The 22nd of March is World Water Day and in South Africa, a country where water is scarce, it is also National Water Week from the 21st to the 27th of March. Without water, without one Oxygen and two Hydrogen atoms connecting, we wouldn’t be here. Water covers 70% of the Earth’s surface and is vital for life, between 78% and 60% of the human body is made up of water (depending on age and sex). Just think about that – the person you love is predominantly water… So you can’t help but love this remarkable substance.
At Rhino Africa we appreciate water; after all, it makes our safari experiences better than ever. In Zimbabwe and Zambia we have the remarkable Victoria Falls created by the Zambezi River and when in flood, it’s the largest curtain of water in the world. It’s a sight to behold, trust us on this.
Then there’s the Okavango Delta, fed each year by flood waters from upstream, the Okavango is the lifeblood of Botswana and it is here that the greatest number of wildlife gather, attracted by the abundance of H20 and the nourishment it provides. There’s so much water in the Okavango that the best way to see the game is by navigating the waterways on a Mokoro canoe, a traditional vessel created by carving out the insides of a massive log.
Our hometown, Cape Town, just wouldn’t be the same without its fantastic beaches and of course Robben Island. Speaking of islands, the Indian Ocean Islands of Mauritius, Reunion, Madagascar, Maldives and the Seychelles owe their remarkable beauty and attractiveness to the Indian Ocean. The warm waters are teeming with fish, making it the perfect place for snorkeling, diving and all manner of water-sports. Or perhaps you’d prefer just to kick back on the beach with a cocktail?
There are few places that appreciate water more than those where it is not in abundance. Take Namibia for example and the Kalahari Desert. Here desert adapted wildlife goes about its day in search of water. They travel vast distances and are able to go days and sometimes weeks without it.
Of course the desert animals are the exception to the rule, we need water, we all do. We need to conserve it, protect it and we certainly shouldn’t waste it. When you’re on safari pay attention to how much water you use, try and minimize the number of towels you send to the wash and don’t flush anything terrible down the toilet! You can also help by making sure that you choose lodges and hotels that try their best to conserve water, water their gardens with recycled grey water and just generally treat our most fundamental resource as it should be. A bath is a real treat on holiday, but just be conscious of how scarce that resource is, particularly in the wilderness.
At Rhino Africa we work with the lodges and hotels that make a concerted effort to conserve and protect, not only just water but all natural resources. Sustainable tourism isn’t just a buzz word round here, so contact your Rhino Africa consultant for a safari that appreciates all aspects of life in Africa.