28 May 2026

Excitement is mounting in Hukuntsi ahead of the highly anticipated 4^th Edition of the Macheng Bushfire Festival, scheduled to take place on May 30, in collaboration with Team Jwaneng Racing Club.

Held under the theme: A Centre Ways for African Culture, the festival continues to grow into one of the Kgalagadi region’s flagship tourism and cultural events, drawing visitors from across Botswana and beyond.

The annual event seeks to steadily position Hukuntsi as a tourism destination of choice while stimulating local economic development through culture, sport and adventure tourism.

Speaking ahead of the festivities, event organiser, Kabelo Moapare, said the festival had evolved beyond entertainment into a strategic tourism initiative designed to unlock the district’s economic and cultural potential.

He explained that organisers had identified three major tourism clusters that form the foundation of the event namely sporting tourism, cultural tourism and adventure tourism.

Hukuntsi possesses a unique combination of natural landscapes and cultural diversity that makes it ideal for such an initiative.

In future we will continue exploring other ways of attracting people to Hukuntsi in order to improve local economic development, Moapare said.

Situated deep within Botswana’s Kgalagadi region, Hukuntsi is known for its vast desert terrain, scenic salt pans and rich indigenous heritage, characteristics which organisers believe provided the perfect environment for creating a tourism experience distinct from other destinations across the country.

Moapare noted that the impact of the festival was already being felt by local businesses and residents, particularly those operating in the hospitality and informal sectors.

 “As we speak, all hotels are fully booked in Hukuntsi and we had to engage supplementary tented accommodation providers who meet the same standards as hotels in order to accommodate visitors,” he said.

Moapare said the development demonstrated the growing significance of the event as an economic driver for the district.

He added that local businesses such as food vendors, fuel stations, transport operators and small-scale traders stood to benefit from increased visitor spending during the festival period.

“The festival has become one of the major private sector-driven initiatives contributing meaningfully to the local economy because visitors spend money on accommodation, food, fuel and other services during their stay,” he said.

One of the major highlights of this year’s edition will be the expansion of motorsport activities through the official inclusion of motorcycle racing.

More than 30 riders are expected to participate in the desert races, which are anticipated to draw large crowds of adventure and motorsport enthusiasts.

“Initially we only displayed motorcycles around the pan, but we realised there was growing interest from revelers. Because the district’s topography allows for such activities and we have a pure desert environment, we resolved to give visitors a first-hand experience of desert racing,” said Moapare.

To create a more thrilling experience for participants and spectators, organisers have integrated four surrounding pans namely Hukuntsi, Lokgwabe, Tshane and Lehututu into a single desert racing route.

“We consulted dikgosi and communities from all the villages involved and the response has been positive. Everyone is anxiously waiting for the event,” Moapare added.

Apart from tourism promotion and entertainment, the festival is also intended to empower local entrepreneurs and small businesses and Moapare said many small-scale businesses had already secured stalls to market and sell their products during the event.

“We want to see local businesses participate and build their economic profile because our objective is to contribute towards local economic growth,” he said.

In an effort to strengthen and sustain the festival, organisers are also finalising a memorandum of understanding with council authorities, to formalise partnerships aimed at expanding the event into a larger annual tourism attraction.

“We are about to sign a memorandum of understanding with the council so that we can work together in promoting this event and attract even more people to Hukuntsi while boosting business activity,” Moapare explained.

Meanwhile, organisers have assured the public that measures have been put in place to address concerns surrounding the ongoing Foot and Mouth Disease outbreak affecting parts of the country.

Biosecurity measures and preparedness strategies have already been developed to minimise risks associated with the movement of visitors into the district.

Kgosi Khama IV of GaMmangwato is among guests who are expected to grace the event.

The motorsport segment will be spearheaded in partnership with Team Jwaneng Racing Club, which organisers credit for helping attract additional racing teams from across Botswana.

“We also have several incentives for motorsport enthusiasts, including the rare opportunity to experience racing in a pure desert environment,” said Moapare.

lthough the coronation ceremony of the Lokgwabe chief had initially been included in the programme, organisers confirmed that the ceremony has been postponed.

Another major highlight of the festival will be a district profiling tour involving Miss World Botswana, aimed at showcasing the district’s cultural diversity and promoting smaller ethnic communities that often receive limited national media exposure.

“We believe her engagement with different tribes will help profile smaller communities that seldom get the opportunity to shine in the media,” organisers said.

 

Saturday’s programme is expected to begin with an early morning bush walk before children’s motorbike races take place around Hukuntsi Pan and adult racing competitions will follow. The cultural festivities are expected to climax when Kgosi Khama lights the official Macheng Bushfire Festival bonfire. ENDS