As we arrived at our last camp, Xugana Island Lodge, I could not believe that we were nearing the end of our trip. Time flew by! Xugana Island lodge is a beautifully located lodge, right in the middle of the Okavango Delta. The only way you can get to the lodge is by boat, as it is situated perfectlyon an island.
We hopped off the plane and were greeted by our guides who led us to the boat that was going to take us to our final resting place. As we zig-zagged through the papyrus plants that lined the water, I became lost in the beauty of Botswana. Botswana is one of the purest places I have been to. The people are so proud of their home country, the land is well preserved, the animals protected. We glided into camp just in time for lunch (I swear I ate better on this trip than I ever have before)! Our afternoon activity was a makoro ride. The Makoro is a type of canoe that is used along the Delta. They are traditionally made by digging out the trunk of a large tree. They are propelled by "polling" through the water.
As we made our way through the delta on the Markoro, the air was filled with croaking. I asked my guide to point out a frog, as I could not find any. All of a sudden he stopped and pointed to a reed that was maybe 20 feet away. The tiniest frog that I have ever seen was resting on th reed, camouflaged. I have absolutely no idea how our guide spotted the frog, it was amazing.
We went back to camp after our Makoro ride and turned in for the night, excited about the day ahead. Little did we know, the next day was going to be filled with excitement. We started our morning off with a walking safari. A couple we had met at the previous camp traveled with us to Xugana, and they were questioning the safety of the walking safari. Our guide assured us we would not see any predators, and he was correct - for the most part. The walking tour lasted around two hours, covering quite some ground. We saw giraffes, an elephant, and many antelope. As we were ending the walking tour our guide received a message over the radio. There were eight Lions on the runway. Our guide rushed us into the boat as we took off for the runway. When we made it, the two people who manage the runway said they ran off in a different direction, but that they were still close. We took off on foot, as there are no safari cars at this lodge (remember, it is an island)! My heart was racing - we were on foot trying to find EIGHT lions. Our guide spotted them about a quarter of a mile ahead of us. The two guys who manage the runway have a small pickup truck that they use. Our guide ushered all six of us into the back of the pick up truck, as he quickly drove towards the lions. We were flying through the brush, bump after bump. I was thinking to myself, this is what Africa is all about. We got to the spot where the lions were and we were speechless. Eight female lions (with their cubs) were casually strolling through the grass.
After the morning we had, I was ready to take a breather. Nope! My dad and I decided to go fishing. My dad (who is a vegan) did not catch one fish. He blamed it on the fact that he was vegan and the fish knew he wouldn't eat them anyways. Me on the other hand, was a fish catching machine! Well, not really, but I caught a few.
For our afternoon excursion, we decided to go on a river safari. This was similar to the one we did at the last camp, but way more hippo's and a much more epic sunset!
I cannot begin to explain how thankful I am for this trip to Africa. We covered so much territory, so some amazing views, paddled some epic whitewater and overall had a wonderful time. Thank you Adventure Life!
The trip was not only memorable for the amount of animals we saw but also for the people and accommodations at the two camps where we stayed. Our first guide, BK, was a wealth of information about the animals, landscape and down to the plants and what they were used for. Everyday out was a learning experience with him. All the people at the camps were gracious and the food was excellent.
Our second camp in the Okavanga was just as good as the first as far as the staff, accommodations, food and animals. After our experience at the first camp we amazed that the high quality remained the same. Our guide, G, made sure we were able to enjoy every experience including a rush through the bush to witness a cheetah and an ensuing hunt that he heard over his radio.
In both camps there were enough guides out that if they saw something the other guides were informed which helped in seeing as much as possible. It was also nice that the concessions were large enough that we did not have vehicles following each other throughout the day.
Normally there is always something in a trip of this length that we think could be improved upon but this is the rare case where we cannot think of anything. From the time we left the States to when we returned it was one of the most hassle free vacations we took.
Perhaps emphasizing the use of the laundry facilities at the camps would be useful because of the luggage restrictions would be the only thing I can think of as an improvement to future clients.
Kenneth Dropek
1 day ago
Mary was so pleasant and professional. She made sure all of our questions were answered.