From Maun we headed north towards Khwai. This area is the fringe of the Okavango Delta, a lot of it only being reachable by canoe or plane most of the time.
Some 120ks up gravel/deep sand road we turned of into the bush towards a river, then turned along its course deeper into the delta.
Initially passing through the southern end of Chobe park and later as we would discover Khwai comunity concession area.
The waters formed a rich green area in the now dry and sandy surrounding bush. The wide rivers and ponds filled with plenty of hippo, crocs and elephants grazing. Wildlife was generally thick on the ground here and we sighted our first wildebeest along with another pride of lions with, a decent male this time lazing by a tree.
There are a myriad of tracks in this area along and through the waters and been mid afternoon we were following tracks fording long deep crossings to remoter areas. Eventuality stumbling upon the Khwai river comunity camp which we had vaguely been heading for.
Apparently your supposed to pre book but other campers informed us someone would probably come around in the eve or moring to check permits and we could pay them. From the very well spread out spots found an empty spot only 30 or so meters away from a big bull elephant grazing the tree tops.
Sitting by the fire finishing of the last of our dinner we spotted a hyena lurking in the shadows. Reminded bob about the fact he was the only one sleepling on the ground in a tent, much like a nylon wrap for hyena.
Around 9 the ranger turned up and we had to part with US$30 each for being in the park and camping, a bit more than we were hoping to part with but actually pretty cheap for a decent game drive + camping by general african park standards. Also we were told it was ok to do night drives here, fantastic as most parks your not allowed to drive after about 6/7 pm, mainly for your own safety I suspect.
We rounded up torches and hoped in Tadhg's landrover, actually I sat on the roof rack with him whilst Bob and Elena drove around inside. We saw more Hyena, hippos grazing along the river banks, lots of croc eyes, herd of Elephants and the pride of lions again now lazing in another spot in the dark. We did consider the safety implications of being sat on a roofrack only a few meters from the lions. Surely they cant scale all of 5 feet onto a landy roof right?? We did back away sharpish as soon as some of them got a bit grumpy and stood up.
Anyway a few good and terrible night photos later I had swapped positions with Bob and was driving heading back towards the camp.
After nearly running over the lions (hard to spot in landy headlights) and stopping to look at them again, we headed about 400 meters down a track and went to cross one of the smaller water crossings that we had crossed about 4/5 times already that day. Now due to me either going a bit slow to not chuck the lads of the roof, or allow Tadgh to get a pic of the headlights underwater (looks cool), or the suspect difflock or my poor driving or a combination of all, one of the back wheels dropped into a underwater hole.
A varity of forward and reverse gear combinations much bouncing and a change of driver it became aparent we were stuck with water slowly flooding through the back door (actually quite quickly, it is a landrover!)
It was 23:30 and the choice was spending an uncomfortable night with four of us in the damp landy waitng for day break and rescue (embarrassment) or walk the 6kms to the other landrover to return and effect a recovery.
For some reason I opted for the latter and accompanied by Bob we tentatively jumped into the hopefully croc free water and left the other two heading off into the dark of the bush, armed with a small trenching shovel each and a maglight and head torch.
We opted to stay mainly along the river bank as A - we couldnt get to lost if we followed it but B - walking through the dense bush is much scarier. Here we could at least see a little distance with the torches. On the downside we were more likely to bump into hippos grazing or elephants coming down to the water. Both of which are probably more likey to harm you than the big cats.
When your in a vehicle apart form the obvious security you feel the animals seem much less worried by you and in places where there are regular safari tours they arnt bothered in the slightst by you unless you get really close. However step out of the car and your size, smell and noise are are diffenrt thing, your suddenly much more liable to frighten or appear tasty. Either good reason to get attacked!
Anyway with all this in mind we walked on not at all comforted by the continuous big cat prints along the track, fresh atop of our tyre prints we had made only an hour or so ago!
It wasnt a walk without excitement, a hyena in the bush, the noises of hippos close by and a lot of eyes reflecting back in the torch light. At one point as we discussed different lion defence tactics Bob spotted the marks of a big snake crossing the track, I suggested we didnt spent to long investigating it.
There was one further small patch of water to cross, the sound of something splashing into it as you approach isnt something you want to hear. Needless to say we jumped through it as quick as we could barely getting our feet wet.
After 45 mins the sight of our smoldering fire and my landy was a welcome sight! Roof tent down and we drove the 15 mins back passing just the one elephant and pulled the soggy landrover to firm ground. Finally getting back to the camp it was nearly 2 am, still a bit on edge from the walk it took a hot choc and a while to get to sleep.
The following morning we drained the rear axle/diff of water and finally fixed that leaking diff seal on Tadgh's landy. Still on the plus side it had saved us finding a jet wash to get rid of all the salt pans salt mud off the chassis.
It was then back to Maun for hot showers and cold beers and a fair bit of (unfair I feel! ) blame about my poor driving being the cause of the evenings activities.
Obvoiusly people do walk the bush at night, although with more experience and guns! So ive asked a few more knowledgeable locals since about how risky it is to walk the bush at night, certainly none of them would recomend it as a tourist, and whilst no one called me foolish (to my face anyway) some said it was just how the luck fell and if you were unlucky enough to stumble across one of the animals in a pissed of mood (or really hungry).
Im not sure if I would do it again in the same situation but it all went well this time and certainly gave the night a certain edge!
So we are off to Khaudum a remote park in Namibia that see less people visit than elephants there. It requires a minimum of 2 4x4's in convoy to enter, you must have a minimum of 100 litres of water per cqr and food for at least three days. Theres unlikely to be any other tourists here and its unlikely you will see a ranger, just the entry track is 70kms of deep sand from the nearest town. Its a safari park untamed, what could possibly go wrong?
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