Welcome To The Okavango Delta Of Botswana…
Sharing another story of life on safari…as we drove across the Botswana’s Okavango Delta searching for some of the very plentiful wildlife that is seemingly everywhere…
This Water Buffalo cast a wary gaze at us…they are very dangerous….tempernmental and aggressive, especially when they feel threatened…we were told they do not stop until their adversary is dead!
At a watering hole we found a lot of Zebra and Kudu – take a look:
And as we drove along the sandy dirt road of our preserve at Wilderness Qorokwe, we found these two enjoying the warm sand…
These two Lions observed us with detached bemusement…objects sitting five feet above the ground in a big metal box mean nothing to them….but it shows just how comfortable and free these animals are…
Okavango Delta in northern Botswana is one of the world’s largest inland deltas and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Unlike most deltas, it does not flow into an ocean; instead, the Okavango River empties into the sands of the Kalahari Desert, creating a massive, labyrinthine oasis of lagoons, channels, and islands.
I shot some video from our plane when we first arrived:
The Okavango Delta in Botswana holds one of the largest Lion populations in Africa, with estimates often placing the number of lions in the region at over 1,000. These lions are known for being exceptionally large and water-adapted, with males often exceeding 240 kg (550 lbs).
And once in a while you come across one that is restless and VERY NOISY – check it out:
So why am I telling you this? Because I learned something fascinating to me that day – the story of a lonely Lion…
We were staying at Wilderness Qorokwe in the Okavango Delta of Botswana…where a small herd of Elephants grazed right outside our room…
We headed out in the morning with our new safari friends Singeetha, Karthik and Aravinda, looking for some action!
And we found it!
The Story Of A Lonely Wandering Lion…
This is how I learned something new. We happened upon this male Lion, seemingly without a care in the world, but there is more to the story.
A solo lion looking for a pride is usually a nomadic male, often in a temporary state after being evicted from his natal pride or losing a territorial battle. These lions live alone or in bachelor groups, hunting smaller prey and avoiding dominant males while seeking an opportunity to challenge for or take over a new pride.
This gives you an idea of just how close the Lions come to you while looking for a friend…
Our Expert Guide Jacob followed slowly at a safe distance – always keeping a watchful eye on the animal’s movements and demeanor, but as you can see – he walked right by us without even looking up!
Jacob explained that he was trying to reconnect with his pride, but the males are often abandoned and left to fend for themselves…we tracked him for about a half hour in case he found his friends, but alas he didn’t…
We headed back to camp and had a great story to recount over drinks and dinner!
Jacob was a phenomenal Guide, proving it the day this happened!
We were going to do a Mokoro, a traditional canoe ride int he marsh, see the boats there in front of our Jeep! Well, Jacob explained why the boats were going to stay aground that day – see that wild story here:
I’ve told you about several of our Lion encounters, but this was our first:
A dozen Lions were sleeping off a kill in Singita Sabi Sands…see how we managed to find them by reading my story here:
This incredible Lion adventure followed our Leopard encounter with George and Louis from the day before:
We saw Leopards two days in a row – here’s the story of our sightings!
Singita Boulders was magical!
Here’s a closer look at the festive food welcome we got when we arrived…see it here!
This was a life-changing adventure for us: we truly do look at the world differently. See why we no longer use the phrase “Big 5” when discussing safari animals:
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Categories: Africa, Exotic Travel, Memoirs, nature, safari, Travel, Travel Adventures, Travel Memoir
johnrieber 
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