Chobe National Park safari

In February 2023, I made my first photo safari to Kruger National Park in South Africa. The safari consisted of several morning and afternoon game drives in the back seat of an open-sided 4X4 game viewing vehicle. In March 2024, I made another trip to South Africa to visit my son Dominic. We decided to experience another safari — this time in Botswana.

Botswana is famous for several national parks and game reserves that feature animals in the wild, including the Okavango Delta, Central Kalahari Game Reserve and Chobe National Park. After several days in the capital city of Gaborone, we flew to Kasane, home of Chobe National Park. Kasane is situated along the Chobe River, which separates Botswana from Namibia. The Chobe River is the lifeblood of the region and it feeds adjacent flood plains, not to mention the most varied wildlife of all of Botswana's parks.

While January and February are considered the peak rainy season, the country has experienced a drought. However, the Chobe River was still flowing enough to allow boat cruises that meander through Chobe National Park. After enjoying safaris by land in Kruger, I did not expect a boat cruise to rival the thrill of seeing African wildlife up close. I was wrong.

Boat cruises begin at 3 p.m. and continue until sunset. As we departed mid-day on our boat ride, with the sun glaring harshly on the scenes below, I did not expect to return with photos worth sharing. However, two things happened to change my mind. I never imagined being within a few yards of hippopotamuses or crocodiles, which frequently happened. It was exhilarating and quite frightening! The close distance allowed for some intimate photos of the water-loving creatures.

What also happened was experiencing the harsh sun overhead sinking slowly toward the horizon and filling the sky with incredibly colorful lighting. I’ve never experienced the sun setting so beautifully, with elephants silhouetted in the foreground or baked in a golden hue.

In addition to two boat cruises, Dominic and I experienced two land safaris. Unlike last year, we saw up close lions and a leopard. The first spotting was on the morning of our first safari. A lioness and her two cubs were spotted under some brush. These events turn into chaotic scenes, as word gets out among safari drivers.

It became too intrusive, with 4x4s surrounding the lioness and her cubs. On the other hand, we encountered a lion napping near the dirt road. It did not seem worried or fearful of trucks full of gawkers snapping photos. We also witnessed wild dogs devouring a young antelope and herds of elephants enjoying their morning meal.

In November I will return to Botswana, this time for a family celebration. Dominic will marry his fiancée, Lorato, in Gaborone. Their wedding reception will take place at a fun outdoor venue called Crocodile Pools Resort. Our family will then depart for safari adventures, both land and water, at Chobe National Park.