Earlier this year Donald Trump Jr and Eric Trump, the sons of the famous real estate king Donald Trump, went on a hunting expedition in Zimbabwe. A great deal of controversy arose when the Trump boys consented to shamelessly posing with their victims, among which were two buffalo, a kudu, a waterbuck, and even some of the more exotic animals such as a leopard, an elephant, a crocodile and a civet cat.

After being exposed to much criticism from the media and public around the globe, the Trump boys stood their ground and stated that what they did was completely lawful and all the animals meat was contributed to grateful villagers, however, many people have found it hard to believe that villagers were gratefully feasting on leopard and elephant meat. Trump Jr. later defended their actions on twitter, “I’m a hunter, for that I make no apologies.”

It’s common knowledge that leopards and elephants numbers are dwindling as the years go on and a viewing of them is something special and rare, so why kill them? The brothers are now under further scrutiny, the trip is currently the subject of an investigation led by conservationists in Zimbabwe, the independent Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force says the South African safari company the sons used was not registered in Zimbabwe. In one of many disturbing pictures that were leaked from the hunting trip, you can see Trump Jr hold up the severed tail on an elephant.

Image source

Image source

The No.1 Safari Destination

Botswana may be famous for its No.1 Lady Detective – Precious Ramotswe – but it is also a premier safari destination. So, what’s stopping you from visiting Botswana? This blog investigates some of the questions visitors may be asking about Botswana.

Is Botswana a safe destination?

What about the infrastructure?

With the exception of parks and outlying areas, Botswana has well tarred and kept roads. Should you want to visit spots off the beaten track, self-drive safaris are not recommended for inexperienced 4×4 driver. Again using a tour operator who has access to the best transport and drivers is advisable. Driving around major cities is no problem. Landline telephone services are very reliable and mobile phone coverage is being extended constantly. Do check with your mobile operator that they have a service agreement with Botswana before assuming your mobile will work on international roaming.

Will I need a visa?

Most Commonwealth and European countries do not need a visa to enter Botswana.

What do I need to be immunised against and what if I fall ill?

Unless you are visiting from a country with yellow fever, you need not have any vaccinations prior to your arrival in Botswana. While not essential, it is wise to be up-to-date on your tetanus, polio and diphtheria vaccines. These are now administered in one vaccine called Revaxis. Hepatitis A is also recommended. Botswana is a malaria area so it is imperative that you see your travel physician at least a month prior to your departure to take the correct medication. There have been great advances in anti-malaria medication and side effects are much slighter than they used to be. Because of Botswana’s low density population and climate, it is a very healthy country in comparison to its African neighbours. There are great private clinics in the main cities that cater to the needs of ex-patriots and tourists.

Is it really worth coming?

Spend some time at the Okavango Delta, Chobe National Park or Kalahari Game Reserve and let me know if it wasn’t worth your while.

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September has gone by so quickly and the festive season is upon us, we would like to share with you some of the exiting things that have taken place at Tuningi in the Madikwe area.

-Big Pack of Wild Dogs had 11 puppies and I am happy to inform you that we saw them at Tshukudu dam in the east 2 weeks ago. All the youngsters were still there and very healthy, since they ate a kudu that morning. When we arrived all the dogs were still sleeping and we struggled to view them properly in the long grass. We decided to go for drinks and waited for the temperature to drop a bit.

-The 3 female lionesses that had the 8 cubs are well and all still healthy. The youngsters are always fed and growing by the day.

-The most mentionable was when we had a boma dinner close to the watering hole. Just as the guests sat down to start their delicious 3 course meal the show started. A whole group of Ellies showed up and had a great time playing and bathing in the watering hole.

Then as the last people were making their way to bed the grand finale appeared, a leopard slowly made her way to the watering hole and spent 5 minutes quenching her thirst. But that was not the end, not long after her a big male leopard made his appearance and also enjoyed a sip at the watering hole. Yip that night was pretty amazing.

Contact Adventure Safari Lodge to make bookings at Tuningi Safari Lodge : advensaf@global.bw

Adventure Safaris has just received a new consignment of new wildlife and Botswana related books for sale.

Creatures Of habit, Guide to Greater Gaborone, Edible & Medical Flowers, Begginners Guide To Birds
are just a few. We are also selling maps of the Okavango Delta, Moremi & Chobe area’s.
Limited stock. Don’t miss out!!! Contact us

A yellow fever vaccination needs to be completed no less than 10 days prior to travelling. Please also be aware that all transit passengers between the two destinations, irrespective of the transit time period, will require proof of vaccination.

 Passengers travelling directly between Europe and Zambia without passing through South Africa will not be required to have a yellow fever certificate.

You can’t say you know Chobe National Park until you’ve seen the Park’s most esteemed residents – the elephants. Catching a glimpse of them shouldn’t be too hard, not least of all because they’re such big animals, but mainly because, at 120 000 individual animals, they represent the largest elephant population on the African continent.

They roam the Park like royalty, migrating to watering spots and the areas that provide the foraging that they enjoy so much. The elephants migrate up to 200km on a seasonal basis. During the dry winter months they congregate on the rivers of the Park, the Chobe and the Linyanti, while in the rainy season they move to the south-east zone of the Park, although they also move as far a field as the north-west of Zimbabwe and the east of Namibia. There cannot be many sights as impressive as a herd of elephant rambling through the veld, their feet pounding the ground and their trunks swinging to the rhythm of their marching.

Scientifically speaking, the elephants of Chobe are known as Kalahari elephants, and they have the largest body dimensions of all elephants in the world. However, you shouldn’t expect to see too many large tusks. The ivory of the Chobe elephants is more brittle than that of other elephants, possibly because the soil of the region contains relatively less calcium, and their tusks are relatively short. This may be why they have been able to survive the scourge of poaching – while other elephant populations elsewhere in Africa have been decimated in recent decades by poachers, the elephants of Chobe have been increasing steadily in number. Starting with a few thousand animals about a hundred years ago, they now dominate the region, as masters of the bush, respected by the other animals, and hopefully also by the people who come to see them.

I say hopefully, because the elephants represent a majestic and ancient part of the natural heritage of the Southern African region. It is worth keeping in mind that they have been here for a long, long time. Even though they behave like they own the veld, and sometimes cause extensive damage to vegetation, we should keep in mind that this is their natural habitat, and that their prehistoric migration routes have been disrupted by human fences and activities. This disruption has led to a high concentration of elephants in the Park.

One of the best ways of viewing the elephants is to catch them in the water. The elephants don’t feel threatened by people in boats, and as long as you don’t sail right up to them, you can get very close. (It’s a different story when approaching them on land, however.) Watching them play in the water, one is reminded that despite their immense size, and their stature in the food chain of the Park, they remain children at heart, like the lords and ladies of the realm, out for a splash in the pool.

Chobe National Park is an immense area of natural diversity. Covering roughly 10 000 square kilometres, it is the stamping ground of the largest elephant population on earth, numbering approximately 120 000 individual animals. But besides such large and esteemed residents being present in such large numbers, there is also a great variety of other game to be seen, such as buffalo, antelope, and beasts of prey. And let’s not forget about the birds, some of which are migrant and only make an appearance in the summer months, from November to March.

Geographically, the park is huge, extending from the border with the Chobe River to the Savuti Channel (in which the river is no longer flowing), and on to the Okavango Delta border region to the west. Situated in the far north of Botswana, the park can be divided into four distinct topographical zones. Situated around the central dry region are the Savuti Marsh to the west, the lush vegetation and wooded areas of the Chobe river zone to the north-east, and the Linyanti Swamps to the north-west. This makes for a very varied safari experience, and you are sure to see something worth remembering during your stay in the park.

The park was declared a National Park in 1967, making it the first National Park in Botswana. However, as early as 1932 it was designated a non-hunting area, although at that stage it measured roughly 30 000 square kilometres. The Park was originally inhabited by San people, known locally as the Basarwa, a hunter-gatherer population who moved nomadically from place to place in search of game and edible plants.

Courtesy of Photos Ecosse

Moving to the animal population, we cannot avoid mentioning the elephants. At the turn of the twentieth century, the elephant population numbered only a few thousand. The fact that the population exceeds 100 000 today is testimony to the sensible management of the park, in an era of rampant poaching of wildlife in other parts of the continent. The elephants form a living monument, an invaluable natural heritage in a time in which such things are being exploited and stolen. If you want to see the elephants, it is advisable to inquire from a guide as to their exact whereabouts, as they are migratory.

Besides elephants, there are also zebra and buffalo on the Chobe river, particularly during the dry winter months, as well as antelope and impala in the wooded areas. As mentioned previously, there are many species of birds in the park, including pelicans on the water. It would not be possible to enumerate the vast diversity of birdlife to be found in the park in this article.

They say that an elephant has a particularly long memory. Perhaps you also will take home some very happy memories from Chobe Park, memories to last you a long, long time, serene sunsets on the plains, or long rambles in the Chobe forests. And then you will come to experience why this place on earth is so very special, and why so many elephants seem so happy to call it home.

We were in the privileged position to spend a night at the newly opened Phakalane Golf Hotel on the Golf Estate. Although the hotel is situated quite close to the main area, it blends in really well with the overall design. Our reception was welcoming, warm and efficient. The clean lines and serenity of the reception area reflects throughout the hotel. Views from the hotel, facing the Golf course, are quite spectacular, a pool, greenery and hills in the distance .

The rooms are well appointed and roomy with sophisticated touches like a wardrobe that lits up when opened, and a dim light in the bathroom so you don’t loose your way at night. White crispy linen and white fluffy towels are a given. No request is to big or to small for the attentive staff, there are even a Golf cart to take you the short distance to the main restaurant area. If you are looking for tranquility, and a feeling of the country, this is the place to stay, and of course if you’re a Golf fanatic. The rates are excellent and the estate is close enough to commute into Gaborone. The hotel also offers excellent conferencing facilities.