EXTRAORDINARY EXPERIENCES
Call of the By Liz Fleming
Wild
Baboons, hippos and surprising encounters make a glamping vacation in Botswana’s Okavango Delta truly unforgettable
M
ROOM AT BELMOND EAGLE ISLAND LODGE
46 • Vacations ® • Winter 2022
© MARK WILLIAMS
y safari tent was the height of glamping luxury as elegant as any five-star hotel room, complete with marble bathroom, mahogany furnishings and a bed swathed in Egyptian cotton sheets and fluffy down pillows. After enjoying a fabulous chef-prepared dinner of antelope in the open-air dining room, I’d been safely escorted to my tent by my guide Jakob. Before he left he reminded me: “Madame, don’t forget the baboon lock. You don’t want them in your tent.” I knew the next morning’s 5 am wake-up call for animal viewing would be a jolt, so I snapped off the light, sank into the pillow and then realized I’d forgotten about the baboon lock. Only the trashed-tent photos passed around the dinner table propelled me out of that cozy bed to set the lock. It was a wise move. Not five minutes later, busy baboon fingers began jiggling at the door. Note to self: believe your guide.
HERD OF ZEBRAS
