The Okavango Delta, the jewel in the middle of the Kalahari Desert of    Botswana, is Africa’s largest and most beautiful oasis - an isolated, lush green paradise with some of the richest wildlife in the world. This exceedingly beautiful maze of waterways, lagoons, vast grassy plains and palm-fringed and wooded islands is home to crocodile, hippo, elephant, lion, leopard, hyena, giraffe, wild dog, rare antelope and around 400 bird species. We are often asked about the seasonal flooding of the Okavango Delta in Botswana – Why does it happen? When does it happen? Why do some lodges have water all year and others only during the flood? So I thought I’d try to address this issue in more depth…

Where does the source of the Okavango come from?
The source of the Okavango Delta lies in the extremely wet highlands of Angola to the north. From here the Cubango River flows south, through Namibia, away from the sea, gathering ever more water until it finally reaches Botswana, where the river becomes known as the Okavango. Here, the fate of the river is determined by a series of fault lines deep below the desert surface. Once the river passes over the first fault line, it splits into several channels forming a vast, fan-shaped, astonishingly luxuriant wilderness of flood plain and forest, stream and lagoon, the ideal breeding ground for an incredible diversity of wildlife. When the water meets the final two fault lines, the water is literally dammed and cannot go further. (Before the fault lines, the river flowed through the area which is now the Okavango Delta and the Makgadikgadi pans, and probably on to the Indian Ocean by flowing into the Limpopo river.)

When does it happen?
Something that often confuses people is that Botswana and the Okavango Delta has a summer rainfall and yet the flood occurs in the dry winter months. The rain falls during the summer and first seeps into the parched ground before the rivers start flowing. It takes months for the river flow to reach the Okavango Delta. (The flood travels very slowly at only a kilometre a day, partly because of the shallow gradient and because the swamp vegetation slows the water.) The flood starts coming into the northern reaches of the Okavango Delta in late April and makes its way steadily down reaching many camps sometime in June or possibly early July, depending on their precise location, and peaking in August. As it is the dry season, gradually the flood waters evaporate over the next few months, leaving their valuable salts and minerals in the ground, and the waters recede through October and November.

The evocative mokoro trips - a traditional dugout canoe made from an ebony or sausage tree - largely take place in these shallow waters and seasonal flood plains of the Okavango Delta. Gliding along in a mokoro, in total harmony with nature is an experience not to be missed.

Why do some lodges have water all year, others only during the flood and others not at all?
In the south-eastern part of the Delta lies a slightly higher area of land, known as Chiefs Island. This forms part of the Moremi Wildlife Reserve and the higher ground means that the waters never flood this area. The lodges here are predominantly land camps offering  game drives. If they’re on the edges of the Moremi, they may offer some water-based activities during July to September but this would be secondary to the main focus which is game drives. Prime examples would be Mombo Camp, Chief’s Camp and Khwai River Lodge.

To the north of the Moremi lie some deep river channels which are fed through the summer rains and then by the Okavango Delta. The camps in this area such as Kwara Camp, Vumburu Plains and Shinde are what is called ‘multi-activity’ camps (for want of a more elegant term) in that they offer a choice of water or land based game-viewing activities throughout the year because of the presence of these deep river channels.

Broadly speaking, to the south of the Moremi are the seasonal camps which focus on game drives in the green season and offer a mix of activities as the flood comes in. As the Okavango Delta flood varies from year to year, no-one can say precisely when the flood waters will arrive so if you are booking early on in the season, in June for example, there may be an element of luck (but the price usually reflects this). Depending on the camp’s exact location, land-based activities can be quite limited in the full flood so the camps literally become surrounded by water. The advantage is that the animals also get restricted to limited island areas making for excellent game-viewing on foot, by mokoro or by boat. Excellent examples would be Nxabega, Jao and Baines Camps.

Finally further towards the northern and western stretches of the Delta are the permanent water camps, which as their name suggests, offer boat-based game-viewing and game walks on the surrounding islands. The game-viewing is more limited here but the birding is excellent. It’s worth noting that mokoro trips are not usually on offer here as the water is too deep to pole. Examples would be Jacana and Eagle Island Camp. 

Point for the Safari Visitor
Change is the essence of the Okavango Delta. The delta changes from year to year depending on flood levels and rains and the flood constantly forges new channels which prevents the delta becoming silted up. This dynamic nature leads to great diversity of water depth, soils, vegetation and animal distribution. The exact location of each camp dictates what activities are available and when and this can vary within a short distance. Assuming you are booking well in advance, we’ll be able to match a particular camp to your needs.

It also follows that staying at two different camps in different habitats will give you the best feel for the dynamic mood of the Okavango Delta.

The South African winter and spring offers the best game-viewing and also the best whale-watching experiences so the Twelve Apostles Hotel and Spa in Cape Town has teemed up with the luxurious Madikwe Hills Private Game Lodge to offer a superb Cape and Bush experience.

From July to October if we book 4 nights for you at the Twelve Apostles Hotel and Spa, you receive one complimentary night at Madikwe Hills Private Game Lodge. Alternatively, we can book 3 nights at Madikwe Hills and you receive two complimentary nights at the Twelve Apostles Hotel…

Cape Town has many fascinating tourist attractions that are quiet and easily accessible in the winter and spring. Most days are mild, bright and sunny and land or boat-based whale watching, including the Southern Cross whale, is frequent. Whether cruising along the staggeringly beautiful Chapman’s Peak Drive to Cape Point or from the bedrooms, restaurant and bar at The Twelve Apostles Hotel, it is likely you will catch a glimpse of these awesome creatures in the bay. The Twelve Apostles Hotel and Spa is a five star boutique hotel right on the Atlantic Ocean, with the top-of-the-range Spa, the breath-taking garden magically perched above the ocean, two heated outdoor pools and the glorious Azure Restaurant. 

Similarly the game viewing in the Madikwe Game Reserve is unsurpassed during the winter months as the days are clear, warm and sunny, and the animals search out the remaining waterholes to drink. The crisp, cool evenings are ideal for exchanging sightings, bush stories and enjoying the bright and starry African night sky! Wildlife in Madikwe includes the Big Five and two packs of wild dog, for which Madikwe is justly famous. Madikwe Hills is one of the most luxurious and glamorous lodges in this malaria-free reserve. Each of the eight enormous stone and thatch rooms has an expansive deck with plunge pool overlooking the bush; fabulous outdoor shower, huge bathroom, bedroom and sitting room with minibar and open fire.

This holiday combines relaxation, pleasure, pampering, enrichment and value. It is valid from July to October inclusive and for a minimum of two adults travelling together. It is based on a Mountain room at the Twelve Apostles and a Suite at Madikwe Hills. Breakfast is included at The Twelve Apostles and Madikwe Hills is Fully Inclusive.

For more information on this special, or any other special we are offering, contact us at info@cedarberg.co.za or log onto our website at http://www.cedarberg-travel.com

An area of confusion for clients is the luggage allowances in Botswana. The need for luggage allowances is due to the extensive use of small planes to get from one safari camp to another. Small planes have to be used given the soft landing conditions of the seasonally flooded Okavango Delta and other areas such as the Linyanti Swamps.

These planes can only take a maximum of 20kg of luggage per person, and preferably between 12 to 15kg. This maximum is for both your main bag and any carry-on luggage such as a handbag or camera. So if you are travelling with heavy photographic equipment, this must be included in the 20kg luggage allowance. This ruling is very strictly enforced due to safety considerations.

However there is another factor to consider. The main luggage is stored in a hold compartment either underneath or at the back of the plane. This space is limited and so each bag must not exceed certain dimensions. These maximum dimensions are a width of 25cm (10 inches); height of 30cm (12 inches) and length of 62cm (24 inches). The actual baggage compartment on light aircraft is only 25cm high so the pilots must be able to manipulate your bag into the compartment. If the bag is overstuffed, this becomes difficult and when it cannot be done, it results in frustration and embarrassment all round, not to mention delays at the airstrip while bags are repacked.

Before you become alarmed about running out of clean clothes whilst on safari, remember that all safari camps offer a complimentary laundry service in Botswana, and that the dress code is very casual.

If you are travelling to South Africa and Botswana, and wish to bring your full luggage allowance, then we can easily arrange excess luggage storage at Johannesburg. You’ll just need to spend a little longer when packing, to pack a bag for Botswana and a separate one for South Africa.

Another weight issue
The charter companies in Botswana work on an average of 90-100kg (200 to 220lbs) per person including luggage. Therefore if you are above average in weight (ie more than 120kg or 260llbs), we need to know this in advance so that we can warn the charter companies. If you are larger than average but your partner is not, it shouldn’t be a problem, as it all averages out, but if both of you are above average, then we need to know. In exceptional circumstances you may need to purchase an extra seat in the charter plane. (Of course the purchase of an extra seat in the plane is also an option if you absolutely cannot reduce your luggage to 20kg per person.)

For more information visit us at http://www.cedarberg-travel.com

The cheetah walk & stalk encounters at Blaauwbosch continue to be one of the highlights of a stay at Blaauwbosch Game Reserve.  

Blaauwbosch lies on the wide open Karoo plains of the Eastern Cape and is particularly known for its cheetah breeding project. Originally cheetah were relocated to Blaauwbosch from the Endangered Species Centre near Hoedspruit and released into the wild. Latest news on the cheetahs is that the dominant female cheetah and her four cubs are still together.  The cubs are about a year and a half now and will probably start leaving their mother to venture off on their own within the next six months or so to hunt independently. The other female is still fairly shy but has provided for some good sightings for Blaauwbosch guests. 

Shortly Blaauwbosch will exchange two male cheetahs with Lente Roode from the Endangered Species Centre.  This is a vital aspect of the cheetah conservation project as it strengthens the genetic pool on the reserve and indeed throughout South Africa. The cheetahs at Blaauwbosch are monitored on a regular basis. Recording their movement patterns and their feeding behavior provides data to use in the long term management of the cheetah species. This information is shared with Blaauwbosch guests during their stay

As well as the cheetah encounters, Blaauwbosch also offer open-vehicle game drives to view the wide variety of game on the reserve including lion, buffalo, elephant, rhino, cheetah, zebra, antelope, abundant birdlife and rare flora.

Blaauwbosch is located just 1¼ hours drive from Port Elizabeth in the open plains of the Karoo, which is the perfect terrain for the agile cheetah. It has just seven spacious air-conditioned suites, all exquisitely decorated in an elegant, romantic style with generous bathrooms, dressing area and verandas with views of the Eastern Cape mountains - even from the bath! The main homestead has an open plan design giving a modern, yet slightly colonial feel. It’s very spacious with open fires, lots of sitting areas and a well-stocked library (with internet access). Outside there’s a furnished covered veranda overlooking the large swimming pool with its partially shaded sun terrace - perfect for the hot summer afternoons.