After some research, we went with Kwando Safaris, choosing a two-night affair at their Kwara Camp. The package includes flights in and out of the Delta… because we’re that fucking important. No better way to grasp the beauty and size of the Okavango than by air. During the wet season, the view is spectacular. We were supposed to land on an airstrip ten minutes from camp, but the rains made it unserviceable, so we were forced to start an hour and a half away. This was of no import, more of a feature than a bug. The ride turned into an extra safari in an area straight out of a postcard.

Kwara Camp is inside Kwando's private concession, which means they have exclusive rights to the area (i.e. no large tourist herds)…

If you stay calm, make no sudden movements, and stay seated, everything is hunkey dorey. Do something stupid like stand up, and you’re no longer a part of the solid mass. You’re singular, distinct, and could be perceived as a threat. Not a good position near lion cubs. Stories were passed around later about an unfortunate soul who stood up in a similar vehicle near a leopard, instigating a vicious attack that left the occupants alive but severely injured. No one wants to be that asshole.

At the outset, two other vehicles shared the space, but we found ourselves alone after thirty minutes. This astonished me…