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In the Press: Chobe Bush Lodge – Luxury on the edge of the Chobe National Park

admin — Fri, 20 Jul 2018 10:58:11 +0000

Jovan and Dina Djokic, the bloggers behind Road Beneath Our Feet, are a young married couple based in Botswana. This is a shortened version of their review of Chobe Bush Lodge following their visit in 2017.

At the very end of the main road in Kasane in northern Botswana is a group of lodges and a campsite owned by Under One Botswana Sky. One of these is the Chobe Bush Lodge which looks out onto the Chobe National Park and for travellers like us, who had thrown away their leaking tent on the first night of a 12-day trip around Botswana, this lodge saved our entire trip.

We arrived in Kasane at around 18h00 and our GPS directed us straight to the lodge (or so we thought). At the very end of the main road that runs through Kasane is Chobe Safari Lodge, where we parked our Toyota RAV4, filled with camping gear that wouldn’t be used. We had called a day earlier after our tent had been thrown away and added a few more nights to our previously booked reservation at the lodge, but at the reception we were told that they weren’t expecting us till the following day, but that we could spend our first night at their sister lodge, the Chobe Bush Lodge just across the street and then check in to the Safari Lodge the following day.

Luxury suite at Chobe Bush Lodge (c) Road Beneath Our Feet

Under One Botswana Sky is a group of lodges in Botswana, two of which are the Chobe Safari Lodge and Chobe Bush Lodge. The Safari Lodge is the oldest of the two and is literally on the banks of the Chobe river while the Bush lodge, across the street is merely two years old and looks out on to the Chobe National Park. We checked in to the Bush Lodge and were impressed by the modern design and feel of the lodge while still keeping a natural, bush-theme about it.The next day we strolled over to the Safari Lodge and after having a look at their rooms we decided to in fact stay at the Bush Lodge.

The room was very clean and had all your basic amenities including satellite TV, coffee/tea facilities, large bathroom with toilet, shower and tub and a large terrace that looked out onto the pool area and outside bar. None of the rooms have fridges, but the staff gladly and quickly brought us a small bar-fridge in which we could keep the food and drink we had brought along on our trip.

En suite bathroom at Chobe Bush Lodge (c) Road Beneath Our Feet

The room itself was spacious and elegantly designed with carpeting all round (the rooms in the Safari Lodge had cold tiles all round), a very comfy bed with mosquito nets, a large bath tub and a massive walk-in shower. Room service for food and beverages is available via the phone (we were relatively quickly brought our ice bucket which we ordered for our Amarula on New Year’s Eve), satellite TV with a number of channels, hairdryer and locking safe are all at your disposal as well.
The large sliding doors (with mosquito netting included) lead out on to a spacious wooden terrace with a small coffee table and chairs on it, so you can enjoy relaxing moments out there as well with a coffee or beer in hand and listen to the sounds of the bush. We frequently had families of warthog, baboons and even antelope walk past our terrace, foraging for food in the thickets below, not to mention the numerous birds one can observe in the tree tops in front of you as well.

Lilac-breasted Roller at Chobe Bush Lodge (c) Road Beneath Our Feet

The Chobe Bush Lodge has 38 luxury en-suite rooms and 4 large exclusive family rooms. They have a small curio shop (although the one at the Safari Lodge is larger and has more souvenirs to choose from) and one can even borrow an umbrella from the front desk at no extra cost, as we had to do one rainy day when we wanted to go for a walk through Kasane. There is also a small shopping centre very close by where you can find a Choppies supermarket for all your grocery needs.

The main booking office for all activities is located at the Safari lodge so you can still arrange all your safari, boat cruise and Victoria Falls day trips through them as well. We did all these activities through another tour operator as they had been recommended to us by friends, but if you want convenience and practicality, then the Chobe Bush Lodge can meet all your needs.

You can read the full review of Chobe Bush Lodge by Road Beneath Our Feet here.

Contact Chobe Bush Lodge:

Tel: (+267) 625 0 336
Fax: (+267) 625 0 437
Email: reservations@chobebushlodge.com

The post In the Press: Chobe Bush Lodge – Luxury on the edge of the Chobe National Park appeared first on Under One Botswana Sky Blog.

A Botswana Camping Adventure by Bushbaby Travel Blog

admin — Fri, 13 Apr 2018 09:14:36 +0000

Highlights from the Bushbaby Travel Blog‘s Botswana self-drive camping trip.

A 4am wakeup call is only okay when the reason for it is a holiday. On the 19^th of July 2017, this was how our day and our incredible Botswana trip started and we welcomed that alarm clock chime. We tackled the very long drive from Johannesburg to Nata (886kms). Our excited anticipation got us going and later the emotional support from each other over our little 2 way radios and the energy from snacks and energy drinks got us through that final stretch. We were a herd of four and two trusty 4×4’s, heading off to explore Botswana on a self-drive camping holiday.

We entered Botswana via the small Stockpoort border post, just after Lephalale. No queues, no issues and recommended as our preferred way into the county. From there it was onwards to Francistown and then to Nata. We finally arrived at our happy place, Nata Bird Sanctuary, just before 5pm and in time for sunset over the Makgadikgadi Pans. It’s an especially significant spot to Graham and me as it’s where we got engaged in 2013 (More on that story here) and is a setting we wanted to share with my folks too. Graham exclaimed that our return to it and to our beloved Botswana felt like coming home.

Toasting our first Botswana sunset at the Nata Bird Sanctuary pan. ©Kelly Robertson

Sunset at Nata Bird Sanctuary, A scene with so much water, it looked like an ocean sunset. ©Kelly Robertson

It was tranquillity personified as the setting sun painted that scene pink and pelicans and flamingos danced by before their bedtime. It was the most perfect welcome to Botswana. We were there!

Capturing the magic of this special place – Nata Bird Sanctuary. ©Kelly Robertson

On a previous visit to the Nata Bird Sanctuary we had camped near the platform on the pans, which was such a memorable experience. However, the sanctuary no longer allows this as they work to conserve that natural place and keep the human footprint to a minimum.

A view of the Makgadikgadi Pans from the roof rack. ©Kelly Robertson

Instead we headed to the convenient, secure and wonderfully managed Nata Lodge, just up the road, for our first night’s camping and our first sleep in our rooftop tents. We were visited by the bushbabies at night as they jumped from tree branches to our tents and beyond. We also indulged in a hearty breakfast at the lodge the next morning before moving off in search of wild adventures.

Camping in our tropical campsite oasis at Nata Lodge. ©Kelly Robertson

Read the full article here.

The post A Botswana Camping Adventure by Bushbaby Travel Blog appeared first on Under One Botswana Sky Blog.

A Little Getaway of Epic Proportions

admin — Fri, 14 Jul 2017 11:45:13 +0000

The best part about a quick Botswana getaway is that one moment you’re in Jo’burg, the next you’re tracking leopards through pristine wilderness.

The cryptic message crackled through the Land Rover’s radio. Andries, our driver and guide, turned to us with a grin. “Ingwe is the local name for leopard,” he beamed, “let’s go find it.” The next 15 minutes were spent ducking acacia thorns and holding on for dear life, as Andries went ‘off piste’ through the African bundu. It was a far cry from the frenetic streets of Jo’burg, where – we had to keep reminding ourselves – we had been sitting in a traffic jam only 4 hours earlier.

Leopards are notoriously difficult to lay eyes on. Yet we were in the Sabi Sands, one of the world’s most famous private game reserves, where these usually elusive cats tend to be a little more obliging. Despite knowing this, we were still completely shocked when Andries pulled up beside a large ant hill and casually pointed out a beautiful young Ingwe catching some late afternoon rays. It was a privilege to be in the company of such a magnificent animal, and much clicking of Nikons ensued. We then headed off to attend to some G&Ts. The Sabi Sands and its leopards weren’t done showing off, however, and before we were able to find a suitable sundowner spot, we came across an old, dominant male meditating under a tree.

We couldn’t have asked for a better start to the trip – a 4-day adventure that would see us flying with SA Airlink from Johannesburg to the Sabi Sands, up to Livingstone and Victoria Falls, and finally to Botswana’s incomparable Chobe National Park.

After crossing the Zambezi (and border) at Kazungula, we checked into the awesome Chobe Bush Lodge, a relatively new extension of the venerable old Chobe Safari Lodge, which opened in 1959. Although set back a little from the river, the Bush Lodge offers great value, a chilled atmosphere, and is the perfect base from which to hop onto a boat cruise or game drive into the park. Kasane is also so close to Victoria Falls and Livingstone, that you could easily pop across there for a day trip.

The section of the Chobe river just upstream of the lodge might be as close to paradise as we’ve ever come. Sure, there are a few more boats on the water than there used to be, but you can understand why people from all over the world flock here. A boat trip up the river in the late afternoon has got to be one of the most incredible wildlife spectacles on the African continent. Elephants come down to the water’s edge in their hundreds, where they’re joined by huge herds of buffalo, giraffe, a multitude of antelope, crocs, hippos, and a staggering array of waterbirds. In July, when the water levels start dropping, herds of elephants often swim across the channels to feed on the lush islands. If you’re lucky enough to intercept one of these crossings, trust us, it’s a sight that will live with you forever.

Sitting in Kasane’s airport the next day, waiting to board our flight home – our 5th Airlink flight in four days – we tried to process everything that we had just experienced. Ordinarily we would’ve driven up to this part of the world in our trusty Landy, Andy, a journey that takes around two days each way. With the detour through the Sabi Sands, we’d have needed at least nine or ten days to see and do everything we’d just done. The magic of flying is how instantly it connects you to such diverse experiences. One moment you’re in Jo’burg, the next you’re tracking leopards through pristine wilderness. The next thing you know you’re floating down the Zambezi in a canoe, peering over the edge of Victoria Falls, or rafting the rapids in the gorge below. You could be sipping a G&T while watching a herd of elephants crossing the Chobe river at sunset, and be back in the office the next afternoon. Don’t worry, Andy, we’re not going to desert you just yet. But we’ll definitely be doing a few more of these epic little getaways in the years to come.

Read the full article here: Pass The Map

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Luxury on the Edge of the Chobe National Park

admin — Fri, 28 Apr 2017 12:50:08 +0000

Our initial trip itinerary included a few places along the way from Gaborone to Kasane and we planned to combine camping with tented accomodation and treat ourselves for a few nights at a lodge as well. We planned to spend a few nights in Kasane at the Chobe Safari Lodge mid-way through our trip, but because of heavy rains and a leaking tent (which we threw away on day 1) we had to change our plans and headed straight for Kasane where we would stay for most of our trip.

We arrived in Kasane at around 18h and our GPS directed us straight to the lodge (or so we thought). At the very end of the main road that runs through Kasane is Chobe Safari Lodge, where we parked our Toyota RAV4, filled with camping gear that wouldn’t be used. We had called a day earlier after our tent had been thrown away and added a few more nights to our previously booked reservation at the lodge, but at the reception we were told that they weren’t expecting us till the following day, but that we could spend our first night at their sister lodge, the Chobe Bush Lodge just across the street and then check in to the Safari Lodge the following day.

The recption & lounge area and curio shop at Chobe Bush Lodge.
Under One Botswana Sky is a group of lodges in Botswana, two of which are the Chobe Safari Lodge and Chobe Bush Lodge. The Safari Lodge is the oldest of the two and is literally on the banks of the Chobe river while the Bush lodge, across the street is merely two years old and looks out on to the Chobe National Park. We checked in to the Bush Lodge and were impressed by the modern design and feel of the lodge while still keeping a natural, bush-theme about it. The room was very clean and had all your basic amenities including satellite TV, coffee/tea facilities, large bathroom with toilet, shower and tub and a large terrace that looked out onto the pool area and outside bar. None of the rooms have fridges, but the staff gladly and quickly brought us a small bar-fridge in which we could keep the food and drink we had brought along on our trip.

The spacious room and comfy bed are quite inviting.
Our room was relatively close to the reception and kitchen area, so the noise was a little irritating (we could hear every detail of the reception’s phone call when someone called), but we figured we’d last the night and move into our room at the Safari Lodge the following morning. We made our way to the restaurant that evening and had some tasty ostrich kebabs before turning in for the night after a full day’s driving.

The next day we strolled over to the Safari Lodge and after having a look at their rooms we decided to in fact stay at the Bush Lodge. While the layout of the rooms is more or less the same and while the Safari Lodge rooms do look out on the Chobe River, we preferred the modern feel of the rooms at the Bush Lodge and the helpful lady at the bookings office said it was no problem at all if we wanted to stay at the Bush Lodge. They even transferred us to another room away from the kitchen and reception area which was much more peaceful. Since both lodges are part of the same “family”, guests at either one can visit and use the facilities of both lodges as well as the Sedudu bar which overlooks the river and is located at the campsite in between the two lodges.

The lounge area in the Chobe Safari Lodge that looks out onto the Chobe River.
Since we hadn’t planned on spending most of our trip staying at the lodge, we had to redirect some of our funds towards the extra nights of accomodation, which meant we couldn’t really enjoy all the meals at the lodges’ restaurants, but this wasn’t a problem at all as there are various other eateries in Kasane that offer great food and aren’t as expensive. The Sedudu bar at the Chobe Bush Lodge has a relaxing, African vibe to it and the Sedudu Island Ice Tea was a favourite cocktail of ours there! The outdoor area has ample space for having drinks, a snack or just lying by the pool and reading a book. The weather didn’t permit for any pool-usage, so our swimming costumes remained dry the whole time, but the pool did look inviting.

The restaurant and bar at Chobe Safari Lodge overlooking the tranquil swimming pool.
The room itself was spacious and elegantly designed with carpetting all round (the rooms in the Safari Lodge had cold tiles all round), a very comfy bed with mosquito nets, a large bath tub and a massive walk-in shower. Room service for food and beverages is available via the phone (we were relatively quickly brought our ice bucket which we ordered for our Amarula* on New Year’s eve), satellite TV with a number of channels, hairdryer and locking safe are all at your disposal as well. The large sliding doors (with mosquito netting included) lead out on to a spacious wooden terrace with a small coffee table and chairs on it, so you can enjoy relaxing moments out there as well with a coffee or beer in hand and listen to the sounds of the bush. We frequently had families of warthog, babooons and even antelope walk past our terrace, foraging for food in the thickets below, not to mention the numerous birds one can observe in the tree tops in front of you as well.

*Amarula is a cream liqueur from South Africa. It is made with sugar, cream and the fruit of the African marula tree.

The large terrace gives you a great view of the bush leading into the Chobe National Park.
The Chobe Bush Lodge has 38 luxury en-suite rooms and 4 large exclusive family rooms. They have a small curio shop (although the one at the Safari Lodge is larger and has more souvenirs to choose from) and one can even borrow an umbrella from the front desk at no extra cost, as we had to do one rainy day when we wanted to go for a walk through Kasane. There is also a small shopping centre very close by where you can find a Choppies supermarket for all your grocery needs. The main booking office for all activities is located at the Safari lodge so you can still arrange all your safari, boat cruise and Victoria Falls day trips through them as well. We did all these activites through another tour operator as they had been recommended to us by friends, but if you want convenience and practicality, then the Chobe Bush Lodge can meet all your needs.

The local baboons are relaxed enough to come pay you a visit.
Since we didn’t plan or budget to spend 6 nights at the lodge, our accomodation ended up being a bit more than we had hoped for, but given our circumstances and how our trip started, we weren’t that perturbed by it. A night at the Chobe Bush Lodge, per room is P1720 (Botswana Pula) or $192 (US Dollar). This does not include breakfast, lunch or dinner. Breakfast is P160 or $27 per person (served from 7am-10am) while lunch and dinner are a la carte.

During our stay there we explored the town of Kasane and saw that there are many other accomodation options, which include campsites, other lodges and even self-catering options as well. Next time we head up to Kasane, we’ll probably give the Chobe Bush Lodge a miss and try one of the other places, probably camping at their campsite or perhaps try one of the self-catering options available in Kasane. Our stay at the Chobe Bush Lodge was indeed exceptional, but it does have a very hotel-esque vibe to it, even though the ambiance around is very rustic and natural and next time (given that we are much better prepared) we’d go for a more “down to earth” kind of experience, so to speak. But if you are planning a trip to Kasane, pamper yourself for at least a couple of nights and relax in the splendour of the Chobe Bush Lodge… just don’t spend too much time there, or you won’t get to experience what camping and overnighting in Botswana are really all about.

Originally published on Road Beneath Our Feet blog.

The post Luxury on the Edge of the Chobe National Park appeared first on Under One Botswana Sky Blog.

3 Reasons to Visit the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans

admin — Tue, 31 Jan 2017 13:13:32 +0000

‘The Makgadikgadi, a vast salt pan deep in Botswana, must be what the planet looked like before humanity appeared, and what it will look like after we’re gone.’

This is how Todd Pitock, from National Geographic Traveller, describes Botswana’s Makgadikgadi Salt Pans, one of the largest salt flats in the world.

Here are three reasons to visit this lesser-travelled, yet intriguing location:

The Salt Pans

Walking or driving though this expansive wilderness area is a surreal experience. With nothing but silence around you the Makgadikgadi is like something from another planet. When the sun has descended and the nocturnal Botswana greets you there is nothing quite as overwhelmingly beautiful as seeing the explosion of stars filling the skyline.

Nata Sanctuary

Nata Sanctuary, which is part of the Sua Pan, is a community-run wildlife haven that protects a variety of bird species and wildlife. The sanctuary, situated close to Under One Botswana Sky’s Natal Lodge, is a breeding ground for a host of water birds, including pelicans and flamingo. Watching thousands of birds blend into a pink haze reaching as far as the eye can see is a magical sighting.

Cultural Visit

A great way to get to know the Makgadikgadi and its history is to visit one of the local villages. Cultural visits give insight into the lives of the Bushmen and discover how they have learnt to survive in this arid destination with close to nothing.

Originally published on the Good Safari Guide.

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Championing the Chobe National Park

admin — Thu, 27 Oct 2016 10:21:48 +0000

The Chobe National Park is the third largest conservation area in Botswana, covering an enormous area of approximately 10,960km². The park has been divided into wildlife management areas without fencing, a concept that allows for conservation and the free roam of wildlife within these areas. This open environment allows visitors a more authentic wilderness experience, exploring the natural behaviour and movement of Botswana’s wildlife.

Here are our top 5 reasons why you should visit Chobe National Park:

1. The river

The park takes its name from the Chobe River that forms the northern boundary of Botswana. The influence of the river means that this is an area of natural abundance of both flora and fauna and the vegetation varies from lush floodplains in the north to scorched Savuti marshland in the south. The northern part of the Chobe is unique because it lies next to the Chobe River for almost 60km, allowing for second-to-none game viewing along the Chobe River drive.

2. The wildlife

Where there is water, there is wildlife. The Chobe National Park is teeming with wildlife and is renown for being one of the top wildlife reserves in the world. Large herds of buffalo and elephant gather at the water’s edge, raptors nest on the river banks and birds of all shapes and sizes dart up and down the river highways. With such an incredible wealth of species, Chobe is the ideal place to experience the African wilderness. Prepare your eyes for a visual feast of wildlife encounters, including even two antelope species rarely encountered elsewhere in Botswana – the puku and the Chobe bushbuck.

3. The predators

With such a melting pot of game in the area Chobe has attracted the presence of a significantly large lion population. The lions contend with other predators in the area such as hyena, leopard, African wild dog, civet and caracal.

4. The birds

Chobe is a haven for birding enthusiasts with striking colonies of carmine bee-eaters building their nests in the exposed sandy banks of the river. Water and migratory birds gather in their thousands near the water’s edge and the haunting call of the fish eagle can often be heard echoing over the river.

5. The activities

Chobe National Park offers an array of day and nighttime activities, including boat cruises, game drives, fishing, traditional village tours and day tours to the Victoria Falls.

Win a trip to Chobe Bush Lodge

There are almost too many reasons to visit Chobe National Park, and with that in mind we’d like to draw your attention to a competition Airlink is running in conjunction with Chobe Bush Lodge.

Chobe Bush lodge is located in Kasane directly on the border of Chobe National Park, where four African countries meet (Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe and Zambia), making it an excellent gateway location to the area’s popular destinations; Chobe, Victoria Falls and Caprivi.

The best part about Chobe Bush Lodge is that this experience could be YOURS. Find out about our competition to win a weekend getaway for two to Chobe with flights provided by Airlink!

Originally published on the Africa Geographic blog.

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Chobe Safari Lodge Adopts Special Unit

admin — Thu, 27 Oct 2016 10:08:55 +0000

Chobe Safari Lodge has extended their support for Kachikau special unit by renewing their pledge to adopt the unit for four years until 2020.

This was announced by the managing director of the lodge, Mr James French when handing over 30 mattresses, linens and toiletries to the special unit on Friday. He highlighted that this was not the first time they had donated to the unit and would continue to support the unit for four more years.

Alongside some of their suppliers and business partners, the staff of Chobe Safari lodge once more added colour to the lives of 31 students living with disability housed in Kachikau Primary School. The lodge has in the past made generous donations as well as painted the students’ hostels.
Chobe Safari lodge adopted the unit in 2013 as part of government’s Adopt a school initiative. The special unit currently has 31 learners with various forms of disabilities from mild to severe disabilities.

Giving an overview of the unit, school head for Kachikau Primary School Ms Mpilo Zachariah explained that the special education unit was established in 2009 with 15 learners.
To date, the unit has more than doubled in size hosting 16 boys and 15 girls ranging from six to 18 years of age. ‘Five of them have been integrated into the mainstream,’ she added.

Ms Zachariah highlighted that one of the challenges facing students with special needs was the need for a dining hall where boarding students could have their meals.
Some parents, she said also presented a challenge as some do not participate fully in their children’s education.

Accepting the donations, education official Ms Bokani Nkwalale acknowledged the gesture by the lodge and thanked the lodge for responding to the call by the government to adopt a school.
She underscored government’s support in ensuring that students with disabilities become independent and contribute to the economy of Botswana.

One of the students, 18-year-old Boitumelo Samunzala expressed delight at the gifts received and the generosity of Chobe Safari lodge. ‘Staff of Chobe Safari lodge love us and they continue to shower us with gifts throughout, I am grateful for that,’ she said.

The lodge hosts the biggest Christmas party annually bringing together children with disabilities, orphans and other vulnerable children as part of the corporate social responsibility.

Originally published on AllAfrica.com.

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Botswana – National Geographic Traveller

admin — Fri, 16 Sep 2016 08:39:35 +0000

Their trunks are each other, two teenage tugging and pulling twisted around elephants knee-deep in water, before letting go and continuing the with jostling their foreheads.

Soon, another male joins this play fight and all three are piled up, bodies together, legs and proboscises akimbo, roughhousing in the Chobe River in the afternoon sun. These prepubescent males hold me transfixed, as does the rest of their family, as I watch from a small boat a short distance away. There’s the matriarch alongside the other adult females in the group, plus the three teenagers and two babies, all at the edge of the river, drinking, floating, scratching themselves on the ebony and jackalberry trees, playing and swimming, taking delight in the fact that here in the water their bodyweight is reduced by half by the buoyancy in their bellies.

The babies mostly find shelter under the legs or the trunks of the females, but sometimes they stand alone, tentatively working out what this trunk thing does — up until they’re a year old elephants can only use their mouths to drink water but when they’re fully grown they can take in eight litres with one big snort. These babies are a comical sight — with big moon faces and fuzzy hair on their heads — and as I marvel at them, the tiny elephant singing ‘in a military style’ during Colonel Hathi’s March in The Jungle Book springs to mind. And so, gazing at the largest animals in Africa going about their daily business, I hear the refrain ‘hup, two, three, four’ and ‘We’re a crackerjack brigade. On a pachyderm parade. But we’d rather stroll to a water hole.

For a furlough in the shade.’ Chobe National Park, in Northern Botswana, has one of the largest concentrations of game in Africa, and the Serondela area — e fectively the Chobe riverfront — is the prime spot for viewing Kalahari elephants, whose large, flapping ears are said to resemble the shape of the African continent. On a very good day you can see hundreds of pachyderms as they come down the red hills in a diagonal line towards the water, where they might remain for some hours.

Today is a good day. Some tentatively skirt the edge of the river, while others plunge right in and splash water behind their ears to cool their veins. Others mix sand with water to make a sort-of mud bath that helps them su focate biting parasites as well as reduce their temperature. Babies trip over their own feet, or those of others, or hang on to their mother’s trunks or legs for stability. The whole thing is such an utterly breathtaking spectacle I well up at the privilege of seeing it.

“Here in the water is when you see that the true colour of the elephant is not in fact grey or brown but a charcoal black,” says Isaac, my captain and guide. As he tries to keep the boat steady, he tells me that elephants live in social structures but also split up into a breeding herd that’s led by the grandmother, the matriarch, and a bachelor herd led by a patriarch, who instils discipline in the young, marauding boys. He points to the rough-playing teenagers. “When those naughty boys are in puberty — between the ages of 12 and 18 — the matriarch kicks them out to try to avoid interbreeding.”

Further along the Chobe, we come across a solitary male, standing in marsh grass in the middle of the river, tugging up great tuffs of green, swishing them around and beating them a bit, before putting this in his mouth. He’s out here on his own because he’s older and prefers solitude to the fighting and power struggles among younger adult males. “Solitary bulls have had enough of the young men in the breed so they keep to themselves,” Isaac explains. “They shake the grass to take care of their molars.

They have six sets in their lifespan of 65 years so they need to slow down the flattening of this last set or they won’t be able to chew grass and will suffer from malnutrition.” As we putter along the Chobe, the abundance of birdlife is astonishing — over 450 species of bird call this place home. I see kingfishers (malachite and pied), pygmy geese, helmeted guineafowl (‘Chobe chicken’), and beautiful southern carmine bee-eaters — their plumage bright in breeding colours — flying in and out of nest chambers as they excavate. Sitting on the skeleton of a tree is an African cormorant, its red throat slightly puffed up as it lazily spreads its wings so that it can dry off after the rains, cleaning itself with its own natural oils before it’s able to fly away. Further down the river, up on another tree, are a pair of fish eagles — I watch as one swoops down and pulls its prey out of the water with its talons before returning to share the spoils with its monogamous partner.

Along the water’s edge, impala and lechwe lick mineral salt from the dirt to help neutralise the high levels of tannins in the leaves they’ve eaten from the acacia tree. There are Cape buffalo — accompanied by little oxpeckers, quietly picking away at ticks and scabs on the body of the animal — considered the most aggressive of the Big Five. “In Southern Africa, buffalo are nicknamed ‘the dagger boys’,” says Isaac. “And in East Africa, they’re known as the Black Death.” We rise at dawn the next day for a game drive out from Chobe Safari Lodge into the park. A pride of lions has been seen and we’re going to track them down. The low morning sun begins to rise and dust whips up around our viewing vehicle but our guide finally spots spoor — lion footprints. He scans the land with binoculars. We wait. And then they come — five of them, nonchalantly crossing the red road in front of us. Just as quickly, they’re gone.

Famous footsteps

It’s when I take a single-prop aircraft from Kasane airport that I learn to appreciate the wide Botswana sky and the colours of the land. Vast tracts of uninhabited wilderness unfold below me — I watch the umber tones of the earth change to a salty white and follow the watery trails of the Okavango Delta.

We land at a tiny, basic airstrip, where I’m met by two men driving a big red tractor with a trailer attached carrying a chair for yours truly. The men introduce themselves: Shakapira, the guide for my stay at Moremi Crossing, and Shooting, his deputy, a trainee guide who shadows his mentor to learn more about the wildlife and the landscape around us. The waters of the Boro River and its channels are low on my visit so our activities are confined to slow, gentle excursions both on foot and in a mokoro — a traditional canoe once dug out of ebony but now less regally carved from fibreglass. First we head out in the poled mokoro, brushing past reeds and waterlilies, accompanied by bright-red dragonflies skimming the water’s surface and a plopping soundtrack of catfish plunging into the shallows looking for bugs. We see fish eagles as well as saddle-billed and marabou storks.

But it’s not long before we stop. Shakapira — who’s poling — is suddenly cautious. “Hippo,” he says. There are a tail of small crafs behind us and Shakapira takes to his radio and warns the other guides that he’s seen a hippo in the long grass. But they go on. We stay where we are and then suddenly the hippo, which has slipped unseen into the water, breaches baring its enormous fat teeth and starts charging towards us.

Quickly the little boats turn and make haste the other way, amid peels of laughter, masking the underlying fear of a close encounter. “I don’t like hippo,” explains Shakapira. “When I was 14, I went fishing with my friends. We caught a lot of fish in our two mokoro and suddenly I realised that my mokoro was on top of a hippo. Then the hippo kicked my mokoro — luckily my bag of fish flew out and landed on the bank. I swam to the edge and went up on the sandbank and watched the hippo fight with the mokoro. He trashed it. That is why I don’t like them. Whenever I see a hippo, I tell the guys we should turn back or take a diferent route.” And so it is that the hippo stalls us time and time again. Three times we turn around, and take to the bank — Shakapira, me, then Shooting, walking amid palms, leadwood, knobthorn and sausage trees (named afer its huge, hanging fruits, which, should you wish to keep your head, it’s important to avoid).

All the time we’re accompanied by the call of the Cape turtle dove — which Southern Africans like to say is them singing, ‘work harder’ and ‘drink lager’ — and the grey lourie, a creature known locally as the go-away bird, which emits a nasal call that sounds like ‘g’way’. As we walk, Shakapira stoops to examine tracks for freshness. “Elephants have three pads on the back,” he explains. “Cats keep their nails retracted and only put them out when they’re attacking.”

We brush past heavily aromatic sage and wild basil, with butterflies all around us. We see zebras, wildebeest and ostriches. Side-striped jackal. A python. A lonely bull elephant spots us and starts shaking his ears. Shakapira whispers us away. From the top of a termite hill, we look out and view a group of hippos frolicking, some yawning, all revelling in the muddy water blithely ignoring the tremulous sound of thunder and their three human observers.

Back at our tented camp at Moremi Crossing, Shakapira, Shooting and I sit on the deck overlooking the delta, listening to the torrential rain (known as pula, which is also the name of the local currency) drumming on the thatched roof and making the hippo grass dance under its weight. Shooting has a guide exam in less than a week and I’m keen to sit in on the lesson. The student points out the kudus grazing on the other bank, then helps me identify mangosteen, learn the difference between pampas and hippo grass and discern the call of the cucka bird.

Shakapira and Shooting ask about my country, Scotland, which they think is in England, and smile when I tell them I’m from Livingstone’s country.“Dr David Livingstone would be proud of us,” says Shakapira. “Since we got independence we’ve never been in a war and we have a good democracy. My best lieutenant in my life is Seretse Khama [Botswana’s first president] — he gave us everything. And now our people believe in sitting in parliament talking, not shooting people with guns. I love Botswana. I love my country.”

Before independence in 1962, Botswana was a British protectorate known as Bechuanaland. Since taking hold of its own reins, it’s become the most politically stable country in Africa, and its first president, Sir Seretse Goitsebeng Maphiri Khama, is a national hero. His son, Ian Seretse Khama, is the country’s current president and has spearheaded the drive towards the preservation of wildlife with a vigorous anti-poaching strategy — most particularly with regard to rhinos — that’s helped to make Botswana the wildlife haven it is today.

A saddle-billed stork flies over an elephant, over on the other side of the channel; the pula continues to batter on the roof and I take a moment to ponder my location. In Alexander McCall Smith’s The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency novels set in Botswana, the lady detective, Mma Precious Ramotswe, says, ‘I am just a tiny person in Africa, but there is a place for me, and for everybody, to sit down on this earth and touch it and call it their own.’ This country is not my own, but the Batswana have welcomed me like they did Dr David Livingstone. I can see why my countryman chose to make this country his own.

Originally published in the National Geographic Traveler Magazine by Audrey Gillan (print magazine article).

Visit the National Geographic Traveler website.

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Botswana Tour with Saga

admin — Wed, 31 Aug 2016 08:56:54 +0000

You’ll travel by land and river to the Chobe National Park, where you will safari by vehicle and also by boat. Here you can expect to see hundreds of elephants, as well as lions, impala, lechwe, Cape buffalo, hippo, leopards (if you’re lucky) and a truly marvellous array of birdlife.

In Botswana, you’ll stay in Chobe Safari Lodge, where most rooms (in thatched buildings) face on to the vast river, and baboons and warthogs often cross the grass in front of you. There’s a very small pool, a bar and a breezy restaurant, all with views of the Chobe.

The guides in Chobe – taking wildlife tours by land safari and by boats – had a passion for and deep knowledge of the animals, birdlife and landscape that so breathtakingly surrounded us. But it’s a kind of potluck which one you’ll get, and whether they’ll stay with your group for the whole tour.

Orinally published on the Telegraph. Read the full article here.

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Highlights of the Makgadikgadi, Botswana

admin — Wed, 20 Jul 2016 13:08:39 +0000

The white Makgadikgadi salt pans cover a vast Switzerland-sized patch of Botswana. This was Africa’s largest inland sea a million years ago, before tectonic movement to the west transformed everything. Rivers changed course and water evaporated from the lakes, leaving condensed minerals and salt behind. Today the pans fill only with rain water then dry again to a salty crust.

I first visited Nata Lodge in 2005 after camping rough in the Moremi Game Reserve. I remember it as a welcome oasis of cool and calm. In 2008 there was a devastating fire but the lodge rose again from the ashes in 2010, its wooden cabins as lovely as ever with their freestanding indoor baths and outdoor showers. The lodge is a good place to stop over on your way to Chobe National Park, either in a chalet or at the campsite, and a kick-off point to the community-based Nata Sanctuary. The lodge’s guides take tours to Makgadikgadi pans and the local village of Nata.

Nata Sanctuary

It’s an easy drive (less than 10km) from Under One Botswana Sky’s Nata Lodge to the Nata Sanctuary, which is managed by a trust for the benefit of the local communities of Nata, Manxotae, Sepako and Maposa. We saw a few swirling dust devils in the distance, wildebeest, jackals and a number of bird species but there were no flamingo, the water in the main pan still too deep for them to feed when we were there in May. We did see great white pelicans on a far shoreline and flying overhead. We loved the quiet solitude and the flat, open space where it felt like we could see forever. There’s a small campsite near the entrance gate and a viewing platform about 7km away on the edge of the pan.

Originally posted by Roxanne Reid. Read the whole article here.

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