27 Jul 2026

President Advocate Duma Boko, Queen Masenate Mohato Seeiso of Lesotho, cabinet ministers and Debswana Chief Executive Officer, Andrew Motsomi were among the dignitaries who joined 6 000 hikers for the 10th edition of the Jwaneng Bushwalk.

The walk was categorised in 15km and 30km routes and this year’s edition marked a milestone of a decade of promoting health, unity, regional integration, adventure and charity. From a humble idea dating back to 2014, the Desert Bushwalk has evolved from just a hiking event to positioning Jwaneng as a sport tourism hub, stimulating the economy through growing demand for accommodation, food, transport and retail services.

President Boko commended the event organisers for the positive impact on communities and establishing a unifying event for Botswana and its neighbouring countries. He also thanked Queen Seeiso and her entourage for their support to charity work in Botswana.

According to one of the organisers, Aratwa Kgosietsile, the initiative continues to grow both in numbers and impact throughout the years.

She said they had increased this year’s tickets from the usual 5 000 to 1 000 in anticipation of the growing interest from hikers, particularly due to the 10th anniversary celebration.

While she acknowledged the high demand from participants, she regrettably said their numbers were determined by the sponsorship.

“We are a 100 per cent charity organization so every year we start on zero budget.

Our numbers are determined by the amount of sponsorship hence we normally have a limited number.

The sponsorships assist with logistics while the ticket sales go toward the sustainable projects in our communities which are aligned with our mandate,” she said.

A cultural exchange event between Botswana and Lesotho groups, a night walk and a gala dinner in honour of Queen Seeiso’s birthday celebration were some of the build-up activities towards the main event.

While the proceeds from the dinner would be channeled towards equipping the Special Education Unit at Dinonyane Primary School, Kgosietsile said their board of trustees would assess competing requests to select the ones for funding from the main event.

Among the projects expected to benefit this year is the Donate a Book campaign, which feeds to the government’s broader objective of promoting literacy in public schools across the country.

Relating her experience, one of the South African hikers, Mmabatho Tlale from Beniyaphi Hiking Club said she was delighted to have contributed towards charity work in Botswana, while at the same time enjoying the adventure that comes with traversing the sandy terrain.

“It has been a fulfilling walk, it is enjoyable as we are making friends with people from different countries, but more importantly, contributing to charity is something close to my heart. I am glad that I invested my time and energy into the walk and I hope it helps others out there,” she said.

Since inception, the Desert Bushwalk, through the CSI Concepts Foundation has contributed towards sustainable socio-economic development in education, health and other sectors across the country. ENDS