The South Gate, also known as the Maqwee Gate, is often considered only as a transit site for those traveling to the Moremi Reserve or heading North to the Chobe National Park.
It is located in a thick forest of mopane or colophospermum mopane, these trees are easy to recognize as they have butterfly leaves, they are very tall trees, reaching 18 meters; mopane forests are also called " mopane cathedrals" as the branches of these weaving trees form arcades.
Usually the soil inside the forests of mopane is not well drained so small depressions are formed that, during the rainy season, become puddles; the animals that at that time leave the Okavango Delta and the waterways, take refuge in the forest and gather around these sources of water.
Especially during rains, from January to April, you can see elephants, zebras, impalas, kudus, tsessebes, common duikers, bushbucks, steenboks, elands, roans, common warthogs , baboons and vervet monkeys; there are also several predators such as leopards, cheetahs, spotted hyenas and wild dogs.
There is also a small campsite protected between the trees; although most visitors stop here only for a technical stage, good sightings can also be made, but it is more difficult to see animals here than in an alluvial plain, as trees block a bit the sight.
It is also a good place to spot small birds like barn owl, some hawks and kestrels; sometimes martial eagles are also noticed.
Two species of birds are very common here: the red-billed hornbill and the white-headed black-chat that always live in pairs or in groups.
It is easy to reach the South Gate, it is connected by five roads, the first one coming from Maun and passing through the veterinary checkpoint, the second coming from the North Gate, the third that runs along the South side of the Mopane Tongue and comes from the Third Bridge, a fourth that comes from Xakanaxa, in the heart of the Mopane Tongue and a fifth, now closed to self-drive travelers, leading to the Santawani Lodge.
