Okay. Can we get actual concerning the Okavango Delta for a second?
Full disclosure: the Okavango Delta in Botswana was my #2 worry on my Cape City to Zanzibar journey via Southern Africa. The #1 spot was occupied by lions, however, I do have an unbelievable penchant for the dramatic.
I had quite a lot of fears, principally surrounding these little flat-bottomed canoes that have been to function our transportation within the Delta… the mokoro. Mokoros are the standard strategy to scoot across the Delta. Initially constituted of hollowed out bushes with various states of ‘tippy-ness’, mokoros are actually, usually, made out of fiberglass.
READ MORE: HOW TO CHOOSE YOUR IDEAL AFRICAN SAFARI
Now, I’ve zero fears regarding water vessels, or water for that matter, however I did have points with hippos. I swear, the most well-liked pub quiz query of late is, “What’s the most harmful animal in Africa?” It’s hippos, my pals. To barter via the reeds and water of the Delta, our polers use channels (aka: hippo highways) to get from level A to level B. Realizing that we have been going to be submerged in hippo habitat was very thrilling and a once-in-a-lifetime alternative.
However, we had nerves.
My group and I began freaking ourselves out in Namibia. We sat across the bar at Felix Unite campground bonding over our ‘Africa’ fears. By belly-laughs and good-natured jibes, we found that some felt no worry. Nonetheless, I obsessed about lions, Rob admitted to a priority about crocodiles and Kelsey owned as much as her worries about hippos.
[SPOILER ALERT: We all survived.]
Strolling via the Delta
Intrepid takes on a reasonably distant a part of the Delta for this leg of the tour. Attending to the Delta’s edge required many hours on tough roads and a ferry crossing. The Okavango is an inland delta that turned the 1000th UNESCO World Heritage Web site in 2014. Phenomenal in dimension, but in addition in the truth that the water doesn’t proceed on from this level however evaporates through the dry season. Is it sizzling within the Delta? You guess. Deliver your sunscreen, and a hat, or a parasol should you’re feeling notably charming.
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We bumped alongside till the highway ended on the very fringe of the water. We have been going to spend the evening in a bush camp on Goa Island someplace within the Delta, so we set about gathering our tents, sleeping luggage, garments and wine. I regarded up at one level and the sting of the water was lined with mokoros! They weren’t there 5 minutes in the past, and I’m undecided the place they got here from, however our polers had arrived.
I went down to examine.
My first job was to see if my derriere would truly slot in considered one of this stuff. I had scoured the web in search of photographs of mokoros earlier than my journey to see if I might confirm the width of considered one of them. No worries right here. Huge sufficient with plenty of room. Our polers have been all locals. These are the oldsters that stand on the again and use lengthy poles, a la Venetian gondola, to push the mokoro via the reeds. I took a liking to Viva’s mokoro and he rapidly set me up in complete consolation for the journey.
The mokoro often matches two passengers and kit. There aren’t any seats and so Viva ingeniously wrapped my sleeping mat round a big keep on with make a again relaxation for me. This proved to be a life-saver through the 2-hour journey to our bush camp. Our guides gave us just a few dos and don’ts, together with “don’t make any sudden strikes, or it is going to throw your poler off”… actually.
And we have been off!
As quickly because the mokoro hit the water, I felt the temperature of the underside of the boat cool. It didn’t take lengthy to get used to Viva’s dip and sway as he pushed the mokoro alongside, and though the mokoro edge is only a few inches above the water, we by no means took on a drop. This was excellent news as a result of we have been all packing cameras, that are completely definitely worth the threat of taking.
The Delta supplied us with a wealth of sights. There have been animals and birds, water lillies and wee frogs, papery spiders and sharp grass that minimize at our arms. However let me let you know, coasting on by a bunch of elephants taking part in within the water will not be one thing I’ll quickly neglect.
EXPERIENCE THIS: CHECK OUT INTREPID’S RANGE OF SMALL GROUP TOURS IN BOTSWANA
We made fairly a convoy via the reeds. There have been 20 of us + our 10 polers + the mokoros carrying our guides and prepare dinner + the youngest mokoro poler who was answerable for our tents (which can have taken on somewhat water).
Our bush camp for the evening was in the course of nowhere. Our camp prepare dinner, Henry, flipped over a mokoro to make use of as his prep space and we went about discovering essentially the most hospitable spots for our tents. The guides arrange a wonderful lavatory which consisted of a rigged-up body and bathroom seat over a dug gap. We had been utilizing bush loos for weeks, so this felt slightly luxe.
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“It’s sundown time,” stated Rafael, considered one of our mokoro guides. We tramped via the burrs and bristles to the sting of the Delta and witnessed probably the most spectacular sunsets of my total 40 days. I regarded throughout at my journey companions. Their faces have been lit by a low orange solar, capturing enormous smiles and coos of pleasure. Behind us, a full moon was rising. And it felt prefer it was all ours, a spectacular gentle present, only for us.
The evening was stuffed with meals, enjoyable and music. The polers and guides threw down a music and dance problem. Let’s simply say that we failed miserably. They introduced us with tribal songs and fabulous dance strikes and we gave them awkward makes an attempt and singing “Africa” by Toto. It made me respect how younger Canada is. Our polers have been simply dripping with informal historic richness and we have been caught within the ’80s.
SEE MORE: THE MAGIC OF AN INTREPID SAFARI IN BOTSWANA, IN PHOTOS
Within the morning we teamed up with guides for a nature stroll. I headed proper to Meish. Meish regarded like he might stare down a lion and make it run the opposite path, subsequently, I used to be going anyplace Meish was going.
That is after we found that some didn’t learn their journey notes. Important clothes for this stroll are lengthy pants due to the sharp grass and the whole lot must be in ‘safari’ colors. Mixing in to the background is essential should you’re in search of and/or hiding from animals.
I beloved this stroll. Meish talked concerning the crops and bushes, confirmed us animal footprints, helped us examine an aardvark gap, and dug round in some elephant dung. Meish might let you know which path the elephant was going, when it was final there, and if it was male or feminine! We had heard a lion roar the evening earlier than, and located his footprints whereas on this stroll, however didn’t discover him. Fortunately. (See: Worry #1)
We switched islands that evening to Mvuvu Camp. This spot had a wee bar, flush bogs and safari tents with beds. The Delta is teeming with life, and so have been our tents. By this level within the journey we have been much less fussy about the place we laid our heads, however a flip flop does turn out to be useful as a weapon. Mvuvu does win the prize for the perfect showers; open-air set ups with the African solar shining down on you.
The bar at Mvuvu Camp
The day in Mvuvu was for enjoyable, exploring, consuming ciders and making an attempt one’s hand at poling. This additionally leads to ‘swimming’ for some.
However what about hippos?
You will note hippos. You may be eerily near them. You’ll look them within the eye out of your little mokoro and you’ll not breathe. You’ll notice that life is permitting you to spend an distinctive second with an 8000 lbs animal on their phrases. You’ll have respect for the folks and place that you’ve been gifted sufficient to go to. And, as you silently drift away from them you’ll name your self a “mokoro survivor”.
Prepared for an Okavango journey of your individual? Try Intrepid’s vary of excursions in Botswana.
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(Picture credit from prime to backside: Intrepid Journey x5, Thomas Furlong, Intrepid Journey, Carla Powell.)