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A Visit to Northern Botswana Continued

3rd September 2020

A Visit to Northern Botswana Continued

JAO CAMP, OKAVANGO DELTA

Having taken my farewell of the Kalahari for a while, I was driven back to Maun where I got back on a small plane for the half hour flight or so, to Jao in the western part of the Okavango Delta. What more is there to be said about Jao other than that it is perfect. Since way back to when we first visited it in 2000, not long after it was opened, Jao has been on our ‘Groundhog Day’ list – a place where you can wake up every morning for the rest of your life and be happy.

The rooms are gorgeous: massive, romantic, dramatic, the stuff of dreams. The same adjectives can be applied to the rest of the property: the main lounge and bar area, the outside seating areas, the library, and extending right out to the gym and spa. Even the dingiest of camps can look romantic at night, but Jao passes the daylight test with flying colors. Does it still look good in the unflattering glare of the midday sun? Definitely yes. Which puts it in very select company.

Dinner was predictably excellent on the night I was there. Even the most jaded of travelers will long remember nightfall at Jao. The sensational views of the sun setting over the Delta, the soft pink glow lasting for what seems to be hours as the birds go silent, the reed frogs start up to their metallic clinks, and the last few baboon noises dying away as they settle down in the trees.

On an afternoon boating outing I caught (and released) a decent-sized tiger fish, much to my surprise and much to the delight of the guide, who was even happier about it than me. Even if I hadn’t caught a thing, it would have been a great afternoon. Being in a small aluminum skiff exploring the bywaters and lagoons of the Okavango Delta can easily push you into a Walter Mitty moment. There you are, expertly piloting the craft along the deceptively serene-looking waterways, taking just the right line to smoothly glide around a tight corner. Fortunately, the imaginary helmsman doesn’t have to concern himself with the myriad of unseen obstacles lurking below the surface. Shallow sand-banks, hidden tree stumps and sometimes – a misplaced hippopotamus. Those ones that are supposed to be in deeper water…

Our morning game drive at Jao was fairly uneventful except that I got a couple of nice bird photos including a Plainbacked Pipit and a Malachite Kingfisher in superb morning light. To be sure, there were lots of elephants around and some general plains game. Ordinarily, we’d advise guests at Jao to take a day outing to nearby Hunda Island, if they are keen to see predators such as leopards and lions, among others.

Upon my return to Jao, there was a surprise waiting for me: a 20-minute helicopter flight over the Delta with Helicopter Horizons, courtesy of Wilderness Safaris. What a treat and what a special experience! This was fast turning into the ‘helicopter trip’. Great to start working on a new skill, aerial photography.

PELO CAMP, OKAVANGO DELTA

En route to Pelo Camp – which would be a new property for me – I did a site inspection at Kwetsani which is now even more impressive than before. Pretty much the ideal – classic – Okavango Delta experience with rooms that are well beyond the standard of a normal, run-of-the-mill classic camp. One thing which will always be the same at Kwetsani is the time tested views over the large floodplain in front of camp, where there’s almost always some birds and animals around. Then it was on to Pelo which I liked right away. Quite small, with only 5 rooms, tucked away on a well-vegetated island right in the heart of the Delta, Pelo is all about experiencing a typical Okavango Delta water camp with boating, mokoro outings and walking on the islands. Pelo has a particularly nice communal area, intimate and inviting. The afternoon boat trip was rather quiet but the other boat saw a breeding herd of 50-plus elephants. As always it’s a matter of time and place.

We enjoyed a boma dinner outside with an entertaining singing and dancing performance from the staff. Great memories!

On my last morning at Pelo, I took my best photos yet of a Pel’s Fishing Owl, a rarely seen nocturnal bird. Prior to my visit, I had been alerted to the fact that there was a female Pel’s raising a chick outside tent number four. Emerging from tent #4 that morning, there it was: staring me down as it was bringing some food (it looked like a piece of fish) for the baby. I managed quite a few exposures in good light. Simply an amazing bird! Later that morning I enjoyed yet another enjoyable and interesting boat ride. There were lots of colorful birds to be seen, with African Fish Eagles being visible practically every few hundred meters. We also had great looks at a few decent sized Nile crocodiles.

SABLE ALLEY CAMP, KHWAI

After a good breakfast it was back to the airstrip for a flight to the Khwai area, where I would spend the next two nights at Sable Alley. The main area is about as good as it gets in Botswana, with a huge open-design deck and dining room, overlooking a pond. The camp also has a beautiful pool. The tented rooms – spread out along a boardwalk in a wetland habitat, were well planned and executed. Spacious, with a large veranda and a usable bench, excellent ventilation, and superior indoor lighting – the best of any camps I’ve been to lately. Add to that a comfortable bed and bedding, separate toilet, ample storage space, an effective waterfall shower head as well as scaldingly hot water, and an outdoor shower on a raised wooden deck.

Our afternoon game drive with guide Tony and trainee Teenage turned out to be surprisingly good despite conditions not being ideal. There were several small groups of elephant, some seen quite close up, and we had some good views of kudu and impala. The most notable sighting was a couple of sub adult African Painted Dogs at a suspected denning site. We watched them for a while before they loped into the bush. According to our guide Tony the alpha female had already given birth to a litter of pups; it remained to be seen how many pups there were, and if the pack would raise them in that location.

We returned to camp for a quick shower, drinks and excellent dinner.

Our Sunday morning game drive was on the quiet side although first time visitors to Africa would’ve been quite happy to see as many elephants as we did. It was noticeable that the elephants in the concession have a lot of ‘attitude’ compared with elephants in most other areas. Likely a holdover from the days in which hunting was allowed in the area, resulting in the elephants being a bit wary and giving vehicles and people a wider berth than one might anticipate. We came across several small groups of up to 10 or so elephants with several young ones including a couple of tiny babies. Clearly the elephants are doing well.

Later on during the drive we came across zebra, kudu, some giraffe, and plenty of impala. Fantastic birds. In line with my previous experiences in this area, it is best visited in the dry season from July through October.

That afternoon I relocated to Hyena Pan, which looked like quite an interesting spot, again likely to be a much better bet in the dry season than when we were there. Located on the edge of a water hole, the camp is rustic but perfectly comfortable, with a cozy common area and large dining room. Our guide there – Daniel – was one of the best to date on the trip: energetic and enthusiastic. We drove about 40 minutes in the Khwai village direction, mostly through non-productive mopane forest. Once we reached the more open area and riverine bush strips of the NG 18 concession, we started to see plenty of game. Initially a mating pair of lions and then a group of four painted dogs which we followed for a while. They kept moving so photography was hit and miss; lots of excitement though. The evening was rounded off with a good buffet meal with beef stroganoff as the main attraction.

CHITABE CAMP, MOREMI

Late this morning I was on a flight to Chitabe, a Wilderness Safaris classic property in the far south-eastern part of the Okavango Delta. Almost immediately I started seeing giraffes, zebras and elephants – clearly there was an abundance of general game all over the area. Since my visit the main area at Chitabe has been rebuilt. The rooms were superb: plenty of space, good lighting, huge mosquito nets, hot water bottles at night, a tea and coffee station, sufficient charging points.

On the afternoon game drive we had yet more views of elephants, zebras, giraffes and a large pride of lions. We enjoyed sundowners at a small, peaceful lake. The excellent dinner that evening was served family style.

I was up at 05:30 am the next morning for a light breakfast, embarking on the game drive just after six. The drive presented our best views yet of spotted hyenas at their den, producing a few nice shots in good morning light. Then we got word about a pack of African painted dogs, and found 20 of them resting up and snoozing in the shade of a vehicle on the edge of the Chitabe airstrip. The light and vantage point was not great but I managed a few photographs.

Then it was back to camp where a huge elephant bull was barring the front entrance, at least for a while. Following on a tasty brunch, we enjoyed an impromptu drumming performance by one of the staff members. By 2:30 pm I was back at the airport, with multiple elephant, zebra, kudu, impala and giraffe sightings en route. Indicative of the wealth of game in the Chitabe area, I had to assist the guide in chasing impala, warthogs and giraffe from the airstrip to make it safe for the incoming aircraft, who would take us on to our next camp.

Chitabe certainly lived up to expectations and indeed exceeded them. The rooms are great and now that the rebuild of the main area has been completed it will likely rival just about any other northern Botswana camp for supremacy in delivering a big game experience.

VUMBURA PLAINS, OKAVANGO DELTA

Just after 3:00 pm I was on the way to Vumbura Plains in the northern part of the Okavango Delta. A bit later than planned, due to an unexplained flight delay. Once in camp – it is a rather lengthy and bumpy drive from the airstrip to the camp – I spent the next hour or so looking around the recently rebuilt main building. It was quite impressive with clean, elegant lines, open to the environment and awash in natural light, with ample seating options in an expansive dining area. Even if you spend several days at Vumbura Plains, you would rarely enjoy a meal in the same spot twice.

After a quick introduction, we walked down the boardwalk to room number one. There were no apparent changes to the room which I had seen for the first time some years previously. Spacious, lots of natural light, decent interior lighting, an impressive indoor shower with a view as well as outdoor shower. A bathtub was oddly lacking – one would expect to see it in a deluxe property like Vumbura Plains; in fact an outdoor tub would be a nice touch. After a delightful dinner with the camp manager it was off to bed, early.

After an early breakfast it was time to saddle up for the morning game drive with my guide Ron. Initially it was slow but after about an hour we found four beautiful young male lions, not quite into their prime but not far from it either. Next was a herd of about nine or so sable antelope. These rarely seen and sparsely distributed antelope are fond of fairly tall grass, often seen in relatively thickly vegetated woodland such as in Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe.

This particular group was as approachable as any Sable I’ve ever encountered, the two females allowing us to approach them quite closely. The light was still fairly good and I captured a few decent images. The dominant male sable was not at all cooperative. It was as if he knew that he was the one that we ‘really’ wanted to see, playing hide and seek with us for 30 minutes. He proceeded to deliberately and seemingly determinedly walk from one thicket to another without as much as stopping even once, to give us a good look. The sighting was a big plus in my book as Sable antelope was the one species I had specifically mentioned when asked by Ron – at the outset of the game drive – whether there was something particular I wanted to see. Being able to deliver on a very tricky animal such as this one counts a lot.

The game drive got even better with sightings of a large herd of buffalo at the waterhole and then an equally large herd of fifty plus elephants stampeding through the woodland. Their irate trumpeting and a dust cloud announcing their whereabouts, from afar. They were apparently entering a new or dangerous area and all of the older females were trumpeting and running around. Towards the final stage of the stampede, three of the females – including what appeared to be the matriarch female – started to approach the vehicle in somewhat of a threatening pose. We were ready to decamp at a moment’s notice, but in the end it was not necessary. Plenty of adrenalin though.

CAPTURE AFRICA, KHWAI REGION

Due to a flying mix up my planned 11:25 a.m. departure from Vumbura did not take place, but it was deftly replaced by a helicopter flight of about 20 minutes or so direct to Khwai River Lodge, where I was picked up by Brian Gibson of Capture Africa. An hour or so later we were at Capture Africa‘s private campsite on the Khwai River

Capture Africa specializes in high-quality private mobile tented safaris mostly in the Khwai, Moremi and Okavango Delta areas, but they can set up private mobile campsites and provide support services literally anywhere in Botswana.

Adding a few days of “real“ camping to a mostly lodge-based itinerary adds an extra layer of authenticity and adventure to a trip; for many people this is as close as they may ever come to the bush.

That afternoon, from our exceedingly comfortable camping site we saw an elephant walk along the floodplain, splashing its way through the shallow water and down the river. It was a pleasant change to what I had been doing seemingly nonstop the preceding few days, which was finding the wildlife out on game drives. Having them come to you is infinitely more rewarding and relaxing.

Brian Gibson – who heads up Capture Africa – is clearly passionate about the wilderness. He is a highly experienced guide himself and it was quite a revelation spending a day or so in his company, trying to absorb his pithy advice and in-depth knowledge of the area and its wildlife as well as its people. On a drive with Brian the next day we got lucky with African painted dogs on the move – the thrill of the chase! – and we enjoyed a great lion sighting as well. The Khwai region is clearly a productive game-viewing environment, however the number of vehicles per sighting was notably higher than most of the other areas we visited on this trip.

Our party of four people enjoyed a particularly splendid meal at Capture Africa’s mobile tented camp that night, spending another hour or so around the campfire afterwards. It was just us, a brilliant sky, and what must have been close to 4,500 stars above. That being the maximum number visible to the human eye, which can only detect stars brighter than magnitude 6 to 6.5. Just as noticeably, there was practically no man-made ambient light, no noises and no disturbances. Not that it was totally quiet. If you knew what you were listening to, there was what sounded like a lost – or lonely – jackal, a few hungry hyenas and a couple of African scops owls advertising their presence with their chirp-like calls. The African bush at night.

EBONY CAMP, LINYANTI

This morning I flew from Khwai to the Linyanti floodplain for an overnight at Ebony camp, African Bush Camps’ family option, adjacent to the similar but slightly larger Linyanti Bush camp. Room number 10 at Ebony Camp is the designated family room.

Either camp would be an ideal safari choice for visitors, particularly from about June/July through October and early November, in the dry season. At that time of the year the floodplain attracts good numbers of elephant, buffalo and other big game species including predators.

At the time of our visit in mid-May the surrounding bush was still quite thick which made game viewing challenging. Even so, we saw several small herds of elephants, hippos in the river and a coalition of three male lions. As well as some giraffe, waterbuck, impala and exceptionally good birdlife.

The camp is clearly well-managed and I found the staff to be friendly and approachable. It would be nice to have the tent door zippers replaced with regular doors. Only two of the rooms (honeymoon room and family room) have bathtubs. The other rooms have showers with hot water available at all times.

The grand finale of my Botswana trip was yet another helicopter ride, this time to check out the Linyanti River and its denizens which included several pods of hippopotamus, giraffes drinking, a few crocodiles. From the air, there was a dearth of any signs of human encroachment. There are so few places left in the wilderness which are truly remote and this is one of them.

My next stop would be South Africa, for a return visit to the Kruger Park and Sabi Sand reserve. Details to follow in our blog post to be published next Friday.

More Info

Email bert@fisheaglesafaris.com

Email jason@fisheaglesafaris.com

@fisheaglesafarishouston

#FishEagleSafaris

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A Visit to Northern Botswana

Abu’s elephants, meerkat moving day & brown hyenas at Jack’s Camp

LITTLE VUMBURA AND ABU CAMP

On a recent May trip to Northern Botswana, I revisited a couple of spectacular tented camps in the northern part of the Okavango Delta, interacted with the Abu Camp elephant herd – joining them in the water for a mokoro trip – flew by helicopter to Mombo for a rhino darting and tagging experience, finally made it to the enigmatic Jack’s Camp in the Kalahari, observed baby meerkats being moved from one den to another, and had my best ever outing with a small San family, at Meno A Kwena Camp.

But first, I ran into the ‘Maun Madness’ phenomenon. This is what happens when three international flights from Johannesburg and Cape Town – operated by SA Airlink and Air Botswana – arrive in Maun at about the same time and the disembarking passengers swamp the tiny immigration and customs facility. Essentially, it was a mess. We arrived at 1:30 p.m. and it wasn’t until 3:00 p.m. that we were through immigration and ready to fly to our first camp – Abu. On the way to Abu we made a stop at Little Vumbura Camp in the northern part of the Okavango Delta, for a site inspection. It took about twenty minutes or so for the drive to the camp, the final approach being by boat – the only way to get into and out of the property. Since my previous visit, the rooms had been enlarged, which was a significant improvement. Little Vumbura is one of Wilderness Safaris’ most popular ‘mixed activity’ Okavango Delta camps, and it is easy to see why. It’s beautiful, romantic and epitomizes the singular appeal of luxury tented camping in Northern Botswana. The sandy walkway which connects the main lounge and the various rooms, retains a sense of immediacy and intimacy, guests remaining more connected to the forest environment than in a camp with a boardwalk.

Not too long afterwards, we were enjoying a splendid plated dinner at Abu Camp, which I had visited three years previously. There were no obvious changes: the rooms were still large, luxurious and well equipped. I relished the opportunity to spend some time in the gym – not a common facility in safari camps in N. Botswana. The following morning we were re-introduced to the Abu elephant herd. Naledi – which had been a slightly rambunctious youngster when we were at Abu last – had now grown into an assertive juvenile and even the elephant handlers were wary around her. Our group split into two with some of us going for a walk with the elephants, and the others doing a game drive. We then switched, walking at quite a pace with the matriarch Kathy following behind. The activity ended with all of us feeding the elephants their favorite snack food – dry pellets – which they consumed by the handful, and clearly very happy to do so!

Were back in camp around 11:30 a.m. for lunch and in the afternoon enjoyed a talk by Map Ives from Botswana Rhino Conservation about the challenges facing both White and Black rhino in Southern Africa. If conservation efforts fail to curtail the current rate at which these animals are being decimated, they could all be extinct in the wild as early as 2024. A rather depressing scenario. In the afternoon, we enjoyed a typical Okavango Delta activity – boating along a channel in a beautiful, serene environment.

MOMBO CAMP AND RHINO DARTING

This day turned out to be one of my best days ever in Africa. It included two scenic helicopter flights from Abu to Mombo, one in the morning and another one in the afternoon, both totally exhilarating and as exciting as anything I’ve experienced in my life. In the morning there was more cloud cover resulting in the light not being as good in the afternoon, when the natural color showed up much more effectively. At Mombo, we observed and participated in a rhino darting experience from start to finish.

In what turned out to be a textbook operation, the team members consisting of Rhino Conservation Botswana and Wilderness Safaris with operational support provided by a local veterinarian and three pilots from Helicopter Horizons fully concluded and completed the operation in just over two hours, with the darted rhino being immobilized for less than 40 minutes. Once the animal was down and stabilized, the veterinarian and her assistants kept it cool and monitored its vital statistics while a security-related procedure was completed. Less than a minute after being injected with an antidote, the rhino stood up, looked around for a few seconds and then slowly and calmly walked into the bush. Clearly not suffering from any major side effects, it started to browse on some shrubs, almost immediately.

In addition to the expense of translocating rhinos from one country to another which costs about $80,000 per animal, a single darting and tagging operation costs as much as $15,000. Much of this goes towards helicopter and vehicle expenses, as well as for manpower and related costs.

While organizations such as Botswana Rhino Conservation have good support in the way of manpower and physical assistance they are in dire need of money to pay for professional services, fuel and specialized equipment. Visitors to Northern Botswana are encouraged to contribute to this vital undertaking, either directly at the BRC site Donate to Rhino Conservation or by supporting one or more of the BRC partners in the area.

The following morning, I was up early to go on a mokoro outing along with the elephants. Getting out on the sparkling clean water of the Delta is always a great experience and being able to do so alongside the Abu herd is even better. In fact, it turned out to be one of my best outings yet at Abu Camp: very intimate and close-up with the ellies, observing them walking through the water splashing and playing and enjoying the area. A couple of the younger ones were occasionally just about totally submerged, diving and jostling with each other, while Kathy was lumbering through the water just a few meters away to my right. Later in the morning I flew back to Maun and then connected with Major Blue Air to Jack’s Camp in the Makgadikadi Pans.

JACK’S CAMP, KALAHARI

Never having made it to Jack’s Camp until this trip, I was super amped to finally be there, to contextualize all those romantic photos I had seen over the years, and to substantiate all the fascinating stories and tales I had heard and read about. It’s always a bit risky to actually step into such a highly romanticized place: how is it ever going to live up to the promises? Can it be as good as advertised? I need not have been concerned. Nothing can prepare you for your first visit to Jack’s Camp. It starts with the location right on the edge of the massive Makgadikgadi Pan, an archetypal desert outpost setting if there ever was one, complete with palm trees rustling in a warm breeze. You don’t have to suspend your disbelief – much – as you step into the 1940’s, entering a romantic, long ago era. The design, the rooms, the carpets, the Persian tea tent, the artifacts, they all work together to create a wonderful, one of a kind atmosphere.

The simple but spacious tents, in my case a twin with two elevated beds, have teak furniture everywhere, with a wonderful Persian rug practically inviting you to take your shoes off and duck beneath the tasselled bed canopy for a well-deserved nap between activities.

Jack’s Camp is all about mounds of pillows, oriental rugs, brass lamps, and low tables inviting you to sit down, cross your legs and enjoy the genteel atmosphere of bygone days. A Pimms No. 1 cup cocktail with some smoked salmon and delicate cucumber sandwiches? Of course.

The camp is slated for an extensive rebuild, to re-open some time in 2021, with much larger rooms, wood-burning stoves for the cool evenings and morning, and an overhead bed cooling system for the summer months. The ensuite bathrooms will have both indoor and outdoor showers and each veranda will have a private plunge pool. There will be a new, larger mess tent, the natural history museum will be retained, and it will be rounded off with a library, antique pool table and a well-stocked drinks chest. The iconic nomadic Persian tea tent will be made larger, whilst the swimming pool pavilion will be reimagined with the addition of a sun deck. A dedicated spa tent will be added.

I can’t say that I was thrilled by the rather dimly lit tent which I returned to after dinner. Over the years, some visitors to Jack’s may have considered the storm lamps to be romantic, others – like me – might have been put off by the detectable smell of paraffin fumes. Not that it bothered me that much, but I am a stickler for adequate lighting in any safari environment. Poorly lit tent interiors pretty much guarantee a never-ending struggle with getting dressed and getting ready – almost always done when there isn’t sufficient ambient light.

Dinner at Jack’s Camp was excellent. The standard set menu (unless you had dietary requirements) was a superb curry dish with a tamarind infused sauce. The sides – which included roast potatoes – were just as good, as was the starter of butternut soup and the dessert, a rich lime tart. I slept exceedingly well in the dry, cool desert night.

The next morning was supposed to be all about the meerkats. The planned activity was to spend time at one of Jack’s Camp’s habituated meerkat colonies. As it turned out, we spent a bit too much time scouting around for lions which were present in the area, resulting in us getting to the meerkats just as they were leaving the den for the day, dispersing into open scrub terrain where they spend much of their time, foraging for food. We were fortunate to get a few decent pics of the meerkat minders moving a few of the youngest babies from one chamber to another.

As it turned out, the fruitless morning search for the lions was not an issue as we would have another crack at the meerkats, the following day. That afternoon, we went out looking for the lions but came up empty-handed once more. Even so, it was quite an adventurous outing. Late that afternoon, just before sunset, we observed several brown hyenas in decent light and relatively close up. We spent a good amount of time observing these beautiful, rarely seen creatures, the young ones being quite dog-like in appearance. Back in camp, yet another tasty dinner was enjoyed by all, this time a rather peppery, nicely tender lamb shank.

The following morning, we were up early for a second visit to the meerkat colony. This time around, there were no ‘lion delays’ en route, so we were in place to see the meerkats emerging from the den at about 7:25 a.m. Soon, there were several meerkats out and about in good light, including three babies. One of the youngsters went out with the clan into the veld, while the others remained behind. A future leader in the making, no doubt.

MENO A KWENA, KALAHARI

From Jack’s Camp, we drove to the quirky Planet Baobab for a site inspection (great baobab forest!) and from there about two hours to Meno A Kwena camp on the banks of the Boteti River. The Boteti forms the border of Makgadikgadi National Park. The camp is built on a high bluff overlooking the river, providing an unusually good view in a country which is mostly just – flat.

Later that afternoon I joined three other guests on a fascinating nature walk, with a small San family, hailing from a Botswana village on the country’s far western border with Namibia. The group led us on a 90 minute outing along a nature trail. The outing was interesting on several levels: observing and listening to the San family members talking to each other and singing, in their spectacularly difficult-sounding language which is full of clicks, pops and other sound effects. Just the sounds of the five vowels alone, are astonishing.

We enjoyed the friendly and engaging nature of all of the family members, with three of the young men being particularly animated and energetic. We were very much cognizant of the fact that the lifestyle as embodied by this small group, exists only in a few and ever dwindling pockets in the remote desert areas of southern Africa. Their way of life and their very existence are on the line due to these gentle, harmless people being pushed out of their traditional areas and being marginalized in the process.

We observed – and participated to the degree that we were comfortable with – in an impromptu game, accompanied by much hilarity. The group leader then showed us how to make a fire from scratch in about two minutes. Not that we’d ever be able to emulate the feat. Once the fire got going, it was time to dance! We observed and marveled at their spontaneous and innocent joy of life, resolving to live in the moment more often.

The following morning we were off on a peaceful boat cruise on the Boteti River, marred somewhat by the presence of a rather ugly and dilapidated fence seemingly running right down the middle of the river. I was told that the fence was in the process of being taken down, to be rebuilt 50 meters off the banks of the river, in order to put the entire river in the animal protected area. This sounded like a good move and we look forward to a return visit to the area to follow the progress.

In next Friday’s blog: we find ourselves back in the Okavango Delta, and then travel to the Linyanti area.

More Info

Email bert@fisheaglesafaris.com

Email jason@fisheaglesafaris.com

@fisheaglesafarishouston

#FishEagleSafaris

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A Visit to Hwange Game Reserve, Zimbabwe

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A Visit to Hwange Game Reserve, Zimbabwe

KHULU BUSH CAMP, HWANGE

After spending several days in Victoria Falls, my next destination was Hwange National Park. On this day I left by road for Hwange, traveling a distance of about 200 km (120 miles), mostly on a good asphalt road. It took about 2.5 hours with a short stop near Hwange town, to complete the drive. While the route is not spectacular in terms of scenery, there are some nice teak trees along the way, and eventually some good sized baobabs as well.

Hwange is Zimbabwe’s largest and best known game reserve, located in the mostly dry and practically river-less north western portion of Zimbabwe, bordering on Botswana. The terrain is mostly a mix of teak, mopane, and mixed combretum woodland, becoming more Kalahari-like the further west one goes.

The life blood and also the heartbeat of Hwange is a series of approximately 60 artificially maintained pumped water holes which support and sustain the wildlife through the long dry season which stretches from about May through October/November. All of Hwange’s 30,000-plus elephants and most of its other big game species such as buffalo, giraffe, zebra, eland and their predators rely on the pumped pans to keep going in the dry season. This of course makes Hwange a year-round tourist destination. The availability of water keeps large numbers of animals around at all times; without it Hwange would be a beautiful semi-desert area, largely devoid of big game. Even with the pumps and pans the area is still subject to occasional severe droughts.

Khulu Bush Camp camp was my first stop in Hwange. It is a small six roomed, tented property just outside the park on a private reserve about 40 minutes drive from Hwange Main camp on the eastern edge of the park.

In terms of size, quality of guiding, and level of luxury, this camp hits all the right notes: small and intimate and overlooking a pumped pan which is used by a passing parade of animals including a large herd of about 250 or so elephants. Some of the elephants provide guests with exceptionally close up looks when they drink from the small camp pool which is built into the deck in front of the lounge/dining room area. It is highly entertaining to watch elephants of all shapes and sizes walking right up to the edge of the pool, and sticking their trunks into the clear water, relishing the taste of the clean, mineralized borehole water. Their drinking antics can be safely observed from as little as 3 meters from the animals.

Dinner at Khulu Bush camp was a convivial and interesting evening with one of Southern Africa’s top cheetah and lion experts – Paul Funston of New York-based Panthera – talking to us about the plight of various predators but notably lions, in various conservation areas all over Africa and specifically in the KAZA region of south western Angola. We learned about Pantera‘s efforts to coordinate and tabulate anti poaching activities.

JOZIBANINI BUSH CAMP, HWANGE

By mid morning on this day I was winding my way along some of Hwange’s least known sandy trails on what was practically an all day transfer from the eastern edge of the park to Jozibanini camp in the remote south western edge of the park. Jozi is the kind of place which appeals to adventurous travelers who want to experience the African wilderness much like it looked and felt like 30 or 40 years ago. There’s practically nobody else around and certainly no other vehicles or camps anywhere close. Jozibanini provides an exciting and even exhilarating glimpse into the vast area which makes up the bulk of Hwange National Park beyond the relatively small tourist areas. A massive wilderness area stretching west and north, more Kalahari-like than any other part of the park.

As we drove past a series of pans along the way, the typical massive sandy colored Kalahari dune landscape became apparent, steeper on the windward and with less of a gradient on the leeward side. Magnificent teak forests dominate the region, with extensive mopane forests and scrub on clay-heavy terrain covering the inter dune troughs.

The pretty campsite at Jozibanini overlooks a pan and a fringe of woodland, with a low sunken hide visible a few meters away from the edge of the water. It is ideal for observing particularly elephants but also other species at extremely close range. Spending time in the hide (which has its own small bathroom) is one of the best activities available at the camp. Others include foot safaris, mountain bike safaris and game drives, the latter usually in the form of drives to nearby waterholes.

Over a couple of days in the area, we observed a large number of elephants, a good sized herd of 150+ buffalo, some zebras, wildebeest, kudu, and impala. Remarkably, we had two different sightings of gemsbok (Oryx), rarely seen in Hwange, and no less than three honey badgers on the drive out. Spending two or three nights of Jozibanini is not just about watching elephants drink and cavort right in front of your eyes as you photograph them, but that is definitely one of the highlights here.

Jozibanini is at the end of the road, literally on the edge of nowhere and driving or flying there means escaping the world of mass tourism altogether. Not that Hwange is really overly busy in any real sense but here you enter an area where the wilderness in all its raw, natural beauty dominates totally. The teak forests here are among a handful in Zimbabwe that have never been commercially harvested. And it shows.

Driving into and through a series of them reopens one’s mind to the recuperative and remedial effects of being exposed to a truly wild and natural environment. It is completely devoid of human presence for weeks and sometimes months at a time.

One morning we followed some lion tracks on foot having heard the cats vocalizing earlier, in a westerly direction. Following Imvelo MD Mark Butcher and tracker Ernest through the bush as they meticulously tracked the animals, was again one of the highlights of my stay at Jozi. No we did not find the lions but clearly it was almost beside the point. Knowing that they were around, and actively tracking them in this terrain and setting were really all that mattered. We did get close to a breeding heard of elephant in a safe and controlled manner – with Butch demonstrating and successfully executing a perfect foot safari experience. The object being to approach and observe the animals without them ever being fully aware of your presence, and thus becoming agitated or alert. The elephants in the remote wilderness are wary, not being habituated to the sounds of vehicles or the sight of humans on foot. Consequently, it is even more exhilarating getting relatively close to them.

LITTLE MAKALOLO CAMP

From Jozi we drove to the southern region of Hwange where a collection of perhaps 10 or so safari camps and lodges attract a modest but growing number of wildlife enthusiasts and birders to the area. The most popular time to visit being the dry season from June through October when viewing is good and game activity picks up noticeably around the pumped water holes, most of the natural pans being dry by then.

My destination this morning was Little Makalolo Camp, a small six-roomed property located in a large concession covering some of southern Hwange’s most coveted and most productive wildlife areas.

The camp itself and the rooms are just right, in my personal scale of things. Small – just five rooms – with a high degree of personal attention from the super friendly and helpful staff. The quality of the guiding was exemplary and the location is excellent. Halfway between two of the best game viewing areas in Hwange being Ngweshla and Ngamo pan.

Unlike some of the areas in the northern part of Hwange where the game viewing in the low-demand season becomes challenging due to thick bush, Little Makakolo and its sister camps Davison’s and Linkwasha are good year round. The reason being the presence of large open flats or pans resembling parts of East Africa which attract lots of grazers as soon as the rains come in November or December, sometimes later. These species such as wildebeest, zebra and others keenly seek out the freshly emerging vegetation on the open pans. In the dry season the number of grazers declines but elephants, buffalo and other mammals are attracted in much bigger numbers to the pumped water holes.

Over the course of three game drives at Little Makalolo I enjoyed some of the best game viewing of the entire trip with two of the drives on par with the best of my northern Botswana experiences.

We witnessed two cheetahs attempting to take down a young waterbuck (unsuccessfully) and we were in close proximity to a pride of lions actively hunting for buffalo within sight of the camp. It is not surprising that at Little Makalolo a guide with a gun in hand, escorts guests back to their tents at night. We had some of our best views of the trip of elephants walking along the grassy expanse of Ngamo Pan, going to or coming back from water. In the golden later afternoon light they were beautifully lit – every photographer’s dream subject. Likewise, spending time at the Logpile hide close to Little Mak, was a highlight. No driving around bumpy roads required. Just sitting and waiting, with herd after herd of elephant appearing from the treeline and making straight for the water’s edge. Watching them initially just slake their thirst, and then start to relax and become playful, squirting water around, with the young bulls jousting and testing their strength. There are few things quite as peaceful and relaxing to observe wildlife interaction and behavior in a setting like this. Africa at its best.

More Info

Email bert@fisheaglesafaris.com

Email jason@fisheaglesafaris.com

@fisheaglesafarishouston

#FishEagleSafaris

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A Visit to Victoria Falls & Hwange Zimbabwe

14th August 2020

A Visit to Victoria Falls & Hwange Zimbabwe

In late May last year, just after noon on what was a Tuesday, I stepped into a seven seater Mahindra Airvan at Saile Airstrip on the edge of the Linyanti floodplain in Northern Botswana. A click of a seatbelt and a short safety briefing later, it was time to go. The young pilot pushed the power throttle to its fully forward position, released the brakes and in less than a minute we went hurtling into the blue Botswana sky.

For me, bush flying will never get old. With the passage of time, I have come to enjoy and appreciate it more and more, since my first ‘white-knuckle’ flight in a Cessna 206 – also in Botswana – in 1990. Over the last almost 30 years the pilots have become younger and more diverse in terms of gender and nationality, new types of aircraft have arrived on the scene, and operation and safety standards have improved. The fun and excitement never went away.

Bush flying has always been different. This is ‘real’ flying with a sense of immediacy, noise, speed and a tinge of danger. All lacking from commercial flying. Even so, if you have yet to strap yourself into the seat of a single prop aircraft in which you can make eye contact with the pilot as he or she looks back right before takeoff, there is no need to be nervous. These young persons have acquired excellent flying skills, are totally safety conscious and have to be exceptionally skilled to have snagged a flying job in Botswana. It’s a plum position.

Just over 30 minutes later we were in Kasane. And 20 minutes later I was in a boat crossing the Chobe river into Zambia. The landing in Zambia is a bit jarring, having to negotiate one’s way along a somewhat rickety gangplank, amid industrial debris and the grimy, smelly environment of a working dockside. Thankfully the immigration process was quick and painless, taken care of by my Wilderness Safaris driver Angel. I paid $50 for a univisa, which allows unlimited entries into Zimbabwe and Zambia for several months.

TONGABEZI LODGE, ZAMBIA

By 2:30 p.m. I arrived at Tongabezi where the affable and efficient general manager Mark showed me around and helped me with a quick check in, almost immediately afterwards followed by a delightful lunch overlooking the Zambezi. Which was flowing strongly.

About an hour or so later – my last mode of transport for the day being a small aluminum skiff which deposited me on a small island in the middle of the Zambezi – I had made it to my final destination of the day, Sindabezi. Here, I would spend the night. Sindabezi Island is remote, private and the ideal spot for someone open to new adventures. After a peaceful night’s sleep, I woke up not to sunlight, but to a moonbeam. I had been sleeping within sight and sound of one of Africa‘s mightiest rivers, right in front and below me. A nearby set of rapids stirring up the most soothing white noise of all. Sleeping virtually outside with just a few light curtains between you and the great African outdoors. There’s more. You’re attended to personally by several friendly and efficient staff members, enjoying delicious food from a varied and creative menu with lots of local options, and choosing from a huge list of included and optional activities. Being severely time limited, I opted for an afternoon sundowner cruise which was relaxing and fun, ending at a drinks stop where I met many of the guests staying at Tongabezi Lodge. It was a most agreeable conclusion to a busy day.

One final plus point about Sindabezi Island: good fast Wi-Fi on an island which runs on solar power. All the lodges out there with feeble excuses about sub-par Wi-Fi service. Take note. It can be done.

The next morning I woke up to an unusual sight. A bank of fog had formed over the surface of the Zambezi resulting in a spectacular if somewhat spooky sunrise, the sun itself and its light reflected, refracted and obscured by the fog. The photographs hardly do it justice but I took a few nonetheless.

After a super breakfast and catching up on a few emails I went back to Tongabezi Lodge for a site inspection. I was really pleased to see that both the houses and cottages at Tongabezi were fantastic and I would highly recommend the property for a Victoria Falls stay.

Tongabezi has the most magnificent trees and gardens including an extensive vegetable and herb garden, both featuring heavily in the planning and execution of meals and drinks.

As previously alluded to, the list of included and optional activities is exhaustive, ranging from sundowner cruises to village visits to micro light flights over the falls. Tongabezi was then in the final stages of an extensive upgrade, and their large bar and lounge had been completed, with a new reception landing area. With a new office already in place Tongabezi was looking great. By all means go there.

THORNTREE LODGE, VICTORIA FALLS

By late morning I was dropped off at African Bush Camps’ Thorntree Lodge, on the banks of the Zambezi, inside the Zambezi National Park. This property has been setting a new high standard for deluxe boutique accommodation in the fully inclusive lodge category, with 10 beautifully designed villas, each with a large deck and private plunge pool, looking out over the Zambezi. The rooms have every feature one could wish for: air conditioning, Wi-Fi, striking glass and screens, and adequate lighting. Each villa has a mini bar, tea and coffee making facilities, indoor and outdoor showers and an indoor tub, a large bathroom with separate enclosed toilet, a personal safe and mosquito netting.

The main area is an impressive – mostly glass enclosed – structure and there’s also a spa and gym on the large grounds. The lodge offers a full range of activities. The standard of hospitality which I experienced at Thorntree was exceptionally high. My day started with a peaceful and rather quiet Zimbabwe river cruise with the Thorntree activities manager – a pleasant change of pace from the hectic pace of the previous day.

En route to Zimbabwe that afternoon, I made an hour-long stop to observe the Victoria Falls from the Zambia side. I had done this outing approximately a year ago so I knew what to expect, with the Zambezi being in flood stage. Again it was an awesome sight to behold. While the view of the Victoria Falls from the Zambia side is not the best when the river is low – from September to about December or so – it is quite satisfactory and even spectacular when the Zambezi is running at flood or near flood stage.

In fact the closest one can get to the actual flow of the water – to experience an effect much like that of seeing Niagara Falls from the Canadian side – is a spot close to the entrance to the falls reserve, on the Zambia side. Powerful and mesmerizing. You inadvertently stop to think about the survival chances of someone going down there in a barrel. Only to conclude that the prospect of the person surviving to tell the tale is a big fat zero.

Crossing the wet and slippery Devil’s footpath bridge across a side gorge, you reach some more good view points over the eastern portion of the falls, observing the Angels’ armchair and the famous Devil’s pool, popular attractions for breathtakingly close approaches to the abyss. Only doable when the water in the Zambezi is low.

BATONKA GUEST LODGE

Having been driven across the Zambezi and into Zimbabwe, my first stop was the Batonka Lodge, an all-around delightful property with 16 well-equipped rooms, less than a mile away from the falls, in the residential portion of Victoria Falls town.

The rooms are spacious, effectively air-conditioned, there is Wi-Fi and even television with 10 channels. The meals were excellent. I overheard a guest complimenting the chef on a main course of pork medallions served with a caper sauce. I concurred. They were expertly prepared and deftly served and not unreasonably pricey by Victoria Falls standards.

Batonka Lodge has a nice pool in a sunny spot, there are both indoor and outdoor dining options as well as some comfortable inside and outside lounge areas, and a cozy bar.

Particularly for someone who already has a couple of scheduled Vic Falls activities planned – and who does not “have“ to be within walking distance from the falls – it is a good and affordable option with no high season premium.

GORGES LODGE, VICTORIA FALLS

After lunch that day, and a road transfer of about 35 minutes, I checked into one of the excellent tented rooms at Little Gorges, a five room tented addition to the well-established Gorges Lodge.

Gorges and Little Gorges are ideal for guests who prefer to be away from the helicopter noise and hustle and bustle of Victoria Falls town, and are keen to experience a more peaceful environment with great black eagle viewing, as well as experiencing an authentic local village and school experience. Included in the rate is a daily round-trip transfer to Victoria Falls town for a guided tour of the falls or some other Victoria Falls activity.

My afternoon black eagle activity did not have the desired outcome which was a good photo of a black eagle in flight. As is often the case with wildlife, it was circumstantial. A male black eagle did in fact fly right over us but I had too much lens and there were some trees in the way. Photography issues. I did manage to get a half decent pic of a black eagle sitting in a tree close to one of the tented rooms. Plus I had a great chat with co manager Chris, enjoyed the superb sundowners snacks and watched as the sun slowly set over Batoka gorge. A worthwhile experience unto itself.

Dinner at Gorges was quite enjoyable. As before it was a tasty home style meal with a grilled steak, grilled potato and two veg plus an excellent malva pudding for dessert.

Tent number one at Little Gorges is right on the edge of the Batoka gorge with the sound of the Zambezi rushing over some rapids, creating a soothing backdrop, making it a perfectly splendid place to fall asleep. Which I promptly did after dinner. There is nothing like a solid eight hours in likely some of the cleanest air in Africa to recharge the batteries.

Breakfast at Gorges Lodge could have benefited from a little work in the way of presentation and ‘wow’ factor; and perhaps a French press instead of drip brewed coffee. Even so, the cooked breakfast was perfectly fine – no issues with that.

VICTORIA FALLS RIVER LODGE

Rather earlier than was necessary – which caused me to forgo an activity at Gorges – I was transferred back to Victoria Falls and from there by boat from the Shearwater jetty for a pleasant 10 minute or so river trip to the Victoria Falls River Lodge.

Although brief, my stay at the Victoria Falls River Lodge was pleasant. I particularly liked the main lodge dining room area with great views over the Zambezi. The room was spacious and well equipped with an outdoor shower, indoor bathtub and plenty of space. I always appreciate adequate lighting. The food – both lunch and dinner – was a notch above the usual lodge fare.

My afternoon activity was a Bushtracks jet-boat sundowner cruise on the Zambezi, advertised as getting to within 800 meters of the falls. While I enjoyed the activity a lot, I don’t think we got closer than 1600 meter to the falls. The biggest advantage was the fact that closer to the falls, in shallower water, there were no other boats around to spoil the serenity of the area. It was only us and one other jet-boat – also from Bushtracks – in the area. We spotted quite a bit of wildlife including hippo and elephant. Plus points for Victoria Falls River Lodge were the proximity to the Zambezi, the quality of the hospitality and guiding, and also – somewhat surprisingly to me – the game-viewing in the Zambezi National Park within which the lodge is located. We had some excellent views of elephants, giraffes, zebras, waterbuck and a couple other species. Game-viewing in the park improves as the dry season progresses.

Next stop: Hwange National Park. To be featured in our blog post next Friday.

More Info

Email bert@fisheaglesafaris.com

Email jason@fisheaglesafaris.com

@fisheaglesafarishouston

#FishEagleSafaris

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Destinations

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By late July we found ourselves at Chindeni, a small Bushcamp Company property

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Camp Okavango is in the heart of the permanent part of the Delta. In this idyllic setting there are no vehicles, and it is just a short walk

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Botswana

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A Visit to South Africa’s Eastern Cape Province

28th July 2020

A Visit to South Africa’s Eastern Cape Province

On what was my second trip to South Africa’s eastern Cape Province in two years, I learnt more about the area and what makes it special. There are several good reasons to consider the Eastern Cape for a safari trip:

It has lots of animals and birds and more diversity than anywhere else in South Africa. Readily seen animals include elephants, buffaloes, rhinos, lions, giraffes, zebras, kudus, impala and even cheetah, springbok, eland and gemsbok in some reserves like Shamwari.
The eastern Cape is one of the best places in South Africa to see both black and white rhinos.
The scenery is spectacular, with sometimes amazing views of hills, valleys and ravines. The vegetation ranges from Karoo scrubland to dense montane forest, Cape fynbos, dense thickets, and areas of open savannah and grasslands.
The entire area is malaria-free which makes it ideal for families with children, pregnant women and for anybody who does not want to take antimalarial drugs.
The eastern Cape reserves are easy to get to, just over an hour from either Johannesburg or Cape Town, by air. Also within drivable distance from Cape Town, along the Garden Route.
Compared with destinations like Botswana and the private reserves along the Kruger National Park, the Eastern Cape reserves offer considerably better value for money, particularly in the cooler winter months from May through August and September.
The area is quite unlike anything you’d see in Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia or the ‘bushveld’ region of South Africa, notably the Kruger Park. It is mostly undulating, often with patches of thick bush which provide cover for animals such as leopard and black rhino.

RIVERBEND LODGE

My first stop on the Eastern Cape educational trip was Riverbend Lodge which we had used several times in the past – always with good results – for the Addo Elephant Park area. Riverbend Lodge is just outside the main Addo National Park, but the lodge has direct access – a few kilometers away – to its own private area of the park. The accommodation, dining (fantastic!) and general hospitality and guiding at Riverbend were impeccable. With its special focus on the needs of families with young children, Riverbend is an ideal family safari spot. Be sure to spend no less than three nights here as some of the mammals like the rhinos can be tricky to see, because of the thick vegetation. In fact this is true of most of the eastern Cape reserves. If you spend as many as 4 nights in a camp you will see ‘everything’ and have a fun and relaxing time in the process.

The water hole close to the lodge can be surprisingly good and while I did not happen to see any rhino there during my stay, it does happen. More often than not, there are elephants coming around to drink, and we also saw some zebras and warthogs take their turn.

KARIEGA

Kariega’s Settlers Lodge was all-round one of the best lodges I had seen in a long time, with beautifully designed, huge rooms and an unusually impactful main lodge building with glass, stone and canvas beautifully melded.

An added bonus here is the option of doing some boat trips along the Sunday’s River, a nice change of pace with time to relax and take in the natural beauty of the area. Kariega’s Homestead Lodge would be perfect for a family or friends group of up to 12 or so, with 2 vehicles and guides and a staff catering to the needs of young and old.

River Lodge is yet another good option at Kariega with the same mix of activities as at Settlers. It has a bit more of a ‘traditional safari’ or classic African safari lodge feel. A nice value add here is that guests who spend 3 nights or more at Kariega River Lodge have the option to take an included boat trip (open aluminum skiff with sun canopy) of about 40 minutes or so, to the Sunday’s River mouth on the Indian Ocean.

The guiding at Kariega Settlers was great and importantly, they do not take more than 6 or 7 persons in a vehicle, meaning nobody ends up in a middle seat.

Overall I thought that the game-viewing at Kariega was very good; highlights were the abundance of giraffes, wide variety of antelopes, plenty of zebra, a good lion sighting and some great views of elephants.

As elsewhere in the Eastern Cape, it would be advisable to spend no less than 3 or 4 nights in the area. There is a lot of thick bush and to have a decent shot at seeing rarities like black rhinos, it is imperative to give yourself enough time and to do several game drives. So stay 4 nights and include the beach excursion to the mouth of the Sundays River.

SHAMWARI

My last two nights in the Eastern Cape were spent at Shamwari, a private game reserve which recently celebrated its 25th year as a pioneer of wildlife management and eco-tourism in the Greater Addo area.

Shamwari’s current range of properties include Bayethe Tented Camp, Sarili Private Lodge (ideal for family travel), Lobengula Lodge and its flagship classic lodge – Long Lee Manor, extensively rebuilt in 2019. Two other properties – Riverdene and Eagle’s Crag – have also recently been rebuilt/renovated.

Clearly Shamwari is making a very substantial investment in its future, re-asserting its position as the pre-eminent photo safari property in the Eastern Cape.

Here’s what surprised me about Shamwari: the abundance of wildlife (easily seen), the simply amazing natural beauty of the area and its diversity.

I was fortunate to have Morne Hamlyn as my guide in Shamwari, operating out of the compact classic Lobengula Lodge. More about the guiding later. It was a welcome change of pace to be in a room just steps away from a pool, and not much further away from the dining room. No long hikes to dinner, no armed escorts, just wait for the sounds of drums and off you go…

Breakfast at Lobengula was excellent; I tried a local take on Eggs Benedict one morning and it absolutely hit the spot; an omelette the second day was equally good. Dinner results were mixed. The meat for the charcoal grill (braai) on my first night there was presented in advance on a platter – you pick your portion and cut – and it was then prepared to order. I selected a couple of lamb chops and asked for them to be done medium-rare. I got them back well done and tough. The side dishes were great, as was the dessert. In fact the dessert (malva pudding) was excellent.

The following night I decided to take a small gamble and ordered lamb again – this time a rack of lamb. It paid off handsomely. The chops were tender and succulent with that typical South African Dorper sheep taste: a nice herbaceous undertone but quite subtle, and not at all mutton-like. Dessert was again splendid.

The ‘lamb chop experience’ at Lobengula underscored my experience of many years on safari. Almost never have I found the meat prepared on a ‘bush dinner’ or outside grill/barbecue – a ‘braai’ as the South African refers to it – to be anywhere close as good as similar cuts prepared in a proper kitchen setting. Just too many unknowns and variables with grilling outside, particularly when the chefs are cooking for a whole camp-full of people. Visibility is bad in the dark, the charcoal temperature is difficult to regulate, it is hard to get the timing right, and so on. Boerewors sausage and chicken (other than breast portions) are generally the best choices for bush dinners.

Throughout my stay at Lobengula I could not have received better service or friendlier attention than I did. Irreproachable in every respect.

Back to guiding: Morne had guided me some years previously in the Timbavati at Kings Camp, where he worked as the head guide at the time. Right now, Morne is at the apex of his guiding career and any visitor to Shamwari should thank their lucky stars to be in his vehicle.

Morne has all the attributes of a good guide: personable, highly knowledgeable, friendly and enthusiastic, and he wants you to have fun and experience everything the area has to offer. He will also make every attempt to find a ‘special’ animal or bird for you. In my case it was black rhino, the only large mammal I had not seen previously on this Southern Africa trip. Given the bushy habitat preferred by these rare animals, I knew it was a tall order but I need not have been concerned. We found a striking black rhino female with a young calf, probably not even 40 minutes into our afternoon drive at Shamwari. Initially motionless behind a bush with just the tip of her long horn giving away her location, she was in no hurry to relocate despite our proximity. She then walked slowly to the next thicket, calf in tow, turned sideways to give us a look and then she disappeared. Just like any animal can, in the eastern Cape thickets.

Over the course of two days at Shamwari I must have seen as many as 15 different species ranging from elephants (lots!) to Cape buffalo, lions, the aforementioned black and several groups of white rhinos, multiple giraffes, impala, kudu, Burchell’s Zebra, black wildebeest, springbok, waterbuck, gemsbok, warthog and hippo.

Morne and I also checked out a few other properties at Shamwari including the beautiful Long Lee Manor (where we had lunch) Sarili (where we saw lions from the deck), and Bayethe Tented Camp which I think would be ideal for many north American visitors, with well-equipped and spacious tented rooms.

In closing, a few words about fences. Shamwari and in fact all of the Eastern Cape reserves operate in a mixed-use setting, where fences are an unavoidable reality and necessity. Shamwari is huge and the presence of a fence was never an issue or hindrance on my particular visit. At worst it is a reminder that wildlife thrive in areas which are rich in resources such as water and palatable vegetation. Which means land that can usually be occupied by people as well. So when you do see a fence in the eastern Cape, think survival and co-habitation – without a few strategically placed fences it would be near impossible to safely contain and conserve wildlife species in this area.

Up next: a return trip to Namibia including our first visit to Hoanib Skeleton Coast Camp.

More Info

Email bert@fisheaglesafaris.com

Email jason@fisheaglesafaris.com

@fisheaglesafarishouston

#FishEagleSafaris

YOU MIGHT ALSO BE INTERESTED IN

Destinations

Zambia

10th September 2021

Chindeni and the Bushcamp Company, Zambia

By late July we found ourselves at Chindeni, a small Bushcamp Company property

Botswana

Destinations

Okavango Delta

3rd October 2022

Camp Okavango, Botswana

Camp Okavango is in the heart of the permanent part of the Delta. In this idyllic setting there are no vehicles, and it is just a short walk

Area

Destinations

Nyerere National Park

Ruaha

Tanzania

14th October 2023

From My Safari Notebook: Wildlife Photography

Birds in flight and wildlife photographers have an uneasy relationship. Things go wrong as often as they go right. Getting focus-lock on a moving subject

READERS FAVOURITES

Destinations

Zambia

10th September 2021

Chindeni and the Bushcamp Company, Zambia

By late July we found ourselves at Chindeni, a small Bushcamp Company property

Botswana

Destinations

4th August 2022

On Safari At Belmond Eagle Island Lodge, Okavango Delta

What is the ‘secret sauce’ for an unforgettable few days on safari in Botswana? It starts with the animals, of course. The elephants, lions, giraffes, hippos

Destinations

India

27th May 2023

India

India’s tiger, mammals and birds.

Timbavati Game Reserve, Kruger Park

23rd July 2020

Timbavati Game Reserve, Kruger Park

The Timbavati Game Reserve, a massive privately operated game sanctuary adjacent to the west of the central portion of Kruger Park, is sometimes overshadowed by its better known neighbor to the south, the Sabi Sand Reserve.

In reality, there’s not much to choose between the two reserves, in terms of the overall safari experience. In short, they are both excellent. In some ways the Timbavati in fact outshines its more popular rival to the south. It is more remote, the vehicle density is less, and the prices are on average a good bit less than the Sabi Sand, making Timbavati the best value option of the private reserves. The guiding is good to excellent in both reserves. Guiding proficiency is usually more closely associated with a specific lodge than with a reserve.

All in all, the Timbavati is about as ‘bushveld’ as it gets, with a typical mix of acacia thickets, patches of riverine bush, open savannah and large swathes of mature woodland. Its average altitude above sea level is barely 500 meters, which makes for balmy, dry winter months from about May through August and September, which is also the ideal time to visit. Like the Sabi Sands, the Timbavati is also completely open to the Kruger Park on its eastern boundary, allowing for free and unfettered movement of animals from the national park.

KAMBAKU RIVER SANDS

On a return visit to the Timbavati last May, I spent several days at four different camps, and re-discovered the appeal of this attractive slice of African wilderness. My first stop was Kambaku River Sands. Kambaku River Sands is a well-managed property in a game-rich area of the Timbavati. Right from the word go I sensed that they had their act together and everything I experienced over the course of my short stay validated the first impression. Starting with the 10 luxury suites. They are huge and super comfortable, with a large mosquito net enclosed bed, air-conditioning, a sitting area with chairs and a table, ample lighting, tea and coffee making facilities and a spacious separate bathroom with indoor and outdoor shower and good-sized ball and claw bath.

The food offerings were excellent throughout, from lunch on arrival, dinner and brunch the next morning. Nicely prepared and imaginatively presented, and extremely tasty. Clearly a lot of thought goes into menu planning and food & beverage service. I did not have much time to spend at the expansive and beautifully wood-crafted bar, but it looked most inviting. As a unit the lounge and dining room complex is attractive and functional with lots of space and spots where couples and small groups can get together before or after meals, or around the outdoor pool. Elephants come to drink from the pool from time to time, and there is a separate waterhole within sight of the deck as well.

In just two game drives out of Kambaku I saw a ton of stuff, including a fantastic sighting of a young female leopard in a tree. We also saw some lions at night, there were lots of elephants, and all the usual plains game species including zebra, impala, wildebeest, giraffe and kudu. The bush was still quite thick (early May) so clearly game-viewing will be even better as the dry season advances.

The following morning’s game drives out of Kambaku produced an elephant sighting which was just as spectacular as the ‘leopard in a tree’ of the previous day. Being early May, there was not a great abundance of animals. The area is densely wooded and after the rains game viewing can be challenging. However when you do come up on something good, there are few, if any other vehicles around.

A spectacular elephant sighting on this drive had just two vehicles witnessing it. Which is almost too bad because it was a ‘once in 20 years’ type of sighting: an amazing spectacle with about 20 young elephant bulls testing their strength in a quasi-serious jousting contest, half-submerged in a lake. Right in front of us. In near perfect light. If you visit Africa maybe one time only and experienced only this, you’d understand why a photo safari is such a satisfying experience on so many levels.

There’s the sheer visual appeal of it, naturally. A hankering to see big mammals alive and kicking in their natural habitat is just skin-deep in most people, I suspect.

There’s the sense of discovery and of seeing new things, all while completely escaping the daily grind of our overscheduled, overly busy lives.

There is an underlying sense of apprehension and a tinge of danger, in the proximity of particularly the big cats but also elephants. Return visitors will recall that very first time their guide drove them right up to a pride of lions. You know it is safe and you are told that the big cats don’t pay attention to people sitting still in the vehicle. But what if…

The sense of anticipation and the surprise element. Don’t we all thrive on being pleasantly surprised? On safari it happens often and sometimes when you least expect it. Just like the following day’s events would reinforce, a game drive isn’t over until it is over. Anything can happen and often does, sometimes in the last few minutes of a drive.

Of course, you also get to stay in some wonderful places, hosted by people whose only mission is to keep you happy and content.

KINGS CAMP

Returning to Kings Camp after an absence of several years, it was reassuring not to have to work too hard to remember the first time. Other than a few small changes (a new spa area, new decking, more outdoor spaces) it had remained essentially the same. A timeless classic where all your African safari expectations are met and exceeded. The near palatial rooms with mosquito net enclosed king bed, an inviting clawfoot bathtub, inside and outside shower and plunge pool (in the honeymoon suites), will wow just about anybody.

Both meals I enjoyed at Kings Camp were exemplary: a delicious breakfast on my day of departure and a multi-course boma dinner the night before. The array of menu items was quite impressive and enticing, ranging from lots of fresh veggies to a deconstructed mixed salad, pork belly, roast chicken, braised oxtail stew, and a stir fry station. With several other side dishes and finished off with a lovely malva pudding for dessert.

The two game drives from Kings Camp with my guide Remember were fun and memorable. Remember is a caring, careful and highly experienced guide who knows the area intimately and takes his time to impart some interesting facts and observations about the various animals, birds, plants, and trees seen.

The afternoon game drive started out being quite slow but that changed – right towards the end of the drive – with another ‘leopard in a tree’ encounter. Add to the mix some scavenging hyenas as well as an interloper young male leopard, and things become fascinating in a flash.

We watched spellbound as the younger male got wind of the smell of a carcass in the tree, from which he eventually displaced the older and much heavier male. In the gathering darkness I managed to capture a few arresting images of the older male exiting the tree, his demeanour and body language reflecting caution and maybe even apprehension. He was in no mood for a fight in which he stood to lose everything.

The next morning we enjoyed a similarly entertaining and meaningful episode, watching a coalition of two male lions re-connecting early that morning. Greeting each other like brothers with big grins and some head rubbing, they settled down for a siesta while we went off on a successful search for a female leopard. Great stuff!

NGALA TENTED CAMP

By midday in early May, I was enjoying an impeccable lunch at Ngala Tented Camp, a deluxe property on the border of Kruger National Park. With nine elegant tented rooms – operated by the redoubtable AndBeyond company – Ngala Tented Camp is one of very few properties which we’ve booked for our clients in the past, sight unseen. It’s always turned out well and now that we’ve been there ourselves, I daresay we will be recommending this place for a lot more guests.

Ngala Tented Camp is intriguing and pleasing visually and artistically, with a blend of old and new, wood and stone, glass and canvas, creating a one-of-a-kind look and feel which is hard to pin down, but easy to like and appreciate.

The Ngala Tented Camp rooms likewise hit all the right notes. Not huge but with plenty of space, an exceedingly comfortable bed, a separate bathroom with a big tub (and lots of water with good pressure), a separate enclosed toilet and a particularly nice outdoor shower enclosed in a rock/stone wall.

The room is air conditioned, quiet and private with a range of excellent camp snacks (nuts and fudge), wine, beer and several types of spirits and mixers. There’s even a recipe for Ngala Tented Camp gin fizz.

It soon became evident that Ngala Tented Camp is located in a superb game-viewing area. Over the space of two game drives, afternoon and morning, we managed to find and observe the so-called Big Five mammals without much drama at all. Notably, three of the five we saw no more than one kilometer or so outside the camp. In many African safari camps you have to drive for 30 or 40 minutes or more, just to get to where the game is. Not so at Ngala Tented Camp. The game is right there.

Our guide Scott was enthusiastic, had a great sense of humor and managed the most difficult of guiding feats (first timers and veteran safari goers on the same drive) with the greatest of aplomb. Clearly Scott and tracker Ernest are a formidable team, providing their guests with lots of wow moments.

A nice change of pace moment was when Scott got us all out of the vehicle to walk through the bush, making a close approach to a giraffe. Which turned out to be the most relaxed giraffe ever!

TANDA TULA CAMP

My last Timbavati camp on this trip was the well-known and perennially popular and well-established Tanda Tula Camp. Located in the heart of the Timbavati along the Nlharalumi River, Tanda Tula has gained its excellent reputation by doing everything right, consistently. Good accommodation, great food, pleasing camp ambiance and superb guiding make it a great choice for first timers and safari veterans alike.

On a couple of game drives with guide Luke and master tracker Jack, I think I gained just as much from the experience as the two young couples from San Francisco for whom it was their first two game drives ever. Yes, we saw the Big Five but it ended up being much more than that, with Luke imparting some witty and well-informed bits of information and background without being pedantic or repetitive. Good, fresh information, not the hackneyed ‘Mcdonalds of the bush’ drivel. For example, I never knew just how short the ‘reign’ of a dominant male Impala was. Turns out that he has perhaps as few as eight days as the dominant male in charge of his harem of females, before he is supplanted by a challenger. Guides like Luke take delight in debunking old bush myths and pseudo facts. All the more reason to have a well qualified guide leading you. Likewise Jack, who is one of only 25 master trackers working in this field in South Africa.

Back at the lodge chef Ryan prepared a couple of the best meals I had enjoyed on the trip to date. A lunch with braised barbecued pork ribs and a delightful dinner with lamb loin chops or braised guinea fowl. The side of sweet potato croquettes and the kingklip (fish) starter were equally tasty and beautifully presented. Camp manager Antony and his staff were friendly and caring and I think all the guests enjoyed the good humor and general sense of well-being which suffused the place. It is not stuffy or serious, just good fun and a great time. Plus the WiFi works well.

JOHANNESBURG INTERLUDE

I had not spent a night in downtown Johannesburg in a very long time. Having lived in the city in a previous life, I am no stranger to it but this was a new experience. Home for the night was a small boutique hotel – the Hallmark House – chic and ultra modern, located right on the edge of Maboneng, with a mix of accommodation, galleries, retail shops, restaurants and clubs.

Wandering around the place in the late afternoon, I was very much a stranger in his own country, but it was nonetheless interesting to observe from a very different perspective. I was relieved to find an informal dinner spot, a small hole-in-the-wall with every table taken, which is always a good sign. The food was simple but exactly what I wanted, and at least for twenty minutes or so, it re-connected me with a place and time long gone. A traditional ensemble of pap (a rustic version of polenta) with a tomato and onion sauce, a side of spinach and a ‘boerewors’ sausage, South Africa’s celebrated traditional version of bratwurst, characterized by the addition of coriander in the spice mix. Tasted like home.

The following morning I had time to capture a few photographs of the Maboneng precinct, particularly some of its ubiquitous examples of street art and graffiti. The graffiti were colorful, brash and ephemeral, with many illustrations already starting to peel away and decay. One hopes that this does not happen to Maboneng itself. That the promise, the sense of renewal and rebirth visible in so much of it, is not dashed by the harsh realities of commerce and circumstances beyond the control of the locals. It remains to be seen.

If you’re keen to experience an authentic modern African city environment then definitely yes, spend a couple of nights at the Hallmark House or the nearby CityLodge on the edge of Newtown. Johannesburg has a vibrant arts and music scene – which I hope to explore on my next visit. In the way of a true big city with all of its energy, creativity and fascinating people, there are few better than Egoli, South Africa’s city of gold. What makes Johannesburg doubly interesting is the process of renewal that is taking place. Blight and decay are making place for hope and aspiration, innovation and ingenuity. Maboneng being the most visible but hardly the only example. Newtown and Braamfontein have undergone a similar process of renewal and rejuvenation and are now worthwhile stops on your exploration of Joeys.

APARTHEID MUSEUM

The young French girl – part of a tour group of some thirty or so students visiting the Apartheid Museum in Johannesburg last May – probably didn’t know what to make of the older man she saw crying, just outside the museum exit. The man was leaning against a planter, his head down, tears streaming down his face, clearly emotionally devastated by what he had just seen and experienced. What was he crying about, she might have thought. If she had stopped and asked, the man would have told her that he was crying for his country of birth, for lives ruined, families destroyed, and hopes dashed. He was crying because of regret and guilt, with the realization that the failed system of apartheid was a colossal waste of the human spirit, of lives, time, resources and energy. The French girl saw sadness and pain on his face; what she didn’t see was the unresolved inner conflict, the scars left by living through the worst of the apartheid era. Even though the man was lucky not to be one of the oppressed, the double-edged sword of racism wounded him just as deeply. All South Africans were diminished by the system, they just did not all realize it at the time. Being confronted so vividly and strikingly by the harsh reality of the grave injustice done to millions of people, a lot of old, suppressed feelings and memories were brought to the surface. Until then, the man thought that he had made his peace with all of this. Clearly he was mistaken.

I have always had something else or something better and more pressing to do in Johannesburg than visiting the Apartheid Museum. Until this time. I now regret not doing it sooner. For those of us who lived through it all, it is a bitter pill to swallow. For visitors from abroad, it will be no less impactful and just as shocking to come eye to eye with man’s inhumanity to man. The Apartheid Museum is important and powerful. It is also substantial and altogether loaded with information, displays, facts, maps, movies, names, history, interpretation and memorabilia. At a minimum, it takes a solid two hours to make your way around it, and I could see someone easily spending three or maybe even four hours there, if you wanted to get into the details of all the exhibits. Don’t rush it.

In part 2 of this South Africa trip report, I make my way to the malaria-free Eastern Cape region. Coming soon.

More Info

Email bert@fisheaglesafaris.com

Email jason@fisheaglesafaris.com

@fisheaglesafarishouston

#FishEagleSafaris

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