Chobe National Park

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Breakfast with a view this morning - of the sunrise!! Am a little bit over these early mornings ?.
Left the hotel at 7am for about an hours drive to the Zimbabwe border. Everybody off the bus, through passport control (a little faster than the airport), then back on the bus, drive a little way, everybody off the bus again, through passport control to enter Botswana, then back on the bus headed for Chobe Marina Lodge where we transferred to 4WD vehicles for a morning game drive through Chobe National Park. We were not too hopeful of seeing many animals, it was very windy today and apparently that makes them stay sheltered. But did come across a few. Firstly a herd of female kudu, who decided to cross the road in front of the jeep. Lots of impala everywhere, and lots of birds. Some rocks in the water (well, the hippos look like rocks), and a couple out of the water (finally). Crocodiles, more hippos, then two lions. The difference between a private game reserve (Thornybush) and a national park became very obvious at the lion sighting, so many vehicles there was a traffic jam! Giraffes in the distance, then a stop for drinks. We then came across a herd of elephants, with giraffe nearby. Before we left the park, some male kudu also crossed in front of the jeep. Then out of the park, back on the main road to go back to the lodge for lunch. (You have no idea how windy it is going at 60kph in an open jeep!) Part way back to the lodge, a herd of elephants crossed the road in front of one of the other jeeps.
After a very nice buffet lunch, we boarded a boat for a cruise on the Chobe River. Cruised past a large herd of Cape Buffalo, lots of impalas and birds, and found a pod of hippos in the water. Did not see the herds of elephants along the river that Chobe is famous for - apparently we can blame the weather, they don't come down to the water when it's windy! (Did not see Prince Harry either!)

Back to Victoria Falls, through the same immigration process in reverse.

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