Home to some of the best animal-spotting sites in the world, Justine Gosling finds safari in Botswana is a slice of paradise
His name was George. He made my heart flutter and I stared at him with feelings that were strangely overwhelming for a first meeting. Sadly, my interest wasn’t reciprocated. Completely ignoring me and with his back turned, George, camp Duma Tau’s resident 1,500kg Hippo, wallowed in the delta’s shallow water just meters from the platoon I was standing on.
George was the first animal I saw on my multi-camp, luxury @wearewilderness safari in Botswana, and my feelings of surprise and awe just minutes after our arrival set the tone for the rest of our safari. Situated in the Linyanti private concession, Duma Tau – meaning ‘roar of lion’ in Setswana – was my first camp, and by the end of my first day, I understood how it got its name.
Soon after our arrival, still dizzy from meeting George, I headed out on my first drive with my guide, ‘Taps.’ He told me a little of what to expect, and the benefits of being in a private concession. Firstly, only one safari company operates in the area, so I could expect to have the area to myself and could forget the horror stories of 30 trucks gawping at a single lion. Secondly, I didn’t have to stick to a circuit track, as safari’s often do, I could go off road to track the wildlife. I’d been out a couple of hours when Tap’s spotted antelope fleeing across the river, followed by a female lion. He shifted gear and told me to ‘hold on’. With this, he spun the truck around and sped along the track through the thick bush parallel to the river, to hastily reach a safe crossing point to track the lioness, who he thought might be heading back to her cubs.
Roaring with laughter at the thrill of the cross-country chase, the truck leapt out of the bush and suddenly all was calm as it entered the water, seemingly swimming through. That was surprise number one: safaris are as much about the enjoyment of off-road driving as they are about the wildlife. I loved the borderline reckless driving through terrain that would destroy your average car.
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THE LION’S ROAR
We caught up with the lazing lioness on the riverbank; she didn’t acknowledge our presence, even as we pulled up mere meters away. Every hair on my body stood on end as she called her mate using her whole body to make the deep, dry rumble. Still holding my breath, I watched the grass a meter from her face blow away as the call left her mouth. That was surprise number two: I never expected to get so close to an apex predator. As the sun began to set in an explosion of pink, I parked up and took a moment to appreciate the last moments of the day, a sort of unexpected meditation.
I was silent, but all around I could hear baboons yelp, frogs croak, birds twitter and the distant trumpet of an elephant. These meditative moments were frequent, when no words could adequately describe what I was seeing or feeling. I simply sat in silence in awe of the surrounds, grateful to be here. Back at camp I sat around the floating fire pit with a gin and tonic listening to the chorus.
I tried to estimate the number of animals in some of the huge wildebeest, zebra and elephant herd. They easily numbered into the hundreds and had surrounded me
I didn’t sleep much that first night and excitedly leapt out of bed at 5am for more. After recovering from being trumpeted at by a passing elephant that left me gasping, I took coffee standing by a pool occupied by 30-odd hippos, the world’s most deadly land mammal. Even the helicopter transfer flight to our next camp, Vumbura plains, was a safari experience, with huge herds of elephants and giraffe spotted meandering in the tributaries of the Okavango delta. The family of warthogs loitering under the open walled toilet hut even made the comfort break memorable.
All the camp buildings are open-walled to make the most of the views, except for a safety mesh to keep out the bugs in the villas (another surprise was the lack of annoying insects). My huge room had double bathroom sinks, a sunken lounge and outside shower.
IN PURSUIT OF WILD DOGS
A trip highlight was a high-speed hunt of the critically endangered African dogs. Despite watching a pack of them ferociously devour a helpless Impala – hearing every bone crunch – they managed to look cute throughout the ordeal, with their happy ‘yelps,’ wagging tails, saucepan sized ears and patchwork coats of red, brown, black and white. The butchery did not put me off my surprise BBQ lunch, set up by staff in the shade of a kharari apple leaf tree. My last camp, Qorokwe, which borders the Moremi Game Reserve, was all about the mega herds.
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In the natural pool back at the lodge, I tried to estimate the number of animals in some of the huge wildebeest, zebra and elephant herd. They easily numbered in the hundreds and had surrounded me in another moment of awe. Just like the pack of snoozing cheetah I had spent time with, an afternoon nap became my routine too, with the early starts and nighttime hippo raves outside the room necessitating a midday recharge. Another surprise – don’t expect to sleep much on safari!
The excitement continued right until the end of the trip. I had to clear the runway of a pair of wayward giraffes, two ostrich and an antelope so that the plane could safely land to fly us back to Maun. I never expected to laugh so much, to feel such peace, to experience so many moments of awe, surprise and trepidation. Perhaps there shouldn’t have been any surprises, though: after all, this is nature at is most wild, made all the more magical by the exceptional hospitality delivered by the wilderness staff.
Visit the Wilderness Vumbura Plains safari yourself
Prices at Wilderness Vumbura Plains at start from $1,850 per person, for two people sharing; at Wilderness Qorokwe from $1,480 per person for two people sharing and at Wilderness DumaTau from $1,750 per person, based on two people sharing.