Moremi Game Reserve, Botswana

A practical stop in the bustling outpost of Maun before returning to the wild wetlands of Moremi. Spectacular thunderstorms signaled the end of the dry season but we snuck into these wildlife-rich wetlands before the roads became completely waterlogged.

With just two big predators left on our wish list after Namibia, we dared not hope to be so lucky. However, resting under a tree with a belly so full the usually lean body was bulging out of shape, we spotted magnificent cheetah.

Lion tracks and hippo poo made it clear that our campsite was as wild as it gets, but Third Bridge was also familiar. The camp's faded old toilet blocks had been built by an Operation Raleigh team many years ago. Amongst them, a dread-locked 19 year old Sam.


Sam reminisced around the fire as hyenas whooped and enormous bugs buzzed. The lions that had growled in the night eluded us next morning and the day's wildlife spotting began slowly. Nevermind, we paused to be dazzled by Botswana's national bird, the lilac-breasted roller.

But, just as we were a little lost in damp woodland, we stumbled upon twenty wild African dogs. As our jaws dropped the pack scrapped, scratched and lapped at a puddle a few metres ahead of our landrover. They then prowled passed us and disappeared.

More rain fell and we slogged northward out of the mire, testing our newfound 4x4 skills. As we continued our own self-drive safari, we entertained the idea of becoming field biologists in the African wilderness.

Happy Hippos (video clip)

Our favourite sound of the African bush.

More Lake Than Puddle (video clip)

Deep in the Moremi wetlands we follow fellow landy-drivers to get through mud and high water.

Okavango Delta, Botswana

We crept into the Okavango Delta through backwaters where locals are more familiar with cattle-ranching than tourists. Mark, a friendly Brit expat, took us under his wing and set us up with two guys and a mokoro.

James and John eased us through the network of narrow waterways in our dug-out canoes, though they turned out to be more than just polers.

They drilled us in the 444 species of birds in the delta and showed us wildlife both big and small, from wallowing elephants to tiny frogs lurking amongst the reeds.


We were regaled with stories from their experiences working at $1,000-a-night lodges in the delta. Fortunately they were still happy to keep us scruffy backpackers safe as we bush-camped alarmingly close to a lion kill. A domestic cow might be easy pickings for the biggest of cats, but we preferred to feast on the fish we'd just caught from the local hippo pool.


We loved our time in the Okavango and the many insights we gained from our two great guides.

Tsodilo Hills, Botswana

Skirting through the Caprivi Strip and into Botswana, we camped at the sacred Tsodilo Hills, home to ancient Bushman cave paintings. Using a mixture of blood and ochre, the holy shaman would depict both animals and humans as they entered into spiritual trances.

The 500 metre high hills are also the highest point in a pancake flat country of wild bundu.

Etosha National Park, Namibia

Etosha is a vast game reserve dominated by a 5,000 sq km salt pan . The landscape is of thick mopane brush and the wildlife here is notoriously hard to spot. But we were in luck....


Early November is the driest time of year and all life congregates around the waterholes. We only had to drive up to one of the several muddy ponds and be patient.

We'd happily sit and watch the procession of buck at a busy waterhole - langourous giraffe, gamine impala, elegant kudu. Let alone zebra, wildebeest, springbok, red hartebeest... As we ticked off our checklist, the inner nerd came bursting through and Sam officially became a wildlife enthusiast.


However, only by slowly driving around with sharp eyes did we spot a lioness skulking in the long grass.

Of course, not all creatures are blessed with such power and grace.

As the day cooled from its 40 degree heat, we walked from camp to the nearby Halali waterhole. With its all-night floodlights, it provided such an evening spectacle that we found we could do without sleep. Out came the hyenas, honey badgers, a leopard and our favourites, the family of rhino.