23.07 till 31.07.07, 8 days, currency rate 1€ = 8.4 P (Pula)

highlights – since childhood I got great impression on National Geographic movies shot in the Okavango Delta. Not surprisingly, it is still one of the place not polluted by civilization, the remain arena for the great animal migration. This is the world's largest inland delta - a river that doesn't finish in any sea or lake, it is just absorbed by "hungry" soil and thirsty dry air.

We chose a northern part (Panhandle), because like the eastern part is within range of our wallet. Moremi Game Reserve is for the richer tourists where quite far into the park you can get, in addition to boats and aircraft, by 4WD car, although it is not cheap. Inner Delta, with its top-end exclusive lodges and the only possibility to get there by chartered plane had not been even a subject to consideration.

We get into this nature paradise, where the polers of our two 2-passenger boats (called "mokoro) didn't use oars, but by the long stick pushed away from the shallow river bed. We were getting through bulrush, enjoying the perfect silence and the colours of surrounding vegetation, over and under mirror of crystal clear water. Plenty of fantastic white lilies on the green leaves. In one free crocodile zone, we were able to bath, then watching the elephants hiding in the shade of bank trees. And of course the birds - colourful, large, small, shy and roar-singing.

We were continuing sail and suddenly close by we heard hippopotamus roar - our poler freeze, stopped a boat and listen. Through the bush we couldn't locate the animal, so to stay safe we had to get off from the channel and went by detour through the high bulrush - I felt like we were going on the grass field, not on the water - until we arrived again at the channel. Since then the herd of hippos often accompanied us. We had to keep safe distance, because most prey people in Africa are not from lions and crocodiles, but from those vegetarian mammals. Hippos are extremely territorial and dangerous in close contact with water.

We slept on the islands, and the choice for tents we gave to our polers, which looked at the footprints to avoid the elephants path. They surprised us with the decision to set up our camp on the hippopotamus path. They explained the decision as we can do it only before hippos get out from the water, when they see or feel us, they will chose other place to sleep. Well, I trusted them. At evening we started camp fire and grilled the freshly caught fish and with relaxation we sit on the trees and watch hippos in the water. At morning guide showed us the leopard footprints next to our tents. Later we went for a walk around the island and we have seen from a far distance herd of zebras and giraffes - it is not like in national parks, here the wild animals naturally avoid any potential danger and won't let to get to close. After we sit in our boats again and slowly, we continued our great trip in this isolated miracle of nature - we spent here a unique 3 nights and 2 days.

I'm still not sure whether boss of "poler trust" organization had mistake, or give me so unpopular in Africa promotion. He could believed in my true story of share knowledge and give publicity of its "poler trust" organization, which is still poorly known and has not so many tourists. They do mass attack for other places, as Maun and/or Moremi NP, and this is an event more commercial and expensive. And because Poler Trust organization in Soronga employing local residents as a guides and makes those trips quite professional, they worth to be recommended. The official prices are: for one boat called mokoro, 220 P for two people per day (price the same whether one or two people on the boat), transfer between the camping Mbiroba (the headquarters of the Poler Trust) and point of mokoro departure - 66 P / person, with a minimum of 3 persons. Accommodation, although it is in wild, is also will show on your bill 44 P / person. Food you must have your own (better bring it already to Soronga), as well polers are expecting some tips. So, the total cost for 2 people going together for 3-days trip should be 484 P / person (57 €), which is twice cheaper than in Maun.

We wanted to see the dry salt lakes, between Nata and Maun. We did not have our own vehicle, so we hitchhiked to Planet Baobab Hostel and checked the price - the cheapest option was 1/2 day trip to Nxai Xini, with lunch cost 425 P / person. If you choose Ntwetwe with accommodation on the lake, 2 meals and fun on quads, the price increases twice. Another words, it is too expensive, so we get to Nata, where we visited salty pans in the nearby Bird Sanctuary. In themselves were not specially impressive, they can not be compared to the salt lakes in Bolivia, but they had hundreds of thousands of pink flamingos, which this time of year, migrated here from various parts of Africa. There are camp site and lakes are within walk range, just 7 km one way. 2WD car can get there as well, but might be not so easy in some parts of sandy track.

And could you imagine that less than 50 years ago Botswana was one of the poorest country in the continent. Those days there was nothing to export, so the British in the 60s willingly gave them independence, focusing on steeling natural resources in the neighbouring countries. Botswana, however, "won a lucky lottery" - discovered rich deposits of diamonds. Due to the fact that government shared the profit with people, the economy is considered as the most progressive in the world for the past 10 years. Unfortunately, every medal has two sides. For the purpose of exploitation, from the Kalahari Desert displace their original inhabitants - Bushmens. Over the years discriminated by the authorities and deprived their own homes, tribe was fighting for survival. It was not until this year (2007) when Supreme Court in Gaborone allowed to Bushmens return to their ancestral lands.

We soon with other tourists went north to Chobe National Park. Because we didn't have own vehicle, we had to use the organized safari, morning by jeep in the bush, and at dusk by boat on the river. In Chobe live some of the world's largest herds of elephants, so expect frequent encounters with these giants, also outside the park - drive carefully, especially at night. A lot of wild animals up close - in addition to popular one like antelopes, worth the notice were great herds of elephants and large crocodiles. And to my list of animals encounter in wild I added hyena with its iron jaws and never domesticated buffalo.

A ticket to the Chobe park is an valid for one calendar day (70 P), but no one really check it, at least on the afternoon trip. Remember to take warm clothes or even sleeping bags for cold safari at morning, a trip starts before 6 am. If you have a time only for one safari, I recommend a boat one, because it is the unusual form of visit in African parks - the prices are similar from 120 to 140 P for the safari. I recommend Alan (tel. 71508525) starting from the Marina Lodge - this is a small boat, so not too crowded.

accommodation – like in Namibia, in hostels everything was perfectly organized as for standard backpackers. A few people in such a big country, so the possibility of sleeping in the wild is great, but watch out for wild animals - recommended local advice.

transport – to get to Saronga, you need to cross Okavango River close to its border with Namibia. The ferry is free of charge. There is a connection between a Saronga and Shakawe - bus leaves Saronga every day morning around 8 am. Depending on the adventures on unpaved road, and the length of the queue for the ferry, you should get to Shakawe at approximately 1 pm. There is another bus waiting with connection to Maun (46 P), and the bus which we just arrived will go back to Seronga around 2 pm.

Visa – I received my visa in Windhoek, easily within an hour for € 62, valid for 3 months. However most for the countries don't need visa at all. Friend in Cape Town didn't get a visa without hotel reservations, plane tickets, etc.

In Botswana the embassies of following countries can be found: South Africa, Angola, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe.