The Botswana Series - Part I

As many of you will know, I have just returned from an incredible trip in Botswana and wanted to share my experience. I have decided to do so in two parts, as there was just too much to share in one go. So here is Part One, starting at Chitabe in the southeastern region of the Okavango Delta and on to Savuti and DumaTau, situated in the Linyanti region bordering Chobe National Park.

Part I: Chitabe, Savuti & DumaTau

Chitabe Camp

Stepping off the light aircraft at Chitabe Airstrip, the first thing I noticed was the smell of wild sage all around us. It gave me an instant sense of peace and the feeling that I was truly in nature. We were collected by our guide, Aaron, in an open-top safari vehicle and driven to camp (approx. 45 mins). Along the way, Aaron started teaching us about the trees, birds, and wildlife in the area, and it was clear he was a local in this remote part of the world.

Arriving at camp, we received a warm welcome from the wonderful staff and were assisted through to the main area for check-in, where we were greeted with a refreshing iced tea and absolutely blown away by the views over the grass plains. We were even welcomed by an elephant strolling past in slow motion, almost as if on cue.

Once checked in, we enjoyed a delicious high tea prepared especially for us since we arrived a bit late. We were then shown to our stunning room. The camp had recently been newly renovated and not a single detail had been missed. Our luxury suite was decorated with beautiful neutral colours that blend seamlessly with the surroundings, and it came with all the bells and whistles you would expect — from Nespresso machines to indoor and outdoor showers, a large lounge area, and an outdoor deck overlooking the grass plains.

After settling in, we set off on our first game drive, which was nothing short of excellent! Drives in Botswana are slower paced with no pressure on set timescales. The next few days were spent tracking the big cats of the area, with the absolute highlight being following a male leopard on the hunt. We patiently waited for an hour until he finally jumped out of a bush right in front of us, narrowly missing an impala he had been stalking while we followed him. The excitement and anticipation was indescribable!

After each early morning game drive, we would stop in a remote, beautiful spot in the bush to enjoy our amarula (a traditional African liquor and a must-have) with coffee, discussing the morning’s sightings and action. In the evenings, we set off again on the prowl for large cats, and we were lucky to find them on every drive, finishing with a rewarding G&T. Evenings were spent around the fire sharing stories with other guests about our exciting game drives, and every meal served at the camp was mouthwatering!

At this point, we couldn’t imagine any other camp or area topping our stay at Chitabe as we prepared for our next stop, Savuti Camp!

Savuti Camp

The next morning, we took a light aircraft to our next destination, Savuti Camp. The flight was a quick 30-minute hop, and we flew over the Delta north towards Linyanti, situated on the western border of Chobe National Park. Along the way we spotted large herds of elephant and buffalo as the landscape beneath us changed from the wetlands of the Delta to the dry savannahs of Linyanti.

We were welcomed on arrival at Savuti Airstrip and driven to Savuti Camp through the sandy and arid mopane landscape of the area. The camp is situated on the Savuti Channel, a mostly dry channel — a fascinating natural phenomenon that has flowed and dried several times over the past century due to tectonic activity.

The views from the main area are incredible as the camp sits on a bend, allowing views in both directions of the channel, which was dry at this time of year. We were escorted to our tented suite, which was beautifully decorated with a rustic camp feel but all the comforts expected from a safari camp in Botswana.

A quick turnaround and we were on another drive, searching for the six male lions that dominate this area. To our surprise, we found two of these beautiful and powerful cats! After spending time admiring these two brothers who were clearly on the hunt, we were surprised with sunset drinks in a beautiful setting with other guests staying at the lodge. It’s hard to describe the magic of that moment - these are the little extra details we look for when scouting lodges for our clients!

The next few days were spent on long game drives with our guide Elvis, who was extremely knowledgeable and local to the area. It was incredible watching him suddenly stop, hear a bird call, and say, “There is a lion over there,” before changing course to go off-road, and indeed, finding yet another lion. Unlike other countries in Africa, guides in Botswana work on their own instead of with a dedicated tracker, so seeing them in action was truly remarkable!

After two nights at Savuti, we were sad to leave, but we knew it was time for the next part of our adventure… DumaTau!

DumaTau

I was personally very excited about our stay at DumaTau, even before arriving. This camp is situated only a 45-minute drive from Savuti, so you would expect the landscape to be very similar, but how wrong I was. The lodge itself is situated on Osprey Lagoon, which flows off the Linyanti River, and has a completely different feel from the previous two lodges, with year-round water in front and hippos wallowing all day long.

After several days of land safari drives at the previous two lodges, our guide Roger decided it was best to set off on an afternoon boating safari, which was a whole different experience in itself. We spent hours motoring up and down the channel, where we saw an old bull elephant eating softer vegetation in the water, which Roger explained is common as older bulls try to preserve their molars.

As the sun started to set, with another G&T in hand, the sky turned all shades of pink and red, a feeling you only understand if you have ever seen a sunset in Africa! We were also joined by a pod of 30 hippos putting on a show for us, all curious to get a closer look at this foreign boat in the water.

Returning to camp, we headed to our stunning rooms to refresh before dinner. To our surprise, it was boma night! There was an evening performance where all the camp staff sang and danced, which was an amazing cultural experience, before we dug into delicious traditional food. We were glad to settle into our rooms that night for a good sleep after the thrill of our first day at DumaTau.

The rooms were incredible and ultra-luxurious! With tones of apricot blended with neutral colours, each suite is big enough for royalty and situated right on the water, with a private plunge pool and incredible views. We decided to sleep in the next morning to enjoy our beautiful room, something many guests forget to do as they are constantly on the search for animals on morning and evening safaris, but something I would highly recommend at least once when staying.

It was now time to prepare for the next part of our trip, exploring three incredible camps in the central Okavango Delta. I wasn’t sure if anything could top what I had already experienced, but stay tuned to find out in Part Two of my Botswana adventure (I promise it will be worth it!).

If reading this has sparked your desire to visit this incredible part of the world, we would love to help you plan your own Botswana adventure. Get in touch to explore some of our Botswana safari packages or let us tailor something just for you!