Safari by Jeep, Canoe, and Foot in Botswana, Africa

After our boat safari the previous night, it was easy to get up early the next morning as I was going on my first official land safari. We would be in the safari jeeps that you see if you google “safari”. I bundled up as the morning would be cold, got my binoculars and camera, and headed to the truck. After I got in the truck, I was promptly handed a blanket. This was a necessity as the sun was not up yet, and the wind was incredibly cold as we drove about 15 minutes to reach Chobe National Park.

Once we were in the park, the anticipation was on. I really wanted to see giraffes and of course it’s always a goal to see a big cat. We had driven no more than 15 minutes when the driver got the call that there were lions nearby. We quickly made our way to where they were located (along with a handful of other safari vehicles). I unfortunately was on the wrong side of the vehicle. I tried to position myself so I wasn’t staring at phones that were trying to capture this incredible moment. And it was an incredible moment! There were three adult females relaxing with a group of cubs. The cubs were playful. Jumping around, playing with the moms’ tails, and just putting on a show. It was hard to leave the lions, but we had other animals to see. 

We promptly saw more elephants, hippos, birds, and other creatures. As amazing as they are, I was determined to see giraffes! We then drove off to a different part of the park in search of giraffes. Our driver would have some inkling if we were near any animals by the tracks on the ground. They can identify all the tracks, and they have a sense of how fresh they are. It’s pretty amazing.

And then, there they were. Giraffes! The view wasn’t as great as the lions or the elephants as they were busy eating and standing behind trees. I’ve seen giraffes in a zoo before, but there is something about seeing them in the wild that just makes them more spectacular and beautiful. 

We took a pit stop at a restroom, but everyone decided to stay in the vehicle as we saw a monkey run out of the restroom with some trash. It didn’t seem worth the battle. The safari felt like a success. I saw everything I wanted to see, and things I didn’t want to see. Like a massive troop of baboons. I’m still slightly traumatized!

Feeling satisfied with our first land safari, it was time to head back to the hotel, eat breakfast, and then get on the road to head to our next hotel. This entire trip was pretty exhausting as we stayed at most hotels for only one night which meant a lot of packing and carrying our luggage. However, it was always worth it because each hotel brought a new adventure.

The next hotel was at a watering hole in the middle of nowhere. The hotel consisted of a bunch of bungalows built around a watering hole which elephants frequent. Who needs a phone and wifi for entertainment when you have elephants drinking, bathing, and playing in the water right in front of you? Well, I did because I decided I needed to FaceTime my mom. This was too incredible to not share. Fortunately she answered and got to see the incredible view. I was happy to be able to share it with her. I’m trying to get her to visit Africa with my dad as he insists he will go again.

We spent the evening enjoying the elephants and a delicious dinner at the central restaurant/elephant viewing point. After the sun set, it was time to head to our bungalow to sleep. However, once the sun sets you aren’t allowed to walk to your bungalow as you might encounter an elephant. As cute as they are, you don’t want to accidentally bump into one. So someone had to drive us in a truck the short distance to our bungalow. Safety first!

We woke up to a freezing cold morning. The elephants must have thought so too because there weren’t any at the watering hole. We once again packed and loaded the bus to head to our next destination. Along the way we drove past a large herd of zebras.

At our next hotel, we were preparing for our first night of camping. We would be going to the Okavango Delta. To get there we would travel first by a safari jeep for about an hour. We would then take about a half hour boat ride in a small canoe. Where we were camping, there would be no facilities but a hole in the ground, a campfire, and flashlights for light. We had to pack a night bag and leave the rest of our luggage behind. 

With the excitement of the next adventure, there were also some nerves. People were mostly afraid they would freeze to death as the nights and mornings had been quite chilly. We were in the southern hemisphere, and it was winter. I am happy to report that everyone survived. This adventure was another highlight of the trip for me, and I wished we had stayed two nights instead of one. 

Each canoe had two people and one poler. The polers stood in the back of the canoe and used a pole to push and steer the boat along. The ride was so peaceful. We saw a lot of birds, plants, and hippos in the distance. I enjoyed the peacefulness of the ride.

After about thirty minutes, we arrived at what would be our home for the next 24 hours. Our first requirement was to set up our tent. We were given a tutorial as this would not be the only time we would be camping and setting up tents. My roommate and I chose the perfect spot, a view of the river. The polers were now our hosts, digging the hole for the toilet, setting up a fire, and preparing our lunch. 

The highlight of the camping trip was the walking safari. A couple of hours before the sun set, when the animals are more likely to be out as the cooler weather sets in, we headed out for a walking safari. It was a little nerve wracking as we didn’t have the safety of a vehicle or a boat. I’m smart enough to know that I cannot outrun animals. One baboon attack (OK, it wasn’t an attack, but still), and I’m scarred for life!

We had to walk in a single file line, and we split up into two groups. On our walking safari, we saw hippos (sleeping on land this time), a herd of elephants, a warthog, zebras, giraffes, buffalo and a lot of carcasses. You know you are in the wild when you see carcasses and bones scattered about. We all survived and made it back to our campsite just after the sun had set. For some reason, nature is always a bit scarier when it’s dark outside.

Our hosts had dinner waiting for us, and our chairs were around a fire near the water’s edge. Eating by campfire can be a bit challenging when you can’t really see your plate or what you’re eating. At the same time you hear questionable sounds in the distance. It really was quite dark, and I was a bit tense. After we ate, our hosts sang and danced traditional songs and dances for us. They grew up on the delta, and this is the only life they know. We were definitely entertained by the singing and dancing. It was different, to say the least.

After the singing and dancing, conversation and the terrible wine that we were finally able to open, it was time for the part of the trip I feared, bedtime. I don’t usually sleep well in other places, especially in a tent in the middle of nowhere with animals nearby and a hole in the ground to use as a toilet. We were told if we needed to use the toilet in the night, we had to take our tentmate with us for safety. That was not comforting. So I made the only logical choice. I drugged myself. With prescription drugs, of course! And I slept like a baby.

Morning soon came, and we had breakfast, coffee, and then it was time to pack everything up. The trip was too short in my opinion. We had to take our canoe back to the safari jeep, back to the hotel with the rest of our luggage and pack it all on the bus and head to the next hotel. The adventure never ends!