavango Delta . It is the mouth of a river in world's largest earth . At 8am we were ready to depart for the vast area of wetlands and islands , with lots of animal life with 4 ( elephant, buffalo, lion and leopard ) of the Big 5 , missing the rhinoceros. The day before leaving, joined us three more members to the expedition that traveled together during the previous month . Marcelo , a Brazilian who spoke Spanish . Hugo a wanderer and his Spanish bride, of New York . The delta branch that passes in front of Old Bridge Backpackers is called Thamalakane . From the edge of the same hostel we hopped on a boat in the direction of the station boats , called Boro NG32 Boat Station and situated in the village bearing the same name. The trip took almost 1 hour for shallow labyrinthine channels . On the way and just 1km from the exit, stopping to see a crocodile on the bank of feet, an osprey ... Once there , download all the stuff , we present our driver-guides and loaded again the material on our new means of transport , the mokoro . It is so called the canoe used by local people. In that area for years created a community dedicated to a very consistent and respectful tourism with nature. Currently the canoes used are made ??of fiberglass two seat type " sports stadium bleachers " for 2 passengers, plus the driver placed standing in the back who runs the Venetian -style theme with a long wooden stick. It was like traveling on a rural gondola the Pego- Oliva marsh but a few 16.000km2 area, with more than 150,000 islands and an important animal life . After 1 hour and 30 minutes upstream from the ends of the channels in a first section and open channels between the vegetation in the second half , we arrived at our base camp , an island called Madikudu . In the small boat that we had food, shopping and luggage for the 3 -board , so that the water was just over 5cm to get inside . That coupled with the constant jolts that seemed to dump the canoe , I was tense all the way , where the only thing is I would have imported the camera wet . Since the trip more economical hire , food and camping equipment was provided by each. Diana and I went with Chris to buy the day before and to propose a purchase together , I could not say no although I was repenting before have said it .... because the food is not played . After mounting played the lunch shops , and release my menu was bread with peanut butter . For if we stayed hungry were apples . These people have other priorities in life and certainly for mine unfortunately the food was not one of them. At 16h marched to my first walking safari , a unique, authentic and quiet.
049- CQ1865 : Tourists enjoying the last rays of sun on the water safari camp made ??from Eagle Island Camp by Orient Express , outside the Moremi Game Reserve in Botswana . The Okavango River originates in Angola and after traveling almost 1000 kms is divided into countless streams , canals and lakes forming the Okavango Delta area called ( as in Botswana ) . Occupies 15,000 square kilometers this amazing gift of nature full of birds of all colors , hippos , crocodiles , impalas , zebras , elephants , buffalo , wild boars ... and water lilies , papyrus and more varied fauna. The safaris are made on foot or by boat. Also consider visiting villages where humble life of its inhabitants : wooden houses sharing a water fountain without light. Where moroko Besides taking tourists , their sources of income are small gardens , fishing and handicrafts .
RECOMMENDATIONS If you want to see are large mammals , the best time to visit the delta is from May to October , when the water is low. If you prefer green vegetation cover angry birds is the best time of the rainy season from November to April. The apartments in the heart of the delta are private and are very expensive . The alternative is the camps and government lodges found in the peninsula of Moremi .
CURIOSITY is said that the lions of the Okavango Delta are the only swimmers, that in times of flood water are forced to do so if they are isolated on islands to hunt their prey most common antelopes and impalas . The mokoros are kind of canoes used by the locals to scroll through the channels. Constructed of wood slowly move driven by the force of man.
050- CQ2212 : In the Okavango Delta inhabit large number of hippos, visible during Water Safari Camp Eagle Island Camp by Orient Express , outside the Moremi Game Reserve in Botswana . The common hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius ) is a large mammal primarily herbivorous artiodactyls living in sub-Saharan Africa . It , along with pygmy hippopotamus ( Choeropsis liberiensis ), one of only two current members of the family Hippopotamidae .
It is a semi-aquatic animals inhabiting rivers and lakes where territorial adult males with groups of 5-30 females and young control a river area . During the day they remain in the water or mud , and both intercourse and delivery of this animal occur in water . At dusk they become more active and out to graze on grass . While hippopotamuses rest near each other in the water , grazing is a solitary activity , and are not territorial on land . Despite their physical resemblance to pigs and other terrestrial ungulates , their closest living relatives are cetaceans (whales , porpoises , etc. . ) Of which diverged about 55 million years . The common ancestor of whales and hippos split from other even-toed ungulates around 60 million years ago. The hippopotamus fossils earliest known members of the genus Kenyapotamus in Africa, date to make about 16 million years . The hippopotamus is recognizable by its barrel-shaped torso , enormous mouth and teeth, body skin smooth and nearly hairless , stubby legs and large size . Earth is the third animal by weight ( between 1 ½ and 3 tonnes ) , behind the white rhinoceros ( 1 ½ to 3 ½ tonnes ) and the two genera of elephants ( 3-9 tons ) . Despite its stocky shape and short legs, can run as fast as the average human . Hippos have been clocked at 30 km / h over short distances. It is one of the most aggressive creatures in the world and is often regarded as the most ferocious animal in Africa. There are approximately 125 000 150 000 hippos throughout Sub-Saharan Africa , Zambia ( 40,000 ) and Tanzania ( 20 000-30 000 ) have the largest populations . Are threatened due to habitat loss and poaching for their meat and ivory canine teeth .
051- CQ2322 : One way to make a water safari is doing in a boat called mokoros , traditional canoes used by the inhabitants of the delta, and get them to one of the islands to the mainland to spend the night between noise of hippos and hyenas , the shelter of a fire and under the most beautiful starry sky and clear you can imagine. All washed down with Amarula , a kind of coffee liqueur that is made with the fruit of a tree of the forest and with which to elephants become happy from time to time . From there we went straight to one of those places that a traveler has always pending, the Okavango Delta . A strange river that rises from the depths of the Kalahari , to soak it all in life and lost again between the dryness of Africa. It is difficult to describe a site that runs on mocoros ( a kind of canoe ) , through papyrus reeds and lilies and a stunning wildlife hidden in the environment (it is difficult , at least , convey the feelings ) . Lying on the boats , driven by a " puller ", managing the mocoro with a long wooden stick dipped into the shallow waters drown the desert , life seems simple. They drink the spring water , catch fish with a net, sleeping on the trail of a candle in the middle of an uninhabited island . And there are you, watching as a few dozen hippos remind us that those are their lands , listening to their voices resound through the undergrowth , following the trail of one of the elephants that we saw in the slopes and ( something personal ) thinking that a small bar in the area to stay with a drink would be the culmination of a perfect day ( is to stone me , I know) . Is the defect we have some love with this thing get lost in the world , that if we could figuring a winery in the suitcase to drink in sips lonely . There are many unforgettable images of those two days : an evening in front of the Delta with light vacilándonos at will , a little water on my head because my mocorista was already something breaking, unable to keep up with the most young , and ended rowing to advance through palms ... But above all there is a bath which scored ( message for my friend Juancho ) in the river . The pullers we asked how many wanted to swim . In several of the group a few minutes soaking in the crystal clear waters of the Okavango , amid a stream that seemed asleep but trailing Angola direction , with the feeling soak the ass in the paradise , surrounded by invisible animals . One then dried in the sun , and use almost no eyes , meaning normal for a hundred yards a group of elephants reluctantly watch the scene .
052- CQ2411 : Sailing at sunset in a speedboat during Water Safari Camp Eagle Island Camp by Orient Express , outside the Moremi Game Reserve in Botswana . Mbiroba is a campground that also has traditional cottages and bungalows. It is on the banks of the Okavango Delta and its main attraction are the Mokoro trips or traditional canoes , which are managed by the association ' Okavango Poler 's Trust ' . Trips are made one or two days and into the depths of the delta to enjoy its wildlife, scenery and absolute calm broken only by the calls of hippos at sunset. During the tour of the Delta must take into account that it is an area full of wild animals and be very careful not to disturb them , especially the hippos during Mokoro trip . The Okavango Delta is one of the largest in the world, with 15,000 square kilometers. In this system of lakes , marshes, rivers and channels reach millions of species in the wild. A visual feast for fanas animals.
053- CQ1878 : During Water Safari Camp Eagle Island Camp by Orient Express , outside the Moremi Game Reserve in Botswana , we not only find birds and hippos , which also exist , but also abound elephants. Killing an elephant : 37,000 euros. Botswana is considered a paradise for fans of the game and there are several companies that offer luxury safaris . Botswana , the southern African country where the king has broken her hip this week , is considered a paradise for fans of the game and there are several companies that offer luxury safaris license to hunt an elephant for about 37,000 euros . Under government control, there is a whole tourism industry geared just for hunting enthusiasts , who are offered the opportunity to hunt elephants , leopards , giraffes and all sorts of wild animals during a stay in luxury camps in national parks . A stay of about 12 days in one of these camps to bring down an elephant license , copy more expensive, cost around 37,000 euros , while going on the hunt for a leopard or lion cost around 36,000 euros and Buffalo down to 23,000 euros , according to prices consulted by Europa Press in several of these companies . Is the government of this country that grants a limited number of licenses per year per species for wildlife hunting takes place in a controlled manner . When the executive detects that the number of individuals of a given species has dropped too prohibits hunting . This is what happened with the Lion in 2007 . In a luxury camp Juan Carlos de Borbon has been practicing this week in Botswana hunting and staying in one of these luxury camps , where one night he accidentally fell and broke his hip , prompting his return to Madrid, where this last morning had surgery to reconstruct this joint with a prosthesis. Although the fall was the cause of his right hip fracture , Don Juan Carlos suffers from osteoarthritis , as confirmed for the first time the Zarzuela Palace , so that his hip, like his right knee which was operated in June , and had undergone prior wear .
054- CQ2435 : Beautiful sunset in the Water Safari Camp Eagle Island Camp by Orient Express , outside the Moremi Game Reserve in Botswana . Visit Okavango . The best time to visit the delta depends on what you want to see . If you are looking for are large animals, the best period is between May and October, when the water recedes and those are concentrated around water. If you want to see are birds and lush vegetation , the best time is between November and April, the rainy season . There are about forty lodges and camps in the Okavango Delta . The camps , where you can camp or rent a lodge (house or pavilion ) are government property in Moremi Reserve , but not in the heart of the delta, where the private. To access them you need an all-rounder , one mocoro ( typical local boats ) , a helicopter or a plane , reserved for more expensive camps , who have no other access . The Botswana government's intention is to avoid mass tourism on the fragile ecosystem of the park, and therefore stay and accommodation within the park are very expensive. Many of the camps organized excursions on foot and camping on islands from which to make small safaris . The ATV displacements within large islands and around the delta, are constrained in many cases by the height of the water in time of flood covers the sandy roads . In private areas even be organized nights out with ATVs, but never in the national park if you are not a scientist. The Okavango River rises in the central plateau of Angola, where it is known as the Kubango south of Vila Nova , after about 1,600 km already be in Botswana , with the great plain prior to the Kalahari Desert , where it forms the Delta world's largest indoor . Then disappears swallowed by the desert sands and evaporation without ever reaching the sea, the rivers natural destination . The fact that mainly feed produced water by the rains in Angola makes the highest level is reached in August , full dry season , while in the rainy season , when the animals can find water in many seasonal swamps , the delta has the lowest level . This is what makes the Okavango Delta a unique place in the world where there are about 5,000 species of insects, 3,000 different kinds of plants , 540 species of birds , 164 mammals, 157 reptiles and 80 fish . The delta has undergone very little human pressure mainly due to the strong presence of the tsetse fly , carrier of sleeping sickness , which has prevented the development of societies both traditional and colonial livestock . And this problem is also a face fortunate , as the fragile ecology of the delta had not resisted excessive human pressure , especially large commercial farms . But human beings are able to adapt to almost any environment and was always human presence in the delta . A small living presence survival crops and especially fishing in its waters, which performed in large canoes built based on the natural frame large trunks . Today, these canoes known as mekoro in Setswana ( mokoro singular) , have become the best vehicle to visit the delta . Handled with a hanger -style boats Albufera of Valencia for example, each canoe can carry two passengers with their luggage and food, plus luggage and food - guide aircrew member . Thus, a typical path for the Okavango Delta consists of three or four hours daily browsing , stopping to see hippo pools , nests or other curiosity that is in the way, that will take us camping area . At dawn and dusk walks are performed by the different islands to observe mammals and birds that inhabit them , guided by expert boatmen who know the half- channels and the mainland as anyone knows the streets of their city. The rest of the time is spent enjoying the peace and unspoiled nature offering camping areas , preparing meals or trying to chat with the guides sitting by the fire .
The minimum time to enjoy all this are three days, although from here recommend stays of five days or a week , including on the trip a tour of areas of Moremi Game Reserve .
055- CQ2448 : A man with binoculars enjoy the best sunsets in the Okavango Delta Fish Eagle Bar Camp Eagle Island Camp by Orient Express , outside the Moremi Game Reserve in Botswana . At Eagle Island will have one of the most unforgettable experiences : a safari boat . The nature as you have never imagined : hippos swimming in the water , crocodiles relaxed in the sun , herds of lions with their pups ... in short, a host of wildlife from the water. In the Delta will find more than a thousand species of animals including giraffes , leopards and elephants that will make your photos the envy of more than one. Finish the day with the sun , relaxing at the Fish Eagle Bar, one of the world's most romantic bars . Botswana is considered as one of the best kept secrets beauties and Africa. It is a natural wonder for his prodigious wildlife and variety of species thanks to its people and government are fully committed to safeguarding and protecting this natural treasure. That is why it has become a destination for safaris par excellence, where Big Five are the main stars of the show with some wonderful backdrop scenarios will not forget . A new opportunity to enjoy Botswana from the air to reach the semi-arid Savute in the Chobe National Park . At the heart of the park , considered the world capital of elephants , is the Savute , an area that personifies the eternal contrast of Africa. The Savute Elephant Camp is ideally located for its proximity to the river and found a few meters from a trough with stunning views that facilitate you enjoy wildlife without leaving the camp. The camp is located on the banks of the Savute Channel , offering a spectacular view of the elephants in their natural habitat . The camp bar Eagle Island Camp in the Okavango Delta is one of the most romantic in the world according to The New York Times. The bar is called Fish Eagle ( Osprey ) and is a sober, large wicker chairs , overstuffed cushions , African crafts and sturdy wooden bar behind which looms a splendid collection of bottles of whiskey and you receive every time you come back from a safari with a splendid welcome cocktail and a wonderful tapas.
056- CQ1895 : plastic Attractive and sunsets from the pier Camp Eagle Island Camp by Orient Express , outside the Moremi Game Reserve in Botswana . MAUN OKAVANGO DELTA . Maun is the capital of the Okavango Delta , a complex and extensive lake system formed by the waters of the Okavango River , which forms an inland delta in northern Botswana for almost twenty thousand square kilometers. The city is located southeast of the delta, out of the flood zone and the gates of the Kalahari Desert . Maun , considered the southern gateway to the Okavango , is the fifth population of Botswana . It has 30,000 inhabitants and was founded in 1915 as the capital of the ethnic tribal botawana , a sub - tribe of the Tswana or tawana that grazed on the edge of the delta. Currently is the administrative center and the capital of the district of Ngamiland , but his most important activity is the organization and delivery of the many safaris and stays organized in the Okavango Delta . The city is a mix of modern capital and native huts . In its early reputation had border town where herds gathered around and organized hunts , but since the nineties of the last century tourism has fostered a rapid growth of the city on the banks of the river Thamallakane . Maun has numerous shops, hotels and lodges , and it is possible to hire special vehicles to travel to the delta or a plane from which to move to any of the aerodromes in the swamps abound after . However, the tourist nature of the town , she come yet the inhabitants of the region with their herds to trade.
The climate . The rainy season in the delta coincides with that of Angola , which takes place between October and April and in flood of the Okavango River , which begins to be felt in December and takes nine months to complete due to the low gradient of the river , about 60 m at 450 km. The rains are more abundant in the north and lower in the south, where the river goes into the Kalahari. In the town of Maun , the southern gateway to the Okavango Delta , the contrast between day and night is great in winter , with an average minimum of 6 ° C and an average maximum of 23 ° C. Frosts are not uncommon during cold spells . In summer , the heat is very strong but at night is refreshing , with a minimum average of 19 º C in November and December and average maximum of 35 ° C in October , before the rains . Humidity is maintained between 55 and 70 percent. The rains are zero in July, August and September and virtually zero in May and June , with 5 and 3 mm on average. In October, the average is 23 mm , and in November , 56 mm , in December , 86 mm , in January, the wettest month of 107 mm , in February , 71 mm , in March , 71 mm , and in April of 18 mm , then end, but the waters are still rising many times until July. Okavango Delta The Okavango is an African river , which rises in Angola in a fairly rainy and after a journey of nearly 1,000 miles and crossing the Caprivi Strip (Namibia ) , reaches the Kalahari Desert in Botswana and in where it enters an endorheic basin ( basins without outlet to the sea) , which forms a large region alluvial improperly named and known throughout the world as the Okavango Delta . As leads to an area with a very arid climate , it is an allochthonous river ( when the waters of a river ending in desert areas where they are lost by seepage and evaporation ) . Its basin extends over an area of ??721 277 km ² . Thus, the Okavango Delta is a delta unusual case , in the sense that this river does not flow into the sea. Actually , it is not a true river delta , but an alluvial fan or large alluvial fan , which occurs where the Okavango River empties into a plain almost endorreica a much drier climate than in their headers.
In the Okavango Delta there is only swimmers lion population , they are forced to enter the water , which during floods reaches cover 70 % of its territory , to hunt antelope and impala.
057- CQ1257 : The last rays of sun backlighting leave us a beautiful sunset near Camp Savute Elephant Camp by Orient Express in Botswna , in the Chobe National Park . BOTSWANA ECONOMY : Since independence , Botswana has experienced the fastest growth of income per capita in the world . Economic growth has been about 9 % per year from 1966 to 1999. The government has maintained a responsible fiscal policy , despite fiscal deficits in 2002 and 2003 and negligible foreign debt . It has maintained the highest ratio in Africa sovereign credit and accumulated foreign reserves . This improvement in the economy has been built from a judicious use of the proceeds from the diamond mines , prudent fiscal policies and a cautious foreign policy . Debswana , the only diamond mining company operating in Botswana , 50 % owned by the government and generates about half of all government revenues. Government spending was cut by 10 % in 2002-2003 in order to cope with rising health care costs and the budget deficit. The AIDS virus has greatly affected citizens and the country's economy . One in three people is infected with the virus. The government recognizes that the epidemic affects the country's economy and therefore planning programs to combat the epidemic , including free anti-retroviral treatment and a national program for prevention of HIV transmission from mother to child . Some maintained Botswana deficits can be explained by a relatively high military spending ( spent 4% of GDP in 2004 ) . Many analysts believe this figure unnecessary considering that Botswana is not in a conflict zone ( although the government makes use of its troops in multilateral operations and support ) .
LIVING Slower than Spanish , but one of the highest in Africa.
WEIGHTS AND MEASURES . Metric System .
OFFICIAL CURRENCY : Pula is the name of the currency of Botswana. It is divided into 100 Thembe . Pula means "rain" in Tswana and its fractions or Thembe , " drops " , referring to the precious and scarce liquid element. There are notes of 10P , 20P, 50P and 100P and coins 5t , 10t, 25t , 50t , 1P , 2P and 5P . The pula was introduced in 1976 , replacing the South African rand. Despite its devaluation of 12% in May 2005 , the pula remains one of the strongest currencies in Africa. Hoping to preserve the natural heritage of the country and simultaneously benefit from tourism , the government has instituted a policy under which only encourages exclusive tourism . Find cheap accommodation and transport is difficult and in fact, the best of Botswana becomes inaccessible for the traveler with limited resources , including any end average budget stretching. There are few cheap camping and affordable travel through the country's main tourist attraction , the Okavango Delta .
STANDARD TOUR USE COINS : Usually accept euro , other European currencies and the U.S. dollar . Nor is there any problem in changing the South African rand . Banks can refuse to exchange currency .
USUALLY CREDIT CARDS ACCEPTED: The most common credit cards (Visa , Master -Card, etc. . ) Are accepted at banks and in hotels and restaurants of some importance.
TRAVELERS CHECKS : The major cities have a full banking service and there are no difficulties in changing traveler's checks.
CURRENCY CONTROL INPUT AND OUTPUT TO LOCAL CURRENCY : There tracked changes in the border state whichever currency that enters the country . The remnants of the country's currency can be reconverted to foreign currency with which you purchased the " Pula " , by presenting the bank statements of change.
CHANGING PLACES : The black market is totally non-existent , so you always have to change banks . Currently there are also non-bank money exchange . In remote places weekly or monthly are enabled mobile banking offices . These services are useful to exchange travelers checks, but not to operate with cash. To change money at one of these banks must spend traveling all morning because of the queues . The hotels will also change money but the rate applied is always much worse.
TIPS, Although tipping is not essential in many hotels and restaurants await them. Anyway, it is recommended only reward exceptional service . In most establishments provides a service fee , added systematically , so if it is believed to be increasing , simply by 10%. Taxi drivers are not usually to tip .
TIME TIME DIFFERENCE WITH SPAIN : GMT +2 An hour behind Spain in winter and in summer it .
HOURS OF COMMERCE: Business hours are from 08.00 am to 13.00 and from 14.00 to 17.00 h . during the week.
BANK HOURS : Monday , Tuesday and Thursday from 08.00 to 14.30 , Wednesday and Saturday from 08.00 to 10.45 .
HOURS OF RESTAURANTS : Usually from 08:00 h . at 14:00 h . and 18:00 h . at 23:00 h . , but there may be variations.
DOCUMENTATION DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED FOR ENTRY TO THE COUNTRY (for people of Spanish nationality only) :
Passport: With a minimum validity of six months .
Visas : If . You can get input on the border for stays up to 30 days, extendable to a total of 90 days in the Immigration department in Gaborone.
RATE IN / OUT : There is a airport tax for international flights.
LIMITATIONS TO IMPORTS AND EXPORTS : People over 18 may import 200 cigarettes , 50 cigars , 250 gr. of snuff , a bottle of alcohol and 250 ml . perfume per person.
HEALTH INFORMATION VACCINES
Mandatory : No , unless appropriate in some epidemics infected country , in which case vaccination certificate is required .
Recommended : Tetanus and Yellow Fever . In the marshes ( Okavango Delta ) are advised to take antimalarial prophylaxis .
Besides basic precautions should be taken to avoid mosquito bites , tsetse fly and other insects using : repellent , light colored clothing , long sleeves and long pants, closed shoes, especially at dawn and dusk.
058- CQ2096 : While walking safari conducted in the vicinity of Camp Eagle Island Camp by Orient Express , outside the Moremi Game Reserve in Botswana , is easy to find landscapes full of termite mounds . A termite nest is the termite colony , where care for the queen , the larvae hatch , the breed and become soldiers , workers or future queens . Commonly are 40 meters from the ground , having an underground chamber , which is the main chamber of the mound . The top is a ventilation device , which also makes the termite shade to cool. Termite mounds are large cities with real camera , crop area , aeration , cooling, materials supply area , personnel ( defense , construction, agriculture , birth and child care , etc.). There are different types of termite termite species by the question, but here I will try just two types . In the first of them are flattened termite mud up to three meters high. The broad faces are oriented east- west, while they do the narrow north- south. This provision is not capricious and responds to thermal, non-magnetic . Termites are sensitive to heat and an excess of it will kill them , thereby receive the first rays of dawn sun heating the mound for the east side , while the western side remains cool . When the sun is at its zenith , the heat is up but it would not affect termites , since the rays strike the upper narrow . The other type of termite is a tower -like structure that can reach eight feet high. The cooling system used would be the envy of any engineer , because while they get to keep the temperature constant ventilation air made ??stale ( diffuse carbon dioxide and oxygen inside outside ) . Due to the large number of people that are in the termite (up to several million) heat is generated , air may stall and reheating up lethal to the termites. But these great engineers have the solution: the colony will occupy the central part of the nest and the hot air and carbon dioxide loaded amount through the galleries , in the upper air moves to the side and down on adjacent channels to the surface to the basement through the porous walls occurs diffusion of carbon dioxide towards the exterior and oxygen inward. Channels depart basement to the water table , where the workers collect the clay for the manufacture of the mound . Said basement ceiling is formed by a plate supporting the colony and which leave a series of concentric plates which absorb moisture from the colony in the plates will occur absorbed moisture evaporation cools the air which arrived to the basement , rising to the colony full of oxygen and temperature.
059- CQ2039 : A herd of zebras prowling near Eagle Island Camp by Orient Express Camp , outside the Moremi Game Reserve in Botswana . NATIONAL PARK Chobe . One of the most famous game reserves in the world, Chobe National Park , is home to large populations of animals and over 450 species of birds. Known for its large herds of elephants and the beautiful region of Savuti , where you can see a lot of predators. One of its main attractions is the annual migration of zebras. It is the second largest national park in Botswana and covers 10,566 km ² . Chobe has one of the largest concentrations of wildlife on the African continent as well as four different ecosystems: Serondela with its green plains and dense forests in the northeast of the river, the area Savuti Marsh in the west, the Linyanti Swamps in the northwest, and dry and hot area located between the three. The original inhabitants of the area were the San people , or Bushmen , hunters and gatherers who were constantly moving in search of water , food and wildlife. Other groups, such as Batawana Basubiya and joined the San . In 1931 the idea of ??creating a national park to protect wildlife from extinction , but was not officially established until 1960 booking . Seven years later , the reserve was declared a national park boundaries have expanded considerably since then. Chobe National Park has a large population of elephants , which has been steadily increasing during the twentieth century and is currently estimated at about 120,000 . The Chobe elephant are migratory , making migrations of up to 200 km from the Chobe and Linyanti rivers , where they concentrate in the dry season , to the southeast of the park depressions , which are dispersed in the rainy season . In addition to elephants , you can see lots of other wildlife, especially in the dry winter months . It is at this time when large concentrations elefants , buffalos , zebras , giraffes , impalas and other animals are concentrated along the river to drink . Chobe National Park is an important destination for wildlife viewing of all types and a choice of safari that travelers can not miss , especially river safaris .
060- CQ2046 : A tourist couple is photographed with zebras in background done walking safari camp near the Eagle Island Camp by Orient Express , outside the Moremi Game Reserve in Botswana . After scanning the horizon , Botsualo , our guide , you authorize us to set down tents and start a walk at sunset. " No need to worry , in this area there are no predators delta " he says when he sees our faces , among frightened and hopeful to walk through that area . Normally in parks but you can not walk in certain areas , guided self . This is a . Stealthy footsteps move huge recognizing droppings of elephants and monkeys , to a pasture area where several groups of zebra, wildebeest and antelope roam free . We discovered a skeleton giraffe. Further away , next to a huge baobab a rogue elephant . We can not approach too but being there, without the protection of the car, in nature, in his field , is a wonderful and liberating feeling equally. As the sun goes down we retired . Although it is the best time to observe the animals have to go back to camp, make a fire and cook dinner . We have made no effort , but pure nature seems to make hunger go . After dinner, the moisture in the cold night brings our bones but luckily we have the coals to warm . In the almost total silence any noise is noticeable , so we were dumbfounded to hear , only a few feet away, the sound of water , footprints in mud, breaking branches , trees shaken ... " Do not move or you ignite any light ," he Botsualo said as he walked out leaving us alone to look stealthy . We deduced that a noise and could only be an elephant. As the guide away the noise came back with a huge stick in his hand . " Elephants are the most dangerous animals . Sleep only 3 to 4 hours and still pacing night. And they can not see your tent and ... " he said , leaving the sentence unfinished . "Once ," he continued , " to scare one had to hit him because he had gotten very annoying , in a camp , where we had torches " . So , in the delta , sleeping on a small island , there are no fences or guards . It is pure nature, its territory, that is the beauty . And something like that is priceless.
061- CQ2529 : Portrait of a girl Batawana . In the vicinity of Camp Eagle Island Camp by Orient Express , outside the Moremi Game Reserve in Botswana there is a camp where they live a hundred Batawana Indian tribe . You can canoe trips to visit their village . Baskets in Moremi . Each basket is unique, and it takes to perform on average between 4-6 weeks in the expert hands of women in rural areas of the Okavango Delta region . The main raw material used to produce baskets in Botswana is vegetable fiber extracted from the Palm called Mokola . The different colors are obtained from various barks and roots of trees and shrubs . The mild and pleasant natural aroma given off make us mentally move the African savannah . Approx. : 9 cm high and 31 cm in diameter. It belongs to the Fair Trade project and development of local communities Botswanacraft . FACT: traditional uses that have been giving to the baskets , which in Europe is already lost , but in Africa is still used, are varied. The lid closed , are used for the storage of grain and seeds , whereas the open baskets shaped bowl are used by women to carry items on their heads and more open baskets are used to throw the grain having been trite.
062- CQ2579 : In the tribe altea Batawana is possible to observe how they got the first effects of globalization , as shown in sunglasses and clothing of these two local people . In the vicinity of Camp Eagle Island Camp by Orient Express , outside the Moremi Game Reserve in Botswana there is a camp where they live a hundred Batawana Indian tribe . You can canoe trips to visit their village . The Okavango Delta is the largest inland delta in the world, a labyrinth of lagoons, lakes and hidden channels covering an area of ??17 000 square km. Born in Angola - numerous tributaries join to form the Cubango River , flows through Namibia , becoming the Kavango River and finally enters Botswana , where it becomes the Okavango . Millions of years ago the Okavango River flowed into a large inland lake called Makgadikgadi ( now known as the Makgadikgadi salt flats - Makgadikgadi Pans ) . Tectonic activity and associated faults disrupted the flow of the river causing a sack that has resulted in the Okavango Delta . This has created a unique system of waterways that supports a wide variety of animal and plant life that would have otherwise been a dry Kalahari savanna like . It estimated about 200,000 large mammals in the Okavango Delta and its surroundings. On the mainland and among the islands that form the delta , live lions , elephants , hyenas , wild dogs , buffalo , hippos and crocodiles along with a huge variety of antelope and other small animals - warthogs , mongoose , spotted genets , monkeys , bush babies and squirrels. The presence in the Okavango Delta of the endangered African wild dog, constituting one of the most dense herds of Africa. The delta is also home to over 400 species of birds, including African Eagle Pescadora . Many of these animals live in the Delta but most pass through , migrating in the summer rainy season in search of grazing land reclaimed . With the onset of winter dry field and animals begin the road back to floodplains . This allows impressive spectacle to see move forward together in a large herd to predators and their prey. In some parts of the Delta may be the most striking scenes of predators in the world.
063- CQ2560 : Grandfather portrait in Batawana camp . In the vicinity of Camp Eagle Island Camp by Orient Express , outside the Moremi Game Reserve in Botswana there is a camp where they live a hundred Batawana Indian tribe . You can canoe trips to visit their village . The Republic of Botswana is a landlocked country in southern Africa, with an approximate size of France. It has a population of about 1.9 million inhabitants , most of whom live in the east, the most fertile area of the country. The official language and Setswana culture is predominantly belonging to people known as Batawana . There are also many San tribes in the desert region . Botswana has democratic tradition - kgotla system , rooted in Setswana culture based on a system of democracy and freedom of expression where all people have the right to say what they think. Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland , adopting the new name Botswana to declare independence as part of the Commonwealth on September 30, 1966 . Bordered by South Africa to the south and southeast , Namibia to the north and west , and Zimbabwe to the northeast . It meets Zambia at a single point . Botswana is known for its political stability , its people friendly and compassionate , and her diamonds . It is the largest exporter of diamonds in the world . The country is mostly flat , and in addition to the delta and desert areas has grasslands and savannas . The savannahs are home to wildebeest , lots of antelopes , and other mammals and birds. Much of the country is occupied by the Kalahari Desert , which makes a valuable water well . The currency is the Pula , which means rain in Setswana . This gives us an idea of ??the value that gave the water - raindrops were considered as the closest thing to money. The 17 % of the country has been allocated to reserves and parks, over 10 % internationally recommended and Northern Botswana has one of the few large herds of the endangered African Wild Dog. It also has the largest population of elephants in Africa.
064- CQ2777 ??: Some kids next to a young mother dressed in western clothes Batawana camp . In the vicinity of Camp Eagle Island Camp by Orient Express , outside the Moremi Game Reserve in Botswana there is a camp where they live a hundred Batawana Indian tribe . You can canoe trips to visit their village . Tswana Religion: Christianity and African traditional religion .
Related ethnic groups . Other Bantu peoples of South Africa. The Tswana are a people of southern Africa. The Tswana language belongs to the Bantu group of the Niger -Congo languages ??. Ethnic Tswana make up about 80 % of the population of Botswana. In the nineteenth century , the common spelling and pronunciation of Botswana was Bechuana . Therefore, the Europeans referred to the area inhabited by the Tswana as Bechuanaland . In the Tswana language , however , Botswana is the name for the country of the Tswana .
Dynasties and tribes
BOTSWANA The modern Republic of Botswana is named for the Tswana people . Eight major tribes Tswana-speaking country . All have a traditional Paramount Chief , Kgosikgolo style , you are entitled to a seat in the Upper House of Parliament and Dikgosi Ntlo . Tswana dynasties are all related . The three main branches of the Tswana tribe formed during the 14th century . Three brothers, Kwena , Ngwaketse and Ngwato , separated from his father , chief Malope , to establish their own tribes in Molepolole , Kanye and Serowe , probably in response to drought and expansion of populations in search of pasture and farmland .
The main Tswana tribes are:
Bakgatla
Bakwena
balete
Bangwato
Bangwaketse
Barolong
Batawana
Batlokwa
SOUTH AFRICA The largest number of ethnic Tswana people actually live in South Africa. They are one of the largest black minorities , and Tswana is one of the eleven official languages ??of South Africa. Until 1994 , South African Tswana people were theoretically citizens of Bophuthatswana , one of the few bantustans as intended by the apartheid regime , 1948-1994 . The Chiefs of the following Tswana political organizations are Kgosi style :
Bafokeng
Bafokeng
Bafokeng Ba Ga Motlatla
Batlhaping , divide by 1800 in
Batlhaping Bagaphuduhudu
Batlhaping Bagaphuduhutswane .
Ba Ga Batlhaping Maidi
Ba Ga Batlhaping Mothibi
Batlkwa
Batlkwa Ba Ga Sedumedi
Ba Batlokwa Bogatsu
Boo Batlokwa Matlapane
Barratlou Barlng divided into
Barratlou Barlng Boomariba
Barratlou Barlng Booseitshiro
Barratlou Barlng Boomakgobi
Ratlou Boo Ba Ga Barlng Phoi
Barlng Baseleka
Barlng Barrapulana
Boo Barlng Ratshidi
Ba Ba Ga Molefe Barlng Moata
Ba Ga Barlng Makgobi
Boo Barlng Lefifi
Ba Ga Barlng Moroka
Bahurutshe . The name may have been written historically Bahhurutshe .
Ba Ga Bahurutshe Mothogae
Ba Ga Bahurutshe Gopane
Le- Ba Ga Bahurutshe NCOE
Ba Ga Bahurutshe Mokgoswa
Ba Ga Bahurutshe Suping
Bakgatla divided into
Bakgatla Ba Kgafela
Bakgatla Ba Mosetlha
Bakgatla Ba Mmakau
Bakgatla Ba Mocha
Bakgatla Ba Seabe
Bakgatla Ba Mocheche
Bakgatla Ba Ga Mmanaana
Bakwena
Bakwena Ba Ga Molopyane
Bakwena Ba Mare Phogole
Bakwena Ba Magopa
Tebe Bakwena Ba , also known as Bantwane
Modimosana Boo Ba Ga Bakwena Mmatau
Bakwena Ba dwell
Bakwena Ba Ga Sechele
Batlharo divided into:
Ba Ga Batlharo Lotlhware
Ba Ga Batlharo Masibi
BAPO
Ga Ba Mogale BAPO
Ba Baphalane Ramokoka
Ba Baphalane Mantserre
Mututu Boo Ba Ga Batlhako Mabe
Baphiring
Ba Bataung Moubane
Ba Bataung Hlalele
Nawa Ba Ga Baphuting
Ba Ga Batloung Shole
Bakubung Ba Ratheo
Bakubung ba ga Marakwana
Ba Nare
Ba Ga Barokologadi Maotwa
Batlhalerwa
Batlhako
Ba Batlhako Matutu
Batlhako ba Leema
065- CQ2715 : An Indian breastfeed her child in the camp Batawana . In the vicinity of Camp Eagle Island Camp by Orient Express , outside the Moremi Game Reserve in Botswana there is a camp where they live a hundred Batawana Indian tribe . You can canoe trips to visit their village . Botswana is a popular place to take a safari holiday for the many different birds and animals that can be seen in their natural habitat and landscape diversity . There are palm islands can only be reached by boat, and the open plains that have remained more or less throughout its history . You get a sense of freedom to explore the plains because of their large space and due to the absence of human intervention in this area. Types of camps in Botswana. There are two permanent facilities including Sandibe and Matetsi and tented camps , including Nxabega available . These lodges all facing the river , for magnificent scenery to begin and end the days of your safari holidays . Wildlife can be seen in Botswana. There are many types of wildlife that can be seen in Botswana on safari holidays it is almost impossible to list ! You can see hippos , elephants , lions , crocodiles , zebras , wildebeest , impalas , monkeys , wild boar and tsessebes - only scratch the surface. At night , the hippos often approach the feeding camps mentioned above .. You can usually hear rustling noises while you lie on your bed. Try not to be afraid , but certainly not out only by reason.
Moremi Game Reserve. The Moremi Game Reserve is one of the most famous national parks in Botswana , although technically a game reserve. It is located on the eastern side of the Okavango Delta and was named after the tribe chief Moremi Batawana . The Moremi Game Reserve combines permanent water to drier areas , leading to striking contrasts in the landscape. Two of the salient features of this area are heads of the island and Language Moremi . Like many areas of Botswana , Moremi Game Reserve is a great place to observe animals and birds , especially in the lagoons. You will see lions , giraffes , buffaloes, hyenas , jackals , and more. There are also over 500 species of birds to see in this game reserve , including forest dwellers , waterfowl , ospreys and billed storks saddle . Although extremely rare , the leopards are another type of animal that you see here . Your best chance to see one in heavily wooded areas . In your safari holidays can explore this area through 4x4 vehicles , on foot or by Mokoro , which is a type of canoe is made of ebony and sausage -tree, or fiberglass .
Okavango Delta . The Okavango Delta (or Okavango Swamp ) is the world 's largest inland delta and forms the Okavango river mouth over a marsh in a basin in the Kalahari Desert . Instead of water flowing into the sea, most of it is lost to evaporation and transpiration . The Moremi Game Reserve is spread through the eastern part of the Okavango Delta . Animals that are more likely to see here in safari holidays are the African Bush Elephant , the African buffalo , hippo, wildebeest , the crocodile of the Nile, leopard , hyena, spotted hyena , antelope sable, black rhino and the white rhino . In addition , one of the world's rarest animals , the African wild dog endangered , still exists in the Okavango Delta , giving another great reason why you should visit the Delta on your safari holidays .
066- CQ2625 : Portrait of an elderly woman in the camp Batawana . In the vicinity of Camp Eagle Island Camp by Orient Express , outside the Moremi Game Reserve in Botswana there is a camp where they live a hundred Batawana Indian tribe . You can canoe trips to visit their village . In the Okavango Delta . The Moremi Game Reserve covers 20% of the Okavango Delta . It is a paradise where you can admire a wide variety of birds , elephants, buffaloes , giraffes , lions , leopards , wild dogs, hyenas , jackals and antelope. The best time to visit Moremi is during the dry season , which runs from the month of July to December. The Moremi Game Reserve forms a complex part of the Okavango Delta . While most operators sold separately Okavango Moremi , really are one and the same. Moremi is a single story, and it was the first wildlife sanctuary created by African Tribe ( 1963), the Batawana . Later in the '70s the park was enlarged to include the Island Chief , which historically were hunting grounds of the Grand Chief Batawana , and in 1991 a section between the rivers Ngoga and Jao in the northeast was added , making a total area reserve of 4871 square kilometers.
067- CQ2799 : A group of Indian children pose for the camera at camp Batawana . In the vicinity of Camp Eagle Island Camp by Orient Express , outside the Moremi Game Reserve in Botswana there is a camp where they live a hundred Batawana Indian tribe . You can canoe trips to visit their village . The first inhabitants of present Botswana were probably ancestors of the San ( also known as Bushmen ) hunters and gatherers , who now inhabit the arid steppes of south-western Botswana , and the Khoikhoi , from the north. Bantu -speaking tribes arrived in the region in the first century BC The ancestors of the Tswana , (now majority nation ) , were installed between the eleventh and twelfth centuries in the plains of the Vaal River (now the South African province of Transvaal ) . The Tswana were merged into eight powerful clans . The clan rivalries did not allow the Tswana create a kingdom like other nations in southern Africa . Botswana 's history - "the fatal crossroads ", located in the heart of southern Africa , it is the story of the Kalahari Desert , midway between Savannah populated northeastern and southwestern steppes stripped . Transit precolonial settlements allowed the British, Dutch and Portuguese since the eighteenth century . The British attempted to unite the continent from north to south ( from South Africa to Egypt ), taking the ' path of the missionaries . " The Portuguese wanted to link the colonies of Angola and Mozambique. The region was a true crossroads between colonial strategic interests , and between them and the Tswana tribes who inhabited these areas since the seventeenth century . In 1840 , settled in eastern Botswana ( Transvaal region ) Dutch Boer settlers ( also known as Afrikaaners ) , fleeing the British established in Cape Town ( Cape Town) . The Boers (farmers ) fought over scarce fertile land with Tswana , also causing conflict between them and the Zulus to the settlers expelled from South Africa. In 1895 three Tswana tribal kings went to London to seek support against the Boers and against German expansion from South West Africa . Thence Botswana became a British protectorate known as Bechuanaland . The kings had to give , in exchange for protection , the British South Africa Company ( privatization and expansion as English ) , to build a railway between their lands and Zimbabwe ( Rhodesia ) . The absorption prevented British tutelage policy by South Africa , but facilitated the economic domination of the Boers . Despite its vast semi-desert region , Botswana became one of the leading exporters of beef cattle and Southern Africa . In the early twentieth century , 97% of the population lived in the countryside and each family had at least a couple of cows , the richest had oxen for plowing. In 1966 , when Botswana gained independence , the urban population reached 15 % and almost 40 % of rural dwellers had not won . Due to the economic concentration Afrikaaners agriculture dominated and controlled 60% of meat exports . The struggle for independence was confused , at various times , with matrimonial cases . Seretse Khama , one of the most influential heirs Bamangwato ethnicity , studied law in England and married Ruth Williams , an office in Europe. The wedding shocked the British and Afrikaaners , which prevented Seretse return to their homeland. Seretse resisted pressure even offers of money from the British and the massive support of his people , maintained the leadership of the country's largest tribe . He did not return until 1956. Nine years later, in general elections , his party, the Botswana Democratic Party ( BDP ) won 80 % of the vote. With independence, Seretse was elected the first president. In 1967 he was appointed Knight of the British Empire . The BDP , held a conciliatory policy in relation to the inhabitants of European origin, who managed 80% of the economy. Botswana was part of the countries of Front Line who fought against apartheid ( see South Africa) and integrated the SADCC ( see International Organizations ) which sought to break the economic dependence of the nine countries in southern Africa blacks on South Africa . In 1980 Seretse died of cancer and was succeeded by Vice President Masire Quett (doctorate in economics at Oxford ) , who suffered heavy pressure from socialist-oriented revolutionary groups , in terms of limiting the concentration of fertile land in the hands of Europeans and increase area for cooperatives. The farmers accused the big landowners to raise livestock on land too poor, which would be useless in the short term. Arose also a movement to nationalize the diamond fields , copper and nickel , operated by South African companies .
068- CQ2850 : Portrait of a mother with her daughter dressed western combed braids Batawana camp . In the vicinity of Camp Eagle Island Camp by Orient Express , outside the Moremi Game Reserve in Botswana there is a camp where they live a hundred Batawana Indian tribe . You can canoe trips to visit their village . Between 1978 and 1988 , Botswana became the third largest diamond producer in the world after Australia and now the Democratic Republic of Congo ( then Zaire) , and the economy grew at a record rate of 12% per year . Anyway, three-fifths of the population living on subsistence crops or activities ' non-institutionalized ', ie outside of statistics, fiscal control and the commercial market. In 1985 , there were repeated skirmishes on the border with South Africa for the support that the Botswana government gave to the struggle of the African National Congress ( ANC ) against apartheid. In 1987 South Africa pressed blocking routes that link it with Gaborone , capital of Botswana. Masire was reelected in 1989 , and successive government faced economic and political problems , more than anything, by the decline in international demand for diamonds. Government corruption was evident and several cabinet ministers resigned . In 1991 , three of the seven opposition parties formed the People's Progressive Front (FPP ) to oppose the BDP , this year , the country suffered major strikes since independence. Public workers demanded an increase of 154% and were dismissed 18 thousand state officials. In 1992 , unemployment reached 25 % . Trying to increase employment and to raise the prestige of the BDP crestfallen , the government encouraged the installation of non- mining industries . A severe drought forced the authorities to declare a state of emergency , were drastically reduced public spending and laid off more than a third of the workforce employed directly or indirectly by the State . Despite the economic and social problems , the BDP retained a majority in the 1994 elections , losing nine seats . The country's second - largest exporter of diamonds after Russia - has depended on the export of minerals . In part because of its diamond wealth , the economy flourished and , according to the World Bank ( WB), between 1965 and 1996 , reached the highest global growth, with per capita income rose to 9.2 %. Tourism in those years became the second source of resources. The gap between rich and poor increased due to rapid growth . Internal conflicts of Namibia in the Caprivi Strip - Runner 460 km . generally long and 30 km . wide - affected Botswana 's relations with its neighbor. In 1999 nearly 2,000 people in this age , many of them took refuge in separatist - Botswana. The decision to give asylum worsened relations with Windhoek . Both countries have also a border dispute over an island in the Chobe River .
069- CQ2854 : Improvised craft market to the arrival of tourists in the camp Batawana . In the vicinity of Camp Eagle Island Camp by Orient Express , outside the Moremi Game Reserve in Botswana there is a camp where they live a hundred Batawana Indian tribe . You can canoe trips to visit their village . The Terracotta Crafts Kgatleng District of Botswana was declared Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2012 by UNESCO.1 craftsmanship is created by the women of the community Bakgatla ba Kgafela Kgatleng District in southeastern the country. Clay is used , weathered sandstone , iron oxide , vague dung , water, grass and wood to manufacture containers that embody reasons ancestral rituals and beliefs of the community. The harvest of the earth is through meditation master artisan . Once collected the clay and sandstone , are crushed and screened . After it is formed modeling clay . After decorating , baked in an oven pit . The tradition is passed down from generation to generation but today this art is in danger of disappearing due to the declining number of teachers artisans , low prices of the finished products and the use , increasingly, of mass production vessels . This is why UNESCO included on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding .
070- CQ3814 : A waitress serves iced tea to tourists arriving at the camp safari Khwai River Lodge by Orient Express in Botswana , within the Moremi Game Reserve Wild . Khwai River Lodge is situated on the banks of the Khwai River , adjacent to the Moremi Game Reserve in Botswana . The Okavango River is a long African river , which rises in the plateau of Bie , Angola , in a fairly rainy , and after a journey of almost 1,000 km enters a drainage basin , and in Botswana , where he has been an extensive alluvial region improperly named and known throughout the world as the Okavango delta . As leads to an area with a very arid climate , it is an allochthonous river , such as the Nile River in Egypt , or the Niger River in Mali. The best time to visit the delta depends on what you want to see . If you are looking for are large animals, the best period is between May and October, when the water recedes and those are concentrated around water. If you want to see are birds and lush vegetation , the best time is between November and April, the rainy season . Okavango Lions are famous for their size and strength , and it is said they are the only swimmers lions there . You can also see elephants, very numerous in the Okavango , martial eagles , zebras , common fish owl , etc. . The Botswana government's intention is to avoid mass tourism on the fragile ecosystem of the park, and therefore stay and accommodation within the park are very expensive. For this reason this volunteer program is a fantastic opportunity to visit the area while working on the reconstruction of the primary school in the area. The main tasks of the volunteers will be general maintenance and painting facilities for children in the area can attend a decent school . Part of the cost of the program is devoted to the purchase of the necessary materials. They work five days a week, 8 am to 5 pm , having two days off in which you can explore the Okavango Delta , watching wildlife and even go fishing in one of the world's most amazing places .
071- CQ4128 : A couple of tourists on the veranda Camp Khwai River Lodge by Orient Express in Botswana , within the Moremi Game Reserve Wild . Khwai River Lodge is situated on the banks of the Khwai River , adjacent to the Moremi Game Reserve and the Okavango Delta outside . Khwai River Lodge is one of the oldest hotel- safari Botswana , opened in the late 60s by the late Sir Seretse Khama , the first president of independent Botswana . It is situated on ancient indigenous plants and fig trees , eight kilometers northwest of the north gate of the Moremi Wildlife Reserve hunting . Moreover, with its views overlooking the Khwai River and is the perfect place to watch the scenery of the African savannah perennial and discover its varied species of birds. Khwai River forms part of the Okavango Delta . The camp is located in Moremi , one of the largest reserves in Africa majesty house boasts the largest specimens , fast , bright and beautiful , as the abundant crocodiles and hippopotamuses that dwell in the land or herds of zebras and antelopes satisfied tear the grass surface . Where they are fed all kinds of predators lurking lions, leopards and panthers , hyenas and wild dogs. The 14 luxury tents with double beds and thatched roofs are beautifully decorated with indoor showers and dressing rooms. In addition, stores are located on a platform overlooking the Khwai River . The suite marathon center - which means place of love has two outdoor showers and Victorian style bath . Guests staying in it have a dedicated guide and private use of a vehicle for spotting animals .
072- CQ3029 : A tourist sunbathes in a swimsuit poolside at Camp Khwai River Lodge by Orient Express in Botswana , within the Moremi Game Reserve Wild . Khwai River Lodge is situated on the banks of the Khwai River , adjacent to the Moremi Game Reserve and the Okavango Delta outside . On its banks and wetlands inhabited by numerous species, hippos , elephants , lions , leopards , antelopes and abundant species of birds - just a few meters from the camps , open laterally through the dining room and from the lawn overlooking the pool. The camp has 15 luxury tents magnificent , suite with copper bath Victorian style outdoor shower, private pool and a secluded terrace. Each store has a shaded area with a hammock and comfortable chairs overlooking the Khwai River and its abundant wildlife . Equipped with all modern amenities , including mini -bar and ventilation - air conditioning shops were decorated by the famous designer Graham Viney . When descending the plane to the Khwai River Lodge , guests enjoy an aerial view of the three ecosystems discovered in the Orient- Express Safaris : a mixture of greenery along the river, the water and the dry and dusty savanna. Khwai River Lodge offers safaris 4X4 Car sighting in the morning and late afternoon . It is also possible to make excursions under the floodlights and even walk at dusk to observe animals.
073- CQ3052 : An adult elephant with her ??calf near Camp Khwai River Lodge by Orient Express in Botswana , within the Moremi Game Reserve Wild . Killing an elephant in Botswana , from 30,000 euros. Go big game in Africa is not for all pockets . And of the continent's countries , Botswana is not precisely from the cheapest. The hunting safari in which King Juan Carlos I suffered a hip bill could have cost , depending on the animal that was the purpose of hunting , a minimum of 10,000 euros from 30,000 and if the target was an elephant , one of the ' big five ' . From that amount , prices can multiply under the terms of safari and the number of animals killed . " Botswana is an expensive country for their condition ," said Fernando Martinez , an expert in organizing hunting expeditions to Africa. " Almost all are government grants that is who imposes prices . A such amounts each organizer adds their margin for each day of hunting ," he adds . That is, on a hunting safari paid for several concepts . First, by the organization of the hunt. This concept includes transportation , lodging or guides and started once in the country. If the agency Arena Hunting Services , he works for Martinez , the price of a 14-day safari to hunt an elephant for this item totaled EUR 18,100 . If the objective is to collect a buffalo safari time would be reduced to seven days and 9,050 euros price . Second, on a hunting safari pay for permits to shoot and hunted animal . " Local companies engaged in organizing safaris get permissions Botswana government . Give you permission to certain areas and are not hard to come by , although quotas [ of animals available ] are very strict ." That is, not the same hunt elephants or leopards antelopes , much more expensive. Nor is the same catch a big one small elephant : " Depends on the size of the tusks , weight in pounds " , explains the expert in hunting . Choosing the animals before leaving. Yes, Martinez explains , it is better to know before making travel arrangements which animal is your goal: " You probably hunt permit a different animal than you had planned, but you'll pay the rate and also increase the price of the safari " it is not the same go to one of the big Five - buffalo , elephant , leopard , rhino and lion ( you can not hunt in Botswana) - that antelope. Rates, in any case, are established by the Botswana government and in 2011 , in the case of the elephant, were $ 4,000 for the license and between 5,000 and 15,000 per animal killed . The buffalo was in 1000 and 3000 respectively , the ostrich in 200 and 500 dollars and the Oryx 500 and $ 1,000 . Thus, an elephant hunting medium in an agency like Hunting Arena amount to 28,750 euros excluding extra costs that may be incurred by the traveler. Similar amount and even lower than many other sector agencies . A hunter contacted by this newspaper who prefers not to reveal his name and has hunted elephants in Botswana ensures that daily expenses apart , killing an elephant in that country costs 20,000 to $ 30,000 depending on their size . In Rann Safaris , whose website became unavailable minutes after the accident themselves known the monarch , which claim to have the king as a client, a 14-day safari with an elephant as target costs , including taxes , 45,250 euros. Prices, in either case , for a select few . 2011 was the first year that it has released the budget of the Royal Household . The assignment of the King of Spain is, according to information published by the institution, to 140,519 euros, to which must be added 152 233 for expenses of representation of the total EUR 8,434,280 . That is, if the monarch had paid the basic package of Rann Safaris ( 45,250 euros) , reportedly spent 32% of their allocation in the hunt . However, even if the accounts have been made public , have only been given to know the general details of actual budget. That is, with the information currently published is impossible to know if travel expenses are attributable to the allocation of Juan Carlos I or whether at the other of the items that have the Royal House. A question could be resolved by either the Transparency Law prepared by the Government of Mariano Rajoy, since this rule , at least in the bill - not affect the King's House . Several parties, such as GNP and ERC , for years demanded greater transparency in the reporting of the Crown as do many Spanish who , on Twitter , asking to know how you spend the money the family of King and more information about his public activity .
074- CQ3766 : A pair of leopards come our way as we make the game safari camp near Khwai River Lodge by Orient Express in Botswana , within the Moremi Game Wildlife Reserve , Botswana. The leopard is the other big cat in Africa , as well as the most widespread. Unlike the lion prefers areas with extensive vegetation to live and hunt. Weighing in at eighty to ninety kilos , the leopard is a solitary hunter that only during the breeding season can be seen in the company of some opposite sex congener . Endowed with a great view and a fine ear, the leopard can hunt from amphibians and rodents to considerable size antelopes . Arrival of spring, females give birth to a varying number of offspring that can be from two to six , although in the early days of life suffer high mortality that can reduce the litter to less than half . After ten weeks , the puppies are starting to catch small animals and insects, more like a game than a true action game . When are one year when young leopards are actively involved in the work of hunting before her mother finally emancipated . The leopard lives in almost all types of areas in the southern half of Africa and Asia. He specializes in capturing primates. The melanistic specimens are common in species and especially in Asia.
075- CQ3025 : Camp Khwai River Lodge by Orient Express in Botswana , within the Moremi Game Wildlife Reserve , has -art binoculars to see all the wildlife , even has night vision binoculars . S That way you can see the life of elephants with much more detail. Botswana prohibits hunting elephants . The African country maintains that " shoot the animals purely for sport and trophies and is not compatible" with its commitment to preserve the local wildlife. Botswana , the African country in which King Juan Carlos broke her hip in April on a secret hunting , elephant hunting ban in 2014 , as stated in a statement posted on the government website . " We have come to the decision to stop commercial hunting of wildlife in public areas from 2014 , for shooting animals purely for sport and trophies is no longer compatible with our commitment to preserve the local wildlife as a national treasure " said major General Ian Khama , President of Botswana . The ban is a point 124 189 speech on the state of the nation, posted on November 5 and rescued today by the BBC . During 2013 may continue to operate seven hunting leases , including Jeff Rann , the organizer of safaris that appeared in some photographs with King Juan Carlos , posing with dead animals. Having made ??public the images, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF ) retired the monarch of the honorary presidency of the organization. 130,000 call elephant sport hunting is permitted in several African countries, including Botswana , Cameroon , Gabon , Mozambique , Namibia , South Africa and Tanzania , which even allow the country to take the trophy . The prohibition of hunting is controversial because , as noted by the International Union for Conservation of Nature on their website, when the economic benefits of hunting rolled directly into local communities , reduce the deaths of elephants, to facilitate the tolerance animals trample their crops , for example. An aerial survey completed in 2011 showed a dramatic drop in the number of wildebeest , giraffes and antelopes in the last 15 years in northern Botswana . In the case of the wildebeest , the population decreased by 90 % , according to Michael Chase , lead study author and founder of Elephants Without Borders . " Land use , habitat fragmentation , changes in vegetation , the effects of drought, fences , fires and poaching are factors contributing to the decline of wildlife throughout Africa," explained Chase . However, the census showed a population "stable" of elephants, about 130,000 individuals.
076- CQ3731 : A leopard runs right in front of one of the 4x4 that are used for safaris, camp near Khwai River Lodge by Orient Express in Botswana , within the Moremi Game Wildlife Reserve , Botswana. Leopard , like most other panthers, is an animal that is kept alone. The cubs stay with their mothers for some time and during estrus couples are together for a few days , the rest of the time make a solitary life.
REPRODUCTION: The mother chooses a hidden place, a den, where having the puppies , can be a cave , a hole left from another animal , a hole in a tree , among rocks , etc. . Each delivery typically born pups two to three , but may be one to six . The gestation period is 90 to 105 days. They are born with eyes closed , opening them four to nine days old. Birth weight is 430 grams to 1.0 kilograms .
LONGEVITY : A Panthera pardus estimated longevity is about 15 years , amentando to 25 in captivity.
POWER : This feline is fed medium and small mammals . In your diet includes monkeys , pigs , deer , etc. . It also eats birds and when hunger strikes , what you find.
DESCRIPTION : The basic color of the Leopard is the yellow hair reddish hue varying from one individual to another , with dark blotches forming circular patterns , rosettes , in the body , very similar to the coat of the Jaguar of the Americas , which in the Leopard rosettes , usually are smaller. Leopard In the form melanin , the black panther , is common in Asian populations and relatively rare in Africa. We report an individual clear coat , which was creamy yellow and slightly darker rosettes . There is also documentation albino individuals . The adult Leopard manages to achieve in the head and body to 190 cm in length plus tail that can measure 95 cm , with a height of 80 cm at the shoulders. Body length is similar to Jaguar , but the queue is longer . The leopard does weigh up to 70 kilograms , making it lighter and smaller than the Jaguar .
OTHER NAMES: The Leopard in English is known as " Leopard" .
077- CQ3941 : A herd of gazelles Thompson on alert for the attack of a predator near Camp Khwai River Lodge by Orient Express in Botswana , within the Moremi Game Reserve Wild . Thomson 's gazelle gazelle is a relatively compact body , one of the most agile and elegant antelopes , forming large flocks that live near any water source Meadows North Africa. Its name comes from the nineteenth century Scottish explorer Joseph Thomson called . This is a gazelle relatively compact body , neck not very long, reddish fur on the upper parts and white on belly , inside of legs , throat , inside ears, and a few lines about black -lined eyes . On the sides , a black band separates white reddish fur . Both sexes have ringed horns that bend first backward and then upward, reaching 40 inches in males, which are longer and thicker than the females. They have well developed preorbital glands . The animal is very active and agile , which can run at 80 miles per hour. Most gazelles feed on a variety of plants , the Thomson eats mainly grass. During the rainy season in the Savannah , 90 % of their diet is grass . In the dry season , leaving dry meadows and retreats into scrubland . There adapted diet and eats shoots and leaves of shrubs and bushes . To eat the gazelle cutting the grass with its sharp incisors. Chew each bite thoroughly before swallowing as all ruminants have an efficient digestive system and swallow food digested in the rumen ( first stomach ) before regurgitate and chew again. Then come back to swallow food passing through three stomachs to extract all the nutrients from the grass.
078- CQ3610 : A leopard hunting camp near Khwai River Lodge by Orient Express in Botswana , within the Moremi Game Reserve Wild . The leopard is a smart and strong feline related to lions , tigers and jaguars . Lives in sub-Saharan Africa , North Africa , Central Asia , India and China. However, in some places are threatened , especially in regions outside Africa. Leopard feels so comfortable in trees that usually carry their prey to the branches. So , keep them away from scavengers such as hyenas . Also hunting from tree branches , where thanks to its colorful disguises to perfection until the leaves gives somersault over his victim . These nocturnal predators also attack antelopes , deer and pigs sneaking through the tall grass . When human settlements , also hunt dogs and , occasionally , people. Leopards are strong swimmers and also feel very comfortable in that environment, where sometimes prey on fish or crabs. Females can have puppies at any time of year. They are usually grayish with barely visible spots . The mother hides her cubs and transported from one safe place to another until they are old enough to play and learn to hunt . The puppies live with their mother for about a year , the rest of his life lonely behave . Most leopards are yellow with dark spots . A black leopards , whose coat color appears uniform because specks barely distinguishable , they are often called black panthers .
079- CQ3693 : A leopard in search of prey near Camp Khwai River Lodge by Orient Express in Botswana , within the Moremi Game Reserve Wild . INTRODUCTION : The Leopard ( Panthera pardus ) is one of Felidae species . This species is assigned to the Panthers , subfamily Pantherinae in the Felidae .
DISTRIBUTION: The distribution of the Leopard is the most extensive among the felines . It involves the entire African continent south of the Sahara desert and in parts of the desert north . Also present from Turkey to Mongolia, Indochina and the island of Java . It's a relatively continuous distribution , except for a few places where they are isolated populations which still remain. During the Pleistocene also lived in Europe for the time being , in certain places, animals larger than this .
LIFT : A Panthera pardus is documented from sea level to higher elevations in the 5,000 meters.
HABITAT : On the habitat , the Leopard is one of the Panthers more adaptable to the environment. Except inhabits deserts all types of habitat provided you have a place to hide and there is enough prey to survive : it is present in all types of forests and jungle, in the savannahs , in fields and in rocky places . In some habitats the Leopard develops other ways to evade larger or more numerous predators such as Lion and hyenas in Africa and the Tiger in Asia. Really, the only factor limiting the Leopard is people.
HABITS: Panthera pardus is active 24 hours a day. Sure, an individual is awake 24 hours a day, seven days a week , but can be active at any time, whether day , night, at dusk or dawn. In studies that have used radio collars studied specimens have been kept in motion by about 50 % of the time , while a mother with cubs proved to be active 75% of the time.
080 - CQ3162 : Some warthog crossing a river near Camp Khwai River Lodge by Orient Express in Botswana , within the Moremi Game Reserve Wild . The Warthog or Common Warthog is a wild member of the pig family that lives in grasslands, savannahs and forests in sub - Saharan Africa. In the past is commonly treated as a subspecies of P. aethiopicus , but today that scientific name is restricted to the Desert Warthog of northern Kenya , Somalia and eastern Ethiopia.
The common name comes from the four large bumps like warts that are found in the head of the warthog , which serve as a reservoir of fat and are used for defense when males fight . Afrikaans speaking people call the animal " vlakvark " meaning " of the plain pork ."
Subspecies . Nolan Warthog - Burkina Faso , Ivory Coast , Democratic Republic of Congo , Ethiopia , Ghana , Guinea - Bissau , Chad , Mauritania , Nigeria , Senegal , Sudan . Warthog Cretzschmar Eritrea, 1828 - Eritrea , Ethiopia , Djibouti , Somalia . Warthog Central Lnnberg , 1908 - Kenya , Tanzania. Warthog South Lnnberg , 1908 - Botswana , Namibia , South Africa , Zimbabwe
Description . The Warthog is medium as wild suid species . Head and body length ranges from size 0.9 to 1.5 m in length and shoulder height is from 63.5 to 85 cm . Women, 45-75 kg , are usually a little smaller and lighter than men , 60 to 150 kg . A warthog is identifiable by the two pairs of tusks protruding from the mouth and curve upward. The lower pair , which is much shorter than the upper pair , becomes razor sharp by rubbing against the upper pair every time the mouth opens and closes . The upper canine teeth can reach 25.5 cm long and are flattened circular in cross section, almost rectangular , which is about 4.5 cm deep and 2.5 cm wide . A tusk will curve 90 degrees or more from the root, and do not lie on a table, as it curves somewhat backwards as it grows . The tusks are used for digging , for combat with other hogs, and in defense against predators - the lower set can inflict severe wounds . Warthog ivory is taken from the constantly growing canine teeth . The tusks , more often the upper set , are worked much in the way of elephant tusks with all designs with reduced size. The tusks are carved especially for the tourism industry in eastern and southern Africa . The boar's head is large with a mane that goes down the spine to the middle of the back . Sparse hair covers the body . The color is usually black or brown. The lines are long and end with a lock of hair . Common Warthogs have no subcutaneous fat and the coat is sparse, making them susceptible to extreme temperatures .
Ecology . Feeding on his knees. The warthog is the only pig species that has adapted to grazing and savanna habitats . Their diet is omnivorous , composed of grasses, roots , berries and other fruits , bark , fungi , insects , eggs and carrion . Diet is seasonally varied, depending on the availability of different foods. During the wet season warthogs graze on short perennial grasses . During the dry season they subsist on bulbs, rhizomes and nutritious roots . Warthogs are powerful search engines , using both snout and paws. While feeding , they often bend the front feet backwards and move around the wrists . Callused pads that protect the wrists during such movement very early in fetal development . Although they can dig their own burrows , they commonly occupy abandoned burrows of other animals anteaters . The boar usually reverses into burrows , with the head towards the opening and ready to burst if necessary . Warthogs wallow in mud to deal with the high temperatures and huddle together to deal with the cold. Although capable of fighting boar first defense is to run through quick sprinting . Main predators are humans boar , lions , leopards , crocodiles and hyenas . Cheetahs are also capable of capturing boars up to their own weight and prey like Verreaux 's eagle owls and martial eagles sometimes prey on piglets. However, if a female warthog has any piglets to defend them aggressively. Warthogs can inflict mortal wounds on predators such as lions formidable , with battles sometimes ending with the lions bleeding to death. Warthogs have been observed allowing bands mongooses that prepares them to remove ticks .
081- CQ3119 : Typical landscape flooded Okavango Delta Khwai River camp near Lodge of Orient Express in Botswana , within the Moremi Game Reserve Wild . Undoubtedly, the Okavango Delta , is the exception to all rules. This is the only marshland around the world that flows into the sea , it is installed in the middle of the Kalahari Desert . It occupies about 15,000 square kilometers in northern Botswana and hosts a nature reserves and stunning richest in Africa. With these peculiar characteristics can already imagine that here you can see , live and direct , flora and fauna most unusual and fascinating continent. Get ready for Africa in its purest form . The natural habitat of the delta is formed by a great diversity of plant and animal species , highlighting a variety of fish and birds of all colors , among which the Martial Eagle . The bird avistadotes will not be enough ... Hiding from the delta , we can find : hippos , crocodiles , impalas , zebras , elephants , buffalo , wild boar .... But one of the main attractions of this area is that you can see the big 5 mammals, the famous big five : lion, leopard , elephant , rhino and buffalo . It is said that the lions that live here , are the only swimmers. They have been able to adapt to the change in water level for hunting antelopes and impalas survive and not starve. There are different ways of knowing the delta, the choice will depend on your tastes and preferences. It will take you walking safaris , boat or mokoro . Perhaps the most special way to do this is with mokoros , a kind of wooden canoes used by the locals to scroll through the channels. They usually have room for two people , and the lead hand. Being a silent transport , will allow you to get closer to the local animals . The best time to visit the delta is a function of what you want to see . The rainy Okavango Delta is between November and April. It is the best time for birding and vegetation explosive show in every corner. On the contrary , if what is sought is the observation of large animals, the best period is between May and October, when the water recedes and these are concentrated around water and is easier to find. Regardless of when you visit the Okavango Delta should not miss for anything in the world, one of its sunrises and watch the dancing waters mist mistaken . Also do not forget the sun , the light of Africa is unsurpassed.
082- CQ4214 Our guide currency something in the Khwai River on safari in the Okavango Delta Khwai River camp near Lodge of Orient Express in Botswana , within the Moremi Game Wildlife Reserve , Botswana. The Okavango is an African river 1,700 km that covers three southern African countries . Born in Angola and then takes a southeasterly direction to cross a small strip of Namibia and finally into Botswana , which comes to an end . Given the great rivers of our planet ( Amazon, Nile, Mississippi , Yangtze , Yellow ... ) known for its length or its flow, or both , the Okavango River would totally unnoticed . However, it has a special feature , very special that makes it different and makes you stand out . And it is a river that ran into a dead end and was not able to reach the sea , they also found that another river to obtain from its waters and also helps keep the waters of a lake. The Okavango River is a river that flows ... in the middle of a desert. Yes , you read that right , empties into the Kalahari Desert . There at the end of the rainy season ( October to April) , the water stop, flooding a vast plain known as the Okavango Delta . When you return to the dry season (May to September ) , the water is disappearing , partly filtered underground , partly evaporated and only remnants are river sediments have deposited. The flood season the river is used by the animals , who come in search of water and pasture abundant fresh ( herbivores ) and plenty of water and fresh meat ( carnivores ) . At its delta can be seen during the rainy season lions , leopards , cheetahs , wild dogs , elephants , antelopes , rhinos , zebras , gazelles , buffalo ... that is, virtually all of Africa 's most iconic animals . By the way , the Okavango Delta Lions have a special feature that has no other lions, but I leave it to you to find what is that thing that distinguishes them .
083- CQ3136 : A crocodile is submerged in water near Camp Khwai River Lodge by Orient Express in Botswana , within the Moremi Game Reserve Wild . The Nile crocodile ( Crocodylus niloticus ) is a species of sauropoda crocodilio Crocodylidae family . It is one of three species of crocodiles that live in Africa and the second largest in the world, [ citation needed ] as it can reach 6 m long and weigh up to 730 kg , although their average sizes are 5 meters and 225 kg . He has been both hated and revered by man , especially in Ancient Egypt where crocodiles were mummified and worshiped them . The ancient Egyptians worshiped Sobek , a god - crocodile associated with fertility, protection , and power of the pharaoh. The relationship of the Egyptians with Sobek was ambivalent : sometimes hunted crocodiles, and reviled the god , and sometimes he was seen as the protector of the pharaoh and source of their power .
Sobek was depicted as a crocodile or alligator -headed man with Atef crown . The main place of worship was in a city of the Middle Kingdom , Shedet , in the oasis of El- Fayum, in Arabic al- Fayyum , a place that was known to the Greeks under the name of " Cocodrilópolis " or the Ptolemaic Arsinoe . Another important temple dedicated to Sobek is in Kom Ombo .
According to Herodotus , V century a. C. , some Egyptians had crocodiles as pets. In the Sobek temple pond in Arsinoe lived a sacred crocodile , which was fed , covered with jewelry, and worshiped . When the crocodiles died were embalmed , mummified , placed in coffins and buried in sacred tomb . Mummified crocodiles have been found in Egyptian tombs , including stuffed crocodile eggs .
In ancient Egypt it was used magic to appease the crocodiles. Even in modern times , fishermen Nubians stuffed crocodiles lay on the threshold of the door to prevent evil.
The crocodile is sometimes also associated with Seth , the god of evil .
084- CQ3155 : Two Grant gazelles graze and feed near Camp Khwai River Lodge by Orient Express in Botswana , within the Moremi Game Reserve Wild . Grant 's gazelle ( Nanger granti ) is a species of artiodactyl mammal of the family Bovidae native of East Africa. Similar in appearance to the Thomson 's gazelle , however, is larger , one of the largest in the genus . Tawny with a face mask and light belly , its horn is quite large, ringed and black, but varies depending on variety, and is present in both genders. The black band across the belly in Thomson 's gazelle is practically absent in the Grant 's gazelle . Their habits are more desert than other gazelle species , although not in the same parameters as the dama gazelle ( antelope Mhor ) or Sömering gazelle . Therefore its body is more resistant to heat and water shortage.
The social structure of the Grant 's gazelle is similar to that of other species of ungulates artidácilos of gregariousness . The herds are constutidas by groups of females and their young , while males once UNICAD independent of family clans gather in young males until after reaching maturity, can be lonely . During the breeding season , which coincides with the rainy season , the males mark territory ( harem ) where defend a group of females of their property against other males.
Apart from man , the Grant 's gazelle suffer a high level of predacción by lions, hyenas and wild dogs , though the main enemy of cheetah and leopard. Occasionally , as recentales , are attacked by jackals and raptors com Martial Eagle .
085- CQ4158 : One of the bridges near the gateway to the Okavango Delta Khwai River camp near Lodge of Orient Express in Botswana , within the Moremi Game Reserve Wild . Botswana. In the 19th century , hostilities between Tswana inhabitants of Botswana and Ndebele tribes who were migrating into the territory from the Kalahari Desert . Tensions also escalated with the Boer settlers from the Transvaal . After appeals by the Batswana leaders Khama III , Bathoen Sebele and assistance , the British Government on March 31, 1885 put " Bechuanaland " under its protection . The northern territory remained under direct administration as the Bechuanaland Protectorate and is today's Botswana, while the southern territory became part of the Cape Colony and is now part of the northwest province of South Africa, speaking majority Setswana people live in south Africa . When the Union of South Africa was formed in 1910 of the main British colonies in the region, the Bechuanaland Protectorate , Basutoland (now Lesotho ) and Swaziland (the " High Commission Overseas Territories" ) were not included , but provision is made for their later incorporation . However, a vague undertaking was given to consult their inhabitants , and although successive South African governments sought to have the territories transferred , Britain kept delaying, and it never occurred. The election of the National Party government in 1948 , which instituted apartheid, and South Africa 's withdrawal from the Commonwealth in 1961 , ended any prospect of incorporation of the territories into South Africa . An expansion of British central authority and the evolution of tribal government resulted in the 1920 establishment of two advisory councils representing Africans and Europeans. Proclamations in 1934 regularized tribal and state powers. A European and African advisory council was formed in 1951 , and the 1961 constitution established a consultative legislative council . In June 1964 , Britain accepted proposals for democratic self- government in Botswana. The seat of government was moved from Mafikeng in South Africa, recently created to Gaborone in 1965. The 1965 constitution led to the first general elections and to independence on September 30, 1966 . Seretse Khama , a leader in the independence movement and the legitimate claimant to the Ngwato chiefship , was elected as the first president re-elected twice , and died in office in 1980. The presidency passed to the sitting vice president , Quett Masire , who was elected in his own right in 1984 and reelected in 1989 and 1994 . Masire retired from office in 1998 . The presidency passed to the sitting vice president , Festus Mogae , who was elected in his own right in 1999 and reelected in 2004 . The next president is Lieutenant General Seretse Khama Ian Khama from 2008 and before the elections in 2009 . He is the son of the first President of Botswana and is also the former leader of the army of Botswana ( BDF ) .
086- CQ3157 : Landscape flooded at the time of llvuas in the Okavango Delta Khwai River camp near Lodge of Orient Express in Botswana , within the Moremi Game Reserve Wild . Botswana. Despite being neither a national park nor a reserve , Okavango Delta Botswana is what it might mean for South Africa Kruger or Serengeti to Tanzania. No safari in Botswana would be complete without visiting this wonder of nature. Given the importance of this delta is in the whole ecosystem of the country, has a special niche . The Okavango Delta covers an area of ??about 15000 km2 through a maze of lagoons, channels and islands before disappearing in the south in the sands of the great desert of the Kalahari , indeed , the delta is known as " the jewel of the Kalahari " to be a real natural oasis amid the aridity of the land. Each fall , the abundant rains of the highlands of Angola enliven this parched landscape located more than 1000 km away . The rain water from the hills down to the Okavango River , which through its 1430 km long flowing through the Caprivi region of Namibia before entering Botswana to the east of Shakawe . That's when more than 18.5 billion cubic meters of water are scattered across the plains of the landscape into the wilderness . As water basins are filling the dusty landscape is coming alive becoming a beautiful mosaic of lush meadows , marshes , forests of miombo , mopane forests , islands and lagoons flooded open papyrus dominated , palm trees and winding canals covered by millions lily . Depending on the rains in Angola and the water level, the islands appear and disappear , so for example in the month of May, the delta it hosts a large number of animals that come in search of green pastures. The rainy season in the delta Angola matches taking place between the months of October and April and produces Okavango river flooding . These rains are usually most intense in the northern delta and lower proportion in the south. In the southern city of Maun , the contrast of temperatures in the winter months is very noticeable ( between 6 ° and 23 ° ) , when he is nothing strange frost during the waves of cold winter , but in the summer months temperatures can exceed 35 degrees in the hottest months (October). In the months of July to September rainfall is null and practically nonexistent in May and June , for against the wettest months are usually ranging from December to March. The best time to visit this beautiful ecosystem would be a little depending on what it is intended to observe , if what is sought is to watch the larger mammals the best time to visit would be between the months of May and October as is when the water levels go down and therefore the animals concentrate around them, but if the aim is to observe the large bird that lives , perhaps the best time is between the months of November to April is the season of rain. In any case, any case, when you go to visit you can not miss the opportunity to take a mokoro ride for a few hours . A unique experience that surely will make any visitor who can appreciate nature. Other places of interest located nearby the delta would Gcwihaba Caverns (known as caves or cave hyenas Drotsky ) to what is required to obtain permission from the locals of Nxainxai and be equipped with flashlights and supplies. Admission is about U.S. $ 5 pp and you can hire your visit from Maun , the Aha Hills with more than 700 million years and 300 meters high is located on the border between Botswana and Namibia. The feeling of being isolated from the world in this place is full , or the famous Hills Tsodillo actually consist of four hills immersed in hundreds of myths and legends that encompass over 2750 original paintings san.
087- CQ3192 : One of the guides in the 4x4 which made ??safaris in the Okavango Delta Khwai River camp near Lodge of Orient Express in Botswana , within the Moremi Game Reserve Wild . Botswana. Although only part of the Delta , Moremi Game Reserve is a protected area, this oasis in the desert is one of the largest enclaves of the continent of wild life and in turn is the main attraction of the country. No tourists not to travel to Botswana and not go through this natural jewel Delta is a very unusual case of what a delta , since unlike the vast majority this does not lead to the sea. In fact, rather than a delta , we should be talking about an alluvial fan which is divided into four different regions : Eastern Delta : this is the area with better accessibility and also the cheapest compared to Moremi Reserve and the interior delta . This area includes the wetlands between the southern end of the Moremi Reserve and the " buffalo fence " that includes Boron and Santandadibe rivers . The best way to access this area is via Maun in mokoro ( traditional canoe is usually made with ebony or African Kigelia , although lately built predominantly fiberglass) or 4x4 with camping. Shelters and Maun agencies usually organize mokoro cruises in this region of the delta.
Inside Delta : covering the western areas , north and south of Moremi . It extends from the west of the island Chiefs to Delta swamp . This is where we find the classical landscape of a delta. Staying here is quite expensive and many lodges only accessible by air. The area is very prone to wander in mokoro from June to December . Okavango Swamp : a wetland area of the delta that extends northwest to the Namibian border . It is perhaps the most accessible area road . It is affordable and is not controlled by luxurious lodges with what neighboring towns to create their own camps cheapest rates. This area is dominated by reed beds and lagoons filled with papyrus. Coto de Moremi : with an area of ??about 3900 km2 , it is the only protected area of the delta and occupies a third of its total area to the northwest of the delta. The habitat is diverse encompassing and includes the island Chiefs and Moremi language northeast of booking , we can find deserts, mopane forests , ponds , depressions . Surely the case of the most popular and visited Delta among other reasons because the abundance of wildlife in this reserve is huge being able to see good populations of lion, elephant and buffalo as well as many other species including the endangered wild dogs . Is required to pay a daily entry in the reserve . It is available in both 4x4 and charter flights .
088- CQ3240 : An elephant stretching its trunk to eat the branches of a tree near Camp Khwai River Lodge by Orient Express in Botswana , within the Moremi Game Reserve Wild . Botswana said to protect the elephants. The Minister of Environment of Botswana announced that commercial hunting of elephants and other wild animals shall be prohibited from 2014 to prevent further population decline of these species. Today, eight months after hip fracture untimely and scandal starring the king of Spain while hunting elephants in Botswana , the Minister of Environment of the country told the BBC that " the hunting of wild animals for sport or for trophies no longer supports our commitment to preserve the local wildlife . " As collected at the time Salva la Selva , Professor Rudi van Aarde , elephant expert and prominent environmentalist, discusses in his study " Elephants : Facts and fables " Africa currently has only half the elephants with which counted for 40 years. Between 1970 and 1989 poaching reduced the number of elephants to about 500,000 . Specifically in Botswana , there are now some 130,000 elephants. This represents one third less than the elephant itself was in Botswana at the beginning of the twentieth century . For his part , Mr Rann , who coordinated the safari in which participated the King , supported the idea that hunting elephants actually makes them a good. Many mass media picked up this idea and presented as an argument of the supposed benefits of hunting wild animals. " There are too many elephants " repeating one another. Botswana Minister now with your decision belies these statements very rigorous and trying to justify the figure untouchable until recently Spanish king . The monarch publicly admitted that he was sorry , that he was wrong and did not happen again . Rainforest Rescue holds that species conservation is a decision much more productive and successful than the fun of billionaires , which can pay up to $ 30,000 to kill each elephant . Botswana welcome the decision to ban the hunting of elephants , and we recommend the immediate entry into force of the measure , which however is delayed until early 2014. Illegal ivory trade
Since 1989 was regulated international trade in ivory , last year saw the highest number of seizures of illegal ivory . This business also revives elephant hunts . The ivory is used to make souvenir or as a status symbol , and each piece made ??of this material represents a dead elephant . Before the scandal starring the king of Spain , Rainforest Rescue responded with a protest cyberaction attended by more than 11,500 (eleven thousand five hundred ) . GeaPhotowords collected and illustrated an opinion column we wrote with our impressions of the scandal that filled covers earlier this year: De Reyes , Ecologists and Elephants . Rainforest Rescue requires prohibit commercial and sport hunting of animals worldwide. Killing animals for fun and hang their heads as trophies in the halls of the very rich is nonsense .
089- CQ3411 : Two African wild dogs or wild dogs (wild dog) near Camp Khwai River Lodge by Orient Express in Botswana , within the Moremi Game Reserve Wild . Botswana. The wild dog ( Lycaon pictus) is a carnivorous mammal of the Canidae family and thus related to the domestic dog . It is also commonly known as the African wild dog, painted wolf, hyena and hunting dog dog El Cabo.reada in 1960 to protect the wildlife -rich part of the delta. It belongs to a monospecific genus , Lycaon . It is endemic to the African continent , being in savannah-type environments . Scientific or Latin name means painted wolf, citing its tricolor of black spots irregularly distributed white rust , except the front of the face and throat , which are always black and the last half of his tail, which always white . It is characteristic of the species that no two individuals with the same pattern of spots . It is the only species of canid which has four toes before and after. It can reach up to 75 inches tall at the withers and exceed 30 kilos in weight. The males are more robust than females. It has large rounded ears pricked . Possess strong jaws , and dental formula is as follows: 3/3, 1/1 , 4/4 , 2/3 = 42 . The wild dogs hunt in packs . It is the best hunter in the world with a success rate of between 70 and 89% according to various sources : from 10 hunts as nine are settled successfully . Their preferred prey is impala and other similar medium sized ungulates . They are known for their strength and for being cunning hunters. They were observed hunting prey in relays , or even blocking a potential escape of a dam , which was finally overcome by exhaustion. Typically emit loud or screeching sounds , like those of a bird. Although not considered a strictly territorial species , they occupy large home ranges that can range from 50 to 200 square kilometers . Often overlapping foraging areas of different herds . They are usually elusive and unlike other canids are extremely difficult to tame.
The wild dog has a complex matriarchal social system . Often regurgitate food for other pack members : individuals old or young pups and adults who have been taking care of the offspring during hunting trips . The size of their herds varies greatly, from those formed solely by the parents and litter to groups of more than thirty individuals. The gestation period is between 63 and 72 days and stop for five to eight pups per litter.
090- CQ3174 : A herd of elephants at sunset near Camp Khwai River Lodge by Orient Express in Botswana , within the Moremi Game Reserve Wild . SUPER ? POPULATION OF ELEPHANTS IN BOTSWANA ? LICENSE TO KILL " Excessive elephant population in Botswana is sweeping the country." It is estimated that in the early twentieth century the African elephant population was about 10 million, though some speak of fifteen . In 1970 the African elephant population was 2.5 million. In less than a decade were killed 1 million. So in 1979 there were an estimated 1.5 million. Not until 1989 when CITES trade ban decreed in elephant products because it is estimated that the number of elephants is around 600,000 . Today the dance numbers between 400,000 and 600,000 copies across the continent . This confirms that since 1989 the killing of elephants has continued despite the increase experienced in some areas. Poaching and armed conflicts have reduced the population in some countries , such as Liberia which has lost 95 % of the population in recent decades and is expected to remain a thousand . However, in other countries with greater political, economic social and elephant numbers have grown significantly . But overall the population in Africa is still more or less the same as when the ban was enacted in 1989 . Botswana is one of these countries notable for having managed to double the population of elephants since hunting was banned . It is estimated that before 1989 there were 70,000 and now there may be between 130,000 and 140,000 . And this is the excuse to authorize it now , even though the species remains vulnerable condition across the continent . CITES Secretary John Scanlon Generalde this year , in February 2012 , said the massacre of 450 elephants in Cameroon , that increased poaching was severe in the 38 states where African elephants live . We say more , because if the poachers and armed conflicts hunting we add "legal" elephant future remains as uncertain as 1989. But hunters say after the unfortunate and shameful picture of our monarch , rifle in hand with an elephant killed and stamping against the trunk of a tree? Well that excessive elephant population in Botswana is sweeping the country and , above some daring fond of this practice , the less cruel , even said that " for killing an elephant has saved twenty" . ( Informative Tele Cinco three in the afternoon of Monday April 15, 2012 ) . This last argument corresponds to the fact that it costs to kill an elephant is reinvested in the reserve and thus is helping to control and survival of the species ... And these arguments do not convince us because they are always the same , whether they hunt elephants , wolves , deer or rabbits , we respond and expose the sad and shameful reality that lies behind is proclamation of good "actions" and intentions. As for the number of elephants that were in Botswana before 1970 the only thing we know is that there were hundreds of thousands . Perhaps the same amount we have now across the continent . How is it that so many had previously territory and a population so diminished today can rampage ? According to "experts " hunters , the main causes are : agriculture and intensive farming and rising human population , which in 30 years has tripled. And therefore there is no ground for everyone or for both . With respect to livestock , if we look at the beginning of the twentieth century ( with over 10 million elephants in Africa ) , 97% of the population in this country lived in the country and every family had at least two cows. Until 71 the only wealth in this country was ranching in the Kalahari Desert , and still managed to be one of the countries that won exported to the world, especially the countries of southern Africa . How many elephants were then in Botswana ? What is clear is that since it opened as the world diamond mine at Orapa , the picture changed dramatically. The intensive livestock became and is today one of the major pillars of the economy of this country, but I must say that the major production area vaccine is given in the southeast, so it is not affected by the territories of elephants are mostly in the Chobe National Park and the Okavango Delta in the north and , to a lesser extent , in the parks that are located in the central- in the heart of the Kalahari , and the Southwest , the Nature Gemsbok . ( Both are a desert steppe allowing grazing in certain periods ) . By the way , is that factory farming is producing a rapid impoverishment of the soil fertile and demand others ... As for agriculture it is only 1.6 % of GDP, according to data from 2006-2007 . Only 5% of Botswana's land is suitable for cultivation (85% is desert ) and is in the basement where the wealth of this country as it is very rich in minerals ( second overall diamond producer after South Africa and in the quality of the diamonds , is the first in the world) and this and good management of government is what has made Botswana deal , according to the World Bank , the first location between the countries of Africa. The problem is the pressure to convert the fertile farming areas to the detriment of areas for wildlife . In the Okavango Delta have potential for agricultural development ... And population growth ? is true that there has been an evolution. In a survey of 574,094 people in 1971 (not very reliable ) is passed to one of 1,326,796 in 1991 . At present , according to 2008 data , the population is 1,842,323 . The majority of the population , 80 % , is concentrated on the eastern fringes and in cities (remember that in the first half of the twentieth century , 97 % lived in the country ) so it is kept well away from the reserves. Significantly, the number of inhabitants is 3 per km2 while in Spain is , according to 2011 of 93.51 . We are relieved to know that elephants are not crushing the inhabitants of the country ...
091- CQ4134 : Some local tribes living on the edge of the reserve near Camp Khwai River Lodge by Orient Express in Botswana , within the Moremi Game Reserve Wild . Botswana. The first inhabitants of present Botswana were probably ancestors of the San ( also known as Bushmen ) hunters and gatherers , who now inhabit the arid steppes of south-western Botswana , and the Khoikhoi , from the north. Bantu -speaking tribes arrived in the region in the first century BC The ancestors of the Tswana , (now majority nation ) , were installed between the eleventh and twelfth centuries in the plains of the Vaal River (now the South African province of Transvaal ) . The Tswana were merged into eight powerful clans . The clan rivalries did not allow the Tswana create a kingdom like other nations in southern Africa . The music and dance is one of the strongest and most interesting attractions of Botswana. Both are linked and is characterized by its upbeat rhythms and catchy . In the Cultural Center Maitisong can appreciate music performances of all types as well as traditional dances. They are also cause for great celebration in the city national holidays Independence Day Botswana ( September 30 ) , Presidents' Day ( in July) and the Sir Seretse Khama Day ( July 1 ) . Worth staying a few days in Gaborone and its surroundings have great cultural villages , landscapes and nature reserves, mines , cave paintings and crafts. The city also offers several malls for shoppers , find crafts , wood, jewelry and souvenirs . Gaborone , offers a variety of accommodations and restaurants from very affordable to luxury .
092- CQ4268 : Boys play with sheets in a village near the camp Khwai River Lodge by Orient Express in Botswana , within the Moremi Game Reserve Wild . Botswana. The most important artistic heritage of Botswana lies in the legacy of the Bushmen , a tribe could take form millenary , on the walls of caves and rocks , his deep spirituality . The rock art reflects the view that the people of the world had Bushman . The beauty and sensibility of his paintings Hunter expresses respect for the dam , which according to their beliefs will be found after his death . Originally from another tribe , basketry is also a tradition that goes back centuries , when each container still had a specific use and workmanship mingled magical practicality and its people. Designs of names such as " The First Rains " , " The Way of the Buffalo" or "Tears of the Giraffe " in their designs symbolize the importance of livestock and water in a barren world where goods are scarce and deserve to be celebrated . both. When Europeans introduced a new aesthetic , local artists interpreted it under the canons of their culture , resulting in a symbiosis of styles that would eventually have its own identity . The embroidered bedspreads , carpets and tablecloths combine African issues with European designs . You could say that Botswana currently has a unique art . The carving of wood, which remains one of the art forms most common , also involved the African heritage and European double . Not so with the country's indigenous pottery , which remains true to its origins .
HOLIDAYS in Botswana is considered that a day is not enough to celebrate an event noted, so they have become specialists in ' the next day ' . Officially the holidays are:
- January 1 . New Year.
- January 2 : ' the next day ' ( New Year ) .
- Easter: 4 days. Celebrate Good Friday, Saturday, Sunday
Resurrection and ' the next day ' ( Monday) .
- Ascension Day 40 days after Easter Sunday.
- July 19 : President's Day .
- July 20 : ' the next day ' ( the President ) .
- September 30 : National Day.
- October 1 : ' the next day ' ( National Holiday ) .
- 25 , 26 and December 27 : Christmas.
093- CQ4231 : Portrait of a local girl in a village near the camp Khwai River Lodge by Orient Express in Botswana , within the Moremi Game Reserve Wild . Botswana. Botswana 's geography is marked by its two major myths : Kalahari Desert and the Okavango Delta . After a long way from Angola, the Okavango River to the northwest of the country comes to pour their waters , not the ocean as usual, but to the arid lands of the Kalahari , where a sea of ??sand arise 15,000 square kilometers of canals, islands , unimaginable flora and fauna . Neither the legendary desert wilderness is the place you'd imagine, but semiarid savanna rich covering 85 % of the total land area , where vast plains of grass and mopane forests alternate with fine red sand , gray and white , headlands rocky dunes and finally we all hope to find . Its borders are : to the north and west by Namibia, Zimbabwe to the east , and south by South Africa. In the southeast of the country is the most fertile and the most densely populated. The 80 % of the population lives in rural areas . No wonder that the Bushmen people of Botswana for over 30,000 years , have been cornered in the most remote regions of the Kalahari. His spirituality has allowed peaceful coexistence with the ethnic groups who have settled in their territory throughout the centuries . Any dispute was resolved with friendly fragmentation of tribal groups under which the losers were established elsewhere. This civilized practice was possible until the early nineteenth century , when all pastures bordering the Kalahari were already distributed and expansion into South Africa was impossible. Knowing how vulnerable that made them the fragmentation in these circumstances , able to regroup on a highly structured society ruled by hereditary monarchies . The recent history of Botswana , like most African countries , has been marked by the interests of the colonial powers. In this respect, the question : What interest would manage 50 million acres of sand ? The answer is easy : its strategic value. For Britain represented the possibility of connecting the valuable lands north of the port of Cape Town. Portugal sought a passage between Angola and Mozambique. For the Germans it was just a way to not fall behind in the race for the division of the continent.
094- CQ3223 : A magical sunset with elephants vahiculo inches from 4x4 in which we make the game safari camp near Khwai River Lodge by Orient Express in Botswana , within the Moremi Game Reserve Wild . Botswana does not live on agriculture, livestock, although it is an important pillar , focuses on the polar opposite to where the wildlife. And that population growth , together with the enrichment of the country, requires more land and , by the fact that much of the land is desert , there is a growing demand for fertile and productive areas . This encourages abuse of the soil ( what we have experienced in our country those years ago ) . The land value is soaring ! Excuses are needed and nothing better to argue that the country is being devastated by these opulent beings consume daily , per head , 170 kg . grass , bark of trees and shrubs . How much you eat in a day 600,000 ? How much do one hundred years consumed when they were ten million ? ... And Nature survived the presence of these " mammoth " beings . But apparently , can do no more ...Quiet ! Thanks to the action of a superhero series with shotgun in hand and a fistful of dollars , you will avoid the tragedy and save Africa from this evil that is the elephant when mother leaves or crosses the line. And apparently seen many things we wonder : Who sweeps who? , Who takes away the land to whom, ? Excess excess elephants or humans? , ? Many elephants or many cows ? Do many acacias or little corn ? , ? Protect the species interest or a hobby more for millionaires ? , ? Common interest or interests? There is a fact that we emphasize : Chobe National Park has 10,698 km2. This equates to an area of ??1,070,000 hectares. The park contains the largest concentration of elephants in Africa. The Nature Park is sturdy , strong, alive. And like the phoenix , is born and dies, but every day. It takes centuries to do so. Nature does not need teachers. She is the teacher. It has its own control mechanisms that allow you to maintain balance. It is man that disrupts this harmony, which destabilizes and depletes resources and territory. Is that endangers the existence of the species and therefore yours. For instance , in Spain , since 1968-1996 the area affected by fires (mostly intentional ) has been of 5,811,133 hectares, equivalent to 58,000 km2. ( From 1996-2011 fires have increased this figure ) . Clearly we do not need elephants to devastate the country and resist nevertheless . Not excuses ! ,Out excuses ! The elephant is killed for their ivory , for your skin and , more seriously, for pleasure . To say that hunting of elephants is " an art , a unique experience " is what would Hannibal Lecter. Shooting is not healthy . Something sick in the soul of him who without trembling pulse , for pleasure , for pure satisfaction, feeling more importantly, it takes the life of another living being. Not just fans , not just power, not just glitz . It's sickening . Killing an elephant does not take a crab to the pot - do not want to reach extremes , although we share the view PACMA and not the WWF ( Animalistasfrente conservationists ) - , is more troubling. We move in a world where sensitivities are like the taste, but more defined , more transparent. Here are scales, there are degrees , and if you do not cook a crab blows tears to most people , kill an elephant itself . Maybe it's because it conveys feelings when we see living together as a family , caring, protecting and caressing with his trunk to the young ... or maybe it's simply because they look and a crab eyes even if you do not. Miran . Sure they look, and front. Even when you are going to put a bullet between the eyes looking straight ahead ... It is clear that Botswana is a haven for those who have " pasta" : diamonds and big game. They are big. Squeak and even have whiff . They do not smell good. Quickly associate with a world fatuous , wasteful , cynical, hypocritical , vain , unscrupulous . Stereotypes unfortunately, as in this case , are determined to reproduce. We can never forget that "real" image of being more robust , majestic ( the elephant really is a king) , beautiful and of great nobility that walks the earth and we have seen , amazement , and this time he has been humbled in his death bed : Stamping tubes against a tree , as background for photo glorious perhaps exhibited only in the privacy ( until made ??public) of a privileged place in the house , the palace , as a simple memory or maybe Go to feed the ego ? , raising self-esteem ? ? or perhaps boast of prowess ... and battles with family, friends and commitments protocol? ... " Noble" noblest feat of Spain on one of the most NOBLE beings that inhabit this planet . Deplorable ! It seems insane , indecent , fatal , fateful ... , endless adjectives that we reserve modesty but not to keep the papers. A God what is God's ( and by what gods ) , but to Caesar should not give everything. Caesar must earn it . The elephant give him the land that belongs to him and that the man is wresting with dark ends . By reducing their habitat will obviously not all sites . It will trigger the plan B :Control hunting ! Excuses , excuses always , but who is the devastating ? , Who sweeps the floor of whom, who's the wild animal ? The elephant is dead ,long live the elephant! ... King .
095- CQ3271 : Postal sunset with two elephants crossing a flooded area near the camp Khwai River Lodge by Orient Express in Botswana , within the Moremi Game Reserve Wild . Botswana , the elephant hunter paradise . Africa is the most coveted destination for hunters from all over the planet, and Botswana to the south of the continent, is one of the sweet tooth for lovers of the game. " Hunting in the Okavango and landscapes of the area of the marshes make this destination a favorite for safari hunters ' web ensure Hunters Circle . The time allowed for the practice of hunting runs from April to September and April is just recommended to collect large elephants. Prices can range from 6,000 to 30,000 euros. Elephant Hunting in Botswana is effected ' footprint '. In broad terms, is up early and go through the points for which the elephant may have been looking for fresh tracks of adult males . According to experts in the field , prices for hunting in Botswana can range from 6,000 to 30,000 euros , depending on the features you'll enjoy intended in the African country and the goals you have. Of course , it is more expensive to hunt an elephant than a zebra. Elephant hunting is regulated in Botswana , and to practice just the amount of money disbursed applicable, a copy of your passport , a copy of the guide rifles and fill out a form . Normally arrival at the destination is via the airport in Johannesburg ( South Africa) due to proximity. Once there you also need to fill the form SAP 520.
096- CQ3435 : A 4x4 cross a flooded areas during the night safari that Orient Express performs at Camp Khwai River Lodge by Orient Express in Botswana , within the Moremi Game Wildlife Reserve , Botswana. Night Safari by Linyati swamps Browse this part of the Chobe National Park after dark is a luxury . With the rules in this area are not as strict as in other national preserves can drive when there is no light and stopping to admire the animal life around the marshes. The elephants , lions and cheetahs are just some of the neighbors Linyati waters . It is an experience that will not disappoint. In Botswana there is the second largest migratory movement of zebras in Africa. More than 25,000 individuals move 2 times a year in search of fresh pasture water. Between March and April start their route from the north to the Makgadikgadi region , that after the summer rains explodes in greenery, water and pasture. Here they remain until the months of September and October , and return north , towards Chobe and Moremi , on November. During this route , which runs all regions traversing this Great Migration , the chances of finding it are very high.
097 - CQ4013 : During the night safari that Orient Express performs at Camp Khwai River Lodge by Orient Express in Botswana , within the Moremi Game Reserve Wild , you can meet giraffes crossing the road . About Giraffe several interesting facts , such as the heart of an adult is 2 feet long and weighs about 20 pounds, on the other hand , language is almost 2 feet long. Giraffes males weigh 3,000 to 4,000 pounds and can reach 20 feet tall. Females weigh from 1500-2500 pounds and are about 14 feet tall, baby giraffes are 6 feet tall. Their life span is 20-28 years. Giraffes extend its forelegs in order to reach the water , they do this because these are shorter than the neck. They use their brands to blend in with the trees. Like human fingerprints , each one is unique. His mouth has a hard inner surface so they are easy to eat thorny plants . They can not cough. At one point he thought they were a cross between a camel and a leopard , which resulted in its scientific name , " Giraffa camelopardalis " . For males establish their dominance turn their heads in a test of strength . This is called " narrowing " . As you age, your skin darkens . A giraffe has only seven vertebrae , although its neck can be 5 feet long.
Also called a panther, when presented completely dark fur ( melanin ) . In antiquity , a leopard was considered a hybrid of a lion and a panther , as is reflected in its name, which is composed of the Greek words for λ ? Ων you ? N ( lion ) and π ? Ρδος brown ( male panther ) . It is also related to Sanskrit ? ? ? ? ? The leopard is one of the most adaptable big cats . Really, the only factor limiting the leopard is people. The leopard has a pretty solid shape , with round head and long thin tail . Its legs are potent fingers 4 and 5 at the rear of the above , all of its claws 91 retráctiles.2 Reach m.de 1.91 cm length , over 58 to 110 cm of the tail, and a height in the cross of 45-78 cm.3 Adult males weigh between 37 and 90 kg , and females of 28-60 kg .
His dental formula is as follows: 3/3, 1/1, 3/2, 1/1 = 30 .
The Delta is an area covered with water, with canals and islands where a large variety of wild animals . Near the border with Zimbabwe is Chobe Park , where in addition to several species of birds can watch the elephants come here in droves . The Chobe River is an amazing show and take a safari through its waters a great experience. Back in Zimbabwe , Victoria Falls offer an amazing show . You will need to take a walk in front of the falls to discover the beauty of this natural phenomenon. Hwange Park is the largest game reserve in Zimbabwe. This place is home to 105 mammal species , including 19 large herbivores and eight carnivores. On this trip you will enjoy the wildlife and landscapes of Africa.
The greater kudu or greater kudu ( Tragelaphus strepsiceros ) is a species of artiodactyl mammal of the subfamily Bovinae . It is a large African antelope and remarkable horn , which inhabits wooded savannah southern and eastern Africa . The average weight is 320 kg for males and 220 kg for females . The coat is gray to grayish brown with 7-10 white vertical stripes on each side. A clearer mane stands on the spine of the neck to the tail and mane long and narrow row , blackish base and white tips , growing in center of the neck and chest. The males have horns curved V with two or three turns in a spiral, which on average 1.25 m long. It lives in the bushes . Females and their young live in family groups and males in separate groups or solitary . Is nocturnal and feeds on leaves and tender branches . It is slow to walk but can jump up to 2 meters high.
