Chobe National Park strives to reduce congestion

The Department of Wildlife and National Parks has come up with a strategy that will help to reduce congestion, protect the environment, and enhance wilderness experience in the Chobe National Park and to promote professional guiding.

These challenges had resulted in diminishing the wilderness experience for tourists and also negative publicity for the Park. Speaking at the recent HATAB annual conference in Maun, DWNP official from Chobe , Mokwaledi Mafa disclosed that in  2000, Chobe National Park experienced high vehicle volumes due to increase in number of visitors. He saide  high volumes were largely experienced during the peak season along the river frontage especially in areas  between Sedudu and Serondela.

Mafa said that on average about 100 vehicles used the river front daily which resulted in some park users opening illegal routes to assess unusual wildlife sightings because of traffic jams and densities which is against Botswana’s tourism policy of low volume-high value. The wildlife official called for some intervention to protect the environment and enhance wilderness experience along the river front.

He said the strategy comprises introduction of one way use of routes and the introduction of four stroke powered engine boats. Mafa said the strategy also comprised of introduction of  booking system that will help  to limit number of vehicles entering at any given time  like 25 vehicles per route saying the booking is done seven days in advance and must be confirmed two days in advance though they are  still experiencing walk ins.

Each company is allowed only two vehicles per session. Waiting list is based on first come, first served basis. Mafa said they renovated Nogatsha/Phoha observation hides as part of their strategy and they also allocated the mobile camping grounds in the area. They have also opened up the forest reserves for tourism activities and the tourism route in the Zweezwee area to draw tourists out of the river front, and put up hides at Kalwezi and Natanga water points.

He said they are trying by all means to bring what is good for the park and the tourists they are continuing to encounter some challenges like guides and operators who are complying with the strategy, saying guides are most problematic as they constitute 85% of offenders in the park while the operators are reluctant to use other parts of the park.  The other problem is limited resources to enforce compliance. He said the guides abuse radios as they use them to inform other guides of sightings leading to congregation at a sight and they are also sneaking into the riverfront using undesignated routes.