Monday, May 13, 2024 12:54 p.m
Home to some of the best animal spotting locations in the world, Justin Gosling finds a safari in Botswana a slice of heaven
His name was George. It made my heart flutter and I looked at him with emotions that were strangely overwhelming for a first meeting. Unfortunately, my interest was not reciprocated. Completely oblivious to me and with his back turned, George, the 1,500kg resident Hippo of Camp Duma Tau, was wading in the shallow waters of the delta a few meters from the platoon I was standing in.
George was the first animal I saw in my multiroom, luxury @worn wasteland safari in Botswana, and the feelings of wonder and awe just minutes after arriving set the tone for the rest of our safari. Located in the Linyanti Private Concession, Duma Tau – meaning ‘lion’s roar’ 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 in a daze from meeting George, I set out on my first ride with my guide, ‘Taps’. He told me a little about what to expect, and the benefits of being on a private concession. Firstly, only one safari company operates in the area, so I would expect to have the area to myself and could forget the horror stories of 30 trucks chasing a lion. Second, I didn’t have to stay on a circuit track, as safaris often do, I could go off-road to watch the wildlife. I had been out a few hours when Tap’s antelope left the river, followed by a lioness. He shifted gears and told me to “hold on”. With that, he turned the truck around and sped along the track through the thick bush alongside the river, hurrying to a safe crossing point to spot the lioness, who he thought would return to her cubs. .
Roaring with laughter from the thrill of chasing superiority, the truck jumped out of the bush and suddenly all was calm as it entered the water, seemingly swimming in it. That was the first surprise: safaris are as much about enjoying off-road driving as they are about wildlife. I enjoyed the borderline reckless driving on terrain that would destroy your average car.
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THE LION’S MURGH
We met the lazy lioness on the river bank. it did not acknowledge our presence, even when we moved a few meters away. Every hair on my body stood up as she called out to her partner using her entire body to make the deep, dry hum. Still holding my breath, I watched the grass a meter from her face go away as the call left her mouth. This was the second surprise: I never expected to get so close to an apex predator. As the sun began to set in a burst of pink, I parked and took a moment to appreciate the last moments of the day, a kind of unexpected meditation.
I remained silent, but all around I could hear baboons calling, frogs croaking, birds twittering and the distant trumpeting of an elephant. These meditative moments were frequent, when no words could adequately describe what I was seeing or feeling. I just sat in silence in awe of the surroundings, 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 herds of wildebeest, zebra and elephant. They numbered easily in the hundreds and had surrounded me
I didn’t sleep much that first night and got out of bed excited at 5am for more. After recovering from being blasted by a passing elephant that left me gasping, I got my coffee standing next to a pool occupied by 30 hippos, the world’s deadliest land mammal. Even the helicopter transfer to our next camp, the Vumbura Plains, was a safari experience, with huge herds of elephant and giraffe meandering through the tributaries of the Okavango Delta. The family of wild boars roaming under the open-wall toilet hut made even the comfort break memorable.
All the camp buildings have open walls to make the most of the view, in addition to a security mesh to keep bugs out of the villas (another surprise was the lack of pesky insects). My huge room had double bathroom vanities, a sunken lounge and outside shower.
DOWN WILD DOGS
A highlight of the trip was a high speed hunt of the endangered African dogs. Despite watching a pack of them savagely devour a helpless Impala – hearing every crunch of bones – they managed to look cute throughout the ordeal, with their happy ‘screams’, wagging tails, pot-sized ears and patchwork coats in red, brown, black and white. . The butcher didn’t stop me from the surprise barbecue lunch, set up by the staff in the shade of a kharari apple 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 reserve, I tried to count the animals in some of the huge herds of wildebeest, zebra and elephant. They easily numbered in the hundreds and had surrounded me in another moment of awe. Just like the herd of sleeping cheetahs I’d spent time with, an afternoon nap became my routine, with the early start and nightly cries of hippos outside the room requiring a midday recharge. Another surprise – don’t expect to sleep much on safari!
The excitement continued until the end of the trip. I had to clear the runway of a pair of giraffes, two ostriches and an antelope so that the plane could land safely 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 terror. Perhaps there should have been no surprises, however: after all, this is nature at its wildest, made even more magical by the exceptional hospitality offered by the wilderness staff.
Visit the Vumbura Plains Wilderness Safari for yourself
Prices in Vumbura Plains Wilderness starting from $1,850 per person, for two people sharing at Qorokwe Wilderness from $1,480 per person for two people sharing and at DumaTau Wilderness from $1,750 per person, based on two people sharing.