MAUN, BOTSWANA AND LITTLE VUMBURA

May 2, 2019

The title of this post should be Vans, Planes, More Planes, Toyota Landcruiser and Aluminum Boats - because that was our travel day today. Our guide picked us up at 8:15AM and took us to the Johannesburg Airport for our 11:30AM flight. The first flight was on an ATR 72, a large twin engine turboprop airplane that held....well...72 passengers! Our first leg was supposed to be a direct flight to Maun, Botswana, but the airlines decided to add in a first stop in Gaborone - the capital of Botswana. We finally arrived in Maun 2 hours late for our connecting flight via 10 passenger Cessna Caravan flown by “Michaela” from South Africa. She deftly took us to our final destination of Vumbura landing on a gravel airstrip where we were greeted by our next guides “Sam” and “Benjamin” for the 45 minute trek via open land rover to the boat launch where we took our final leg via aluminum boat to the small island where our camp “Little Vumbura” is located in the heart of the Okavango Delta. Well we got off to an amazing introduction to Botswana because along the way to camp we saw a giant bull elephant, a family (called a “troupe”) of baboons including these incredibly cute and playful baby baboons that entertained us, waterbok, impalas, a family of warthogs (Pumba!), and last but not least a herd of hippos in the water with only their ears, eyes and nostrils above water as they watched us drive by. About half way to camp Sam pulled over and whipped out appetizers and cold drinks called “sundowners” so we sipped on wine and gin and tonics gazing over the setting sun in the bush. Surreal. The scent of wild sage is overwhelming but intoxicating and is everywhere. That evening we were escorted to our “tents” which are like yurts and very much not roughing it. We have an enormous king bed, living area, deck, shower with views of the delta and complete privacy from the other guests. We gathered around an outdoor fire pit with our cocktails and were served appetizers again, followed by a delicious dinner by the light of only kerosene lanterns. We retired early because our first game drive is at 6AM tomorrow morning! We are not allowed to take ourselves to our tents before daylight or after dark because we are truly in the wild, there are no gates or fences keeping the wildlife out. Anything could be lurking out there! What a great first day!