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    • kittykat23uk
      23/9/2023 - Day 1 Windhoek to Erindi   I landed at Windhoek at 8am, connected to the wifi to be met with relief as Jason informed me that he had received a very kind offer from Henry Fernandes of Sikereti Camps at Khaudum National Park to take me at no extra charge the approximately 223 kms north to the Erindi Private Game Reserve and that he would be waiting for me in arrivals. Henry was renting us the hire car, a 4x4 Landcruiser 76 and we would also be staying at his camp later in the trip. So I quickly connected with him to thank him and let him know where in the arrivals process I was and then cancelled the other taxi I’d booked.    I changed money and then we grabbed a quick coffee for the journey. I had hoped to purchase a local sim card as well but the network was completely down in Windhoek so we couldn’t get one organised. This would cause us a few issues later in the trip. Henry was great company and he runs a local printing firm as well as managing Sikereti camp. He’s used this to print a little photo book of Khaudum park which of course, given his generosity of spirit, I felt compelled to purchase as a souvenir.      Along the way we encountered a troop of Chacma Baboons, a couple of Warthogs and a few Tawny Eagles on the main road. From the turn off it’s about a 40km drive through the park to the camp. I saw two zebra, a few impala and some giraffe, all of which I would see plenty of later on. I didn’t have my camera unpacked at that point so I didn't take any pictures. We arrived in time for lunch at about 1245 and I said my thanks to Henry. Before he left we discussed that I had a private transfer booked from Sptizkoppen Lodge to Windhoek for my return journey. Henry advised me to cancel it as he would be able to sort me out with a cheaper transfer back, we left the details to be sorted out later on as there was no rush to organise it at that moment.  I think Henry found it useful to take me to Erindi as he’d never been to Erindi and so was able to get a flavour of the place before he departed.   I had one of the luxury suites, overlooking the small waterhole. It was a lovely room, although on a trip like this one I really don’t get a lot of time to appreciate it as I’m out most of the time. The bed was, however,  very comfortable from what I can remember.    Erindi waterhole by Jo Dale, on Flickr   Lunch was a nice buffet style and the restaurant overlooked a waterhole where there was often something going on. A few waders, including Little Stint and Three-banded Plover, as well as some common bush birds such as Kalahari Scrub Robin, Crimson-breasted Gonolek, and various starlings frequented the bushes around the waterhole as did some skinks. A striped snake slithered across my path, (not identified or photographed as it was too quick but guessing it might have been a striped sand snake), and Hippos and Crocs were there when I arrived. I spent time relaxing around the waterhole until my game drive. I filmed a crocodile that I believe was displaying in the water as the water seemed to be vibrating around it.  I was in contact with the guys who had managed to book themselves onto a new flight via Addis which would get them into Windhoek the following morning. So I was hopeful they would join me for the afternoon drive.    P9230090 Crimson-breasted Gonolek by Jo Dale, on Flickr   [url=https://flic.kr/p/2pin6Rj ]Kalahari Scrub-robin[/url] by Jo Dale, on Flickr   P9230204_02  Nile Crocodile by Jo Dale, on Flickr   P9230227_01 Nile Crocodile by Jo Dale, on Flickr   P9230353 Red-billed Spurfowl by Jo Dale, on Flickr   Purple Roller by Jo Dale, on Flickr   African Wild Dog by Jo Dale, on Flickr   African Wild Dog by Jo Dale, on Flickr   As Camp Elephant has now closed, self-driving is no longer allowed at Erindi. Luckily for me this meant that Jason had booked all activities with the lodge and I had a private guide named Carel (pronounced Coral)! The first activity was an afternoon standard guided game drive from 4.30pm to 7.30pm. I was surprised by the weather. I had expected Namibia to be wall to wall sunshine at this time of year but in fact it was very grey and overcast and starting to rain.    We first came across some Angolan Giraffes crossing the road in front of us. Then I was delighted to encounter a pack of 18 African Wild Dogs, one of my favourite African mammals. They were mostly sticking around some quite thick bushes but we were still able to enjoy watching them for a while. I don’t think they were actively hunting, they just seemed to be hanging around the area.    African Wild Dog by Jo Dale, on Flickr   African Wild Dog by Jo Dale, on Flickr   African Wild Dog by Jo Dale, on Flickr   Eventually Carel persuaded me to move on to allow other visitors some time with the dogs, I reluctantly agreed! It seems they try and keep to one car per sighting here to maintain the private feel to the sightings. So we went to look for some other animals. We saw a good range of other game, including Eland, Red Hartebeest, Steenbok, Impala, Springbok, Blue Wildebeest, Gemsbok and Greater Kudu. We passed a Kori Bustard, as well as an old giraffe carcass before we managed to track down a pride of four lions, lazing about. We spent a good amount of the afternoon with them before heading back, on the way into camp we found the wild dogs again, but they quickly moved off into cover.   Blue Wildebeest by Jo Dale, on Flickr   Kori Bustard by Jo Dale, on Flickr   Steenbok by Jo Dale, on Flickr   Steenbok by Jo Dale, on Flickr   African Lion by Jo Dale, on Flickr   African Lion by Jo Dale, on Flickr   African Lion by Jo Dale, on Flickr   African Lion by Jo Dale, on Flickr   African Lion by Jo Dale, on Flickr   African Lion by Jo Dale, on Flickr   African Lion by Jo Dale, on Flickr   African Lion by Jo Dale, on Flickr   African Lion by Jo Dale, on Flickr   We returned to the lodge for dinner and then went out again. The evening private guided game drive should have been from 9pm to 12am, although we left as soon as I was done with dinner. Overall though, it was a bit of a washout with the weather deteriorating into strong wind and rain showers. We persevered for a while, sighting Common Genet, Elephants, a brief Bat-eared Fox, a couple of Cape Hares and a nice Spotted Eagle Owl. We also had a Marsh Owl but I didn’t manage to get a photo. It at least gave me a chance to try out my new thermal attachment for my phone, which worked pretty well and certainly impressed Carel.   Cape Hare by Jo Dale, on Flickr   P9231357_01 Spotted Eagle-Owl by Jo Dale, on Flickr   P9241390 Cape Hare by Jo Dale, on Flickr   Sunset at Erindi by Jo Dale, on Flickr
    • kittykat23uk
      Brown Hyena by Jo Dale, on Flickr   Introduction   Some people may recall one of my previous trips, “Sleepless in Borneo” where a group of us had a lovely time hallucinating from sleep deprivation whilst not seeing a clouded leopard. Well three of us who were on that trip decided to plan another trip together, (yes, I know!) and this time I think it was me that suggested Namibia, having read quite an interesting itinerary that Pictus Safaris ran there.    A big draw was of course all the mammals and this time it would not be (for me at least) a single species quest, so I was excited that we had a number of targets to look for. Whilst we were not successful on every front, we did manage to see over 70 species of mammals.  My itinerary was as follows, with the two guys staying on for a further week in the desert and along the coast.   2 nights Erindi Old Traders Lodge 2 nights Okonjima Plains Camp 3 nights at Sikereti camp in Khaudum 1 night fly camping in North Khaudum (Khaudum Camp) 3 nights Ndhovu lodge 1 night Namutoni Rest Camp Etosha 1 night Halali Rest Camp Etosha 2 nights Okaukeujo Rest Camp Etosha 2 nights Dolomite Rest Camp Etosha 1 night Hobatere concession 2 nights Palmwag Lodge (Damaraland) 1 night Cape Cross Lodge 1 night Spitzkoppen Lodge.   All credit for organisation of this tour has to go to Jason, https://wildglobetours.com/ and who, along with Jens, made up our trio of participants. Jason did all the planning, all the negotiations with the lodges, organised all the activities that could be booked in advance and he also organised a hire car. The plan was that we would be using a combination of self-drive activities, with Jason and Jens being the drivers of the group, combined with guided activities for some of the private concessions/lodges.    The only thing left for us to do was to sort out our own flights.    22/9/2023 - Day 0 - In transit   The fun began almost immediately as we all had different flights arranged via Lufthansa. My connection was the earliest at 1330, and we allowed so much extra time that  after dropping me off at LHR, I think Ian actually got back home to Norwich before I even departed.     Jason and Jens on the other hand both had quite tight connections. They were due to arrive between 2000 and 2030 and our connection was due to depart at 2155. Whilst I waited in the terminal at Frankfurt a storm of biblical proportions engulfed the airport, pounding it with torrential rain! Well suffice to say this really messed up the guys’ flights!    I was willing them to arrive in time to board, but their flights were getting more and more delayed. As I was starting to board, I knew Jens had landed but Frankfurt is so vast that he did not make it to the gate before they closed it. It didn’t help that they closed it about ten minutes earlier than they were meant to!! Poor Jason had no chance. It was really annoying that I was then sat in the plane on the runway knowing that the guys were right there in the airport unable to get on the flight. But worse still, we were meant to be all going together to pick up the hire car to drive to the first lodge. So I was in a bit of a bind as to what to do. Before departing I made a few urgent enquiries and managed to line up a taxi transfer, whilst the guys urgently tried to rearrange their flights and get a bed for the night. 
    • Zarek Cockar
      @inyathi yes we visited a couple of places on this trip that you and I didn't go to two years ago, but I think we also missed one or two that I remembered from 2022. Bachikele was wonderful.  Not a huge variety of birds there, but I did find Blackstart, which got me excited.  I don't want to give away too many spoilers, but OROA was tough.   These dates provide a happy medium for the best time to visit Ennedi and Ouadi Rime Ouadi Achim as well as almost the best time to visit Zakouma. You can go later, but the heat in Ennedi and OROA would make things very uncomfortable with no respite. As it was, this year was already considerably hotter than similar dates in 2022, when I'd be wearing a thin fleece in the mornings in Ennedi. This year, by the time we were in OROA, temperatures were hovering around 42 degrees and we had no shade, other than the big white teepee canopy you see in the photo of the camp, and limited options for cooling down.  By the time we got to Zakouma, it was 44-45 degrees in the afternoon, but it's a little more bearable there with shade, overhead fans in the room, and showers. If we were just doing Zakouma alone, mid March to early April would probably be the best time.  I know there's a group from@Pictus Safaris there right now, so I'm interested to hear how their game viewing compares to ours.
    • soleson
      @ricmiles@ice@AtravelynnIf you could pick one month and one camp to stay in around the Ndutu area, when and where would it be?  I have Kenya (Amboseli, Ol Pejeta, and Mara conservancies) lined up for next fall but am thinking of going back to Tanzania again next time.  I have never been there in the green season and would like to give it a try.  Thanks.
    • ice
      I am pretty sure that unless you are willing to pay 2.000 USD per person per night and more in a private concession in Botswana (and most likely still will have to share your vehicle with others) nowhere else in Africa you will have better chances of seeing as much as much predator action as around Ndutu, it's as simple as that. For me personally, there are quite a few other reasons, but that is the main one.
    • John M.
      Sometimes you can be lucky and get the story in one shot. Publishers love economical material    
    • Atravelynn
      @icecan certainly answer for himself but I will mention that I saw people in Ndutu that I had seen before and a couple of us carried on conversations from previous visits.  Sort of like a reunion.  I was told that there were Ndutu regulars who could be seen year after year.  The area is just bursting with new life during green season and there is a vitality and excitement that goes along with that.  Very good time for cheetah cubs and hunting cheetah and cheetah cubs learning to hunt, as you saw.  In fact part of your title hints at the attraction: "Calving Season" & "Predator Action."  I have thought to myself that when the time comes that I cannot travel as extensively as I have had the good fortune to do in the past, I'd just do annual trips to Ndutu in green season, for however long I could manage.
    • Atravelynn
      Thank you. Any comments on these dates which is near the start of peak season I believe vs. later in the season?
    • Atravelynn
      The rock art is truly stunning and your desert photo art with the arches, pinnacles, pools, and framed camels is stunning as well.  The coup, staged or not, had to be disconcerting news.  Glad you were all fine.
    • inyathi
      @Zarek CockarThanks,   Great to see, photos of both familiar and unfamiliar places, nice to have seen camels right in the Guelta d'Archei, and that croc is really quite big, whatever they eat, they must be able to get enough of it, but I suppose they are quite old, I am glad you saw one, as it still seems quite amazing that there are crocs in such a place, it was slightly hard to imagine back in 2022. The Guelta de Bachikele looks like a really beautiful place and I hope those trees should ensure there are a few birds in there. Very envious of the Fennec, can't wait too see what you saw in OROA, and if that will make me envious too, not that I can complain about what I saw there.     Meant to add to my last post, that whilst the US was not openly involved, they were giving behind the scenes help to Chad and France, and were watching events in northern Chad very keenly, they struck a deal with the Chadian government and few years after the French attack on Ouadi Doum, in 1988 they Launched Operation Mount Hope III, the US military flew two huge transport planes to Chad, containing a couple of Chinook helicopters and special Forces soldiers, the stripped down choppers then flew the troops up to Ouadi Doum, to pick up one of Libya's Russian Mil Mi-25 Hind helicopter gunships, that was remarkably still intact, the Libyan Airforce had on Soviet instructions, tried but failed to destroy it, and the Americans, were desperate to get their hands on it, as they had never examined one up close, they took the rotors off it and slung it under one of the Chinooks, whilst US and French troops stood guard, although Chad had recaptured the base in 87, there were still Libyan forces nearby, but they didn't show up, they then flew back to NDJ, at one point through a sandstorm, with the Hind slung underneath a Chinook, put in in one of their big transports and took it back to the US. After being thoroughly examined and then used for training, it is apparently now in the Southern Museum of Flight in Birmingham, Alabama. The model used by the USSR was called the Mi-24, when exported it was called Mi-25, the Soviets used the Mi-24 Hind to devastating effect in their war in Afghanistan, and had the Cold War turned hot, then US and NATO troops would have faced being attacked by them, but of course, the Cold War ended only a few years later, and getting hold of Hinds then became really quite easy. This ugly beast has featured in quite a few Hollywood movies, most recently I would think in Top Gun Maverick.   
    • TonyQ
      @Zarek Cockara truly amazing place
    • ricmiles
      @iceWhat an outstanding work to support the future of these lions. Very inspiring. I wish it was possible to gather this level of information for other areas as well.    What is it that brings you back to Ndutu over and over again? 
    • ice
      these are most likely the very first pictures of those Team Tano males - back in Oct 2022 my guide and I were the ones who first reported them to KopeLion. Note how dry the grass was  
    • ice
      well, I wouldn't say that. In fact, regular visitors like me as well as KopeLion are happy that those five arrived 1 1/2 years ago. Before that, the dominating male coalitions often only lasted a year which led to a lot of infanticide. Now a lot of cubs have survived that critical last dry season. On the other hand, as you can see on the whiteboard, another coalition of five (nomad) male lions have shown up. For now, they only every once in a while enter the territory of Team Tano, but who knows what happens next?    Nevertheless, I wouldn't mind if Team Tano stayed a while longer and thus ensure that their prides grow. 
    • Galana
      Butiama and some Culture for a change.   Today was a spare day built in to the itinerary in case of problems in arranging the Boat trip. It was not needed so as this area was new to us we all opted for a walk in the forest. The whole town is very ‘green’ in layout but even here certain areas are kept as open space and forests. The walk was fun but one could literally no see the wood for the trees so photography was limited. We did see the only Red-winged Starlings of the trip so excuse the relapse to birds which was not the intention.   In the Forest there was a small clearing in which some sort of monument had been placed. As I ‘know a bit about planes’ I was curious as to the model displayed on it.. Others familiar with warbirds will recognise the simple austere lines of a Russian built MIG 21 as did I. What on earth is that doing here? I could not read the inscription but recognised the military titles and the date 1978. I made enquiries and was told that during the Tanzanian-Ugandan war that overthrew Idi Amin both sides operated Mig 21s and one Tanzanian Air Force Mig had radio problems and got lost returning from a raid into Uganda. Sadly he strayed over Butiama which was very well guarded, for reasons that will become clear below, and got shot down by his own side. An early example of ‘Friendly fire’ or ‘Blue on blue’ as it is called. Certainly understandable when both sides operated the same type of plane and the defenders have only seconds to identify whether the incoming fast jet is “friend or foe”.   The crew did not survive and this is their Monument.   This sad tale leads me on to our other excursion which is strangely linked and is the reason why Butiama was so well guarded despite being in a fairly remote and rural part of Tanzania. It was the birthplace and home to the local chief of the Zanaki Tribe whose wife produced a son on 13th April 1922 who went on to become one of the most respected African Politicians of the last Century if not ever. The local chief had the nickname ‘Caterpillar’ which in Zanaki is ‘Nyerere’ and the boy was Kambarage Nyerere. Following his baptism in 1942 he took his saint’s name ‘Julius’ and it is by that name he became well known. He went on to become the country’s first Chief Minister in 1961 as the move to the Nation’s full Independence progressed. He became President a year after Independence when Tanganyika became a Republic. He was much loved by his people and respected throughout the world despite some of his policies that resulted in wrecking the country’s economic progress. He earned the soubriquet ‘Mwalimu’ (Teacher) for his leadership. Unlike many other newly independent nations, Tanganyika, later Tanzania, never fell victim to tribalism and this is often attributed to his pronouncement that his people were Tanzanians first after which tribal loyalties came second and village politics third. It is also worth noting that he is one of the few of the new breed of Presidents to step down when ready voluntarily and with honour in 1985. He gradually withdrew from mainstream politics and returned the family home in Butiama where work was progressing on a new modern house. He died in England on 14th October1999 after an illness and his body returned to Tanzania and eventually buried at the family home in Butiama.   The family ‘compound’ and grounds are open to the public and we paid a visit in the afternoon. I don’t normally ‘do’ famous homes but was happy to make an exception out of my love for Tanzania and her people. Here are a few photographs which I hope you will enjoy as much as I did taking them.  Respectfully greeted. The old chief's palace where Kambarage saw the light of day still stands. Whilst he deplored monuments many of course exist.   The location where the flame of liberty still burns (although it was currently on loan in Dodoma at the time of our visit.)   Emmy poses by the Flame.   Its a great view from there over the rural countryside. Rocks mean Rock Hyrax.   We paid a brief visit into the new house that was finished in 1999 just weeks before Mwalimu's death. His tomb is carefully and beautifully maintained. He converted to Catholicism in 1942 following the death of his Father. This all too short History and culture report is now over and normal service and reporting will continue tomorrow when we commence our long drive back to Kigali.
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