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Namibia on the road - Photo Credits: Romina Facchi
Tonight we slept near the Mahango Reserve, that is on the border between Namibia and Botswana, yesterday we visited the reserve and although it is small we loved it, especially the Eastern path leading along the Okavango River.
This morning we leave soon, here in the Caprivi Strip in the winter months there is the same time as in Botswana, while in the rest of Namibia it is an hour behind, so we wake up as always at 6.00 am, but it's as if it is 5.00 am in Namibia; better, so today, traveling to the West, we gain one hour.
Namibia: Mahango National Park - Photo Credits: Romina Facchi
The Mahango Reserve is located in Namibia, near the Botswana border, so close that, just past the border, coming from Botswana, we find ourselves directly in the park.
Those who have to continue their trip, without visiting the reserve, can pass through the park along the main dirt road and exit from the gate 12 km further North; just sign a transit log positioned on a table on the side of the road.
Botswana border - Photo Credits: Romina Facchi
This morning we wake up as we always do at dawn, we are on the Okavango River and the sun rises beyond the opposite shore to where we are, the shore is full of high papyrus swaying in the wind; what a marvel, we have breakfast with this wonderful scenery and then we leave.
We head North to Namibia and we have to cross the border at Mohembo; we are sorry to leave Botswana because it is a wonderful country, both from natural and human point of view, but our journey continues and we are about to enter Namibia, that is a very fascinating country, albeit very different from Botswana.
Tsodilo Hills - Photo Credits: Romina Facchi
About 30 km South of Shakawe there is a detour, well-marked with a UNESCO sign, leading to the Tsodilo Hills; the road is unpaved and it is 40 km long, but it is in good conditions up to the entrance, so you can proceed at sustained speed.
Time ago, the road leading to the Tsodilo Hills was very difficult to travel, it had to be done at 10 km / h and almost no one went to visit them; now, with the new road, some visitors venture out here.
On the road - Photo Credits: Romina Facchi
This morning, as usual, we wake up early, we have breakfast and then we leave; left Maun and heading West to the A3 and then take the A35 heading North towards Shakawe and the Caprivi Strip in Namibia.
It is not at all a busy road, most likely it is out of the commercial and tourism routes, every now and then we meet a car but it's really a rarity.
We are crossing the Panhandle of the Okavango Delta, here the Okavango is still in its bed, although it is composed of several channels; its shores and sandy islets are covered with papyrus.
Our car - Photo Credits: Romina Facchi
The other day, as we crossed the road between Maun and Shorobe, to go then to the Moremi Game Reserve, we did not understand how, but we lost our magnet with the Safari ADV logo we had on the hood; it has a diameter of half a meter, it seems impossible we did not see it fly away.
We went back to look for it, but nothing, it evaporated.
Initially we said "patience, we will have to alternate it with the one we have on the door" but then, once we arrived at the Moremi Camp we thought, "Let's try to ask them if there is someone who makes magnets in Maun."
Moremi Game Reserve - Photo Credits: Romina Facchi
This morning we woke up at 6am and at 7pm we did our last safari in the Moremi Reserve, with the guide of the Moremi Camp; wonderful game drive as usual.
We go back to the camp at 11.30 am, we have brunch with our "safari friends", with whom we have shared the off-road vehicle and the guide these days and then we leave.
We are a bit sad because we were really fine, we had fun with the people we met and we did great sightings; but we are also happy to continue our journey by our car.
Moremi Game Reserve: Leopard - Photo Credits: Romina Facchi
The Moremi Game Reserve is one of the best places in Botswana, and all over Southern Africa, to carry on safaris, as there is a high concentration of animals.
We chose to stay at the Moremi Camp, located in Xakanaxa, one of the best spots for sightseeing.
Here are elephants, lions, leopards, cheetahs, wild dogs, spotted hyenas, red hartebeests, greater kudus, impalas, red lechwes, zebras, buffaloes, wildebeests, antelopes of waterbucks, bushbucks, hippos, Nile crocodiles, and many bird species, both water-borne and terrestrial, as well as birds of prey.
Moremi Camp - Photo Credits: Romina Facchi
There are two types of accommodation in the Moremi Reserve: camping or tents.
Campsites are located at the South Gate, North Gate, Third Bridge and Xakanaxa, and you can either go on a standalone or take part in an overland trip or mobile safari.
Moremi Game Reserve: Elephant - Photo Credits: Romina Facchi
This morning we wake up early, we are at the Maun Audi Camp and we must go to the Moremi Game Reserve; we have breakfast, then we close everything and head towards Shorobe, that is about 40 km from Maun.
Just past Shorobe the paved road leaves the place to the dirt road but the bottom is hard so we wait to deflate the tires.