A guest of Natasha’s embarked on a journey through Botswana’s most iconic landscapes, venturing into the heart of the African wilderness, exploring the untamed beauty of Chobe National Park, the diverse wildlife of Moremi Game Reserve, and the pristine waters of the Okavango Delta. From thrilling game drives through elephant-filled plains to tranquil moments gliding along crystal-clear waterways, their adventure was a perfect blend of breathtaking scenery and unforgettable wildlife encounters. Each destination offered its own unique charm, painting a vivid picture of Botswana’s unparalleled natural splendour. Here is their feedback:
Natasha:
First, let me thank you for a well thought out and diverse safari for me. There were very different experiences at all three camps. Chose Bakwena was my first camp and was a stunning location. I was in a river chalet and meet the most wonderful people. The staff went way out of there way to know your name and make your experience unforgettable. The guides were extremely knowledgeable and ever eager to answer the myriad of questions we had on the game drives. The morning that we arrived, 4 young juvenile lions killed a water buffalo. The earlier groups actually saw the kill and many were actually traumatised by the events (took the poor guy over an hour to die with apparently lots of cries and movement). Fortunately, we arrived in the afternoon to witness the lions eating the remains. This was a much better experience for us. On the first day we say lions, water buffalos, baboons, antelopes, elephants and hyenas. They also took us on a pontoon cruise (free of charge) to the area of the Chobe river where four countries meet : Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia and Zambia. We saw lots of hippos on that trip as well. The guides had ponchos for us for the cold early morning drives. The food was excellent as were the accommodations (which included air conditioning). It was very hot 38 degrees Celsius but with the A/C was bearable. The pool was very refreshing as well. I loved my stay at Bakwena and got teary when it was time to fly to the next camp.
Because it was super hot and windy, that light air flight was a bit rough. My next camp was Khwai Expedition. A much smaller operation than Chobe. The accommodations were nice but not nearly as luxurious as Chobe Bakwena. There was limited staff but all tried very hard to make the stay optimal. The staff also performed songs at various times which was a very nice touch. The guide was well knowledgeable but did not always stop for the guests when we wanted to take pictures (I am sure because he was trying to get a better view). The advantage here was being able to go :off road: in the commissions since they were not so heavily regulated as a national park. We say two leopards and I got the winning shot (will send). One of the days we followed a pack of wild dogs who killed an impala. It took only 10 seconds before the four of them had ripped that animal into quarters. I turned my head for the actual kill but the impala did not even make a sound it was that fast. We also saw the hyenas spring into action and take the carcass away from them very quickly. I enjoyed the Moremi Park very much as well as the truly peaceful Mokoro experience with the elephants. I would rank this camp in third place as they did not seem to have all the “little” things the other two camps did -I would say this one was above average but not excellent and a few of the other campers that I saw at other camps felt the same. But I was glad to experience the change (it probably did not help that the WiFi was terrible here and no A/C and it was extremely hot, first world problems I know). One nice perk was a complementary 20 minute neck, shoulder and back massage which helped with the sore muscles from the game drives.
The final and my favourite camp was Setari, the aquatic camp. It was so nice to do the game drives by boat (and no more Safari roller coaster). This Camp thought of everything from umbrellas, flashlights, multiple electrical sockets, delicious food, wonderful staff and guides and was simply a first class experience. They had 45 people on staff which your every need being addressed. They had a wonderful gift shop as well. All of the guides were knowledgeable and very accommodating to the guests desires for photos etc. Being in the boats we got super close to the lions, elephants and crocs! The lions had killed a buffalo just before our morning drive so we were again able to watch them. This was a mother and three young males. Watching them interact was the highlight of my trip! I was overwhelmed with emotion when it was time for me to leave this camp (and likely because it was my last one).
As a solo female traveler, I never felt unsafe at any time. I found if I had questions regarding the travel at any place, people were very helpful. I truly enjoyed meeting people from all other the world (lots of Australians and Germans) and to enjoy their perspective on the experience and world events as well. As such, I never felt lonely either. I will come away from this trip with a greater appreciation of what I do have and more confidence in my own abilities to assimilate into the world.
The people of Botswana were amazing. Even thought my main purpose for this safari trip was to see these beautiful creatures up close and personal, what I came away from the trip with as my biggest lesson is that happiness comes from within and that you can live a happy and full life with minimal material things. People have indicated to me that this was a “trip of a lifetime” which is true, however, I suspect I will return to this wonderful country (or one nearby) sometime in my future.
I have lots of people asking for my itinerary which I will share along with recommendations for you and Sun Safaris. It truly was the trip of a lifetime and one that I do not believe will ever be replicated. Thank you Natasha for everything!
Erin
