Meerkats & Salt Pans

(The wifi has been too weak to upload or the satellite dish has not been working)(and now the campground at Sitatunga is full and everybody is trying to get on!).

We were up again at 5.00 but this time we didn’t have to take our tents down. We had an early morning drink in the Planet Baobab lounge before boarding our jeeps (one had a puncture before we even left the camp.

Two hours of a bumpy dusty sandy track and we were in the desert grasslands close to the pans. Splitting into 2 groups, we visited seperate meerkat colonies and spent an hour observing their fascinating behaviour. Several insects were dug up and even a large scorpion was consumed by an excited meerkat.

From the meerkats, we drove a few kilometres to the vastness of the dry Ntetwe Pan (part of the Makgadigadi Salt Pans) and way out on the flat, crusty pan we had a breakfast picnic. The vastness was eerie but breakfast was most welcome.

The return journey was much the same - sandy, bumpy tracks and clouds of dust - but it had all been worth it.

Once back at Planet Baobab we took down tents and packed the bus before a late lunch. As soon as we could, we were on the truck for our 3 hour drive to Maun. The road deteriorated in patches but at least we saw the occasional pairs of ostriches.

Once in Maun we had some free time while Munya and Laban bought the food we would be taking with us to the delta. So some exchanged money, others bought water or snacks and some engaged with a group of kids congregating near our truck.

From Maun we drove to Sitatunga Camp and pitched our tents before dinner was served. After dinner we had a debriefing and an informative session about requirements for our delta camping

It had been another interesting day, with everyone tired but happy.Read more