Okavango Delta and Victoria falls, trip report
“A pack of Wild Dogs tearing apart a Kudu in the middle of a waterhole. What a sighting!”
Travel Agency: Askja Reizen
Location: Mapula Lodge
Area: Okavango Delta, Botswana
Distance: 45-minute flight from the Savuti region
Dates: July
Temperature: 35°C during the day // 10°C at night
Day 5: Flight from Savuti Region to Okavango Delta, Botswana
After a 45-minute flight, we landed around 3:00 PM at the Mapula Lodge airstrip. We had just gotten into our Jeep when our guide, Mozilla, told us that there were three male lions resting next to the airstrip. Within a couple of minutes, we arrived at the lions. What a way to start our stay in the Okavango Delta! After half an hour, we continued to the end of the airstrip, where motorboats were waiting to take us to Mapula Lodge. Here, too, the local camp staff welcomed us warmly. After a quick refresh and a delicious lunch, our guide Mozilla suggested that we go see the lions again. After a twenty-minute boat ride, during which we encountered some Bee-eaters, and a five-minute drive in the Jeep, we saw our three lions again. However, the kings of the African bushveld were not very active, so we continued our journey after a while. After a bumpy ride, we arrived at an open area teeming with vultures. It quickly became clear why; a little further away lay the carcass of a baby elephant. We waited for a while, hoping to see some action from the vultures or possibly hyenas, but very little happened. Mozilla suggested it was time to return to camp. On the way, we spotted some ostriches that shone in the light of the setting sun. In the evening, we enjoyed a delicious dinner.
Day 6: Mapula Lodge, Okavango Delta, Botswana
After a good night’s sleep and a hearty breakfast, we decided to explore the area. The term ‘area’ is not an exaggeration; Mapula Lodge is located in a private concession of about 40 by 40 kilometers, which means 1600 km2 just for us! However, in such a vast expanse, spotting wildlife proved to be quite a challenge. We drove through an area that was partially submerged in water. Mozilla turned out to be a true adventurer; we drove through rivers with water several meters deep, which came up to our ankles inside the Jeep. Impressive! After about an hour of driving, we arrived at an open area where we encountered some zebras, a baby giraffe with its mother, and a Tsessebe. On the way back to camp, we passed a herd of elephants wading through the water.
After enjoying a delicious lunch, we opted for a boat safari through the delta in the afternoon. Apart from the vastness of the delta, this trip was somewhat disappointing. Aside from a few cormorants, a malachite kingfisher, some hippos, and many beautiful water lilies, there wasn’t much to see on this trip. Somewhat disappointed, we returned to camp, where a delicious dinner made up for it.
Day 7: Mapula Lodge, Okavango Delta, Botswana
With great enthusiasm, we started our third day at Mapula Lodge. I suggested to Mozilla that we drive to the Buffalo Fence, an area we hadn’t visited yet, and where our information indicated a lot of wildlife. It became a trip that got a bit tedious after a while. Not only did we hardly see any wildlife, but we also got stuck in a water hole made by elephants, which caused an hour’s delay. After touring around for a long time and seeing nothing, we returned to camp in frustration. It was time to pack up and prepare for our flight to Kasane. After a short lunch, we drove back to the airstrip for our two-hour flight to Kasane. From Kasane, it was a one-and-a-half-hour drive to Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe. We arrived tired but satisfied in the evening at Lokuthula Lodges, a part of the Victoria Falls Safari Lodge.
Location: Lokuthula Lodges
Area: Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
Distance: 2-hour flight from Mapula Lodge & 1-hour drive from Kasane
Dates: July
Temperature: 35°C during the day // 18°C at night
Day 9: Lokuthula Lodges, Vic Falls, Zimbabwe
After a delicious and extensive breakfast, we set out in the morning to visit the town of Vic Falls to see the famous Victoria Falls. After a beautiful walk in Vic Falls Park, we finally got to see the magnificent waterfalls. Fortunately, we had brought plastic bags to protect our camera equipment from the heavy mist at some viewpoints near the falls. The flow of the Zambezi River wasn’t at its peak, allowing us to take some beautiful photos of the falls. After a quick lunch in Vic Falls Park, we decided to watch the bungee jumpers on the famous Vic Falls Bridge spanning the Zambezi River. In the afternoon, we returned to our lodge, where we dined in the renowned Boma restaurant, which serves only local specialties. After tasting Kudu, Guinea Fowl, and Impala, we went to bed satisfied.
Day 10: Lokuthula Lodges, Vic Falls, Zimbabwe
On the last day of our trip, we decided to visit Vic Falls in the morning and then relax by the pool at our lodge in the afternoon, starting the process of selecting the photos we had taken during our trip. In the evening, we chose to dine in the delightful restaurant at the neighboring Victoria Falls Safari Lodge. Highly recommended!
Day 11: Departure to Johannesburg and Flight Back to Amsterdam
The final day of our stay in Zimbabwe and the day of our return to Europe. After a tasty breakfast, we headed to Vic Falls Airport to catch a midday flight to Johannesburg. We landed in Johannesburg at 4:00 PM, where we had a seven-hour wait before departing for Schiphol.
