North-West District: Tsodilo Hills and Rock Art

When planning a trip to North-West District, Tsodilo Hills are well worth a look: the site brings together a rocky landscape, rock art, hiking trails and cultural heritage. This allows you to shape your stay around specific natural and historical themes.

Quartzite Rocks in the Kalahari

Tsodilo Hills lie in north-western Botswana near the Namibian border. Massive quartzite rock formations rise between ancient sand dunes to the east and a dry fossil lakebed to the west, in the Kalahari.

Rock Art and Cultural Significance

Large rock paintings are found beneath the rock shelters and in the caves of Tsodilo. They appear to date from the Stone Age to the 19th century; their exact dates are unknown. Tsodilo preserves archaeological evidence, rock art and enduring traditions that document the development of human culture and the relationship between people and nature over many millennia. The Hambukushu and San communities revere Tsodilo’s water sources and hills as a sacred cultural landscape.

Hiking Trails and Activities

Activities associated with Tsodilo Hills include hiking, viewing the rock art and taking a guided tour of the Tsodilo Museum. Three named trails provide specific points of reference for hiking: Rhino Trail, Lion Trail and Cliff Trail. If hiking is your main interest, you can use these three names as a starting point for your planning; if art and history are your priority, focus on the paintings and the museum tour. Check in advance whether a guided tour is available at the time of your planned visit.

Camping Options

Tsodilo Hills has a main campsite with toilet facilities and three smaller, unequipped campsites nearby. The key difference for planning purposes is the facilities: the main campsite has toilet facilities, while the three smaller sites have none. If camping is part of your plans, check in advance on current operations, availability and access.

Botswana in a Broader Context

Within Botswana as a broader travel destination, the Okavango Delta is a distinct landscape. It is a large, gently sloping alluvial fan, also known as an inland delta. It is one of the few large inland deltas that do not drain into the sea; its water seeps into the desert sands of the Kalahari Basin. The World Heritage site covers most of the delta and more than two million hectares of largely undisturbed wetlands and seasonally flooded grasslands. Its habitats include rivers and lagoons with year-round and seasonal water, permanent swamps, seasonally and occasionally flooded grasslands, riparian forests, dry deciduous woodlands and island communities. The Okavango Delta is also home to significant populations of cheetahs, white and black rhinos, African wild dogs and lions. Another geographical point in Botswana is the Okavango Panhandle. It begins at Mohembo, where the Okavango flows from Namibia into Botswana, and extends about 80 kilometres to the southeast.

Discover More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Ngamiland East, Chobe, Ngamiland North, Central District, Kgalagadi District, Kgatleng District, Kweneng District, Southern.

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