Sunday-Monday, August 3-4th, Ndhovu Safari Lodge, Ndhovu, Namibia

Greetings!

I can’t imagine a better way to finish the Namibian segment of our tour of southern Africa than to have stayed at Ndhovu Safari Lodge.  It’s located just outside the Mahango Game Reserve, on the banks of the Okavango River.  From the 10 luxury tents, we can hear the Hippos congregating in the river, and see elephants on the island 200 yards away. 

We arrived last night, after the longest drive of the tour - 690 kilometers.  Thankfully, it was on fairly good roads, along the western section of the Caprivi Strip.

Today, we went for a game drive with the Johan, local manager, who pleased Pat by stopping and identifying lots of birds.  Usually, birds take a back seat to the more sought after sights with four legs who roar, jump, or pose a threat.  But with only five of us on the drive, the scales tipped toward the birds.

Now, the river has a natural calming and slowing effect, as its meandering blue current drifts by after lunch.  Some are napping, others are reading  (Pat is), a few are drinking, and I’m relaxing on the deck in front of the restaurant, laptop in my lap typing this.  I really am trying to slow down.  With no hope of getting through to the internet, this is the third day’s journal which will be written anyway so I don’t get too far behind.  With only five days left before heading home, I hope to get this off before boarding the flight.

In an hour, we’re going on a river cruise leaving from the Lodge.  We’re expecting to see some hippos, crocodiles, elephants, and more birds.  But when you wake up each morning to the bellowing of a dozen hippos out in front of your tent, it won’t be disappointing if we just roam around slowly in the early evening breeze.

Tomorrow, we leave for Botswana, and Chobe Safari Lodge.  It's one of the gold standards in game safari location, said to hold 80,000 elephants alone.  It's on a river again, as most of northern Botswana s lodges are either on a river or a in the middle of a delta (for which you must fly into).  Botswana is also very concerned about their cattle getting hoof and mouth disease, so they require very one to get off the bus upon entry into the country, stamp their shoes on a treated pad (and I mean all their shoes - even those you have in your luggage), and walk to their bus on the other side.  You should have seen us carrying plastic bags of cleansed sandals and flip-flops.

To see all of the photos taken today, click on Sunday-Monday, August 3-4th, Ndhovu Safari Lodge, Namibia.