Hot getaway spots for long holidays

The long weekend is just around the corner, and for those who might be challenged financially there is no reason to spend sleepless nights fretting over how much to spend and the best place to enjoy the holidays.

If you can’t afford the luxury to travel outside the capital city, there is still so much you can do to see the city through the eyes of a tourist without breaking your bank account. With a couple of places spread throughout the city, we give you some ideas about what to do during the upcoming long weekend.

Firstly for families that are looking for affordable adventure the Gaborone Game Reserve is the place to be. Open week-days and even more popular on weekends it’s the ideal getaway for city hustlers who might want to breathe some fresh air. The Game Reserve is the ideal atmosphere where families, friends and acquaintances can buy some meat, drinks and head out to braai, and while there, go for a game drive and just enjoy themselves.

For as little as P30 for those entering the park in their vehicles, this is one of the cheapest ways that one can spend a lazy day without the hassle of spending too much money.

On the other side of the city, there is the perfect spot for those who wish to try their luck at fishing. Located 15 kilometres from the city, Notwane River and the Crocodile Pools are the ideal spot where they can take their fishing gear, brush up their fishing skills and just let nature take its course. The Crocodile Pools get their name from the fact that at some point the area was infested with crocodiles but with the unpredictable rains one can’t tell whether the Nile Crocodiles that are said to have lived here are still around.

While here, you might also bring along meat and drinks and just enjoy yourself. But to truly get the beauty of this place especially during the rainy season, one needs to have a host who is loaded and has their own boat. The opportunity will give one the rare chance to go for a boat cruise towards sunset and enjoy the beauty of the sun as it goes down.

While the river is not as big, one still has the opportunity to learn about the different bird species that one can spot here such as the Egyptian Geese, Brown hooded Kingfisher, Woodland Kingfisher, White face whistling duck, Great Egret, Red knobbed Coots and many others. 

On your way back to the city from Gaborone, take a few minutes drive to the Lion’s Park Resort and dip your hot body in the pool, enjoy a few rounds of playing some of the games and enjoy a meal. The Resort is just perfect for the little ones who have come to love this place.

And lastly, one can take a game drive at the popular Mokolodi Nature Reserve. Activities such as visiting Reptile Park/Sanctuary visit, enjoying a bush braai, and Giraffe tracking. For those who wish to spend an overnight here, camping is also available and at an affordable rate at campsites such as the Alexander McCall Smith Traditional rest Camp where they can enjoy themselves.