This is the second part of Wednesday's two part blog post about the flooding in Botswana. This posting deals with the flood's impact on local villages as well as safari experiences and safari camps.

The Botswana Flood of 2009 Has Wide Ranging Impacts.
Photo by Chrisophe Corteau FIA

What About the Impact on Local Villages and Tribes?

While the primary focus of this blog is on wildlife - I also like to emphasize the cultural aspects of safaris and believe strongly in supporting locally owned camps whenever possible - as well as interacting with local villagers when clients are interested in a more rounded cultural experience. Unfortunately, floods like this are difficult for some villages in the Northern Okavango Delta. Official tallies have approximately 4,000 people being displaced by flooding in March, with more likely to be displaced as floodwaters were still high from April - June. Botswana is contiunually working on improving its early warning systems to attempt to minimize impact to villagers in the future.

I Was Thinking About Going on a Botswana Safari... Should I Still Go?

The short answer is yes. If you are travelling to the Delta area through June, you may experience some minor inconveniences - as floodwaters may present some challenges for arriving at some of the game viewing locations. Camp owners are very resourceful however and will still have great access to the majority of game viewing locations (read about Mapula Lodge below). The bright side about choosing a June safari is that visitors get to witness an incredible 50 year phenomenon in the Delta.

As the waters recede and dry up in July through October, the animals will likely be fitter and healthier due to the abundant grasses. Certain species may be able to expand upon their more traditional ranges. Others may find new areas for food and water resources.

How Does a Camp Operate During the Flood? - A look at Botswana's Mapula Lodge...

Boats are a key mode of transportation at Mapula Lodge during the flood. I suspect that they will procure some boats to charter people between the lodge area (which remains dry) and the game drive area (which is also dry). They'll leave the game drive vehicles in the game area. The herds are likely to be huge in these areas.

The only lodge I'm aware of right now that has had to close due to flooding is Chobe Savanna Lodge. This is a temporary closure - and they may have even opened up their doors as I write this.

The Zambezi River above Victoria Falls has also had high floodwaters. I recently spoke with lodge owners in the vicinity who have had some floodwaters in their accommodations. But for these owners, it comes with the territory as this is the third time in 10 years that this has occurred in May. They're familiar with the process and should have their doors back open soon.