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Oxley in Botswana 4Oxley in Botswana 4
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Oxley in Botswana 4

September 2019 - April 2024
Oxley continues to build its relationship with the students and staff of Sedie Junior Secondary School & Mathiba Memorial Primary School with another visit by Year 9 2019. Highlights prior to this include Victoria Falls, Makgadikgadi & Okavango Delta Read more
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  • TravelerOxley in Botswana 4
    Day 1

    Day 1 Leaving Australia

    September 27, 2019 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    Well, we have all made it safely to Sydney Domestic Airport. Plenty of excitement & trepidation for the unknown. Had a gathering of the whole group and Mr Craig took everybody through tour expectations and group dynamics. All set to go with long flights and an overnight ahead of us.Read more

  • TravelerOxley in Botswana 4
    Day 2

    Day 2. Arriving at Victoria Falls townsh

    September 28, 2019 in South Africa ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    It was a long night - 11+ hours of flying time - and everyone tried to get some sleep. The plane was full but South African Airways looked after us well.

    We landed at 4.45 a.m., passed through Customs into a very quiet airport, and headed for a cafe to use as a base for the next few hours. Everyone did a bit of exploring to kill time. Even managed to introduce kudu and ostrich biltong to a few prepared to experiment. At last our flight time to Zimbabwe crept closer.

    It was a full flight on a SAA Airbus 320-200 that took us north on the short trip (about 1:20) to a very dry Zimbabwe. The Customs there have to be one of the slowest in the world. It took us longer to get through Customs than it did to fly from Johannesburg !

    Once through we were met by the ATC safari team of Bheki and Munya (last year’s cook), and the minibus driver, Brian, and taken into the village and our campground at Shearwater Explorers Village . Our tents were already up so a quick move into them followed and we were soon ready for a walk into town.

    We visited the beautiful old colonial Victoria Falls Hotel, with its flags still at half-mast for Robert Mugabe. It has a great ambience and the view down the Zambezi Gorges below the Falls never fails to impress. From the colonial-era hotel, the destination of European flying boat passengers in the mid-20th century, we walked to the Outlook Cafe, perched above the first of the rapids below the Falls. Unfortunately the rebuilding program after a disastrous fire there had not been completed and our visit was brief. On our walk we had seen mongoose, monkeys and baboons.

    From there it was a case of curio shopping, bargaining with the vendors, or returning to camp for a swim or shower. By 6.30 we had all changed and were ready for an evening of fun at the Boma Restaurant. The venue gradually filled up and throbbed to the sound of bongo drumming. To their credit, most of us tried some of the local foods on offer among the international fare - crocodile, and impala cold meat, eland meatballs, kudu steak, guinea fowl stew, mopani worms, etc. The food was good and once that was over everyone was given a bongo drum and the fun started. Hair-braiding experiments were tried. Exhaustion began to set in but most managed to get on the dance floor before it was time to head back to camp and a welcoming bed.

    It had been a very, very long day and the group had done remarkably well. A quick debrief with plans for tomorrow discussed and soon the camp was silent.

     Our first day in Africa was a huge success.    Read more

  • TravelerOxley in Botswana 4
    Day 3

    Day 3. Vic Falls, Botswana & our first g

    September 29, 2019 in Botswana ⋅ ⛅ 32 °C

    What a day! The Falls were great and a pride of lions at the end of the day was the icing on the cake!

    We started the day soon after 5.30 as the camp gradually awoke in the unfamiliar setting. Tents came down before breakfast and bags were packed. Munya produced a great meal which was most welcome.

    After breakfast we left the Shearwater Explorers Village camp and drove the short distance to the Falls car park where we met our guide, Innocence. He talked about the falls in front of a large diagram and then took us, walking on the back path, to the Victoria Falls bridge. From there we walked to Danger Point where we looked down at the Boiling Pot and the Zambian side - which had no water going over it.

    Gradually we made our way west to the waters on the Zimbabwean side where there was water going over the Main Falls and the Devil’s Cataract. We finished our visit with a look at David Livingstone’s statue.

    From the Falls, we left the township and headed west, reaching the Botswana border over an hour later. Formalities there finished with a walk through a ‘foot and mouth’ prevention chemical mixture, designed to protect Botswana’s cattle industry.

    From the border we drove the 20 minutes to Kasane where we had an hour in town while our crew shopped for fresh food. Once completed, we moved quickly to the nearby Thebe River Lodge campground, our home for the next 3 days. We put up our tents while Munya, aided by Bheki and Brian, prepared the ingredients for our DIY sandwich lunch.

    By mid-afternoon we were ready for our first game drive of our tour and were soon heading for the Sedudu Gate of the Chobe National Park in a Jeep and larger viewing truck. The landscape was incredibly dry with the only greenery on the floodplains and river bank of the Chobe River.

    However, in the 3 hours we were there, we saw some amazing game - including dozens of elephants , impala, kudu, giraffe, hippo, crocodile, Maribor stork, lilac crested rollers and vultures. The best was saved to last when were lucky enough to see a pride of 5 lions, dominated by a magnificent yellow-maned male. Fantastic!

    There was mad rush afterwards to exit the park at the mandatory 6.00 pm but we just made it. Back at camp, exhausted but happy, we unwound before dinner and then showered before bed.

    It had been a special day for all involved    Read more

  • TravelerOxley in Botswana 4
    Day 4

    Day 4. Kasane: game-viewing from jeep& b

    September 30, 2019 in Botswana ⋅ ⛅ 34 °C

    It was an early start this morning as we wanted to be at the Sedudu Gate for the 6.00am opening. A warm drink and a rusk started our day before we walked to Reception in the red-tinged dawn to board our park vehicles.

    It was a cold ride but we there on time and we warmed up as the sun rose. None of the elephants or giraffe of yesterday but we did see hippo and their babies grazing on the land adjacent to the Chobe River. Again we were fortunate to see two different lion prides (something not seen by last year’s Oxley students). Yesterday’s concern for a large sick elephant we found lying on the ground proved to be this morning’s meal for a lion pride.

    In this morning’s drive we saw some different species, including fish eagles, drongos, vultures, alarmed baboon troop and some warthogs. There were several mother and baby combinations of grazing hippos. After a stop in a ‘Stretch Point’ we slowly headed back to the Sedudu Park Gate, seeing groups of male and then female kudus on the way.

    Back at Thebie River Camp by 9.30 we enjoyed a late breakfast prepared by Munya. After that we had a lazy morning as the temperatures climbed toto the mid-30s. Some washed clothes, some played football, and all swam and adjourned to the restaurant for a cool drink. Lunch followed at 1.00 with more R&R until we left for our river cruise mid-afternoon.

    Our pontoon craft, after checking in to the park boat office, slowly explored the banks of the Chobe River. We got close to hippos, crocodiles, buffalo, lechwe, waterbuck, maribou storks and a pair of solitary elephants (where had all of yesterday afternoon’s gone?). As the sun dropped we completed our circumnavigation of Sedudu Island and followed the Namibian bank waiting for the sunset to develop. And it was worth the effort!

    We were picked up by Bheki and Brian and returned to camp to find Tempe Adams of Elephants without Borders visiting us. Tempe joined us for dinner before leaving to take up her shift with a new arrival in the baby elephant orphanage.

    It had been a hot day (37C) but a good one. The country had celebrated their 52nd Botswana Independence Day and we had seen a beautiful part of Africa.    Read more

  • TravelerOxley in Botswana 4
    2
    Day 5

    Day 5. Elephants without Borders

    October 1, 2019 in Botswana ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C

    It was luxury to lie in bed this morning and watch the sky colours change. The camp slowly came to life as everyone caught up on the sleep they had missed since leaving Australia. Breakfast was at 8.00 on a mild morning but the temperature is due to rise.

    After breakfast we did a bit of laundry before leaving the campground. We bought water for the day before moving to the nearby Elephants without Borders compound at Kasangula.

    We were welcomed by Old Oxleyan, Tempe Adams, and later met her bosses Kelly Landon and Mike Chase. Immediately we were split into groups with one group observing a 6 week-old elephant orphan being fed while the students met the 3 older orphans, Tuli, Panda and Morelo.

    Tempe gave us a PowerPoint talk about the activities in which EWB is involved and also her own role in the small but important NGO. There was so much more diverse activity than anyone realised! Which made it all the more significant when Tempe was presented with $2141 raised by the Year 9s to be spent as EWB saw fit. Yanni made a confident presentation speech and the EWB staff were amazed at the efforts involved.

    Afterwards, the two groups roles were reversed: followed by lunch sitting on the lawn.

    EWB has been given a large riverside land grant to reforest and establish a Chobe Culture and Wildlife Centre. There are plans for a Culture centre, a board walk, teaching areas, reforestation, threatened species care (the Chobe bushbuck) and educational programmes. A visitor last week was Prince Harry who is a close friend of Dr Mike Chase of EWB. We drove to the site and watered the 250 trees planted by local school children at the time of Harry’s visit. Harry had planted a small baobab and we followed suit in our own area, planting 6 trees representing the six Oxley houses. Afterwards we celebrated this little part of ‘Oxley in Botswana ‘ with a photo at Harry’s baobab.

    We left the property late afternoon, bought water in the supermarket, and returned Thebe River Camp. Dinner followed, where we were joined again by Tempe, before she headed off again to mind a baby elephant.

    It had been a different - but most rewarding - day, enjoyed and absorbed by all.    Read more

  • TravelerOxley in Botswana 4
    Day 6

    Day 6. South to Nata & the Bird Sanctuar

    October 2, 2019 in Botswana ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    The whole camp was aroused by 6.00 and within an hour all the tents were down, bags packed and the trucks loaded up. After another of Munya’s breakfasts we were ready for the morning’s drive south.

    As the truck and the minibus rolled southwards, the view was of dry bush and occasional grasslands. We saw a baboon troop and elephants in the distance. An amazing sight interrupted the card game in the front of the truck as the vehicles came to a sudden halt. We had stumbled upon an eland migration with the herd numbering an estimated 80 beasts. These are extremely rare and generally only found in small groups. Our much-travelled support staff had never seen anything like this before.. We had been so lucky!

    At Pandamatenga we stopped for a toilet break before pushing on, passed huge agri-business farms irrigated by bore water. There were several roadside giraffes after that as well as ostriches, steenbok, and vervet monkeys.

    We drove through Nata an additional 10kms to Nata Lodge where we set up our tents while Munya prepared lunch. After that we headed for the swimming pool and a lazy early afternoon followed.

    At 4.30 we left for a visit to the Nata Bird Sanctuary . Unfortunately there was no water in the Suwa Pans and the flamingos and pelicans had gone elsewhere. Nevertheless we did see wildebeest in numbers.

    We watched the sunset from the middle of the saltpans and were getting back on the jeeps in the increasing gloom when Sarah noticed her phone was missing. The Jeep was searched and then we had an ‘ostrich parade’ out on the pans as torches began to be used. Just when the search waswas abandoned the phone was found by Nick and we headed back to camp in the dark- very relieved!

    A late dinner followed and a different sort of day ended on a good note.    Read more

  • TravelerOxley in Botswana 4
    Day 7

    Day 7. Planet Baobab & Gweta

    October 3, 2019 in Botswana ⋅ ☀️ 13 °C

    Not in a hurry this morning, so it was a slow start to the morning. Everyone now knows the routine and tents came down, bags packed and the vehicles loaded without any problems.

    After breakfast we drove the short distance into Nata and went shopping in Choppies for water plus. We also filled up with fuel before starting our drive westwards, a road that will eventually take us Maun tomorrow night.

    The countryside was very, very dry and the road deteriorated in patches. About an hour and a half later we turned off and had reached our destination, Planet Baobab.

    We moved into our campsite, tents went up and we were soon in the swimming pool. For lunch we had a traditional meal in the dining room, starting with a hand wash as used our fingers rather than cutlery. On the menu was sadza (a thick maize porridge), native spinach, beans, mapani worms, tripe and shredded beef. Everybody had a go and tried their best.

    After lunch we piled on to three jeeps, driven by Bakos, Super and Chemical, and were taken to a nearby cattlepost. Cattle are not allowed in the village of Gweta and so families set up a base further out in the bush. We explored the compound and talked to some meel players (a local board game).

    From the cattlepost we were taken to the village of Gweta for a slow drive to the spring around which the town developed, and then on passed the school, the library, the hospital and the post office. We were back at Planet Baobab by 4.30 and were soon playing Marco Polo in the pool.    Read more

  • TravelerOxley in Botswana 4
    1
    Day 8

    Day 8. Meerkats, the Makgadikgadi plus

    October 4, 2019 in Botswana ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C

    It was a very early start for all this morning, made even earlier by a dog barking outside our tents. The ‘Oxley, we are on the move call came at 4.45 and by 5.15 all the tents were empty and we breakfasting. By 5.45 we were in the Planet Baobab car park waiting for our jeeps, and we were soon on our way.

    We drove through and southwards out of Gweta and had a bumpy, dusty 1.5 hour drive to a meerkat colony.. This group of 11 (with 2 pregnant females are a couple of babies) had become habituated and were able to walk among them, watching the adults digging for grubs and scorpions while the babies played.

    A light breakfast onsite followed before we drove to, and on to, the vast Ntetwe Pan, part of the Makgadikgadi ( which means very dry in the local language). We were encouraged by Super to walk alone out on to the salt pan and have ‘time-out’ by ourselves in the empty landscape. Many went a longlong way to find solace.

    It was time to turn back but we took a different route, looking for some wildlife in the neighbouring concession. Huge vultures were seen at a waterhole and a breeding herd of 30 elephant at the next. That was followed by a pride of 4 large lions, and then a herd of wildebeests. We were so lucky!

    A dusty bumpy ride back to Planet Baobab followed and we were tired and dirty, but happy and ready for Munya’s lunch. Finally everything was in the vehicles and we drove 3 hours west to Maun.

    We parked in the centre and while Munya and Bheki shopped for the Okavango mokoro safari. We bought water and things we need and then the vehicles headed the 13 kms to Sitatunga Camp. Up went the tents and the volleyball court became popular.

    We had been greeted by Tom and he came back after dinner to give us a “delta” briefing. Plenty of water, muted clothing and a backpack of necessities only. As we were fairly late, everyone was in their tents by 9.45    Read more

  • TravelerOxley in Botswana 4
    Day 9

    Day 9 Into the Okavango

    October 5, 2019 in Botswana ⋅ ⛅ 34 °C

    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

  • TravelerOxley in Botswana 4
    11
    Day 10

    Day 10 On an Okavango Delta island

    October 6, 2019 in Botswana ⋅ ☀️ 34 °C

    Mr K woke the entire camp at 5.00 am and we were soon up . The kettle had been boiled on the fire so we started the day with a hot drink and a rusk. By 5.45 we were down at the mokoros and we were soon ferried the short distance across the channel to start our morning walk.

    Breaking up into the same 4 groups as the previous day we headed off in different directions, led by a guide, with an assistant bringing up the rear. The walk lasted 4 hours in total with frequent stops to observe the wildlife and a mid-walk halt where we sat in the shade on the side of a termite mound.

    Most groups saw the same animals but obviously in different circumstances. Our group came across a herd of 12 giraffe, with a similar number of zebra nearby, as well as impala. Continuing our walk we saw warthog, a Secretary bird, 3 bushbuck, a large herd of buffalo and a herd of wildebeest. In the distance we saw elephants.

    On our return we saw smaller groups of the same animals as the heat of the day began to rise and animals sought cover. Back at camp we were welcomed by one of Munya’s amazing breakfasts.

    For the rest of the day, apart from lunch at 1.00, we either sought shade and read or played loud, noisey games, or dozed: while some did wash/swim in the waterhole or try their hand at poling a mokoro.

    By 5.00 pm we were all aboard our mokoros and were taken by our polers along a nearby watercourse . Round the corner we sat and watched 5 elephants move across in front of us from one bank to the other. There were herons and long-tailed shrike, and water lilies in the wider sections of the channel.

    As the sun neared the horizon we arrived at a large expanse of water inhabited by 8 hippos. We sat, in our mokoros, close to the reeds and watched the hippos sink and resurface, and the sun ball slowly disappear. It was a beautiful setting and a stunning scene.

    In the gathering gloom, we returned to camp where Munya had prepared a great ‘African’ meal. He has certainly done us proud and there has always been ample available.

    After dinner water was sprinkled on the sand around the campfire and the polers gathered for songs and dances, entertaining the group. There were some great acts, the highlights of which were ‘the old man’ dance and the ‘frog dance’. We ended the polers contribution by having a black and white song (polers and Oxleyans mixed),’Beautiful Africa’.

    Oxley decided to sing to the polers and they were entertained by the School Song and the School Hymn, followed by Advance Australia Fair.

    It had been another day of memorable, but exhausting , experiences and it was not difficult to persuade everyone to go to bed.    Read more

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