Land of the Elephant (and lions, leopards, hippos, thieving scamming monkeys and plenty more)

Sorry about the length of this one but no internet for a few days now.

After another hour spent dealing with African cross border controls, first exiting Namibia which was quite straightforward and managing to find possibly the only picnic spot in no man’s land on the large bridge that crosses the Chobe River and flood plain we arrived back in Botswana at Ngoma borderpost and completed the sign this and head to the next window scenario several times before heading  straight into Chobe National Park. The first sight was no different from many other areas as we drove down the main transit road at the prescribed 80kms per hour for 60 kms and onto the main gates and office of the park. Here we had to sign in (yes onve again several pieces of paper filled in from our side plus handing over many Botswanan Pula as the currency is called. (Fact for you Pula is very valuable both as currency and as rain and Pula means both). From the park we drove through Kisane to get some food and supplies and onto our base for the next 3 nights at Senyati Safari Lodge. This was a wonderful place and as it is halfway through the holiday and we were booked into a chalet we decided to quickly wash the bedding and get rid of the sand out of the vehicle. Our chalet was right next to the waterhole that would be floodlit at night. Elephants were already there drinking just 30 metres from out chalet and no fences around at all.

Once sorted out it was back to the park entrance and drive in and go to fin the “Chobe River Front Road” as this would be the best sighting for the afternoons. We would not be disappointed as once down on the river and flood plain banks we could see why. 1000s of elephants we spread out along the area and many still coming down.

Some were very close having mud baths and wallowing in mud and dust while others marched on further out to the river water for drinks. Besides elephants there were also Hippos, crocodile, many different antelope, warthog and lots of wading birds. It was a great sight. We drove for about 10 miles like this before heading of the river track and into the wooded areas in search of other animals.

Next morning we went out early to go back into the park and see at first light and what a transformation, the river front had a few antelope, Hippos, many birds and that was it, not an elephant to be seen so we spent the morning further in the park looking for Lion or Leopard, sadly none found, but did find elephant and giraffe. The afternoon was on a photo safari on a boat which was excellent.

Our last day in The Chobe area was spent once again crossing a border, this time without the car on a “daytrip” into Zimbabwe and to Victoria Falls.

Awe inspiring is the word that comes to mind, partly for the totally inefficient way that Zimbabwe run their border operation. If you think I have said Botswana is bad well think again. Jan is going to give her reception children, on their first day in school, an exercise to improve the waste of time, space and manpower. I am positive that they will say that is too easy and should be giver to 2 year olds.

Now to the real awe inspiring spectacle that is the Victoria Falls, they are magnificent. Last year we went to Iguacu Falls in Brazil/Argentina and thought they were good. Vic Falls look more impressive, partly as the height is one drop but you can see straight down the gorge, or rather you could if the spray was not there. After the Falls we went and had lunch at the oldest hotel in the town and a fantastic throw back to the Colonial era. The Victoria Falls Hotel built in 1905 is old fashioned splendour with white jacket staff everywhere to serve you, excellent food and opulent décor. Just looking at the rooms and the photos was amazing.

At night we cooked on a Braai (South African word for BBQ) in front of the water hole and our last night was a noisy one. Lions could be heard from early evening so several of us went out in cars looking but no luck. The lions were around the camp all night roaring so we kept getting up to look but no sighting.

We have now left Chobe and made our way to the Savuti Marshes and Channel area where we hope to find a lot more predators including leopard if lucky

Jan here. I thought I would take the opportunity of Mike having a shower before our ‘high tea’ to tell you about the food Mike has been cooking. As a vegetarian, it’s not easy to have the same BBQ as every one else. However, we have been very inventive. It’s hard to choose a favourite meal but the choice has included various BBQ veggies, all with spices, kebabs, hot pot and savoury rice. We have had salads and baked potatoes most nights so we both feel quite healthy. The small green squashes that we can buy most places are particularly good when filled with cheese, herbs and onion, wrapped in tin foil and left to cook on a slow heat. One night we ran out of bread so Mike decided to try making it. We had brought some yeast with us, and the dough rose quite well in the back of the car while we did one of our game drives. We cooked small rolls in one of the pots that we have for the fire, experimenting with how long they needed. To be honest, I don’t think Mike would win a prize for the lightness of this particular bread, but it was eminently edible for breakfast, watching the sun come up over the African horizon.  (Mike now has made a “flat Bread” with herbs and onion but no yeast and cooked in foil on the fire, That was much better eaten freshly cooked from the fire)

Savuti

The drive from Chobe to Savuti was a long one mainly on sand  and took 5 hours. It was not too bad, very bumpy, about 5 Kms of really thick sand when we were either in 1^st or 2^nd gear in 4 wheel drive or occasionally down into the low range crawling along in 1^st gear at about 2 kms per hour.

Savuti camp was really good and a shame we only spent a night there. It was fully inclusive and we stayed in a “canvas bungalow” set on a wooden deck overlooking the Savuti Channel. This ancient river is a bit of a mystery as it can be dry for many years as it has been up until a couple of years ago, then started flowing but stopped again last year. It started again about a month ago and when flowing attracts many animals which in turn attracts the predators. Here the Lions are well known for taking Elephants. We did find Lions including the dominant pair of male brothers that go around the area. We came across them just after they had robbed some lionesses of a Buffalo kill. We were very close to the Male lion trying to stuff as much fresh buffalo down him as possible.

We came across the same pair next morning

close to the kill then found a Leopard taking in the early morning sun on a termite mound before noticing some Impala and deciding to go on a stalk but eventually finding a place to sit out the heat of the day.

Now onto Khwai Camp that is in Moremi Game Reserve and onto the Eastern Okavango Delta. Once gain it wasd many miles driving through sand. You have a choice of two roads, the Sand Ridge Road which we were advised to take and did or the marsh road which often involves driving in water. Once again it was hard going with a very bumpy ride for much of the way. If you can imagine driving over large corrugated iron sheets for mile after mile then that is some idea. To get to Khwai you must cross a river on a rickety old bridge obviously named “Bridge over the River Khwai”. We are now back in the camper again and cooking for ourselves but out looking for game each day as well.

We have to also state that we were robbed in this camp, not something we would expect here in Botswana but it did happen. The good news is we managed some excellent photos of the culprit caught red handed and the shocking news it was a she. What we lost was probably more important this time for Jan as she was partial to the “Tesco Rhubarb and Custard” sweets but as you can see they were definitely nicked!

Our fault as you only have to turn your back a second and leave a car door open, still we have learned.  This part of the Okavango Delta is dry sand interspersed with lagoons or rivers and often the crossings have no bridge. Well after driving all day often through water we came across one crossing that looked a little tricky and sure enough we slid of the raised area and got well and truly stuck. Lucky we were quite near a Safari Lodge so I exited the car and waded through the water to get help and even they with a truck could not drag us out as we had grounded in the middle. It was only a guy in a Landrover with a winch that dragged us out later that afternoon. Very worrying at the time but now we can laugh as we look back on it.

During the following night several Lions were heard roaring close to the camp so on our last full day we decided to go early morning exploring in the direction of the roaring from the night. We drove around for a couple of hours from 7.00am and saw very little besides some excellent birds, lots of antelope and gazelle and hippos. For some reason we did not see elephant or giraffe. At one point we thought we may be onto something as the baboons seemed to be sitting in the trees and looked agitated as though perhaps a predator was on the ground but we could not find anything. About 10 we gave up on the Lions and moved away from the area to find water where it is often better in the day. After saying we would find a stop for breakfast we came across several Safari groups all speeding in the same direction with the drivers on radios and that usually meant a predator sighting and all calling each other in. We jumped on the back of the group and sure enough they all went towards one other stationary truck and every one started looking out of one side and taking pictures but we could see nothing. Then all of a sudden a leopard came out of a bush and walked by us heading for water and spent time drinking. It then moved towards a large thicket of scrub and trees with all of us following and disappeared. A bit of searching but nothing could be seen so we all left the area, the trucks back to camps and lodges and us to find a spot for coffee we had already put into a flask and breakfast. After we decided to go back hoping we might find the leopard who would then be resting somewhere for the day but where. Talk about lucky, just us and no one else around I spotted the leopard in a tree and we managed some wonderful pictures, My first leopard in a tree and spotting it was amazing as the coat blends in and what you look for are legs, or rather feet and tail hanging below a branch. I was pleased considering it was about 100mts away from where we were at the time.