Shared Mobile Tented Safari to Moremi and the Khwai Concession
Program highlights:
– Enjoy an exclusive experience within the Khwai Concession (bordering the Okavango Delta) and the Moremi Reserve.
– This safari is paced for those who really want to concentrate on photography and game viewing from a vehicle.
Limited walking is offered plus one full day in the Okavango Delta game viewing by boat.
– You use shared luxury mobile campsites in each area, which lessens your eco-imprint and enables you to meet other interesting travelers during mealtime .
This safari to Botswana began with the non stop Delta Air Lines flight from Atlanta to Johannesburg. I spent the evening at the Southern Sun O. R. Tambo hotel – comfortable accommodation and a very tasty breakfast. The next morning I met with two of our clients and that I had booked on the safari and we made our way by hotel shuttle to the airport. The shuttle was quick and efficient.
We met up with another client and we flew to Maun, Botswana. Air Botswana has a new plane with comfortable leather seating. The overhead bins are VERY small and my back pack back barely fit. Our AAC bags were checked plane side as they are too big for the bins. We arrived in Maun and the Capture Africa reps were there to take your bags and assist us to our charter flight. A quick 25 minutes and we landed and were met by the one and only – Nic Polenakis.
We began game driving to camp around 1:00pm. I was still in my traveling gear so as ked Nic to stop by a tree to change. Pulled on my safari gear and we drove to enjoy two bull elephants eating tree branches.
About an hour into the game drive I realized that my pants were missing – I had placed them on the floor of the vehicle and they had bounced out. I said ‘ Nic, I think I have lost my pants’ We back tracked to no avail and Nic radioed Dave Carson, who found my pants about 50 feet from the elephants we were watching.
We continued game driving to camp and arrived just after sunset – by our choice.
Food and drink were very important to us
The camp was set up at the Bodumatau site – a path lit by lanterns and dinner awaited our arrival.
The nights in the camp were very active with a lone hyena passing through every night, hippos snorting and gurgling and lions roaring in the background. You did have to work harder for the game in Moremi.
Sitting around the fire at 5:30am Bodumatau was his favorite camp.
How could I forget the 7 hour cheetah vigil – eating lunch in our laps – waiting for him to come out from the bush. After about the 4th hour we were all suffering but could not leave the sight, after all if we left the cheetah would come out.
We moved to Kwai after 3 nights by a LONG road transfer starting with the boat ride on the Delta. The Kwai region is flooded in areas and resembles a land water camp.
There is a very large hole to the right -which we avoided
Kwai delivered – big time. Wild dog, roaring lions, leopa rd, hyenas mating in our kitchen, wild dog at sunset appearing at the pop of the champagne cork, viewing elephant splashing in mud hole. Kwai offers walking with the guide and we walked through mopane in search of elephant. Through the thick leaves
Nic’s keen eye spotted water glistening on elephant skin. We were off – power walking through low trees to find the elephants. Can you hide a two ton beast behind a 5 foot tall Mopane? – Yes you can! Nic got us very close. We sat and watch the elephants play in t he mud and splash each other cooling in the heat of the day.
Enjoying a morning coffee and walk to see elephant
There he is!
Nic “Now if the elephant turns and walks this way, just enjoy it!” Well he did turn and “walked this way” and our handy national park escort was no where to be seen, crouched behind a termite mound.
It was an amazing trip! We lucked out with the weather – no rain. The other British couple (only 3 others in the group, the last a young German woman, all nice which made the trip enjoyable) had been on a similar tour with Letaka last...
Sitting around the fire at 5:30am Bodumatau was his favorite camp.
