It was a blindingly bright afternoon on the edge of the Okavango Delta—warm and sunny on this July winter day. Our Land Rover Defender chugged along the dirt track that paralleled and crisscrossed a reedy canal, occasionally turning muddled and confused among a profusion of game trails trampled through the ocher sea of grass by ever-present herds of impala, lechwe, sable, kudu, and the massive 6-ton African elephants that eyed our Landy like a smaller interloper that might potentially need to be run off. Our attention, however, was focused on the tree line to our left. We stopped every few minutes, and my eagle-eyed wife Dawn scanned the bush with her binoculars.
Taking Wing: Where the Lion Roars
Key Takeaways:
- The author recounts a self-guided safari in Botswana's Okavango Delta, a trip inspired by a long-held pilot fantasy of flying bush planes in Maun.
- After exploring South Africa, they found Botswana to be a country with a distinct focus on high-end ecotourism and conservation, offering opportunities for adventurous self-sufficient travelers.
- A chartered flight revealed the Okavango Delta's unique hydrology and abundant wildlife from above, complementing thrilling close encounters with elephants, hippos, and lions during their ground-based safari.
- The experience ultimately reinforced the author's belief in how aviation can uniquely inform and enrich travel adventures, connecting him to remarkable global experiences.
Key takeaways sponsored by Aviator Pro | Start Your Training ->
See a mistake? Contact us.
