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Rachael Wood, 34
Botswana Okavango Wildlife and Community Programme
 Botswana Okavango Wildlife Programme
There's a part of me that doesn't want to share my experiences…..the part that wants to keep Botswana a secret. I have travelled to many destinations with a passionate aim to get off the beaten track and away from other tourists. There are very few places left in the world that are unspoilt by tourism and retain that complete ‘wilderness feel'. But in Botswana at last I discovered it.
The highlight of my adventure was in being one of the very first volunteers to enter into the Botswana wilderness. I feel humbled to have been part of the first group to participate in a programme to help preserve the precious ecosystems of the mighty Okavango River system. This is a first for the Okavango region.
Arriving in Maun, the stresses of my leaving home (and quitting my job) disappear as I land in Africa again. I feel relaxed and happy as I get to see my first images of Botswana - a strange mix of dirt roads, 4WD Land Cruisers and donkeys. We head up to camp with a truck full of supplies for the month and I have no idea what to expect, which I start to learn is a good thing. On route I gain an idea of the scale of the wide-open spaces as we pass through very few villages, just miles upon miles of wilderness. Arriving at camp the view takes my breath away and this is to be my home for the next 4 weeks…..my first sight of the sweeping Okavango River. The Okavango Delta has always held a mystical appeal for me - how can this enormous river that flows through 3 countries just stop and disappear into the Kalahari Desert?
Every day is clear blue skies and a new adventure. We cruise up and down the crystal clear river in a speed boat spotting the local crocs, hippos and amazing birdlife, watch the sun go down everyday in a magical sunset, catch fish for dinner, game drives in Mohembo across the border in Namibia, play with the local children in the village, chop wood for the evenings campfire and playing numerous games of darts. But it is the weekly excursions that are the highlight for me - I have discovered that side of me that is most happy camping under the stars of the African night sky and getting back to basics, no showers, sleeping out in the open and cooking by camp fire.
The island camping trips are amazing as is the mokoro trip. I have never felt so relaxed as we glide through reeds and water lilies of the many channels of the delta, in a traditional canoe. Camping gear and supplies follow in another mokoro as we pitch up on an island to camp for the night with just the sounds of the African nature song. At night falling asleep under the stars is a magical experience drifting off with the sounds of hippos, hyenas and crickets in the distance.
I don't want to give too much away but the best bit was the trip to Tsodilo Hills, left until last for a reason. After 3 weeks I started to think that Botswana was completely flat but randomly 50km from camp is the UNESCO World Heritage Site of 3 hills rising from the flat, barren landscape. This is an ancient site, home to the San Bushman tribes dating back some 30,000 years. This spiritual place had a wonderful air of mystery around it and one of the best places I have ever seen a sunset. To find out more well… you will just have to go on this project and experience it for yourself!
I have come away with an appreciation and well-rounded knowledge of the Okavango Delta and Botswana. It's an incredibly safe country, economically and politically stable, with peaceful and friendly people. But for me it's the wilderness and the complete lack of development that makes this country very special. |
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If you are looking for a programme to get away from it all and get back to basics giving you the time and space to think, then without doubt it's an incredible 4 weeks. My advice - prepare for the unexpected, have an open mind, go with the flow (take a head-torch) and the Okavango Delta will reward you with an experience of a lifetime.
Botswana Okavango River Wildlife and Community Programme
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