House of travel Africa Brochure 2017 | Page 30

Experience Botswana B Fast Facts Country name: Republic of Botswana Population: 2.3 Million Capital: Gaborone Languages: Setswana, English Currency: Botswana Pula Time zone: 10 hours behind New Zealand (except during daylight saving) Electricity: Current is 220V, 50HZ Plug is a 3 point round-pin adaptor Festivals and Events 2017 26 Feb Hamptons Live Jazz Festival, Gabarone Apr Maitisong Music & Arts Festival, Gabarone Jun Toyota Kalahari 1000 Desert Race, Jwaneng Jul Presidents Day 30 Sep Botswana Day otswana is an African success story. A long-neglected British protectorate, Botswana achieved its independence in 1966 and immediately thereafter discovered three of the world’s richest diamond mines. Botswana borders South Africa to the south and east, Zimbabwe to the northeast and Namibia to the north. Outside the major towns of Kasane, Maun and Gaborone where the majority of the population have settled, Botswana is largely a roadless wilderness of savannahs, deserts, wetlands and salt pans. To ensure the country’s natural assets are preserved, Botswana’s government has embraced a policy of promoting mostly high-cost, low-impact tourism, which shows when travelling there. Needless to say, with the unforgettable experience and quality you do receive, it far outweighs the dollar value spent. There is something to be said when all returned travellers from Botswana rave about the warmth of the local people. Being one of the most sparsely populated nations in the world, their bubbly personalities and heart-melting culture sure make up for it. Always smiling and always singing, a Botswana state of mind is a great moment to experience. Botswana’s wonderful national parks and reserves are home to an amazing variety of wildlife, including elephant, cheetah, wild dog, leopard, hyena, giraff e, hippo and zebra. The variety of areas in Botswana can create a very diverse safari experience all within the same country, from desert to delta. Botswana is defi nitely unique from anywhere else in Africa.