Botswana - Chobe Chilwero
© Photos from the album of Lisa Anderson
Choebe Chilwero is special. The people make you feel at home, the chef feeds you a delicious meal, you enter this beautifully appointed suite with lovely views of the river, and then you go to the River Choebe to watch the elephants and other animals. But the elephants are the real stars here. You see them in all sizes, from the tiniest newborn to the massive bull, with everything in between. You see stair-step siblings playing together on the beach here, too, just like at home.
In the fall the water lilies are in bloom, as literally thousands of them are spread across the river. And in the spring, when it is dry, you find large herds of elephants swimming across the river form Namibia to Botswana. What magic! These enormous creatures dive under the water and come shooting up from the water like a cannonball! They swim and play like children. The young elephants hold the tails of their mothers to keep from getting lost, and the whole family will then swim across the rest of the river with trunk in tail, all in a line!
We had several boats watching this aquatic parade in the late afternoon sun one October afternoon, and each elephant in turn reached the far bank and climbed ashore to head for home as we stared in wonder. Taking full advantage of his moment in the sun, the last elephant waded unto the beach, then did a complete about face, and gave a bow for his audience. He was given a standing ovation.
Contact a Young Travel agent today to plan your excursion to Botswana.
