Sure Travel Journey Vol 5.1 Summer 2019 | Page 62

TOUCH DOWN // SUMMER 2019
See
To travel
is to
There’s a proverb in Botswana, “Go
tsamaya ke go bona”. Loosely translated
it means “To travel is to see”, but as with
many African proverbs, there’s a richer
meaning hidden beneath the surface.
The first way of seeing is simply
appreciating what’s in front of you, but
the second way of seeing is much deeper.
It is an invitation, drawing you into an
experience, allowing you to become a
participant rather than just an observer
as you become immersed in a different
world. My first trip to Botswana taught
me this.
The journey began when I was invited to
join TV travel host Gerrie Pretorius on one
of his tours for the programme Leef jou
Reis. With a single day’s notice, my bags
were packed, my camera was ready, and
we were flying north in a twin-prop plane.
After landing in Maun, a short drive
took us to the edge of the Okavango
Delta. The Delta is an enchanting,
otherworldly place where an ageless
natural drama unfolds. Every year,
rains from the Angolan highlands
make a six-month, 1 600km journey to
neighbouring Botswana, where a dramatic
transformation takes place as the desert
turns to water.
The easiest way to picture it is to
imagine an upside-down hand. The water
enters the “palm” of the delta in the
north, via the Cubango River and then
runs off into several finger-like tributaries
that dissect the arid landscape. Following
the water is a flood of biodiversity, from
hundreds of bird species to buck, big
game and all manner of creatures that
accompany this annual migration.
Sitting between the delta and Chobe
River is another wildlife oasis, the Khwai
Development Trust. The Trust is one of
several reserves run by local communities
and was home for the first part of our
trip. The camp itself is surrounded by
a forest of dead trees, killed decades
ago by floods and foraging elephants,
and appeared entirely uninhabited at
first glance. I soon discovered this wasn’t
the case.
62 // MAKE MEMORIES FOR LIFE
A wild journey through Botswana by Jared Ruttenberg
© RUTTENBERG
It is an invitation, drawing you
in, allowing you to become
a participant rather
than just an observer
Disembarking from the vehicle, I strolled
a few metres before stopping dead in my
tracks. In front of me was a ginormous
elephant walking around the camp, a
stone’s throw from the outdoor shower.
I quickly informed the guide, who simply
smiled and wished me a pleasant shower.
Later, as we were about to embark on
a game drive, a nearby leopard sighting
was called in and we were off with a jolt.
After racing through the bush we stopped
and the roaring engine gave way to an
unexpected silence. Within a few minutes,
a beautiful three-year-old female leopard
sauntered out of the thicket. Our guide
recognised her as the daughter of Mama
Gotho, the matriarch of the area.
After a week of exploring and many
more encounters, the well-known
Chobe was the final camping spot on
our 10-day sojourn through Botswana.
It was another wildlife spectacle, with
elephants at every turn. In fact, one of
the startling realities of Botswana is the
absence of fences. Instead, the animals
decide for themselves where to make
their home and are free to roam into
the neighbouring countries at will. Their
freedom felt contagious and added to the
sense of wildness that characterises a trip
to Botswana.
Our time at Chobe also included
encounters with some rather unique
sentries: the majestic baobabs. These
ancient trees have witnessed thousands
of years of natural drama unfold around
them, their scarred trunks etched with
the marks of time, and they would surely
have countless chronicles to recount, if
only they could speak.
John Keats famously said, “I feel more
and more every day, as my imagination
strengthens, that I do not live in this world
alone but in 1 000 worlds.” A trip through
Botswana feels as if you’ve been initiated
into several of these new worlds.
As my flight home touched down on
familiar ground, I felt the weighty privilege
of being not only a spectator, but a
participant too.
You too can join Leef jou Reis host
Gerrie Pretorius on a trip to Botswana.
Visit www.suretravel.co.za/agency/
gerrie-pretorius for details.