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BOTSWANA
Day 215 13.08.05
Caprivi to Shakawe
Camp Drotskys cabins
S18 25.037
E21 53.405
66k
The road to the border passes through Mahango Game Park so we diverted off the road to see what we could find. On the banks of the river with marshy land we found some elephant sloshing about. One or two elephants are now quite passé so we were impressed to find a herd of 40 or so. Also some hippo.
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Elephants grazing
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Hippos grazing
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Bird and lillies
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The border crossing into Botswana was very amiable (and we didn't need Pula after all).
That night at Drotskys we were at the far end of the campsite bordering the swamp. The noise of the frogs/toads (?) as night fell was truly impressive in a rising and falling chorus. We could also hear the hippos snorting and in the middle of the night they splashed about very near to us.
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Day 216 14.08.05
Shakawe to Etsha
Camp Guma Lagoon
S18 57.785
E22 22.416
The road to Guma camp is interesting. Once off the main road we have to stop in Etsha to lower the tyre pressures, as there is 14 k of soft sand ahead. Luckily we have been warned about this. The village children gather by the first stretch of soft sand, as this is where everyone grinds to a halt. Much to their disappointment we power on through.
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There is a maze of deep sand tracks through the bush and we have to just keep going in low range. There is the occasional encouraging sign to the camp, which is on the edge of a wide lagoon.
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Sand track
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As night falls the frog chorus starts up. It is so deafening we have to speak louder. Sameena marches to the water's edge where the frogs are lurking in the reeds and says 'oy'. The frogs stop immediately. This is remarkable especially as she alone out of all of us is able to produce this result. One or two frogs try to get the others going again with a handful of experimental croaks but with the occasional 'oy' Sameena is able to silence them for most of the evening. Day 217 15.08.05
Etsha to Maun
Camp Audi Camp
S19 56.037
E2330.585
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A 2 hour boat trip across the lagoon and through a channel in the reeds is a good start to the day with We see the rare Lechwe deer which are adapted to the watery habitat (they can apparently swim quite well and their main predator is the crocodile.)
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Malachite Kingfisher
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Then it's off to Maun, the main town on the Okovango delta so we can stock up.
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As we drive along we note the large number of Hornbills. These birds have been common throughout our travels. Suddenly one flies directly in front of us and meets its demise hitting our windscreen. We stop to dislodge it and are extremely surprised to find as we lay it down on the side of the road, another one also freshly dead, already laid there. Is this some sort of new kamikaze hornbill craze?
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Kamikaze hornbills
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Arriving at Audi camping we find that there are ready erected tents down one side of the campsite, sites with electricity (all empty) down the other side and everyone crammed into the remaining area. The sounds of the swamp are replaced by other campers snoring.
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Day 218 16.08.05
Stayed in Maun. Audi Camp.
S19 56.037
E 23 30.585
General stocking up. Day 219 17.08.05
Maun to Moremi
S19 14.015
E23 57.508
Bush camp outside reserve
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Up early to go for scenic flight over the Okavango Delta. Much of the area is not accessible by vehicle as it is hundreds of square miles of seasonally flooded marshland. The best way to get a perspective on it is to fly over and most people take a one-hour flight. We were the first flight of the morning flying over as the sun rose.
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Flight over Okavango delta
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Far below us we saw herds of buffalo, wildebeest, groups of elephant and other animals and the stretches of marshland that make up the delta. We are here in the dry season so the water is confined to the main channels.
Back on terra firma we set off for Moremi, one of Botswana's major wildlife reserves.
The main roads were hardly more than sandy tracks and quite hard going.
Eventually on reaching the south Gate of Moremi Reserve we approached the office.
1st problem was we hadn't booked in advance. We knew of this requirement and had phoned the booking office to be told
'the campsites are all full. You need to book a year in advance.' !!
Everyone we had spoken to who has been there assured us the campsites are half empty.
However we decided to try another gate. This meant driving over 100k around the boundary of the reserve.
We bush camped just off the road with some giraffes for neighbours. Day 220 18.08.05
nr Moremi to nr north Gate
Bush camp
S19 06.471
E23 50.166
After a couple of false starts we found the right road. All the roads here are tracks through the sand and sometimes it is difficult to discern which is the road.
We stopped beside a pool for some lunch. The pool was occupied so we had our lunch on the roof. After half an hour we realised that the hippos had so engaged our attention that we had failed to notice the large crocodile asleep on the opposite bank.
The road follows alongside a marshy river with lots of animals about. We were traversing the border of the park but it is not fenced so the animals move in and out quite freely. There are masses of animals ,attracted by the water, impala waterbuck zebra etc.
(The land around is owned by private concessions and there is general agreement that it is all protected for free movement of animals).
As we rounded a bend we saw on the opposite bank a recently dead buffalo. Lying nearby was a lioness. The top of the truck provided a great viewpoint. Lions (like most animals) are amazingly well camouflaged and although we realised their must be more than one lioness nearby it took us ages to spot the second one.
The vultures were flying overhead and landing in the trees nearby. The Maribou Storks stood motionless.
After a few flypasts one bold vulture landed on the carcass. All the vultures watched to see, was it time? The lioness got up, strolled over and gave it a look. The vulture retreated to a nearby tree and the lioness strolled back and flopped down.
They rolled about; one laying for a while with all four paws in the air. Killing a buffalo is evidently a tiring business.
Eventually the lions got down to eating. We sat and watched for so long we realised we wouldn't make the gate before nightfall so we just moved a few feet off the track and set up camp. Soon it was just the animals and us.
It was almost a full moon and as the moon came up we saw large shapes looming out of the darkness. Elephants crossing the river passed by 50 metres away. Then we heard the familiar grunt of the hippo.
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After we had gone to bed we heard rustling and looking out we saw spotted hyenas investigating the camp. I took a couple of photos from the tent. One seemed intrigued by this and by the flash of the camera and it lay down looking at us. Animals that stare back are always rather unnerving!
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Hyena at night
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Day 221 19.08.05
Nr North Gate to Moreni
Xakanaxa campsite
S19 11.879
E23 25.882
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In the early morning as the sun started to rise we could see the buffalo carcass from the tent. Well actually all we could see was a pile of moving vultures. Then we heard a huge flapping and looking out saw all the vultures taking off at once. The reason was the arrival of the male lion. This was enough to get us out of bed and back up onto the truck. However he didn't stay long. He seemed more wary than the females.
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View from the tent
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As we ate breakfast we heard him roar in the distance. There was an answering roar. It is an amazing sound, so loud and powerful.
We watched him return and meet and greet another male.
By the time any other tourist cars arrived there were just the vultures again.
It is at times like these that it is great to be self-sufficient and be able to set up camp anywhere.
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Moving on we came across some elephants mud bathing by the river. They use one front foot to puddle around to make a hole in the river bank. This fills with very liquid mud and when they have puddled enough they squirt the mixture over themselves. It must be very cooling and sitting in the heat watching them we felt quite envious.
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Mud squirting
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At the North gate the ranger was friendly. He had no facilities to take money but said we could go in and pay later. However we wouldn't be able to stay overnight, as the campsites were all booked.
So we were in.
We drove towards third bridge as we had heard that all the best game were over at that side near the water. It was 40k. The park was initially a huge disappointment. We drove through endless woodland with no animals at all. However, nearing the other side we saw a large herd of elephant with lots of young moving through the forest.
Then as we came through some trees we spotted a young elephant by the side of the road. There was a family group of a female and some younger elephant including a very small one. The young adolescent males can be quite comical.
At our approach a young male hurtled off through some bushes. Then he turned trumpeting loudly and flapping his ears. We stopped. Peering through the foliage at us, having successfully stopped us he was unsure what to do next. He blundered backwards.
Meanwhile the female calmly shepherded the others across the track and they walked away.
He was now separated from them. Continuing to trumpet loudly he crashed through the bushes alongside us to catch up with them. The female completely ignored this whole display of adolescent behaviour.
As sunset approached we were miles from the gate but very close by to the campsite! As we had suspected it was half empty.
We explained to the ranger how, unfortunately we had found ourselves miles from the gate and it was too late to drive there and wasn't it lucky that there appeared to be a lot of space at the campsite. He concurred that this seemed to be the case and we had better stay at the campsite.
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Day 222 20.08.05
Xanakanaxa camp to bush camp
S 19 08.108
E 23 44.262
In the morning we were impressed with the very large paw prints which had appeared overnight in the sand track of the campsite. There are no fences separating the campsite from the rest of the reserve. There are notices saying to sleep in a closed tent or a vehicle as you risk being eaten!
We were able to pay at the ranger's office.
On leaving the reserve we wanted to find somewhere quiet to camp, as we were all tired from the travelling.
Following a track we found ourselves in a spot next to the small river where it widened out a bit into marshy pools. It was a beautiful setting. There were some hippo in the far distance but not close enough to bother us so we set up camp.
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As the sun began to set the hippos began to move down river until they were directly opposite us. They all slowly drifted past eyeing us curiously before moving on. One however decided we needed watching and stayed there for over an hour staring at us and snorting until it got dark.
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As I was saying
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Again it was disconcerting to have animal stare at us. Hippos are very big close to. We built a good fire and Luca made some bread before we cooked our sausage on it.
In the night the lions roared while the hippos snorted and chuntered.
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What was that?
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Day 223 21.09.05
Bush camp to bush camp
S 19 07.917
E 23 45.817
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After a leisurely breakfast we set off following the river. We spotted a small herd of roan antelope which we hadn't seen much of before and some waterbuck. There are impala every-where. We also saw quite a lot of evidence of lion activity in terms of buffalo remains. Although we have seen quite a few buffalo skeleton we have yet to see any live buffalo.
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Water buck
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Finding a shady spot we stopped for lunch. The river here slowed to a trickle and formed a series of shallow pools.
As we ate, an elephant wandered down to drink not far away. It didn't seem bothered by our presence.
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Elephant - a lunchtime visitor
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Lunch was followed by a siesta and then as it was such a lovely quiet spot we decided to stay the night.
More elephant appeared in the distance and zebra. There were monkeys in the trees.
We lit a good fire and Luca decided to make pasta by hand from scratch. (Everyone should travel with an Italian.)
A group of elephant who had been drinking further up started to walk along the river towards us. They stopped every so often to look in our direction but deciding we were no threat continued until they were at the pool just a few metres from us. The light was fading fast but it was wonderful to be so close and all we had had to do was sit and wait for them to come to us.
Later once it was dark, we sat round the fire eating the amazingly good home made pasta accompanied by a delicious tomato and garlic sauce washed down with a bottle of red wine.
We heard a noise and by the light of the torch saw a spotted hyena circling us. He went away when we shone the light but we were alert for any other noises.
We discussed for the umpteenth time how we might react to animals coming too close. We weren't sure how frightened to be by a hyena! We though that mostly animals won't come near a fire and you should never run!
We had just finished the pasta when we heard the first lion roar. It was answered by another. This continued. Well, we had heard lions in the distance before. However this did not stay in the distance! The roaring continued louder and louder and nearer quite quickly until it is impossible to describe how loud it got. It reverberated right through us.
All thoughts of what one 'should' do were gone. Of one accord we all ran for the truck and scrambled into the cabin as fast as we could. We were scared!!
From the safety of the truck we shone the big beam torch around and saw a lion in the distance drinking. We watched until he was out of sight but we had heard two of them and didn't know where the other one was. We reflected that the male lion we had watched the other day had gone when it spotted us in the distance. Also that we knew there were lots of lions about. Also that lions are known to go regularly into the campsite in the reserve and they haven't eaten any tourists yet.
Eventually we ventured back out as we needed to retrieve the wine we hadn't finished! We also didn't want to leave all our dishes out because of the hyenas.
With Luca on the roof of his truck shining the big torch beam all around we quickly gathered everything up and we put our tent up in record time and soon were snugly ensconced in it.
Lions have another noise they make, a sort of muted roar and we continued to hear this until we fell asleep.
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Day 224 22.08.05
S19 07.860
E23 52.795
Bush camp to bush camp
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View from the roof
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We followed back along the border of the park. At one point we had to ford the river -the deepest fording we have done yet. The water washed over the land Rover bonnet as we surged through. We had to dry the floor mats out later.
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Fording the river
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Bush camped and Steve made some great bread in the fire. Day 225 23.08.05
Bush camp to Chobe
Camped Savute campsite
S18 34.021
E24 03.901
Headed off to Chobe which is another huge game reserve, famous for its elephant population.
Usual thing of not having booked but plenty of room anyway at the campsite.
It is extremely dry here so the animals are concentrated around the waterhole. It was dominated by elephants drinking and generally sloshing water around. Due to the large concentration of elephants and huge amounts of elephant dung there were also huge amounts of flies so elephant watching required some fortitude! Day 226 24.08.05
Stayed Savute
Luca's birthday today. Having heard lions roaring all night we set off before breakfast to view the waterhole. When we got there we were excited to see 2 lions approaching the waterhole. Then we spotted a couple more - and then some more including a couple of males and a small cub
A great start to the day.
Then back to the campsite for a chocolate pancake breakfast in honour of Luca's birthday.
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Elephant and lions
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Back at the waterhole we found that the lions had settled down for the day under the shade of a tree. All lying intertwined companiably together there were about 20 of them! As the sun moved they moved round so they stayed in the shade.
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Snoozing
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In the evening Luca made an experimental birthday cake, on the fire, which was amazingly good. Day 227 25.08.05
Chobe reserve to Chobe forest
Bush Camp
S 17 56.975
E24 41.992
Left the reserve and travelled north towards Ngoma gate. The road was appalling, the usual sand in a series of bumps for 110k. Bush camped just before we reached the next gate. Steve successfully sorted out the squeaking wheel carrier with a good application of grease. It had suffered from all the river fording we had done. Day 228 26.08.05
Chobe forest to Chobe reserve
Camped Ihaha campsite
S17 50.316
E 24 52.615
Back into the reserve, this time at the Chobe River end.
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Over the river the reserve opens out onto a wide plain. Herds of hundreds of zebra graze and we watched them fording the river. The birds here are also varied and spectacular. Lots of waders, herons etc. Huge Kori Bustards strut about. A group of Carmine Bee Eaters swooped about after the extremely large bees.
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Bird with catch
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Arriving at the campsite we had the usual speech about booking but could see from his bookings board that he only had 3 bookings for the whole site. Bordering the river the campsite was beautifully situated.
On a late afternoon drive by the river we found herds of buffalo and then about (we lost count) 300 elephant silhouetted in the sunset. Day 229 27.08.05
Ihaha to Kasane
Chobe Safari lodge campsite
S17 48.514
E25 08.733
Up before dawn to see the best of the animals before leaving the park.
The baboons had disturbed our sleep anyway crashing about and fighting in the trees nearby.
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The early morning mistiness was worth it with animals all moving up from the riverside. We had a couple of close encounters with elephants. We stopped and they regarded us, weighed us up and then filed softly past so close they could have reached us with their trunks. I was sitting on the land rover roof at the time and just held my breath.
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Close encounter
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Arriving in Kasane we were able to stock up with fuel and food and download our emails in an Internet café with a brilliant connection - the best for weeks. Day 230 28.08.05
stayed Kasane
The campsite has a swimming pool so had a day of rest!
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Day 231 29.08.05
Kasane to Kasane Nata road
Bush Camp
218 k
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The zip on the tent cover finally broke completely today after being a headache for months. Must be zip annihilation day as the zip on the table bag also gave up.
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Bush camp
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Day 232 30.08.05
Bush Camp to Makgadikgadi pans
Bush Camp
S 20 39.028
E25 50.502
169k
Drove through Vetinary checkpoint, foot and mouth control point on the main road.
They insisted that the regulations say you cannot take raw meat through even though we had bought it from the Spar supermarket in Kasane and they made us cook our small amount of meat while parked at the side of the road.
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Once off the main road, the road beside the Pans was very hard going through the bush with thick and bumpy sand so Luca decided to drive on the pan itself but had to be dug out after sinking in the hidden mud. We were lucky as we were following so managed to avoid getting stuck. By the time we were ready to move on the sun was setting so we camped on the edge of the pan.
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Sunset on the pan
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The pans are 1000s of square miles of salt flats left behind after the water receded 1000s of years ago.
They still flood seasonally and are host to 1000s of flamingos (although not while we were here)
There are tracks across them and it seems if you follow these they manage to avoid the hidden mud! Day 233 31.08.05
Bush Camp to Lekhubu Island on edge of Sowa pan
Bush Camp
S20 42.580
E25 38.295
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The vetinary fences here stretch for 100s of miles so you cannot drive directly to where you want to go, as you have to go through the gates which are manned.
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Veterinary fencing
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We drove across the tracks on the pan to the island.
Driving on the pan
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The island is a series of small granite hills with wonderful old Baobab trees growing. It is an ancient ritual site although the exact history is shrouded in mystery.
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Lekhubu Island
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Ancient baobab
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View from the island
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All hungry at the end of the day so Luca helped Steve to perfect his bread making on the fire and also made amazing pizza.
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Bread and piza making
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Day 234 01.09.05
Bush Camp to Gweta
Camp Gweta Lodge
S20 12.590
E25 15.439
Another hard days driving through the sandy tracks.
Arriving at Gweta we saw the lodge had camping and a small swimming pool. The washbasins had plugs as well! However the locals partied loud and long! Day 235 02.09.05
Gweta to Naxai pans reserve
Campsite at North Camp
S19 56.135
E2446.594
There had been a problem with the water at the reserve as the water is pumped to the waterhole and the pump had been temporarily broken and consequently a lot of the animals had left but we decided to stay any way. The rangers have to mend the pump very quickly as when the elephants find no water at the waterhole, they head for the next nearest water, which is either at the staff quarters or the campsite. They cause havoc as they get at the water any way they can!
At the campsite there is the outline of where the washing up sinks used to be until the elephants pulled them off the wall. The taps were enclosed in concrete block so the elephants couldn't get at them but they dug down to the water pipes. When the rangers in these parks talk about the elephants it is with a real mixture of emotions and they often refer to them as the naughty elephants.
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As usual with the water flowing again the elephants were hogging the waterhole so the springbok had to dodge round them.
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Elephants hogging the water hole
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There is still a pack of resident jackals
Jackal on the prowl
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Arriving at the campsite we found 2 other English overlander couples which was a surprise. Even more surprising one of the couples was Mike and Jackie (who we had shipped with). It was also good to meet Ivan and Rachael heading east. We had a good evening round the fire.
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Day 236 03.09.05
Stayed Nxai
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Up at 5.30 am. in an effort to see the cheetah that we knew had been seen the previous morning. They were the reason we decided to stay on in the camp but sadly they managed to avoid us.
No elephants this morning so everything else enjoying the water.
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Making the most of the elephants' absence
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Day 237 04.09.05
Nxai to Maun
Camped Audi camp
Up early again but again no cheetah so had to be content with first sighting of bat eared fox.
Then back to Maun hopefully to pick up the bushes for the landy. Day 238 05.09.05
Audi camp
Steve serviced the land rover at the camp workshops.
Michele did tons of washing. Everything gets filthy as soon as it is worn so have to wash most of our things here.
The fine dust we have encountered recently is everywhere. Day 239 06.09.05
Audi Camp
Spent several hours cleaning out the land rover. Everything is covered in sandy dust.
Steve dismantled the lock on the back door as it was clogged with dust and jamming frequently.
The weather is getting very hot and it impossible to do anything in the middle of the day.
We have realised that we need to get on to Zambia before the heat gets too much.
Maun to Nata
300k
Camped Nata Lodge
S 20 13.53
E26 16.135
Luca and Sameena are heading for Namibia now and we are heading for Zambia so we had to say goodbye today until we meet again in Italy or the UK next year. It was great fun travelling through Botswana with them.
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We also said goodbye to Mike and Jackie who were at the same campsite and as they will be heading up north eventually we will probably bump into them again.
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Mike Jackie and Sameena
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We have to head back up to Kasane to get to the border. Tarmac road to Nata and good campsite at Nata Lodge. Day 241 08.09.05
Nata to Kasane
300k
Thebe Lodge Campsite
S17 47.151
E25 10.876
Arrived as group was setting off on sunset boat trip. 2 spaces if we would like to go.
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We did and it was amazing. We watched elephant swim across the Chobe river, saw crocs large and small, lots of hippo and a variety of other game and birds.
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Elephant and Fish Eagle
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River crossing
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Baby croc
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Look mum, tourists!
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The trip was enlivened by a hippo, which lunged at the boat and tried to bite a chunk out of it! However the skipper was able to fairly easily power up and outrun it.
The campsite was ok but near the bar where music played loudly until the early hours. Day 242 09.09.05
Kasane
Kubu Lodge
Down the road from the last campsite. Much quieter.
The garden was lovely, bordering the river, hippos grazed on the lawn at night! We had a delicious meal in the restaurant, impala stew! We could see what the lions are raving about!
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