secrets o
A new Botswana camp opens up a vast, untapped safari destination, writes Sue Watt
n my first drive in the Mababe Depression, we come across a mass of mischief and mud in the form of
14 lions, including six cubs all rolling around in the afternoon sun, their two-tone coats a combination of matted black soil and golden fur. Meanwhile, two of the larger lions try climbing a stunted mopane tree far too small for them, and they both tumble gracelessly to the ground. These are a few of the majestic members of the Chobe pride, named after the wildlife-rich national park that borders Mababe to the north. Once a hunting area, Mababe – an ancient lake on the eastern edge of the Okavango Delta – has
recently made moves into luxury safari tourism. The new Wilderness Mokete opened last year, gaining exclusive rights to this expansive concession, which measures almost 200 square miles. On my 40-minute helicopter flight from the safari launchpad of Maun to the new tented camp, I’d glimpsed a fascinating bird’s-eye view of the great, green Mababe Depression, with its reputation for spectacular wildlife. It wasn’t always this way. At various points in the 20th century, the Mababe River dried up, leaving a grassy plain that was only a habitat in the rainy season. But when the river’s waters trickled back in 2007, it became a year-round haven for thirsty wildlife. ²
travelweekly.co.uk 10 JULY 2025
DESTINATIONS BOTSWANA | AFRICA
49
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60
