Selibe Phikwe takes its name from two small settlements called Selebi and Phikwe, which sat either side of a large copper and nickel deposit. After the ore was found, a mine, a smelter and a planned town were built in the woodland between them in the first years after independence. When the mine closed, thousands lost their jobs, and the town of more than 40,000 people has been working to attract new industries since. The country around is flat mophane woodland, cut by the sandy bed of the Motloutse River.
Heading east to the Tuli Block
From Selibe Phikwe the tar runs about 80 kilometres east to Bobonong, where the Babirwa are known for harvesting mophane worms after the rains. The Tuli Block is about an hour further on, a narrow strip of private game land along the Limpopo where Botswana, South Africa and Zimbabwe meet. It's rocky hardveld of red sand and sandstone ridges, with no fences across the borders, so elephant and big cats move freely, though sightings depend on the season and the water. Guided walks and horse-riding safaris set out from the reserves. Near the south-western corner, the Motloutse River cuts through Solomon's Wall, a natural rock dyke.
Booking on adventuro
For the salt pans and the Tswapong Hills of central Botswana, a few hours west, see our guide to Central and the Makgadikgadi. Use the Book here tab to see live dates and prices.
