Maun
Encyclopedia
Maun is the fifth largest town in Botswana
. As of 2001, it had a population of 43,776. It is an eclectic mix of modern buildings and native huts. Maun is the "tourism capital" of Botswana
and the administrative centre of Ngamiland
district. It is also the headquarters of numerous safari and air-charter operations who run trips into the Okavango Delta
.
Although officially still a village, Maun has developed rapidly from a rural frontier town and has spread along the Thamalakane River
. It now has shopping centres, hotels and lodges as well as car hire, although it retains a rural atmosphere and local tribesmen continue to bring their cattle to Maun to sell. The community is distributed along the wide banks of the Thamalakane River where red lechwe can still be seen grazing next to local donkeys, goats and cattle.
Maun is 30 kilometres (18.6 mi) distant from Toteng
.
in the early 1990s, Maun has developed swiftly, losing much of its old town character. It is now home to over 30,000 people.
Maun is today a thriving tourist town, infamous for its infestation of donkeys and to a lesser extent goats. These animals can be seen standing around town as the local farmers arrive in the innumerable taxis to sell their wares on the curbside.
With the influx of tourism dollars, the typical traditional rondavel
s have been replaced by square, cinderblock homes roofed with tin and occasionally tiles. Mobile phone service in Maun is excellent out to about 20 to 25 km (12.4 to 15.5 ), depending on weather.
Maun is also becoming a regional transshipment
hub for materials and tradespeople who service both the local camps and safari
centres and the burgeoning mineral exploration
camps in northwestern Botswana. There are a wide variety of services in stores as well as many local entrepreneur
s with welding ventures operated from the back of a cart.
Tourists often fly into the Maun International Airport
. Often, these tourists hire a fully equipped 4x4 for camping and game viewing in the parks, or otherwise fly to several tourist camps in the Okavango Delta
or the Makgadikgadi.
Maun, like most areas in southern Africa, has a protracted aviation history.
word 'maung', which translates 'the place of short reeds'. The village started in 1915 as the capital for the Tawana people. The capital was transferred from Toteng
after victory over Ndebele
King Lobengula
.
In a broader sense Maun is a gateway for exploring much of northern Botswana; for example it is the natural hub for visitors from outside the region to explore the Tsodilo Hills and the Makgadikgadi Pans. The Thamalakane River discharges to the Boteti River
, whose seasonal high flow reaches the Makgadikgadi.
Maun has three main hotels – Sedia Riverside Hotel, Riley's Hotel and Maun Lodge. There are many other accommodations and campsites, oriented towards the safari business like Okavango River Lodge, Thamalakane Lodge, the old Bridge Backpackers etc.
Botswana
Botswana, officially the Republic of Botswana , is a landlocked country located in Southern Africa. The citizens are referred to as "Batswana" . Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name after becoming independent within the Commonwealth on 30 September 1966...
. As of 2001, it had a population of 43,776. It is an eclectic mix of modern buildings and native huts. Maun is the "tourism capital" of Botswana
Botswana
Botswana, officially the Republic of Botswana , is a landlocked country located in Southern Africa. The citizens are referred to as "Batswana" . Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name after becoming independent within the Commonwealth on 30 September 1966...
and the administrative centre of Ngamiland
North-West District (Botswana)
North-West District Council is one of the local authorities of Botswana. It was established in 1966, overlapping the administrative districts of Chobe and Ngamiland...
district. It is also the headquarters of numerous safari and air-charter operations who run trips into the Okavango Delta
Okavango Delta
The Okavango Delta , in Botswana, is the world's largest inland delta. It is formed where the Okavango River empties onto a swamp in an endorheic basin in the Kalahari Desert, where most of the water is lost to evaporation and transpiration instead of draining into the sea...
.
Although officially still a village, Maun has developed rapidly from a rural frontier town and has spread along the Thamalakane River
Thamalakane River
The Thamalakane River is a river located in Botswana, Africa, at the southern end of the Okavango Delta. It has no well defined beginning and no clear end...
. It now has shopping centres, hotels and lodges as well as car hire, although it retains a rural atmosphere and local tribesmen continue to bring their cattle to Maun to sell. The community is distributed along the wide banks of the Thamalakane River where red lechwe can still be seen grazing next to local donkeys, goats and cattle.
Maun is 30 kilometres (18.6 mi) distant from Toteng
Toteng
Toteng is a village in the north west of Botswana, Ngamiland located at 20,22'S 22,56'E. The town is reportedly the location of the oldest "directly dated evidence of cattle in southern Africa" . Nearby towns are Sehitwa, Bobideng, in the west, Tsau and Gumare in the north and Maun in the east.The...
.
History
Since Maun's founding in 1915 as the tribal capital of the Batawana people, it has had a reputation as a hard-living 'Wild West' town helping the local cattle ranching and hunting operations. However, with the growth of the tourism industry and the completion of the tar road from NataNata, Botswana
Nata is a village in Central District of Botswana. It is located in the northern part of the district, and is served by Nata Airport. The population was 4150 in 2001 census. The village of Nata lies along the Nata River which carries its rainy season flow to the Makgadikgadi Pans, a seasonal...
in the early 1990s, Maun has developed swiftly, losing much of its old town character. It is now home to over 30,000 people.
Maun is today a thriving tourist town, infamous for its infestation of donkeys and to a lesser extent goats. These animals can be seen standing around town as the local farmers arrive in the innumerable taxis to sell their wares on the curbside.
With the influx of tourism dollars, the typical traditional rondavel
Rondavel
A rondavel is a westernised version of the African-style hut.The rondavel is usually round or oval in shape and is traditionally made with materials that can be locally found in raw form. Its walls are often constructed from stones. The mortar may consist of sand, soil, or combinations of these,...
s have been replaced by square, cinderblock homes roofed with tin and occasionally tiles. Mobile phone service in Maun is excellent out to about 20 to 25 km (12.4 to 15.5 ), depending on weather.
Maun is also becoming a regional transshipment
Transshipment
Transshipment or Transhipment is the shipment of goods or containers to an intermediate destination, and then from there to yet another destination....
hub for materials and tradespeople who service both the local camps and safari
Safari
A safari is an overland journey, usually a trip by tourists to Africa. Traditionally, the term is used for a big-game hunt, but today the term often refers to a trip taken not for the purposes of hunting, but to observe and photograph animals and other wildlife.-Etymology:Entering the English...
centres and the burgeoning mineral exploration
Mineral exploration
Mineral exploration is the process of finding ore to mine. Mineral exploration is a much more intensive, organized and professional form of mineral prospecting and, though it frequently uses the services of prospecting, the process of mineral exploration on the whole is much more involved.-Stages...
camps in northwestern Botswana. There are a wide variety of services in stores as well as many local entrepreneur
Entrepreneur
An entrepreneur is an owner or manager of a business enterprise who makes money through risk and initiative.The term was originally a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to a person who is willing to...
s with welding ventures operated from the back of a cart.
Tourists often fly into the Maun International Airport
Maun Airport
Maun Airport is an international airport serving the town of Maun in the northern part of Botswana . It is an important part of the local infrastructure and serves as the main touristic gateway to the Okavango Delta and the Moremi Game Reserve. Additional popular tourist destinations like Chobe...
. Often, these tourists hire a fully equipped 4x4 for camping and game viewing in the parks, or otherwise fly to several tourist camps in the Okavango Delta
Okavango Delta
The Okavango Delta , in Botswana, is the world's largest inland delta. It is formed where the Okavango River empties onto a swamp in an endorheic basin in the Kalahari Desert, where most of the water is lost to evaporation and transpiration instead of draining into the sea...
or the Makgadikgadi.
Maun, like most areas in southern Africa, has a protracted aviation history.
Etymology and logistics
The name Maun is derived from the SanBushmen
The indigenous people of Southern Africa, whose territory spans most areas of South Africa, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Mozambique, Swaziland, Botswana, Namibia, and Angola, are variously referred to as Bushmen, San, Sho, Barwa, Kung, or Khwe...
word 'maung', which translates 'the place of short reeds'. The village started in 1915 as the capital for the Tawana people. The capital was transferred from Toteng
Toteng
Toteng is a village in the north west of Botswana, Ngamiland located at 20,22'S 22,56'E. The town is reportedly the location of the oldest "directly dated evidence of cattle in southern Africa" . Nearby towns are Sehitwa, Bobideng, in the west, Tsau and Gumare in the north and Maun in the east.The...
after victory over Ndebele
Ndebele people (Zimbabwe)
The Ndebele are a branch of the Zulus who split from King Shaka in the early 1820s under the leadership of Mzilikazi, a former general in Shaka's army....
King Lobengula
Lobengula
Lobengula Khumalo was the second and last king of the Ndebele people, usually pronounced Matabele in English. Both names, in the Sindebele language, mean "The men of the long shields", a reference to the Matabele warriors' use of the Zulu shield and spear.- Background :The Matabele were related to...
.
In a broader sense Maun is a gateway for exploring much of northern Botswana; for example it is the natural hub for visitors from outside the region to explore the Tsodilo Hills and the Makgadikgadi Pans. The Thamalakane River discharges to the Boteti River
Boteti River
The Boteti River is a natural watercourse in Botswana. It derives flow from the core Okavango Delta through the Thamalakane River in Maun. It flowed year-round before the mid 1990s, after which decreasing flows led to seasonal desiccation in some lower reaches...
, whose seasonal high flow reaches the Makgadikgadi.
Commercial Development
(2011) Maun has branches of Barclays Bank, First National Bank Botswana, Stanbic Bank and Standard Chartered Bank with ATM facility. Note that mastercards can't be used to draw money at ATMs (exception Stanbic near airport).Maun has three main hotels – Sedia Riverside Hotel, Riley's Hotel and Maun Lodge. There are many other accommodations and campsites, oriented towards the safari business like Okavango River Lodge, Thamalakane Lodge, the old Bridge Backpackers etc.