The terrain rating is high as 4WD is needed to reach Savuti, plus a bit of clambering around is required at GZ.
The hills of Savuti stand out as unusual landmarks of metamorphic granite in a landscape of flat Kalahari sands. The only other feature with any elevation being the "Sand Ridge" which marks the shoreline of an ancient lake that has created the large depression known as the Mababe. The lowest part of the depression being the area now represented as the Savuti Marsh. The waves of the ancient lake pounded against the hills eroding and weathering the rocks to give rise to the steep vertical face on each hill. The rear of the hills were sheltered from the waves and so remain more moderately sloping. The Savuti Channel, which winds around the hills, has its source at the Zibalianja Lagoon roughly 100km's away as the crow flies, which in turn derives its water from the Kwando River and the "overflow" from the Okavango Delta.
Throughout history the channel has had long periods of being dry only to flow once again with the water emptying out across the Savuti Marsh. The cause of the alternating wet and dry periods is a result of the underlying fault line that cuts across the source of the channel, which tilts and buckles over the course of time. With only approximately 18 meters of elevation between the start and end of the channel it does not take a huge tectonic event to interrupt the flow of life giving water to the Savuti area. It is not surprising that ancient peoples passed through this area in ages gone by.
The Savuti Bushman Paintings
Within the seven hills of Savuti there are 22 known sites of bushman paintings, although most are well faded and imply there may well have been many more paintings at one time. The most obvious and easiest to access being found on the channel (Eastern) side of the aptly named "Bushman Painting Hill." The paintings are roughly 200 - 250 years old which are relatively new when compared with other sites within Botswana. The main panel of paintings at this site depict an Eland, Elephant, Rhino, Giraffe, Wildebeest, Sable (or perhaps a Gemsbok) and fertility symbols. There are also two more panels at the same spot depicting additional Giraffe, Elephant and Eland.