Day 9 Into the Okavango

The camp was ‘on the move’ by 6.00 and all tents were down by 7.00 before breakfast. We organised our water and backpacks for our morning’s 2 hour drive to Daunara. After breakfast we said farewell to Brian whose role as additional vehicle and driver was over and he left to return to Johannesburg.

We were also welcomed by the Sitatunga Camp owners Karina and Gerald, and the manager, Ollie, all folk who have got to know the Oxley students well over the past 3 years.

Soon after 8.00 the Sitatunga troop carrier was loaded up with tents, camping gear, food and students and we were on our way. With a jeep and trailer as well, we headed back to Maun and northwards, before turning west and driving on a dusty, sandy, bumpy road that often required the use of the lower gears of the 4WD. Eventually we reached Daunara, our mokoro ‘port’ and unloaded everything.

Our party consisted of 20 mokoros, usually with 2 passengers, and a poler, but also camping gear. We manoeuvred in the narrow read-choked channels between the islands for an hour and a half seeing elephant and giraffe in the distance. It was very hot (Mrs Marnoch’s wristwatch thermometer read 43C) so we welcomed our arrival at a treed site where we could put up our tents and relax

Munya provided another of his special lunches and we relaxed in the heat of the afternoon, playing cards, ready and sleeping.

At 5.00 we crossed the narrow channel by mokoro and broke up into 4 groups for a short evening game walk. There was a spectacular sunset but most of us were also fortunate to see a herd of 10 zebra and a mother elephant and 2 calves, with lechwe, wildebeest and warthog in the distance.

We came back to camp for another of Munya’s meals, consisting of various African components. It was such a hit that a line for seconds occurred very quickly. What an amazing skill he has to feed over 30 of us with such basic camping facilities.

After dinner we had the usual debriefing, led by Mr Craig, with Mr “K”, the leader of the polers talking about the next day and also how the toilet system worked.

By 9.30, grubby and tired, we were in our tents. It had been a hot but rewarding day.Read more