Kalahari Desert | Sherry Lachelle Travels

After picking up a bushman in the Kalahari Desert of Botswana, that you can read about here, my G Adventures Overland Truck group left and drove 7 hours to the Island Safari Lodge in Maun. It was basically a stop-over before we loaded our supplies and camping gear for a two-day trip to camp in the bush on an island in the Okavango Delta. First, we loaded speedboats and traveled 45 minutes to an area with the Mokoros (dug-out canoes). The supplies were then loaded onto the Mokoros and off we went.

It was like an African version of being on a Gondola in Venice!

An hour later we arrived to our camping spot, unloaded and set up our tents. Bush camping is very basic – this was our toilet…

After working up a sweat, we went for a swim in the Delta. The water is very clean and cold…the locals scoop it up and drink straight from the Delta! The water lilies were gorgeous!

I took a short nap and then we went for an hour walk with the group and saw some hippos in the water! The Okavango Delta was one of the highlights for most of our group!

With almost two weeks of my 35 day African Overland Truck adventure behind me, we were on the road again for 9 hours driving from the capital of Namibia—Windhoek—on our way across the border into Botswana to visit the San Bushmen. Upon arrival to Ghanzi, which is located on the edge of the Kalahari Desert, I decided to spend $5 to upgrade from my tent to a Bushman hut. It had electric and a bed with warm blankets! Oh…the things we take for granted!

After getting situated, I made my way to meet the group and to say hello to the indigenous San Bushman. I had brought a wand with bubbles to blow for children along the 8,000 km overland truck journey, and when our translator saw it, he took me by the hand over to the small group with their children and let me start blowing bubbles. No one took a photo of me with the bubbles…but here are some of the people.

At first I thought they had horrible body odor…but later found out that they rub a plant on themselves to ward off mosquitos!

Later, I wanted a photo with them. One of the fun things I do when traveling is pick up men…

I’m not sure he was enjoying it though!

Later that evening, for $10, we were treated to traditional dancing by the fire. There was a funny moment when the translator was giving us some history of a local tradition that is performed by girls when they start menstruating. I thought he said that they have to dance naked in front of the elder men of the tribe and was asking him more questions trying to clarify it. Everyone had a good laugh, but I still didn’t find out what really happens!

We all had a great time with the San Bushmen of Botswana!