A Remarkable Adventure connecting two swamps in Botswana
We went ‘testing’ a new canoe route on the Selinda Reserve, with an old fingerless mate Dorian Hoy, in between the Okavango and Linyanti swamps in May.
Anyone who wants to witness an extraordinary natural phenomenon must do this trip. The annual flood of the Okavango Swamps has come early and for the first time in living memory will two different ecosystems be linked by a single strand of water, seventy kilometres long, weaving itself through the untamed wilderness of Northern Botswana.
Just to witness and walk with the flood in itself is remarkable, but to be in an area so rich in flora and fauna is a double whammy. The crystal clear waters bubble as the flood seeped forward and we watched as mice took evasive action, burrowing frogs emerged from hibernation and chameleons hung onto tall strands of grass. Catfish lying dormant in the earth awoke and surfaced and the fish eagles followed the feast. Overnight the water had advanced a further 1.6 kilometres into the spillway. We encountered vast herds of elephant, listened to the roar of lions at night, the eerie calls of ground hornbill at dawn and enjoyed the tranquility of passing through the area on canoe in addition to some fascinating strolls in the bush.
Coupled with the depth of knowledge of the guides and the effortless organisation of the camp staff this A-list adventure is surely a first of its kind….and it will only be around until the waters subside…
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The Selinda Canoe trail draws to a close for 2009. As I write this, Humphery Gumpo is leading the final adventure for 2009. The water levels are dropping, the heat is more than most can endure and camping in the rain sucks.
This was the first year Selinda Reserve has offered thises canoe trails and unique to Botswana. Anyone who was privileged enough to experience this will tell you how special this trip is for many reasons. Pure wilderness, paddling into herds of elephant bathing in the spillway, coming accross 13 wild dogs crossing the spillway in front of you, padding the link between the Okavango Delta and Kwando systems for the forst time in more than 30 years………too many highlights to mention.
We get going again next year in May so come and give it a shot.
makes me want to start walking from my front door into everland ,imagine walking away from it all,as an experiment,imagine!