Botswana Safari

After our stay In Livingstone, Meghan and I departed on our Safari adventure. We had an AMAZING time. We traveled with a very nice company – Wilderness Safaris – that provides for an exceptional safari experience. We stayed in small Safari “camps,” situated throughout the Okavango Delta and the Linyanti Spillway areas of North-Eastern Botswana.  Each camp held 12 – 20 people in luxurious semi-permenant tents (think Curry Village in Yosemite, but really really nice).

We flew bush planes into our first camp, and between camps.  The planes were little prop-planes seating 5-15 passengers and the airstrips were little more than clearings in the bush – Bumpy landings and short take-offs for sure!

Each day was pretty similar from camp-to-camp.  Our routine went something like this:

  • Wake up call at 5:30 or 6:00 AM
  • Breakfast (light meal) at 6:00 or 6:30 AM
  • Game Drive until about 10:00 to 10:30
  • (during the morning game drive of course we would stop for tea)
  • Brunch (second breakfast!) at 11:00
  • Siesta from 12:00 to 3:30
  • Tea at 3:30
  • Game Drive from 4:00 to 7:30
  • (during the afternoon game drive, a stop for a sundowner (Gin & Tonic of course)
  • Dinner at 8:00

So, as you can see, we were really suffering.  I think I finally understand what it means to be British.

We saw an exceptional variety of wildlife – easily 70 or more species during our trip.  It was too amazing for words.  I can’t recommend enough that everyone do this, however they try to struggle to pay for it.

Needless to say, I have LOTS of photos and I will publish many of them once I’m back at my computer and able to reliably download images from my camera onto a computer and up to the internet.  I can’t wait to see many of the images myself and I can only hope that they come out as well as I can remember the scenes unfolding before my eyes.

As a highlight, we saw Lions, Cheetah, Leopards, Elephants, Hippo, Cape Buffalo, Giraffes, Baboons, Wart Hogs, Jackyls, Hyenas, Wildebeasts, Aardwolfs, Bat-Eared Fox, Gennets, Civets, and about 7 different species of antelopes.  We also saw birds, birds, and birds.  Oh, and more birds.  And some Owls and Bats.

We did not see any kills or feeding (for better and worse) though we did see a little attempt and some aftermath.  The amazing thing overall is just sitting in the open-air vehicle watching these animals so close up.  I just can’t do it justice sitting in this internet cafe rushed for time.

Meghan and I both hope to be able to return for another Safari experience (and hopefully soon!) and we’ve come to realize how easy it would be to make a trip here and do a safari without needing a month-long trip.  Reallly with a 2-week vacation it would be very possible from the states.

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