By Roxanne Reid
Six o’clock, still dark on a chilly morning. We were setting out from Chobe Game Lodge for the first game drive of the day. ‘The bush can be very quiet on early morning drives, especially when it’s windy like this,’ our guide warned. So our hopes weren’t high, but we were on a mission to experience two ways to game drive in Chobe, Botswana.
Six o’clock, still dark on a chilly morning. We were setting out from Chobe Game Lodge for the first game drive of the day. ‘The bush can be very quiet on early morning drives, especially when it’s windy like this,’ our guide warned. So our hopes weren’t high, but we were on a mission to experience two ways to game drive in Chobe, Botswana.
This was our standard diesel-powered drive. We’d be experiencing a drive in one of the lodge’s electric safari vehicles later that afternoon.
Chobe Game Lodge is unique, the only lodge smack-dab inside the national park. This means that when you leave on your morning game drive you have about a 40-minute head start on the crowd that has to queue at the entrance gate.
We drove west and found two jackals lying in the grass, their heads peeping out at us. It was chilly and they were still warming up before setting out to scrounge for food. We had them to ourselves, not another vehicle in sight.
Chobe Game Lodge is unique, the only lodge smack-dab inside the national park. This means that when you leave on your morning game drive you have about a 40-minute head start on the crowd that has to queue at the entrance gate.
We drove west and found two jackals lying in the grass, their heads peeping out at us. It was chilly and they were still warming up before setting out to scrounge for food. We had them to ourselves, not another vehicle in sight.
As guides do, Gobe Motshidisi asked what people were hoping to see. Predictably for people on their first safari in Africa, the Americans and Australians in the group said lions and a leopard. It was by no means our first safari and we wanted birds. Everyone else groaned. With ten of us on the vehicle we knew we were beaten. To her credit, Gobe did point out some birds like a red-billed spurfowl with fluffy little chicks and that icon of Chobe, the African fish-eagle.
Her persistence paid off when everyone agreed the lilac-breasted roller was a handsome bird and the kori bustard, Botswana’s national bird, was remarkable for being Africa’s heaviest bird (some 12kg) that can fly.
Her persistence paid off when everyone agreed the lilac-breasted roller was a handsome bird and the kori bustard, Botswana’s national bird, was remarkable for being Africa’s heaviest bird (some 12kg) that can fly.
Lilac-breasted roller
Dragonflies swarmed here and there, looking for mosquitoes to eat. Then Gobe pulled over so we could watch the sunrise while crowned lapwings screamed and wheeled around us.
Lion excitement
More jackals, a puku resting in the grass, then at last we found a lioness lying in the middle of the track. High-fiving excitement rippled around the safari vehicle as we stopped to watch. A lion and another lioness emerged from the bushes and walked past our vehicle, followed by a third female. They were so close we could watch their muscles rippling, their giant paws pressing into the thick sand.
Lion excitement
More jackals, a puku resting in the grass, then at last we found a lioness lying in the middle of the track. High-fiving excitement rippled around the safari vehicle as we stopped to watch. A lion and another lioness emerged from the bushes and walked past our vehicle, followed by a third female. They were so close we could watch their muscles rippling, their giant paws pressing into the thick sand.
By then seven or eight other vehicles were on the scene, turning and hurrying after them, crowding in on them in a somewhat undignified manner. Gobe and her fellow Chobe Game Lodge guide decided to let them be and move on to see what else we might find.
I was pleased. I find that kind of traffic jam annoying. It was also good to see our guides responding in a way that would minimise interference with the animals, not get in their way if they wanted to hunt, not form a screen for them to hide behind and unnaturally disadvantage any prey animals.
We passed the Serondela picnic site, where Pop Lamont was buried. The story goes that when this area became part of the national park in the 1960s he refused to leave. He lived another six years inside the park, a lone protestor, and was buried under a tree. There also used to be logging of Natal mahogany and Zambezi teak in this area.
Buffalo
Our second high-fiving find was an enormous buffalo herd grazing in long grass. They’re big animals, up to a ton in mass, so 300 to 400 together were an impressive sight. There were some small calves among them, as well as huge old hairless males.
I was pleased. I find that kind of traffic jam annoying. It was also good to see our guides responding in a way that would minimise interference with the animals, not get in their way if they wanted to hunt, not form a screen for them to hide behind and unnaturally disadvantage any prey animals.
We passed the Serondela picnic site, where Pop Lamont was buried. The story goes that when this area became part of the national park in the 1960s he refused to leave. He lived another six years inside the park, a lone protestor, and was buried under a tree. There also used to be logging of Natal mahogany and Zambezi teak in this area.
Buffalo
Our second high-fiving find was an enormous buffalo herd grazing in long grass. They’re big animals, up to a ton in mass, so 300 to 400 together were an impressive sight. There were some small calves among them, as well as huge old hairless males.
Buffalo are gregarious animals and they were quite vocal, mooing like cows, making short bellows, grunts and croaks. It’s thought that these grazing sounds help to keep the herd moving in the same direction. A small scuffle broke out as a calf tried to suckle; mom was stuffing her face so she kicked out and grunted that she wasn’t in the mood.
Chobe is a delight for birders. Despite our safari mates’ lack of interest in them, we saw numerous species including tawny eagle, little bee-eater and white-backed vultures sunbathing in a dead tree.
Electric Land Rover
Intrigued by the electric Land Rovers we’d seen plugged in to charge outside the lodge, we asked if we could have a short drive in one of them to appreciate the difference from a diesel-powered vehicle. So after lunch under mahogany and brown ivory trees near the pool deck, environmentalist John Aves took one through its paces for us.
Chobe is a delight for birders. Despite our safari mates’ lack of interest in them, we saw numerous species including tawny eagle, little bee-eater and white-backed vultures sunbathing in a dead tree.
Electric Land Rover
Intrigued by the electric Land Rovers we’d seen plugged in to charge outside the lodge, we asked if we could have a short drive in one of them to appreciate the difference from a diesel-powered vehicle. So after lunch under mahogany and brown ivory trees near the pool deck, environmentalist John Aves took one through its paces for us.
John Aves with one of the electric Land Rovers
Our electric Land Rover had started life with a diesel engine and only recently been converted to electric, with the battery unit going where the gearbox used to be. It works on a regenerative braking system, which means that every time John put his foot on the brake he was creating more charge. Brilliant, given that the normal range is only around 120km – the one current drawback of electric vehicles.
‘The guides needed to be trained in using the electric vehicles because they’re so different,’ said John. ‘For instance, they have so much torque that if you’re not careful you can spin your wheels in thick sand and get stuck.’
‘The guides needed to be trained in using the electric vehicles because they’re so different,’ said John. ‘For instance, they have so much torque that if you’re not careful you can spin your wheels in thick sand and get stuck.’
Chobe Game Lodge guides with an electric vehicle (from left) Kereeditse (Kaycee) Chite, Gobe Motshidisi and Anastaciah Moalosi
They’re silent and they use clean energy from a hydropower scheme in Zambia to reduce their carbon footprint. There’s the benefit of lower maintenance too – John estimated about 50% less than for their diesel vehicles. The idea is gradually to convert most of the game drive vehicles at the lodge to electric vehicles. When we were there, they had three electric Land Rovers, and a converted Toyota Land Cruiser has since been delivered.
According to John, the total number of kilometres the four vehicles had driven by mid-2016 was 53 860km. This represents 9 617 litres of diesel and some 25 296kg of carbon dioxide emissions saved.
A quiet afternoon along the river
We chose to miss the regular afternoon game drive (they were thrilled to see the lions again). Instead, we wandered along the elevated boardwalk that hugs the riverbank, to sit on the deck at the end and watch elephants swishing through the river to an island.
According to John, the total number of kilometres the four vehicles had driven by mid-2016 was 53 860km. This represents 9 617 litres of diesel and some 25 296kg of carbon dioxide emissions saved.
A quiet afternoon along the river
We chose to miss the regular afternoon game drive (they were thrilled to see the lions again). Instead, we wandered along the elevated boardwalk that hugs the riverbank, to sit on the deck at the end and watch elephants swishing through the river to an island.
Even when sunset streaked the sky we had the deck to ourselves, a peaceful place to absorb the beauty and store it away in our memory banks for when we’re back in the city and missing the wildness of Africa.
Nothing better than a G&T in the Linyati Bar to wind down the day with Leene Katholo (left) and Goitse Christmas
Note: I was a guest of Chobe Game Lodge and Desert & Delta Safaris for two nights, but the opinions are mine.
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Highlights of Chobe, Botswana
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Copyright © Roxanne Reid - No words or photographs on this site may be used without permission from roxannereid.co.za
You may also enjoy
Highlights of Chobe, Botswana
See elephants on a Chobe River boat cruise
Copyright © Roxanne Reid - No words or photographs on this site may be used without permission from roxannereid.co.za