Botswana safari review | From Chobe to Okavango and Makgadikgadi

Chobe - Place of the Elephants:
A few days of leisure and sightseeing in Victoria Falls over my husband and I finally arrived in Botswana - for the safari of a lifetime. The border crossing lies near the confluence of the Chobe and Zambezi rivers and the area is dominated by this waterway.Kasane is the first town a visitor experiences upon arrival in Botswana. The town has developed a great deal in the past few years with new superstores and hotels giving the town less of a frontier feel than before. Despite this development elephants still wander certain roads in the town and warthogs root in lodge and hotel grounds. Kasane is situated on the banks of the Chobe River and it is not uncommon to see herds of elephant and buffalo roaming the floodplains whilst you are driving through the town.As we were staying at Chobe Game Lodge we did not stay long in Kasane. The lodge is the only facility situated in the national park and this makes it ideal for experiencing the magic of Chobe up close.During our stay we watched game from the land and from the water. Boats, barges and smaller craft brought us up close to open-mouthed crocodiles and teeth-displaying hippos. Kingfishers and bee-eaters of various species are in great abundance, everywhere.

The Okavango Delta - Memories of Eden
I had never seen a Sitatunga before this trip and although this was not a prerogative it was in the back of mind when we landed at Xugana Island Lodge - said by some to be the most beautifully located lodge in the Okavango. Set on a huge lagoon Xugana is the epitome of a delta camp. Hippos, vocal frogs and the musty scent of damp vegetation are an intoxicating mixture.Activities at Xugana include boating and walking on the islands. It was during one of these walks that we came across a fresh lion spoor - not more than half an hour old according to our guide. The island we were walking on at the time was very small and the question was asked how the lion survived on such a small area. The answer is that, unlike lions in many other areas, the Okavango lions will not hesitate to cross water and in some areas will even use the water to hunt.
Le Roo Le Tau - into the Realm of the Makgadikgadi



Carrie Hampton
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