Bringing the Lion King to life in Moremi Game Reserve

Meeting the Simbas, Rafikis, Zazus, Shenzis, Pumbaas, Timons and Mufasas of the Moremi Game Reserve is a surreal experience if you are a New Yorker, or Scot on your first safari experience. Staff Writer THALEFANG CHARLES discovered the power and influence of the Lion King film during his recent safari in the Okavango Delta

We left Camp Moremi, near the popular Xakanaka Lagoon in the Moremi Game Reserve and our guide, Wise Tepo, asked everyone in the game drive vehicle, “What are you interested to see?”  There was a youthful couple from New York who told us that they have taken a year’s long vacation from the Concrete Jungle and are on a Round The World (RTW) honeymoon. They wanted to see mainly cats.

I seconded that with a loud, “Cats please, thank you!”.  Another couple, Scottish and elderly, armed with binoculars wanted to see birds and cats. I voted for that as well. Birds are my new found interest. “Ever since I started travelling through the Okavango Delta on a mokoro with researchers with doctorates on birds, I have developed a keen interest in them.  “I have bought books about birds and together with a kind gift of binoculars that I received from a good friend, I am appreciating birds more than ever. Our guide, Tepo told us that he loved birds too. Fellow journalist, Bright Kholi said he was “fine with everything”. The road started bumpy; Botswana guides call it the ‘African massage’. Before long, we saw two yellow-billed hornbills.  Tepo stopped and switched off the engine for us to enjoy the sound and sight.  The Scots exchanged the binoculars and the woman said, “Two Zazus”. 

Editor's Comment
Human rights are sacred

It highlights the need to protect rights such as access to clean water, education, healthcare and freedom of expression.President Duma Boko, rightly honours past interventions from securing a dignified burial for Gaoberekwe Pitseng in the CKGR to promoting linguistic inclusion. Yet, they also expose a critical truth, that a nation cannot sustainably protect its people through ad hoc acts of compassion alone.It is time for both government and the...

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