Self-Drive Safari TR Bots-Nam-SA

[KaliCA]

And this, ladies and gentlemen, concludes the Botswana section of my trip report.

 

if you are curious what Etosha NP had to offer us, please come back to the link below and i shall continue my report hopefully tomorrow. Cheers!

 

http://safaritalk.net/topic/16959-self-drive-safari-tr-nam-sa-bots-nam/

[penolva]

And this, ladies and gentlemen, concludes the Botswana section of my trip report.

 

if you are curious what Etosha NP had to offer us, please come back to the link below and i shall continue my report hopefully tomorrow. Cheers!

 

http://safaritalk.net/topic/16959-self-drive-safari-tr-nam-sa-bots-nam/

Now you know what I think about that leopard! Great report and so many sightings. I remember feeling very nervous at Ihaha myself. Even had nightmares one night, but it is a fabulous place to camp. Will take a whistle next time:) Pen

[MR1980]

Loved the report @@KaliCA!! Botswana is an amazing country from a wildlife point of view, much more adventurious than South Africa and I think it's a good thing. Tar roads in for example Moremi & Chobe would harm the experience a lot I think...

[KaliCA]

 

And this, ladies and gentlemen, concludes the Botswana section of my trip report.

if you are curious what Etosha NP had to offer us, please come back to the link below and i shall continue my report hopefully tomorrow. Cheers!

http://safaritalk.net/topic/16959-self-drive-safari-tr-nam-sa-bots-nam/

Now you know what I think about that leopard! Great report and so many sightings. I remember feeling very nervous at Ihaha myself. Even had nightmares one night, but it is a fabulous place to camp. Will take a whistle next time:) Pen

Yeah, that leopard had to make up for all the others you and us missed! I really don't sleep well in the wild as I'm always listening for noises and trying to figure out what it is. But at Ihaha, I listened fro human activity, luckily the robbers stayed home. There had also be more patrolling on the Bots side.

[KaliCA]

Loved the report @@KaliCA!! Botswana is an amazing country from a wildlife point of view, much more adventurious than South Africa and I think it's a good thing. Tar roads in for example Moremi & Chobe would harm the experience a lot I think...

Thanks for reading along. Yes, for being immersed in wilderness that is accessible to self-driving, Botswana is tops. Of course I'm not advocating tar roads within parks, not even as access roads. I'm merely pointing out that those horrible access road to Moremi is a bad introduction for tourists into Botswana and regular upkeep and grading of this road would go a long way towards making it a better experience. Game driving roads within Moremi and Chobe are what they are and will probably never be graded.

[Atravelynn]

You are going to have to change your location in your Avatar. My grandmother who lived in Florida always said the abbreviation for California (way back when it was longer than 2 capital letters) was Come And Live In Florida.

 

Your tips on avoiding the end tents are helpful and remind me of the herds prey species. The laggards and those animals on the perimeter are more susceptible. You picked some good camp locations with all that activity. Fascinating story of the lost video camera. Kind of a reluctant GoPro.

 

Lots of great shots. The lions were a very cooperative pride. That is a lot of sable. The #s and their prized status make the word herd seem inappropriate for sable.

[Hads]

@kalliCA this TR is super.

This is One Self Drive i would Love to do One Day.

[KaliCA]

@kalliCA this TR is super.

This is One Self Drive i would Love to do One Day.

Thanks, glad you enjoyed it! Hope your plan to do a similar self-drive will work out and hopefully you will feel inspired to try some of the same locations.

[Canadian Robin]

Well, it took me a while, but I am finally caught up with parts 1 and 2. Here are my thoughts...

 

We originally had Khumaga in our August itinerary and took it out. Obviously, a mistake - the number of zebras is amazing. Next time!

 

Next visit to Nxai Pan ask for South Gate #2 - private, overlooking the pan, and a great shade tree. It is also a favourite with the ellies that pass through #2 campsite on their way to the grey water at the ablutions. Lots of close encounters!

 

Love the photo of the cavalry at Nxai Pan waterhole - we have almost the identical photo. Probably the same three elephants.

 

You had much better sightings at Nxai Pan - interesting the difference between August and October. We saw no lions and virtually no game other than at the waterhole. Driving around was pointless - the only action was at the waterhole. (I don't count the ellies at the grey water ).

 

That road from Maun to Moremi was terrible. I read that they graded it shortly after our August visit, so I am surprised that it was so poor in October when you were there.

 

The ablutions at South Gate (Moremi) were spotless when we were there in August, so presumably the October holiday led to the neglect.

 

The Xini Lagoon and Black Pools area were both dry when we were there in August, so I am not at all surprised that you found them dry in October. We missed the Xini lion pride. According to the rangers. the lions had been around the week previously but not when we were there.

 

There was no water at 1st or 2nd bridge (in Moremi) even in August, but we did enjoy that adventurous crossing at Third Bridge - thank goodness we had at least one water crossing!

 

Funny, we also got lost on the Bodumatau Loop and ended up at Jesse's Pool. At least our efforts (of finding our way back to camp) were rewarded with crested barbets and ground hornbills .

 

I swear the hippo in #26 is smiling at you!

 

Wow - Dombo Hippo pool looks even drier than when we were there, with the hide even further from the water. We had never seen Dombo so dry.

 

Lovely hippo shot in #36.

 

We cook at midday if we are not moving from one location to another, and shower just before bed - like you, I like to crawl into bed clean (free of sunscreen).

 

There was no sign of the Marsh Pride at Savuti in August - nor the other pride, for that matter. It was very dry, and we were happy that we had only elected to stay one night. Apart from the lack of game and birds, we had very noisy neighbours, who ran their Hilux for two hours in the evening - presumably charging batteries. So inconsiderate!

 

Isn't a boat trip on the Chobe a treat after weeks of dusty, rough roads? We have never appreciated a boat trip more than when we set out for three nights on a Chobe houseboat after three weeks of Botswana dirt tracks. Heaven on Earth!

 

We spent much time with the "Ihaha Pride" in August - such a treat. There were no night patrols when we stayed at Ihaha in August. However, I read that there was another armed robbery after our visit in August, so perhaps they had reinstated the patrols by your visit in October. We also had no visits from any rangers.

 

Lovely leopard photos, although I am with your DH - the buffaloes in the pinkish light are lovely.

 

Thank you for a most enjoyable read - and your photos are, as always, stunning.

 

On to Etosha.....

[KaliCA]

Thanks@@Canadian Robin.

Always nice to get your feedback and it's fun comparing sightings and places we have both visited. Everybody's experience is different, not better or worse, just different. They say that Nxai Pan would be amazing about now with thousands of wildebeest and zebra grazing. It could be very difficult to get there in the rainy season, though.