Crossing Into Botswana

Crossing into Botswana involves the Limpopo River.  Having arrived in South Africa after the seasonal rains had stopped, we needed the water level to be such that a vehicle can cross safely.  Of course, if you are near a high bridge, there is no problem.  We were not close to such a bridge, so we decided to try crossing at Pont's Drift, just down the road.  On our way there, we passed a private game reserve and saw this Eland behind the fence.

At the South African Border Outpost, no vehicle was allowed to cross the Limpopo River because the water was flowing over the low-lying bridge.  We were advised to try the next spot downriver at Platjan.

We were allowed to leave South Africa for Botswana using this concrete bridge at Platjan.

Steve is ready to go after waiting for the opposing truck to cross.

I decided to walk across following our truck.

Goodbye South Africa.  See you in a few weeks.

We soon stopped for a lunch break along the dusty, very red road.

The landscape was trees, trees, and more trees with the occasional beautiful rock outcropping.

Eventually we reached a paved road.  Once in a while we would see animals pulling a cart, but generally modern cars were on the roads.

Botswana is largely noted for the Okavango Delta, the Kalahari Desert, and the numerous salt pans that fill with bird life and migrating herds when water is plentiful.  This area is part of the Makgadikgadi National Park system of many pans, notably Nxai, Sua, and Nwetwe Pans.  The road to the park entrance was flooded in various spots, so we had to take a different road and only saw the pans from a distance.

The San people do live out on and near the pans, but it is generally very remote with crusty, deep, sandy roads and water of unknown depth.  Some people even advised traveling in a group of at least two vehicles.  We carried a SAT phone in case we got in a situation that required assistance to extract us.  Fortunately, that situation never arose.

Look closely to see a rondavel (cylindrical type) house found out in the bush.

We found this large (about two inches) dung/scarab type beetle on its back then flipped him over on our way to the Central Kalahari Game Reserve.