Gliding thru the Delta in a Dug Out Canoe
Today I’ll write about the Okavango Swamps in Botswana – stunning scenery and a paradise for wildlife, where I recently took my 10 year old daughter on a camping safari. Arriving in Maun, we took a low flight in a small plane into the heart of Moremi Game Reserve. The birds-eye view was spectacular!
Ronald – our guide awaited us in an open safari vehicle and soon we spotted our first Elephants – a family with a little baby, feeding at the side of the road.
On our first game drive we also spotted Lechwe antelope, herds of zebra, grazing peacefully amongst some giraffe, a black-backed jackal, impala and wildebeest in the shade of an Umbrella Thorntree (Acacia). At sunset we arrived at the camp – tired and exhilarated. Our cook, Richard and his crew had set up the tents and served a delicious, healthy meal. Soon afterwards we retired to our canvas accommodation, which was kitted out with comfy mattresses on stretchers, covered with crisp sheets and warm duvets. We even had an en-suite bathroom with a flush toilet and bucket shower, attached to the back of our tent.
Early in the morning we were off on another game drive. The grass shimmered with dew and the air was crisp and fresh. Not far from our camp we came across more elephants, many bird species, including fish eagle and saddle-billed stork and then we spotted a group of 7 cheetahs. What a thrill to watch these graceful animals interact with each other.
Later we enjoyed a mokoro ride – a dug-out canoe which glides silently through the maze of waterways that make up the ‘swamps’. The water is crystal clear, walled by tall reeds and dotted with beautiful water lilies. It’s so quiet and peaceful – we felt like we were the only people in the world.
On the last day our patience was rewarded with a sighting of 3 lionesses lounging by the side of the road. We watched them for a long time – just mesmerized by these powerful cats.
I am unabashedly smitten with the beauty of the scenery and wildlife of the Okavango Delta. Its reputation as the best safari experience is well-deserved.
This safari company’s policy of not mixing families with couples or singles on a trip worked very well for us. We could stop for as long (or as short) as we wanted to observe (or ignore) an animal, bird or landscape. We could go to sleep as early as we wanted to – no-one to keep us awake when we were tired. The owner came by and joined us for lunch – wanting to find out how we were enjoying the safari, and if there was anything they could do better or different to make the trip more enjoyable. I was impressed with this level of service, since it takes about 5 hours of hard driving to reach us in the bush.
To book your Safari contact Chris Boecker – Africa Travel Specialist
