Botswana: The Bradt Travel Guide [Paperback]

Chris McIntyre (Author)

Book Description

Series: Country guide | Publication Date: April 1, 2003

Botswana's Okavango Delta is a wetland paradise and a top destination in Africa for wildlife enthusiasts who will delight in the thorough coverage of this new Bradt guide. The Okavango's unique ecosystem provides a habitat for a multitude of birdlife and plants and its swampland is patrolled by hippos and crocodiles. The lure of Chobe National Park as a prime conservation area, the Linyanti Swamp, central Kalahari Game Reserve, and Tsodilo Hills with their wealth of bushman, rock art, are also covered in depth, supplying visitors with a wide range of very accessible attractions and a background to the culture and people of the region. Botswana is an ideal guide for visitors heading for lodges and safari camps, either as overlanders exploring the wilderness Botswana or those on tailor-made tours and fly-drive trips. The author recognizes the bewildering choice facing the visitor planning a trip to this major safari destination and provides independent guidance on travel options.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"There can be few people better qualified to write a travel guide on Botswana than Chris McIntyre...Like all good guide books, this is packed with all kinds of practical and wide-ranging advice - from driving near elephants to maps with GPS references and how to shake hands Botswana style...What's more, even the nuts-and-bolts sections are well-written and make enjoyable reading. In particular, the region-by-region chapters on the country's reserves, camps and lodges had me longing to jump on the first plane to Maun. Each area is painstakingly described - clearly the result of meticulous first-hand research...If you can take only one book to Botswana, make sure it's this one." BBC Wildlife "...gives a complete coverage of this unique ecosystem and its bird and plant life." NHBS (Natural History Book Services) "The definitive guide for wildlife enthusiasts." Wanderlust Magazine --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From the Back Cover

Northern Botswana's pristine wilderness protects some of the earth's most spectacular wildlife: dense concentrations of big-game animals, an amazing wealth of birdlife, and huge herds, roaming from the saltpans of the Kalahari to the lush Okavango Delta. Devoid of the marks of modern man, the landscape still bears the imprints of our ancestors, from the subtle art of the Tsodilo Hills to the more brutal remnants of the Stone Age.
A few remote camping spots and a handful of the world's best safari lodges attract true lovers of nature to share in this extraordinary region. With a wealth of practical and background information, this is the essential companion.
Inside you will find: in-depth coverage of national parks, game reserves and private concessions; unrivalled comparisons of safari camps and lodges; area-by-area descriptions of flora and fauna; birdwatchers' hints - the top sites to spot "specials"; numerous GPS points essential for bush navigation.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 560 pages
• Publisher: Bradt Travel Guides; 1st edition (April 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1841620246
• ISBN-13: 978-1841620244
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 5.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,902,565 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #69 in Books > Travel > Africa > Botswana

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

63 of 63 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The most complete guide to northern Botswana to date!, July 14, 2003

By 

Paal Skjetne (Trondheim Norway) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Botswana: The Bradt Travel Guide (Paperback)

I've been waiting for this book for a long time!! None of the other guides on the area even comes close. It is the most detailed guide I've read on the Okavango, Chobe, Makgadikgadi, and the northern Kalahari. In my view the information seems to be very up-to-date (which is not true for Bradts second edition on Namibia!). This book is suitable for people going on an organized safari (I envy them their $'s and the luxury that awaits them :-) ), and those planning an independent self-drive. The maps are good, and a number of useful GPS coordinates are included. The descriptions of off some of the beaten track sites that I have visited are very accurate. If you are a self-drive tourist you might want to look at Mike Mains: "African Adventurer's Guide to Botswana". It has many trails that are more detailed in the same region, but lacks the overview given in this guide describing the many concession areas surrounding the Okavango. The book also includes a very useful section on Livingstone in Zambia, telling you how to get the most out of your visit to the famed Victoria Falls. What do I miss? Talking to Elein Drotsky, she mentioned that here sisters company could arrange boat trips from Shakawe to Maun, water levels permitting. There is no mention of this or any other such service in the book, guess I'll have to do some digging on that one myself. All in all, your $'s, £'s, €'s or Rand's will be well spent on this guide.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Detailed Guidebook, November 25, 2007

By 

Love to Travel (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Botswana: Okavango Delta, Chobe, Northern Kalahari, 2nd: The Bradt Travel Guide (Paperback)

Having just returned from Botswana, I highly recommend this book. It is accurate with just the right amount of detail. Although the author owns his own travel company, his comments and reviews were accurate, thorough and objective as to safari experiences as well as other tour operators.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best Botswana Book!, July 28, 2010

By 

Butch Mazzuca (Edwards, CO, US) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Botswana: The Bradt Safari Guide, 3rd: Okavango Delta, Chobe, Northern Kalahari (Bradt Travel Guide Botswana) (Paperback)

What do you want to know about Botswana? Chances are you'll find it in this truly outstanding book by Chris McIntyre. Having travelled to Botswana the last three years we've gathered many resource books to learn about travel within the country, its people, culture, history, wildlife and of course, the types of safaris available.

If you're even thinking about a safari in southern Africa this book is a must. Had we read this book three years ago, many of our decisions about the when, where and how of African safaris would have been significantly different. Whether you're a first-time traveller to Africa or a seasoned veteran, I STRONGLY recommend you pick up a copy of this no-nonsense and straight-forward book. You'll be glad you did.