On the southern edge of the Okavango Delta, nearly 950km northwest of Gaborone, Maun is the main jumping-off point for most tourists visiting Botswana. It is a sprawling, scruffy little town, founded in 1915 as the administrative center for the Batawana people. It has an international airport and a number of reasonable hotels, including Riley’s Hotel, Sedia Hotel and Maun Lodge, while lodges include Motsensela Crocodile Camp, Audi Camp, Maun Lodge and Island Safari Lodge. Okavango River Lodge is a campsite. Most hotels have a swimming pool as well as a bar and restaurant. This is also the best place to book safaris, with many tour operators’ offices, a National Park office and the only banks for several hundred miles.
There is an 8 sq km game reserve with several pleasant walking trails along the Thamalakane River near Riley’s Hotel.