Deception Valley - Maun

As we get up, we can hear a lion, quite close by. When we meet Moscow as we go for breakfast, he tells us that when he was up earlier at 06:00 or so, there were three females with four babies at the waterhole. Typical. The one day we sleep in a little later because we are moving on to Maun today, all the action happens at the waterhole.

We do, however, see some guineafowl in the misty sunrise from our terrace – not quite the same, I know, but it’s the best I can do.

Packing up the vehicle to travel to the big town today.

We drive along the perimeter fence for some distance, and spot the rear end of one of only six elephants in the park.

Exiting the park is much easier than entering as Moscow knows the code now and the lock has been lubricated.

Greater Kestrel

For a few miles, the road is still a narrow track with soft sand, before we turn onto the ‘main’ road with more compacted earth, and very much wider.

This also means more traffic (we are not used to that from Deception Valley, where the most we saw at any one time was three other vehicles). Faster moving traffic also means more dust thrown up as they pass!

African Hawk Eagle

The rest of the journey is on smooth tarred roads.

Picnic

We stop under an iron tree for our lunch picnic, overlooking the dry Boteti River, where we have some lovely egg, bacon, and cheese sandwiches prepared by the kitchen at Deception Valley Lodge.

The dried up river-bed

The back of the vehicle has a handy tap that dispenses water for washing your hands at picnic stops. This car has been specially designed and built for Bushways Safaris and features all sorts of handy little accessories such as this.

Sedia Riverside Hotel

As we pull up to this very mid-range hotel, popular with overland travellers, a big overlander truck is unloading its passengers and luggage. Seeing all the people and the cramped conditions onboard, makes me very grateful we are on a private safari.

It is too early to check in when we arrive, so we leave our luggage in the reception and head for the bar on the terrace.

The reception lends out electric bikes

David checking emails and messages

The terrace

The pool

We manage to have a couple of drinks and a light lunch before the room is ready.

Chicken Schwarma

Our room

As I said earlier, the hotel is mid-range (at best), and the room is fairly basic, but certainly adequate, and very clean. We have a siesta before dinner.

Dinner

Evenings are cold, and I certainly need to wear my fleece tonight.

The air is so dry here in Botswana that my normally wavy hair has become almost completely straight

They serve Savanna Cider here, which is always a bonus

Mexican Pizza - it is nice and spicy and cheesy, with filling right out to the edge; and a thin crust with no soggy bottom. I hate soggy bottoms.

A rather yummy chocolate mousse to finish - quite rich and not too sweet, making it very enjoyable

Thank you to Undiscovered Destinations and their partners for making the incredible Great Africa Trip 2024 possible.