A long-neglected British protectorate, Botswana achieved its independence in 1966 and immediately thereafter, in a mad stroke of luck, discovered three of the world's richest diamond mines. Today the country enjoys a relatively enlightened government, and its health, educational and economic standards are rivalled on the African continent only by South Africa's.

Beyond the narrow eastern corridor where the majority of population is concentrated, Botswana is a largely roadless wilderness of savannas, deserts, wetlands and salt pans. To ensure the country's natural assets are preserved, Botswana's government has embraced a policy of courting primarily high-cost, low-impact tourism, although recent years have seen options for independent, budget-minded travellers grow.

It’s pushing the definition to label Gaborone an attraction, but as you’ll probably have to pass through here on your way to someplace more attractive, it’s worth knowing a little about Botswana’s capital. The first thing to know is that it’s not somewhere you’ll want to linger - distances in Gaborone are long and uninteresting, there’s heavy traffic, no footpaths and the city is a mess of suburbs and highrises.

Described as ‘the river which never finds the sea’, the Okavango disappears into a 15,000 sq km (5850 sq mi) maze of lagoons, channels and islands in north-western Botswana. It’s the largest inland delta in the world, and it teems with wildlife. Most obvious are the birds - thousands upon thousands of them - but there are also elephant, zebra, buffalo, wildebeest, giraffe, hippo and kudu.

In the centre of the delta, the Moremi Wildlife Reserve totals around 3000 sq km (1170 sq mi) and is officially cordoned off for wildlife preservation. Outside of Moremi you won’t see much in the way of wildlife, but there are fewer tourists and the landscape is no less lovely.

About 60km (40mi) south-east of Moremi, Maun is the administrative centre of the delta and home to the main airstrip. The cheapest area to visit is the Eastern Delta, as there aren’t as many controls on operators here, and most of the guides and boat pilots are unlicensed freelancers.

Chobe National Park covers 11,000 sq km (4300 sq mi) and has a greater variety of wildlife than anywhere else in Botswana. Kasane, at the northern tip of the park, is the park’s gateway and its administrative centre. The town itself doesn’t offer much to see, but it’s a good place to base yourself for quick visits to the park, and it’s also where you’ll arrive if you fly into Chobe.

The Mababe Depression - a remnant of a large lake that once covered northern Botswana - is home to the park’s next big attraction, the Savuti Marshes. Savuti presents an intensely flat, harsh landscape, but you’ll be overwhelmed by the amount of wildlife, particularly elephant. Lions, wild dogs and hyena prowl through immense herds of impala, wildebeest, buffalo and zebra, while antelopes are present in numbers you won’t see anywhere else.

At the upper end of Chobe, Kasane is also the northernmost point of the country, about 800km (500mi) north of Gaborone. You can fly to Kasane from Maun, Gaborone or Victoria Falls, and buses run to Kasane from Nata, about 250km (150mi) to the south. Once there, you’ll need a high-clearance 4WD to get around most areas. There are camps and lodges throughout the park.

With a population of around 90,000, sprawling Serowe, in eastern Botswana, is the country’s largest village. It has been the capital of the Ngwato people since King Khama moved here in 1902. Serowe is also home to the Botswana Brigades, a movement that, since 1965, has brought vocational education to the most remote parts of the country.

The Khama III Memorial Museum tells the story of the Khama family, the chiefs of the Ngwato people. Leapeetswe Khama donated his home, the Red House, for the museum premises. Displays include the personal effects of King Khama III and his descendants, as well as artefacts illustrating the history of Serowe. There is also a growing natural history display, featuring a large collection of African insects and a display on snakes of the region.

Tag: Botswana