Back to basics safari
What makes a safari with the Okavango brothers unique is that you are not taken by plane to a very expensive lodge and stay in the same place for days.
With the Okavango Brothers you travel with your own boat to the heart of the delta. Where they suspect that there is a lot of game(read: lions), the brothers pitch their own tents-preferably under trees that offer a lot of shade and a place with a majestic view.
The days of rest, the deep contact with nature, the simple camp life and the warm friendships that arise make this safari an exceptional experience.
Camping in and among the wild
Camp life is about simplicity and tranquility. The return to nature and to yourself. Delicious food and lots of fun. Accepting the slow passing of time. And also your neck hairs that stand up when a hippo decides to visit the camp, or when a herd of elephants comes to graze nearby.
Together with Frits Verheyen, the three brothers of Okavango Brothers made countless safaris. As children of the delta they knew nature and wildlife, now they also know the tricks of the safari trade. They speak the language of the wild, know how to entertain a group, and know every creek and island in the Okavango like the back of their hand.
Eat and sleep
When it has been decided where the camp site will be, wood is first gathered and a fire is made. It stays on day and night. Then a pit is dug above which a toilet seat is mounted and a tarpaulin is stretched around it. Only then are the tents, including the kitchen tent, assembled. The shower comes last.
The sleeping tents offer quite a bit of comfort. You can stand upright in it. The sleeping pads are surprisingly thick.
And the food? That is incredibly tasty and amazingly extensive.
The fishing nets are put out when possible. They hang in shallow water and are attached to reeds and clumps of grass.
Before departure, a load of fresh vegetables and some meat is bought and stored. They are kept fresh in a refrigerator, a refrigerator that gets its power from a battery that is powered by a solar panel.
What are you doing all day?
During the day there is a lot of chatting, laughing, sleeping, reading, eating and watching the animals nearby.
You'll be surprised how quickly you get used to the fact that you can't 'quickly look something up on the internet' or 'check your social media'.
Because yes, to find an internet connection you have to travel back to civilization for many hours. You also don't make calls for days on end.
The guide will wake you up before the sun rises. He has provided hot water for you to wash your face.
The first activity of the day starts at sunrise, because then the cats are still active. The length of the walk depends on what happens on the way.
After the morning walk, breakfast follows. Then idle until the afternoon activity.
In the evening you can take a hot shower under a tree. Then follows the aperitif and dinner. By then it will be pitch dark and everyone will talk by the fire.
And then follows the battle against sleep, a battle that you lose early.
Because after a whole day of walking and resting, you are tired.
