The Okavango Delta - Botswana
To get to the Okavango Delta, we jostled in the backseat of an open jeep along a bumpy, sandy road. The wheels often became stuck and span wildly in the sand. Our driver seemed familiar with the drama of the African roads.
A couple of hours into our bouncy ride we pulled into a clearing and caught our first glimpse of the Delta waters. Bobbing close to the bank was a line of dugout canoes, or Mokoros as they’re known locally. They would be our transport to the camp. In pairs we climbed into the canoes and made ourselves as comfortable as we could in the straw that lined the bottom.
A plastic container at the back end was a tell tale sign that the canoes leaked regularly. With my knees virtually tucked up behind my ears, I eyed the water’s edge lapping forebodingly just below the rim of the boat. Standing at the back of the Mokoro, our guide pushed us away from the bank using a long wooden pole that he sank into the silt.
The Delta consists of a series of waterways. Narrow channels create a dazzling labyrinth of vibrant vegetation and long, fringed reeds flicker in the sunlight. Gliding through this watery Eden is relaxation at its best. That is until chance encounters with African wildlife rock the boat.
Then we heard a splash, like the anchor of a great ship plunging into the sea
Our caravan of Mokoros came to a sudden halt and up ahead I could see one of the guides gesturing at us frantically, urging us to pull back.Then we heard a splash, like the anchor of a great ship plunging into the sea. We were moving again, much quicker this time. The guide propelled us forward at a remarkable speed, considering his age. As we ploughed onwards, I half expected to see a huge, grey head with a big gaping mouth rise up out of the water. But alas we never saw the Hippo that caused so much commotion! Just hearing it was enough to give us a terrible fright.
Once on dry land, we headed for camp. It was merely a clearing, with no protection other than the fire kept burning by the guides throughout the night and the promise that said fire, would keep the animals at bay. When I settled down in my tent, I listened out for the roar of lions before drifting into an uncomfortable sleep.
The next morning we set out early to explore the Delta on foot. This time we actually saw Hippos but they were resting lazily in the water, unperturbed by our presence. Later we learnt that even the biggest animals are hard to detect when a giraffe suddenly burst from the trees just a few metres away and also when we stumbled upon a neatly formed aardvark set.
The highlight of the day was spotting a leopard in the distance, skulking through the brush. I was perfectly content to admire him from afar, but when the leopard slipped out of sight our guide suggested we go looking for him. Armed with a few flimsy sticks, we set off to hunt for the elusive big cat but we never found him again. I’m not ashamed to say that I was thankful for this.
when the leopard slipped out of sight our guide suggested we go looking for him
As the light began to fade and a pink hue crept over the horizon, we strolled back to camp to reflect on the wonders of the Delta. The incredible encounters I had with African wildlife were sure to be imprinted on my memory for a long time to come and my experience of the place was invigorating, breath-taking and frightening, all at once. But most of all it was unforgettable.
- Gayle BenthamTotal Comments: 2
Comments:
Newer Comments Older Comments
it makes me realise that this kind of nature wonder would soon disappear. therefore i have to experience -fast!