Blog: Botswana on foot

You find yourself sitting in a rugged vehicle; all wrapped up in a comfy blanket with a monstrous zoom at the ready. You move along the sand-tracks, diesel engine slowly churning in the background as you wait, eyes peeled, ready to come across whatever Mother Nature is willing to reveal. Suddenly, the breaks slam and all eyes focus on the print in the sand alongside. Your hopeful imagination immediately jumps to a lion, or a leopard, but luckily you are in the company of an experienced guide, who informs you that it is in fact, a hyena track. Excited nonetheless, you creep forward, eyes glued to the prints in the sand. The track starts to veer off to the right, entering the thick undergrowth. You look to your guide with eyes of hope. However, shaking his head, he explains that there is no access through the thick bush. Disappointed, you carry on down the track, hoping for another indication of the hidden predators.

Now imagine how different this experience would have been if you were on foot. Day-pack on, boots laced up tight, water bottle handy – you set off. Not along the thick sand track, but rather through that dense bush. Weaving through woodland and open floodplains, you follow your guide. He stops and points to the sand, where you notice the unmistakable mark of a predator. The hair stands up on the back of your neck, and your heart starts to race, as the unidentified imprint glares at you with undeniable clarity. You look to your guide, who identifies it as a hyena track from the early morning.

Your eyes follow the tracks to the right, through the thick bush. Your guide finds a way through and after the initial clamber, you emerge into a clearing. The dew drenched sand makes for a perfect surface to follow the markings. After twenty minutes of tracking, you are still on edge, but you start to question if anything will come of this or whether it’s a typical wild goose chase. The guide signals to stop – he has smelt something. After a brief set of instructions, you continue up-wind, and soon the smell becomes even more aggressive. One last push through the undergrowth brings you to a secluded watering hole, isolated by thick mopani.

There they are – the animals that you have been tracking all this time – three hyena surrounding a decimated carcass. What appear to be two adolescents and an elder surround the previous night’s kill. The last to have their fill, they steadily pick at the remains, unaware of your watchful eyes. Your heart pounds in your chest as you witness this ultimate raw experience, nature at its most wild. You steadily retreat until you are out of range. As the excitement from witnessing such a rare moment erupts, you find yourself lost for words, dumbfounded and in awe. After a re-hydrating drink, you set back off into the bush onto the next exciting pursuit. After all, you never know what might be around the next bush…

You can’t wait to experience the Botswana bush on foot?

Please call one of our specialists on 020 3141 2810 or email info@imagineafrica.co.uk to begin planning your very own tailor-made holiday.