It’s March when Phil van Wyk, tour leader at Bhejane 4x4 Adventures, and I arrive at Palm Afrique Lodge south of Ghanzi. This is where we’ll meet up with the rest of our tour group before we set off on an eight day camping trip to the Central Kalahari Game Reserve (CKGR).
It’s a hot night and I sit next to the swimming pool in a puddle of Wi-Fi, trying to finish all my admin before we head into the veld. Our host Sonia de Villiers walks over to ask whether I want to order something from the bar and we get talking.
“We’re hoping for a little more rain before the dry season starts,” she says.
I share Sonia’s hope, but with one qualification: I hope the rain waits until after our trip, because a wet CKGR will make for “interesting” driving conditions…
It’s still humid when I go to bed but the stars are out and I don’t put the flysheet on my tent. Around 3am, Sonia’s wish comes true: A thunder crack wakes me and I hastily dig around for my headlamp to get my tent waterproof before the heavens open.
Turns out it would rain for seven days straight…
DAY 1 Lekhubu Valley
Phil had planned to depart at 7am, but we have to wait for the rain to abate. Eventually we head out at 9am. Phil, tour guide Samunzala “Max” Matabakanyi and I are driving together in one vehicle. Max is from Botswana and he’s here to help us get to know the landscape and its animals. Logistical problem number 1: We’re in a Land Cruiser game-viewing vehicle,
