Exploring Botswana's finest wildlife reserves

Similar in size to France and with a population of just two million people Botswana is synonymous with wideopen spaces and prolific animallife It is arguably Africarsquos finest wildlife region boasting of the continentrsquos largest population of big herbivores such as elephant and buffalo With 84 per cent of the country covered by the semiarid Kalahari desert the perennial waters of the Chobe River create a green swathe that is a veritable magnet for wild animals that trek in from the arid hinterland Chobe has one of the highest wildlife densities in Africau00a0 Best Time JulyOct You need A week Type Wildlifeu00a0 An elephant herd on the banks of the Chobe River This is especially evident during the long dry season when herbivores flock to the wide grassy floodplains adjoining the perennial Chobe River producing an unrivalled wildlife spectacle Watching countless elephant families drink and bathe in the river is an unforgettable experience but when vast herds of buffalo huge rafts of sunbathing hippos and armadas of gigantic crocodiles join the frayhellip therersquos no disputing that this is one of Africarsquos greatest game parks The everincreasing popularity of Chobe a Mecca for elephant enthusiasts from around the globe and the fact that no lodges are allowed within the national park have resulted in safari activities concentrating alongside the gateway town of Kasane in the wellworn eastern sector of the reserve But thankfully the recent inception of luxury mobile safaris in Chobe has provided a safari alternative that circumvents the parkrsquos overcrowding problems A muddy calf follows her mother Upon arrival at our exclusive safari camp all 10 staff members along with a curious male baboon were outside to greet us with big smiles and waving hands Camp manager Robson Chongwe led us to a spacious safari tent The temporary tented camp gives us along with eight other privileged guests the opportunity to enjoy the relaxing solitude of a secluded wilderness campsite deep inside the gamerich national park I am impressed when I discover that my camprsquos five wellappointed safari tents each come with their own hotwater shower and flush toilet despite the fact that the semipermanent camp moves location every five days A hungry lion family sits down to lunch After a tasty lunch and siesta we grab our cameras and binoculars before climbing aboard the opentop vehicle for our first Chobe game drive In the company of nature guide Stanza Molaodi we are treated to a wildlife extravaganza Twice daily game drives are interspersed with a couple of highly memorable boat cruises along the Chobe River The rains are late which ensures a daily procession of elephant buffalo giraffe zebra and itrsquos like trekking to and from the lifesustaining river Lions lazing in the nearby shade keep an open eye on the passing ldquoantelope menurdquo until the sinking sun finally galvanises them into action A Lioness lazing in the afternoon sun poses for the camera The sight and sound of a couple of powerful lionesses hungrily devouring a stately sable antelope they have just brought down is an experience we certainly wonrsquot forget in a hurry a young leopard snoozing in the fork of a shady tree was another Chobe highlight But it isnrsquot all about the predatorshellip the ladies in our group were enamoured with all the baby animals being born to coincide with the arrival of the first rains tiny warthog piglets and gangly impala lambs being the most ubiquitous of the diminutive newcomers When a highly successful tracking escapade on our penultimate game drive leads us to a regal lioness Stanza takes time once again to share his indepth wildlife knowledge with us I believe his final comments shortly before we leave the tawny feline summed up how everyone on the vehicle was feeling on the eve of our departure ldquoNature she is very beautiful and totally fascinating and you never know what could be coming nexthellip But this is Chobe and itrsquos a very special placerdquo I couldnrsquot agree more and there was no denying we had enjoyed a spectacular wildlife experience A deer at the national park Sleeping under crisp linens and listening to the primordial roars of a distant lion pride filter through the canvas walls of our room on the final nigh My wife and I are in complete agreement that there can be no better way to get up closeandpersonal with Botswanarsquos wildlife than on an intimate and extremely rewarding luxury mobile safari excursion u00a0 A safari in Botswana has very few dull moments Pics Stephen Cunliffe Botswana basics Best season to visit Wildlife sightings peak during the cool dry winter months from July to Octoberu00a0 Getting there South African Airways wwwflysaacom operates daily nonstop flights between Mumbai and Johannesburg Onward connections to Kasane in Botswana with Air Botswana wwwairbotswanacobw or South African Airlink wwwflyairlinkcom Alternatively Jet Airways operates daily flights to Doha from Mumbai Delhi and Kochi From Doha you can catch a connecting codeshare flight to Johannesburg with Qatar Airways Visa requirements Indian citizens require a visa to visit Botswana and this must be obtained in advance Contact the Botswana High Commission in New Delhi at botindgovbw or call 011 4653 7000 for further details What to do Twicedaily guided game drives and boat cruises on the Chobe River to view hippos and elephants What to bring Binoculars camera sunglasses sunscreen hat insect repellent rain jacket and neutralcoloured clothing for safari activities warm attire is essential in winter Need to Know It is imperative to get a Yellow Fever Vaccine booster before travelling to a location infested with mosquitos or insects The vaccine is to be given ten days before travelling to a place surrounded by wild forests In Mumbai you can get the vaccination in International Health Organization Building Next to Ambassador Skychef BuildingSahar Elevated Access Rd Chimatpada Andheri East For more information wwwdiscoverbotswanacom and wwwandbeyondafricacom u00a0