Namibia faded in the distance as we crossed the border into Botswana. This really was the part of the trip I was most looking forward to. It was everything I thought it would be, and so so much more.
Our first adventure in this marvelous country was a scenic flight over the Okavango delta, the largest inland delta in the world. Africa seems to own the saying. "largest in the world". Since we were in small planes, we separated into three groups at the airport. Forty five minutes were spent soaring over grassland and streams and ponds full of hippos and egrets and more elephants than I've ever seen in my life! It seemed so unnatural for being so...natural. Many people fly in to the delta to stay for a few days. On a budget trip, we would be taking a four wheel vehicle and a boat.
As we returned to the tarmac and walked into the tiny airport, our guide, Hofti, was waiting for us:
Love this sense of humor!
I upgraded to a rustic cabin that night. It was expensive but worth it. We arose quite early the following morning, and piled into a land vehicle and went forward, first on a regular highway, and then onto a bumpy dirt road. An hour later we arrived at a landing beside a river, where several women with mokoros were waiting. A mokoro is like a canoe. Traditionally, they are made out of a piece of wood, much like a pirogue in south Louisiana. But tourism and general advancement, I presume, has paved the way for fiberglass ones. Each mokoro fit two travelers, various camping equipment, and one African woman steering the boat with a long pole. These women are called polers. I love Africa. They don't mince words.
For the next two hours, we glided up the river, trying not to tip our boats, and relaxed. It was beautiful. Tall grasses lined either side of the river, water lilies were in bloom, and the temperature hovered around 70 degrees. The polers stood at the back of the boat, using their poles to make sure we didn't tip or get stuck. Later, some of our group would try poling, and it proved much more difficult than imagined. One boat even needed to be rescued!
We spent two nights camping in the bush with our polers. Our Okavango guide took us on a walk through the delta, where we were in stones throwing distance to herds of elephants, zebras, and wildebeest. We saw a few giraffes, too. It was pretty intense being so close to the elephants. Close enough for them to lock eyes, which they did.
It was hard NOT to be scared that the animals would come into our camp, especially after the guide told us to make sure we shine a light before we go out to pee pee in the bush. If we see a reflection, go back to your tent.
As far as I know, we didn't get any visitors. It was a lovely 2 day trip relaxing by the river. And at about hour 36, all I could think about was planning when I would take a hot shower. We were all absolutely filthy. THe 8 year old playing in the mud kind of filthy. It was really fun.
That night, we stayed in a campsite called Planet Boabab. The Baobab tree is a gigantic tree that looks as if it's roots are on the outside. The trunk is thicker than any redwood I've ever seen, and holds water in the dry lowveld. For lack of any other words to describe it, it's a really unique and funny looking tree. The campsite was built around several of them, using them as focal points. There was a beautiful thatch roof bar and bonfire here, as well as artistic bathrooms, a beautiful swimming pool, and super pricey bungalows for those not camping. The location is set perfectly between the Okavango delta and Chobe national park, our next destination.
We arrived at our Chobe campsite in time to do laundry, take a swim, and buy drinks for our "boozie cruise" as Hofti called it. It really was a basic cruise up the Chobe river (which turns into the Zambezi across the nearby Zimbabwean border, and into Victoria Falls). The cruise was magnificent!!! We saw the greatest assortment of animals! Buffalo hanging out next to elephants, crocodiles and kudu basking in the sun while baboons ran in front of them. And hippos!!! So many hippos! Everywhere we turned, there were animals enjoying the water nearby. It was magical.
This was our last night camping, and though we were all happy to be going to a hotel the following night, this also meant the end of the trip and goodbyes. We stayed up late, but arose early again, for one last game drive in Chobe National Park.
We bundled up in winter clothes and blankets and hopped on the safari truck before sunrise. Once inside the park, it became clear we were not the only truck in the park, unlike Etosha. We were also not the only group in our safari vehicle. There was a group of French tourists with an interpreter, and they were not following directions. The stood and almost fell when our driver went four wheel driving into the sand, and they would not stop talking and didn't understand why the animals we spotted kept running way. My teacher self got the better of me and I shooshed them, but it only lasted a moment.
It was on this truck, in the presence of about 6 more, that I witnessed what I consider to be my nature highlight of this trip, this year, and perhaps this lifetime. The sun had just risen, and a beautiful lioness was crouching beside a fallen dead tree limb. Almost as if waiting for a signal from our driver, she ducked her head under the limb, and dragged out her cache from the night before. Once in plain site, it was obvious that it was the lower half of a giraffe. She placed it on the ground, and looked what seemed to be directly at us, fresh blood on her snout, and smiled. She stayed this way, breathing so heavily, her chest and legs were moving, for a few moments, before she leaned down, attached her jaw to the carcass, and dragged it further underneath another branch, while three or four baby cubs scampered up the hill behind her. This all happened in a matter of minutes, about thirty feet from where we were. We may have been able to hear her breathe if it weren't for the multiple camera snaps and such (really, can't people put those on silent?!), and some muffled gasps. AMAZING!!!!
We moved on after a few minutes of trying to find her cubs, and started heading slowly back towards camp. We were at the point in our animal spotting that we caught ourselves saying, "oh, it's just another zebra." We had to remember our companions maybe didn't feel this way, so we still stopped at every animal we saw, including two impalas ready to spar.
Time got away from us, and we really did need to just drive forward and get back to camp. About five minutes into our drive, we heard from our French companions, a resounding, "GIRAFFE!!!!! STOP!!!!!!" Of course we stopped. And of course, the giraffe didn't stick around for a photo opportunity. They were disappointed. We were busting a gut, trying to figure out what they weren't understanding about screaming. This was fodder for the final 12 hours we spent together.
We got back to camp at around 9:00 with a breakfast spread of everything leftover on the table, and our tents put away for us. This was really happening. We were on our last day of the trip. We climbed into the truck, and began the short journey to Zimbabwe.
It was hard NOT to be scared that the animals would come into our camp, especially after the guide told us to make sure we shine a light before we go out to pee pee in the bush. If we see a reflection, go back to your tent.
As far as I know, we didn't get any visitors. It was a lovely 2 day trip relaxing by the river. And at about hour 36, all I could think about was planning when I would take a hot shower. We were all absolutely filthy. THe 8 year old playing in the mud kind of filthy. It was really fun.
That night, we stayed in a campsite called Planet Boabab. The Baobab tree is a gigantic tree that looks as if it's roots are on the outside. The trunk is thicker than any redwood I've ever seen, and holds water in the dry lowveld. For lack of any other words to describe it, it's a really unique and funny looking tree. The campsite was built around several of them, using them as focal points. There was a beautiful thatch roof bar and bonfire here, as well as artistic bathrooms, a beautiful swimming pool, and super pricey bungalows for those not camping. The location is set perfectly between the Okavango delta and Chobe national park, our next destination.
We arrived at our Chobe campsite in time to do laundry, take a swim, and buy drinks for our "boozie cruise" as Hofti called it. It really was a basic cruise up the Chobe river (which turns into the Zambezi across the nearby Zimbabwean border, and into Victoria Falls). The cruise was magnificent!!! We saw the greatest assortment of animals! Buffalo hanging out next to elephants, crocodiles and kudu basking in the sun while baboons ran in front of them. And hippos!!! So many hippos! Everywhere we turned, there were animals enjoying the water nearby. It was magical.
This was our last night camping, and though we were all happy to be going to a hotel the following night, this also meant the end of the trip and goodbyes. We stayed up late, but arose early again, for one last game drive in Chobe National Park.
We bundled up in winter clothes and blankets and hopped on the safari truck before sunrise. Once inside the park, it became clear we were not the only truck in the park, unlike Etosha. We were also not the only group in our safari vehicle. There was a group of French tourists with an interpreter, and they were not following directions. The stood and almost fell when our driver went four wheel driving into the sand, and they would not stop talking and didn't understand why the animals we spotted kept running way. My teacher self got the better of me and I shooshed them, but it only lasted a moment.
It was on this truck, in the presence of about 6 more, that I witnessed what I consider to be my nature highlight of this trip, this year, and perhaps this lifetime. The sun had just risen, and a beautiful lioness was crouching beside a fallen dead tree limb. Almost as if waiting for a signal from our driver, she ducked her head under the limb, and dragged out her cache from the night before. Once in plain site, it was obvious that it was the lower half of a giraffe. She placed it on the ground, and looked what seemed to be directly at us, fresh blood on her snout, and smiled. She stayed this way, breathing so heavily, her chest and legs were moving, for a few moments, before she leaned down, attached her jaw to the carcass, and dragged it further underneath another branch, while three or four baby cubs scampered up the hill behind her. This all happened in a matter of minutes, about thirty feet from where we were. We may have been able to hear her breathe if it weren't for the multiple camera snaps and such (really, can't people put those on silent?!), and some muffled gasps. AMAZING!!!!
We moved on after a few minutes of trying to find her cubs, and started heading slowly back towards camp. We were at the point in our animal spotting that we caught ourselves saying, "oh, it's just another zebra." We had to remember our companions maybe didn't feel this way, so we still stopped at every animal we saw, including two impalas ready to spar.
Time got away from us, and we really did need to just drive forward and get back to camp. About five minutes into our drive, we heard from our French companions, a resounding, "GIRAFFE!!!!! STOP!!!!!!" Of course we stopped. And of course, the giraffe didn't stick around for a photo opportunity. They were disappointed. We were busting a gut, trying to figure out what they weren't understanding about screaming. This was fodder for the final 12 hours we spent together.
We got back to camp at around 9:00 with a breakfast spread of everything leftover on the table, and our tents put away for us. This was really happening. We were on our last day of the trip. We climbed into the truck, and began the short journey to Zimbabwe.
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