African Adventure in Botswana and Namibia

African Adventure in Botswana and Namibia

In October 2011, I returned to southern Africa to visit two countries that I had missed on previous trips – Botswana and Namibia. Botswana appealed to me because of the amazing Okavango Delta, a unique ecosystem in north central Botswana that, absent the life-giving river originating in Angola that feeds into it from the northwest, would be a barren, dusty desert. Most rivers eventually run to the sea, but the Okavango river empties into a wide, flat African plain. Namibia appealed to me for exactly the opposite region – due to its dry, arid climate, its high sand dunes and the world-famous Etosha National Park.

Botswana

The Okavango Delta has been the topic of a number of nature documentaries, and has long held my attention. While I’m not normally attracted to humid, swampy environments, I was pleasantly surprised to find the October (mid-spring in the southern hemisphere) climate quite appealing – hot, sunny days and cool, comfortable nights. The typical safari in southern Africa involves tourists boarding an open-air jeep and roaming through the national park or game preserve in search of wildlife. However, a safari in the Okavango delta involves a combination of walking safaris and waterborne safaris by mokoro (hollowed-out log canoe) or powerboat. Typical game sightings in the Okavango delta include elephants, hippos, crocodiles, zebras, giraffe, warthogs and a host of deer (springboks, gazelle, etc.) and numerous birds. Lions are sighted on occasion, but less often than in other safari settings. Safari by boat enables tourists to get much closer to the animals (providing excellent photo opportunities), while still keeping a safety margin for speedy retreat, if needed.

The thing I loved most about my experience in the Okavango was the complete sense of peace and tranquility it provided me. I was truly “off the grid”, absent of the daily pressure of life, access to cell phone/Blackberry, etc. For me, engaging with nature while on safari provides a sort of centering in my life, enabling me to focus on the simple, natural things in life. It’s somehow pure and mind-cleansing. Laying at night in security of my raised-platform tent, hearing the rustle of branches and bushes as elephants and hippos lumbered ashore from the adjacent river made me realize how vulnerable and yet at one with nature I was at that moment – all while feeling the cool, refreshing evening breeze waif through my tent. Such bliss, so simple, so special.

The three days/two nights I spent at Moremi Crossing in the heart of the Okavango Delta left me with fond pictures and memories that will last a lifetime. While not a typical safari in the traditional sense, the water-based adventures that await visitors to the Okavango are sure not to disappoint!

Namibia

After my 3-day Okavango adventure in Botswana, I flew on to Windhoek, Namibia for the next part of my holiday. Namibia is a beautiful country that has elements of a unique Germanic heritage. I was pleasantly surprised to see beautiful Jacaranda trees blooming in the springtime sun of Windhoek, the capital city which lies at the heart of the country. After a night’s stay in Windhoek, I embarked on a 3-day tour to Etosha National Park, in the north central part of Namibia. The Etosha Pan is famous for the abundance of wildlife that are drawn to the water found in the Pan.

The dry, arid, vast African plain found in Etosha was a vast contrast to the ecosystem I encountered in the Okavango. But they somehow complement each other and are each beautiful in their own right. The drive north from Windhoek to Etosha was a hot, gruelling 8-hour drive. Though still springtime conditions, the heat of Namibia felt much hotter than the heat of Okavangan Botswana.

The dusty, dry conditions of the Namib desert means that animals congregate much more frequently around the watering holes found in Etosha National Park, providing tourists with a broad spectrum of fauna. Animal sightings included zebras, giraffe, elephants, black rhino, ostrich, warthogs and a variety of deer (springboks, kudus, wildebeests and hyenas. We pitched tents and camped in designated rest camps during both nights in the park. Though long and hot, the roadtrips to and from Etosha provided a beautiful cross-section of the Namibian countryside.

After returning to Windhoek and a night back in civilization, I set-off on my second 3-day adventure, this time heading southwest from Windhoek to the high sand dunes of Sossusvlei. The trip to this region again involved an 8-hour drive, but this time 75% of which were on unpaved roads, providing for a bumpy and dusty ride. The highlight was viewing sunrise over famous Dune 45, followed by breakfast in the adjacent parking lot and then a 5km trek across the desert to Sossusvlei.

After spending 10 days in the African bush, I flew from Windhoek to Cape Town for a relaxing 3-day weekend. Highlights included staying at my friend Ed’s beautiful guest house in Bantry Bay, wine tasting with my friend Desire, seeing a comedy performance of the satirical Evita Se Perron, petting a cheetah at the Spier vineyard in Stellenbosch and driving along the southern coast to Hermanus in search of spouting Southern Right Whales.

The websites that were useful in planning this African adventure include:

http://www.expeditionafricasafari.com/
(ask for Desire – she’s amazing and truly takes care of people who book tours with her!)

http://www.moremicrossing.com/index.php

http://www.wilddog-safaris.com/

Pictures from this African adventure can be found posted at:

https://picasaweb.google.com/110752667772544012465/OutOfAfricaSlideshow

Happy travels!

Mark