We were first introduced to Simon and Des from Ultimate Adventures on social media. The various trips they offered to exhilarating destinations around the world caught our attention, particularly their December tour to Botswana. As passionate bird photographers, and having only visited Botswana once before, there was no hesitation. We booked immediately and then had to endure eight long months of excited anticipation until our departure.
Finally, the big day dawned. Like boisterous teenagers, with our Land Cruiser and off-road caravan in tow, we hit the open road two days after Christmas (thankfully, the road north was open as the entire Gauteng was heading south to the coast). Our two-day trip from Kloof in Durban to Elephant Sands in Botswana to meet Simon and Des and the rest of the group was thoroughly enjoyable, especially while witnessing the metamorphosis of the terrain. Green bush, rolling hills and twisting roads soon became flat plains interspersed with a much drier vegetation. The dead straight sweltering tar vanishing into the horizon – the occasional baobab standing majestically – a welcome sight! And of course, the elephants… the excitement of seeing such magnificent creatures unperturbed and roaming free on the side of the road is quite something!
On arrival at Elephant Sands, we claimed our site and set up camp while elephants ambled
