Maun

The name Maun comes from the word ‘maung’ which means ‘place of short reeds’. The village was founded in 1915 by the Tawana people and is located along the Thamalakane river. When tourism to Botswana rose more and more from 1980, Maun changed from a farming village to a tourist town. Nowadays it is a fairly large place with banks, supermarkets, gas stations, shopping centers and of course hotels and lodges.Yet it also has its rural charm with here and there stray cattle and markets where farmers can sell their animals. The reason that Maun attracts many tourists is because it is a very good base for visiting the Okavango Delta and Moremi Game Reserve, many tour operators offering excursions to the Delta are located here. For those who do not want to drive to Maun through Botswana, there is Maun International Airport that you can use from Johannesburg and Gaborone.

In addition to the Okavango Delta, there are more interesting trips to make from Maun, for example, a cultural excursion with one of the many tribes that live here. You will find these traditional villages mainly on the west side of the Delta in the so-called Panhandle area. For example, visit Sixaxa, a Bayei village about a half-hour drive from Maun where you can see how baskets are woven from reed and grass, corn is mashed for dinner and other daily activities. An excursion takes 2 to 3 hours and of course also includes a demonstration of music and dance.  The Maun Wildlife Educational Park is a small reserve that you can explore on foot, there are different types of antelopes and other small animals. Not a Big Five safari, but for those who love nature, it is a nice trip to spot some animals. At various places in Maun you will find small markets with handmade items and art items such as painted table cloths, woven baskets, clothing and jewelry.

The winter months (May to August) are dry here with average temperatures between 7 degrees at night and 27 degrees during the day. Rain falls regularly from November to March and temperatures can rise to around 34 degrees during the day, while the temperature does not usually drop further than 19 degrees at night.

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