This was the first part of our African adventure with my wonderful mother. Andy and I were excited to share some of our limited Botswana experience and understanding with her, and we were also thrilled to explore Northern Botswana together.

After flying from Gaborone to Maun on an AirBotswana fight, we took a very small 20 minute charter plane into the inner delta. From above you could see a network of water channels, lush vegetation, and a couple of elephants. A fence marked one boundary of the Moremi Game Reserve. This area is one of the untouched natural environments in Northern Botswana only accessible by air.

The Accommodation:
We stayed at a “camp” called Oddballs. Although expensive, it is the more casual and relaxed lodge of a serious of three. We stayed in what is known as a luxury tent. It is equipped with two very comfortable twin beds, white linens, and accompanying bucket shower and flush toilet. Solar power provides hot water.

Many common areas are available overlooking water trails which lead to various islands. There was a look out deck high above the main lounge as well as a lower deck. There were also a couple of shaded sitting areas which provided relief from the hot midday sun.

The Meals:
There was a good mix of African and North American food. Breakfasts consisted of fruit, cereal and yogurt followed by a traditional bush breakfast: eggs, bacon (could be a little crispier), sausage, baked beans and toast (the only item missing was a fried tomato). For lunch we had salad and homemade bread with spaghetti bolognese one day and vegetable quiche the next. For dinners they served soup to start which was delicious. The first night we had ox tail with pap (maize meal) and the second night chicken, potatoes and veggies, both followed by a tasty dessert.

The Activities:
In the early mornings and late afternoons we took a mokoro to visit neighbouring islands. One or two people sit on plastic mobile seats inside the wooden boat while a poler pushes and steers the boat along. At times the poler would have to really shuffle the mokoro through thick reeds and mud as the water level was fairly low. The view from the mokoro is a very unique experience as you are siting at pratically water level and can look down in the water, to the sides at the reeds and the horizon, and then up into passing trees and off into the distance. It is a very calm and peaceful experience. We saw many birds, a frog, and at one point we stood up to watch a hippopotamus. Once we reached land we would do a nature walk around the selected island in a loop following the trails created by animals. We were able to see zebra, impala, warthog, red litchi, and kudu up close. Again we saw several different species of birds. We also spotted elephant and baboons off in the distance.

When the water level decreases even more in another month the islands will become one land mass above water. When the water level is high these same islands become submerged. The water level of the delta depends on the rains in Angola. It takes six months for this water to run down the mountains in Angola and flood the delta. So when it is rainy season in Botswana this rain fall is actually not what is filling the delta.

After returning from our first mokoro trip we were very excited to see that an elephant had decided to visit the camp. There he was, happily eating away at the leaves off trees in between some of the tents. We were happy to watch him in amazement with another couple. But then a large group of tourists returned from their afternoon activity. There were quick to fill the viewing area with their giant zoom lenses. We decided to go to the upper viewing desk to watch the sunset and the elephant drama. From above we were able to witness when the elephant decided to the crowd below. This is when my mother and I decided it was time to go shower. However upon returning to the main lodge afterwards, we accidentally surprised the elephant. Darkness had fallen over the camp but our path was lit up with torches. We had not seen the elephant as there was not a group of photographers surrounding it. The animal charged at us as we startled it. We heard it moving before we could see it. Luckily we moved out of the way towards bushes and it did not come towards us again. We were a little shaken and asked to be escorted back to our tents at bedtime.

Our Guides:
K** has been a poler in the inner delta for 8 years. He grew up in the neighboring village, and so it was easier for him to get his guiding license than a Motswana born in the city. He trained at the Wilderness Centre in Maun. L** has been poling for two years. He is also very knowledgeable about the flora and fauna of the Delta, however he is much quieter than K**. He speaks English well but does not seem as confident in his language skills. Polling itself is a physically demanding job, but speaking in your second language to tourists all day must be mentally exhausting. You can tell that they both enjoy educating others about the natural beauty of their homeland.

Mokoros are made from various hundred year old tress, one of them being the ebony tree. From one tree, one mokoro is made and it takes one and half months to complete the handcrafted project. A mokoro will last approximately four years until the wood will become too dry and will split. The guides at this camp are required to provide their own mokoro. K** made his first mokoro, and purchased his second one, which he is now using for P600 ($100 Canadian). The government is now encouraging the use of fiber glass mokoros in order to protect the environment.

The Hostess:
P** is the hostess at camp. She organizes all the guided activities and guest check-ins and check-outs. She also helps the kitchen staff to ensure meals run smoothly. She handles all the guest inquiries: drink orders, charging batteries, timing of activities etc. P** is very patient with the varying manners, expectations and cultural differences amongst the guests. Her work day is long. She is up at 6 am or earlier to help guest prepare for the morning mokoro trip and then she stays awake until the last guest has gone to bed. After working 42 days straight, she has a week off (this is the same for guides). This is when she travels by plan (the only way to get in and out of the inner delta) to visit her five children aged 4 to 18 who are being cared for by her mother. It is not uncommon for Batswana to work long days and weeks, have larger families, have an elder or other relative look after their children while they earn money for food and other basic necessities.

The Staff:
We met a lot of genuinely kind and hardworking individuals at the lodge. It was apparent that they were trained and experienced in working in the service industry catering to a variety of tourists. Even the service during meal time was different from what we had experienced in other places in Botswana. On example is that they would say “you’re welcome” after being thanked. Batswana culture shows appreciation in different ways, but they do not out right say “thank you” or “you’re welcome” like we do. Many of them live in the village near by. Hunting is no longer allowed in the Okavango Delta, so they need to go to Maun to buy food. The cost of food is high here as it is imported from other parts of Botswana or other countries. Traditional homes in the village are made of clay from termite mounds and they use pop cans inside the walls for structure and insulation. They make sure the cans are well sealed so that mosquitos can not breed there. Thatch is used for roves: long strong staw-like grass is thickly layered.

As a foreign tourist, it was hard to accept the dichotomy between our lives at the same lodge. Conversations continue between us around themes of tourism, living conditions, social challenges, environment, fair-trade, health care, education, developing nations, and living abroad. All I can say for now is that we are, and will forever be, very appreciative that these Batswana welcomed us into their natural environment. We are thankful for their hard work and skills that allowed us to continue to learn about Botswana.

The photos Andy took will tell the story better.
And see Andy’s post about our experience as well.