08 Jul 2014

Flying in a small aircraft may be a nightmare for some people, but if the destination is none other than the gorgeous Okavango Delta, the trip may be a dream to remember.

Maun BOPA reporter, Ester Mmolai, shares her experience following her flight into the famed delta recently. As the small air charter took off, I was a bit shaken and I closed my eyes to take a short prayer begging the almighty God to take control of our trip.

Although the ride, or shall I say the air path, seemed bumpy, the pilot kept an eye on us and would ask if we were okay from time to time. Before taking off, the pilot had announced that since the weather was unstable, it would take us an hour to reach Mochaba camp from Maun. He had also announced that the plane was noisy but we would be safe.

The other officer, I guess he was the co-pilot because he occupied the co-pilot seat, seemed to be very comfortable and unperturbed. Small as it was, Monang exposed me to amazing scenery difficult to appreciate from the land below. I once heard that the value of a private plane charter is the value of your time and your need for convenience and comfort. 

Yes, a private plane charter will cost more than a seat on a commercial airplane. With knowledgeable pilots, air charters provide exceptional service and the best choices to satisfy the traveller’s discerning needs.

Whether the trip is for business or pleasure, the staff will meet your needs and exceed your expectations. A private plane charter offers a travel experience impossible to duplicate on commercial airline travel.

This was on May 2013 when I took this trip to the newly opened Machaba Camp in the company of Flight of Hope group from Portugal and an assistant communications manager from Mascom Wireless.

Flight of Hope is a group of airline pilots and volunteers from Portugal whose main objective is to tour Africa and contribute to good education, healthy living for children and also sell the tourism sector.

The group, which Mascom had hosted, was in Botswana to tour the Okavango Delta, experience the life there and appreciate the wildlife in the area. They also had time to donate educational stationery to the children of Khwai.

As we flew into the delta on this particular day - Monday morning to be precise - there were only four of us, including myself, a Mascom official, and two pilots of course. And the whole experience was excellent, very professional from start to finish, and one will never pass up an opportunity to air ride again, not for anything.

As we arrived in the dusty airstrip of Khwai, we found a safari vehicle waiting to take us to the camp which was situated in the game rich village on one of the eastern canals of the Okavango Delta.

Situated on the banks of the Khwai River, and overlooking the famous Moremi Game Reserve, Mochaba Camp maintains a historic appearance; although its ten safari tents are classic and luxurious, the en-suit bathrooms, living areas, and outdoor showers, have a natural appeal.

From the airstrip to the campsite was another experience as, beside animals, we drove past scenic grasslands, tall trees, and birds.

And, as we drove along, we saw many zebras crossing ahead of us, and then more elephants resting under tree shades. I thought I was dreaming because I had seen jumbos only on television; I was now scarred. I wished we could arrive fast but the journey seemed too long as the guides took their time to explain to us different behaviours of wild animals.

On arrival at the camp, a sign written; ‘Welcome to Mochaba Camp’ greeted us, and, as we climbed down the safari vehicle the manager and some staff members were ready with glasses of juice and small towels for us to dust our faces.

The camp is independently owned and run by professionals and it offers great value for money and a unique and classical safari experience.

From the tent verandas, one can watch the daily parade of animals coming down to drink at the river in front of the camp. After three hours, Mr Tuelo Montshonyane, one of the camp’s senior officials, welcomed and introduced us to the entire facility.

Mr Montshonyane said we came at the right time during winter when safari in Botswana was at its peak, adding that top tourist destinations usually attracted a lot more visitors in Winter than in summer.

He announced facilities and services such as the swimming pool, game drives, mokoro (boat) trips, and walks among other activities.

In the evening we took a brief game drive out of the camp and saw many animals from the riverfront perspective, including many birds, elephants, hippos, and it was also interesting going around the park listening to birds singing and watching the sun set.

As we drove along, it got a little darker and our guide spotted leopard paw marks. We tried to find the leopard, but we later gave up because it was already getting darker; we tracked back to the camp site, where we enjoyed another nice dinner by the warmth of the campfire.

The following morning we got up a little earlier than usual to take our final game drive. As we started out this chilly morning, we saw plenty of giraffes and elephants, some with youngsters. As we were driving through the sandy roads, we came across an interesting sight; a leopard just crossing the path, minding its own business.

As we got close to the camp, we passed a ravine that had a few elephants, enjoying the water. One was destroying trees all over he road blocking us and we had to force our way through laying trees because the elephant just stood across the road.

Our main target was to see the elusive jungle king; the lion, but in its absence, our biggest victory was seeing three hyenas; two female and a male lying under some trees, and seeming to be eating remnants of their latest catch.

We had a lovely final group dinner together back at the camp as we discussed all that we had seen and experienced during our safari. The following day we departed to our respective working bases and that was the end of the Monang trip. ENDS