Hanna's first time in Africa

For me, travelling and discovering the world are the best investments you can make in yourself. It enriches you in so many ways and nothing else comes close. From the anticipation before you leave to the stories behind your souvenirs, your journey lasts longer than just your time at the destination. After exploring loads of places in Europe, it was time to see more of the world. So I set off with my backpack for a few months in Southeast Asia. When I got home, I realised the travel bug hadn't left me - it was still going strong. That’s why I decided to head to Costa Rica and explore the other side of the world. Through Jakera, I learned to surf and improved my Spanish with language lessons. I also tried yoga, which turned out to be a really relaxing experience. Those travel cravings will simply never disappear. So it was time for the next adventure: going on safari in Botswana!

After a stopover in Maun, we continued on to the Okavango Delta. The Okavango Delta is the largest inland delta in the world, which makes it incredible for spotting wildlife! During the day, we went on boat safaris to spot elephants, hippos, crocodiles and even more wildlife. In the evenings, we also went out on the water and watched the most stunning sunsets from the boat. After exploring the area by boat, we got to see it from above too, with a helicopter flight! That was a real highlight - it made the layout of the area so much clearer, and we saw even more wildlife.

After surviving the bush bush, we headed on to the Makgadikgadi Pans. This is a salt pan created when the huge Makgadikgadi lake, originally as big as Switzerland, dried up completely thousands of years ago. Here, we slept outside, just on our stretchers. Because there's hardly any air pollution here, we had a super clear view of the night sky, and even spotted shooting stars!

We continued our trip to Hwange National Park, where we enjoyed a laid-back sunset and went out on another game drive. The next day, we moved on to the last (unexpected) highlight of our journey, Matopos National Park! We stared out of the Lando in awe, suddenly in a landscape that felt like the moon! We did a rhino trek on foot (!), with a super experienced guide who knew everything about the area and the rhinos. In the evening, we watched the sunrise from a viewpoint, where it really felt like we were in another world.

On the last day, we drove back to Johannesburg and the group trip ended there. What. A. Trip. I still think back to this unforgettable experience all the time. And one thing’s for sure, I will be back! :)