BOTSWANA DAY 1
Sh*ting next to an elephant. Botswana is renowned for offering the best safari experiences on the planet. It also boasts a vast number of private reserves and enforces strict rules and policies. These factors contribute to its significant role in the sustainable market!
WHERE IS THE OKAVANGO DELTA?
After a long travel day, we finally arrived at the local airport. My mum and, even more so, my sister aren’t the best flyers. Unless it’s a PJ, you can forget about getting them into an 8-seater plane.
Sh*ting next to an elephant
THE DRIVE
Instead of taking what would have been a 30-minute flight, we opted for a four-hour drive. My dad and I wondered why we didn’t just get on the flight and leave the girls to fend for themselves!
We booked into Okuti Lodge, experiencing our first stay within a park. My god, what a place it was! When you describe staying in tents in the middle of a game reserve to someone, they tend to look at you as if something is wrong. But you have to actually see the accommodation; they are a far cry from the tarpaulin, wooden pegs, and those frustrating tent poles you can never fix without nipping yourself!
BOTSWANA….
- Around 40% of Botswana is made up of Wildlife parks and reserves.
- It is home to the world’s largest concentration of African elephants.
- The world’s second-largest diamond was discovered here. It is the biggest diamond to be discovered in Botswana and the largest find in more than a century.
- Botswana has the world’s largest salt pans, the world’s largest inland delta and the world’s shortest border.
SUN DOWNERS
Because of the drive, we had no time for sightseeing and were instead welcomed with a gin just in time for another amazing African sunset! These sundowners will become a regular part of a normal day in Botswana.
Sh*ting next to an elephant
RUDE AWAKENING
In the middle of the night, I woke up and ventured to the toilet, which is also within the tent. Almost immediately, I could hear shuffling and something moving very closely! In fact, it was so close that I wasn’t sure if it was in the tent, and this was by no means a small animal.
Let’s be honest, I was exposed and sitting on the toilet, feeling very vulnerable to an attack. I decided to close the door until I looked up and noticed there was no ceiling separating the bathroom from the rest of the tent. Should I stay here for however long it takes, or do I head back to bed and risk getting ambushed?
Sh*ting next to an elephant
INTENSE
Sh*ting next to an elephant
THE DARKNESS
DESTRUCTION
The following morning, we opened the blinds and immediately saw the destruction caused by the elephant. Believe it or not, lions and hyenas are known to walk around the camp, but the main threat is elephants due to their size and potential for carnage!
FINAL THOUGHTS
How can I complain when I was promised the most authentic safari experience!
NEXT UP
Watching some endangered animals make a kill!! Click to read
SAFE TRAVELS, DS x
122/229
This post is part of the Southern Africa Series, click to explore or for episode 1 click here.
To watch the video of my trip, head to my highlights on my Instagram.
Question Time
- Have you been to Botswana?
- Where did you stay?
- Did you do a Safari
Let me know in the comments below . . .
