The original plan was to visit Kubu Island for the Easter Weekend but with all the rain in Botswana we decided to go to Mankwe camp next to Moremi.
We ended up with six people in three vehicles being myself (Geoff) and my eldest son Andrew in my Disco11 TD5 auto. My brother Steven, his son Brendon and his son-in-law Fish in his Isuzu and Dave solo in his Isuzu.
We left on the Thursday (8/4/04) before Easter at 09h00 with the intention of sleeping at Khama Rhino sanctuary. This nearly didn’t materialise as the border post was chaotic being just before a long weekend and the new requirement of road tax took over two hours to complete. The last ten kilometres to Khama was very Grand Prix like with about fifteen large overland wagons all trying to reach there first to get camping. We were allocated the day visitors picnic spot as our camping spot which was very comfortable. Distance travelled 618km.
The next day (Good Friday) saw a delayed start to Mankwe that wasn’t wise as it was a very long way to go. We got to Maun at 15h00 just in time to get a few burgers at the Steers, filled up and left for Mankwe. Once through the buffalo fence we started encountering water and mud holes and a couple of times had water up to the Disco’s windscreen. Saw a solitary buffalo shortly before Sancuyo village my first in all the visits to Botswana. Got to Mankwe at 17h35 just in time for the sunset. Distance travelled 619km.
The next day we did a circular trail
with only two of the vehicles up to Mababe village then along to Moremi North
gate and then back down the North South cut line through the deep water crossing.
This crossing had been a source of worry for me with an electronic Disco and
the guys at Mankwe telling us that the water was bar counter deep. As it transpired
it wasn’t quite that deep and I got through ok. We saw loads of elephants
and quite a few buck species on this stretch. Further down this north south
cut line there was a mud/water stretch for about 50meters and Steve thought
he was invincible and went for it. He wasn’t with predictable results.
I found a long way around through the Mopani and was going to recover him with
our combined three pull straps. Andrew was guiding me through the grass to a
suitable place to start the recovery but was giving too much attention to filming
Dave falling about in the mud with the inevitable result of getting myself stuck
as well happening. Two vehicles both stuck and some elephants about ah well!
Got me out and was on the way back to Mankwe to get some other pull straps when
we bumped into a Cruiser 100 equipped with a winch. He got Steve free again
and we got back to camp muddy but happy. Distance travelled 89kms (only)
The next day it was unfortunately back the way we came to Khama where we were again crammed in to some obscure part of the sanctuary. Distance travelled 623km.
Next day home and all the busses from Moire made it a less than happy leg of the trip. Distance travelled 610km