A Chobe Safari… on Twitter
This past week, I’ve had Botswana brain. Even more so than usual. It’s all because of the #ThisIsChobe Twitter Safari.
My travel daydreaming has been fuelled and encouraged dreamily by Stuart Parker and his #ThisIsChobe Twitter campaign.The idea behind the hype was to get happy travellers, Chobe tourism service providers and properties talking and sharing about the sublime Chobe region of Botswana, showcasing it as the incredible safari destination it is. Pictures, travel tales, sightings and community stories were shared, through individuals joining the Twitter conversation and using the #ThisIsChobe when sharing.
Chobe is one of my happy places and I was naturally and giddily sucked into the Twitter safari conversation. After my three different trips to the area, I still want to go back at every chance we get. It’s a special region for my husband and I too, being the destination of our first ever holiday together back when we were brand new and also part of what turned into our amazing engagement holiday last year too. Yip, Botswana has made herself very comfy in our hearts.
Thursday the 16th of October was the main event day for #ThisIsChobe. An all-day Chobe Twitter safari chat took place, with Stuart and some Chobe experts and travellers sharing pictures and tweets about what they were seeing and doing in Chobe itself that day, and making us all green with safari envy. The rest of us Chobe lovers participated from behind our screens, wherever else we were in the world, following and sharing as we went… and no doubt checking our leave calendars and plotting our next getaway to Chobe soon after all the enticement.
Throughout the chat, four easy questions were posted too and those who answered them using the #ThisIsChobe tag to enter into the competition. The prize? A seven night safari for two to the Chobe region, including return flights from Airlink.
Every Botswana-travel-hungry participant was holding more than just thumbs, hoping to be a winner.
Congrats to the lucky @sv_images!
The Questions and Answers:
QUESTION 1: The #ChobeGameLodge all-female guiding team are aptly named what? Answer here. #ThisIsChobe
Answer: The Chobe Angels.
QUESTION 2: Who’s the @PangolinPhoto Head Guide & #Botswana #Wildlife Photographer of the year 2014 #ThisIsChobe http://www.pangolinphoto.com/wildlife-photographer-of-the-year-2014 …
Answer: Gerhard “Guts” Swanepoel.
QUESTION 3: #ChobeElephantCamp is built using what substance that makes up much of #Botswana #ThisIsChobe @Bush_Ways http://www.chobeelephantcamp.com/
Answer: Red Kalahari sand.
Q 4: What does #Savute mean (clue: answer in the video & several answers count) Tag @DesertDelta & #ThisIsChobe http://www.desertdelta.com/botswana-safari-lodges/savute-safari-lodge.html …
Answer: Mystery, unpredictable and unexplained.
It was a wild success and got everybody excited about Chobe travel. Stuart remarked on Twitter about the outcome:
“Yes it was. Total reach of about 650,000 and 3.4 million impacts. Was great fun running this campaign #ThisIsChobe.”
Here are a few of my own tweets and pictures shared on #ThisIsChobe , about my personal Chobe memories.
Kelly Robertson @BushbabyBlog · Oct 16
The #ThisIsChobe chat is making me reminiscent of our Chobe travels. Absolutely love Bots & Chobe! Such memories!
Kelly Robertson @BushbabyBlog · Oct 16
Happiness is camping inside Chobe National Park! In the majesty of it all!Can’t wait to get back! #Ihaha #ThisIsChobe
Kelly Robertson @BushbabyBlog · Oct 16
Magical Chobe sunset with sundowners. This one was from a houseboat with incredible Chobe River views #ThisIsChobe
Kelly Robertson @BushbabyBlog · Oct 16
Chobe’s ellies are such an important part of its character….& its landscape. I can never tire of them! #ThisIsChobe
Here is a selection of some of my favourite tweets and pictures shared by Botswana-loving participants on the Twitter chat day too:
I really feel like the spirit of Chobe was captured through them and many others shared on #ThisIsChobe. Keep sharing. We’re all still following and craving the Chobe magic that comes through them.
Nicky Blue Photo @Nickyblue78 24h24 hours ago
#ThisIsChobe taken in #stunning #Botswana #sunset with #hippo – jaw-gapping #Wildlife #travelpics taken by me
IchobeziRiverLodges @Ichobezi · Oct 16
Are you replying to the #ThisIsChobe questions here to stand a chance to win? You could be enjoying views like this!
Bush Guru SGS Africa @Bushguru Oct 16
What a Twitter Safari! An epic Journey… #thisischobe
Desert&Delta Safaris @desertdelta Oct 16
@capturingafrica @ThisIsChobe It is almost sundowner time at Chobe Savanna Lodge #ThisIsChobe
Stuart Parker @capturingafrica Oct 16
More #ThisIsChobe action from @Bushguru: The sun has come out again – time to cool down!
UnderOneBotswanaSky @Under1BotsSky · Oct 16
Have you ever seen a more magical sunset in #Africa than this one at the Chobe River? #ThisIsChobe
Devon Mc Alpine @McDevster Oct 16
#ThisIsChobe enjoying all for of water, weather it’s rainong, the playing in the river or just having a drink!
Flame of Africa @flameofafrica Oct 16
#thisischobe I love how the dust illuminates at sunset here in @ThisIsChobe @flameofafrica
andBeyond @andBeyondSafari Oct 16
Even leopards have to improvise every once in a while. #ThisIsChobe
Roxanne Reid @RoxanneReidSA Oct 16
Another beautiful antelope from Chobe, the sable #ThisIsChobe
Sunsets in Chobe are gorgeous! #ThisIsChobe @capturingafrica
Stuart Parker @capturingafrica Oct 13
Thoroughly enjoyed my afternoon #chobe river cruise. One of the crocs we saw along the way. #ThisIsChobe
UnderOneBotswanaSky @Under1BotsSky Oct 9
Did you know, that the elephant population of Chobe National Park is around 70,000? @ThisIsChobe #ThisIsChobe
Rex Kelly @KalahariRex · Oct 16
#ThisIsChobe @Kasane #Rightofwayhere
UnderOneBotswanaSky @Under1BotsSky · Oct 16
Have you seen this video of the gorgeous Chobe National Park:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUsqxLFnokU … #ThisIsChobe
Follow Stuart and Capturing Africa for awesome Africa travelcontent on:
Twitter: @capturingafrica
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