I visited the Lobatse Ruins a few years ago during a road trip through...
Okereke George@georgeokereke6032
25 days ago
I visited the Lobatse Ruins a few years ago during a road trip through southern Botswana, and I was struck by how quiet and unassuming the site is. There's no grand entrance or visitor centre, just a low stone wall and scattered foundations blending into the landscape. What really stuck with me was the sense of scale though. The ruins cover a surprising area, and walking among them, you get a real feel for how the settlement was laid out. The dry-stone walling is impressive, especially considering the tools available in the late 1700s. Some sections still stand waist high.
If you're planning to go, I'd suggest bringing a good pair of walking shoes and plenty of water, especially in summer. There's not much shade, and the paths are uneven. Also, a local guide can make a huge difference. When I went, an elderly man from a nearby village was sitting under a tree and offered to show us around. He pointed out the old cattle kraal area and explained how the layout reflected the social hierarchy of the Bangwaketse at the time. Without him, I would have just seen rocks.
One thing that surprised me was how few people know about this place. Even locals in Gaborone I talked to later had never been. It's worth the short drive from town, and it adds real context to Botswana's pre-colonial history, which often gets overlooked in favor of the more famous stone ruins like Great Zimbabwe.
14 days ago
