Although we ran out of time to venture into the middle of Nxai Pan, we did make it to Baines’ Baobabs. These magnificent trees have an interesting history. Rather than simply regurgitating previous narratives on these trees, here is an excerpt from a recent Africa Geographic article:
The cluster of millennia-old baobab trees in the Nxai Pan National Park in Botswana owes its name to the man known to have discovered them. Thomas Baines, artist and fellow explorer to John Chapman, captured in paint the scene in 1862 on a trip through the expansive salt pans, en route to the Victoria Falls. Baines’ Baobabs, as they are known today, are a sight sought by many travellers venturing into the untamed terrain of Botswana.
The horse-drawn event of the 1800s, an era buried in history, took Baines and Chapman through wild Botswana and across the bare Makgadikgadi Salt Pans and eventually, to the oasis of ancient baobab trees. This pit stop was painted; a wagon-filled campsite beneath 7 towering ‘upside-down trees’. The appearance of the broad, gnarled trees has barely changed over 150 years and what visitors see today is almost identical to the sight depicted by Baines on a pioneer mission through Africa in the 19th century.
Baines’ 2 year trip from Namibia to Victoria Falls was a death-defying journey, riddled with risk and dominated by danger. The entourage travelled on horses and by foot, joined on various legs of the journey by local tribesmen to lead the group through the unfamiliar land. Many members of the group died en route, falling ill, and dying of starvation or dehydration was commonplace. Baines was, many times, deserted by his guides who had swiftly taken off with his supplies in the middle of the night. It was a harsh and trying expedition, but one notable stop at the phenomenal baobab island has cemented hisplace in African history.
You can read the full post at: http://africageographic.com/blog/baines-baobabs-botswanas-ancient-oasis.
Botswana's Big Things?
Turns out Australia is not the only home to Big Things. At Planet Baobab, we were impressed by a swimming pool, decent firewood and some amazing baobabs on site, but also this, ah...interesting and enormous aardvark across the road.
