Botswana Travel Guide
Botswana Travel Guide
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Okavango Panhandle & NW Kalahari
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NW Kalahari
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Tsodilo Hills
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Orientation
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Botswana Travel Guide

Orientation



The Tsodilo Hills rise up from the bush-covered undulations of the western Kalahari, about 45km west of the village of Sepupa. They consist of four hills, roughly in a line, with names from San folklore.

The most southerly is known as the Male Hill. This is the highest hill, rising 410m above the surrounding bush, and the San believed that the most sacred place is near the top of this. Their tradition is that the first spirit knelt on this hill to pray after creating the world, and they believe that you can still see the impression of his knees in the rock there.

Close to the Male, on its northern side, is the Female Hill, which covers almost three times the area of the Male, but only reaches about 300m in height. This seems to have most of the main rock art sites on it.

About 2km north of the Female is the Child Hill, which is smaller still at only about 40m high. Then beyond this, about 2.2km northwest of the Child, is a smaller kopjie that is said by the San to be the first wife of the Male Hill who was then left when he met the Female Hill.

Most visitors spend their time on the Female Hill, and may visit the Male. Few visit the Child or the kopjie beyond, to which there are no vehicle tracks.

There are several man-made landmarks that might help you to orientate yourself when in the area of the hills:

The gate


As you'll see when you arrive, there's a large and sturdy gate been built, complete with a small office and an impressive thatched top, which makes a clear landmark (GPS: TSGATE). This was originally intended as a gate within a cattle fence, but when I last visited there was no fence here and the gate stood on its own in splendid isolation.

Hambukushu village


Just south of the gate is a small settlement with some corrals for animals. This is the Hambukushu village, and it's one possible place where you may be able to find a guide to take you around the hills.

San village


The San village at the hills has, rather sadly, been moved from its old location, between the hills (GPS: OLDVIL) to a new location about 3.8km south-southwest of there, well away from the hills.

It has been alleged that this has been done with the intention of 'tidying up' the area for visitors. If so, it's deeply misguided, as most visitors will want to drive out here to try and hire San guides to the hills anyway.

Tshukumutshu track


On the way from the main gate to the San Village a track heads off right, on a northwest bearing of about 305˚. I've followed this for 7–8km, and it remains a good track, and believe that it heads for a place called Tshukumutshu. I'd welcome more information on it if readers have gone further.


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