Travel Diversity

Malawi is also known as “the warm heart of Africa”, as the people are really friendly and welcoming. Malawi is also a narrow but long country that is over 1000km from north to south. Malawi is a landlocked country. Malawi’s neighbours are Zambia to the northwest, Tanzania to the northeast, and Mozambique on the east, south and west. The country is separated from Tanzania and Mozambique by Lake Malawi.  Malawi’s main attraction is Lake Malawi; these crystal clear waters stretch over 500km long making travelling more of an adventure. Why not climb onto a boat and sail up the Lake Malawi.

Cultural Diversity

The Malawians are family orientated people. They share their work and their resources amongst one another. The Malawi people are of Bantu origin with the ethnic groups including Chewa, Nyanja, Yao, Tumbuka, Lomwe, Sena, Tonga, Ngoni, Ngonde, Asian and European.

General Information about Malawi

Malawian temperature is tropical so expect it to be hot in the summer season, so plan your trip wisely between May and July as the temperature can be quite enjoyable and not too hot. English is Malawi’s official language which makes travelling for you and me much easier. The Malawians are very creative with their arts and crafts so be sure to have a look out on the road side and at different markets all over Malawi for their crafted goodies.

World Heritage Site

Lake Malawi National Park and Chongoni Rock-Art Area is Malawi’s only 2 world heritage sites. Lake Malawi National Park is situated at the southern end of the lake. Lake Malawi was listed as UNESCO World Heritage Site for its importance in the study of evolution. The Chongoni Rock Art Area was listed because it consists of 127 sites that feature the richest concentration of rock art in Central Africa. These rock art pictures are of the hunter-gathers and of agriculturalists that date back to the late Stone Age till the present age. These paintings show the customs and rituals that they partook in, e.g. rain making, initiations and funeral rites.

Different Activities/ Attractions

Malawi has eleven national parks so be sure to at least visit some of them.

Lake Malawi: The Lake holds the biggest variety of freshwater fish in the world. Some of the activities you can take part in are kayaking, sailing, snorkelling, scuba diving. The lake is also home to a shoreline that has many different fishing villages.

Kasunga National Park: Stretching over 2000km this is one of the largest parks in Malawi home to lions, zebra, elephants, leopards etc.

Chizumulu and Likoma Islands:  Two beautiful islands for your relaxation. These two islands are close enough to each other to take a boat ride from one to the other. Here you can enjoy snorkelling; the clear fresh water makes it safe for swimming.

Accommodation

Africa House Malawi

Barefoot Safari Lodge

Kiboko Town Hotel

Thawale Camp

Tongole Wilderness Lodge

Travel

All you need is a plane ticket and you can get there directly or you can fly into a neighbouring country and get local transport there. Sometimes it is easier to just hire a car while you there, it makes it easier on yourself to get around or inquire about tour companies that tour around Malawi.

Travel Diversity

Mozambique is boarded by the Indian Ocean and six other countries, Zimbabwe, Zambia, South Africa, Malawi, Swaziland and Tanzania. Mozambique is divided into 11 different provinces and its coastline is over 2500Km long. This country is home to a chain of a variety islands.

Islands

Some of the islands are big enough to have a few small villages spaced out on them. Then some others are too small and unoccupied. These islands promote, relaxation, a time for you to escape to the unknown and explore the beauty of their land. The most popular island is Bazaruto Archipelago Island. This island is known for the most popular tourist area in Mozambique. This island cluster consists of four main islands Bazaruto, Benguera, Magaruque, and Santa Carolina. These islands can be reached by boat off the main land of Mozambique.  A few other islands’ that are associated with Mozambique are Ibo Island, Inhaca Island, Ilha de Mocambique and Quirimbas Archipelago.

Cultural Diversity

Mozambique has many ethnic groups: Makhuwa, Tsonga, Makonde, Shangaan, Shona, Sena and Ndau. One thing that I have heard about and read is that the people of Mozambique are really a friendly and helpful group of people.  The official language of Mozambique is Portuguese. About half the population speaks Portuguese as a second language and only a few as a first language. Other languages spoken are Swahili, Makhuwa, and Sena.  As far as religion goes Christianity is the largest and then there are Muslims and African traditions.

African Nature

Mozambique is not like other Africa countries, yes they have wildlife but there main attractions they have are just scenic views. The blue ocean that is almost Caribbean like. There is nothing like sipping a cocktail looking at breathtaking views and catching a little sun. And that is except what Mozambique has to offer.  They have the surf and the sand. These stunning beaches have fun activities like snorkelling, sailing, relaxing under a palm tree, getting lost in between the cobbled streets, sipping an espresso in the street cafes.

General Information about Mozambique

Mozambique currency is the metical and they have a tropical to subtropical climate, as I said before perfect for the beach holiday. In every country there is theft , where ever you go in life, safely is never really guaranteed, so in general please be alert.

World Heritage Site

Island of Mozambique is Mozambique’s only world heritage site. This island was used as a trading post for the Portuguese who were travelling to India.

Different Activities/ Attractions

Bazaruto Island

Museum of the Revolution

Gorongosa National Park

Central Railway Station

Central Market

More Accommodation Options

Manico Camp

CasaCabana

Covane Fishing & Safari Lodge

Signature Casa do Capitao

Quatro Amigos

Blue Moon Beach – Holiday Resort

Travel

Getting to Mozambique is quite simple. You can fly into Mozambique, or you can fly into the neighbouring countries and use the public transport to get around. Hiring a car sometimes is best so that you can do things in your own time and not have to figure out how there public transport works and functions.

Travel Diversity

Botswana is a landlocked country, South Africa is to the south/southeast, and Zimbabwe is to the northeast, Namibia to the west and north and Zambia which is only just touching Botswana. Botswana stretches about 1100km east to west and 980km north or south. Botswana had a population of plus minus 1.6 Million people.

Cultural Diversity

There are not very many cultural groups in Botswana; the most popular one is the Tswana/ Setswana people. The smaller groups are the Kalanga and the Basarwa people.

African Nature

There is a lot to see in Botswana, lots of different kinds of activities to partake in and sites to see. The sites I talk about here are all different kinds of national or game parks. The Okavango delta, this river cuts through the centre of the Kalahari Desert and with just one canoe ride you get to experience all that nature has on offer. Every wildlife animal that lives here is after some supply of water and that is when you get to sit in your canoe and watch the water’s edge as the animals flock there to get a drink. The Chobe National Park is home to over 120 000 elephants, it’s a must to go and see. A very popular activity in Botswana is off road racing. Safari walks, game drives, quad biking, boating down rivers and for relaxation there is lounging in the sun on a deck at a lodge overlooking the Okavango delta or there is memorabilia shopping and so many more other things to par take in.

Kalahari Desert

The Kalahari Desert takes up about 84% of Botswana. The Kalahari Desert isn’t a true desert as such but more like a thirsty land as it gets enough rainfall. The Kalahari Desert isn’t just one large heap of sand spaced out over 2 countries (Botswana and Namibia); the desert has got a variety of fauna and flora.

General Information about Botswana

English is Botswana’s most common spoken language, making travelling a lot easier. When you plan your trip to Botswana make sure you plan it over their autumn and winter months, April to August. The weather is just right and the days are enjoyable, as during December and March Botswana have their heavier rain fall season and there summer is hot.

World Heritage Site

Tsodilo is located in the Kalahari Desert in Botswana. Tsodilo is known for having over 4,500 rock paintings in an area. The rock art depicts wildlife and shows a unique record of human settlement that took place many years ago.

Different Activities/ Attraction

Chobe National park
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
Linyati, Selinda and Kwando
Okavango Delta
Sun International Marang Casino
Elephant Back Safaris

More Accommodation Options

Dumela Lodge
Elephant Vally Lodge
Stanley’s Camp

Travel

Getting to Botswana is relatively easy, you have the option to fly to Botswana, or you can go by bus or by car. Visa’s are easy to obtain at the boarder.

Article Written By: Roxzanne Salida

Pictures By: Boundless Journeys

Botswana is a Country of Diverse Attractions

Okavango

The Okavango delta

The Okavango delta is the largest of its kind in the world. The perfect environment for wildlife, the Okavango boasts an abundance of lions, large herds of elephants, hyenas, wild dog, buffalo, hippo, crocodiles and numerous other species all living on its edge. The Okavango, at its best in August when the water is deepest, is a must see for any African Safari wildlife enthusiast!

Kalahari

If wetland wildlife Safaris is not for you then why not explore the Kalahari Desert?  There are a number of game reserves in the Kalahari, including the Central Kalahari Game Reserve (the second largest protected area in the world). Here you will find several species of antelope, including the eland, steenbok, kudu, springbok and gemsbok as well as predators like lions and hyenas. The bird lover will not be disappointed by the many species of bird life found in abundance.

San People

The Kalahari is home to the San people (formerly known as the Kalahari Bushmen). Part of the Khoisan group, they are believed to be one of the oldest, if not the oldest, peoples in the world. History lives on in the Kalahari through rock paintings of the San people thought to be over 20,000 years old.

Social Climate

Sunset over the Okavango delta

The Botswana government recognises the advantages that tourism brings and is committed to promoting high-value, low-density tourism, while simultaneously valuing the ecology and taking pains to protect the environment.

Botswana is a stable and peaceful country. The crime rate is very low and the people friendly, making it a safe and appealing African destination for tourists. Sadly the country is not without its problems though. The country has been hit very hard by the AIDS pandemic, with one in six people being HIV positive. This makes Botswana the country with the second highest infection rate in the world. Precaution should also be taken against Malaria.

Accommodation

The site: www.dumelabotswana.com will provide useful information to those who would prefer a luxury Botswana Safari lodge experience. The backpacking enthusiast will find more information about backpacking in Botswana on the following site: www.backpackers.co.bw

Conclusion

All things considered, Botswana is a country with a wealth of diversity, waiting to be explored.

Article By: Izak Bakkes