Founder Marc Harris, accompanied by teenage son Frank, embarked on a Botswana adventure last month. With a hope to finally see a successful lion hunt and the opportunity to experience Wilderness’ newest camp Mokete, expectations were high. Read on to find out Marc’s views on the trip…
First things first, as I am sure many parents will agree, travelling with teenagers is far more rewarding than travelling with young children! Having dragged my kids all across Africa since they were 7, it was incredibly fulfilling to be able to travel with my teenage son, Frank, this summer.
Mokete – what’s all the fuss about?
The highlight of the trip was without a doubt Mokete Camp – the latest addition to Wilderness’ burgeoning portfolio.
Mokete first came to my attention when I saw the opening footage from ‘Our Planet II‘ of lion hunting buffalo during the day (if you haven’t seen it already, watch from 2.30 here – you won’t be disappointed). In 40 years of safari’ing, I had yet to observe a lion kill. So I told my son to get packing, and off we went.
Mokete camp features nine luxurious yet understated tents, each with retractable roofs for stargazing. In addition to private plunge pools, there is also a communal swimming pool – ideal for refreshing dips during the midday heat. It is set in a pristine area of wilderness, the only camp in 50,000 hectares; all this for my son and I, and only two other vehicles from camp.
© Mokete Camp, Wilderness
Location, location, location
Mokete Camp is in the Mababe depression, an area that historically had never been exciting for wildlife. However, in 2017, an earthquake changed the topography of this area, causing the waters that once formed the Savute marsh to drain into the depression.
As a result, vast herds off buffalo – thousands strong – began appearing in the area. And where there are huge herds of buffalo, there are lions.
It is no exaggeration to say that we drove for hours without reaching the end of some of these herds, which is remarkable in its own right. Yet even more thrilling was the fact that the 3 resident prides of lion are notorious buffalo killers – and more importantly, they often hunt during the day.
We witnessed six lion kills in the space of just three days, with all the excitement of stalking the lion stalking the buffalo (thank you to the Northern pride of 24). The kills conveniently occurred in the morning, just before lunch.
As if that wasn’t enough, the Mababa region also boasts incredible viewings of a resident wild dog pack which hunted daily. The action always took place out in the plains rather than in the dense Mopane woodlands, allowing us to observe the hunts with exceptional ease and clarity.
Mokete is also surprisingly good value for money, especially by Botswana standards, and I urge you to visit …
© Mokete Camp, Wilderness
