BootsnAll Travel Community

I typically throw travel warnings of any kind out the window, as I'm sure many of you also experienced that often they are politically motivated or otherwise blown out of proportions to make them news worthy. But I find the following email worthy mentioning on this Board, as this seems to be the place where many RTW travelers, individualistic minds and people traveling on a shoe string budget gather; all of whom I admire greatly. (It doesn't seem to apply to those upscale safaris, where you're met upon arrival in Maun and assisted in transferring to your charter flight whisking you away to the Okavango Delta, for example.)

This is in no way meant to discourage anyone from traveling to Maun/Botswana - I only hope it will help you in being alert and prepared. Enjoy your safari!

>Tourists attacked at camping sites
>
>By Golang Raditsela
>
>Tourists at a popular camp in Maun were terrorised, threatened and shot at
>this week by three men.The incident took place on Sunday night and is the
>fourth such raid on camping grounds in a week.
>
>District CID officer Simisani Zhibi urged in an interview with The Ngami
>Times for the community to mobilise and prevent such incidents, which is
>affecting the tourist trade.
>
>Zhibi said the camp's two night watchmen were on duty at the offices and at
>the campsite when three men ­ one armed with a weapon - attacked the camp
>night watchman, tied his hands together and cellotaped his mouth.
>
>A 73-year-old South African man and his wife fell victims when they were on
>their way to the toilet from their tent. They came across the gang holding
>the night watchman and were ordered to lie down.
>
>The three then went to other tents, woke the occupants and told them to
>leave the tents and also lie on the ground.
>
>One of the robbers, who was armed with a shotgun, fired two shots into the
>ground, which Zhibi said was probably a warning shot. One of the tourists
>sustained injuries to both legs from pellets.
>
>The three robbers went to the camp office where they broke in and stole cash
>before disappearing.
>
>Late last week, robbers also entered a camping site on the outskirts of
>Maun, stealing from tents occupied by tourists. There were also break-ins at
>two other camping sites. As far as is known, no one was injured in those
>incidents. Four robbers also attacked staff at closing time at the Boseja
>(Maun) Caltex filling station at the weekend, stealing cash and property.
>All four have been arrested and a weapon recovered.