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Botswana delivers in spades in the Green season


AKR1

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The Delta from the air:

 

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Finally, the elusive buffaloes. We saw two herds of about 500 total. The remaining 1,000 or so were scattered in small groups. According to Moses the buffaloes look very relaxed on Paradise Island and the nearby islands and he doubts there was much predator activity at least recently. It will be interesting to lean when they got back to the Duba concession, or at least the accessible parts by vehicle. Its clear, in the Green Season at least seeing Buffalo/Lion action is a long shot.

 

P.S: These shots were with along lens and we were at 3,000 feet. Please save me any comments about disturbing wildlife .

 

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We met the vehicle several miles from camp so we could continue the morning game drive

 

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Huge monitor lizard:

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IMG_9017.JPGIMG_1910.JPGA boat ride at Duba Plains. After the 13 hour game drives, I wanted to spend one afternoon on the delta rather than in the vehicle and we split up. It turned out to be exceptional. Duba Plains recently recruited a guide who had spent over a decade at Xigera, a premier water based camp in the delta and he has really taken the water activities to a new level. We primarily saw hippos and birds from cl;use up but also a Daga boy- lone male buffalo and a giraffe. This was far better than the brief boat ride at Kwara (although we did see a Sitatunga!). Also, the single best twilight during our time in the delta.

 

Our Boat captain. He was amazingly agile on the waterways filled with huge hippos in 6 feet of water. :

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We went right between these guys:

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Watch where your going, Mister. This is my territory:

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OK, slower next time.

 

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The nerve of these people. Now what were discussing dear?

 

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The only buffalo we saw on the ground at Duba Plains- actually it was in an area inaccessible to vehicles as well. The light was bouncing off his boss making him look shiny.

 

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You guys back? (on the way back to camp)

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Last morning at Duba Plains, and in Botswana. We got a massive rainstorm during lunch (post game drive) delaying our charter to Maun and just making the JNB connection. But the weather was amazingly good during our time in the delta:

 

A trio of red-billed oxpeckers ride astride the back of a kuduIMG_1456.JPG

 

 

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A great ride:

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Moses with breakfast in Lion Pan (no lions to be seen that morning)

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Acacia Tree, Duba:

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We went through deep water towards Buffalo point where Moses had seen vultures but found nothing other than Red Lechwes. We renamed Buffalo Point to Lechwe Point and Moses did not object based on the last three months at least.

 

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Giraffe from the boat ride that I forgot to add above:

 

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That's all folks. At the end I would like to put in a plug for our amazing Maun based agent, who spent a huge amount of time with me, planning this trip. Erica Wilson of Safari Specialists. Thanks for all your work in making this happen, Erica.

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Game Warden

Some really lovely shots in your photographic series: thanks for the report. Matt.

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I read your comment about "double images" and then scroll down to see 5 male lions approaching and 4 cheetahs together. Coalitions that size are indeed double what one expects! You figured out the photo insertion very well!

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I love the aerial photos and would love to spend some time with those magnificent landscapes. Wonderful report, thanks for sharing it.

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Tanya,

 

We saw the Dagga boys from the boat on a strip of land towards Paradise Island, but still in Duba Plains although I was told it was generally very difficult to get to by vehicle.

 

 

 

Separately below are a few images of the five male lions together in one shot at Kwara.

 

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madaboutcheetah

Thanks again for all the images, AKR1. What strikes me right now is, exceptionally tall grass! and water ........

 

I imagine it was quite the effort of Hobbs that got you to Tsum Tsum through all the water - his nickname is Cowboy for that reason (His leather cowboy hat and driving skills to match) ... ;)

Edited by madaboutcheetah
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Hobbs is a real cowboy. The drive to Tsum-Tsum was something else.

 

Baruti hacking our way forward:

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The cowboy:

 

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madaboutcheetah

Thanks for this! Great seeing images of them ....... Cowboy!!!

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Wonderful images, AKR1! Just spent some very enjoyable moments scrolling through them. The Ma di Tau pics were terrific. In conjunction with Tanya's pictures, I think we have enough to start a Duba database on ST as well. Sounds like a fantastic trip and bet you're planning the next!

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  • 3 weeks later...

Posted this on Fodors as well, but maybe one of the other experts here can help if AKR1 doesn't see it. It's an important detail as one member of our party would struggle in the sun w/o a roof:

 

AKR1,

 

Thanks for the report - we're considering a nearly identical trip in Jan/Feb 2013 so it was very helpful. I was under the impression the Kwando vehicles did not have a roof, but your report seems to indicate otherwise?

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technically they have roofs (at least those at kwara and little kwara do)...I don't really understand their policy when to use them and when not; all I know is that when I was there last January they had a sick little child on one of the private vehicles and these Brits were then allowed to have the roof up

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Here is the deal with the vehicle. We definitely had a roof at Kwara/LK. But, we had paid for a private vehicle, specifically requested one with a roof and they had given us a vehicle that had the hardware to put up a roof. When we were picked up at the Kwara airstrip the vehicle had no roof and they again asked us if we want one. By the time we had finished lunch a full cloth roof had been installed and it took a significant amount of hardware,steel poles, brackets etc. We had this vehicle for our entire 4 night stay and after experiencing the roof, as I say in my report, its an absolute must at that time of the year both for rain protection, but more for sun and the branches coming into the vehicle from above while offloading. We could not have done 13 hour days without the roof and from a photography perspective given the sides of the vehicle were completely open it was no real obstruction.

Note, we did not see a single other vehicle there with a roof and what I dont know is if the guests requested one and they could not put it up or if people in the other vehicles did not want one.

If you want a roof on the vehicle (as I definitely do at that time of the year in the Delta) then this is an important consideration that I would discuss with Kwando or your agent. In summary at least one vehicle (newer Toyota Land Cruiser) had the ability to have a roof- this cannot easily be removed/put on as it takes two men and 30 minutes to do so. I have no idea at the other Kwando camps outside of Kwara/LK.

Below are a few pictures. Our vehicle with the roof:

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Close up showing the roof hardware (above the silver brackets):

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And finally, a picture of all the other Kwara/Little Kwara vehicles we saw without a roof:

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madaboutcheetah

The URIs at Lagoon and Lebala do not have this provision.

 

The roof might be a help for those who are sensitive to the sun. It certainly won't help with the rain - bear in mind, on those open plains when it rains hard and is driven by the strong winds, you will still get soaked!!!!

 

Off-roading - They've always had the cars without a roof.

 

I think regardless of PV or not - these Land cruisers have the ability to have the roof off or on depending on your group. If you want the roof, just let them know when you arrive and they should have it ready for your drive.

 

The Landcruisers for Nxai and Tau have a roof - because you can't off road there and the distances are really long so don't get uncomfortable on those long drives.

Edited by madaboutcheetah
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Its a dreary day in the New York City area. I am remembering the beautiful Okavango delta from last month.

 

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 6 months later...

Had read your report at that other place starting with an F that shall remain unmentioned. but read it again here - so wonderful with your gorgeous pictures. That last one - breathtaking! Makes me long to go there! It's clear that green season can be really wonderful. What were the dates you were there - some time in February?

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Mid February. Glad you liked the report. I am starting to read your trip report. We had taken our children to South Africa in 2007 and to Kenya/ TZ in 2010 and they loved being on safari.

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Ok, mid-February - sounds like very good sightings you had! I am thinking about my next safari and trying to plan for something in 2014, but without kids this time. Trying to decide what time of year, balancing costs and best chances for wildlife viewing. From what I've read, seems last green season was quite good throughout but I guess it depends upon how much rainfall there is and when each year.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Its a dreary day in the New York City area. I am remembering the beautiful Okavango delta from last month.

 

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I leave for my trip to Botswana including the Okavango Delta 8 weeks from Sunday - I like to keep coming back to look at your trip report as Little Kwara is one of the places I'll be staying. I really love this photo - where did you take it?

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