It was “rise & shine!” at 5 a.m. the next morning for our pre-dawn departure. Not wanting to awaken the slumbering tent-campers, Simon switched- off the van’s headlights & slowly inched toward the exit gate in darkness. Our itinerary called for a long drive along the edge of the desolate Kalahari desert to reach our mid-afternoon destination, so an extra early start was necessary. The kitchen staff had thoughtfully packed us a simple box- breakfast which we were thankful to have, as several hours on the road passed before coming to a restaurant.
We eventually reached the ‘Serowe pan’, an area that had been used for trophy hunting until a group of visionary conservationists raised enough funds about 20 years ago to re-purpose it into a sanctuary for white rhinos. The Khama sanctuary is not only good habitat for rhinos but for many other animals as well, including zebra, wildebeest , giraffe, ostrich and the ubiquitous antelopes. Not coincidentally, this reserve is situated quite near to the Botswana Defence Force which provides around- the- clock protection against poachers…which probably accounts for the abundance of animals still thriving in this harsh environment.
Upon arrival to Khama, we transferred into an open-air vehicle and made a 2 hour loop on the dirt pathways within the sanctuary…stopping often to observe animals going about their business- grazing, resting or just sauntering along. The water hole, or what was left of it, offered the best observation point , as the sanctuary residents must frequent this indispensable oasis to survive in this desert. When a large flock of white-faced vultures descended near-by, we took it as a sign to “keep moving” and tried our luck elsewhere!
Not surprisingly, rhinos were not hard to find in the reserve and a few of these behemoths ambled fairly close to our vehicle, including one mother & her calf. We were relieved to see that the rhinos’ horns had been left intact at Khama and not filed down, as is done in many other places to discourage poaching. At least for few precious hours there, we didn’t have to worry about their safety!
The tank-like rhinos are impressive for sure and are an important species by virtue of their rarity, but the dazzling patterns “of every stripe” adorning the zebras captured my attention just as much. An honorable mention must also go to the formidable-looking ostriches as well. It’s not hard to believe that these big birds evolved from the dinosaurs! And do I dare admit that I think the much “dissed” warthogs are kinda cute in their own way? As for the wildebeest…perhaps their own mothers think they are pretty adorable, too!
It was nearly dusk when we checked into the Kwa Nokeng Lodge located adjacent to the Botswana-South Africa border. Sadly, this would be the last night of our tour…but any expression of sentimental thoughts was eclipsed by the presence of an unexpected guest at the dinner table. James Brackenbury , a young, free-lance writer from England, was at the lodge awaiting the dubious arrival of his hiking partner. It seems that the two of them had set-off from England together with the intent to back-pack across Botswana– quite an ambitious (foolhardy?) idea! They soon discovered that they were looking for thrills in all the wrong places. During their first night out, they were kept awake by lions ‘huffing’ near to their sleeping hammocks …which was unnerving to say the least! To finance this quixotic plan, they had agreed to carry several pounds of coffee in their packs to distribute (to?) as a promotion of sorts. The bulky coffee not only displaced needed gear, but the extra weight caused James to fracture a bone in his foot early on , forcing him to abandon the trek….leaving his buddy alone to fend off the mosquitoes (or worse) . James hoped that there was a publishable story in this misadventure somewhere- he just didn’t have a clue how it would end! We had to leave him there at the lodge after breakfast the next day to figure it out.
On the other hand, I know how this story ended- with a long ride back to the Safari Club Hotel in Johannesburg and then a longer plane ride back home to Portland.
THANK YOU for joining me on this truly special safari . You’ve been great company…so let’s do it again sometime!
Happy Travels to All!!
-D.
Dab's Travelogue 