Day 14 - Mahango to Chobe

Drive: 450km
Accommodation: Chobe Game Lodge

Waking up bright and early from a night of hearing the hippos grazing and the lions roaring!
A lovely breakfast on the deck watching the birds and we were ready to go.

After 2 weeks of discovering Namibia in our car & tent, we had planned our 3rd and final week of honey moon to be a bit more luxurious in Botswana.

Coming out of the cool sand road back into tar, next stop, Ngoma, the border crossing.
As we drove through to the other end of the Mahango National Park, we were greeted by the usual cows and goats, but also a few giraffes and some elephants.
We efficiently made our way to the Namibian exit border where a friendly agent and quick stamping got us in and out in 5 minutes !
What a smooth border !

Crossing the bridge, the whole landscape changed from bushes and yellow grass to rivers, baobabs and more elephants we could ever count.
Our quick border celebration may have been a bit premature as we realized Botswana's gate was quite the busy spot. After having to step into a disinfecting shoe bath, we went into the long line of visitors.
An hour later we finally got our stamp and with a quick control of our car supplies to check for animal products, we could continue our drive to Chobe.

With Leo on the wheel and afro house pumping in the car we arrived at the Chobe national park in no time! Our lodge was one of 2 hotels situated inside the park. Giving it prime location for game drives. It also meant goodbye to tar, goodbye to dirt road and hello sand tracks!
Despite a few deep sand portions and sudden elephant crossings we made it to the lodge smoothly with a great welcome comity proud to see a woman driving in!

What a treat to arrive in this old safari lodge style house decorated with beautiful African furniture and bright colors, with our massive room overlooking the pool and river. Time for a quick shower and it was already time to head on our first game drive.
Here at Chobe Game Lodge, in an empowerment commitment, all the guides are women ! We therefore met Refilwe our game driver for the evening. Hopping on the very comfortable car we headed out to discover the beauty of the Chobe river and all the animals around.

In no time we were surrounded by thousands of elephants coming down the banks of the river to get their water intake after a very warm day. Around them, hippos bathing, baboons playing, all types of deers grazing and giraffes running into the sunset. Hard to believe so much life was going on peacefully around us.

Making our way back up, we noticed something moving in the bushes. A honey badger quickly moving away. And we saw why straight away. A pride of lions had stolen his dinner, a juicy water Monitor Lizard. Seeing two young males playing around throwing the lizard in the air and running in the distance to eat it while the elders just enjoyed the cooling evening for a nap and a bath.
What a surprise to see so much, including the lions on our first outing.
Time to head back to camp, but not without a sunset view point of the Chobe River.

A great dinner by the water with some traditional music and dances and a little night cap and we were ready to jump in our kingside clean bed !
What a day !Read more