#kwando river

[play-of-colors]

Southern Vervet Monkey - Namushasha River Lodge - Kwando River - Caprivi Strip - Namibia - Africa - 2024

[logi1974]

Namibia, Botswana, Simbabwe 2024/25 -Tag 16

Herrschaften und Oukies!!!

Nachdem wir uns bei einem ausgiebigen Frühstück, morgens um 7 Uhr, gut für den Tag gerüstet fühlen, starten wir heute eine morgendliche, gebuchte Pirschfahrt in den Bwabwata Nationalpark.

Der Bwabwata Nationalpark wurde 2007 gegründet und umfasst eine Fläche von 6.274 qkm in der westlichen Caprivi-Region.

Mittels Boot wurden wir zu unserem Geländefahrzeug am anderen Ufer gebracht. Das ist der kürzeste Weg, andernfalls müsste man die Gäste ganz außen herum fahren, um in den Park zu kommen. Dabei würde mehr Zeit für die An-und Abfahrt drauf gehen, als für die Pirschfahrt selbst.

Dabei konnten wir schon jede Menge Lechwe Antilopen (Moorantilopen) beobachten.

Man merkt, es hat in den letzten Tagen doch ganz gut geregnet. Die Wege, über die unser Fahrer uns kutschiert sind ordentlich schlammig.

Kaum mit den Geländefahrzeugen losgefahren, entdeckten wir auf einer Knüppelbrücke einen Wasserwaran, der auf der Lauer liegt. Nur ungern verlässt er wegen uns seinen schönen Aussichtsposten.

Wir machten einen Halt bei Kameldornbäumen, bei denen die Rinde von Elefanten abgefressen war. Unser Guide erklärte uns, dass die Elefanten sehr gerne die Rinde und die Früchte der Kameldornbäume fressen. Ist die Rinde weg, stirbt der Baum wegen unterbrochener Wasserzufuhr ab.

Da die Elefanten auch die Früchte fressen, die nur an- bzw. unverdaut wieder ausgeschieden werden, können an neuer Stelle wieder neue Kameldornbäume wachsen. Die Natur hat für alles eine Lösung!

Wir legten eine Picknick-Pause an der Horseshoe Flussbiegung ein. Es gab Softdrinks und Snacks. Von Elefanten jedoch weit und breit keine Spur.

Weiter ging unsere Pirschfahrt. Wir konnten doch etliche Tiere sehen: Zebras, Giraffen, Impalas, Warzenschweine, viele verschiedene Vögel und Kudus.

Natürlich erzählte auch hier der Guide den uralten Gag mit dem riesen Bart über die "Lions MacDonalds" (Impalas).

Die Moorantilopen bleiben gerne in Wassernähe. Ihre Hufe sind den schlammigen Gegebenheiten angepasst, damit sie nicht bzw. kaum im Boden einsinken.

Wir sehen Hippos, die von uns aufgescheucht werden, und Elefanten- und Hippo Highways… Aber keine Elefanten und keine Büffel weit und breit.

An einer Stelle entdecken wir eine größere Ansammlung unterschiedlicher Geier. Eigentlich immer ein untrügliches Zeichen für einen Kill, doch auch davon weit und breit keine Spur.

Es ist wie verhext. Am Himmel kreist dann doch etwas (für uns) Spektakuläres: ein Bateleur (Gaukler) Adler. Gut, wir waren begeistert, unsere schweizer Mitfahrer eher nur so mittelprächtig.

Die Warzenschweinfamilie mit ihren zwei umhertollenden kleinen Babies war da doch eher schon nach ihrem Geschmack.

Mit einer kurzen Bootsfahrt geht es mittags wieder zurück zur Lodge. 

Wir sind auf dem Kwando, einem Nebenfluss des Sambesi, unterwegs.

Er entspringt in Angola und ist ca. 1.500 km lang. Er trägt vier unterschiedliche Namen. In Angola heißt er Cuando, in Botswana, Sambia und Namibia Kwando, im Unterlauf wird er Linyanti und zuletzt schließlich Chobe genannt. Da soll erst mal einer durchblicken. Der Kwando mündet dann in den Sambesi.

Während unserer kurzen Bootsfahrt konnten wir wieder viele verschiedene Vögel, z.B. Webervögel, Bienenfresser, Eisvögel, Kormorane, Reiher sehen.

Links und rechts des Ufers gab’s die uns schon wohl bekannten Hippo Highways, die sich durch den allgegenwärtigen Papyrus mäandern.

Krokodile gab es natürlich auch hin und wieder, aber dieses Mal entweder auch schnell wieder verschwunden oder es waren nur die Augen zu sehe.

Direkt vor der Lodge waren Angelfreunde unterwegs und versuchten ihr Glück. Kurz bevor wir am Steg wieder anlegten, kam große Aufregung auf. Der Mann auf dem Oberdeck hatte etwas an der Leine - und zwar etwas großes. Ein Krokodil vielleicht?

Oder doch meinen verlorenen Hut? Nein, es war ein 12 Kilogramm schwerer Wels! Alle Gäste oben auf der Aussichtsterrasse und auf unserem Boot applaudierten dem glücklichen Fischer, der den ganzen Tag und Abend stolz noch Glückwünsche entgegen nahm.

Am Nachmittag sollte uns eigentlich unserer Weg ins nahegelegene Namushasha Heritage Center.

Leider machte uns da das Wetter einen dicken Strick durch die Rechnung: es schüttete wie aus Kübeln. Nicht nur den ganzen Nachmittag, sondern auch den ganzen Abend hindurch.

Am Nachmittag versuchte sogar eine Familie Meerkatzen (Vervet Monkeys) in unserer Villa Zuflucht zu finden. Glücklicherweise waren alle Türen verriegelt und die Affen bekamen die Tür nicht geöffnet.

Buffet und Gäste mussten vor den Wassermassen geschützt werden. Due Temperatur fiel auf gerade einmal 20 Grad und alle zogen sich lange Hosen und dicke Jacken an.

Die Baumhörnchen, gegenüber des Restaurants, waren auch nicht besonders happy über das nasse Wetter. Sie putzten sich unaufhörlich ihr nasses Fell.

Nach dem Abendessen sind wir wieder direkt auf unser Zimmer, denn wir müssen schon wieder packen. Morgen wechseln wir erneut die Location.

Auf dem Rückweg zu unserer Villa kreuzte eine Eule unseren Weg. Micha konnte geistesgegenwärtig sein Handy zücken und damit den Beweis liefern.

Lekker Slaap!

Angie, Micha, Mama und der Hasenbär

[funnywildlife]

The Magnificent and Noble Sable Antelope are commonly seen in the north of Botswana. Sable graze and browse, and favour the fringes of habitats like the edge of woodlands. Common along the Chobe (Linyanti and Kwando) River as well as on the eastern fringes of the Okavango. * Experience Botswana with our friends @okavangodeltaexplorations Give the a follow for regular updates & safari ideas. #Wildography #sable #sableantelope #antelope #okavangodelta #okavango #okavangodeltaexplorations #nature #naturephotography #naturelovers #wildlife #wildlifephotography #botswana #visitbotswana #explorebotswana #wildernessexplorer #animalloversofinstagram #safari #botswanasafari #safarlife #armchairtravel #wondersofnature (at Okavango Delta, Botswana) https://www.instagram.com/p/CQ_SP6JgUA2/?utm_medium=tumblr

[roswellroamer]

Shametu River Lodge to Mukolo Camp, Namibia. 220km. 4/27/19.

Today was another short day so we lounged around the river and pool before and after breakfast. A chef made us what we wanted, omelettes, bacon, sausage, etc. i also tried a sort of dried porridge that looked like mashed potatoes called pap. It was served in a warming tray with mince (which was ground beef that was really tasty) and also some mushrooms. Deon joined us for a bit and verified that about 10% of the Nam population is white. He also described for us where he takes guests on game drives and what they see. Blessing and a curse I reckon having not encountered any big game wild on the road to this point. We wouldn't really know what to do if we did but it would be pretty cool to spot some not in a zoo or in a park. 🐘 🦁 🦒Our hippo encounter last night was both close and scary enough to last. We had porters come collect our bags as Deon had promised and got rolling at 11. Today was a straight and paved and largely uneventful ride. The heat became noticeably worse the past two days. The Honda showed the air temp quickly rise to 38°C (over 100°F)! At that temp you don't really cool down even wearing the mesh jacket I've been sporting the last few days and with all your vents open on your pants. Our first stop was under a nice shade tree and we pulled off between some short concrete posts. 6 bush equipped bakkies whizzed by us. Snorkeled up, axes, camping gear on the roofs, etc. within a short while a white car pulled off opposite us on the highway. An armed soldier got out and a shorter guy with a beard and a large hat came across the road to us. The soldier seemed friendly enough but explained that the concrete posts were to keep everyone out. They didn't want us to be eaten by lions or trampled by elephants. Then we asked for a photo. The soldier seemed willing but his boss was all business and shook his finger meaning absolutely not. We mounted up and went on down the road. Within 10km or so we passed the convoy and they had secured a really nice picnic pull off. We met up at one more rest stop then blasted down into the heat. Two ostrich were surprised and ran along the lead of our group for a bit before heading off to one side. Then we passed a family of wild baboons occupying an abandoned picnic spot. I turned around and took some pictures and a vid. I was wary and sat on my bike with the engine running. It was a family of about a dozen and they started running across the road, maybe a hundred yards away.

We made it to Kongola a "town" we had been seeing signs for all day. There was a Shell station but we didn't stop and instead rolled another 5 km or so to our camp. This is a bit more primitive than some of the other spots we've stayed. The road was a good indicator as the sand became difficult for me to navigate. Finally the last half km or so the owners had put down some hay which made it easier to navigate. We settled into our simple buildings. No AC but water and electricity and a great view of the Kwando river floodplain. We quickly congregated by the pool to cool off. There were a group of German Masters and PhD candidates who are in the midst of a three month assignment cataloguing and assaying carbon content of the trees and soil as part of a 12 year contract. We enjoyed some poolside refreshments and the guys grilled up some steak (marinated) and sausages. We shared with our camp keeper Lola and her two sons. After enjoying another sweet sunset we ambled a few steps from the river/deck/bar and into the open air dining patio. There was a salad, rice and a nice lamb stew. All good, but the highlight of the meal was the homemade malva (pronounces malfa in Afrikaans) pudding. Amazing.

Baz' (Barry) Word of the day is nooit (pronounces noyt) which means a strong no way. Off to Zambia tomorrow. Our SA friends have had issues with the border there. Bribes, delays, etc. depends on who we get from what I hear. We'll see. Another great day through Africa with a fun group. 😴

[citizenjayuncensored]

Day 7 & 8: The Nambwa Tented Lodge is located along the Kwando River, deep in the Bwabwata National park of Namibia. The entire Lodge is built on 4-5 metre tall stilts. Why? Because it’s generally not a good idea to build anything that an elephant might consider an obstacle. (elephants don’t like obstacles) We went to bed with entire herds of elephants casually meandering under our rooms and woke up to baboons staring at us from outside or bedroom windows. It. Was. Incredible. #nambwatentedlodge #namibia #outandaboutafrica #elephants #africanelephants #baboons #sableantelope #greaterkudu (at Bwabwata National Park) https://www.instagram.com/p/ClIA6ooMmfA/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[furiouszinecloudpony]

Hunting Making a Difference - Ridding the Kwando River of a Man Eating C...

[rivaltimes]

Meerkats and starry nights in the Makgadikgadi salt flat

Meerkats and starry nights in the Makgadikgadi salt flat

Makgadikgadi means “the driest dry place yet” in the Twsana language. It occupies the northeast corner of Botswana and is the desiccated bottom of a paleolake. Millions of years ago, three great rivers originated in the mountains of Angola and flowed into the Indian Ocean: the Okavango, the Kwando and the Zambezi. Two million years ago, the tectonic movement that gave rise to the…

[nunoxaviermoreira]

Drama by Thomas Retterath Beautiful sunset Kwando river, Botswana The world is like a book and those, who do not travel, only read the first page. follow me on instagram my pictures on sale join my facebook group All rights reserved. © Thomas Retterath 2021 https://flic.kr/p/2mW2tiL

[agbolazee]

Southern Carmine bee-eaters along Kwando river. https://www.instagram.com/p/CYeT7LSoyI1/?utm_medium=tumblr

[onegirlmanymiles]

about my trip

I wanted to share with you all some details about my trip to Africa.

I have found when telling people I'm off the Africa, most people ask 'why?' - I chose Africa very spontaneously, I was actually in a travel agent planning to book a European trip, but when I saw the African brochure with the giraffes (just after they were listed on the endangered species list) I knew I was about to do something wild, and right there, I booked a trip to Africa. Many people I've crossed are shocked and the first thing they say is "be careful, it's dangerous over there", but when you think about it, its not any more dangerous then anywhere else in the world (Just look at whats happening on the news!!!) Recently there has been a coup threat in Zimbabwe, which makes the trip a little bit more risky, but if you travel in fear, you'll never leave, experience growth, gain cultural experience or go out of your comfort zone. If you fear the world, you'll never live!

So, here is a little breakdown of what I'm doing and where I'm going..

First thing first is to decide what tour you're doing (yes i recommend doing a tour, Africa is a huge continent!!) and decide why you want to go and what you want to see. I picked one through Gecko's as the age range is suitable to myself and they also don't charge a single supplement which is perfect if your travelling alone!

The tour "Best of Southern Africa" - 17 Day trip starting and finishing at Johannesburg. This trip is a camping style trip - 1 night hotel, 13 nights camping with facilities and 2 nights without facilities. For someone who has never camped, not even in my backyard, its definitely going to be a new experience!

The tour visits 4 countries - South Africa, Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe and has inclusive and optional activities at each destination.

Breakdown of the 17 days

Day 1: Johannesburg

Day 2-5:  Botswana visiting Khama Rhino Sanctuary, Maun and Okavango Delta

Day 6-7: Namibia visiting Caprivi Game park, Mahango Game reserve, Cubango river, Villages of Hambukushu and Xwe tribes, Kwando Camp, Kwando River and Mudumu Game Park

Day 8: Botswana going to Chobe National Park and cruising Chobe River

Day 9-13: Zimbabwe where you'll see Victoria Falls and cruise down Zambezi. Drive to Hwange National Park, Matoboas National Park, Bulawayo and Matobo Hills

Day 14-17: South Africa visiting Mapungubwe National Park, Kruger National Park and finishing in Johannesburg

I'm also staying a night before the tour begins and 2 nights after at the hotel which the tour chose as a meeting and finishing point.

Cost Overall cost for the trip was roughly $5500 (including spending money)

Breakdown (AUD) Flights with Etihad Airways - $1598 return Tour - $2074 Transfers to and from hotel - $120 return Pre tour & Post tour accomodation - $170 per night - 3 nights = $510 Insurance - $218 Spending money - $400 USD cash, $400 USD on a travel card, $1000 ZAR (South African Rand)

Everything was booked and organised with 'Student Flights' who helped arrange my flights according to the trip dates, transfers, extra accomodation and of course the tour! Now I've worked along side an agent, next time I'd be confident in booking and organising a trip alone to reduce extra fees and interest that charge for service.

[play-of-colors]

Sunset - Namushasha River Lodge - Kwando River - Caprivi Strip - Namibia - Africa - 2024

[logi1974]

Namibia, Botswana, Simbabwe 2024/25 -Tag 15

Herrschaften und Oukies!!!

Beim Frühstück heute waren wir die einzigen und letzten Gäste. Nun kann sich das Personal ganz auf die Feierlichkeiten im Dorf konzentrieren. Immerhin hatten wir die ganze Nacht musikalische Unterhaltung.

Vor dem Frühstück wieder der obligatorische Start ins heutige Tagesprogramm: aufstehen, Koffer packen, danach Frühstück & den Rest Koffer packen, check-out & ab auf die Piste. Die Routine lässt inzwischen grüßen.

Weiter ging es, 300 km durch die Caprivi-Region, immer nur gerade aus, nach Kongola.

Wir fahren heute zur Namushasha River Lodge, die zur bekannten Gondwana Collection gehört.

Kaum zu glauben, dass noch vor rund 20 Jahren diese Strecke aufgrund von Grenzstreitigkeiten mit Angola nur mit einer Polizei-Eskorte befahrbar war. Zum Glück haben sich die Zeiten geändert.

Links und rechts der Straße wird wieder vor Elefanten gewarnt. Immer wieder kommt es hier zu Zusammenstößen mit Wildtieren, als auch Nutztieren.

Es ist schon spaßig zu sehen wie viele Haustiere (Kühe & Ziegen & Esel) so auf der Straße herum rennen, obwohl das streng verboten ist, da dadurch eben so viele Verkehrsunfälle verursacht werden.

Kongola bezeichnet man landläufig als das Eingangstor in den Caprivi-Zipfel. Die Ortschaft liegt an der Nationalstraße B8 (Trans-Caprivi-Highway) am Fluss Kwando.

Im Norden befindet sich die Grenze zu Angola Grenze und im Süden zu Botswana.

Der kleine Ort mit rund 12.000 Einwohnern hat eine ziemlich große Bedeutung als Station auf der B8 zur Regionalhauptstadt Katima Mulilo, die etwa 120 km entfernt im Osten liegt.

Der Ort ist eine "Oase", in der man noch einmal seine Vorräte auffüllen kann, bevor es weiter nach Afrika geht. Es gibt ein kleines Shopping Centre mit ATM der Bank Windhoek, eine Bäckerei, eine Tankstelle und zwei Craft Shops.

Selbstverständlich dürfen auch einige Straßenhändler nicht fehlen, die allerdings doch sehr zurückhalten sind. Niemand hat uns belästigt!

Bäckerei, Café und die Craft Shops haben offenbar wegen Reichtums geschlossen. Schade, denn eigentlich hatten wir beabsichtig hier ein bisschen Geld loszuwerden.

Aber so tanken wir nur an der neuen Shell Tankstelle, kaufen noch die letzten Getränke aus dem vereisten Kühlschrank und machen uns wieder auf den Weg.

Bei Kongola biegen wir nach Süden ab und haben nur noch etwa 25 Kilometer bis zur unser Lodge zu fahren.

An der Lodge angekommen nutzten wir nach dem Check-Inn die Gelegenheit zu einem Lunch.

Der Besucher erhält hier viele Informationen, auf Schautafeln, über die lokale Fauna und Flora. 

So genießen wir von der schönen Aussichtsterrasse den Blick auf den Fluss und die angrenzenden Feuchtgebiete des Kwandos.

Die hölzerne Aussichtsterrasse ist in drei Ebenen direkt über einem Nebenarm des Kwando angeordnet. Von hier hat man einen tollen Blick in die durch viele Schilfflächen recht feucht wirkende Flussebene.

Von der Natur her, die schönste Unterkunft unserer ganzen Reise. Überall zwitschert, flattert und hüpft es um einen herum.

Die Namushasha River Lodge liegt oberhalb des Kwando Rivers und umfasst 24 Bungalowzimmer.

Auf Anraten unserer lieben Freundin Tina (Lotusblume im Namibia Forum) entschieden wir uns für die Familienvilla mit der Zimmernummer 15.

Was für eine Überraschung! Das Haus präsentierte sich komplett renoviert und umgestaltet.

Ein großes Wohnzimmer bzw. Aufenthaltsraum mit großem Sofa, Sesseln und Küchenecke mit Kühlschrank.

Linker und rechter Hand geht es in die Schlafzimmer mit jeweils eigenem Badezimmer.

Das Badezimmer des Master-Bedrooms hat neben der Dusche auch 2 Waschbecken.

Allerdings waren die Vollpfosten zu dämlich ein gescheites Gefälle in der Dusche zu installieren und so schwimmt immer das halbe Bad.

Klimaanlage in nur in den Schlafzimmern, nicht im Living Room, so muss man immer alle Türen zu den Schlafzimmern offen lassen.

Von allen Zimmern gelangt man zur Terrasse, die die Länge der gesamten Villa einnimmt.

Wir richten uns häuslich ein und bestaunen das Interieur. Hier haben sich offensichtlich teuer bezahlte Designer ausgetobt.

Aber über Geschmack lässt sich eben nicht streiten. Ich überlege, ob ich eine dieser Vervet-Monkey-Lampen mitgehen lasse - und wenn ja, wo und wie ich die zu Hause platzieren könnte.

Wir setzen unsere Inspektion des Zimmers fort und Micha findet doch tatsächlich eine leere Wasserflasche unter dem Bett, die wohl einer der Vormieter dort verloren hat. Da hat das Housekeeping aber schwer gepennt.

Auf dem Weg zum Abendessen mache ich noch einen kleinen Abstecher zur Rezeption und präsentiere den Herrschaften die besagte Wasserflasche mit der Aufforderung das Housekeeping Personal besser zu instruieren.

Bei dem Preis, der hier für die Villa aufgerufen wird, ist das einfach ein Unding.

Die Lodge dient auch als Ausgangspunkt für Safaritouren in den angrenzenden Bwabawata Nationalpark oder für Boots- und Angeltouren auf dem Kwando. Dazu kommen wir dann morgen.

Lekker Slaap!

Angie, Micha, Mama & der Hasenbär

[funnywildlife]

Join #wildographer, photographic guide & #RememberingLions contributor @darylbalfourwildphotos on safari in Botswana this November 24-Dec 3 for the season on birth & renewal, and great brooding summer skies with towering cumulus clouds. Limited to four people only, 9 nights spent in three distinctly different environments, from desert through the delta to the northern rivers of Kwando. *** Email @darylbalfourwildphotos now for more information at http://www.wildphotossafaris.com/ #wildography #darylbalfour privatelyguided #photosafari #wildphotossafaris #botswana #okavangodelta #lioncubs #wildlifephotography #wildlife_vision #wildlifeonearth #naturephotography #repost #nikonphotography https://www.instagram.com/p/BtMrmROgZHC/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1jmmwxosecsxu

[clynam-blog]

Kwando River, Namibia. Just playing around with effects folks. I wouldn't BS you! The giraffes and the birds were not there - just a figment of my imagination. Strawberry Fields Forever! #wildlifeowners #wildography #wildestafrica #youpic_wildlife #joysafaribay #wildographyandsafari #indianafricanwildlife #capturethewild #namibia #africageo #wilderexperiences #africanwildlifephotography #africanwilderness #instawild #bbcwildlife #instawildlife #africanwonders #kwando #giraffe #caprivi #epupafalls #landscape #landscapephotography #landscapelovers #views #waowafrica

[citizenjayuncensored]

After a day of jumping out of perfectly good airplanes and THE BEST bbq I’ve ever had in my life (Swakopmund Adventure Park & Paintball Centre - don’t let the name fool you) we traded our Land Cruisers for Gulfstream Commanders, left the desert and ripped up to the Kwando River wetlands and the Nambwa Tented Lodge. That was right about the time our biggest threats switched from flat tires and sand dunes….to getting eaten, trampled, gored or mauled. Namibia has such an incredible variety of landscapes …and shit that can kill you #namibia #outandaboutafrica #nambwatentedlodge #northerncarminebeeeater #hippo #hippopotamus #giraffe #crocodile #africanelephant #elephant (at Namibia) https://www.instagram.com/p/Ck3-95eJu2a/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[boriszatezic-blog]

As our team of travel consultants bustled into Monday morning with their trademark hustle, and my PC flickered to life, I wondered how my client, Jim and his wife, had settled back into ‘civilization’ after the Botswana safari we designed for them, incorporating a very special request: a return to Kwando Lagoon…

Dear Lise,

As I mentioned in an earlier email, we had another wonderful trip.  As is my tradition, I am doing a little write-up of our experiences at each camp so you can use it to advise future clients.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Sable Alley: A ‘Natural Selection‘!

Sable Alley is a beautiful camp with a great staff team. Phillip the, General Manager, along with Debby and Ollie were terrific. One amazing example of this is when I was looking for a small screwdriver to repair one of my camera lenses. Sable Alley didn’t have one, but they quickly sent a message to Gomoti Plains to see if they could help me out when we arrived there.  That was stunning to me.

Our ranger (also the MD) was great too.  We had the tent furthest from the dining area which gave us perfect privacy.  I got to share an outdoor shower with a small herd of elephants. There’s really nothing in the world quite like that! The camp has some resident hippos that hang out in the area of camp all the time like real ‘locals’. The food was, of course, excellent.

Our game viewing was quite varied. The photo opportunities were abundant (as the photos below show!)

We were pleasantly surprised to see two young male cheetahs. Then later, a young male leopard and his mother. My wife and I both agree that our highlight was being surrounded by a breeding herd of elephants, especially enjoying the playful antics of the little ones! (See what we saw here.)

Skybeds: Why count sheep when you can count stars?

This experience was indescribably awesome. Our drive out to the Skybeds from Sable Alley turned into a game drive of sorts — because we stopped at Hyena Pan‘s elephant hide. This was truly amazing. As we arrived, there were about 30 elephants surrounding the hide and the waterhole, filled with fresh, cool water pumped up from a well. We eased our way in and quickly made our way down into the hide. From there, we can only describe it as a heart-stopping experience.

The hide is only about 15 meters from the spot where water is pumped up. The elephants are constantly jockeying for position to get their trunks on the fountain. It was hard to choose what to watch or take pictures of.  I shot video, took photos and, well… we were all just utterly mesmerized.  It was scary and exciting when one of the elephants stuck his trunk in the side window to get a closer sniff of us!

As the sun started setting, the solar-powered water pump turned off and the elephants began to move away from the waterhole. We very reluctantly left the hide and headed a short distance further on to Skybeds Camp.

Skybeds was an incredible experience.  We were there with a great couple from New Zealand, and we all enjoyed watching more elephants at the nearby waterhole while we enjoyed our sundowner cocktails. The skybed set-up is really cool – and to sleep under the stars is a very unique and stunning experience. As New Yorkers we never quite see the sky back home in the spectacular way we did throughout this trip. To lie in bed and take in the view is, well, heavenly.

“You know you are truly alive when you’re living among lions.” ~ Isak Dinesen (Karen Blixen), ‘Out of Africa’

Gomoti Plains

We were welcomed to Camp by the General Managers, Andrew and his wife Rhona.  They were incredible throughout our whole stay.  They have a marvelous kind of enthusiasm for what they do – and are incredibly helpful in so many ways. Andrew even did some research to find out what an error message on my camera meant!  Simply, above and beyond.

The staff were wonderful and the food was delicious.  A special off-site dinner was really very well done, and we thoroughly enjoyed the cultural performance by the staff.

Our guide, Mitre, ensured our game viewing experience was superb. We saw the entire Big Five in just one day! It was so incredibly cool to see rhinos in Botswana – and the experience of hiking in the bush to see them with the rhino patrol was awesome.

We saw three beautiful male lions who are trying to push into the area. Then, on our last morning, we were awed by the sighting of two leopard cubs and their mom, closely followed by a cheetah mom with five 3 week old cubs!  A highlight game drive if ever there was one.

Kwando, Kwando, Kwando!

As you well know, Lise, Kwando Lagoon Camp is the only camp that we have ever gone to for a second time. It was another wonderful experience. The food and facilities were great and we had some absolutely amazing game drive experiences.

Our guide was Spencer and our tracker was JD. On our first morning drive, they tracked down two female lions and we followed them along for a quite a while – time seeming to stand still. It was a stunning experience.

One of the lionesses flushed some warthogs from their den and then captured one. While the lionesses were attempting to execute the kill, the warthog was making quite a racket. Spencer commented that this would surely bring in the hyenas. As if on cue, four hyenas joined the fray. In the ensuing skirmish, that noisy but astuste warthog made a run for it – but was shortly tracked down by a couple of the hyenas.  The lions fled first to the top of a termite mound and eventually to a tree, while the hyenas made short work of the warthog. It was an incredible experience to witness, although not for the faint of heart. (Watch the video here!)

The next day we were lucky to see brown hyenas that are normally only seen in the Kalahari – so it was a bit of an historic sighting. That evening we enjoyed a relaxing boat ride on the river.

As you can see, we really had a superb and unforgettable trip. We shared our days with some very interesting and really nice people from all over the world. The arrangements were perfect, as always,  and we sung your praises to everyone.

Thanks again for doing such a terrific job of setting this trip up for us. We hope to be able to do it again very soon.

Jim & Elizabeth

Jim’s photography is out of this world. He managed to capture the scintillating sense of adventure and awe that draw our clients back to Africa again and again. Check out his phenomenal photography here!

If you’ve always dreamed of an African safari but didn’t know where to start, I’d love to help you begin. Let’s talk!

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