Blogs from North-West, Botswana, Africa - page 17

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Africa » Botswana » North-West » Moremi Game Reserve October 24th 2009

After spending a few days in Maun getting ourselves organised and the Land rover fixed ready for our trip through the centre of Botswana, 550 miles through Moremi, Savuti and Chobe. We would spend 8 nights travelling through these areas which can only be described as wilderness areas. They are all national parks with lots of game and very rough 4 by 4 tracks, but no food, water or petrol so we had to pack all our supplies, plus extras in case we hit any problems. So we did all this…but nothing can prepare you for what it was like, there were some days where we did not see another car which is bit concerning when you are driving through water that covers the bonnet of the land rover, you knew if you got stuck or ... read more
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Africa » Botswana » North-West » Chobe National Park October 22nd 2009

Savute to Chobe RiverWe left camp early for the morning game drive (6:00 AM) and almost right away spotted two lions resting under an acacia tree. At one point along the way a huge male elephant came directly towards us where his track crossed our track. Guess who got priority for crossing! We followed a firebreak for quite a while, going over many sand ridges that changed colour from deep red to light yellow. Very pretty. Leaving the firebreak, we traveled along a horrible wash-boardy gravel road that ran through a few villages. Beside this road was another road under construction that would eventually be paved all the way to the village of Kachikau. Botswana still has lots of money from diamonds, and so is putting that to good use by building roads, schools, good health ... read more
Lilac Breasted Roller
Leopard Tortoise
Elephant Highway

Africa » Botswana » North-West » Chobe National Park October 22nd 2009

Final Safari Day During the night we heard lions roaring several times. Apparently their sound carries quite some distance and it's hard to tell how far away, or how close they really are. Until morning, that is. If there are fresh tracks in or around camp, we know they were there. As usual we were up early for a morning game drive along the Chobe River flood plain. We saw lots of cape buffalo and elephants crossing in front of us from the river to the forest, and lots of new and repeat birds. By now we are old hands at game/bird spotting and only oooh and aaah over something new we haven't seen before. The wonder of watching the animals and birds never wears off, though. We ate our bush lunch overlooking the Chobe River. ... read more
Breakfast at Sunrise
Sunrise at Chobe River Camp
Photo 5

Africa » Botswana » North-West » Chobe National Park October 21st 2009

Savute Marsh and Bushman Paintings Up and away for a morning game drive at 6:30 AM. for a complete circuit of Savute Marsh, once a wet marsh but since 1981 a dry grassy plain. We visited two man-made water ponds with water pumped from aquifers for the wildlife. At the one we visited this morning, there were two bull elephants with their trunks sucked on right where the water came out. A black-backed jackal and hyena were waiting their turn, clearly wary of the elephants. Finally the jackal inched his way down for a drink, but the hyena wouldn't brave it, and when we drove away he still hadn't had a drink. The dry marsh provided viewing of Secretary birds and Ostrich, but other than that, there was little game here. Just not enough water. Somewhat ... read more
Female Impala
Hyena at Water Hole
Elephants at Water Hole

Africa » Botswana » North-West » Okavango Delta October 21st 2009

27/09 - 2/10 I must confess that my main reason for wanting to visit Botswana was because of a beautiful photo I had seen in a guide book of a Mokoru boatsman poling a dug out canoe through the Okavanga Delta. Other than that, I'm ashamed to say how little I knew about the culture and history of the country (ok....and also the precise location...yikes). Anyway, I guess this is what travelling is all about - putting something tangible to a name and fleshing out a point on the map with faces and colours and sounds. We had found Zambia markedly different from Tanzania in terms of safety and approachability of the people but the difference crossing into Botswana was even more dramatic. We immediately got the sense of a country that's very comfortable and ... read more
The Old Bridge Backpackers
setting up camp on Chief
Hanging out with Life

Africa » Botswana » North-West » Chobe National Park October 20th 2009

Travel day - Khwai to Savute This was a long travel day between two national parks. It started with an unsuccessful look for Leopard at the Khwai public campsite. One had been spotted in a tree just before we arrived. Again no luck. We were able to help a tourist (from North Van, no less) get out of a mud hole where he was stuck in his Toyota SUV. Yet another self-drive issue. Coincidentally, we saw him later in the trip on his way to Kasane, where he bid us farewell before going on to Zimbabwe. We crossed the Khwai River Bridge which took us out of the park and into the Khwai Community Concession, which was run by the Khwai people. We stopped at a most unlikely building in Khwai Village that turned out to ... read more
Baboon at Khwai Public Campsite
Old Khwai Bridge
International Going Over Khwai Bridge

Africa » Botswana » North-West » Moremi Game Reserve October 20th 2009

Along the Khwai RiverWe were up at 5:00 AM, had a light breakfast and away at 6:15 for a morning game drive around the Khwai River area. Chris was determined to see Leopard but no luck. However we came close to 2 very large bull elephants, lots of impala and the lilac breasted roller (Botswana's National Bird) was photographed by all our 12 cameras (but alas no video - sniff, sniff). Returning to camp to wait out the hot afternoon, we tried to lie down in the tents but it was simply too hot (40+ C again). So like the lions, we lounged in the shade. A second game drive started at 4:00 PM and ended at sundown on a beautiful riverside hippo pool on the Khwai River. Four big hippos watched us from close range. ... read more
Sunrise at Khwai
Impala Reflected in Pool
Ground Hornbills

Africa » Botswana » North-West » Moremi Game Reserve October 19th 2009

Entertainment - Lion StyleWaking up revealed new lion stories from overnight. In the middle of the night, Joel got up to pee, unzipped his tent door and was a few steps outside his tent when he discovered lions sleeping around our campfire, about 10 metres away. When one big male looked right at him, he decided to wait for morning, backed slowly into the tent and zipped up the tent door. Chris had told us that unlike bears in Canada, lions will not disturb you if you are in an enclosed tent. They see it as a solid object. This gave some of us a tiny degree of comfort, but miracle of miracles it turned out to be true. However, we were also told 'never turn your back and run from a lion' because then you ... read more
African Sunset
Our Group Enjoying Sundowners
Dix Preparing Toast

Africa » Botswana » North-West » Moremi Game Reserve October 19th 2009

The Lion Sleeps Tonight - NOT! The Third Bridge Lion Pride kept us entertained for a few days. Last night, when the females had killed the buffalo and the pride was starting to feed, we noticed them looking off into the night as though expecting someone. The two male lions in this pride were somewhere in the dark and we knew they would be along any time. Obviously they were expected. During the night, we heard much fighting, roaring, and at one point the lions charged right through camp chasing off the hyenas. In the morning, after an early breakfast, we headed over to the kill to see what was happening. The pride had been feeding all night and were lounging around on the road. One of the dominant males was nearby. Shortly after we arrived, ... read more
Third Bridge Campsite
His Highness in the Distance
Lions

Africa » Botswana » North-West » Maun October 16th 2009

Movin On Up OK, so Richard thought that neither of us got sick from that plane full of coughing people, but he was wrong. Today, Kayla was sick with a head cold. So we canceled our plans for the day and decided that lounging around Backpackers, especially in 40+ degree weather, was not a bad thing to do. So far it has been much hotter than we expected, and higher than average than what is usually expected at this time of year. Oh well, we chose to travel in the hot dry season, so that's what we got. Backpackers is right on the Thamalakane River, so not a bad place to lounge and watch the world go by. Mid-day, we called for a taxi and headed over to the Maun Lodge, where we were to meet ... read more
Backpackers - our ensuite
Bird feeding at Backpackers
Maun Lodge




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