Private Wilder­ness Experi­ence Wild Kwapa – Henrietta

Review Henrietta – PWE Wild Kwapa in Botswana

This is what wilderness feels like

I am staring at the dancing flames of the fire in front of me. I hear the scops owl's call in the background. Some elephants are mud bathing at the waterhole, just about 50 meters next to us. I cannot see them, but I feel their presence. Above me, the Milky Way and the dark night sky of the Okavango Delta.

I am sitting surrounded by people who were strangers only two weeks ago. And now my heart is aching because I will miss them dearly. I will miss having my first morning coffee among them, sharing meals, stories, excitement and tears.

But let’s go back in time a little bit...

After a somewhat chaotic journey (there was a lot of running around) – with my luggage still in Paris – I arrived in Maun. But as soon as I stepped off the plane, nothing else mattered. I was here. For the first time in this breathtaking part of the country.

On the flight from Johannesburg to Maun, I had already met some fellow travellers (whom I identified by their WhatsApp profile picture from the PWE group that Daniel, founder of Natucate, had created a little beforehand to give us the chance to meet). So, together, we walked out of the little airport. Daniel and Alan (one of our guides and co-host of the PWE Kwapa) were already waiting for us. “Welcome home”, Alan said – smiling his wide, wise Alan smile.

After some coffee and breakfast at The Duck (it’s not only the closest coffee shop to the airport, it’s also a beautiful place with great food and lovely people AND a really nice shop for souvenirs), we were ready to take off into the wild.

Welcome to Kwapa Camp

A trip to Kwapa, even when you come around the same time of the year, is hardly ever the same. As the Okavango Delta is shaped by the rainfall in the North (specifically Angola, where the river starts that finds its way into little channels all the way into the Delta), the land changes depending on the water levels. So you might have water right next to camp, you might also not see the water at all. And there is no better or worse. There is beauty in all of it – and it keeps things exciting for returning guests.

After moving into our tents (2 beds with ensuite outdoor bathrooms), we gathered by the fireplace, enjoying a cold drink and waiting for some visitors at the waterhole right in front of us.

When we came together for our first dinner that night, listening to the introduction to camp and the plans for the upcoming days, a sense of calm already started to settle in for me. No outside noises, no one rushing, no need to make decisions for the upcoming days. Just easing myself into the new routines of Kwapa life.

Into the wild

The only downside: This routine started VERY early in the morning … But from my former experiences in the bush, I luckily knew I’d get used to it quickly. We left camp for our first game drives at 6 am, heading out into this breathtaking concession. What I love most about early mornings is the unpredictability. You could slowly start the day, watching some elephants in the distance while enjoying your breakfast porridge. Or you could follow some wild dogs on their morning hunt, getting interrupted by a leopard jumping out of a massive sausage tree. You never know what a day at Kwapa holds for you – and that’s the beauty of it.

What you can be sure about, though, on a PWE: you will meet some of the best guides in the safari industry – and they will take you into their world.

Are you into wildlife photography? Massi’s got you. You want to track lions? Just follow Okwa. You want to really understand elephants? Obviously, Alan is your person.

But it’s not just knowledge and tons of experience that PWE guides bring along. It’s a sense of deep connection to the bush, a wisdom that is hard to put into words but easy to understand once you sit in a car or walk through the bush with them.

PWE Kwapa – It’s a feeling

And even in the classroom, when they hold lectures on tracking or conservation, or around the fire in the evening when they share the stories of their life in the bush, you understand how much of a difference it makes to experience Kwapa with these world-class guides. That they are opening doors for you that you never even knew existed.

Learning from their experience, their wisdom and humanity made this trip extra special. They ignited thoughts that stay with me to this day, and they planted seeds that I cannot wait to see growing.

“Let me offer you a blindfold so you can regain your sight” – this is one of the many quotes from Alan that will always come to my mind when remembering the PWE at Kwapa. Because the more time you spend out in the bush, the more you understand that sometimes it’s not about what you see. But what you feel. This is what made the Private Wilderness Experience in Kwapa with Natucate so special to me.

About:
Henrietta Reese is a freelance writer, a storytelling consultant and a nature and apprentice trails guide. You will find her somewhere between Germany, New York, and Southern Africa - exploring all the different facets of this wild word. Find out more on her Instagram!