Welcome to the first episode in my Classic overlanding series.These are Epic overland trips in classic series Land Rovers First episode is an epic overland expedition trip we did to the Okavango Delta in Botswana in 1992.
We had the Cottons in a Series 2 Caboose, Crossmans in a Series 3s R6, Plunketts in a Series 2B forward control. Then there was Colin Dandridges series 2a forward control and a Bedford, Frank and Eileen Dandridge in their 110 and The Becks in their early 110
Okavango Delta
The trip was to take us deep into the Okavango Delta into a remote safari concession area on the border of Moremi game reserve. We took boats with so that we could go into the delta for fishing. We had some epic water crossings, epic tiger fishing and a storm that flattened our camp. The cherry on the top was spending new years eve at Kubu island on the way back.
This footage is 30 years old so please excuse the quality, I originally edited it on a VCR using titles created on a PC and filmed using the camcorder. I have left some of the original titles in because that’s how I did it back then.
Enjoy this raw and untamed overlanding from over 30 years ago.
Overland Expedition
The first part of the trip was around 1000km up to Maun via Rakops and the Boteti River. It was a two-day trip as we spend a night bush camping just inside Botswana and then another night along the Boteti River. We met the rest of the party at Collin’s house just outside Maun on the Boro River. Here we had to carry out some repairs on the Series 2 clutch.
The next day we set off into the delta and spent the first night near Khwai river.
The second day saw us negotiating a lot of cross-country travel and many streams and water crossings. We stopped several times to cool off in small lagoons with sandy bottoms, a precaution against attack from crocodiles.
Wild Camping
Colin was navigating and getting us to an amazing camping area on the edge of a lagoon with huge shady trees. This remote location is where we set up camp. We spent several days here including Christmas day which was celebrated in the evening with a combined dinner with much wine. The next morning an early riser woke everyone with the news that a pride of lions had been through the camp. Some of us, some with lesser or greater hangovers than others, led by Colin, immediate followed their tracks in our vehicles. After tracking them for well over an hour through the bush and across the veld we gave up.
We had an amazing time traveling on the channels in the delta by boat. Most of the time we were out looking for fishing spots to cat Tiger fish and Bream. We were successful on several days landing some decent sized Tiger fish as well and +2Kg bream. It was one of the most memorable fishing trips that I have experienced in the paradise of the Okavango Delta.
Kubu Island
We saw a lot of game on the trip including a very large herd of wildebeest. Although the animals were docile this herd was spooked by us and took off at a gallop across the vast plain in a cloud of dust. Quite an experience.
On new year’s eve we left the Dandridges and took a remote track recommended by Colin to Bains BaoBabs. Here we spent our last night and saw out the end of 1992.
