Rita has just returned from our Botswana Wildside tour that wild camps through the national parks of Botswana and had this to say about her experience. The tour was an amazing experience that started with the scenic trip from Johannesburg to the beautiful Khama Rhino Sanctuary in Botswana. It was wonderful to see rhinos that are so well protected, as there is a strong presence of the Botswana Defence Force to ensure they are safe.

As part of this amazing trip, we visited a campsite in the Okavango Delta, and had a beautiful ride in Mokoro boats to our “home” for two nights. We were even privileged enough to have hippos visit very close to our tents while we were sleeping. On bush walks, two elephant bulls were the highlight of the walk, the clients and I were also treated to memorable encounters with zebra, wildebeest, hippos, as well as a myriad of aquatic bird species. Swimming in the clear water of the delta is an experience I will never forget, and trying my hand at poling (method of steering) with the Mokoro made me have immense respect for the locals that do this frequently, and make it look effortless. The clients had a go too, and were actually very good!

After visiting the Delta, it was hard to imagine that the trip could be any more exciting, and during our stay in Moremi, a herd of elephants gracefully moved through our wilderness camp site.  En-route to Savuti, we came across two young hyenas, and the drive was absolutely unforgettable as we came across a pack of 6 wild dogs resting in the shade. Considering that there are an estimated 3000 individuals remaining in the wild, I was thrilled to see this pack. The distinct differences in their coat pattern was obvious, and we were fortunate enough to see some dogs with very light colours, and one very dark dog. Their huge satellite dish ears are so comical, and although they were at rest, were very alert.

Savuti had a lot to offer, and the leopard cubs we saw on drive were absolutely adorable. They were patiently waiting for their mother to return home. Lions visited our campsite, and their roaring almost seemed to reverberate in our tents. Seeing elephants crossing the Chobe River was absolutely breath-taking, and the river cruise was a fantastic ending to the visit to the parks.
As the tour drew to an end, the trip to Victoria Falls in Zambia was the best possible way to end such an amazing trip. I can’t wait to see what the next tour has to offer...