An adventure we wanted and an adventure we are having!
In Botswana, independent tourism in National Parks merely exists around the fringes of the luxury model the country decided to opt for a few decades ago whereby a single night in a game lodge will set you back around USD 1000 per head. Camping options for independent travelers like us are few and far between and offer an experience that is as unique as it is unsettling: un-fenced camp sites where we share space with elephants, baboons, buffalo, hippos and the occasional lion.
Things had been rather uneventful at Moremi Wildlife Reserve – coming from Kruger we were spoiled and only bigger and better was going to impress. As a part of the Okavango Delta, our expectations had been very high and we were surprised by the relatively low numbers of animals we saw approaching our campsite at Xakanaxa. But we weren’t to be disappointed… After an uneventful night and beautiful morning watching buffalo passing by our tent, we noticed a nosy elephant approach just after we had finished breakfast. The only advice from the camp warden was not to have food in our tent but all food in cars wasn’t a problem and if an elephant approaches, to just let it sniff around and it will leave.
As we say in New Zealand: “Yeah, right.”
As the young bull approached – clearly following the delicious smell of the fruit on our morning muesli – we packed all food away and got in the car and observed him come and sniff and our chairs and subsequently our car for a fruity treat. Our awe at being so close to such a majestic animal turned to a touch of alarm as he decided to try to open our car by lifting the collapsed roof tents, lifting the car to the top of its suspension range!… Luckily, the advice was ultimately true and he let off and walked away…
‘Our elephants in Moremi do not harass campers’ it says in the official guide book but we found out subsequently that that particular elephant and his two mates have been developing a reputation for doing just that.
Our last un-fenced camp site at Ihaha proved to be the most beautiful. Overlooking the river at Chobe National Park, it came after a fabulous stretch of wildlife watching; big herds of all kinds of animals mingling close to the lush, meandering river glistening in the evening sun.
It was there that we got to witness the last desperate attempts of a zebra trying to break free from the deadly jaws of three lions. It didn’t stand a chance and it was sad and fascinating at the same time to experience first hand the brutality of everyday life in the savannah.
When on the border with Zimbabwe, we made the big call not to cross over to see Victoria Falls. Sadly due to a combination of drought and dry season, the flow over the falls at the moment is a fraction of what it normally is so we decided that if we are to see one of the wonders of the natural world that we would like to see it in its full glory – a future trip to this part of the world is already beckoning!
Instead, we’ve had some downtime at one of the most beautiful campsites we’ve stayed at in Ngepi in the Carivi strip of Namibia.
Much of the driving through Moremi and Chobe was in deep sand which we navigated by lowering our tyre pressure. We only got stuck once in a place called ‘Leopard Rock’ close to our camp in Savuti. As can be guessed from the name, we were in a bit too much of a hurry getting sticks under our wheels and lowering our tyre pressure further for traction to take photos!
Some of the bridges through Moremi were rickety but held together.
We took a route around this one though!
We arrived at Xakanaxa camp and joined our new neighbours for a boat ride through the delta.
Birdlife was everywhere
And this guy was loving munching on the ‘hippo grass’ – we learned that mainly old elephants come to eat the juicy grass by the river because they have worn down their teeth and it is all they can manage
The delta had a serene feel to it
This pigmy hippo was wandering about close to our campsite as we finished our cruise
The next morning we had a slow start, admiring the sunrise from our tent
The kids enjoyed a breakfast with buffalos
This group of elephants also took an interest in our breakfast…
…a real interest!
The advice from our guidebook was if an elephant approaches to let it sniff around and eventually it would leave….
…but it turned out he REALLY wanted to share our breakfast!! The tents were damaged but still able to be slept in. The kids found the experience exciting at the time but were later a bit spooked by elephants from the experience. Nevertheless, this will no doubt be a story they will one day be telling their grandkids.
We shifted campsites to be closer to our neighbours for some safety in numbers. It was a marginal call with this guy hanging out 20m from our new campsite.
We explored around the surrounding ‘Paradise Pools’ which were teaming with bird life
Massive termite mounds are a feature of the Botswanan landscape
Wildlife was focused around the waterways and swamps of the delta…
Almost every night we’ve camped we’ve enjoyed time around the camp fire – all the more necessary in an unfenced campsite to ward off curious animals
The sand around our next camp at Savuti was of the variety that takes a good scrubbing to get the feet half clean
There has been a seven year drought around Savuti in Western Chobe which has had a huge impact on the wildlife. We barely saw anything of interest in the area but the kids were well entertained by our little water guardian.
Snakes are particularly shy at this time of year and tend to hide away whenever they feel vehicle vibrations. This guy, which we think is a black mamba, took off in the wrong direction across the road giving us a great look at him.
Then it was more sandy roads towards the east of the park to the Chobe river…
…this was a totally different safari experience than any of the other national parks with huge numbers of wildlife spread across the vast plains next to the river.
It was gruesome to see this zebra thrashing about after being taken down and have its insides removed by three lions 15 minutes from our campsite. Understandably, the kids preferred not to watch.
His distressed companion continually trotted between the herd and close to his fallen friend…
…but not too close
This fella was waiting in the wings
The dusk and sunset were beautiful
The campfire was an extra big one that evening
We had a bit of drama when we couldn’t find Iris’s iPhone at Savuti that morning. We turned the tent inside out several times to find it. It is possible to put your hand up into a gap where the tent folds over and take things from the inside pocket and we came to the uncomfortable conclusion that this may have happened to the phone. That evening we were equally relieved and embarrassed, having made a police report for the missing phone, to find it somehow wedged in between the window flap and mosquito net! 
The next morning what was left of the zebra was carefully guarded against jackals
And more of these guys had gathered
…all as a young Simba looked on
There was less to see around the waterfront the next morning on the way out of the park. These vultures were feasting on an old kill.
…And these hippos kept cool in the mud from the morning sun
We left Chobe national park, but without fences, its inhabitants are free to stroll anywhere outside the park. Some of them visited the water hole at our next campsite at Senyati
It was fantastic to meet Chuck, Tine, Jacob and Sophie, another family taking a year out with their kids!
Our favourite campsite of the trip so far was undoubtably the soulful Ngepi camp at the panhandle of the Okavango Delta in Namibia. The swimming pool – a cage in the river – was a unique one.
…As were the loos 
The highlight though was visiting the neighbouring village with one of the staff 
