Mokhokhelo

We packed our camp up early and hit the road by 8am. It was to be a much shorter drive today of just 80km but the last 20km was on dirt roads.
We are heading deep into the Okavango Delta and because it is the end of the wet season, rather than a sandy dustbowl, it is a lush green paradise.
At 11am, we reached our destination. Moremi Wildlife reserve. This is a community owned wildlife area with basic camp facilities and a huge hide and restaurant area all owned by the locals.
This is a real wild camping area, elephants, lions, hyena, absolutely anything can walk through camp at anytime.
After 9 enjoyable but hard travelling days we spent the rest of the day chilling in the restaurant area, everyone had a good 30 minute afternoon power nap while the wildlife slept, and then at around 4:30pm the elephants came. 1 huge bull and 4 smaller elephants followed by a baby, we sat there for a good hour watching them get closer and closer and just as we thought they were going to come right up to us they headed for the campsites and then disappeared into the undergrowth. It’s amazing how quiet the elephants can be, for such huge beasts it’s like they tip toe through the undergrowth silently.
At 7pm we had dinner, and then talked for an hour around a big campfire while it got dark. Then armed with torches and head torches we all headed for the 2 toilets as a group, done our business in turn and then made our way back to our tents. I knew this was going to be a rough night because even Pieter and Hilda were scared and just as we were getting into our tents the Lions started roaring. They sounded miles away to start with but then 10 minutes later they roared again and sounded like they were behind the hedge.
We had been given instructions on what, and what not to do. The tents were facing the car, the seats had been cleared ready for diving in and there was no turning back now. Like it or not, we were stuck here.
Fortunately the lions didn’t come into camp and eventually we did drop off but at 3am we had the rude awaking of hyena’s whooping and laughing as they passed around the back of the camp. Everyone was up at the tent windows like meerkats but we still didn’t see them.
Nobody really went back to sleep and for the next 3 hours we all lay in our tents listening to the Hyena chuckling down at the water hole.Read more