All language subtitles for Travel.Quest.With.Bill.Ball.S01E10.CONVERT.1080p.HDTV.H264-CBFM

BILL BALL: The wetlands
of Botswana and Zambia

are some of the most
wildlife-rich areas on Earth,

with such recognised names
as Okavango Delta,

Chobe National Park

and Victoria Falls,

this is a magnet for safari-goers
around the world.

But there is one thing
on my personal quest list

that is central to this visit.

Rafting the most challenging
whitewater in the world -

the mighty Zambezi.

Since I was young,

I had an intense desire
to discover the world around me.

That hasn't changed -

just the level of adventure.

Now every journey has a purpose

and each time I venture out

to explore new destinations
around the globe,

I am following my Travel Quest.

Botswana is a landlocked country
in southern Africa,

bordered by Namibia, South Africa,

Zimbabwe and Zambia.

It is perhaps best known to many

as the home to the Okavango Delta,

one of the largest wetlands on Earth.

It is host to incredible numbers
of mammals and birds.

It, appropriately, was designated
a UNESCO world heritage site

in 2014,

meaning it is so valuable

that it is preserved
for all of mankind.

It was the 1,000th member
of this elite club.

It was time to fly to our camp.

Oh, yeah - I may have forgotten to
mention that all camps in the delta

are only accessed by small,
fixed-wing aircraft -

or, in the vernacular, tiny planes.

The camp, Motswiri,
named for a local tree,

is one of the most remote of all,

located on the far side of Okavango

and nowhere near another camp.

Motswiri is operated by RAW,
Ride And Walk,

and is one of the deluxe camps
in the delta.

In fact, Okavango has few
if any truly economy options.

First of all, there is
the charter flight cost,

averaging about $435-plus each way.

Couple that with the lodge's
remoteness,

which raises the supply
and staffing costs,

and...well, you get the picture.

But that is more than made up for
in service.

The flight to the camp
is an awesome experience in itself.

The delta unfolds below you
in a network of blue waterways,

green vegetation

and almost unreal dry scrubland
in between.

This, in itself, makes the flight
and its cost well worth it.

We arrive mid-afternoon
and we waste no time

and head out for what they call
a sundowner vehicle ride.

Wildlife is sparse
through the dry scrub bush

but that changes abruptly

where the verdant green islands
emerge above the landscape.

Our first sighting
is a member of the big 12 -

the cape buffalo.

Caution is always the word
when it comes to these beasts.

The African buffalo has been known to
attack lions as well as human hunters

to protect themselves
and their offspring.

The king of beasts targets
the young or weak,

so the adult buffalo
create a defensive barrier

that is very effective.

Here is that protective posture
in action.

I don't see any predators around,

though that doesn't mean
there isn't one nearby.

I have a feeling in this park,
which gets few visitors,

we may be the perceived threat.

The animal most readily identified
with the delta

has to be the elephant.

Botswana is pachyderm central, with
half of the world's wild population.

Recent surveys suggest there are
about 400,000 elephants in Africa,

with 200,000 in Botswana,

mostly in the delta
and Chobe National Park.

The population of this
magnificent animal

has plummeted in East Africa,

due to illegal poaching,

and though Botswana's population
is stable,

poaching has begun
to make its way here.

It's a sad commentary

that people will kill these
highly social, intelligent animals

for a trinket.

As the drive progresses,

the wonders of the Okavango Delta
become more evident.

That is, until we run into trouble.

Engine trouble.

We slow to a crawl

and then the vehicle stalls.

Alright!

Well, I guess this is
as good a place as any to die.

Machete, our driver, desperately
works on the jeep

as John, one of my crew,

cranks the engine.

(ENGINE CHUGS)

(INDISTINCT RADIO TRAFFIC)

After a few tense minutes,

Machete was able to get our vehicle
moving again.

And during that time
that we were stranded,

our other group spotted a hyaena
in the bush...

to our horror, badly mauled,
breathing heavily

and not able to muster the strength
to get up.

Closer inspection revealed
several abrasions

that could have been inflicted
by only one animal -

a lion.

These two mega-predators

often will, if they get too close,

fight to the death.

This time, it appears
the hyaena lost.

Nature is lovely and magical

but it can also be harsh
and unforgiving.

It is, in essence,
the ultimate reality show,

where survival is truly
the only game in the bush.

We shook off the sight of the hyaena
as much as possible,

knowing that we had to start back.

As the sun set, the day's safari
became a night drive

and we get a chance to meet one of
the most bizarre animals ever -

the spring hare.

This is part rabbit, part kangaroo

and super cute.

In truth, it is not related
to either rabbits or kangaroos

but to mice.

It's a rodent.

A really cuddly one at that.

I had not taken the time
to really look over the RAW lodge

at Motswiri camp,

so it was the first thing I did
the next morning.

The tented camp is quite exclusive,
with only six rooms.

It's the setting
that makes it so special.

Situated on the Selinda Spillway,

the camp is part
of a wildlife corridor,

with elephants and buffalo passing
through on a regular basis.

The company name, RAW,

means 'Ride And Walk',

two of their most
important specialties.

To ride in the bush with lions,
buffalo and elephants,

you have to be
a very good horseperson.

Only one of my fellow travellers
qualified,

Esther Diamond.

So she took the reins for our group
and cantered off to explore the bush.

We, on the other hand,

chose to go with the W...

walk.

We're about to do something that
I tell people they should never do -

we're gonna walk in the bush.

And this isn't just any bush -

we've got lions, elephants, buffalo -

all of the big five here

and yet I feel comfortable,

because we're in capable hands.

Snack, which is very rich
in proteins.

This will be on the outside.

Our destination was a hippo pool.

Hippos are one of the most dangerous
big 12 members,

having killed more people
than any other!

It sounds like a broken record,
saying big 12 animals are dangerous

but the designation
is not without merit.

Seeing hippos and other
African megafauna on foot,

where you face the risks
with little protection,

is exciting

but our guides up the ante
with a local activity -

and dare I say competition? -

that I would not call exciting

but it is certainly...captivating.

The activity?

Impala-dropping spitting contest.

Yes, you heard me right.

The guides pick up
dried-out impala droppings,

put them in their mouth

and then spit them out,
going for distance.

The longest wins.

I never turn down a challenge.

I've eaten guinea pig, bats

and drank fermented mare's milk...

but I draw the line
at putting poop in my mouth.

Sorry - no camera shot of me
this time.

Walking in the bush
is forbidden in most parts,

because of the obvious dangers.

But the Okavango Delta
makes it an art form.

If potentially facing elephants,
hippos or buffalo on foot

excites the adventurer in you,
as it did in me,

then this is the place for you.

The middle of the day is down time
in most safari camps,

an opportunity to recharge
batteries, yourself

and catch up on what others saw
on their adventures.

Esther experienced quite a bit
on her horse ride,

from close encounters with elephants,
buffalo and antelope

to the quiet grace
of the wattled crane.

Late afternoon arrived too quickly
for those who took up to their rooms

for a...not-so-quick nap.

But it comes with the promise
of yet one more thrill -

canoeing and poling in the delta.

No visit would be complete
without getting out on the water

and facing the big 12
from a small, vulnerable canoe.

Most of my friends and travel-mates

elect to have one of
the professional guides

pole them through the spillway.

To add a little excitement,

John Winds and I take to the canoes
on our own.

The calm beauty of the delta is
the reward for this water journey.

The tranquil scenery floats by
until suddenly,

an old bull elephant
comes into sight.

Botswana, northern Botswana,

holds roughly half the population of
African elephants left in the world.

That's average
somewhere around 200,000.

The old bull clearly saw us.

The guide told us to hold close
to the opposite shore.

If he came near,
we were to abandon the boats

and let his raft manifest itself
against the canoes.

I couldn't help wonder,

"But what would happen then?

"Elephants are faster than people!"

My apprehension came to nought,

as he seemed unconcerned
by our presence.

And why would he?
He's 60 times bigger than us!

Wildlife seen from a small moloko
or a canoe

has a bigger-than-life aura
about them.

Nature was at our scale

and we are no longer
just observing it

but we're active participants.

We were, in fact,
a part of the circle of life,

if only for a couple of hours.

As much as we hated leaving
the Okavango Delta,

our time - and more to the point,
our budget -

was beckoning us on to our
next destination in Botswana.

Chobe National Park is on the extreme
north-eastern edge of the country.

Four nations merge in that area -

Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe

and the Caprivi Strip of Namibia.

We had a tight schedule.

We are staying just outside
Livingstone, Zambia,

for the next couple of nights.

The Botswana-Zambia border
closes at 6:00pm,

so to be safe, we need to start
our trek to the border by 2:30.

Factoring in a quick lunch,

we had about three hours in Chobe.

The park gets its name from
the river that runs through it,

a haven for hippos, elephants
and a large variety of wildlife.

This is one of the best parks
in the world

and it's primarily
because of the river.

It cuts through one of the most
arid areas in the world

and it's there year-round,

giving the water, which is the most
important thing for animals,

and it just attracts huge numbers.

The bush shows the signs
of extensive elephant grazing.

Only elephants and beavers -
other than man -

can change an environment.

Too many elephants
can destroy an ecosystem,

turning it into a desert or worse.

No other park has more elephants
than Chobe -

60,000 at last count.

Even people who are elephant nuts,

like our camera-shy producer, Jodi,

can get a little overwhelmed
by the numbers.

Elephants are one of the most
charismatic animals of Africa.

They are highly intelligent,
family-oriented and social.

Well, at least the females are.

Herds are led by the elder female

and all members are either
sisters or aunts and their young.

When males reach maturity,

they leave the herd
and live a basically solitary life,

only joining up with the ladies
when it's time to mate.

Probably the most distinctive
feature of an elephant is its trunk.

It's really the nose and it's
the most special one in the world

and it does way more
than just breathe.

With 40,000 individual muscles,

elephants can carry
an object as big as a log

or gently cradle something
as small as a leaf.

The lips of the trunk are prehensile,

so can actually hold an egg
without breaking it.

Elephants even drink with the help
of this super schnozz.

No, it's not a straw -

they suck the water up and then
squirt it into their mouth,

one of the most complex drinking
methods in the animal kingdom.

Chobe, though,
is more than elephants.

Large numbers of birds and antelope
pepper the river bank,

along with crocodiles of all sizes,

waiting for an animal
to make a mistake.

Not all antelope, of course,
are the same,

with some uncommon species
found here in Chobe,

like the lechwe

and the puku, which
specifically resembles

the ultra-common but sleek impala.

A silhouette ahead is potentially
an exciting find.

Could it be...?

As we get close, I can see that
it is exactly what I hoped for.

There's always one antelope species
I'm on the lookout for

and that's the sable.

The females are beautiful but it's
the male that's the coup de gras.

With its beautiful horns
and deep chocolate colour,

that's the antelope
I'm most thrilled to see.

It was time to head inland
for a tradition of Chobe -

the drink stop.

So much animal action near the river

makes it unsafe for people
to disembark from the vehicles

to get a drink or find a suitable WC.

Away from the river is an arid area

and it's usually safe,
animal-free zone.

If you like elephants,
obviously the place to go is Chobe.

We've seen huge herds of elephants
throughout the park.

Now, we've stopped to take a break

and it's supposed to be
an animal-free zone,

so you can have snacks and drinks
and not have to worry.

But even here, you can't help
but run into elephants.

Chobe's sheer animal numbers

make it one of my favourite
national parks in the world

and almost on cue,

another big 12 member - the giraffe -
is near the gate to bid us adieu.

From here, it is a little bit
of a tricky journey to our hotel.

We have to drive to the border post
of Botswana

and check out of the country.

Then we have to take a speedboat
across the river to the Zambia side.

Then we get into a transfer vehicle

that drives us up to our lodge
along the Zambezi river,

appropriately called The River Club.

This is a destination
in its own right

and knowing I was going to face

one of the hardest challenges
on my quest list ever,

I wanted a place to relax
the night before -

and more importantly,
the night after.

You know, just in case.

The owner lives on-property,
so it was easy to find Peter

and ask him a question or two
about the lodge.

I've had a chance to walk around your
property and it is just incredible

and the first thing it reminds me of
is an old colonial British compound,

uh, like you'd see in India

or several of the other
different British colonies.

Is it from the turn of the century?

The idea was to have something
on a very small scale but similar.

The nice thing is,
it used to be my house

and it was a dwelling for some of
the other people along the way.

But it was to make it
somewhere comfortable

that wasn't exactly a hotel

but if you want to put your feet
on the table, you could do it.

There are no signs
anywhere on the property,

so if you want to walk
in the kitchen or whatever,

it's there, because it is my home
at the end of the day

but done on a slightly
grander scale.

I should have ended there
but I had to ask one more question

and that would make my night
even more restless

than it would already have been.

It is really regarded as being
the adrenaline capital of Africa,

because of all that happens

and you've got the high-octane
type of things, like the rafting,

which is the best
one-day rafting trip in the world.

Colorado is the best multi-day,
without question,

but what we do in one day

would take you four or five days
to achieve on the Colorado,

so you've got all that spectacular.

Well, thank you, Peter,
for your time.

It was really enjoyable
talking with you.

My pleasure.
Thank you.

My videographer, Dave, and I
were picked up early

and taken to Bundu Adventures
headquarters

to meet the rafting team.

They look cheerful enough
and Joe, the owner, was there

to help alleviate any anxiety I had.

My first question -

what is your survival rate on this?

Well, we always say 60% but that's,
of course, that's not true.

Huh?! He is...joking, right?

You...you will just enjoy -
that's what I want to say.

I wasn't prepared for the answer!

100%. See you later.
Have fun, Bill.

I will.
Have fun, guys. Cheers.

Time to head out.

The gear was packed in the truck

and so suiting up and signing
my life away was all that was left.

(READS INDEMNITY FORM)

The release form is read out loud
for all rafters,

not just for me and TV.

I knew what I was getting myself into
and yet...

"..long and violent rapids..."

..I still signed it.

"..big drops, pressure areas."

Are you ready for this?

Before I would hit the 10
upper cataracts of the Zambezi,

I had one more mission -

to shower under Victoria Falls.

Yeah - you can't get any closer to
the great falls than being under it.

There is no easy way down.

750 feet of loose dirt, rocks
and more really loose rocks,

then it's a scramble
over treacherous terrain

to reach an arm
of the Smoke That Thunders,

the name the locals
have always called it.

The water was really cold -

surprising, since it was
in the upper 80s already,

with high temps hitting
the low to mid-90s.

But what an experience!

Certainly the most exciting shower
I have ever taken.

This is a thrill in its own right.

After a short respite under the
drenching waters of the Zambezi,

it was over the rocks again
and to my waiting raft.

And almost immediately,
we hit cataract 1,

the Boiling Pot,

an adrenaline-pumping,
scary and exciting ride

through treacherous rapids.

I had never been through
such wild waters,

nor had I been through such
a stomach-churning set of manoeuvres.

My confidence was heightened

as I made it through without
flying out of the raft or flipping.

I told the pilot that I now knew
what a five felt like.

He abruptly stopped me to explain

that it was a three.

And there went my confidence.

But cataract by cataract,
my confidence did build -

so much so that on the seventh,

the Temple of Doom,

one of the biggest,
most technical fives,

I volunteered to go up front,

where the full force of the rapids
would hit.

And it hit me - wow! -
propelling me into the air.

My paddling partner literally
plucked me out of the sky

and kept me in the raft.

Ironically, the paddler
that took my old position

was actually thrown out.

I figured I had now made it.

I was going to stay in the raft
for the whole ride.

Not so fast.

Not so cocky.

At the very next cataract,

number 8, aptly called The Muncher,

I went aerial

and this time ended up in the rapids.

Luckily, I held on to the boat

and was easily retrieved.

Captions by Red Bee Media
(c) SBS Australia 2023

Now here's the weirdest part.

Nearly everyone
who's conquered the Zambezi agrees

that the hardest part of the day
is the climb out of the gorge.

It is a 750-vertical-foot climb

up those slippery, loose rocks
and rickety makeshift ladders.

Worse than on the way down,

this is really steep,

with no switchbacks.

This is where

all my mountain-climbing
conditioning came in.

Even so, the crew,
carrying all the gear,

including the raft,

blew by me!

It sure puts things in perspective.

I had time, before our sunset cruise,

to go back to Victoria Falls
and see where I had been rafting.

It was scary, even looking at it
from such a safe distance.

Sunset boat cruises are a tradition
on the Zambezi.

The glowing ball of fire
reflected in the water

is the star attraction.

But the wildlife,
birds in particular,

is the reason I love it so much.

This is the Africa
I have come to love.

The rest of the cruise,
including the setting sun,

are all bonuses

but oh, what a bonus indeed!

A great way to say goodbye to Africa.

At least, for now.