After missing out on last year’s Pre BTTE Fam trip I (Dirk) was very excited to hear I would be leading the agents into Botswana for 4 days pre BTTE (Botswana Travel & Tourism Expo) that is held in Kasane Botswana. I arrived a day before to sort out all the shopping for the 2 days that I would have to cook in the Okavango Delta and Moremi Game reserve. On the day of the start of the trip I was taken into the Delta by Mokoro to set up camp (accommodated style) before the agents and Bruce arrived. Returning to the poling station I awaited the arrival of the agent that where flying in by helicopter. After the 3rd flight in we all set off in our mokoros to the chosen island with our camp already set up.
Drinks and showers were enjoyed by all before a hearty chicken stir fry ala delta was served. We feel asleep to the calls of hippos mating and the various frog species that live in the delta.
Early the next morning after a quick coffee we head out on foot with 2 local guides to explore the area, we had a great walk with buffalo, giraffe, zebra and a few other general game species as well as plenty birds to wet the taste buds for the rest of the trip that lay ahead of us. Returning to the camp we had a quick breakfast before heading back to the poling station to meet Jamie our guide who would take us through the parks. Departing form the poling station in our open game viewer we headed towards South Gate the entrance to the World renowned Moremi Game reserve and our home for 1 night. After lunch we set off in direction North Gate and then further on to our campsite. When in the Moremi we would wild camp (camping trips) in private HATAB (Hospitality and Tourism Association of Botswana) site that are only used by local operators in Botswana. These sites are unfenced and have no facilities. What you take in you take out. We arrived at our allocated site just before sunset and set up our tents, got the fire going and enjoyed a cold shower. That evening after the little rain that has fallen in the area we had an infestation of flying ants that swarmed the LED light. We had to move the light about 50m out of the camp as there where literally millions of flying ants. In doing this we had a little bit of freedom to braai and eat our dinner without extra protein joining in on the plate. When Bruce went out towards the toilet he found a bull frog devouring all the flying ants that had landed on the floor below the light that could hardly move. He sat there just eating and eating as much as he could. That evening we were also treated to 2 male lions calling very close to camp and an elephant breaking branches just behind camp.
After a wonderful night’s sleep and listening to the lions we packed up camp had a quick breakfast and headed out on a game drive along the Khwai River. We had some wonderful sightings of hippo, and general plains game and then we found some lions. A male and 2 females enjoying the shade keeping an eye on a heard of impala not fare away. After watching them semi-sleep for a while we headed on to North Gate. Now was the long drive to the Savuti through the Mababe depression. The Mababe Depression is part of an extinct super lake that was found in the area that ranged from Makgadikgadi in the south all the way to the north being the Mababe depression. We had lunch with some elephants close buy on the edge of the depression.
After lunch we drove through a heard of buffalo close to a 100 strong followed by some fairly large groups of elephant bulls. We arrived at the Savuti channel now dry for the last 2 years, turned left and headed to our nest HATAB site. This camp was however different as we had our Classic journey (BPac09)set up waiting for us. These are large tents with stretcher beds and en-suite facilities, a chef to cook all the meals and extra hands to fill bucket showers with hot water off the fire.
The next 2 evening would be spent enjoying the Savuti and the hospitality of the Planet Okavango staff in the camp. We spent the next day on game drives finding elephants, buffalo and lions just off an elephant kill with bellies so full they battled to walk.
Unfortunately all good things come to an end and after breakfast on our last morning we headed north towards Kasane and our final destination. Dropping the agents at Elephant Valley Lodge we headed into Kasane to attend a few meetings and then fly back to Johannesburg. Thanks to all the agents that joined us on this amazing trip..