Wow, where do I even start? I can only describe my recent trip with Hideaways in one word: WOW! From stepping foot in Botswana to leaving Mana Pools in Zimbabwe, every moment was unforgettable. Let’s dive into my trip!
Day 1-4: Hideaways Mogotlho Safari Lodge
Day 1: Arrival and Big Welcome
My journey began with a flight from South Africa to Maun Airport, where my Mogotlho guide, Dima, was there to greet me. The transfer to the camp was more than just a transfer; it was a game drive. Upon arrival, I was welcomed with a refreshing towel and a welcome drink and briefed on all the essentials for my stay at Mogotlho Safari Lodge.
That afternoon, Dima and I went on a game drive, and what a welcome to Mogotlho! We encountered a fresh elephant kill with two male lions and four females feeding just 10 meters away from our vehicle. We watched for quite a while before heading back to camp, where we crossed paths with a massive herd of elephants framed by a stunning sunset making for a perfect ending to my first day.
Day 2: Lions, Hyenas, and a Leopard Chase
Day two began with an early start and a lion sighting that was nothing short of spectacular. We first spotted the Mogotlho Pride’s females camouflaged in the bushes just a few minutes from Mogotlho. The pride we saw the evening before was invading the Mogotlho pride’s territory. By the time we got back to the kill, the Mogotlho males had already shown dominance over the rival pride and chased them off. After they had enjoyed their share of the elephant, it wasn’t long before a pack of hyenas came to feed on the elephant’s remains.
We then made our way back and after a relaxing brunch at camp, I joined a women’s tea to learn about Botswana’s vibrant culture. That afternoon we went on a second game drive with a sighting of wild dogs and five adorable pups! We spent some good time there watching the pups play, while the adults rested. It was relatively soon after that the adults started waking up, where I got to witness the most interesting interaction between the dogs as they bonded with each other before going on a hunt.
Just when I thought the day couldn’t get better, the day ended with a sundowner and an expertly guided leopard sighting with Dima. Let me paint a picture for you. Just when we thought we were heading back to camp, the radio crackled to life. Dima was quick to respond and in no time had us doubling back with a sense of urgency. “They’ve seen a leopard,” he said in response to my puzzled look. Within moments, with Dima’s quick maneuvering and use of his flashlight, we caught a glimpse of the leopard just as it slipped through the bushes. Dima circled around and there it was—a leopard. Calmly resting a short distance away from our vehicle, granting us a private and unspoiled view. The whole encounter was incredibly exciting and made for an unforgettable end to my day.
Day 3: Wild Dogs and Mokoro Magic
My final day began with a mokoro excursion, which in my opinion, is a bird lover’s paradise. On our way out, we saw some leopard and lion tracks and decided to go on a bit of a hunt before heading to our Mokoro excursion. Unfortunately, after much searching, we couldn’t find them and decided to make our way. But then, all of a sudden, there were two wild dogs right in front of us on the road blocking our path! Needless to say, this was a welcomed delay. They soon scurried off into the bush where we spotted two more. We then continued our drive to get to our mokoro.
Afterward, we floated peacefully along one of the Delta’s fingers on our mokoro. Here we spotted pied kingfishers, malachite kingfishers, storks, and a fish eagle. After our mokoro, we went on a slow game drive back to camp through Khwai concession.
We stopped for a bush lunch with two starlings dining with us and an impressive view of elephants in the river in front of us. We had noticed two bulls about 500 meters behind the rest of the herd heading towards the water and decided to wait for them to join the herd. By this point, we had finished our lunch and driven closer to the river. The one bull had made it to the river, and lagging behind was the other. The next thing we knew he was standing just a meter or two away from the side of the vehicle. He flapped his ears, and Dima calmly switched on the vehicle and slowly drove away.
Day 4-6: Hideaways Camp Kuzuma
My stay at Mogotlho came to an end after an early breakfast and a transfer to the Khwai airstrip. A charter plane transferred me to Kasane Airport, where I was picked up and driven to Mowana Safari Lodge for lunch and a Chobe River Cruise. The close-up encounters with waterbuck, hippos, buffalo, and a herd of elephants were breathtaking.
I was then transferred to Camp Kuzuma, where Adele and Meshi greeted me with warm smiles and warm cloths. The main area, overlooking the waterhole, had elephants drinking before dinner—a perfect backdrop for my sundowner and my three-course meal.
Day 5: A relaxed day of armchair game viewing
Day 5 started with the rhythmic sound of drums as my wake-up call. I joined LT and two American travelers for a sunrise game drive in search of lions. Instead, we encountered roan antelope, zebras, and baboons, and enjoyed bush coffee with views of the stunning landscape. The rest of my day included relaxing armchair game viewing, traditional amagwinya (vetkoek), which is a local dough baked good, at high tea, and a fantastic evening drive where we celebrated two guests’ 40th birthdays with a sunset photo session and a traditional dinner.
My Botswana journey came to an end with a relaxing morning massage at the Ah-Marula Spa before heading to the Pandamatenga border for my stay at my next Lodge, Nantwich Lodge in Zimbabwe…
Read Part 2 here, where I dive into the next leg of this incredible journey!
