We woke up at around 7am on our second morning at Ihaha rest camp in the Chobe National Park in northern Botswana, having only slept for about three hours the night before. The massive tree branch that had snapped in the middle of the night, crashing onto our roof tent and car was now lying about a metre away from the vehicle.  We were tired, sore, hot and still in shock but those evil Camping Gods were not done with us yet.

What better way to end off a very busy work year and to get some much needed rest  & relaxation than to go camping in northern Botswana for about a week? Well, it would seem we had angered the Camping Gods in 2018 and they were not having any of this “R&R” nonsense.  It was going to be one of “THOSE” kind of trips and we had no idea what was coming!

Having reached Khankwe 04 campsite in the very late afternoon, we cautiously watched the charcoal grey clouds creep in from the North and the South bringing the darkness with it much sooner than we had hoped. As the dark clouds loomed, the plastic wrapping that held our firewood was getting wet on the outside as the drizzle began. No sense in lighting the fire as the rain fell, but we did need some sort of lighting to make us feel safe in the pitch black of the Khutse Game Reserve. That's where the LightFORCE LED Strip Light, foldable and waterproof camplight comes in!

Some might say that packing space when camping is more valuable than having enough water on your trip! Ok, not really, but it is an important factor when planning for and going on a camping trip.  According to some campers, arranging your gear and foodstuffs in your vehicle is a fine art and having the right kind of storage boxes can make your packing arrangement look like the Mona Lisa of camping.  We tested and reviewed the Camp Master Utility Box storage units and here's what we think of them.

Over the past few years that we have lived in Botswana, we have travelled to most of the “main” wildlife/camping areas in the country. We’ve visited the Tuli Block in Eastern Botswana, Kasane and the Chobe river and national park in the north, Khutse in the South-West and so we figured it was about time we went to the North-West and visit the town of Maun, the Moremi Game Reserve and of course, the Okavango Delta!

When one mentions the town of Palapye in Botswana's Central District, the association with the now well-frequented Moremi Gorge (read our review here) is often made. If, however, you want something a bit more off the beaten track, then why not explore the Old Palapye ruins and visit the smaller, but still very scenic Motetane Gorge?

The small town of Palapye, located about 270km North East from Gaborone has a population of just over 30,000 and is known for being near the Khama Rhino Sanctuary and en route to the more popular tourist destinations in Botswana like Nata, Kasane and Maun.  Yet this little gem of a town is home to some amazing landscapes and boasts a couple of fascinating gorges with crystal clear waterfalls and bubbling brooks!

For those who have been following us and our travels (through this blog and our social media profiles), you will know that #RBOF started it's adventures around Botswana two years ago in a second-hand 2001 Toyota RAV4 all-wheel drive compact SUV, or soft-roader as this type of vehicle is commonly referred to.  While the RAV4 was capable of taking us to quite a few places around Botswana (and surprised many onlookers as it did so), the more adventurous we got, the less capable the RAV4 became.  We wanted to go further and deeper into the bush but the RAV4 eventually started reaching the edge of it's comfort zone. Enter the Toyota Prado!

The African bush is a mecca for the nature and wildlife lover and enthusiast and there aren’t many better ways (if any, in my opinion) to go around seeing this wild haven than in the comfort of a 4x4 vehicle, preferably driven by yourself at your own leisure.  Such vehicles aren’t always cheap to come by, well in that case, how about renting out a self-drive 4x4?  That’s what we did not too long ago and would definitely recommend it to others as well.