NEWSLETTER
LITTLE KWARA : BOTSWANA
In November 2010 I had the privilege of visiting the Kwando Game Reserves in Botswana. In the build up to the trip I could feel the nervous excitement growing inside me as this was something completely different to anything I had done before and I had no idea what to expect.
The journey itself consists of three flights - London to Johannesburg, Johannesburg to Maun and then from Maun a short flight straight to the landing strip at your camp...by propeller jet! My trip started in the Central Kalahari at Tau Pan, November is the green season and an excellent time to visit as huge quantities of game are migrating in from the Okavango and I was not disappointed. Within 15 minutes of our first game drive we came across a male lion drinking from a nearby waterhole - welcome to Africa!
Lion were a very dominant feature of my stay at Tau Pan. Our guide told us how they often wander into the camp at night and sleep under the staff quarters...and on my first night this happened...and they started talking to each other...rather loudly. Inconsiderate? Sure. Terrifying? Definitely. Although we were in no danger, their roar vibrating through the room is something I will never forget. The next morning when our guide knocked on the door he had that smile on his face which said "yes, that really happened last night!" and to prove it he showed us the foot prints on the path outside our room.
After Tau Pan I transferred to the Linyanti area in the north to explore the superb Kwando concession which covers 2330 square kms and is run to the very highest standard. I spent 2 nights at Lagoon Camp and had my first experience of going off-road. After about 30 minutes of driving the guideâs radio became frantic with excited voices. "Hold on tight!" shouted our guide. Then off we sped. It was great fun and hugely exciting. The guides know the area so well and expertly led us to the reason for the high speed chase...a pack of wild dogs that had freshly killed an impala. We turned up just in time to see the dogs finish their meal - it took them a total of 5 minutes from start to finish.
After Lagoon we took a game drive over to Lebala, Kwandoâs second camp in the concession and their flagship property. It is a classic tented camp with just 8 tents set close to the waterfront and is renowned for quality of game and the safari experience. The guides are relentless in their quest to offer guests the best game drives and we had excellent sightings of hippo, buffalo, lion and also a rather close encounter with some elephants. Night had just fallen and suddenly we were in the middle of the herd as they crossed the track to drink. Sat there in the dark you feel rather small and vulnerable. They were all around us when one of the adults started to flap her ears and shake her head. We knew this could be serious as a charge seemed inevitable but our guide very calmly backed us to safety. This is the kind of situation when you realise how well trained your guides are...and how thankful you are for that!
The last camp I visited was Little Kwarain the north of the Okavango Delta, which allows for wet/dry safari all year round due to the broad range of habitats found there. It was in Little Kwara that I saw my first cheetah and they took some tracking! It was all worth it though - such a magnificent sight! It was a perfect way to end a truly memorable trip.
The camps themselves are of a high standard - much higher than I was expecting. Again, it's the not knowing which adds to the adventure. Your room, and I will call it a room rather than a tent, is quite luxurious; comfortable beds, running water and en-suite showers all come as standard. There is no electricity but cameras, phones etc can all be re-charged in the office.
The game drives take place first thing in the morning and late afternoon. Now when I say "first thing in the morning" I don't mean 8 o'clock...or even 7 o'clock...your wake-up call is at 5am! Tea and Coffee is then served at 5:30am and you are in the jeep for 6am. The early start is for optimum viewing. In the jeep you have your tour guide and a tracker. Both are very experienced in their work and their knowledge of the wildlife is second to none. There is always an air of excitement when your tracker spots some footprints in the sand and the hunting starts...and when it starts nothing stops them.
You never know what you are going to see when you set out. This is yet again a part of the adventure and something which needs to respected. I was told a story by one of the guides who had a Japanese group with him, and on arrival they presented him with a list of everything they wanted to see...in alphabetical order...and it started with Aardvark...which is possibly one of the rarest sightings. Apparently his face was a picture!
Lion were a very dominant feature of my stay at Tau Pan. Our guide told us how they often wander into the camp at night and sleep under the staff quarters...and on my first night this happened...and they started talking to each other...rather loudly. Inconsiderate? Sure. Terrifying? Definitely. Although we were in no danger, their roar vibrating through the room is something I will never forget. The next morning when our guide knocked on the door he had that smile on his face which said "yes, that really happened last night!" and to prove it he showed us the foot prints on the path outside our room.
After Tau Pan I transferred to the Linyanti area in the north to explore the superb Kwando concession which covers 2330 square kms and is run to the very highest standard. I spent 2 nights at Lagoon Camp and had my first experience of going off-road. After about 30 minutes of driving the guideâs radio became frantic with excited voices. "Hold on tight!" shouted our guide. Then off we sped. It was great fun and hugely exciting. The guides know the area so well and expertly led us to the reason for the high speed chase...a pack of wild dogs that had freshly killed an impala. We turned up just in time to see the dogs finish their meal - it took them a total of 5 minutes from start to finish.
After Lagoon we took a game drive over to Lebala, Kwandoâs second camp in the concession and their flagship property. It is a classic tented camp with just 8 tents set close to the waterfront and is renowned for quality of game and the safari experience. The guides are relentless in their quest to offer guests the best game drives and we had excellent sightings of hippo, buffalo, lion and also a rather close encounter with some elephants. Night had just fallen and suddenly we were in the middle of the herd as they crossed the track to drink. Sat there in the dark you feel rather small and vulnerable. They were all around us when one of the adults started to flap her ears and shake her head. We knew this could be serious as a charge seemed inevitable but our guide very calmly backed us to safety. This is the kind of situation when you realise how well trained your guides are...and how thankful you are for that!
The last camp I visited was Little Kwarain the north of the Okavango Delta, which allows for wet/dry safari all year round due to the broad range of habitats found there. It was in Little Kwara that I saw my first cheetah and they took some tracking! It was all worth it though - such a magnificent sight! It was a perfect way to end a truly memorable trip.
The camps themselves are of a high standard - much higher than I was expecting. Again, it's the not knowing which adds to the adventure. Your room, and I will call it a room rather than a tent, is quite luxurious; comfortable beds, running water and en-suite showers all come as standard. There is no electricity but cameras, phones etc can all be re-charged in the office.
The game drives take place first thing in the morning and late afternoon. Now when I say "first thing in the morning" I don't mean 8 o'clock...or even 7 o'clock...your wake-up call is at 5am! Tea and Coffee is then served at 5:30am and you are in the jeep for 6am. The early start is for optimum viewing. In the jeep you have your tour guide and a tracker. Both are very experienced in their work and their knowledge of the wildlife is second to none. There is always an air of excitement when your tracker spots some footprints in the sand and the hunting starts...and when it starts nothing stops them.
You never know what you are going to see when you set out. This is yet again a part of the adventure and something which needs to respected. I was told a story by one of the guides who had a Japanese group with him, and on arrival they presented him with a list of everything they wanted to see...in alphabetical order...and it started with Aardvark...which is possibly one of the rarest sightings. Apparently his face was a picture!
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