Cruising the 'elephant channel' and beyond........

Country of beauty

Flood plain to bushveld and onward

Watery grassland

It didn't take long before the rhythm of Botswana took over.  The beautiful sunny days made it easy to view not only the many and varied animals and birds, but also the vegetation, late Summer flowers still blooming here and there, and trees such as mangosteen, jackalberry, and the sausage tree which provide shade, food and shelter for wildlife.

Exchanging an evening game drive for a boat trip on the flooded Okavango Delta was an amazing experience.  We four gals sat with our ranger ST, while Captain Sparks guided the little boat through the shallow 'elephant channel' far out into water 15' deep.  Covered in floating islands of silvery grasses and papyrus, cruising through day and night blooming waterlilies, stopping here and there to hear tales of the Delta, we loved every moment. 

 Heading out through the 'elephant channel'

The annually flooded grasslands of the Okavango Delta are referred to as 'melapo' and offer seasonal viewing of elephant, giraffe, impala, kudu, zebra, waterbuck, reedbuck, tsessebe, wildebeest, red lechwe and Cape buffalo, as well as the big cats. Encounters with hippo and crocodile are common in the waterways.

 

Beautiful Waterlilies

Captain Sparks knew every inch of the water, navigating through the tall grasses, stopping to make Jen a necklace from a waterlily and me a bracelet from papyrus.  He has lived on this body of water his entire life, his stories would make an amazing book, perhaps even a movie!

The reason we went in the power boat rather than the native dugout mokoro canoes............dangerous hippos.  We actually did make a quick get-a-way when they started to submerge completely and could have been coming our way!

Heading back to camp at sunset - guide ST and Babs

Arriving at camp the fire pit was burning brightly and the comfy seating looked inviting.  A glass of Amarula, or whatever warming drink you preferred, was waiting, and discussion of the evening cruise kept us chatting 'til dinner was served.

...........oh yes, about that 'loo with a view'........you'll have to come back tomorrow!