Photoblog: finding Baines’ Baobabs

The strip of tar between Kasane in the north and Nata in the south is notorious for elephant crossing the road. Driving at night is a bad idea.

We skirted Nata turning towards the Okavango Delta and stopped at the Nxai Pan National Park.

On the way towards the park, you’ll come across an enormous anthill marking the turn to Planet Baobab – be sure to pull in for a look.

The pool is a welcome oasis and the entire camp is brimming with baobabs. It’s a real sight to see.

Arguably the best bar in Botswana, Planet Baobab’s has quirky decor and plenty of cold ones.

The Nxai Pan National Park seems desolate at first, but take your time and you may just get lucky. We stumbled across a pack of wild dog.

Surrounded by a expansive salt pan and about an hour’s drive from the Nxai Pan National Park gate, Baines’ Baobabs tower above the flat area.

Baines’ Baobabs is so named because the landscape painter immortalised the trees in watercolour over a hundred years ago.

Come sunset, the painting I’d found in the National Geographic Archives came to life. It’s no wonder Baines decided to paint this moving scene.

A close up look at the enormous trees. The seed pods hang off it like baubles off a Christmas tree.

You wouldn’t believe it, but elephant roam these parts. These footprints have been here a long time though and have been preserved as the muddy salt pans dried out into flaky desert.

We were lucky to have the best view of the Baobabs from campsite number one – a kilometre away over the Kudiakam Pan.

On the left, campsite one and the Kudiakam pan which stretches towards Baines’ Baobabs on the right.

The camp sites are incredibly spacious and we parked ours underneath a mighty Mowana – the Tswana name for Baobab.

Thanks to its remote location the stargazing at Baines’ Baobabs is beyond compare – it’s as though you’re sitting under a dome of suspended fairy lights and you feel minute in the extensive space.

This is me taking it all in from the rooftop. Photo by my dad.