Desert to Delta

EIGHT DAYS IN BOTSWANA

DESERT TO DELTA

EIGHT DAYS IN BOTSWANA

DESERT TO DELTA

SAVUTE SAFARI LODGE

24

04

LEROO LA TAU

STANLEY’S CAMP

56

05

PHOTOGRAPHY & DESIGN

Mike TaylorINTRODUCTIONS

Eva TaylorSPECIAL THANKS

Mom & Dad

APRIL 23 – APRIL 25, 2013

LEROO LA TAU

07

The distinctive “go-away” call of the grey loerie bird is but one of the many noises that breaks the silence stretching across the Makgadikgadi Pans National Park in the early hours of the morning. Perched up high in the marula trees, their voices ring out clearly across the scrubland of this salt pan, one of the largest salt flats in the world. Our family is roused early in the morning, before the night sky has started to lighten. As we prepare for our first game drive of the day, the rising sun washes the sky in vivid shades of orange and red. During this time, new noises surface from across the Boteti River that runs alongside the Leroo La Tau Lodge, from the call of the kudu to the roar of a not-so-distant lion.

Vast herds of zebras, wildebeest, elephants and other animals are also rising to begin their daily trek across the grasslands to the Boteti River, which is the main outflow of the Okavanga Delta and a vital source of water for the region. Although this is by no means a safe journey, these animals are driven by thirst and the quickly rising temperatures in the dry savannah of northeastern Botswana. While breakfasting in the main long hut of the camp, the sighting of dozens of vultures circling the eastern bank of the Boteti River is highly intriguing, as it indicates a fresh kill and an excellent chance of viewing lions, leopards or the elusive African wild dog. This is where our guide, Calvin, decides to take us first.

GUIDE: CALVIN

08 DESERT TO DELTA

LEROO LA TAU

MAUN

MAKGADIKGADI PANS NATIONAL

PARK

BOTSWANA

CENTRAL KALAHARI GAME RESERVE

OKAVANGO DELTA

CHOBE NATIONAL

PARK

A B C D E F G H

1

2

3

4 N

MAKGADIKGADI PANS NATIONAL PARK

LEROO LA TAU

010 DESERT TO DELTA

13LEROO LA TAU

16 DESERT TO DELTA

18 DESERT TO DELTA

19LEROO LA TAU

22 DESERT TO DELTA

24 DESERT TO DELTA

APRIL 25 – APRIL 28, 2013

SAVUTE SAFARI LODGE

27

Following afternoon tea on the outdoor viewing deck at the Savute Safari Lodge, we climb into an open jeep for the second drive of the day through the dried up Savute marsh in Chobe National Park. The landscape is dotted with the nearly black camelthorn trees that somehow manage to survive the recurring droughts, while the air is fragrant with the sweet scent of wild sage. The Seven Hills of Savute, collectively known as the Gubatsa Hills, rise high out of an otherwise flat landscape. Reaching 90 metres in height, these immense dolomite peaks were formed about 980 million years ago through volcanic activity. It is near the base of one of these that Grist, our guide, pauses our game drive for sundowners in the bush.

We park beside a magnificent baobab tree, estimated to be around two thousand years old. Stepping closer with gin and tonics in hand, we see how it has warped dramatically with age. In the light of the setting sun, the bubbled bark glistens red and gold like melting lava. Behind the massive tree, a trio of silhouetted impalas leap away. The discussion turns back to the leopard we had sighted earlier that day. She was a thing of beauty, walking nonchalantly on the dusty road beside our jeep. The tall grass had provided her with expert camouflage as she soundlessly disappeared into the bush, then reappeared a few minutes later at the edge of the Savute river to drink, completely unmoved by our presence.

GUIDE: GWIST

28 DESERT TO DELTA

LEROO LA TAUMAKGADIKGADI PANS NATIONAL

PARK

BOTSWANA


OKAVANGO DELTA

CHOBE NATIONAL

PARK

A B C D E F G H

1

2

3

4 N

CHOBE NATIONAL PARK

SAVUTE SAFARI LODGE

SAVUTE SAFARI LODGE

31SAVUTE SAFARI LODGE

32 DESERT TO DELTA

34 DESERT TO DELTA





46 DESERT TO DELTA

48 DESERT TO DELTA

50 DESERT TO DELTA


52 DESERT TO DELTA


56 DESERT TO DELTA


APRIL 28 – MAY 1, 2013

STANLEY’S CAMP

59

We snatch up our bags as the rushing water submerges the floor of our jeep in a matter of seconds. Here in the floodplains of the Okavango Delta, the world’s largest inland delta, flooding the car while driving through rivers is a common and unavoidable hazard when heading to and from camp. Set among ebony and sausage trees, Sanctuary Stanley’s Camp is the most remote camp we’ve stayed in yet. The air cools quickly once the sun has set during the evening drive, so we are bundled up in wool blankets by the time the moon has risen. In the untouched wilderness of the Moremi Game Reserve, the milky way is a bright, densely packed river of stars. We can also hear thousands of red spotted frogs making a beautiful

sound like twinkling wood chimes as we drive. We spotted this tiny frog earlier today while gliding through the delta in a makoro, a shallow dugout canoe. These boats are ideal for moving quietly through the narrow channels in the tall papyrus reeds, which are often referred to as “hippo highways.” As the name implied, it wasn’t long before we turned a corner and encountered a large group of hippos in a fairly small lagoon. On our way back to camp from the makoro trip, our guide, On, spots a pair of eyes in the field using a blue flashlight. It turns out to be a young spotted hyena, who fearlessly trots over to our jeep to sniff the tires. Hyenas are typically a rare sight due to their shyness, so the bold curiosity this cub displayed was quite remarkable.

GUIDE: ON

60 DESERT TO DELTA

STANLEY’S CAMP

SAVUTE SAFARI LODGE

MAKGADIKGADI PANS NATIONAL

PARK

BOTSWANA


OKAVANGO DELTA

CHOBE NATIONAL

PARK

A B C D E F G H

1

2

3

4 N

MOREMI GAME RESERVE

STANLEY’S CAMP

63STANLEY’S CAMP

64 DESERT TO DELTA

65STANLEY’S CAMP

66 DESERT TO DELTA

68 DESERT TO DELTA

69STANLEY’S CAMP

70 DESERT TO DELTA

73STANLEY’S CAMP

74 DESERT TO DELTA

78 DESERT TO DELTA

80 DESERT TO DELTA

Documents

Desert to Delta