Change is in the air... Green Season magic at Moela!

The Green Season is just around the corner, and all signs point to change on the horizon. The Boteti is alive with movement… zebra and wildebeest gathering at the waterholes, elephants dominating the seeps and the air thick with anticipation for the first rains to fall next month. This October, we’re celebrating you, our wonderful guests and extended Moela family, who continue to share in this wild journey with us. We’re also delighted to introduce the ever-smiling Mmegi, and to share heartwarming updates on our rescued hippos who’ve found a fresh start.

OKAVANGO FLOOD UPDATE

While the lower reaches of the Okavango Delta have started to recede, the Boteti River continues its slow, steady journey downstream. With soaring summer temperatures reaching the 40s°C, evaporation is high and the flow has eased but nature often surprises us. These rising temperatures are also a sure sign that the rains are on their way. Once the first storms break, fresh runoff could breathe new life into the river and keep it flowing further into the Makgadikgadi. For now, we’re keeping a hopeful eye on the horizon and our fingers crossed for those first drops of rain to fall soon.

MIGRATION MAGIC

Life in front of Moela is buzzing with action! As the heat rises, so does the energy and elephants rule the waterholes, using their incredible sense of smell to sniff out the freshest, cleanest water around, while zebra, wildebeest, and other thirsty travellers find their fill at the secret seeps along the riverbed.

It’s a waiting game now, as the herds prepare for their great journey toward the Makgadikgadi Pans. With the first rains expected next month, the vast salt pans will soon transform into shimmering wetlands, calling the zebra and wildebeest back in their thousands. The females, heavy in the final stretch of their 12-month pregnancies, are holding out for that moment when the rains come, the new generation of the migration will take its very first steps on the wild, glistening pans of Botswana.

HOPE FOR THE HIPPOS

We’re delighted to share some heartening news… the first two hippos, rescued after struggling through the harsh dry season, have been safely relocated to a dam at Mokolodi Game Reserve near Gaborone, where they now have plenty of fresh water and a new lease on life. A third hippo will soon be joining them. This incredible effort was made possible through the generosity of Ram and Vidya Ottapathu, founders of Choppies Supermarkets, whose kindness and quick action helped turn a desperate situation into a story of hope.

MEET MMEGI - OUR HEART OF HOSPITALITY

Born in Orapa in 1983, a true diamond child, Mmegi Maphane’s love for travel began early, with family camping trips through Botswana’s national parks and weekends at the cattle post with her dad. Her tourism journey began in 2012, first managing camp supplies before joining Wilderness Safaris as a Guest Experience Manager, then later working as a travel consultant. Along the way, her passion for people and places only deepened - she still laughs remembering how the first time she saw mountains in 2009, they quite literally blew her away! Coming from such a flat country, their towering heights left her both dizzy and amazed.

When Mmegi first stepped into Moela Safari Lodge last year, it was love at first sight. The wild beauty of the Boteti, the sense of community, and of course, the elephants, completely won her heart. Today, she’s the friendly face (and voice!) behind Moela’s reservations - if you’ve ever emailed us, chances are you’ve already chatted with her!

For Mmegi, every story and every guest experience is what makes the journey worthwhile and we’re so lucky to have her as part of the Moela family.