Okavango - The Dutch Group *

[iNdlovu]

Nothing happens in a hurry up there so you can take all the time you want. The 'bed' is brilliant. The straw that you've been sitting on in the mokoro all day goes under the tent and then either a roll up sponge or for real luxury an air matress. If you have a problem getting up off the ground, how about a hammock. My old back isn't the best either, so I get up in stages. First step is onto my fold up 3 legged milking stool, get the boots on etc. My first cup of coffee in this position and then I'm up and about. -O

[iNdlovu]

I've just done a very rough costing, taking into account the following
2 night Accommodation in Maun
Restaurant dinners in Maun X 2
Transport from Maun to Delta X 2 ways
Concession Fees 4 nights/5 days
Poler & makoro 4 nights/5 days
border costs
Fuel (2250 k's there & back)
Food 4 night/5 days
Everything except your booze at the very outside would cost approx R4224 each (thats with bedded en-suit Safari tent in Maun for the 39 year olds) with normal camping in Maun it comes to R3582. The choice is yours.
You'd need very little spending money and a tip for the polers.

Now that's less than 4 nights in Kruger.

[Lisbeth]

How long is the drive (time)?

I just had a look at the flight prices and they are rather spicy

[iNdlovu]

Jhb - Maun with Air Botswana is probably one of the most expensive routes in the world. The drive is 1125 kilometers, so pushing it with only fuel stops will take about 12 hours. I've worked the cost on 4 peeps per vehicle so we can take turns driving if neccessary.

[Bushveld Jock]

iNdlovu,

It looks like a wonderful trip and would love to join. If I cannot make it next year, then I defnitely have to plan for it next time.

Do you plan to go when its drier or in July when the water levels already pushed up to Maun? When we approaced Maun last year in July from Shakane the water ran across the road towards Lake Ngami. I think it was the first time in 40 years.

We visited Botswana for the first time and took about 3 days from Maun back home. We did an unplanned stopped at Planet Baobab after running away from the lions at Mankwe bush camp near Moremi and then stopped at Nata Lodge as well. They serve the biggest chicken schnitzels there the size of a plate. :lol:

Lisbeth if you worried about the long drive, there are enough stops on the way to Maun and great places to stay.

[iNdlovu]

BJ, yup, we always do the triop once the waters have pushed down, usually after July, but some years it's earlier.

[iNdlovu]

An hour or so before sunrise I ease out of my tent and join one of the polers at the fire. last night 3 polers and myself took our turn to "stand watch", an easy job for me. Sitting in the doorway to my tent, listening to the night orchestra and occasionally pushing the night log into the fire to ensure a tiny flame keeps burning. The pre dawn is still, with thin wisps of smoke rising vertically as we put the old coffee pot closer to the heat. We discuss the day's plans in hushed tones, but soon, one by one the guests emerge, stretching, blary eyed and join us at the fire. Soon the conversation is all about the different noises heard during the night, excitement showing on their faces.
A hearty breakfast of warm porridge followed by scrambled eggs follows and then it's time to put our plan into action. Today we will poll to the far side of the island where the mokoros will drop us off and we will walk across the island, returning to camp by about noon.

Along the way we have to use a few side channels to avoid the waiting jaws of these battleships,

but eventually arrive at our destinations looking like a fleet of landing craft.


The head poler and village headman takes the lead followed by the guests and yours truly bringing up the rear as we start off in single file. They have all been given a stern lecture on what and what not to do on the walk and in any of the many possible scary eventualities. We rely totally on the guides expertise and knowledge of the animals, no rifle in case of ??? just good sense developed by living and surviving here all his life.

Our first siting imediately after setting foot ashore bodes well for the day






Whilst walking on these islands we move from open grassland through dense bush which breaks into open grasslands repetitiavley, our guide signals for quiet just as we emerge from a row of bush, we can smell the presence of elephant
A few metres further on we are signaled to stop and off to our right....

...is the tail guard of a small herd.




They are aware of our presence, but although they keep a wary eye on us, don't seem too perturbed, until the sounds of cameras clicking causes them to bunch in defence

The inevitable happens, a show of aggretion (more a warning to give ground)



We do so out of respect and continue on our way. All morning we are blessed by showings of Zebra, Impala & Wildebees and finaly arrive back at camp hot, dusty and tired, but thrilled by our experiences of the morning.

[iNdlovu]

There's nothing better than lazing about camp after a good lunch, waiting for the heat of the day to pass.

Watching visitors to the camp and having a discussion in Dutch with one of the guests. I'm glad he got the gyst of what I was trying to say.



The guests are a little tired from the morning walk so we call off an afternoon one, everyone happy with doing camp stuff. The men go for a bathe in the lagoon in front of the camp while the ladies enjoy a hot, black bag shower behind the camp.
A poler calls me over and takes be down to the 'beach'. About 20 metres to the left of where we have beached the mokoros he points out some tracks, a cause for some concern.

I decide to call the group over and give them a stern warning about venturing out of the ring of tents. These are fresh tracks, the soft heated sand has not slid and blurred them at all. A mum & 2 cubs.
To add a bit of spice to their day, I inform them that they will be taking turns to keep watch tonight. Little do they know the polers and I will be keeping a sharp eye out all night. The nervous glances on their faces a treat to behold.
Eventualy the sun dips and the pots come out to warm up an Impala pootjie in apple cyder, prepared and vacuum frozen at home. The talk all about being up alone keeping watch tonight.

[Lisbeth]

One of the mokoros look rather low in the water, isn't their a weight limit?

Are you the fascinating gentleman with the glasses on his nose?

[iNdlovu]

Yup, that's me, but I'm not so sure about the 'gentleman' part.
The polers balance and move cargo between them as you go, so it all works out just fine. The one thing about it is that the water is not deep 90% of the time. You can usually see the bottom. if you fell in it would probably come up to your chest. Some of the lagoons are quite deep, they get hollowed out by the hippos.