The Savuti Channel
Jan Astle, Client.
This was my fourth stay at Savuti Camp in Botswana, which is 20 kilometers up the Savuti Channel from the Zibalianja Lagoon. I have also stayed at Zibalianja Camp which is in the Selinda Concession, to the West of the Lagoon.
This year, in March, I was amazed at how far the water had progressed. This channel has been dry since 1982, and when I was there in March 2006 the water was flowing about five kilometres up the channel - this seemed a long way then. But flying in this time, it was wonderful to see that the Lagoon and channel were now linked, with the water creeping further and further all the time.
Game drives from Savuti Camp were becoming more and more exciting as I never knew how deep the water was going to be when we crossed it. There were several occasions when I sat next to my guide, with my camera bag on my lap and my knees practically touching my chin!
Every evening, great flocks of cattle egrets came to feed in the water. Any kind of disturbance would cause them to fly off - rising in clouds of thousands of birds.
Everything about my trip was wonderful, and I shall be very interested to see how far the water has receded when I visit again in the dry season - at the beginning of November.
