Khwai

Due to a mix-up with game drives at Mababe I did the dawn safari drive this morning instead of the sunset one yesterday. Up at 5:30am for a 6:00am start. Sun not yet up but light enough to walk to the meeting point without getting mugged by wildlife.
Productive. Was able to see a hyena, which I have not seen before. We went out to the massive wetland that the Khwai River feeds. It's quite full. Lush and green and home to happy hippo.
Spotted some lions but no Painted Dogs. There is still hope.
The 2 hour game drive ended up taking 3 hours. Just managed our 10am checkout. Slight side note. When I got back some of the lodge gardeners were washing the cars, ours included. I feel sorry because it's just going to get dirty again. Gave them some cash anyway.
Next up, the 40km drive from Mababe to Khwai, deeper into the Okavango. The drive is scheduled to take 1hr 20min and it did. Luckily not big stretches of sand, just an awful road. Fairly busy too. Anyway we got there in the scheduled time.
The accommodation is another simple one. All solar power but not a big enough array to support air conditioning. Our little rondavel cabin is cool with the thatched roof and breeze through ventilation. If you get too hot (it's about 37c) take a shower.
Food is basic but great. Fed us lunch about 30mins after we got here. Yum.
The bar is self serve. Each room has a tab. Just mark down what you take and grab it out of the fridge.
Another game drive scheduled for this afternoon and one for 5:30 in the morning. Maybe also last chance for a mokoro (canoe) cruise. We'll see. Here for two nights then back over the terrible road back to Maun.
Update. Safari drive was a success in the Hyena department. No adults but some pups at a den waiting for the adults to come back. We went back later to see if the adults had returned but no luck. Also the usual collection of elephants, giraffe, etc. The guide showed us a lion footprint in the sand. It was huge!En savoir plus