Beautiful Botswana - The Travel Podcast

So special to see the work of this wonderful organisation featured by the BBC. I chat to Dr Graham McCullogh of EcoExist in Episode 13 of the podcast.

All aboard Botswana's Elephant Express Botswana's eastern Okavango panhandle has as many elephants as it does people, leading to conflict where they both live in close quarters. Can a solution as simple as a bus help?

Martha and Kneen Charlton have been listening to the podcast for the last year and have generously shared their input and feedback. They have had to delay their trip multiple times but finally made it back to Botswana. It was wonderful to meet up with them and share our love of Botswana during their month long self drive adventure.

It is finally here! After coming up repeatedly as the answer to my snap shot question "which destination a first time visitor should visit in Botswana?" I am pleased to release an episode all about the Makgadikgadi. Sallie Burrough joins me to chat about the pans, their geological history and what it is about them that makes them worth visiting no matter how many trips you have had to Botswana.

Listen here or wherever you get your podcasts!

17 - The Magic of Makgadikgadi with Dr Sallie Burrough - Beautiful Botswana - The Travel Podcast Dr Sallie Burrough knows the Makgadikgadi from the inside out by soil samples and mud. She is Trapnell Fellow of African Environments at the University of Oxford, a Quaternary Scientist, National Geographic Explorer and leading expert on the preh...

It is Boipuso! Botswana's independence day, P**a!!

Ncinci of the newly opened Kwa ga Ncinci in Maun joined me on my latest episode. Together we discussed tswana food in all its forms from street food to comfort classics to those dishes served at weddings and what dishes are unique and worth trying as a visitor. Listen along then go visit and enjoy her delicious food!

https://www.buzzsprout.com/1013086/9265537-16-traditional-tswana-cuisine-with-ncinci-motsemme.mp3

I had the fortune of exploring my home town like a tourist with the wonderful tour set up by the new Your Botswana Experience

I discuss Maun and its quirks in the latest episode with Moa Monwela and this tour does a great job of showing their is more to Maun than donkeys! Cultural tourism at its finest. Well done team, your hosts and the people we met on the tour.

Dr Mike Murray-Hudson returns to join me in discussing this year's flood, what our high local rainfall means for the rivers and last years "fast flood".

Have a listen to Mike sharing his wisdom wherever you get your podcasts - follow along for free so you can be sure to get my next episode.

‎Beautiful Botswana - The Travel Podcast on Apple Podcasts ‎Society & Culture · 2021

It has been a year since we considered the flood of 2020 and I released my 2nd episode with Mike Murray-Hudson, the water never completely left Maun and we are now once again experiencing the flood and the big question as always is what will happen next.
It was exciting times a year ago trying to guess when the flood would arrive!

2 - Dr Mike Murray-Hudson - The Dynamic Okavango Delta - Beautiful Botswana - The Travel Podcast Dr Mike Murray-Hudson is a Senior Research Fellow at the Okavango Research Institute of the University of Botswana in Maun as well as long time resident and Okavango Delta lover. As a wetland ecologist he is an expert on the hydrology of the Okava...

There is a Supermoon tonight! listen to Stephen O'Meara share what that means about the moon's movement in this bonus episode.

Bonus Episode with Stephen O'Meara on upcoming events in the night sky - Beautiful Botswana - The Travel Podcast Our summer clouds have disappeared and the stars are becoming more visible. I have asked Stephen O'Meara, author of the wonderful book Night skies of Botswana to join me for a bonus episode updating us on what to expect from the night skies in th...

In the latest episode I am joined by Graham McCulloch of Ecoexist who shares how their work in the panhandle of the Okavango lead to the development of Okavango Craft Brewery. It is a lovely feel good story that makes a great product even easier to drink. Their brew pub is in a beautiful setting and will be a great stop in Maun once fully open. Join me with your local brew and listen to how living with elephants led to this innovative business venture.

Listen on the below link or search for Beautiful Botswana on spotify, apple podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Follow us or subscribe for free to ensure you don't miss a future episode.

13 - Dr Graham McCulloch - How living with elephants led to making Okavango Craft Beer - Beautiful Botswana - The Travel Podcast Ecoexist is a project in Northern Botswana established in Eretsa village in 2013. The project was established by Dr Anna Songhurst, Dr Graham McCulloch and Dr Amanda St***za to support communities living on the edges of wildlife areas who share ...

Here is a hint for who I am chatting to in my next episode... any guesses?

A massive shout out to all of you that have placed orders over the past few weeks...we have sold out of our cans! But never fear as we are canning our Panhandle Pale Ale, Delta Lager and Kingfisher Session IPA tomorrow. So place those orders for the weekend, and don't forget to tag us using

My latest episode is out - talking all things self-drive and how to avoid getting stuck and getting out if you do with Jason Kennaugh the 4x4 Bushwarrior!

12 - Jason Kennaugh - A successful self-drive safari - Beautiful Botswana - The Travel Podcast Jason Kennaugh has deep family farming roots in Ghanzi, Botswana and after moving to Maun for his kids' schooling witnessed people needing help with recovery after getting stuck and so started 4x4 Bushwarrior recovery service. In this episode he s...

The Southern Cross is a dominant feature of the Botswana night sky. Stephen O'Meara discussed the joys of star gazing in Botswana in episode 8, have you had a listen?

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/beautiful-botswana-the-travel-podcast/id1510632321?uo=4

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Yay yay its Friday!

We are going to be exploring our back yard again! When are you coming to visit?

Kasane/ Kazangula magic in action as discussed in our latest episode with Grant Nel. Wildlife really does live in this town!

Africa's Wild dog (Lycaon pictus, means “painted wolf,”) is one of the world's most endangered mammals. Botswana holds one of the larger populations left, but it is always a rare treat and "good omen" to sight a wild pack! Yesterday evening was very special... a family was seen passing through the township of Kasane at sunset!

(photo courtesy of E. Patterson)

https://www.buzzsprout.com/1013086/8101642

Kasane and its neighbouring towns have an interesting history and sit in an area where four countries meet. This alongside the fact that it is a wildlife rich area full of dramatic rivers has led to an interesting and fascinating past and a dynamic town full of charm and characters. Grant Nel of last chance safaris joins me to share some of these stories.

Beautiful Botswana listeners, have you got a photo to enter so you can enjoy this special corner of Botswana?

Kasane is a town full of character and characters! I paid it a visit and whilst there chatted to Grant Nel about the town and its neighbours, what it offers and the stories that add to its charm.

11 - Grant Nel - Kasane and its history - Beautiful Botswana - The Travel Podcast Grant Nel of Last Chance Safaris is a private safari guide extraordinaire and includes guiding worldwide for the Smithsonian Museum as one of his roles. In this episode he shares his immense knowledge about his town and backyard in Kasane as well ...

Its wetter in Gweta!

Clare shares her experience of this little village which gives access to the Makgadikgadi pans and is a baobab capital in episode 9.

My next episode is about this quirky town! Anyone able to guess where these warthogs are town residents?

Episode 10 covers life in the northern Okavango and here is a map for those who do not know where the villages that we are discussing are!

Kane Motswana and his beautiful wife Kay join me to discuss their childhoods in the Okavango. Kane has some naughty stories to share of scorpions and hippos! They both share their passion for their backyard and how it got them into tourism and how they started their own businesses sharing this with travelers.

A fun episode sharing stories and laughter as well as an understanding of life in the Delta and their heritage.

10 - Kay and Kane Motswana - Growing up in the Okavango - Beautiful Botswana - The Travel Podcast Kay and Kane Motswana grew up in neighbouring villages in the Northern Okavango but only met as adults working in the tourism industry. In this episode this wonderful couple share their insights into growing up surrounded by wildlife and discuss t...

WHAT MAKES BOTSWANA UNIQUE – A GREAT PODCAST BY CLARE DOOLAN

“When you drive or fly between the National Parks of Botswana (Moremi, Khwai, Savute, Chobe) you are in the bush the whole time and not driving through the cities. It’s a unique and phenomenal experience, these unbroken interconnected wilderness areas, where you can still get true migrations and movements of wildlife because they are not being impeded by highways, towns, villages and different land uses like agriculture"

This is what we truly love about Botswana, a sense of ease and freedom that you cannot get anywhere else in the world!
..A podcast worth listening to by our adventurous Clare Doolan.

https://beautifulbotswana.buzzsprout.com/1013086/7759954-9-clare-doolan-what-makes-botswana-unique

Floating on the pans much like Clare dreamed of doing in the latest episode.

Nam finding namaste 🙏🏼
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well deserved after the last
days paddle down the Nata river into the Makgadikgadi salt pans! 👌🏼
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Working and living in travel and tourism has been a rollercoaster for the last year. This podcast has been a high but after a few months of working on it it became hard to find the energy to carry on. However after a long break and a rejuvenating start to 2021 I am back with an episode recorded in September 2020.
Clare Doolan of Safari Destinations - Botswana & Zimbabwe joins me to discuss what makes Botswana unique and what she misses about home after some months away.

https://www.buzzsprout.com/1013086/7759954-9-clare-doolan-what-makes-botswana-unique

Its today, such remarkable creatures who can both awe and intimidate us humans. Who has had an memorable encounter with one of these beasts?

The latest episode is now out!
Step outside, look at the stars and listen to Stephen O'Meara talk about the Night skies of Botswana and his new book.

8 - Stephen James O'Meara - Night skies of Botswana - Beautiful Botswana - The Travel Podcast Stephen James O'Meara, astronomer and author of a new book on Botswana's stars: Nights skies of Botswana joins me to discuss what makes Botswana's skies worth seeing, what is the best time of year to visit if you are an avid star gazer and we cele...