Close encounters of a nature kind

When earlier this year my wife mentioned that we should go on a safari to Central Africa, as it was on top of her bucket list, little did I imagine how truly impressive this experience would eventually be, and after some slight hesitation upon agreeing I was immediately asked for the credit card details as all was already planned, given she had already spent weeks researching and planning meticulously.

Getting us from Malta to Maun (in the Okavango Delta, Central Botswana) was quite a long journey. However, after 24 hours of flying and a 30-minute drive to our first lodge, we were greeted by a large elephant feeding from a tall tree just outside the gate. Gobsmacked, we simply looked at each other in awe, and our tour guide reassured us, saying, “There are so many more amazing close encounters with nature’s beautiful creatures ahead.” These encounters included the famed “Big 5.”

During our 10 day holiday, we travelled across Botswana, from west to east visiting Maun, the Okavango Delta, and Nata before heading north to Kasane, where we spent three days in Chobe National Park. Our last two days were in Victoria Falls (Zimbabwe), where we enjoyed an incredible sunset cruise on the Zambezi River, a breath taking dip in the “Devil’s Pool,” followed by a walk along the falls, and a quick helicopter ride to get an aerial view. This gave us a profound appreciation of why Victoria Falls is often considered “heaven on earth.”

Returning to the “Big 5,” aside from encountering hundreds of elephants and buffalo, we saw leopards and lions (as well as lionesses) resting and preparing for their hunts. We also had close encounters with giraffes, zebras, hippos, antelopes, baboons, crocodiles, and kudus, as well as the occasional hyena and wild dog. The variety of birdlife was equally stunning, from African eagles to pelicans, storks, spoonbills, giant egrets, and goliath herons. The sheer abundance and diversity of wildlife made it feel like every glance was another picture-perfect moment.

Unfortunately, due to their rarity, we weren’t lucky enough to spot a rhino (the last of the “Big 5”), but we both agreed that this gives us an reason that we shall have to visit Africa again in a few years’ time, to relive this amazing experience and have more “close encounters of a nature kind”.