Roughing it around Botswana with Moses and Joster from Unlimited tours and safari.

[Africalover]

Yes it was an awsome leopard sighting - maybe once in a lifetime. I felt very humble and thankful to have that little family for my self for almost 2 days, before 3 vehicels from a lodge found out.

 

@@pault - Moremi was great, but Khwai was a little bit more generous.

 

@@penolva - are you going on a trip with Unlimited?

 

I allways go into the delta for 2 nights on an Island, when I am in Botswana. I was supposed to go to an Island near Chiefs Island and do walks there. But because of very low waterlevel, it was very difficult for the boat to get there - lots of sandbanks. After five hours of sailing from Maun we decided to stay on another Island. It was great to be there - all alone out tnere. I went on a couple of very nice walks and heard lions and leopard at 9 o`clock in the morning - besides kudu, giraf, warthog, leechwe and hippos. It is strange - normally when you do walks, you have an armed guide with you. I did walks with a local, who grew up in the delta.

 

After the Island trip, I teamed up with Moses and Joster again. We stocked up food in Maun for 5 days in CKGR. But I only stayed 3 nights in CKGR - because Botswana is having very little rainfall this year, gameviewing was difficult. The pans were very dry - allmost like dry season and the game had dispered. We saw 4 cheetah - no pictures and no lions, didnt even hear them at night, which is unusual this time a year. But we still had great time there.

 

So we decided to go to Nxai Pan for the rest of the trip - 2 days. That turned out to be a good idea.

Nxai Pan was teeming with wildlife. On the way to Nxai Pan we discovered a meerkat colony - they were very shy. Moses had never seen them before and we were very excited - it is very rare to see them in that area.

 

First some pictures from CKGR.

 

Next Nxai Pan.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[graceland]

@@Africalover

 

Terrific Meerkat shot..I've yet to see a colony!

 

Nice to have the flexibility to change course if you feel the need.

 

when on the "substitute" island, did Unlimited just happen upon a local to guide you - as you had planned on going to another island and switched because of the dryness or did they just drop you off and say, go at it

 

This is an excellent adventure; especially being on your own. Heck, I might even scramble an egg if I could go. Well maybe not; I'd want my guide well fed.

[Africalover]

@@graceland - Thanks. I had two guides with me and as i wrote they know the delta as their own pocket. So when we could`nt get to our original destination - they found another Island close by. There are lots of islands out there. It was well organised from Unlimited.

Cheers.

[Marks]

Sorry to hear that game was sparse in CKGR - looks like you made up for it elsewhere, though. Another nice round of photos.

[Sangeeta]

Wonderful TR - thanks for so many wonderful photos. How did you manage the logistics of the island walk, though? Was it fly camping and a shovel for the loo? And food supplies etc? Were these things with you on the boat so that you could change islands at the last minute? Sounds like such a lovely adventure!

 

Khwai came through really nicely for you & agree with Graceland, that shy meerkat shot is fabulous!

[penolva]

Yes we are, 6 nights central Kalahari 6 nights Khwai and Savuti. Night in Maun between. Thanks for the camp pictures. Hope we see the leopards!

[Africalover]

@@Sangeeta - we had everything with us in the boat

@ penolva - I wish you a fantastic trip. I remember Moses saying he was going on safari, with a group of photographers from England in april - I guess that is you. :-) I am sure Moses will find something interresting for you.

Give Moses and the rest of the team a hug from me.

 

Cheers.

[penolva]

Hi, no it's not us. We have a private Safari with Moses in late August early September. Just us two! After a camping trip in Kakoland namibia. Can't wait.

[graceland]

Hi, no it's not us. We have a private Safari with Moses in late August early September. Just us two! After a camping trip in Kakoland namibia. Can't wait.

Oh good @@penolva, we will definitely look forward to hearing all about YOURs as well as enjoying this great TR from Africalover.

 

Moses will be filling up his calendar with these type reports

[Africalover]

We arrive at Nxai pan late afternoon and set up camp, in a new spot with great vistas. In the late afternoon we went on a gamedrive and had a fantastic bull elephant sighting at the waterhole.

[graceland]

Stunning elephants!

[Geoff]

I like the lovely soft light in the those elephant images. The images remind me of the bull elephant activity you get the Savuti waterholes.

[Africalover]

Last full day on my Safari we started at the waterhole and had some great sighting of zebra, giraf, springbok and more. Later Moses found two magnificent male lions and a cheetah mom with 2 subadult cubs. What a great way to end a wonderful Safari.

[graceland]

@@Africalover. Such a superb experience and everyone are well I am sure!

 

I just wanted to comment on the glorious zebra's at the waterhole I have never had the fortune to see them drinking with so many and your photo glows with the light and composure, and a plus --The watchtower giraffe standing guard

 

Yes a fitting end to an exceptional authentic .bush safari with Moses and the crew, along with the lions and cheetah posing as their salute to your goodbye.

 

Well Done. Enjoyed the ride!

Edited April 8, 2015 by graceland

[marg]

@@Africalover...the lighting in the elephant and zebra shots is perfect for beautiful photos. Thanks!

[penolva]

Would really appreciate an overview of the camping experience. you describe roughing it, but how was it really? Anything we should be taking to improve our experience? Thanks Pen

[Marks]

Lovely photos of cats in the sun.

[Africalover]

Thanks every one for your kind comments.

@@penolva - I have been on more simple bushcamping than with Ulimited. They have by far the best gear I have ever seen on a mobile Safari. As you can read in my TR, I did a participation trip. Cooking, set up camp, put down camp, ect. It took us 30- 45 min. to set up/put down camp, not a big deal. To me it is a part of the experience. I always bring a powerful headlight and a powerful lamp to use in the tent and a good pocket knife. If you have more questions you are welcome to pm me.

 

Some more pics. from camp and cheetah in the evening light.

 

That all folks.

[Africalover]

Thanks every one for your kind comments.

@@penolva - I have been on more simple bushcamping than with Ulimited. They have by far the best gear I have ever seen on a mobile Safari. As you can read in my TR, I did a participation trip. Cooking, set up camp, put down camp, ect. It took us 30- 45 min. to set up/put down camp, not a big deal. To me it is a part of the experience. I always bring a powerful headlight and a powerful lamp to use in the tent and a good pocket knife. If you have more questions you are welcome to pm me.

 

Some more pics. from camp and cheetah in the evening light.

 

That all folks.

[Africalover]

Some more pics.

[Marks]

What an encore! Gorgeous cheetahs. That last image just screams "safari."

[penolva]

Brilliant cheetahs! Thanks for the extra camp photos and the explanation. It looks wonderfull. Pen

[Africalover]

@@penolva - you will have a fantastic trip with Unlimited - enjoy it.

Cheers.

[Atravelynn]

We had several great elephant encounters in Moremi as well in Khwai. We had one female elephant charging the car, but stumbled in a hole a few meters away from the car - quite funny. No Photos.

Hopefully no injuries. Did the elephant act embarrassed or pretend it did not happen? I have seen that humanlike embarrassed behavior, or at least that's how I interpret it, in other animals.

 

Cracking image of the sparring playful zebras in post #6. Love the eles relaxing on the ground.

 

You caught the baboon looking rather gangly, very interesting shot.

[Atravelynn]

I'm marveling at your leopard shots, then there's another, and then another. Wow!