Today’s trip to Botswana will be brief. I spent most of today out exploring Copenhagen’s solidly frozen harbour. I even took a VERY short dip in a water hole near our apartment! 

Botswana is a landlocked country in Southern Africa sandwiched between South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe and Zambia. Botswana is widely seen as an African success story. After achieving independence from Britain in 1966 it became a democracy with a good record for free speech and equality. It was also fortunate to discover three of the world’s richest diamond mines around this time.

In fact, one of the biggest diamonds ever found was recently unearthed in Botswana.

Botswana is home to the world’s largest inland delta, the Okavango delta and Makgadikgadi Pan which is one of the world’s largest salt flats.

Actually Botswana is a mostly flat country, but despite this, has a stunning array of savannas, deserts, wetlands and salt pans. Around 38% of the country is dedicated to national parks.

These habitats are home to over 150 different species of mammals (including the “big five”) and boasts the world’s highest concentration of African elephants. Botswana really seems like the perfect place to go on a Safari.