Live Your Best Lives
Image by Brendon
Of all the African countries I've visited, this southern African region is unique. It's not short of water; on the contrary, it's abundant and surging. It's not poor, but rather a high-end tourist destination, the ultimate destination for many.
Botswanacheck the details
Botswana, also known as Botswana (full name: the Republic of Botswana), is a landlocked country located in southern Africa. The country's borders are arid, plateau terrain, bordering South Africa to the south, Namibia to the west, and Zimbabwe to the northeast. Its northernmost border is only slightly connected to Zambia near Victoria Falls. Botswana is one of Africa's fastest-growing and most resilient economies, with its diamond industry, cattle breeding, and burgeoning manufacturing as its pillar industries. However, disease remains a serious threat to the country's socioeconomic security, and Botswana has one of the highest HIV infection rates in the world.
Recommended months: November to April
8241 recommendations, 7303 visits
Botswana was once one of the "most difficult countries in the world to apply for a visa". Even Africa's richest man, Aliko Dangote, was denied a visa when entering the country.
It is now one of the richest countries in Africa, even surpassing Argentina and Chile. Unlike the desert you imagine, 90% of the land here is grassland, which is very fertile!
Good things are always worth waiting for. At the end of 2018, Botswana finally opened its visa-on-arrival policy to global travelers! This country, once ranked among Lonely Planet's "World's Most Worthwhile Countries," is finally open to the world. While the stunning natural scenery here is well-protected, let's first take a look at its general location.
The waterways flowing through Botswana are a torrent of effort: as rain falls from the sky, they gather into torrents and begin their long journey from the Angolan highlands.
After the torrent joins the Okavango River, it passes through the Kahara Desert and eventually empties into the delta.
Once they reach the floodplains, they must overcome the obstacles of reeds. Finally, across more than 20,000 square kilometers, they transform into tens of thousands of waterways and lagoons, providing a source of life for wild animals and plants.
The most exciting place in Botswana is the Okavango Delta. In the Okavango Delta, you can encounter a large number of animals without having to look for them.
The Okavango Delta, with its abundant water resources and lush grass, attracts an astonishing number of wild animals to feed and live. Therefore, savvy travelers know that Botswana offers a wealth of species to see and a breathtaking safaris to experience.
If safari in Botswana were the same as in other parts of Africa, it wouldn’t be the most luxurious travel destination in Africa. Tens of thousands of waterways and lagoons not only provide the water that animals rely on for survival, but also bring a unique and fancy safari experience to the enthusiasts.
In Botswana, we can choose a canoe safari. Under the charming sunset, we can ride a canoe on the calm water, be a passer-by in nature, and quietly encounter wild animals.
The astonishing number of elephants you've seen in Chobe National Park will make the elephants you've seen in zoos seem like a waste.
Chobe National Park, once a British royal hunting ground, was established in 1967 as Botswana's first national park. Protected here, the elephants freely fall in love and give birth, unknowingly spawning a large herd that now numbers approximately 50,000.
This is where the highest concentration of African elephants is located. The elephants here are not afraid of vehicles and often cross the road. You can feel the size of the elephants up close, which is amazing.
If you ask me what I recommend most in Botswana, it must be taking a small plane and looking down at the delta!
Take a small plane to get a bird's eye view of Botswana. The migrating animals, the winding rivers, and the huge elephants seem to be only the size of a fingernail. The God's perspective is so unique!
This is the gathering place of the Bushman tribe. We will see how they hunt and make fire here, a pure human experience.
Take a big truck, drive into uninhabited areas, camp in the wild, and experience the ultimate under the stars of the Southern Hemisphere.
Zimbabwecheck the details
The Republic of Zimbabwe, a landlocked country in southern Africa, is renowned for its high-quality crocodile skins, earning it the nickname "Crocodile Country." The Zimbabwe Ruins are one of Zimbabwe's main attractions, housing some of Southern Africa's most iconic monumental stone structures. From the Zimbabwe Ruins, visitors can admire the Great Wall of China and the "thundering smoke" of Victoria Falls on the Zambezi River. The Sinoa Caves, a site of ancient human burrowing, are also a popular tourist attraction. Zimbabwe's many secrets await exploration.
Recommended months: August to October
9013 recommendations, 7159 visits
I believe that Africa lovers may not be unfamiliar with this country, because it has a very obvious landmark, Victoria Falls.
The map shows the geographical location of Zimbabwe
In 1855, an Englishman named David Livingstone came here by canoe and saw the stunning waterfall. He named it after the British monarch at the time, Victoria.
Victoria Falls is the largest waterfall in Africa and one of the three largest waterfalls in the world. It is more than 1,700 meters wide and 108 meters at its highest point. However, due to the terrain, the main waterfall, Victoria Falls, has the largest flow and is 1,800 meters wide.
Victoria Falls is actually made up of five waterfalls, from west to east: Devil's Falls, Main Falls, Rainbow Falls, Horseshoe Falls, and East Falls. Each waterfall group has its own unique characteristics, and three of them are the most recommended.
/Devil's Falls/
The water flow of Devil's Falls is the most turbulent and the momentum is the most majestic. After falling off the cliff, the water flies a long way, resembling a devil with bared fangs and claws, hence the name "Devil's Falls". It is an excellent place for taking photos.
/Main Waterfall/
Victoria Falls is the largest waterfall in the country. Standing in front of the main waterfall, the huge mist of water covers the sky and the sun, leaving you with only a white mist in front of you, making it impossible to see anything clearly. Here, you will deeply feel the immense power of nature.
/Rainbow Falls/
Famous for its perennial rainbows, the most magical sight here is the "moonbow," which forms when moonlight reflects off the mist on days when the moon is full and mirror-like. Because of its faint color, it's difficult to see clearly with the naked eye, requiring a long camera exposure to reveal its true form.
The Zambezi River flows gently across the vast, flat plateau of Zambia, its flow calm and tranquil,
yet at Victoria Falls, its current suddenly becomes passionate and wild: Thousands of cubic meters of water per second transform into silvery, snowy waves, cascading down sheer cliffs into a deep gorge. The surging waves, roiling and surging, whip up thousands of drifts of snow and thick layers of fog. Simultaneously, a thunderous roar resounds through the heavens, shocking the heavens and earth and making the very spirits weep.
Therefore, the people here call it "Mosi-oa-tunya", which means "thunder fog". In fact, "Mosi-oa-tunya" is its real name, and "Victoria" is more like its foreign name, which is common and unremarkable.
Join the caregivers, breathe the same air as the lions, and walk with them. You may be intimidated by the lions at first, but don’t worry, the experienced animal trainers can give you good guidance, and you can even touch the lion’s butt openly!
Namibiacheck the details
The Republic of Namibia is located in southwestern Africa, bordering Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east, and South Africa to the south. In Namibia, you can feed lions at Hanas Farm, experience hunting for the first time on the farm, sleep amidst the world's oldest desert in Namib National Park, swim with dolphins in Walvis Bay, and see thousands of sea lions. Namibia is a wild land, and every experience here is pristine and will definitely not disappoint.
8816 recommendations, 8049 visits
Currently, there are no direct flights to these countries. You can choose to transfer in cities such as Johannesburg, South Africa, or Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and then go to the corresponding destination country.
May to August: Dry season, sunny weather, suitable for wildlife viewing;
September to October: Very hot, suitable for dry season wildlife viewing;
December to April: Rainy season, with special weather tones.
The average altitude is above 1,000 meters, and it is cold in the morning and evening, so it is recommended to wear long sleeves and long pants;
the ultraviolet rays are strong at noon, so prepare a sun hat and sunglasses;
clothes should avoid bright colors, and it is more appropriate to choose a single dark color.
Botswana is 6 hours behind China.
Let’s go to Africa and have a real trip!
