Day 5

We said goodbye to the serenity of Okavango Delta and drove north from Jumbo Junction Campsite. The bumpy dirt road ended on the bank of the Okavango River where a ferry awaited. As we boarded the ferry, we watched cows and donkeys graze the banks and as we crossed, we spotted hippos upstream. Once across, we were greeted by our truck, Jimi, on the other side of the river.

Our adventure continued north crossing the Namibia boarder five minutes later. After two quick stops visiting the government offices, we drove on as the road entered Bwabwata National Park. Our guide, Jojo, said that vehicles transits through the park are timed to ensure they do not conduct a game drive without paying the park fees. With the chance to see animals, we all had our cameras ready. Jojo would watch the time while driving slow enough for us to enjoy the wildlife and scenery. We saw several antelopes including a sable, impalas, kudus and the rone which is only known to that area. As we exited the park, Jojo signed us out within the time allowance.

Our campsite for the night, Rainbow River Lodge, provided beautiful views of the Okavango River. We arrived early afternoon, set up our tents and enjoyed a tuna pasta salad for lunch. After lunch, most of the group elected to join an optional village tour.

The lodge’s bartender, Thomas, led a walk through his village, Divava, which is adjacent to the lodge. The village mostly supports itself with farming but a dry season left their field barren this year. Instead, efforts were shifted toward fishing in the Okavango.

Thomas explained how the homes are built out of clay from termite mounds which is a natural cement. The thatched roofs are constantly degrading and need to be replaced every couple of years. Thomas built his own home and lives on the property with his brother. They also have an extra house available for visitors. His parents used to live there but after his fathers death, his mother moved back to the neighboring village. At 25, Thomas said he was old to be single but it was not unusual. When he does marry, they will start their family on that same property.

Thomas took us to meet several other people. We met a family preparing maze for future meals. Thomas showed us that you can simply crush it into a powder and add water for a quick meal. As the parents worked, we were distracted by their playful children. One young girl brought over a soccer ball and we were really excited to kick the ball around with the kids. We could have played all day but Thomas kept us moving.

We also met the elder of the village – Thomas said she is 115 years old! She was weaving a basket while her grandchildren watched. We commented that she must have great eyesight to be doing such integrate work to which she laughed when Thomas translated. Most the the adults did not speak english but most of the children spoke some. Thomas said his village and another attend a school 3 km away where the children learn english. We really enjoyed spending the afternoon at the Divava Village talking with the friendly people and learning about their daily life.

Traditional dinner or pop and beef stew and greens.

That night, our chef, Nash, prepared a traditional African meal to finish off our cultural exploration. He made pop (ground maze), beef stew, and local greens. It was delicious! Will and I both slept great with satisfied stomachs.

Day 6
Jojo arranged for everyone to wake early for our drive back into Botswana. As we headed east from the campsite, we entered another section of the Bwabwata National Park. Jojo signed in for our timed transit drive and we crossed our fingers for more animal sightings. We lucked out because early on we saw a pack of elephants grazing right next to the road. After we stopped briefly for some pictures, we continued east. Then, the truck burst with excited as everyone’s attention was on the road in front of the truck. Apparently a cheetah crossed the road which Jojo said was so unusual he has never seen it happen! Unfortunately, it happened so fast that no one was able to get a picture and I missed seeing the elusive animal. Moments later, we made a pit stop to watch the sunrise before heading out of the park just in time.

Several hours later, we approached the Botswana boarder and saw a valley full of zebras, elephants and antelopes grazing. The setting seemed like something suitable National Geographic – it was so picturesque. At the border, there were baboons along the road and Jojo warned us to keep our windows closed to ensure they wouldn’t enter the truck. At Botswana immigration, the officer told me that animals were awaiting us and he was right! On our way to the campsite, we transited Chobe National Park where we saw zebras and giraffes before making our timed exit. That introduction made us all excited for exploring Chobe National Park the following days.

Divava Village

View of Okavango River from Rainbow River Lodge

Home in Divava Village

Traditional home with modern convenience

Will learning how to balance on his head

Sara playing soccer with the kids

View from Thomas' house of brother's and visitor house

Elephants while transiting Bwabwata National Park

Sunrise over Bwabwata National Park

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