A SAFARI IN BOTSWANA

Botswana, formerly known as Bechuanaland Protectorate, became independent from British rule in 1966 and is the oldest continuous democracy in Africa.

- Suresh Joseph

It has one of the highest per capita GDPS in Africa way higher than South Africa - largely because of diamond mining. It is one of the least densely populated countries in the world, with about 70 per cent of land being deserts. The landlocked country depends on South Africa for most of its imports via sea. Literacy rate is high and education is given a lot of importance. One of the seven natural wonders of the world, the Okavango Delta, is situated in Botswana and it has one of the largest salt pans in the world the Makgadikgadi Pan. The country has the highest concentration of African elephants, being home to more than 1,30,000 of them. A country largely undersold in terms of tourism, Botswana needs to be up there in the pecking order for those tourists seeking adventure and wild life.

DAY 1 GABORONE TO SEROWE- KHAMA RHINO SANCTUARY 402km

DAY 2 SEROWE TO GOO MOREMI GORGE 115km 

DAY 3 GOO MOREMI GORGE TO FRANCISTOWN 206km

DAY 4 FRANCISTOWN TO KASANE 516km

DAY 5 IN KASANE

DAY 1

GABORONE TO SEROWEKHAMA RHINO SANCTUARY

402km

FOR THE 15th edition of Record Drive, I rented a VW Polo from Hertz at the Sir Seretse Khama International Airport, Gaborone. The Al was initially four-laned and grid separated. The drive to Mahalapye was scenic and smooth. The surprising fact is that the top speed of 120kmph is permitted on even single lane highways.

Just short of Mahalapye is where the Tropic of Capricorn passes through Botswana. Thirteen columnar joints are installed there to mark the imaginary southernmost latitude tropic indicating the countries through which the Tropic of Capricorn passes around the world. The columnar joints were found near Francistown and is believed to belong to the Mesozoic era, more that 180 million years ago.