5 Highlights of Botswana

  1. Reaching Chief’s Island

Any trip to the Okavango Delta, whether by boat, or plane, starts seconds after you have launched, or lifted off. Your vantage point matters not, it is always magnificent. Admittedly, if you really want to grasp the true beauty of the Okavango Delta one should fly as much as possible over the 15 000 square kilometres that make up this heritage site.

There are not many places in the world that match its beauty and tranquility. Be it in the landscapes that are forever framed by palm trees and magnificent trees, or the sparkling waters that glimmer as you fly over them, or perhaps the quintessential sound of active hippos grunting, or the bubbling sound of water racing under your mokoro, and the ever present cry of an African fish eagle’s call.

Without a shadow of a doubt, the Okavango Delta is definitely a place that will soothe and lull anyone’s chaotic rhythm of urban living and bring one’s pulse back to a natural beat that will allow your senses to be well enthralled, yet never exhausted.

This trip offered us all a blessed chance to view the Delta from above with a short plane ride from Maun to Chiefs Island, and without further a due we were whisked off from our island runaway to our base camp (and home for the next five nights) in the middle of this water-wilderness.

If you are a parent, enjoy the ride, but every so often have a look at your family who will be fully engrossed and pointing out the elephant herds and giraffe journeys that can be viewed from the air. It will be a moment that will make the whole trip ‘worth-while’ and you have not even landed yet.

2. Morning mokoro rides

After a cup (or a few cups) of coffee and a light breakfast we set off for our morning walk on a series of islands near Chiefs Island. We did not zip around on noisy motor boats from one sighting to the next, oh no… in the Delta you travel one pole stroke at a time, and just inches away from the water, in a mokoro (a locally designed dug out canoe). Using the shallow water channels we weaved our way through waterlily clad ponds, and lush papyrus fringed waterways, avoiding the hippos until we reached our mooring and the start of every morning’s walk.

These gentle rides gave us all the precious time required to not only view the landscape from a newly found perspective, but to gently wake up our senses and tune them up into the sounds of the Delta whilst the eyes got used to focusing on the smaller details like reed frogs, spiders, kingfishers and damselflies.

3. Walking the islands on foot

Even for veterans of African travel, a walking safari in the Delta is a must do. This is why we were here, to explore the Delta on foot with a team of skilled local guides that grew up and still live in the delta. Their immense knowledge and stories of growing-up in the Delta enthralled us all while we traipsed different islands and came across general game like red lechwes, impala, zebras and elephants. It was a huge privilege to share this beautiful space with such graceful creatures and many a precious moment of discovery was had.

4. Camping under the stars

Whether it is elephants whilst you are having lunch, or hippos grazing their way out of the water at night, something is bound to walk through camp at one point or another. During our stay we had elephants, baboons, civets and even a pod of hippos walking through camp. With only a canvas tent separating you from the elements, you have to be prepared to take back a memory (or two) of you being truly in the mix in the Delta. It was indeed no surprise when after our first night at camp, Jesper Morch (the father in the family), quipped “You are right Sean, this place does give you the full sense of wilderness”.

5. Moremi Game Reserve and its wildlife – Oh… and did I mention WILD DOGS!!!!

Back on terra firma we headed for our second destination in the itinerary, the renowned and always bewildering Moremi Game Reserve. Suffice to say Moremi lived up to each and every expectation. On our first evening in Moremi, we had just unpacked the car, and camp had been setup, before we decided to take a short game-drive. Within five minutes from camp, a few turns, and a lavish dose of luck we found ourselves staring at a pack of wild dogs in disbelief, possibly the best opening act any national park could ever dish out. Just as things seemed they could not get any better, the whole pack engaged on a hunt and chased a herd of impala across a nearby grass field. It was indeed an unforgettable experience, and as it turned out, we were graced with daily sightings throughout our stay in Moremi.


 
Suffice to say this was a one-of-a-kind experience, a very special safari for the discerning and seasoned that I hope to be part off again when the next chance emerges.