Layer Up for the Chilly Botswana Delta Camp

In Okavango Delta, the winter nights are cold, with only “bush babies” otherwise known as hot water bottles as the only heat. The daytime sun is warm relief. Just hope for no breeze.

This is a vast inland river system in northern Botswana, which forms a grassy expance. It floods in the rainy season to cover much of the area and dries up so only the river channels remain in the dry season, bringing the animals in for water

Impala are everywhere. Waterbuck, hippos, elephants, and crocodiles are found in and around the water. Big cats – lions, leopards, and cheetahs – giraffes, elephants, wildebeest, warthogs, and so much more hide out and forage for food in the dry areas.

The camps set aloog the water. The evenings and mornings are lively as the animals come to the water. The nights are busy, as elephants make their way through camp, knocking down trees and grunting. At one point, all the small animals that were bedded down around our tent all got up and rushed away, leaving complete silence until the lions began roaring nearby. Male lions from another area come to fight and kill the young male lions in this area, trying to prove who’s genes will reign. Needless to say, we didn’t sleep much.