Africa’s open spaces reveal sublime beauty
A breathtaking land where wildebeests and other wild beasts roam
Mesmerized by its huge brown eyes, I was instinctively aware that when it comes to a staring contest, you should always let the lion win.
We came upon “Leo” much quicker than I had anticipated. It was my favourite time of day: late afternoon, when the sun reaches a certain angle and, for a moment, everything turns a calm, golden hue.
In Botswana’s Kalahari Desert, a vast plain home to the second largest game reserve in the world, the golden hour filter is even richer, thanks to the rust-toned sand and uninterrupted horizon.
Here, after years of dreaming this moment, I found myself staring at, and in the stare of, a blackmaned lion.
I felt a little unprepared. After all, I had only just arrived at the Central Kalahari Plains Camp an hour before, and we were a few hundred metres from camp.
Leo was lying just metres from our vehicle, resting in the shade of an acacia tree, where the 40 C heat was finally starting to ease.
I exhaled, realizing that I’d been holding my breath since Leo had first come into view.
After a couple of minutes, I looked over at my guide, Mwamo, and whispered, “It’s is my first lion!”
As if on cue, the lion let out a deep grunt, and just as quickly, a response echoed back.
Another lion, padding along the road toward us, his huge paws leaving perfect imprints in the desert sand. This was my first stop on a weeklong, three-part safari adventure.
The following days in the Kala- hari proved just as dramatic: Giraffes in the morning light near the water hole, their impossibly long necks reflecting in the pool; lionesses resting in the sun, dried blood from last night’s hunt still on their paws; glimpses of the beautiful oryx, with his unique markings and imposing antlers.
The next afternoon brought the much anticipated and awaited “pula.” While “pula” literally translates to “rain” in Setswana, one of Botswana’s major languages, it is also symbolic of prosperity, given how important water is to the livelihood of the nation.
“Pula” is so highly treasured, it is also the name of the official currency. Some parts of Botswana only see a few inches per year, so “pula” is prized.
Once the showers passed, that afternoon’s game drive provided extra excitement. The skies were alive with swirling clouds, and faraway curtains of rain and lightning danced across the landscape.
Sunshine greeted the morning sky, and flying up and away on a Wilderness Air bush plane, we headed north to the Okavango Delta.
The change in landscape from the Kalahari to the Okavango is dramatic. The vegetation is thicker, water is more accessible, and palm trees reach for the sky next to giant termite mounds reminiscent of a Gaudiesque pillar.
The Okavango Delta attracts some of the highest concentrations of wildlife anywhere on the continent. This is the result of its seasonal flooding, which makes it one of Africa’s seven natural wonders.
The camp at Chitabe Lediba captures everything you dream about for an Africa getaway. The private guest tents, raised and accessed via a wooden boardwalk, have all the comforts of home, complete with framed artwork, dramatic (and useful) mosquito netting, a full bathroom, and even the choice of an indoor or outdoor shower.
“There’s been an elephant hanging around here,” said one of the managers nonchalantly during my orientation. “If he’s blocking the way to your tent, just wait for him to move along … and be careful if you shower outside, he loves dipping his trunk in the water.”
Mornings start early at camp, but as Ernest Hemingway once said, “I never knew of a morning in Africa when I woke up and was not happy.” Alarm clocks aren’t required, as my guide cheerfully called from outside my tent at 5 a.m.
I’d get up without hesitation (the coffee was always ready), a new day of adventures awaiting outside my screened door. As I made my way to breakfast, the sun was just starting to rise, the birds and animals creating a symphony of sound.
The Okavango Delta bursts with life. It’s as if Noah’s Ark washed up in the Delta millennia ago, animals marching two-by-two, and today carrying on in multiples.
There was what we dubbed the “daycare” — four lionesses with more than a dozen cubs in their charge. One morning, we parked near a watering hole that had more than fifteen hippos, suspiciously eyeing our presence. For two days straight, five o’clock happy hour took on a whole new meaning, as a herd of 20 elephants made its way to the water to bathe, the smallest ones treading water that only came up to their mothers’ knees.
Abundant water and grazing opportunities bring together antelope, giraffes, zebras, hippos and elephants (oh my!), all sharing one seemingly tranquil space.
Flying further north into the Okavango Delta brought me to Vumbura Plains, one of Wilderness Safaris’ premier camps. Serene and peaceful, Vumbura’s spacious tents are ultra-modern in design, with sweeping views of the plain, and include a deck, and a private plunge pool.
Dinner time offers the opportunity to try African game or stick with North American favourites, served family style by candlelight. It is a time to share the adventures of the day.
Daily tea service includes innovative canapés and sweets that would rival any world-class city.
In Vumbura, permanent and seasonal waterways create opportunities for boating, through some of the Delta’s narrow, papyrus-lined channels, among yawning hippos. Animals abound, thanks to the nourishment the Delta provides.
Outside my tent, in the marshy mud, were animal prints of every size, from small nocturnal critters to elephant potholes. I couldn’t help but wonder who wandered by as I slept peacefully.
Years ago, when I first had the opportunity to travel to Africa, I distinctly remember a stranger telling me, “Africa will get into your soul, and you’ll always come back.” I was dubious. Years later, as I lifted off from camp, I remembered those words and silently nodded in agreement.