📖 About Maun

Maun is Botswana's tourism capital and the gateway to the Okavango Delta, one of the world's great wilderness areas. With approximately 75,000 residents, this once-small cattle town has transformed into a hub for safari tourism, with bush planes departing regularly for lodges throughout the Delta. The town sits at the edge where the Thamalakane River meets the Kalahari sands, marking the southern reach of the Okavango's floodwaters.

The town itself is sprawling and dusty, with an atmosphere that mixes tourism infrastructure with authentic African life—donkeys wander streets, traditional cattle still graze nearby, and safari vehicles pass local market vendors. The international airport connects to Johannesburg and other African cities; small aircraft ferry visitors to remote camps. Maun serves as staging point for expeditions into some of Earth's last great wild places.

Maun offers visitors the launch point for world-class safari experiences, African bush town atmosphere, and access to the UNESCO-listed Okavango Delta.

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💼 Economy & Culture

Maun's economy has transformed from cattle ranching to tourism. Safari operators, lodges, and air charter companies employ thousands; the tourism industry generates significant foreign exchange for Botswana. Cattle remain important to traditional economy and culture. Government services support the district capital. The airport is the second busiest in Botswana. Construction and services have grown with tourism. Some community-based tourism programs share benefits with local populations. The economy depends heavily on high-end safari tourism, making it vulnerable to global travel disruptions.

Tswana culture predominates in Maun, alongside other groups including BaYei and Hambukushu peoples with deep connections to the Delta. Setswana and English are official languages. Traditional music, dance, and storytelling continue. Christianity is widespread with traditional beliefs persistent. Food includes traditional dishes like seswaa (pounded meat) and bogobe (porridge). The cattle culture remains strong—wealth is measured in livestock. Tourism has brought international influences, but traditional life continues alongside safari vehicles. Maun embodies Botswana's balance of wildlife conservation, tourism development, and African cultural identity.

📜 History

Maun developed in the early 20th century as a frontier cattle town where the Delta's floodwaters end. The BaTawana people settled here; the town became an administrative center. Cattle ranching dominated the economy for decades—enormous herds grazed the surrounding areas.

Safari tourism developed from the 1960s as the Okavango Delta gained international recognition. Hunting safaris gave way to photographic tourism. The airport expanded; lodges and camps proliferated throughout the Delta. The Okavango Delta became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2014. Maun has grown from a dusty village to a modern tourism hub while retaining its bush-town character. Today it serves as essential gateway to one of Africa's great wilderness areas.