“I hope the elephants come for their usual afternoon drink,” says Jill, the public relations manageress of the hotel that arranges this cruise. We hope so too. The Chobe River is renowned for its elephants. The north of Botswana, which borders on the Chobe River, has an estimated 45,000 elephants​—the largest concentration in southern Africa. “But,” cautions Jill, “because of the recent rains, we haven’t seen elephants for three days.”

However, the Chobe River has plenty of other attractions. On a tray in the boat, we see four dead fish. “We always find fish eagles waiting for fish to be thrown into the water,” says Rainford, our Botswana boat captain. Will we succeed in photographing one of these birds as it swoops down to pick up a meal? Our excitement builds up as another tourist boat, named The Fish Eagle, passes by. Our boat is named Mosi-Oa-Tunya, an African name for the Victoria Falls. The Chobe River joins up with the mighty Zambezi to plunge over the famous falls, which are about an hour’s drive from here.

Believe it or not, soon after the Mosi pulls away, we sight elephants through binoculars. But, alas, while we are still far off, they return to the bush. “Until three weeks ago,” recalls Sandy, our tour guide, “we were sighting herds of hundreds.” Next, our attention is attracted to six kudu staring at us from the bank. When approached by a motor vehicle, these antelope usually scamper off. “They seem less afraid of a boat on the river,” says Sandy.

As the boat moves on, we spot a herd of 26 elephants, including babies, playing in the water. Watching them brings to mind the words of Bruce Aiken in his book The Lions and Elephants of the Chobe: “Once immediate thirsts are slaked, adults use their trunks to leisurely spray the cool water all over themselves. Some, especially sub-adults and bulls, are likely to venture out into the river and playfully swim and romp around, often with only the tips of their trunks visible above the surface to act as snorkels. None, however, enjoy themselves as much as the calves. This is the beginning of playtime, and they ceaselessly cavort and chase each other about . . . Thirsts quenched, it is time for the next and undoubtedly favourite activity, the mudbath. . . . Too soon, the old spoilsport cows whose word is law, decide it is time to move off.”

Sadly, the approach of our large double-decker boat makes the “spoilsport cows” feel uneasy, and they lead the herd away but not before we have taken some photos.