Botswana

Chobe National Park

Chobe National Park has a very diverse environment that drastically changes as you near the river. The arid landscape is full of yellow and brown brush, but as you get closer to the water, everything comes to life.

A game drive is a must. We saw huge herds of elephants, hippos, zebras, giraffes, impalas, crocodiles and all sorts of birds. In the dry season an island forms in the middle of the river and the animals swim out to to graze. After the drive, we went for a boat safari around the island. We watched this amazing sunset where the sky became a fiery orange. Sunsets in Africa are unlike any I’ve ever seen and the pictures don’t do them justice. The sun becomes this muted orange ball that you can stare directly into as it disappears into the horizon.

Okavango Delta

The Okavango Delta is a bit of an endeavor to get to from Chobe but well worth it. After driving for a few hours, we arrived on the banks of the delta, and from there took a two hour boat ride. Then we had to take another truck for 30 min through the desert. We finally arrived at Jumbo Junction on the banks of the delta. This was a really cool place to spend a few days. There’s a central area with tables and a bar, a volleyball court and a hammock. This camp has tents set up with cots in them which felt like such a luxury after sleeping on mats for so many days. August is also the perfect time of year to be on the delta because the weather is mild and there are few mosquitos. The rainy season can make for an unpleasant trip with frequent downpours and lots of bugs.

After arriving, we took a makoro ride through the delta. The makoros look like skinny canoes and a “poler” stands at the back pushing you along with a long wooden pole. Gliding through the water was magical, winding though the reeds and lily pads. Our guide taught us about all the different plants and wildlife that live in the delta. We watched another epic African sunset from the mokoro.

After sunrise, we took the mokoro to an island for a walking safari and saw a few elephants a zebras. Hoped to see some cats but they proved to be elusive. There were tons hippos in the deeper water. Our guide explained that there is comfort zone, safe zone and a danger zone surrounding the very territorial hippos. Never enter the danger zone! Our guide explained that typically there is only one male in a herd of hippos. If a female has a male baby, she has to immediately take him 2-3km away from the heard and hide him from the dominate male who would kill him. She only returns about once a week to feed the baby. Once he’s old enough, he can try to return to the heard but only if he can win over control from the dominate male. All of this made me want to see a hippo fight, but they just chilled there like lazy beasts.

Tips for Customs

Entering Botswana by road is an interesting experience. They’re trying to protect the cattle and prevent the spread foot and mouth disease. When you cross the boarder, you have to take all of your shoes out of you vehicle. You walk through a bucket of murky solution that smells like turpentine and then you have to dip the soles of all of you other shoes in the same solution. Don’t make my mistake and were flip-flops instead of sneakers – you don’t want that solution on your skin. So gross!