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Botswana Warnings or Dangers

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Popular Warnings or Dangers | Miscellaneous Warnings or Dangers Tips | All Tips (46)
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Beware the hippos!
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  • Hippos have a sweet image, so soft and fat. They don't seem as harmful and dangerous as lions or elephants, but in fact most of the animal attacks in Africa are caused by hippos. This animals have a very strict territorial sense, so if you come close to them by boat, they consider you are attacking them and they "defend" themselves by attacking the boats!!

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    An Expensive Habit to Form
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  • We were the only people we met, until our last day when we met a family from NYC (with a daughter in the Peace Corps in Namibia), who were first timers. All the rest seem to have formed an addiction to safari. It is unlike anything we'd ever done, and far and above exceeded our expectations. Without the intercontinental airfare, I estimate we spent $4000 US on our 6-night safari, which was a special offer on ccafrica's website. I'd do it all again in a flash. Looks like we'll need to start saving up for another trip in the next several years.

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    Apart from the obvious
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  • Having traversed Africa one would expect you are aware.
    We left South Africa nine people, three families in three vehicles equipped with everything.
    My Trailer (I built myself) loaded with water and food to sustain us all for a 6 week trip, 4 hours out from Johannesburg we reached the Botswana Boarder, the trailer drew attention wherever we went and today was the turn of the customs inspector, he insisted that I burn all food produce immediately or leave it with the local people. He was not going to listen to any reasoning, or letter from the Botswana tourist authority listing the items we were allowed to take in.
    My sister in law bless her heart, took out a can of bully beef from the trailer and pointed out to the officer that it was infact "produce of botswana" and the can was stamped "permitted for transport to Botswana".
    The darling fellow threw his hands in the air and told us to move through, this gave us all reason to grin like chesire cat's, just as my wife slipped in the mud and fell flat on her fanny, Guess when things go in your favour you should be greatful right?.

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    Beware the lone buffalo
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  • One of the most dangerous animals in Afica is the Cape Buffalo. In a herd they will probably turn and move away from almost anything. But older males who leave the herd and wander around solo are often very bad tempered and vicious. We were on a walking safari , but when one of our guides spotted fresh tracks of a lone buffalo he immmediately took us back to our Land Rover to find somewhere safer for us to walk.

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    malaria
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  • Malaria is prevalent especially in the north of the country, though not so much in gaborone.
    Get medical advice on what malaria tablets to take and start taking anti malaria tablets atleast a week before entering botswana and keep taking the tablets for a further one week on returning home.


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    Botswana is expensive. For...
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  • Botswana is expensive. For example, we had to stop at the airport to change vehicles on our way to Bots. My friend went in to get some ice cream for the kids and it was about $2 for a Drumstick (normally about $1 U.S.; I'm sure it would have been much less in Zim)
    Be sure and pack warm things for the morning game drives if you go in their winter months of June, July and August. We had on several layers including a fleece sweatshirt. And our last day, we made sure to wear the gloves and winter hats we brought.
    General warning -- do not pack anything important, especially meds, in your check-in luggage. Our luggage was lost between Johannesberg and Zim for a day. I had a camera and two binoculars stolen out of the 'locked' bag (they just broke that off). Luckily I had our malaria meds with us.

    Beware of the occasional charging elephant too. I think they do it just to be funny. Most of the charges seemed like just teenagers showing off.

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    Hippo's
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  • Hippo on land are dangerous! - Botswana
    Hippo on land are dangerous!
    by tompt
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    Hippo's are the most dangerous animals in Africa. If you invate their territory they will atack. With there big solid teeth lots of attacks are fatal. So if you are in a boat watch out. Preferably take a guide who knows the area.
    At night hippo's come on land to feed. Never place yourself between a hippo and the water. The hippo will feel threatened because it can't reach the safety of the water!

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    4x4's only in National parks
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  • The roads are great but sandy, very sandy! - Botswana
    The roads are great but sandy,
    very sandy!
    by 7311275152084
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    Do not attempt Botswana's national park with a normal vehicle. Only 4x4's will get you through the adventure.

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    Buffalo
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  • Cats are not the most dangerous animals, beware of buffalo and hippopotamo.
    Actually the most dangerous animal at all is "human being"!

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  • Website: www.pbase.com/okavango/

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    Plan to reach your destination before sunset
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  • Try as far as possible to avoid driving after sunset as you may hit a stray donkey or wild animal on the road.


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    More Botswana Tips
    Overview
     
    General Tips
    Tips: 66 - Photos: 44
    Restaurants
    Tips: 27 - Photos: 17
    Hotels and Accommodations
    Tips: 80 - Photos: 56
    Things To Do
    Tips: 139 - Photos: 126
    Nightlife
    Tips: 17 - Photos: 10
    Off the Beaten Path
    Tips: 24 - Photos: 14
    Tourist Traps
    Tips: 5 - Photos: 2
    Warnings or Dangers
    Tips: 46 - Photos: 24
    Transportation
    Tips: 69 - Photos: 49
    Local Customs
    Tips: 23 - Photos: 14
    Packing Lists
    Tips: 14 - Photos: 5
    Shopping
    Tips: 5 - Photos: 1
    Sports Travel
    Tips: 2 - Photos: 2

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