Beautiful Botswana. Chobe and Home. The Last Chapter.

From Magotlho we took the long sand dune route called the "Sandveld Road " via Savute to Kasane and our final stop at Chobe Safari Lodge. The road goes through Mopane scrub land, very dry and this year dusty. It was quite a tough drive through very deep sand in some places. 

After a few kilometres in the sand, we noticed a squeaking noise from our wheels. We stopped while Harry performed some first aid on the wheels and it was then we noticed that our shock absorbers, had been shocked into submission and had died. We fixed the squeak and carried on though the ride was somewhat bumpier! 

Just as well Harry knew what he was doing ! Den held the spanner. The road to Savute was long and when we finally made it, it was fascinating to see how the river had completely dried up. We met an elderly Italian couple here, very brave we thought and on there own, they asked directions to Maun! From here the road became a little easier although with our poorly shockers, still bumpy and hard going in places. In Africa it's either sand or gravel, I'm not sure which is worse. We managed a bit of game viewing en route.

Finally, civilisation. We arrived at Chobe Safari Lodge in Kasane. Always packed to capacity Chobe Safari Lodge is situated on the rivers edge, with a camp site attached. It is extensively used by safari companies.

Chobe Safari Lodge You Tube

 We quickly booked into our riverside room and had the luxury of washing the sand from our hair!

The camp site. 

The signs around the hotel amused us. There were monkeys, crocodiles, hippos and a delightful family of warthogs that also lived at the hotel. The baby warthogs with their mother had made their home in the hotel boiler room. The baboons were entertaining to watch but could be a pest, they were quite apt at unzipping tents and even knew how to open cooler boxes.

The safari lodge ran their own river cruises, very well organised and with staff who knew so much about the animal life. 

There were quite a few boats on the river but guides and boat crew were very sensitive to the animals around them and we managed to get some amazing game viewing.

Note the little friend being carried on his back.

The iconic African Fish Eagle.

Brilliant bird life along the river. It was almost as if the animals were on parade and this was certainly the land of plenty for them. The elephants were in their element.

Elephants as far as the eye can see, hundreds of them.

Big game was in abundance and in such an idyllic setting. The icing on the cake was the magnificent African sunset just made for a picture or two!

At 8 am the next morning we were boarding the coach for the day trip to Victoria Fall in Zimbabwe. Vic Falls is 80 km from Kasane and a day trip removes the hassle of getting vehicles across the border. As it was the border crossing took some time and was expensive for holders of UK Passports, it cost us around £50 each for a visa, expensive for a day trip.

Vic Falls is a typical tourist resort but well worth the visit. We went on the unguided visit so were free to amuse ourselves for a few hours. the bus dropped us off outside the Falls and arranged to pick us up at 3 pm.

Our first sight of the falls. The amount of water pouring over the falls creates the tropical rainforest conditions with very high humidity. As it had been so dry it was bearable and we did not get too wet. The camera does not really do justice to the experience but certainly the Victoria Falls is a must for visitors to the area.

Livingstone I presume ? To think that someone could actually find this place without modern means of communication and navigation is a miracle in its self. The Vic Falls carried on giving in terms of photo opportunities and we were amused by a few young girls who were taking selfies at every turn. It's sad but we had to join in, Harry took one of us.

Yes, we were really there.

The local fishermen take there life in their hands to provide food for the table.

The tourists take their life in their hands for a photo. A number of people die each year when they slip over the edge a young Dutch guy was killed last year.

The contrast between the excesses of the West and the poverty of people in Africa was so visible here. I wondered how much the tourist paid for the thrill and what the fisherman's family ate that night?

Africa was very dry this year and the Victoria Falls had not been so dry in living memory. Less than one third of the water was flowing with the consequence that on the Zambia side of the border there were very few tourists.

This should be flowing with water. Global warming perhaps, the weather in Africa is also changing.

We take our water for granted, but when the mighty Zambezi River ceases to flow it may be too late for our children.

Harry could not believe how much the river had changed from his visit a year ago. Even in the dry season there should be more water. We left the Victoria Falls global warming at first hand is so scary, where there should be tropical rain forest there is dry dust and dying trees.

We left Chobe and and said goodbye to the elephants on the way. At least they are thriving here.

Africa at it's finest, such a contradiction of life. So much and so little.

Our route around Botswana 3625 K ( 2252 miles) in total.

A little round up of our trip. South Africa and Botswana in 6 minutes!

The big question is where to next ?? I have a feeling we may be back.

Beautiful Botswana Safari. Don't Sit Under the Sausage Tree! Part 3

We left Audi Camp early and travelled back to Maun to confirm the booking for our camping at Mogotlho had been made. We were searching for the Khwai Development Trust office in Maun and we also wanted to make a return visit to the pharmacy to get the beetle bites checked before heading off into the bush again.

We loved the bustling atmosphere in Maun and after a few wrong turns we eventually found the office for the Khwai Development Trust and confirmed our booking.

The streets of Maun were very busy. Maun is the major stocking up point for most safaris and is full of overlanders.  We left Maun and headed towards Moremi and our next destination. We stopped for firewood and a lovely lady soon came out to greet us. There are loads of places to find firewood and the local people supplement their incomes by collecting it and then selling it to travellers. You are not allowed to pick firewood up in the game reserves, so the wood sellers on the roads to the game reserves do a good trade. Usually there is a sign and a mobile number by the piles of wood so you can pay. This poor lady had been in the shower when we stopped and came out wrapped in her towel with two small children in tow. Everyone we met in Botswana was so friendly and helpful. Harry loaded the bakkie with enough firewood for a few days.

Moremi Game Reserve covers about one third of the Okavango Delta and is known as one of the top wild life destinations in Africa. It is an area of swamp land with seasonal salt pans and rivers. October and November is a good time for game viewing. As Botswana had been very dry this year we were able to get around relatively easy in our 4X4 although I guess we were facing the most interesting driving conditions. We were heading for the Xakanaxa Camp via the corrugated road, which consisted of very soft sand ridges, we did not need to deflate our tyres but Harry was heavier so did his. Loads of game sightings on our way!

It's amazing how difficult game is to spot, sometimes animals are right at the side of the road and you can drive past without spotting them the camouflage is so good.

It was here, we also spotted our first hippo, unusually walking about and grazing during the day. Strange how such a placid looking animal is also one of the most dangerous in the wild and kills the most people. Beware those cute little ears and beady eyes.

The trip through Moremi was a challenging one, with a few rivers to cross on some very dodgy looking bridges. Harry went first but our excuse was that he was more experienced than us.

Harry made it across the bridge, so we would too, he was heavier. No lunch for the crocodiles today.

We finally arrived at our camp site in Xakanaxa which was much more civilised than expected, with a proper toilet block, running water and very clean...bliss! We pitched under the trees, Harry pointed out the sausage tree ( Kigelia africana) Never sit under a sausage tree the fruit could kill you...it's heavy!!

The next morning we set off for a game drive. Loads of elllies around!

Dead and alive. Never touch the skeleton of an elephant it carries anthrax.

Moremi is a beautiful place and at every turn, there were photo opportunities. The trees were fabulous, where elephants had been they took on the look of a sci-fi set.

Moremi was certainly the place for game spotting.

Harry wanted to visit Dead Tree Island, where he had been as a boy with his Dad. We eventually found it and what a mystical place it was! The Mopane trees were petrified from the elephants but it was just as he remembered it, how he actually found it was also a mystery.

Our next bit of excitement was the water crossing, I think we were so lucky it had been so dry.

Moremi  is beautiful, but can strike hard on the unprepared. Everything you need you carry and breakdown can be dangerous. We came across a young Dutch couple who had been stuck in the sand for a couple of hours. Another car had stopped to help but couldn't budge it. Harry towed them out.

I guess one of the highlights of our trip had to be seeing the African Wild Dogs. We rounded a corner and there they were basking in the sun under a tree. A whole pack of them including pups. How lucky we were!

The African Wild Dogs were in beautiful condition, I don't think I wanted to be any nearer though. A very fruitful day of game viewing followed.

Finally we made it back to our second camp stop after a very full day.

Part 4 to follow.