BOTSWANA: Eagle Island Camp, mokoro canoe safari, helicopter ride over the delta, visit to local village

Mokoros are traditional dugout canoes that glide to areas inaccessible by other boats.  Today we will go to deeper waters and continue our exploration of this fantastic and seasonal paradise in the Okavango Delta.

Fish Eagle

Pelican

hungry crocodile

 After the canoe safari, we took turns in shifts of 4 in a helicopter safari to see the game from above!

springbok

a pod of hippos

 We took a trip to a nearby village where we toured and learned about village life.  One of the most striking features is that the school aged children are sent away to boarding school.  Some parents decide to keep their children at home.

A village located close to Eagle Camp

One of the villagers makes Mokoro canoes

The women of the village make crafts for sale

Another colorful African sunset

Botswana: Belmond Eagle Island Camp in the heart of Okavango Delta

We took a short bush plane ride deeper into the Okavango Delta, the Belmond Eagle Camp and what a spectacular area this was.  Many travel blogs have said that this is the place to see the most stunning sunsets on the planet.  I believe this may be true.  Upon arrival, we were taken out in dugout canoes through the shallow areas of the wetlands.  My memory of this is that is was the most peaceful I had felt in many days.  Zen is the word that comes to mind.  The only sounds were the gentle silvery splash of water as the guide dipped the oar to the bottom to push the boat through the grassy wetland.  The sun shining and the bird population were absolutely magical to behold.

dugout canoe rides through the wetland shallows

Great Egret

African Darter

Great White Pelican

The Okavango Delta is a vast inland river delta in northern Botswana, most known for its sprawling grassy plains.  These flood seasonally, becoming a lush animal habitat.  The Moremi Game Reserve occupies the east and central areas of the region.  

Hippos, crocodiles, elephants, roam these waters as lions, leopards, giraffes and rhinos, and monkeys are drawn to the richness of the food supply during the wet season.

The beautiful African sunset from the deck of the camp

BOTSWANA: Moremi Game Reserve/ Boma dinner

There are few things in this world more exciting than setting off in the early morning mist, bouncing along in an open aired jeep in search of the elusive African big 5: lion, leopard, rhinoceros, elephant, and Cape buffalo!  But we're going to give it our best shot....camera shot that is.  

 

The leopards that wandered past our jeep to the watering hole

 

lion cubs playing together 

Zebras grazing

3 month old cubs waiting on their mother to bring home the bacon

Young bull elephant

Great egret

yawning hippo

African open bill

 Tonight we took jeeps to our Boma dinner in the bush!

Boma dinner buffet style

Boma dinner