Botswana & Victoria Falls: where the wild things roam
At the beginning of May I set off to Botswana and I could barely contain my excitement at the prospect of exploring this epic Southern African wilderness. I am a stickler for anywhere that takes me where the wild things roam and nature sets the tone.
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I landed in Maun on the 6th May, and spent three days exploring various private concessions of the Southern Okavango Delta. I was sceptical at first; the cost for staying in even the most basic tented camp in these parts is far beyond what I could ever afford. But within hours I understood that the beauty of this pristine wilderness was, in fact, priceless. In the private concessions there were no vehicles in site, except those of our own camp. And the guides possessed a contagious passion for Africa. I was entranced.
As a former Africa travel specialist myself I absolutely recommend that you book your safari through an agent who knows the ground, knows the camps and can make sure you are in good hands and have the best experience! A safari is not cheap, no matter how you do it, so if you’re going to do it, do it well!
One night, as the sun dipped below the horizon we found a small pride of lions on the hunt. Our presence was of no bother to them so we stayed with them as they walked along the road, until we came across a few impala in the bushes. With rehearsed stealth they broke up into teams of two and surrounded the unknowing impala. We switched off the engine, turned down the lights and listened with soaring hearts at the chaotic eruption that followed. Half of the pride were sub-adults, still learning the tricks of the hunt, so they didn’t have much success this time. And when we flicked the headlights back on I swear I saw the mother lioness roll her eyes in frustration!
The Southern region of the Okavango Delta was thick with elephants, lions, leopard and even rhino - a small population is slowly growing here. And I was sad to leave to fly North, but quite entranced by the winding waterways and grumbling hippos of the Linyati. The flight alone was worth the trip to Botswana - there is nothing quite like seeing the expanse of the delta from the air and feeling so very small by comparison!
I turned 30 at Kwando Lagoon Camp in Linyati, and felt an unexpected rush of emotion to be in the bush listening to sounds of my childhood in Zimbabwe. My chalet had a ceiling fan, and the quiet clicking noise it made brought me right back to when I was ten years old and living on a remote island in Zimbabwe. The nostalgia was so thick that in my half sleep I hung my hand over the side of the side of the bed looking for Laddie, my childhood pet.
From Linyati I flew with my motley crew to the Chobe National Park. Now, officially thirty it felt only right to see it in with a cruise on the flooded Chobe river and to drink as much Gin & Tonic as I could lay my hands on. After all G&T is a sundowner staple! I stayed at a different camp every night of this trip, but in Chobe I stayed put at Elephant Camp for two night and they made me feel so special by organising a cake, a special song and dance and a bottle of bubbles in my room to celebrate my birthday.
Our trip finished in Victoria Falls, and we cruised the Zambezi river with Thorntree lodge’s luxurious boats feeling melancholy; refusing to accept that our trip had come to an end. The waters of the mighty Victoria Falls plunged into an enormous invisible canyon with the impressive force that is named for; Mosi-Oa-Tunya. The smoke that tenders. Indeed!
My final night in Victoria Falls is one I won’t soon forget, at Island Lodge - perched above the mighty Zambezi, under a sky full of stars I slept the best I think I have ever slept!
RECOMMENDED CAMPS
These lodges have all been vetted by me personally and I am confident in recommending them. I also stumbled upon a few lodges that I didn’t love on this trip, which I haven’t included in this list. Feel free to pass this list onto your travel agent (if that’s not me - keep reading for private safari retreats) for up to date info and pricing.
Okavango Delta: Sable Alley, Machaba, Gunns Camp (water camp), Mma Dinare, Xigera.
Linyati: Kwando Lagoon, Linyati Bush Camp
Chobe: Bakwena, Chobe Elephant, Ngoma Safari Lodge
Victoria Falls: Illala Lodge (Zim side), Bayete (Zim side), Island Lodge (Zim side), Waterberry (Zambia side), Thorntree (Zambia side), Sussi & Chuma (Zambia side)
Private Yoga Safari Retreat
I’ve been traveling Sub-Saharan Africa and the islands my whole life. I know this part of the world like the back of my hand, having lived in Zimbabwe, South Africa and Kenya for 25 years. I love these wild places with my whole heart and know exactly where to stay, top activity providers and best deals!
Get in touch today and let’s organize your private yoga safari; it’s like a regular safari but with yoga each day, a friendly, familiar face and all at no extra cost.