We are at the Boteti River Camp near Khumaga, the Western gate of the Makgadigadi National Park and along the Boteti River in Botswana.

Today afternoon is dedicated to exploring the Makgadikgadi Pans area along the Boteti river, we could have done a self drive, but we preferred to go on safari with a guide.

Honestly we made the right choice, with the fact that this year there is a drought, the Boteti river is practically reduced to a few puddles of water and for the rest it is dry and sandy; the ferry, that usually allows you to reach the gate on the opposite bank, is stopped, abandoned on a sand bank.

To reach the gate you have to go down to the river bed and go up the opposite shore, the sand is so much and we already imagine the scene of us covered up with our Dr. Livingstone, alternatively we could have got stuck in the river bed while we forded the little water left, in short, we have a lot of confidence in our capabilities and in the potential of our car!

The entrance is a few hundred meters from our campsite, in a moment we arrive; while our guide goes to pay the entrance fee, we try to socialize with the others who are off-road with us but they do not seem very inclined, patience, we did it only out of courtesy.

What a thrill to enter the Makgadikgadi Pans National Park! We have already visited the Makgadikgadi Pans complexin the past, we have been to Kubu Island on the Sua Pan and at the Nxai Pan National Park but never here, so we are happy.

We go! Shortly after we see the campsite that is inside the park, but there seems to be no one, it is true that everyone will be on safari at this time; we continue and we cross an area of ​​arid and shrubby savannah, the track is very sandy, it is not easy to drive here, luckily we have not come by Dr. Livingstone.

The trail then reaches the Boteti River and here the show begins!

Makgadikgadi Pans National Park

The Boteti Rive rhas very little water, there are small and large ponds and some areas of sand, others of mud and others still green where a bit of vegetation grows; the view from the river bank, that is at a higher position, is spectacular.

But what is even more spectacular is the amount of zebras that are found near the ponds of water or where the vegetation is; they are many, wherever you look there are zebras that drink, that eat, that walk or run raising the sand, that struggle and that cross from one side to the other of Boteti.

There are also a few wildebeests, but they are marginal in number compared to the zebras; there are also two beautiful and gigantic male elephants that walk in the sand, each of them goes to a different pond and begins to drink first and then bathes in water and mud.

We stop at a lookout point and get out of the car, how wonderful there are animals everywhere; the perspective changes with every bend in the river but it is always a show.

The zebras, in this part of Africa, make a migration among the Chobe National Park, the Savuti, the Nxai Pan National Park and the Makgadikgadi Pans in Botswana, moreover the zebras from Namibia also seem to come here from the Khaudum National Park.

Here, in addition to finding water, there are not many predators, so it is the perfect place to spend the driest months.

This year there is drought because it rained very little both in Botswana and on the Angola plateau that feeds the rivers that subsequently descend to Botswana and Namibia; if, before the rainy season begins in December, the river should dry up they pump water so that these animals can survive.

We knew that the Boteti river was a small Eden in this period but we did not expect such a marvel, while the rest of the park is completely dry and sandy.

Makgadikgadi Pans National Park

We drive along the entire river, some stretches at the top of the sandy shore, others instead at the level of the river bed, where we also see some giraffes hidden among the plants; at some point we arrive where there is a large bend and we stop at the top of the bank and get out of the car.

We are waiting for the sunset having a drink, below us in the bed of the Boteti River there are lots of animals and many others, especially zebras, are coming, lifting the sand with their hooves.

Not far from us there are some trees and on one of these there are some white backed vultures, they all look towards the river, for the law of large numbers, somewhere there is their dinner.

On another tree there is instead a beautiful pearl-spotted owlet, this owlet has a peculiarity: its plumage behind the head simulates two large eyes, this is a form of defense from predators that, mistaking them for true eyes, they tend to think that the owlet is much bigger than it actually is and this can dissuade them from attacking it.

The sun sets, we finish our drinks and then go back into the car, we are far from the gate and we have to leave by 6:30pm; our guide must proceed at a sustained speed otherwise we will never make it on time; in the end we arrive at 6.25 pm, just in time!

We just have to wade through what remains of the Boteti River and return to our camp and light the fire for our braai.

We really enjoyed this safari, even though we didn't see any cats, that are not very present here; the views are spectacular and seeing so many herbivores has been a wonderful sight.

Makgadikgadi Pans National Park

Data di inserimento: 
Sunday, November 10, 2019