Okavanga Delta

Trip Start Feb 25, 2007

Trip End Nov 12, 2007

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Flag of Botswana Okavanga Delta National Park, Botswana
Monday, May 14, 2007

May 14th: Today started early again as we got picked up at 0700 and driven and hour and a half into the Okavange Delta National park to a local mokoro camp. Here we unloaded our supplies for the next two days, partnered up and found a mokoro driver. The ride took about two hours and covered 10 km through the winding waters of the delta. As soon as we unloaded our stuff at our campsite we had an elephant sighting. Just 50 meters from our camp over the trees was a huge bull elephant walking around eating. Eventually he headed off and we resumed pitching camp. Since the animals all hide during the peak of the day's heat we had nothing to do but kill time at camp swimming in the delta and trying our best to drive a mokoro. At 1430 we split into groups of five and headed out on a sunset game walk. We eventually stumbled on 3 elephants in a field next to a big watering hole that had eight hippos and two crocs swimming in it. On the way back we ran into a set of trees that had a family baboons in them

elephant and me

. The night consisted of eating dinner and drinking too much.

May 15: Today started with a sun rise walk through the delta. This was the big game walk of the trip and it lasted for four hours. Withing the first hour we saw four or five elephants relatively close. We also ran across a herd of zebras and an ostrich. We returned to camp for a late breakfast and then hit the swimming hole again. Which more time to kill we ended up getting antsy which led to mud fights, mokoro tipping and throwing almost every local mokoro poler in the water with us. At 1700 we headed out into the mokoros again for a sunset cruise. We returned to camp in the dark for dinner and then games and traditional singing and dancing from the polers and guides. This night also ended with too much drinking.

May 16: Today started with a hangover and breaking camp and loading the mokoros for an 0800 departure. We made it back to the mokoro camp by 1000 and got back in the truck to take us to the camp in Maun again. We returned to camp to find lunch ready and then proceeded to have a mad dash for the showers. The delta was a purely bush camp so there were no shower or bathroom facilities so for two and half days we didn't shower or change clothes and we used a hole in the ground behind some trees as a toliet so you can imagine how good the shower felt

elephants in the river

. the rest of the afternoon was spent washing our delta clothes by hand to get the smell out of them. At 1515 ten of us headed to the local airport for an 45 minute scenic flight over the delta. I managed to get the front seat of the six seater 1978 cessna. we flew about halfway to the center of the delta and then made a big u-turn back to the airport. in the process we were able to spot a wide variety of game including elephants, water buffalo, giraffes and zebras from 300m - 500m in the air. We also got a bird's eye view of the grass fires that frequent the delta during the dry season. The highlight for me was the return trip when I asked the pilot if I could fly and he let me. For about five minutes he let me take control of the plane to zig zag left to right and up and down.