Visited February 2020

As almost everything what’s important was said in Randi’s review, I can just add only some practical hint for those starting their journey into Botswana from Mohembo/Shakawe.

Indeed, there’s no bank, no ATM service in Shakawe, but to get some local currency, go to the supermarket in Acaciamall, buy anything you need and while paying ask the cashier to withdraw pulas from your credit/debit card. No charge. If you want to exchange $US into pula, it is more tricky but doable, although I am not sure if it works every time or we were just lucky… Go to Botswana Defence Force Camp and ask the soldier at the gate; he called his supervisor for us, we were taken to a small shed where the transaction was done. And the rate was much better than at Shakawe River Lodge where we stayed for three nights.

Road to Tsodilo – as most roads in this part of Botswana the tarred roads have potholes everywhere so it is much better to drive on sideways than the main ones. The road to Tsodilo is pretty well signposted from the main A35. When you get to the gate of the Tsodilo park (look to your right), buy the ticket and leave your car there – the gravel path to the museum and the site itself was… or it is better to say – there’s was no road, water and mud everywhere. From the entrance take the 600-metre long trail through the bush that leads to the museum where guides are already waiting for you.

If you arrive in the morning, you can visit the site ‘twice’, I mean first you can chose the Rhino trail which is not very difficult but it is much easier to start it at the end of the loop; it takes about 2 and a half hour. The guide is the only solution to follow the trail, and the one he accompanied us gave us a lot of information and showed places and rock arts we would never notice if walking alone. When we got back to the museum, I wanted to go to the Child Hill to do the tour around, but… our guide was already tired… so the second guide came with us but he was so unhappy because this was mid-day and we interrupted his nap… This trail takes less than two hours and with the unhappy guide was less interesting than the first one. Each trail has its own price.

If you are hungry… Don’t be! And bring a lot of water!