To me, one of the best ways to experience the African bush is on a mobile safari. You are with the same guide and camp staff throughout the safari and really get to know each other. The tents are moved every 2 or 3 days to a new location as you journey through the various national parks, staying in private sites to ensure a quiet, personal experience, close to nature. Wholesome meals are cooked on an open fire and conversations flow around the dinner table. Below is a summary of our amazing mobile safari in northern Botswana, exploring the Okavango Delta, Khwai River, Savuti and Chobe River.
We leave Maun by road, excited about what is ahead on our 12 day safari and guess which animal we will see first. The bush welcomes us with bird calls and a certain relaxation that comes when you are in nature. The first sighting is always special and we stop to take photos, taking our time to enjoy each moment. Impala, zebra, giraffe, baboon and elephant are periodically seen close to the road, not concerned about our vehicle driving slowly by. We have keen eyes on board, always on the lookout for what unfolds ahead of us. After a number of hours we arrive in camp, relaxed and happy from our first day in the bush, have a bucket shower and enjoy a yummy 3 course meal.
Early next morning, after coffee and porridge, we leave camp at 6.00am and discover an African wild dog kill. The pack has almost finished devouring their breakfast when a lioness and cub, who are wandering down the road, suddenly realize the pack are close. She is instantly alert and dashes in to claim the remains for her cub. Suddenly it is all action and a hyena appears, nervously hanging back in the bush, hoping for scraps. An exciting start to our day!! Next morning that same pack of wild dog run past us chasing an impala while we are eating breakfast and again our adrenaline is pumping… there is always something happening in the bush and we are excited to be camping, surrounded by incredible wildlife and birdlife.
Our journey continues as we boat along the channels in the Okavango Delta, drive around the Moremi Game Reserve, noting the beautiful, large water birds and smaller species, plus many varieties of wildlife. Hippo and crocodile bask in the sun, enjoying the waterways, while elephant are in large numbers. Relaxed bulls greet each other and breeding herds come to drink when it is cooler, protecting their calves before slipping away into the bush.
We like to spend a few nights camping along Khwai River as there is excellent wildlife in the area. This is a community trust area and we are able to night drive which gives us the opportunity to search for nocturnal animals. One afternoon, we park our vehicle near the river and watch many bull elephants come to drink. As the weather is pretty hot, once they can smell the water they literally run down, stopping to draw water to drink and spray themselves. The younger bulls swim and play for hours, I imagine feeling light in the water, submerging themselves with trunks only showing, putting their front legs onto another’s back and greeting each other with trunks entwined. A joy to watch them interact, such intelligent, caring animals with strong family bonds. We also see a pride of lion in the setting sun, wandering into the bush on a hunt and a leopard crossing the road, quiet and moving with stealth before disappearing into the long grass, like a shadow in the night.
Driving to Savuti is on a dirt road, crossing a heavy sand ridge and the terrain changes along the way. Savuti has open grass plains and this year the Savuti Channel is not flowing so waterholes are filled by solar pumps. The wildlife gather around these waterholes to drink, with the elephant dominating during the day. It is interesting watching the elephants who stand around for ages, seemingly greeting each other, trunks up to touch and smell. Some like to put their trunks directly over the water spout to get the freshest water, such a joy watching all this. While in Savuti we come across two male lions, both beautiful specimens in prime condition. They walk slowly across the grass plain, confident in their size and strength. We have also been searching for cheetah and are thrilled to come across two under a tree. Not forgetting the birdlife, we are happy to see a male ostrich doing a mating dance and a stern looking secretary bird. The lilac-breasted roller is very beautiful with amazing colours and is even more spectacular in flight. We are determined to get a photo of one flying but they are notoriously difficult to capture at the right moment, causing us to make up a song about them with much merriment.
Our final stretch in Botswana is a drive to the Chobe River and we are happy to arrive at our destination in the early afternoon. After travelling through dry countryside, we are greeted with green floodplains along the river teaming with wildlife. Zebra, impala, kudu, warthog and elephant are scattered along the length of the river and we are in awe of this sight. We see more lion relaxing under a tree and in the early evening a leopard hunting, tummy almost on the ground as she stalks her pray, quietly focused. On our second day, with gin and tonic in hand, we watch herds of elephant and buffalo come down to drink, creating a dusty atmosphere in the late afternoon sun.
Each year this mobile safari with The Elephant Trails Safari Co. has been amazing with incredible sightings, lots of laughs, interesting conversations and I feel honoured to meet such wonderful people, from guests to guides and staff. This safari is truly back to nature, without Wi-Fi and it makes you feel connected to wildlife and the natural world.
