Tsodilo

Tsodilo is a site in the Kalahari desert that has unique local religious and spiritual significance and contains over 4,500 rock paintings.

Reviews

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Hi!
I'm planning a trip to Tsodilo in December 2007 - please can you tell me how to make a reservation for the campsites?

Thanks a lot.
Kind regards
Trish
 
Stephan (RSA):
I am currently writing a complete 4x4 guide to visit Tsodilo from Johannesburg South Africa. Included are a great number of photographs and maps. I have spent nearly two years research on the art of Tsodilo. This ebook will first be available in my native language - Afrikaans and then I will start the translation of it. Bushmen or San rock art has been in the news lately and new views of their meanings has seen the print. Some of this is captured in my ebook; Tsodilo, Berg van die gode, 'n 4x4 Veldgids.
During my recent visit the main road or the middle road was transformed from a two-spoor (1996) to a grade road, however, building roads on moving Kalahari sand is not easy and this road is slowly busy changing to a two-spoor. Do not be fooled by the obvious condition, drive slowly and be alert. Currently a fence is been erected between the nearby village and the hills - western side, to keep domestic animals away from the campsites and especially the ablution block near the Museum and office. Still not sure if entrance fees are asked or camp fees. No need to book as there are plenty campsites. No public transportation from the main road to Tsodilo. During spring of 2005 I want to explore a route from Dobe to Tsodilo, anyone interested to join me?
 
Gerhard Fourie (RSA):
We are a group of 4 4X4's 8 adults and are planning a trip to Botswana. All our sites have been booked but we want to stay over at the camp site at Tsodilo Hills. If anyone that have the contact details please let us have it so that we can arrange a booking.

Gerhard Fourie
loufor@xsinet.co.za
 
Susan Keitumetse (Botswana):
I had a really fascinating encounter with nature and culture in Tsodilo. The painting are magnificent and they provide an insight into what art in context really is and what it can do to one's imagination. The landscape is beautiful in its own context especially in the mornings and late afternoons. The site museum adds to the mystery of the hills in that it isolates itself as a piece of art (in the form of architecture) which blends, not well but mysterioulsly with the natural landscape.
And the people from the two communities are welcoming and their interaction with this space that has come to be known as World Heritage site is fascinating in many ways. Its a combiination that no one would like to miss!!!
 
Phillip segadika (Botswana):
As a landscape Archaeologist and reseacher (and therefore a regular visitor) at the Tsodilo hills, let me share with you the following abstract the full paper of which may be presented at the October Icomos general Assembly whose theme focuses on 'Intangible Cultural heritage'.

The reason I share this with you is so that next time when you visit Tsodilo you should take time to experience the intangible as experienced by the local community and pilgrims to the site.

"Mapping and Managing the Intangible Heritage at World Heritage sites-the case of Tsodilo"

By Phillip Segadika, Landscape Archaeologist-Botswana National Museum

"'Criterion 6' of the cultural properties of the World Heritage is one of the reasons why Tsodilo is recognised as being of 'outstanding Universal value'. This is because the Ju/hoasi and Hambukushu communities living at Tsodilo know that Tsodilo is the ancestral home to the spirits of all living creatures. As prove to this, the local shamans, guides and herbalists point to specific areas, which are testimony to the marks of the first animals, the first people, the first sex spot as well as the first and eternal water spring in the Tsodilo landscape. An ongoing study suggests that the apparent conflict on te interpretation of the history of the Tsodilo rock art by Jo/huasi and Hambukushu communities converges into a conservation plan rooted in the cosmology which supercedes and unites the politics of ownership. This paper also analyses the nomination dossier and current management plan of Tsodilo in terms of the intangible cultural heritage. Recommendations are then made for managing the intangible heritage of Tsodilo and a model proposed for managing the intangible heritage of African World heritage Sites."
 
Marianne Breukink (Namibia):
Good Day

I am a tour operator from Windhoek Namibia and visited Tsodilo on 12 May 2003.

We were advised that the road to Tsodilo was extremely bad and sandy and we were warned that it was definitely not safe for two women to travel that distance into the bush to visit "just a few hills"

We were very surprised to find a newly built gravel road leading to the vicinity of the hills. Only the last 5 km was hard sand driving, but anyone with a 4 x 4 vehicle could enter with out much trouble.

There were camp sites on strategic places where you could utmostly enjoy the views around the hills. The ablution blocks were clean and with running water. We had a chat with the camp manager and he informed us that they will have telephone lines and internet ( thus reservation possibilities ) acess by the end of August.

In the morning we were taken onto the Female by a local guide and shown the most interesting paintings and pictures, although he could not speak a word of English, he gave us an insight on the lives of the little Bushmen in the early days. Upon arrival back at camp were visited the museum where some of the artefacts and tools found are on display.

It was a realy wonderful experience to visit the hills, and I will surely return soon for a few days to explore the hills more intensively.

Marianne Breukink
 


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