Overland touring Botswana Although most famous for the spectacular inland Okavango Delta, the land-locked country of Botswana is mostly dominated by the Kalahari Desert. Botswana safaris offer travellers wonderful and diverse experiences in a pristine natural environment. In Botswana, you can explore the deserts, savannahs, wetlands, the delta and the game reserves in one of the wildest regions in Africa. The main tourist attraction is wildlife in the several national parks and reserves. 1. Central Kalahari Game Reserve 2. Chobe National Park 3. Gemsbok National Park 4. Khutse Game Reserve 5. Mabuasehube Game Reserve 6. Makgadikgadi Pans Game Reserve 7. Moremi Wildlife Reserve 8. Nxai Pan National Park Natural Attractions Okavango Swamps The Okavango swamps are Botswana's main tourist attraction. The development of the Rift Valley across the course of the Okavango River, the seventh largest river in Africa, gave rise to the Okavango Delta, which is one of the most fascinating places in Africa. The 15 000 km2 inland delta (the largest in the world) is a result of the Okavango river and others flowing inland and forming a sea in the Kalahari Desert The Kalahari Desert The Kalahari is a desert with very little vegetation. Beneath the dunes are a complex and fascinating system of pans, depressions and riverbeds. Wildlife was once abundant, and remains so in certain areas. These include hartebeest, wildebeest, springbok, gemsbok, eland, giraffe and ostrich. Tsodilo Hills Located in north-western Botswana. Attractions include more than 2 000 ancient San bushman paintings, impressive peaks and hiking. Kanyu Flats Located between Nzai Pan National Park and Makgadikgadi Pan Game Reserve is a complex of small salt pans, called Kanyu Flats Botswana is paradise for bird watchers. Northern Botswana is a particularly rewarding birding destination. Hot spots here include the Okavango Delta and Chobe National Park. Chobe National Park - North-eastern Botswana Over 450 bird species have been recorded in the area, and in the vicinity of the Chobe and Linyanti rivers visitors can watch saddle-billed storks, long-toed plovers, pink-backed pelicans, African skimmers, Bradfield's hornbills and jewel-like Carmine bee-eaters. Heuglin's robin is a delight to hear in the early morning. Okavango Delta - Northern Botswana Stunning birdlife can be seen here, such as Pel's fishing owl (common in some areas), African skimmer, whitebacked night heron, bat hawk, wood owl, narina trogon (summer only), carmine bee-eater colonies (especially during breeding season - late August to October when they nest communally in the steep river banks). Some of the best birding is to be enjoyed if you are lucky enough to come across a barbel run. This happens intermittently between mid-August and late October depending on the year and local flood levels. Barbel congregate in large numbers and swim upstream to breed. They are followed by all the predatory fish - especially tiger fish - and these in turn are followed by vast numbers of birds of all descriptions. Following a barbel run is one of Southern Africa's finest birding experiences as hundreds of egret herons, storks, African fish eagle feast on the fish.