The Baines Baobabs, once painted by Thomas Baines in Botswana, are a group of 7 Baobab trees in Botswana – yet another popular Botswana Safari.

OUR BOTSWANA SAFARIS AND THE BAINES BAOBAB

The Baines Baobabs are a series of majestic trees found south of the Nxai Pan National Park overlooking the KudiaKam Pan in Botswana. The Baines Baobab is actually a group of 7 giant baobab trees all clustered together – a rather unusual phenomenon for these majestic trees. This cluster is commonly referred to as the ‘sleeping sisters’.

The Baines Baobabs have been incorporated into the Nxai Pan National Park to ensure the protection of these trees in the future. The Baines Baobab derived its name from Thomas Baines (who was a member of the Livingstone Expedition); he painted a group of Baobab trees that soon became known as the ‘Baines Baobabs’. According to sources, he painted it between 1861 and 1862 because he was interested in the rare sighting of these baobab trees. Over the years many other people also had painted these Baobabs, including Prince Charles. The Baobabs have become a popular sight to see and a fascinating Botswana Safari attraction.

These ‘7 giants’ of Baobabs dominate a small island on the edge of the KudiaKam Pan. The Baines Baobabs have changed very little since the painting, except that the popularity for visiting these ‘sleeping sisters’ has grown. The site of the baobabs has been dated back to between 105 000 and 128 000 years, thought to be around the same time that this area was a beach on the edge of the super lake. You can reach the Baines Baobabs from the Nxai Pan National Park by taking the Nxai Pan access road -  approximately 200km from Maun/Nata and about 12km from the entrance gate. Please note that entering this area requires a permit.

The common name for the Baines Baobabs is Adansoina, which refers collectively to 8 species of trees that are native to Africa, Madagascar and Australia. Other names for Baobabs are ‘boab’, ’boaboa’, ‘upside down tree’… These magnificent trees can reach heights of between 5 and 30 metres and the trunk can measure anything between 7 and 11 metres. Unlike normal trees, they do not provide any growth rings therefore when calculating their age one has to make use of different and more complex calculations than counting rings. The Baobabs store up to 120 000 litres of water inside their swollen trunks, ensuring their survival in the rough drought conditions.

Have a look at our Botswana Safaris that include the Baobabs below. We also have other Botswana Attractions that you might want to visit on your Botswana Safari.