Headlines

“The beauty of nature forever surprises the human mind, for it is the one thing that we have no control over and the one thing that we are all drawn too”

Always remain humble, intrigued and inspired -

August

Zarafa and its Dhow Suites would like to thank the many American citizens who made the long trip to Africa for their safari!

For our camp, August is traditionally an ‘American month’ with around 60% of our guests coming from overseas and this year was no exception. We wish you all safe travels back home and we hope to see you next winter. Oh! And for those of you who enjoy flexible work arrangements or are retired, please do not be a stranger and visit us even earlier. In November for example, it is a completely different ball game out here!

The month of June means our beanies are out and the elephants are in! As winter settles on Duba Plains the bush dries up and the water levels rise to the maximum, both these changes making for fantastic game viewing. Game drives have been extra exciting as our “Puddle Jumper” Toyota Land Cruisers become amphibious to get around the concession.

So much has been happening in May at our little Explorers Camp on the Selinda Spillway – Northern Botswana, and where to even begin seems somewhat of a challenge. We’ve had an absolutely fantastic month, not only for the spectacular sightings but for the incredible fun we’ve been having with our guests and staff. They say a picture tells a thousand words, so, here’s one thousand to start off with the rarest mammal in southern Africa right in the centre of camp – A Wild Dog.

A lone bull crosses the plains, heading for the ol Donyo waterhole. (Photo: Walter Kolon)

May should have been a month of dramatic storms and heavy downpours, but sadly we have not had much of a rainy season so far – more of a “gentle drizzle”! So we are keeping our fingers crossed that we may get some late rain in June to fill the waterholes out on the plains and top up our tanks.

Two things come to mind at Duba at the start of the floods. The thrill of seeing water in huge amounts as well as the logistical challenges that comes with the floods. At the end of the day the answer is just simple; these are not the first floods we’ve been through and not the highest we’ve seen, therefore pre-planning plays a big part. May is a month of many activities, Elephants migrating to areas where there’s water, floods rising and delta islands get smaller, roads coming underwater.

A O.K. May  

We are going to keep this month’s weather update short and sweet by saying that there are no temperatures that cannot be overcome by a hot cup of tea or coffee at your doorstep, one of our guides’  ponchos (which have a surprising cuddly inner ☺)  and a ‘bush baby’, (bush baby is ‘safari language’ for hot water bottle) which are even more cuddly.
So, nothing to worry about! And if this does not sound like vacation in your ears, just remember that after every hour of game drive you will be peeling off one layer of clothes, guaranteed.

Winter is coming!

Many of our followers in civilization might recognize the phrase “Winter is coming…” from the television series ‘Game of Thrones’. (For those who are  a little behind – it is apparently a very popular show so catch-up, you do not live in the bush!)

It has been a great leopard month. The camp main area is built around tall jackal-berry trees which are home to a troop of baboons. One evening while were sitting by the fire place we started hearing an alarm call from the baboons and we wondered what could be scaring them in the dark. The guide explained that there could be a lion, leopard or hyena walking through camp.

Duba game drives still continued to amaze us during the peak summer rain season.

We’ve seen new water  channels fill up presenting the classic Okavango Delta feel to the region, surrounding the dry island of the plains.

The weather, although unpredictable, has provided some stunning vistas of emerald grasslands and for the landscape photographer an opportunity to capture the moody skies punctuated by lightning.

Lions