Kruger Park Trip Report – Green Season 2017

PART 1: DELUXE ACCOMMODATIONS AT SABI SABI EARTH LODGE

Kruger National Park is easily South Africa’s most well-known safari destination. It’s a place where wildlife documentaries are filmed and viral videos are captured. I know many of you will remember “The Battle at Kruger”, a viral video with lions, buffalos and a crocodile in a fight for their lives near a waterhole. That extraordinary video was captured within the park, and extraordinary things happen there more often than you might think. I finally got to visit Kruger Park after many years and many safaris to other destinations. We have sent countless clients to camps in the Sabi Sand and Timbavati regions of Kruger Park, so they were the focus of this educational trip. So, in March I flew with my lovely wife to South Africa, hoping to capture our own ‘epic’ safari photograph or video.

After a very short stop in Pretoria to visit some of our family, we were off to Kruger. We boarded a small regional jet at OR Tambo International Airport and flew just under an hour to Skukuza Airport in Kruger. The airport itself is really quite pretty. Thatched roofs and modern Afro-chic décor set the tone for the trip in a great way.

We were met by our guide from Sabi Sabi, Conrad, who led us to our vehicle for the ‘game drive transfer’ to Earth Lodge. It was mid-day so we didn’t expect too much, but managed to see a small amount of general plains game including giraffe and zebra before arriving at camp.

Earth Lodge is Sabi Sabi’s premiere or deluxe camp. The entrance takes you through an earth tunnel into the main lobby area which surrounds a small pond with a waterfall coming from the roof. The entire camp is neatly camouflaged and integrated with the surrounding grass and brush. The décor is very modern but mixed with ‘earth’ themes. Pillars are made of tree trunks and dried grass is mixed into the concrete on the walls. We were shown an aerial view of Earth Lodge and you could hardly tell anything was there as most of the buildings literally have grass growing on their roofs. Quite unique.

The meals at Earth Lodge were delicious and very fresh. Certain parts of the menu changed on a daily basis and we thoroughly enjoyed each meal. During the green season it is a bit difficult to deal with bugs during evening meals. A romantically planned meal can quickly be ruined by a few dozen flying insects. This is just something to be ready for, particularly in the green season.

During March of 2017, Kruger Park and much of South Africa was in the middle of quite a long drought. Typically, the green season brings a good amount of rain and very green vegetation which brings life back into plains game. There had been a little bit of rain, but the grass and vegetation was not nearly as green as I have seen in past trips in February/March to other countries. Because of the drought some of the plains game was struggling, which meant predators were thriving.

On our first game drive we came across a large pride of lions including 3 black maned males, 4 fully grown females and about 10 cubs. The pride had taken down a kudu and were quite close to being finished eating, but the males were still trying to guard the remaining pieces of the carcass from each other. It was quite an amazing sight to see with lots of growling, snarling and a surprise visit from an elephant scaring both us and the lions as well. In the following days we would see this pride again, but without the 3 males. We would meet up with them further north at later camps as these 3 Majingilane males are well known for being the dominant males in the area. Subsequent game drives from Earth Lodge would get us good looks at a couple of leopards, elephants and even rhino.

I had the opportunity to visit the other Sabi Sabi properties for a quick inspection. All 4 camps are wonderful, high end properties. Selati is their historically themed camp with a great ‘Out of Africa’ feel. Bush and Little Bush camps being the camps of ‘Today’ getting a reputation as a ‘luxury home in the bush’. Any of the Sabi Sabi properties would make a fine addition to a Kruger Park itinerary.

PART 2: MALA MALA AND KIRKMAN’S KAMP

Mala Mala Sable Camp
Our next stop was a staple property visited by many Fish Eagle Safaris clients in the past, so I was long overdue for my first visit. Mala Mala – in our case Sable Camp – was less than an hour away by car from Earth Lodge. We made our way to Mala Mala in time for lunch where we were visited by one of the resident bull elephants having his own lunch nearby. That bull elephant has been known to follow the riverbed adjacent to Mala Mala and eat any vegetation he can reach.

We were visiting just before a somewhat major renovation of the rooms, so things were set to change quite a bit. At the time of our visit, the rooms had two separate ‘his and hers’ restrooms. Some guests loved this while others thought it to be quite odd. Mala Mala decided to renovate into one large restroom including a shower and a tub and in many cases keeping 2 separate toilets. We’ll have to come back soon to see the difference, but I can tell you that our clients have been very pleased with the renovations.

As one might expect, just before a renovation is due the rooms seemed a bit dated to us compared to other properties. The view from many of the Sable Camp rooms is quite spectacular, however. They each have a view out over the Sand River and surrounding bush.

The Mala Mala Game Reserve is well known for being one of the best areas for predators in the Sabi Sands which makes it one of many excellent options in the area. Our game viewing experience didn’t disappoint as we were able to almost immediately see a large pride of lions including 2 males and 6 females. As is typical of lions during the summer months, they were taking a nap.

During our remaining game drives we saw plenty of elephant, hippo, and leopard right by Mala Mala camp, and nearly a hunt attempt by a lioness at dusk. She seemed to be following some impala, but was distracted by a male lion roaring in the distance. Predator interactions like these are always very interesting to watch.

Mala Mala wasn’t perfect, however. We may have been spoiled by the food at Earth Camp, but we just didn’t love the buffet style that Mala Mala offered for lunch and dinner. Some of the options were good, but just not up to par with other camps we would visit during this trip. Our clients haven’t had an issue with these buffets, however, so take this criticism with a grain of salt.

I was able to visit Rattray’s at Mala Mala, the most luxurious of the properties on Mala Mala Game Reserve. The suites were more like high end condominiums with plenty of space and another amazing view of the Sand River. If you’re looking for a deluxe property in the Mala Mala area, this is it!

Kirkman’s Kamp
In the 1920s, Harry Kirkman joined a cattle ranch in what is now known as the Sabi Sand reserve. As cattle was his business, he developed a reputation as a lion hunter while trying to protect his cattle. After quite a long drought, the cattle business was mostly abandoned in favor of safari camps. Originally, quite a few supported hunting, but by 1935 even the famed lion hunter Harry Kirkman became a conservationist. He served as a ranger for 24 years and was named the warden of the Sabi Sand private game reserve in 1959.

Harry Kirkman’s homestead on the Sabi Sands has now been remodeled into Kirkman’s Kamp. Within the buildings you will find quite a lot of memorabilia from Harry Kirkman himself. Quite a lot of it is hunting related, such as lion skulls and animal pelts. Obviously hunting is no longer permissible but it is interesting to note the history of the area. When you’re visiting, look around and ask about a few artifacts. Their stories may interest you.

The property is located within the Mala Mala Game Reserve, so game viewing is very similar to that of Mala Mala. There are two rooms per ‘building’ each of which have been recently renovated. The rooms themselves are very clean and comfortable with small porches that look over the Sand River. The main area absolutely captures the early 1900s but with a slight modern touch. The beds and linens at Kirkman’s felt like the most comfortable ones during our trip. If you want a touch of ‘home’ feel with your safari experience, you can’t go wrong here.

Our guide was Gareth, who was wonderful. He quickly found us one of the local leopards who was about 12 years old. The male was in the process of tracking down a female leopard, and as they found each other a hyena stumbled upon them in the road. We got to watch quite an interesting encounter with lots of hissing and growling just before a quick rainstorm hit us. Not to worry, ponchos were ready on the vehicle and we made our way back to camp. It was dark at the time, so our photos didn’t come out too great.

The following morning we came across a pride of 16 lions! There were many cubs in the pride which made for some great photos. One of the females had been injured so she walked without the use of one of her hind legs. These kinds of injuries happen quite often, and our guide mentioned that she would eventually starve if her leg didn’t heal.

Once again very fresh food at Kirkman’s. They offer an a la carte menu with a nice selection made to order. They even did some small surveys of the clients after meals asking what we liked and didn’t like so they could keep the menu tuned to their guests’ palates. I thought this was a great touch, and even though most clients had nothing negative to say about the meals I’m sure it helps the staff stay on their toes.

I have highly recommended Kirkman’s Kamp since my visit and I will continue to do so. I believe it is one of the best values in the Sabi Sands.

Since our visit, &Beyond has opened a deluxe property in the same general area as Kirkman’s Kamp, so if you are looking for even more upscale accommodations, ask us about Tengile River Lodge!

PART 3: DULINI AND NGALA SAFARI LODGE

Our final camp in the Sabi Sand area was a new one to Fish Eagle Safaris. Originally we had been scheduled at another nearby property that we have sent quite a few clients to – Savanna Game Reserve – but due to availability we were moved to Dulini Lodge. I thought it would be interesting to go in without doing any previous research, so when we arrived I was quite impressed.

Dulini has just 6 chalets, spread apart nicely. Each chalet has a view to the Mabrak River which was dry during our stay. With a stout four poster bed, sitting area, private plunge pool and a restroom large enough to do cartwheels, we definitely felt pampered. A few resident nyala spent the entire day grazing around our suite, which helped remind us we were in the middle of the African bush.

Our guide, Dinamosi, was wonderfully boisterous. He had a story or joke to tell about every tree stump, mongoose or blade of grass we saw. He quickly found us a pride of lion having a siesta with uncomfortably full bellies. Towards the end of the evening, we were lucky to have a great cheetah siting as well. It was quite dark, but the photos came out well.

The following morning was a whirlwind of rhino, wild dog and a fleeting glimpse of some buffalo. It would be our only buffalo sighting in the entire Sabi Sand, although we saw plenty more in the Timbavati region. With the addition of cheetah, wild dog and buffalo, we had seen the ‘Magnificent Seven’ while at Dulini during the course of just one-night drive and one morning game drive. For those that do not know, the ‘Magnificent Seven’ consists of the same animals in the ‘Big 5’ plus cheetah and wild painted dogs. Seeing these seven animals is difficult to do in an entire safari but we managed it in under 24 hours!

As you can see in most of the photos, there was a good amount of grass growing even though the region was in the middle of a serious drought. Many times, the grass helped add environment to these photos, but one time in particular it hampered what I thought was a perfect photo. We had a viewing of the same Majingilane male lions that we had seen at Earth Lodge. As I was tracking him through the tall grass I felt like I had snapped a real winner, only to find out the grass was in better focus than the lion. Perhaps next time I’ll get that perfect photo.

All in all, Dulini is an excellent lodge with a great location. Many of the camps in the same region – Savanna, Ulusaba, etc. – open their property borders with each other. The beginning of your game drive will take place specifically within Dulini’s range and after an hour or so the borders are open for exploration. The system works quite well as we really didn’t see many other vehicles except at the cheetah and wild dog sightings.

Ulusaba
Before our departure transfer, we made a quick stop at Ulusaba for a sight inspection. These Virgin Limited properties are another great choice for upscale safari accommodations. Ulusaba Safari Lodge is on the open plains while Ulusaba Rock Lodge is up at the top of a large koppie (rocky outcrop) with amazing views. We would recommend splitting 3-4 nights between the two properties to get some great diversity in your lodging while staying in a highly active game viewing area.

Ngala Safari Lodge
After our inspection of Ulusaba we started driving north to the Timbavati region. The drive is quite long, about 3 ½ hours, but there is a flight option for anyone preferring that method. We had only recently used Ngala for the first time with a large booking. After hearing the rave reviews, we asked for a visit and were not disappointed.

We stayed at Ngala Safari Lodge, which is Ngala’s larger property. It includes 21 total cottages including 4 for families and 17 for couples/pairs. The smaller Ngala Tented Camp is their sister property which is even more luxurious and has fewer suites. Bert has since visited Ngala Tented Camp and returned with equally good marks.

As with any &Beyond property, you are made to feel extremely welcome and at home while staying at Ngala. We arrived just in time for afternoon tea before the evening game drive and got to meet our guide, Lyle, and the other 3 guests that would be joining us on game drives. The high tea and snack station is right beside the camp’s waterhole, which attracts a good amount of plains game during the morning and afternoon hours.

The rooms at Ngala Safari Lodge are laid out similarly to Kirkman’s Kamp (another &Beyond property) but felt larger inside. A single building holds two separate suites which is great for families traveling together. Each suite is divided in a way that still feels nice and private – think African Safari Duplex. Similar to Kirkman’s Kamp again, the dining menu was wonderful. With meat, chicken, fish, and vegetarian options. They even provided a digestif cart with dessert wines and brandy after the meal.

The Timbavati region was quite a bit drier than the Sabi Sands. Even though it was towards the end of the rainy season, both areas were in the middle of a very long drought. They had had a few decent rains in Sabi Sands but only some light rain in Timbavati. Because of this, the grass was still mostly brown and dry, plains game was struggling to find food and predators were very active. We still managed to see a good amount of all types of game, but we were only in the area for one evening game drive and one morning game drive. I think a two or three night stay is mandatory to get the best out of any safari camp.

PART 4: KINGS CAMP AND TANDA TULA

Kings Camp
The next stop in my crash course of Kruger Park area safari camps was Kings Camp. Roughly an hour drive from Ngala Safari Lodge, Kings Camp stands on a private section of the Timbavati with 9 suites and a private Waterbuck Villa next door. The suites are permanent structures with thatch roofs and lots of rich wood furniture. Our suite had a private verandah looking out into the wilderness where a few impala and other antelope could be seen grazing on a daily basis. Beyond the suites there was a gym, spa and gift shop towards the entrance to camp.

The managers of Kings Camp were extremely nice and seemed to be everywhere all at once. We had a bit of an issue with our suite’s thatched roof smelling musty after a recent rain. Without much fuss we were moved to the Waterbuck Villa for our second night in camp which was a big surprise! I was told that the Villa had been booked by Matthew McConaughey only a few months before we stayed there.

Once again, game was plentiful in the Kings Camp Private Reserve. Lions were feeding on a somewhat recent kill while hyenas tried to steal the carcass. We struggled to get a good position to take photographs as their encounter was within a ditch. A couple of white rhino also stumbled upon us during our morning tea break. The experience got my heart racing, as it is still exhilarating to see such large animals so nearby while on foot.

After one of our morning game drives, we seemed to be heading back to camp for breakfast but took a little detour. We were surprised to find some of the camp staff and other camp guests in an outdoor dining structure along a dry riverbed. The table was set with fruit and bread with a breakfast buffet on the other end adjacent to the ‘kitchen’ where some of the camp chefs were busy cooking breakfast to order. The idea was wonderful, but bugs are a little difficult to control, so it was to be expected that we would have lots of flies trying to land on anything they could during the meal. All-in-all a successful concept with some concessions one must make while in the wilderness.

Another surprise at Kings Camp was their willingness to do nature walks. After breakfast, we were offered the option of being driven back to camp or walking and we chose the walk. The managers have built a few different outdoor breakfast areas all within walking distance of the main camp. So, each guest will have at least one ‘bush breakfast’ and a chance to walk back to camp. I do suggest taking the walk as your guide will teach you about many of the small things that are missed during a typical game drive. It may not seem interesting now, but learning about animal tracks, dung, plant life and trails is made exciting by a good guide!

Tanda Tula
With just two nights left on our Kruger Park whirlwind safari, I felt like we had seen just about everything there was to see. After staying at multiple types of camps and lodges, I felt like I knew what to expect with regards to safari accommodations in Kruger. All of the other camps had permanent structures with a good amount of space and extras like air conditioning. Once we got to Tanda Tula, I was reminded more of a Botswana style tented camp in the best possible way.

Tanda Tula Safari Camp sits on the banks of the Nhlaralumi riverbed which is almost always dry. The main area has a large thatched roof and displays a good amount of elegance, but still feels like a safari camp. Looking toward the pool area, we noticed a local warthog family ‘mowing the grass’ and a few guests relaxing. Beyond the pool was a small waterhole with a few impala having a drink.

Instead of permanent structure rooms, Tanda Tula has tents covered by large thatched shade-casting roofs to help keep them cool. There was no air conditioning, but even in March the room didn’t feel too hot and we spent most of our time out by the pool or in the main area. In the evenings the room cooled down quickly with the aid of a standing fan. It’s hard to describe the feeling you get when the camp you’re visiting just ticks all the boxes, but that’s the feeling we had at Tanda Tula. We met some guests who come to Tanda Tula every single year because they enjoy the area, the atmosphere and the staff so much. I could tell they really enjoyed the dinner we had out in the dry riverbed on our final night. The staff was singing and dancing and the food was fabulous.

Game viewing was spectacular just as it had been the entire time in Kruger. One morning, we were following two lioness tracks that came through camp when a call came in that the same lioness duo was in the process of taking down a warthog. Many guests say they would like to ‘see a kill’ but our guide rightly warned us that it would be quite graphic. So, be careful what you wish for, you just might get it! My wife had to look away for most of the action and she noticed a hyena who had quietly shown up to wait beside our vehicle for scraps.

If you are particularly squeamish with regards to blood, you can avoid clicking on the below lioness photographs. They have been cropped to avoid excess blood but can still be off-putting to some.

I feel like Tanda Tula really is a special place. I have since sent quite a few clients to the camp and hope to send as many as possible. If you have any interest in the Timbavati region, I would highly suggest trying to find space at Tanda Tula.

More Info

Email bert@fisheaglesafaris.com

Email jason@fisheaglesafaris.com

@fisheaglesafarishouston

#FishEagleSafaris

Virtual Itinerary

South Africa & Botswana Sept-Oct 2016

PART 1: INTRODUCTION – PRETORIA & CAPE TOWN

Our September 2016 trip to Southern Africa had four parts to it:

A few days in Pretoria to catch up with family followed by a short CapeTown stay for some local sightseeing and to run the CapeTown Marathon. Which was unfinished business from the year before. Just like the previous time we experienced simply outstanding weather in the Cape, and got lucky when the Table Mountain Cable Car re-opened for business after being inoperative for several consecutive days due to high wind conditions.

About a week in Mashatu in the Tuli Block of Botswana, for a 3-night WalkMashatu walking safari with our friend Stuart Quinn and an additional few days on a more conventional safari at nearby Mashatu Tented Camp. This was a return visit in both respects and underscored our already high opinion of the quality of the walking safari as well as the superb game-viewing we experienced.

Several days at MalaMala Game Reserve in the southern Sabi Sand Reserve of South Africa, adjacent to Kruger National Park. MalaMala is one of our favorite big game viewing destinations and once again it delivered big-time with some of the best and most intense predator viewing we had ever experienced anywhere in Africa.

An additional week or so checking out a bunch of new (to me) safari properties elsewhere in the Sabi Sand Reserve and inside Kruger Park. It was educational in more ways than one as I had plenty of opportunity to re-acquaint myself with the Park itself and to learn about some less costly options inside the park, in private concessions.

Houston to Pretoria in 22 hours
For the third time this year, I crossed the Atlantic in one of Delta’s Boeing 777’s – this time in row 48D – an aisle seat towards the back of the plane. All in all a pleasant flight with palatable meals, friendly flight attendants and timely departure and arrival. Can one really ask for much more nowadays, in coach?

Despite getting several hours sleep en route the flight is a killer simply because of the duration which is in excess of 16 hours, non-stop. The average human body simply cannot deal effectively with moving across 7+ time-zones at more than 500 miles per hour, at least not in terms of adjusting its circadian cycle. So not surprisingly, Kathy and I were zombie-like by the time we sat down to dinner at 131 on Herbert Baker, our accommodation for the next couple of nights in Pretoria.

This small boutique hotel is well located on a quiet street which follows the contour line of one of Pretoria’s many hills. Tucked away securely behind an imposing security fence, it has pretty nice views over the Groenkloof area. That night, our late dinner was a choice of grilled lamb chops or a salmon cutlet with a champagne sauce. Both were perfectly prepared and nicely presented. We lingered over coffee, dessert and an Amarula nightcap, trying to postpone having to go to bed at what would be 4 p.m. Houston time.

If safety is high on your list of priorities, 131 on Baker is ultra-secure and ideal for a night or two prior to taking the Blue Train or Rovos Rail from Pretoria to Cape Town, or elsewhere.   We were led to believe that several heads of state had stayed there at one or another time.  It is easy to see why.  The next few days were spent catching up with family; in addition to some lovey home cooking ( thanks Mom!) we enjoyed dinner at the Hillside Tavern one night.  It was excellent as always – the T-Bone steak being their specialty.

From Pretoria we drove to Johannesburg for an overnight in Rosebank at the Monarch Hotel on Oxford Street.  It is a convenient location with the Gautrain station right opposite the street and an easy walk to Rosebank Mall as well as The Zone.   A good location for a night or two in Johannesburg.

1000 Miles South to Cape Town
Driving to Oliver Tambo International from Rosebank is tricky particularly when you are in a tiny, underpowered car negotiating your way around dozens of large trucks and having to contend with South Africa’s aggressive driving environment. The route itself is circuitous if you want to stay on multi-lane freeways: North on the M1 back towards Pretoria, then the N3 east towards Durban, branching off on the R24 to the airport. From there it was – as always – a 2 hour flight covering the 1,000 miles south to CapeTown.

Picking up our rental car from Bidvest was surprisingly quick; barely 20 minutes after landing in Cape Town we were in our serviced apartment on the Victoria and Albert Waterfront. It had four bedrooms – 3 with en-suite bathrooms; one with a safe. Plus a gas range, microwave and washer and dryer. An easy 6-minute walk to the waterfront. Dinner at Baia was excellent as always – the three of us enjoyed abalone, line fish of the day (Dorado) and their superb grilled Langoustines.

Friday September 16th – Cape Winelands
On what turned out to be a rainy and windy day we drove to the Stellenbosch wine region for a wine tasting at Spier Winery followed by a delicious lunch at Eight- their farm to table restaurant. Our choices included chicken pot pie, penne pasta and chicken and avocado salad. Except for the fact that we had to ask them to temporarily halt some noisy road repairs, the lunch was excellent.

In the afternoon I did a site inspection at One and Only Hotel in Cape Town followed by dinner at Reuben’s.  We enjoyed line fish, Springbok (venison) and duck and by all accounts everyone liked their food a lot.

Saturday September 17th – Kirstenbosch
This morning we checked in on the Table Mountain cable car but it was not operating due to high wind. So instead we spent the morning at Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden which was superb as always – there is hardly a better time of the year to visit the place than September. The protea garden, cycad amphitheater with its life-size tin statues of dinosaurs and the Boomslang canopy walkway were among the highlights. There were huge swathes of flowering daisies which make an astonishing display with their color and diversity. Kirstenbosch is a jewel of a place. Always something to see, always clean and a wonderful family-friendly environment.

Do not leave it off your list of things to see in Cape Town!  That evening, we returned to Meloncino, a reliably good spot at the V&A Waterfront for Italian fare – for some pre-marathon carbo-loading.  A delightful spot with great food.

September 18th – Sanlam Cape Town Marathon – 42.2 km/26.2 mi.
I finally successfully ran and completed the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon. At 5 hours+ it was far from my best marathon time ever but it didn’t really matter. It was about putting myself on the line in a grueling event which tests one’s limits of endurance at the best of times. On this particular day I felt fine early on but things went pear-shaped in a hurry with the sun beating down on us on from a brilliantly blue cloudless sky. As early as 9:50 a.m. the temperature spiked to 80 Fahrenheit and even to 85F later that morning.

Overall I would give the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon a B+ rating.   It might have been an A were it not for the congested course.  We were on top of each other for practically the entire first half and then some.   Surprisingly, only water and Coca-Cola were available on the course.  It really would have been preferable to have Gatorade or a similar sports drink on hand.

Somewhat diabolically the course design left the hilliest parts of the marathon for late in the race, in the Gardens area.  I started cramping badly around the 36 kilometer mark with about 6 km (4 miles) to go. Having stuck with a very efficient and very entertaining 5-hour pace group for practically the entire race, it was disheartening to lose them just a few miles from the finish line.  Sometimes you just don’t have anything left.  A few minutes past 12 noon I finally made my extremely weary way to the end, collected my medal, enjoyed a cold Coke and a coffee.  And then proceeded to slowly hobble back to the apartment.

While I had been running around Cape Town, the rest of the party went in a couple of different directions:  Arpad and Lisa took the Cable Car up to the summit of Table Mountain, while Kathy and Valerie got an Uber driver to take them all the way to Boulders Beach to see the endemic African Penguins.

A couple of hours later we re-assembled, somehow managed to get all our luggage into the vehicle (it was a minibus) and then we were on our way to Cape Town airport.  Just like a few days previously, it was almost exactly a 2-hour flight to Johannesburg with 300+ passengers in an Airbus A300-600 with SAA. Overnight was at the CityLodge ORTI, convenient if nothing else, and the next day we would be off to Botswana.

PART 2: WALKMASHATU FOOT SAFARI WITH STUART QUINN

Monday September 19th – Tuli Block, Botswana
It was a short 45-minute flight on an SA Airlink Embraer from Johannesburg to Pholokwane and from there just over two hours by road along a mostly good asphalt road to the Botswana border. After border formalities between Botswana and South Africa we were met by Stuart Quinn of WalkMashatu. Stuart and his partner Julie would be our hosts for the next 3 days.

This was our second Mashatu walking safari, having participated in one of the first outings a few years ago.  At the time we enjoyed the experience immensely and we subsequently recommended it to many of our clients, all of whom had an equally satisfying experience exploring this remote and intriguing area of Botswana – the Tuli Block – on foot.

As one part of a multi-faceted trip which also includes ‘regular’ vehicle-based game-viewing and perhaps some water experiences such as boating or canoeing and observing wildlife from a blind or hide, a foot safari is for many the purest form of experiencing an area.  Free of the noise and intrusive impact of a vehicle and free to go just about everywhere, a walking safari is open-ended and unpredictable.  It is as close as one can get to the wilderness on many levels as you can feel the ground under your feet, touch the surrounding vegetation and listen for sounds while observing signs and tracks.  Being out of the vehicle adds a sense of vulnerability which is exciting and at times challenging.  Of course, you are quite safe in the presence of a careful, experienced guide yet the possibility of an unplanned, unforeseen encounter is always hanging in the air.

Importantly, there are no Cape buffalo to be found at Mashatu which makes it all the more desirable as a walking safari environment.  These unpredictable animals – particularly the cantankerous old solitary bulls – are by far the most dangerous of the ‘Big Five’ mammals to be encountered anywhere in Africa.  Not having them around in Mashatu is an important safety consideration.

From the border post, it was about a 40-minute drive in an open 4-wheel drive vehicle to our first overnight site, a circular open-air enclosure – the Kgotla.  En route we observed giraffe, kudu, impala, and elephants.  The six of us together with Stuart and Julie would spend the night under a huge mashatu tree.

Just like the first time a few years ago – 2013 Mashatu Walking Safari Trip Report – it made for a fun and totally novel experience to have a communal sleep out in such a quiet, peaceful spot with nobody else around. Not even the sound of a passing aircraft disturbed the natural rhythm. Not that it was always quiet.  Sometimes strident bird calls and other noises were enough to keep one guessing.

For afternoon tea we enjoyed a local delicacy:  ‘vetkoek’ – a donut-like sandwich – with cheese and tomato.  Interesting and delicious.   Our afternoon walk of around 90 minutes took us down to the dry Motloutse River where a few elephants were crossing over.  We enjoyed several interesting sightings of Impala, kudu, and steenbok amongst others.

By just after 6 p.m. we were back in camp, just in time for a pre-dinner drink.  Dinner of beef stew, coleslaw, and beetroot salad was delicious and well deserved.

Around 10 p.m. we were all ready to retire to our small cots, spread out in a circle around an open fire.  Under a light breeze with the cool air gently blowing across our faces we fell asleep as peacefully and naturally as is humanly possible.

Tuesday September 20 – Mohave Bush Camp
After early morning coffee & tea and rusks (local version of biscotti) with one’s choice of muffins, fresh fruit, yogurt and cereal we set off on an hour-plus walk to Mmamagwa Hill, a spectacular viewing point with awesome views over a large chunk of the Tuli Wilderness with Eagle Rock in the far distance. With binoculars, we spotted many elephants walking in the area below and in front of us.

Back in camp around 09:00A we enjoyed a delicious brunch about an hour later.  Just around 11:00A that morning we were on our way to Mohave camp for an overnight.  Mohave is a tiny bush camp with just three basic bungalows next to each other and a thatched lounge and dining area as well as a small lapa overlooking a waterhole on the Mohave River. This is what safari is all about.  Great atmosphere, quiet, remote and wild.  True wilderness.  Mohave is known for often having lions around – we heard some – as well as elephants.

Afternoon tea this day was special with koeksisters & a seasoned ground beef empanadas.   Just what the doctor ordered before we set off for Eagle Rock, a hike of about 90 minutes or so.  We encountered a few patches of heavy going sand along the way, but mostly the walking was fairly easy over flat terrain.

At Eagle Rock we observed some rock hyrax and two impressive Black or Verreaux’ Eagles which were nesting in the area.  I was hoping to see them fly by at more or less eye level, but we had to settle for some views from below.  Magnificent birds either way.

The walk up to the top of Eagle Rock didn’t take much more than 10 or 15 minutes or so and can be done by almost anybody who is moderately fit and mobile.  From up there, we enjoyed great views over the surrounding countryside, the Motloutse River and the distant hills.  It was a beautiful sunset. We walked off the hill to where a car was waiting and drove back to Mohave for pre-dinner drinks around the fire.

During dinner that night a large elephant bull came to the water hole at Mohave around 9 p.m. It was a real ‘great grey ghost’ scenario and everybody loved watching the elephant drinking quietly and then slipping away into the darkness, almost soundlessly.

Stargazing is amazing here with an incredibly clear sky.  Hanging over us as vividly as any of us had ever seen them were planets, stars, galaxies and the Milky Way.   Dinner – under the stars of course – consisted of butternut squash soup, garlic bread, chicken fried steak and cheesecake for dessert.  The food is home-cooked with no pretensions to be cutting-edge or fancy.  It is wholesome, tasty and nobody goes hungry.  We enjoyed a peaceful night.

Wednesday September 21 – Walking into Lions
We were up at 6:00A to bird calls, enjoying an early light breakfast of coffee, juice, rusks, muffins, fresh fruit, cereal, and muesli. After taking it easy around camp for a while, we followed Stuart out into the bush in a customary single file.

Our mission this morning was to track and find some lions which we had heard calling the previous night from camp. Stuart picked up their tracks soon enough but as it turned out – unknown to us at the time –  we scared them away from where they were sleeping.

Later on, having picked up the tracks again, we could see where the lions had crossed right over our tracks in several spots. Which meant that they were close but also that they were alert to our presence.

This is what makes a walking safari such an interesting and ultimately fascinating experience.  You can seek out predators by following their tracks – which is what we did – only to find out that they are better at that game than humans.

Another 45 minutes or so later – around 9:30 a.m. – it became clear that the lions had hot-footed it out of the immediate area. We returned to camp for brunch (pork sausages, scrambled eggs, grilled tomato, baked beans, and toast) mission as yet unaccomplished.  Walking into lions will have to wait until the next time at Mashatu.

Serolo & The Hyena Den
At around 11 that morning we were en route to our third and last overnight stop on the trail at Serolo tented camp which was located on an elevated ridge above the floodplain, close to the then dry Limpopo River. There was a small waterhole just below the camp, a cozy lounge and dining room area and five en-suite tented units each with two three-quarter size beds, a separate shower and toilet and a powerful fan.

After a short but welcome nap, we enjoyed afternoon tea with some vegetarian quiche and mini brownies.  Then we set off on the afternoon activity, a drive along the Limpopo River, at the time reduced to a dry, sandy riverbed.  A few kilometers further on we reached a rocky outcrop where a hyena den was located.  We walked around the area for some time before locating a single sub-adult hyena.  It led us on a bit of a wild goose chase, walking away from the area where the hyena cubs were supposedly located.

Eventually we made our way to the den site among the rocks and sure enough, there were four babies to be seen, a couple of which were really curious about our presence and came right up to us to get a whiff of our smell.

The light was perfect and I managed a few really good captures of the hyena acting out and staring at us.

They were awaiting the return of the adult hyenas who would be bringing them some food. Just then, we heard two lions calling each other.  It sounded close and getting closer.   Hotfooting it back to our vehicle,  we drove out to the nearby main road and less than 500 meters from where we had parked, we saw one and then another lion in the road. We sat and watched, pretty much spellbound as the two spectacular male lions walked towards each other.   Through binoculars and from behind our camera lenses we watched as they performed a brief re-introduction ritual consisting of rubbing noses. Then they promptly flopped down for a snooze right in the gravel road. Happy and content we made our way back to Serolo camp for drinks and dinner. Everybody agreed it that it was a very special day.

Thursday 22 September – Limpopo Floodplain
We were up early at 6 a.m. for a morning walk of about 3 hours duration.

The first stop was the carcass of a female warthog which had been killed by a leopard at around 1:30 a.m. that morning. Two of our group who had rooms close to where the event took place, recounted the screams of the desperate pig as it was attacked and the commotion which followed as it was dragged away.

Stuart analyzed the tracks at the scene and it soon became clear that several hyenas had robbed the female leopard of her kill, likely almost immediately after the event.

Continuing on, we walked under the tall trees along the Limpopo floodplain until we eventually scrambled down the bank onto the sandy river bed, approaching a large nest site of white-fronted bee-eaters. The light wasn’t great but it was nonetheless interesting to see dozens of these colorful birds flying out of the nest holes in the banks of the Limpopo, loop straight up and perch on the shrubs above.

From there we walked along and in the dry Limpopo River bed past several Marabou stork nesting sites, Whitebacked Vultures perched in high trees, and multiple other bird species all around. And it wasn’t only birds. We were hardly ever out of sight of impala, waterbuck, kudu, eland, Grey duiker, warthog, baboons, vervet monkeys & other species.

After a morning snack, we walked to back to an elevated rock platform with a wide view of the Limpopo River.  Even without visible water, it was a wonderful and attractive place. So different from anything we had seen at Mmamagwa Hills, Eagle Rock or elsewhere on the WalkMashatu trail.

A final brunch at Serolo and we were on our way to the Limpopo Valley Airfield where we said ‘see you again’ to Stuart and Julie and met up with our Mashatu Tented Camp guide.  For the next three days, we would be doing a more traditional vehicle safari.  Knowing Mashatu and having already experienced some good game-viewing on foot, we knew we were in for a treat.  It would take a lot to surpass the fun and excitement of our walking safari though!

PART 3: MASHATU TENTED CAMP, TULI BLOCK, BOTSWANA

Mashatu Game Reserve and Mashatu Tented Camp in particular delivers a safari experience which is – for most people – well above expectations and which represents likely the best value for money of any safari destination in Southern Africa.  At less than half and more like a third of the cost of just about any other northern Botswana property of the same quality, Mashatu Tented Camp is worthy of inclusion on practically any Southern Africa itinerary.

Spend three days there and you will see why:  lots of game (elephants, big cats, giraffes, eland & many more), not too many other safari vehicles, highly experienced and capable guides, off-road driving to get close to signature species, night drives, opportunities to walk in a buffalo-free environment, availability of other adventure activities like horse-back safaris and mountain bike safaris, availability of a couple of the best photographic hides/blinds in Southern Africa and fast, convenient connections to and from Johannesburg, to and from the Sabi Sand Reserve and now also to and from northern Botswana.  Plus a ‘stay 4 nights, pay for 3’ offer in the green season through the end of May.  What’s not to like?

En route from Serolo Camp to the Limpopo Valley Airfield we experienced an ‘elephant delay’ at a spot where a natural spring spills water out onto the road. With the surrounding area being as dry as it was, the fresh water was simply irresistible – and essential – to the elephants living in the area.

Consequently, there were 50-plus elephants of all sizes and ages around and in the water; their wet, muddy bodies a reflection of the extent to which they were reveling in the moisture amidst the parchment dry surroundings.

About an hour later we were back at Mashatu Tented Camp where we had previously spent a couple of days in 2013.  Here is a link to the trip report.

Just like the last time, our tented room was well equipped with two three-quarter size beds, ample storage space, two fans, a safe, proper door, and a separate but attached outdoor shower and toilet.

We barely had time to settle in before high tea was served at 3:30 and it was delicious with quiche, sandwiches and two types of sweet baked goods on offer, in addition to some good filter coffee.

Our game drive was initially a bit slow with sightings of giraffes, eland and zebras helping to keep things moving along. Soon enough though the tenor of the drive changed, from so-so to spectacular with first a solitary female leopard in the grass and then a female cheetah with three young on an impala kill.

We watched them for the better part of 40 minutes, observing first the mother and then the babies feeding, one of the youngsters chasing off a rather overly bold jackal.  Shortly after we heard the first sign of imminent trouble in the form of a leopard call.

Our guide Richard thought that the cheetah would be fine and that the mother would quickly lead the youngsters to safety if needs be. We left the cheetahs behind eventually, the young ones so bloated from overeating that they had trouble lying down in one spot for long.

We returned to camp for our own appointment with food.  Dinner (fish and lamb stew) plus various side dishes didn’t quite live up to the high standards which we’ve come to expect at Mashatu.  Perhaps the chef had the day off.  The Okavango bream tasted like kipper; the stew was fine but overly greasy, and the presentation was not exciting at all.  Quite tasty and filling – just not at the same high level that we had enjoyed here previously.

September 23

We were up at 5:30 a.m. this morning for a quick breakfast (coffee, rusks, fruit salad) and out at 6 a.m. sharp. Initially again very quiet but things soon improved when we got word of a young female leopard nearby.

A few minutes later we were on the scene and observed a smallish female leopard lying down in the vegetation, panting heavily from recently having eaten.  She had a kill (impala) high up in a nearby tree, which we saw when driving away.

Sometime later, after a few good general plains game sightings, we were advised about the presence of a mature male leopard, quite close to where we had observed the female. And so it was. Stationary below a tree in the shade, we watched and photographed this powerfully-built male leopard for quite a while. He seemed to look straight at us with what might otherwise have been a scary expression except that there was no emotion visible in his eyes at all.

As we were finishing up our male leopard photographs, news came about a large pride of lions with cubs. Off we went. It turned out to be an exceptionally handsome male, two females in their prime and six cubs belonging to each of the two sisters. The cubs being just a couple of months or so apart in age.

We observed them for what must have been a good 40 minutes, watching them run around, play & cozy up to Dad who wasn’t very responsive or expressive.  The lions were clearly enjoying being at the top of the heap in the animal world.

Before enjoying mid-morning tea and returning to camp, we bumped into yet another female leopard which promptly walked into the nearby dry riverbed.  In just two game drives we had seen leopard multiple times, cheetahs on a kill and an impressive lion pride.

A bonus item follow just minutes later when we had a good look at the female leopard seen earlier, this time resting up on a branch a few meters off the ground.

By 10 it was time for brunch and Mashatu pulled out all the stops with an attractive and elaborate spread including salad, chicken pie, sausages, egg roll, beans, chutney, bacon and bread and sliced tomato.

Our afternoon drive – by Mashatu standards – was a little bit quiet but even so we had some good views of elephant, giraffe and eland.  After a quick shopping stop at Mashatu Lodge we drove to a hyena den where we observed a few very young hyena babies.  They were still almost entirely black. One of them seemed to be rather stressed and ran around the den calling for its mother, next to whom it finally settled down.

On the way back to camp we saw our 5th different leopard, crossing a dry riverbed.

Just like the previous evening, dinner was disappointing.  Other than the excellent vegetable soup and the local rustic version of polenta, widely known as pap, the other dishes such as the braised oxtail and pork leg was either on the tough side or overcooked and dry.

Also the presentation of the dinner items is not exciting or visually appealing, with everything shrouded in darkness with no color or textural differences being discernible.  The bread was again perfect.

September 24 – Photographic Hide Experience
This morning we each paid $65 extra for a 3-hour Matabole hide session with a professional photographer. This is the sunken container hide which is also known as the ‘elephant hide’, I believe. Our photo guide Janet struck exactly the right balance between being helpful and knowledgeable and gently imparting hints and technical knowledge without being intrusive or annoying in the least. Everybody gained from the experience and nobody left more confused than before, which sometimes happens with photo advice.

Fortunately for Janet the animals did their part and we were thrilled and entertained by two good-sized elephant herds, different groups of Impala, a solitary steenbok, many guinea fowl and assorted other odds and ends including some warthogs and various bird species including francolin, doves, go-away birds, blue waxbills and several others.

Even a non-photographer would have been impressed with the manner in which the elephants quickly yet remarkably quietly walked up to the pond, surrounded the hide from its far left to far right, and immediately started to drink with intent.

The first herd literally rushed up and spent barely three minutes with us and then rushed off.  It was surprising behavior; clearly there was something bothering them. This was my first hide photography experience with a herd of elephants, and to be honest it was all rather overwhelming at first. Picking the first lens, deciding which photo or angle to go with, all quite exciting!  By the time the second herd of elephants showed up I was ready and got some good pics, even some close-ups of elephants toes which I have always wanted to do.

Hint:  have more than one camera body ready with a short (20 to 70mm or) lens and another with a medium-long telephone of about 70-200.  You won’t need anything much bigger than that unless you want to get some close-ups of birds perching in the nearby bushes.

The afternoon game drive was equally successful.  The highlight was a performance by a young female leopard. She trotted out practically every leopard pose known to man:  lying down, sitting, standing, staring and dozing, in the process leaving several extremely happy photographers behind.

The afternoon drive was concluded with a great sighting of the two female lions and their six cubs. They were totally relaxed in a safe spot overlooking the dry riverbed.   The cubs were playing and mock fighting, biting each other’s tails and generally creating a bit of havoc, just like youngsters of any species. It was a perfect ending for our last evening drive in Botswana. So far this has been a great trip with the best predator sightings ever.

September 25 – More Cheetahs
We resume where we left off last night, on today’s morning game drive. A quiet first hour and then in short order a handsome male lion (seen yesterday morning with the rest of his pride), the well behaved female leopard walking across a dry riverbed and then another superb sighting of cheetah. This time around it was a family group of a female cheetah with 4 sub-adult girls of around one year of age. They were just about fully grown, ultra-sleek running machines with just a bit of false mane hair remaining on their upper backs.

We watched them for a considerable length of time as initially they were all resting up in one small area. Then they got active and started walking seemingly in a hunting or attacking mode looking and listening for signs of prey.  Other than one half-hearted attempt at running down a steenbok, by one of the cubs, there were no serious attempts at taking down anything. Obligingly the cheetah bunched up several times so that we could photograph them all together, all five of the small teardrop accented faces looking in our direction.

Reluctantly, we let them go as they returned to a prone position in the shade of a Shepherd Tree. One last tasty brunch and then it was time to settle our bills, say farewell and head off to Limpopo Valley Airfield for the flight to Mala Mala in the Sabi Sand Reserve in South Africa.

PART 4: MALAMALA GAME RESERVE, SABI SAND RESERVE

We have been sending our clients to MalaMala Game Reserve in the Sabi Sand area adjacent to the Kruger Park, literally for decades.  Primarily because of the consistently good game-viewing which ranks right up there with the best in Africa.  No question about it.  Day after day, month in and month out, all of the so-called ‘Big Five’ mammals and much else besides, are seen at MalaMala, and close up.  Are there better safari camps in Africa for wildlife photography?  A few that may rival it, but none that are clearly better in my opinion.

In an area that is known for its high density of wildlife, MalaMala occupies a prime position alongside the Sand River, with miles and miles of the river running through the property.  Year round when it hasn’t rained for a while and consistently in the dry season, the river acts as a magnet for the animals, many of them moving into the MalaMala area out of Kruger Park.  Even more so now than in earlier years because of the closure of several artificially maintained water holes in the Kruger Park.

Add to that a well-earned reputation for excellent guiding, one of the best and best-maintained road networks of any of the Sabi Sand properties, good communications, and you have a winning recipe.  With the recent change of ownership, with MalaMala’s land and improvements having been sold to the local community and the business operations now being owned and operated by Stephen Saad (no longer the Rattray family) there have been some changes and more to come.  So far it has been all good, for example doing away with the antiquated ‘bar bill’ silliness and including all local drinks in the rate, like practically everybody else at around the same price point.

There are much bigger things in the pipeline such as the re-fashioning of first Sable and then Main Camp, to give them a fresh and slightly more contemporary feel, but retaining the classic Lowveld safari feel that is at the heart of the MalaMala experience.  Top management hasn’t changed either and that is good too, for the sake of continuity and to maintain and build on the already high standards.  With Kirkmans Kamp (formerly part of MalaMala) now back under the same ownership, MalaMala’s already massive traversing area has been enlarged even more.  Of course this means that Kirkmans vehicles will be – and already are – driving on the southern section of MalaMala (Charleston) but clearly there’s plenty of space for everybody.   From time to time vehicles will have to be cycled into and out of prime sightings but that happens everywhere and I do believe it will remain the exception rather than the rule at MalaMala.

September 25 – Getting there takes longer than we thought it might.
As it turned out our much anticipated direct flight from Mashatu to MalaMala was a non-starter. We had a change of plans as the MalaMala Airstrip was apparently affected by bad weather with low ceiling and poor visibility making a landing attempt ill-advised. So instead of heading from the Limpopo Valley Airfield to Pholokwane for customs and immigration clearance, we flew direct to Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport from where we would be driven to MalaMala. The drive took about 2 hours, slightly longer than anticipated due to a short break for refreshments en route.

After checking in at MalaMala which was quick and efficient, we went on a short game drive with our guide Brendan. We were all happy to see a couple of hippo coming out of the water – the first ones of the trip. And then – surprise – yet another leopard. This time it was the Piccadilly female. She momentarily seemed interested in some prey animals but then changed her mind. Oh well.

We returned to camp for a multi-course dinner with a soup starter, a delicious buffet main course and dessert. There was a large group in MalaMala Main Camp so we enjoyed all our meals at the smaller and more intimate Sable Camp lounge and dining room.

September 26 – African Painted Dogs.
The morning game drive started off slow but got lively in hurry when we were told about the presence of a few African Painted Dogs on the Toulon property (Kirkmans).

For a while we followed a solitary dog as it ran at a fast pace away from the Sand River in a westerly direction but we lost it.

For a while we followed a solitary dog as it ran at a fast pace away from the Sand River in a westerly direction but we lost it.

Eventually we left the dogs there and proceeded to the central part of MalaMala hoping to find Rhino. It was not to be. It appeared that the change of weather- it had turned sharply cooler – may have driven them off road. After what seemed to be the longest time driving around seemingly aimlessly and not finding rhino, we eventually made it back to camp for lunch.  Not 200 meters from camp there was a white rhino in the river bed.   So it happens.  In the afternoon we saw plenty of general game, and then enjoyed another great sighting of the Piccadilly female as the sun was setting.

Tuesday 27th September – Cheetah and Pangolin!
We were up at 6 a.m. for a drive which started along the Sand River in search of a female leopard – the Kikilezi female – and her two cubs. We didn’t find her but would try again tomorrow morning. What we did see was a drying pool in the riverbed with at least seven different bird species working the diminishing water for fish, frogs and whatever else edible they could find. I managed to get a couple of nice pics of saddlebilled stork and yellowbilled stork.

We then drove to the far northeastern sector of the MalaMala property where more than an inch of rain had fallen the previous week. The terrain is largely flat and open and as close as one can get to open savanna habitat in MalaMala.  We found ourselves on the edge of Kruger Park from where grazing animals such as zebra and wildebeest were already moving into the area for its freshly emerging vegetation.

We were thrilled to hear that a pair of male cheetah had been seen in the area.  After a brief Rhino detour (two massive White Rhino feeding) we made our way to the two cheetah boys resting in the shade.  Superficially identical to the females we had seen earlier, they were bulkier though and clearly stronger. We stayed there with them for a good 20 minutes plus before heading to camp for breakfast.

A solitary hyena led us to a hyena den which the local clan had just recently started using.  A second adult hyena female could be seen there, with two babies.  One perked up and looked at us briefly before lying down again.  There were also two white rhinos in the area and we got a few good pics of them. Our afternoon drive on Tuesday 27th September started on the high note with close-up views of the Eyrefield lion pride consisting of two males, three females and four sub-adults including Kleintjie.

We then bumped into two large white rhino right in the road and literally had to detour around them. This was ironical considering that we had searched high and low for rhino on our second day at Mala Mala.

And then came a surprise announcement by Brendan that a Pangolin – also known as a Scaly Anteater and Ietermagog in Afrikaans – had been sighted and off we went to see it.  At MalaMala guests are allowed to disembark from the vehicle at a pangolin sightings.

So, as soon as we arrived at the site, we hopped out of the vehicle and walked up to where the pangolin had tried to hide itself under some tree stumps.  Much of its body was showing but its face was totally hidden. None of our group had ever seen one of these animals so we looked at this large elongated and heavily scaled mammal in amazement. It looks more reptilian or amphibian than mammal, which makes it unique. Very rarely seen –  even less frequently than Aardvark –  Pangolin is a real ‘once in a lifetime’ sighting for most visitors to Africa.  Actually for most visitors it is a ‘never in a lifetime’ sighting.  That rare.

On the way out from the pangolin sighting we struck the jackpot again with a good look at a Serval, a sleek small spotted cat which stared at the vehicle for a second or two and then bounded off into the bush at speed.  What a day it was!

28 September – Off to Kruger National Park
Our last game drive in MalaMala was on the quiet side but nonetheless, we had good views of two young leopard cubs (belonging to the Kikilezi female, the leopard which we had been looking for the previous day) as well as kudu, giraffe and elephant. I said goodbye to my traveling companions and in the afternoon embarked on a three-hour road transfer into Kruger National Park itself. The mission? To check out a few more properties: some inside the Park itself, as well as some in the northern and western parts of the Sabi Sand Reserve. Hold on to your hat!

More Info

Email bert@fisheaglesafaris.com

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@fisheaglesafarishouston

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South Africa and Madagascar Sept-Oct 2015

PART 1: PRETORIA AND CAPE TOWN

Is there an anti-dote for jet lag?  Not really.  The best you can do is to stay up when it is light, and try to sleep when it is dark outside.  Your body’s natural circadian rhythms will adjust on its own.  It takes several days to overcome skipping across seven or eight time zones, which is why the first day or two of an Africa trip can be rough. My best advice?  Rest up for a couple of days before you go on safari.  In cities like Cape Town, Johannesburg or Nairobi you can find many interesting things to explore while you recuperate.

So it was that I found myself on a mid-September day enjoying breakfast on the patio in the cool, dry air of a spring day in Pretoria, having been wide awake since 2 am.  It was about as perfect an African morning as you can imagine, with the softest of breezes carrying a hint of smoke, Jacaranda flowers and freshly mowed grass.   Add a  clear blue sky and you have  a typical spring morning in the highveld.  For a Houstonian, this is simply gorgeous weather, Southern California-like.   Minimums around 50F, afternoon highs of about 80F.

My accommodation for the three nights in Pretoria would be Castello di Monte – an elegant and quite imposing Italianate villa in Waterkloof Ridge, an eastern Pretoria suburb.  The property is  roomy and quiet in a beautiful garden setting, with some pretty views from the balcony, towards the north.  Don’t feel like venturing out into Pretoria much in search of sustenance?  Don’t worry.  Castello di Monti’s more than capable kitchen can whip up something delectable for breakfast, lunch & dinner.

A table d’hote 3-course dinner at about $20.00 per person on the night I arrived, included a choice of two entrees, a beef or fish main course and a couple of desserts.  It was all good and deftly served in the softly lit main dining hall with piped classical music blending with the muted conversations of a few fellow guests.  Over the course of three days there I heard mostly American and English accents, with some Afrikaans as well.  Castello di Monti would be the perfect choice for a night or two at the start of a Southern Africa trip, or as a stop-over before or after a Blue Train or Rovos Rail trip.

An apartment in Cape Town
On Sept 18 our group assembled in Johannesburg Airport for the SAA flight to Cape Town. As always, it took almost exactly two hours to cover the 1,000 miles between the two cities. Once we had collected our luggage in Cape Town Airport (it took too long!) it was a quick 20-minute drive to the V & A Waterfront where we were going to spend the next five nights.

Our serviced apartment at 106 Juliette turned out to be ideal for us, with 3 en-suite bedrooms, one with a safe.  The apartment had a well-equipped kitchen, a spacious lounge with HDTV, properly functioning high-speed internet and a pleasant enough view over the V & A Marina, with the One & Only Hotel visible in the background.  It was quiet and peaceful and we felt totally safe due to the high level of security; two of us had to be photographed for temporary access cards.  Other than the door to our apartment being left wide open one morning, security was indeed tight and you couldn’t move around without an access card.

Table Mountain Cable Car trip
Our first day in the Cape was a clear, crisp morning with not a cloud to be seen and practically windless. Which means just one thing: Table Mountain. A quick Uber-ride later, we were in line to buy tickets for the 4-minute one-way revolving cable car ride to the top of the mountain. Apparently the ride had been shut down for the previous two days and there was clearly a backlog. Dozens of buses were dropping off multiple dozens and even hundreds of visitors, all with the same goal. Get up the mountain. There were two lines: one for people who had pre-booked online and others who had not. On this specific day it didn’t really matter which line you were in – it took the better part of 2 hours to get to the front of the line. If you do want to beat the crowds go on a week day (not Saturday or Sunday) and be there early.

No matter how many times you’ve seen it, the view of Cape Town, Table Bay and the surrounding areas from the top of Table Mountain is as fresh as a newly baked cookie.  I have been looking down over it off and on for 50 years, first having traveled to the mother city as a youngster.  The view hasn’t changed much.  The city itself has grown somewhat but the view of the bay, the coastline, and distant Robben Island is just as pretty as ever.

It is now easier to get up there than before.  The older versions of the cable car were much more likely to be forced to a halt by high wind and would sometimes remain inoperable for several days.  The current roomier gondola can take as many as 60 persons at a time and the interior rotates, for great views in every direction.

Noticeably, photography has become much more ubiquitous over the years, since the advent of cheap point and shoot cameras and of course, smart phones and other digital photo devices.  Everybody’s a photographer now and over the space of a few hours on the top of the mountain, I witnessed dozens of landscapes, portraits, selfies, selfies-with-a-stick and even some action pics (‘jump’!) being taken.  Some of these no doubt better than others.  Between the four of us we made some pretty decent captures too!

Sanlam Cape Town Marathon
The next morning two of our group tackled the 26.2 mile (44 km) Sanlam Cape Town Marathon, spending 4 hours or so traversing the streets of Cape Town and parts of the Cape Peninsula in the company of several thousand other runners. As marathon weather goes, it was not ideal with the starting temperature around 60F, topping out at around 72F later in the morning. The race was well organized with packet pickup at ‘The Lookout’ which is walking distance from the V & A Waterfront.

If you’re not quite up to the full marathon distance, there is also a 10km Peace Run, on an out and back course along the Green Point and Sea Point promenade, a wide, flat brick walkway which is almost never without some runners, walkers, bicyclists, kids and dogs enjoying the gorgeous setting.

The four of us enjoyed a post-marathon cold beer and burger – or fish & chips – at Mitchell’s Tavern, a popular venue judging by the number of patrons we saw there throughout the day and night.

Chapman’s Peak Drive
By mid-afternoon our rental car was dropped off and we went on a sight-seeing excursion along the Atlantic Beach drive, through cosmopolitan Sea Point, Green Point, Bantry Bay, Clifton, Camps Bay and via Hout Bay up into the hills and on to Chapman’s Peak Drive.

It has been several years since I last drove this route and some significant changes had been made.  For one thing, Chapman’s Peak Drive is now a tollway with tariff of ZAR40.00 per person per entry (less than $3.00).  In a couple of places the road now runs under an artificial overhang, protecting the cars and their inhabitants from falling rocks, a real hazard here.

These structures do not detract from the experience.  Driving over Chapman’s Peak is still an exhilarating, even heart-stopping experience with a cliff-face sometimes mere feet from the vehicle on one side and an abyss on the other.  The narrow winding road exposes new and different views to both passenger and driver constantly with glimpses of cliff-sides, distant coastlines, shimmering water and sky combining to create an unbeatable natural kaleidoscope.

We were fortunate to find ourselves at a viewpoint close to the crest of the pass just as the sun set over the Atlantic Ocean.  A long orange line stretched out over the water for a few minutes before the sun disappeared into the water.  For a couple of minutes the dozen or so onlookers stood around and enjoyed the rosy afterglow.  Then the darkness set in rapidly.  Quietly we all got back in the car and drive back to Cape Town.  A sunset like that puts everyone in a contemplative mood.

Dinner this evening was at Meloncino which has become a favorite of ours over the last few years.  It is a reliable Italian restaurant in the Victoria Wharf section of the V & A Waterfront.  Many of the tables have nice views over the city & Table Mountain but more importantly, the food is good!  This time around we tried some lamb chops, steak and a pasta dish and we rated it as one of the best meals of the entire trip.

No Sharks Today – Wine Country instead
This day was supposed to have been devoted to a Great White Shark cage-diving outing out of Simon’s Town with ASEC but it was cancelled due to a prematurely early end to the season. We will be trying again in 2016.

Instead we opted to drive out to the Cape wine lands, first along the N1 to Paarl and then the R45 to Franschoek.  Franschoek is unquestionably the prettiest of the wine lands towns, surrounded as it is by the craggy peaks of the Cape Fold Mountains, one of the oldest geological structures in Southern Africa.

The town itself is still quaint even though it has become a popular tourist stop.  En route into town we made a quick detour to La Residence, a superb boutique hotel, famous for hosting celebrities like Elton John.  We peeked into his favorite suite – the Maharani – which like all the other La Residence rooms was exquisitely furnished in Liz Biden’s signature style, with individual handpicked antique pieces, vivid colors and lots of imagination and verve.

At L’Ormarins Estate – now part of the Rupert empire – we walked through the superb Franschoek Car Museum where about 80 cars (from a collection of nearly 300) are exhibited in four purpose-built halls.  From Model T Fords to Nelson Mandela’s BMW, a McLaren F1, Ferrari 250 GT SWB and an exquisite 1929 Mercedes Benz S-Type.  My personal favorite?  A shiny Shelby Cobra looking fast and aggressive even in such a demure setting.

The L’Ormarins red wines are of a consistently high quality and their Optima, Cabernet Franc and Syrah were impressive as before.  Likewise the white wines which included a Chardonnay and Chenin Blanc.  Uncharacteristically the tasting experience seemed disorganized and disjointed.  There were no crackers or bread or cheese available to cleanse the palate between varietals and it took nearly 20 minutes to get an order of 3 different teas, apparently due to an issue with the labels.  For a winery of this quality and reputation the Rupert organization really should get this right.  We enjoyed the intimate setting and the wine expert was quite knowledgeable and enthusiastic but the execution and ‘choreography’ were a major fail.

Wine-tasting at The One & Only
By late afternoon we were back in Cape Town and seated around a table at the luxurious One & Only Hotel, a stone’s throw from the heart of the Waterfront. In front of each of us was an array of delicately stemmed wine glasses and a platter with several different types of cheese. We were there to enjoy the One & Only’s Signature winetasting which we proceeded to do under the guidance of one of the hotel’s knowledgeable sommeliers. Starting with an elegant South African sparkling wine from the Graham Beck stable, we steadily tasted our way through a chenin blanc, a viognier, a chardonnay and a lovely Cabernet Sauvignon. Interspersed with much playful conversation and laughter and a sliver of blue cheese or brie every now and then. The next hour or so slipped by very quickly.

Sea Point Promenade and Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens
This morning we retraced the route of the 10K Peace Run, spending about an hour running along the Sea Point Promenade, the noisy waves of the Atlantic Ocean crashing into the seawall right by us.

The occasional cyclist and walker passed us by, and there were several hang gliders landing in short intervals at the small park adjacent to the promenade.  Once or twice a deliberate detour over the surf and across the waves elicited squeals from the hang glider passengers who no doubt did not relish the prospect of landing in the chilly waters of the Atlantic Ocean.

We stopped to check the temperature of the water, looked at a couple of art installations and peered through a ‘gun-sight’ at the Rhinosaur sculpture, a chilling work of art which symbolizes the imminent demise of Southern African’s rhino population as a viable species in the wild.  Depressing thought.

Back in the apartment and a light breakfast later, we piled back into the car for a trip to Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens.  Of all of Cape Town’s many attractions, this one is my favorite.  It attracts more visitors than any other sight in the Mother City.  Even so, there are no long lines here; at worst it takes a few minutes to buy a ticket.  No 2 to 4 hour wait here like at Table Mountain Cable Car!

We arrived at Kirstenbosch in late September which is arguably the very best time of the year to be there; less than a month after the end of the rainy season with the full spring bloom effect visible everywhere.  I had not seen Kirstenbosch in such splendid shape in many years.  There were blazingly colorful displays of red, yellow, purple and orange to be seen all over the place.  The Namaqualand daisies, vygies, pincushions, arum lilies, watsonias and many other species were in full bloom.

We wandered around for several hours, enjoying each beautiful visa, every now and then looking up at the mountain slopes dominating the scene.  Finding a Protea Cynaoroides (King Protea) in bloom was a highlight, as was a walk across the Boomslang canopy walkway.

We finished off our Kirstenbosch experience with an enjoyable lunch at Moyo Restaurant; everyone tried the quasi-traditional fare with innovative expressions of old favorites such as as bobotie, samoosas, pap and boerewors rolls.

Our Cape Town stay came to an end with a dinner at the always reliable Baia restaurant at the V & A Waterfront.  I enjoyed reconnecting with some old friends and we all enjoyed Baia’s expertly grilled Kabeljou and langoustines, among others.

PART 2: KRUGER PARK WALKING SAFARI & TIMBAVATI RESERVE

Over the next week or so, our group enjoyed all the facets of the Kruger Park experience:  staying in a tented lodge inside the park with twice daily game drives both during the day and evening, getting out into the bush on an authentic walking safari and relaxing at a luxury safari lodge in the Timbavati Reserve to end up the trip.

Rhino Post Camp, Kruger Park
On the morning of September 23 we dropped off our Bidvest rental car and made our way to the check-in point for the SA Airlink flight direct from Cape Town to Skukuza. I had been apprehensive about the weight of my carry-on luggage but no one ever asked about the weight of my small backpack and camera lens bag. One of the members of our traveling party had to pay about $10.00 excess luggage charge for exceeding the weight limit of 20kg per item on the checked bags.

About 2 hours later we arrived at Skukuza’s neat, compact airport.  The main building consists of a lodge-like thatched building; it makes a good first impression.  Unfortunately it took about 30 minutes or so to get our luggage and to complete a few formalities before we could set off to our first safari camp:  Rhino Post.

Rhino Post is a casual, friendly lodge with 8 rooms, strung out along a mostly dry riverbed in the southern part of Kruger Park, adjacent to the Sabi Sand Reserve.

Over the course of two days at Rhino Post I experienced much of what I had enjoyed here a few years ago [insert link to trip report]:  a convivial, relaxed atmosphere, a high degree of personalized service and wonderful meals.

The rooms are spread out to the left (#6,7, & 8) and right (#1, 2, 3, 4 & 5) of the separate dining room and bar/lounge structures.  Each room has good lighting, one or two beds with a mosquito net, a bath and ‘outdoor’ shower, lots of hot and cold water on demand and a separate toilet.  They are equipped with plug points for charging batteries, a small safe and the front door has a lock and key.  There is a phone which can be used to call anywhere.  The calling procedure is tricky as it is not easy to detect a dial tone.  There is no air-conditioning or WIFI in the room.  Each room also has a small verandah separated from the room itself by a sliding glass partition which can be left open and with a screen to keep out unwelcome visitors such as baboons.

It is not unusual to see wildlife in and around the camp.  On the second night there the phone in my room rang.  Its chirp-like ring tone is  not totally out of place in the bush setting.  ‘There is a leopard at the waterhole’ a young lady announced.  Not the kind of message you get on your phone frequently…  Even though I was in mid-shower I made my way to the water hole as quickly as I could to observe the leopard slaking its thirst from a small artificially maintained water source right in front of the bar, on the other side of the dry riverbed.

The previous night we had observed the same leopard drinking and causing quite a commotion among a troop of baboons whose alarm call rang loudly through camp.

Other Rhino Post camp followers include some Spotted Hyenas who are drawn to the kitchen, a very confiding young bushbuck female and a group of 8 old buffalo bulls.

We had first seen the buffalo on our arrival when they were milling about the water hole, seemingly not in any hurry to finish up what they had been doing previously. Which seemed to be standing around and thinking about drinking more water.

The game drives out of Rhino Post camp were mixed in terms of number and quality of sightings.  On our first afternoon outing with guide Marius (competent and friendly) we had a superb lion sighting when two beautiful adult males lion in their prime walked right by our vehicle in the early evening light.  They were practically close enough to touch and we could hear their big padded paws lightly thump the tarmac.  It was spellbinding and all of us – first time visitors and veterans of the bush alike – realized that this was a special treat not likely to be experienced again soon or ever.

The next morning we had a similar experience but this time with a female leopard.  We were on our way to the main road – and still inside the Rhino Post concession – when Marius noted the leopard peering out from behind a large anthill.

For the next 40 minutes or so we watched as the leopard moved closer to our vehicle and eventually walked right in front of us, providing us with some great views in near perfect light.  For what seemed like a very long time the leopard had some impala in its sights, seemingly intent on stalking and hunting one of them.  In the end that did not happen but we had ample opportunity to watch the scene unfold.  The sighting ended being one of the best of all on our safari.

The remainder of the game drives out of Rhino Post delivered some nice views of general plains game including giraffe, kudu, a couple of wildebeest, lots of impala and a smattering of other smaller species such as steenbok, grey duiker, warthog, some mongooses and squirrels.  Plus plenty of colorful birds, of course.

On an afternoon drive on the famous road between Skukuza and Lower Sabie Camp, we had another lion sighting, this time a single female lying mostly obscured in the Sabi Riverbed.

The quality and presentation of the food at Rhino Post were impeccable and could hardly be improved.  We were individually consulted on our choices for dinner, with two options of starters, main courses and desserts.  There were no bad choices with presentation and taste being spot on for every item:  a perfectly grilled fillet of salmon one evening or some expertly cooked fillet of gemsbok.  Vegetables and other sides were done just so, and every breakfast was stellar with an array of cereals, bread, cheese, fresh fruit, cold meats and eggs to order.

Rhino Walking Safari – Plains Camp
By midday on Sept 25, we were en route to Isibindi’s Plains Camp for a 3-night Rhino Walking Safari. A stay at Plains Camp can be booked either by itself or ideally in combination with a stay at Rhino Post.

Plains Camp is located along the Motlumi River, about 3 miles from Rhino Post, on the edge of a large open plain with an artificially maintained water hole a distance away and across from the camp.  There are only four tents, tucked away into a thicket and barely visible to each other, with a small but well-located and attractive dining room and lounge a short walk away.  The small pool was popular with all of us.

Over the course of the 3 nights there, we observed a variety of wildlife in and around the open area and down to the water hole:  several herds of elephant, particularly in the afternoons, zebra pretty much all the time, baboons and a few giraffe.

All of this is a bonus because the main activity at Plains Camp is walking.  Which we did to the order of 5 walks in total over the course 4 days (3 nights).

Our guide Bernard Mhlanga typified the word ebullient and he was in every way full of spirit, bursting with enthusiasm and energy and actively looking for something exciting all the time.

If anything a few of our outings went on an hour or so longer than we had anticipated or might have preferred, but better to err on the side of too much than too little.

One of the highlights of the Kruger Park experience was a sleep-out at a remote platform structure, about a 3-hour walk away from Plains Camp.  We spent the night relatively comfortably in sleeping bags on mattresses in 4 separate small rooms, elevated well above the surrounding bush.  Dinner was a traditional South African ‘braai’ or barbecue, with various types of meat (lamb chops & beef) and a beef & pork sausage (boerewors) grilled right in front of us over the coals.  Together with some salads and other side dishes as well as ‘pap’ – the local version of polenta – it made for a nice change and an interesting experience.  It doesn’t get a whole lot more authentic than this!

Bernard and his tracker and walking assistant Albino were competent, friendly and professional at all times and I think the group as a whole felt quite safe and mostly relaxed out on the various walks.

The Rhino Experience
We had hoped to see various kind of big game on foot but it didn’t work out that way. What we did see was plenty of white rhino. There were many of them around, sometimes solitary ones but mostly small groups of two to four or so.

Several times we got to within 20 meters or less of these behemoths, and not having been as close to rhino on foot for many years, the experience rekindled my fascination with these gentle, practically defenseless survivors from what seem to be prehistoric times.

It was nothing short of exhilarating to get so close to the white rhinos while they were watching us and trying to detect our position and intent.  Despite being very close, the situation was well controlled and Bernard was ready at a moment’s notice to intercede should one of the rhinos decide to charge.

I managed to take some of my best ever rhino photographs, and did not have to use a long telephoto lens.  A 70-200mm zoom lens with a 1.7 converter did the trick.

Being able to get so close to the rhino on foot of course illustrates their immense vulnerability to attack by poachers.  They are a total paradox.  In their natural environment they reign supreme and have practically no enemies or predators.  In today’s world where they are the target of ruthless poachers armed with high-powered rifles, they are almost totally defenseless and on an accelerated path towards extinction as a viable species in the wild, in our lifetime.

So standing there and looking at those magnificent beasts fills one with a sense of wonder and nostalgia for the way things used to be, full well realizing that it can never be the same again.  Without effective and costly protective measures and without the buffer of visitors, vehicles, camps, guides, scouts and other personnel moving through and around the area constantly, these animals are doomed.

So what can you do?  Definitely go there and see them.  Spend a few days at Plains Camp, walk into rhino and you’ll be accomplishing several things at once.  Primarily of course you will experience an authentic wildlife experience rivaled by very few, anywhere in Africa.  Staring down a white rhino which weighs around 5,000 pounds (2.5 tons) or more, is a thrilling experience when there is just a bush or some low shrubs between you and it. More than that you will be contributing to the well-being and future of not only the rhinos of the Kruger Park but to its other big game species as well, including elephants and the big cats.

Simbavati Hilltop Camp
Our last few days on safari were spent in style at Simbavati Hilltop Camp, a luxury tented camp built on a small koppie (hillock), with very pleasant views over the Lowveld bush.

The pavilion-style luxury tents were massive, with a total of 8 air-conditioned ‘tents’ spread out in village style, and combined by wooden walkways.  Each suite consists of two individual tents – one for the main bedroom with a separate bathroom linked by an open area with an outdoor ‘shower for two’.  The separate bathroom has an indoor shower and tub.  The units are placed in such a manner that privacy is guaranteed.

To be sure, there are lots of steps at various points along the walkways, so this property may not be suitable for persons with limited mobility.

Simbavati Hilltop has an exceptionally nice pool and we spent several hours there, enjoying the cool refreshing water and the relaxing ambience.  Meals and refreshments were as good as anything we’ve experienced on safari before:  fresh, expertly prepared and presented and always plenty of choices and options.  Special dietary needs such as gluten-free or vegetarian catered for as well.

While we enjoyed some good game sightings at Simbavati Hilltop over the course of the 2 full days there on balance the game-viewing could have been better and we were certainly expecting more, as it was in the middle of the prime game-viewing time of the year.  Unfortunately the area was right in the middle of a severe drought which clearly affected the amount of plains game.  For example we saw very few giraffes, which are ordinarily quite common in the area.  I had twice visited the Timbavati Reserve before and enjoyed much better game-viewing with multiple leopard sightings, African Painted Dogs, even white lions.

Even so we enjoyed many excellent sightings including the following: An active hyena den with youngsters of various ages; several good-sized herds of buffalo moving around the area;

PART 3: MADAGASCAR

I first visited Madagascar 15 years ago.  Despite the fog of time, my memories of that first trip to the Red Island remain strong and vibrant.  Seeing my first lemur – a Ringtail at Berenty.  First hearing the haunting call of an Indri at Andasibe.  My first tentative steps into a real spiny forest.  It might as well have happened last week.  Madagascar is so different, so unique and so impactful a place to visit, that the memories are etched very vividly.

Madagascar is also one of those places which improve with the passage of time.  As the months and years slip by, one’s recollections of a trip there change for the better.  Gone are the memories of the bad roads, long distances, stuff that doesn’t work. And in sharper relief are the impressions of lemurs, endemic birds, reptiles, truly magical forests and of course the amazing people.

My over-arching impression after a longer second visit in September last year?  Madagascar hasn’t really changed much and it is still a truly strange and wonderful yet mildly maddening country;  definitely not for everybody.

Strange? Absolutely. Madagascar is often associated with Africa, having split off the African mainland some 165 million years ago, yet it is very unlike Africa in almost every way. It is not for nothing that Madagascar is often referred to as the Eighth Continent.  Strange trees, strange plants, even stranger animals, and almost everything you see found only in Madagascar.  So different on so many levels.

Even though Madagascar is associated with Africa, it is nothing like Africa.  It feels much more like somewhere in Asia – maybe Cambodia – judging by the facial features of the people, the clumps of banana trees and the many rice paddies which are tucked away into the valleys and hillsides.  Madagascar’s French colonialist past is all too clear in the shape of many of the buildings, the French words and phrases you will hear spoken and the aging Citroens and Renaults trundling around Tana and the other cities.  Now fast being replaced by Chinese cars.  A sign of the times.  Another not so great relic of Madagascar’s French colonial history?  The dense layers of bureaucracy which most visitors thankfully only encounter upon entering and leaving.

Wonderful? Undoubtedly. If you’ve ever wondered what it must have felt like to be Darwin, walking around the Galapagos completing the Natural Selection puzzle, Madagascar will appeal to you.  Spend a few days there and you cannot fail but see Darwin’s theory of evolution come alive in front of your very eyes.  Look at a white-headed vanga and then – maybe just minutes later – observe a sickle-billed vanga fly by.  Practically the identical bird except for the marked difference in bill adaptation.  The one with a stout conical bill, the other one similar in general appearance and shape but with a massive decurved bill.  Clearly adapted to probe crevices and holes for spiders and crickets and other insects. Evolution in its purest form.  It is estimated that the sickle-billed vanga split from the white-headed vanga somewhat more than a million years ago.

The same is true of Madagascar’s multitude of lemur species.  They are simply stunning. It took me all of 15 seconds to fall in love with the first species of lemur I ever saw which was the Ring-tailed Lemur, at Berenty, on my first visit.  Subsequently I have seen many other species, some quite rare and difficult to find but even the most common of these animals are exceptional.  They are mostly arboreal so be sure to take a pair of quality binoculars with good light-gathering properties as you will often be observing animals in the gloom of a forest interior.  The pay-off?  Great views of unique, fascinating creatures and simply amazing birds.

Maddening?  Unfortunately yes.  Madagascar can be a frustrating place to visit because of the lack of infrastructure.  On almost every level, it is the antithesis of our rushed, over-scheduled and convenience-seeking existence.  In Madagascar there seems to be not much in the way of a sense of urgency.  Things happen when they happen which is not always according to schedule.  In cities and towns the roads are often congested, the traffic sometimes chaotic.  In some areas the accommodation options leave much to be desired and things we take for granted like hot water and decent lighting are not reliable.  The language barrier doesn’t make it any easier – it definitely helps to have some French. Be patient, smile and re-orient yourself to not be as hyper-critical as you would be in a more developed, more sophisticated environment.  You will be amply rewarded.

There are encouraging signs, though.  For one thing, there is more understanding of the plight of the country’s endemic animals and over the last 20 years, the number of national parks and the size of areas under conservation have grown significantly.  So there is definitely hope for the future! Put Madagascar on your list of places to visit soon and you can be a part of a brighter future for this much-maligned and very much side-lined country.  Madagascar needs responsible eco-tourism probably more than any other country in the world.

WALKING
There are no mega-fauna such as in Africa so naturalistic pursuits in Madagascar are safely – and best – done on foot. Take your best walking shoes – or better yet a decent pair of boots – a walking stick and get ready for the most fascinating trip you may ever take. No chance of being charged by a buffalo so you can totally relax on foot and take it all in. I would rate many of the trails inside the national parks such as Mantadia and Ranomafana as moderately strenuous. You don’t have to be super-fit to enjoy Madagascar. Even so, it would not be a good destination choice for someone with mobility issues or a person who is not capable of walking up and down steps or willing to undertake an occasional scramble along an uneven trail.

Best Time to Visit Madagascar
When to go? Any time from about April through December would be good; the two best months are likely September and October; the latter particularly for birders as many birds are getting into breeding plumage then. Birds are more likely to perform territorial and courtship displays and are more vocal then. Hence easier to identify than in the winter months. In the late fall & summer months from about October onward you will be dealing with some heat and humidity in lower-lying areas, and mosquitoes where there is water around. From January through the end of March is cyclone (aka hurricane) season so don’t plan a trip then.

Initially, the big discrepancy in the value of the local currency versus the US Dollar or Euro leads to under-tipping.  It is not considered OK to leave a 10%  tip for a bar bill or any other minor expense.  Better to tip the equivalent in Ariary what you ordinarily would tip in US Dollars.  So for a couple of beers leave A3,000 (about US$1) as a tip, not 10% or even 20% of the bill which would be the equivalent of about 10 or 20 cents.

Food and beverages are cheap in Madagascar – we rarely paid more than US$7.00 for a dinner entree; a local beer is less than a dollar, about the same price as a liter of water.

Just like 15 years ago, Antananarivo had that typical dusty, spare look of poverty.  Just about every building is seemingly in need of a good coat of paint.  And as before, the street traffic was nothing short of chaotic – even on a Saturday morning.  The narrow 2-lane asphalt road from Ivato into downtown Tana also happens to be the main route, National Route #1.

Three things you should know before you go
Poverty. Traffic. Tipping. If you are going to be traveling to Madagascar, better get ready to deal with them.

Poverty is impossible to ignore or avoid. It is visible in the eyes of the street children of Tana, in the shacks you see along the Great South Road, in the threadbare clothing of the kids at Anakao.  Madagascar is likely the world’s poorest country if you exclude the ones involved in the on-going conflict.  What to do about it?  Go and visit the place.  Tourism is one of the few bright prospects in Madagascar’s otherwise bleak economic future.  Your presence there creates jobs, feeds and educates children and helps safeguard the country’s dwindling natural areas and wildlife.  Yes, the thought of other people suffering is unpleasant but don’t let it dissuade you from visiting the country.  Many of the kids are not dressed like their counterparts elsewhere in the world but they do not lack for joie de vivre and they will benefit a lot more by having tourists visit their country than not.

Traffic can be maddening and persistent, and always unpredictable.  Just like in Nairobi or Dar-Es-Salaam you might run into a traffic jam at any time of the day or night.  There are few rules of the road & traffic lights and stop signs are scarce and routinely ignored.  I would certainly never attempt to self-drive in Madagascar under any circumstances.  On the positive side heavy traffic inhibits speeding so while road trips can be frustrating, the pace is fairly sedate.  As anywhere, we recommend spending more time in fewer areas so you won’t find yourself on the road every day.

Tipping?  Confusing and anxiety-inducing.  Not because the amounts required for tips are excessive.  They are anything but.  The issue with tipping is knowing who to tip and having the correct small-denomination bills to use as tips.  So be sure to get some smaller bills when you exchange money at the airport on arrival.  Who to tip?  Your tour guide of course: about US$10 per traveler per day; about US$5 per traveler per day for the driver.  Also tip at restaurants (10% of the bill is fine, but leave a bit more on a small check), porters (the equivalent of a dollar is ok), and housekeepers. It is not necessary to tip taxi drivers.

It is mandatory to make use of the services of local guides in the national parks.  Their services can be pre-booked (which will be the case on a trip organized by us) or they can be hired on the spot.  The fees vary depending on the circuits chosen in each park.  If the guide stays with you the entire day – which we would recommend – you can work on his/her fee being about US$50.00 per day.  This amount to be split by the number of participants in your group.

Here are some impressions and notes about highlights from my most recent Madagascar trip.  The photographs are but a pale reflection of the vivid reality that is Madagascar, but they are better than words.  So for this trip report we will try to keep the words to a minimum.

Antananari
Driving from Antananarivo Airport (TNR) into downtown Tana sets the scene perfectly for what is to follow. Sitting in the front seat of the minibus next to the driver, I was again – like the first time – mesmerized by the kaleidoscope of color, movement, activity and structures which slide by the window on practically any drive in a town or city environment in Madagascar. The people all seem to be going somewhere mostly on foot but also by bike, motorbike, mini-bus or small private car. With an occasional large vehicle incongruously pushed into a narrow alley. There are endless small shops and stalls alongside almost every road, selling practically anything one can think of from furniture to livestock, motorcycle parts to freshly prepared, local delicacies. I wanted to try some but was dissuaded by our expert birding guide Bruno Raveloson, who thought that my western stomach would not be able to handle some road food. Next time.

It took a good 40 minutes or so to get to our hotel, the Hotel Chalet des Roses in the Haute Ville area  – Antsahavola quarter.  The location is good, being close to various embassies including the US Embassy, and a short walk to the main Tana market, Independence Avenue and various nightlife attractions.  None of which we patronized on our most recent visit.

The Hotel Chalet des Roses is a quaint small hotel (44 rooms),  tucked away on a quiet road.  The rooms were basic but functional, it was quiet enough, the WIFI worked (don’t expect blazing fast broadband), and the staff was friendly and helpful.  Some of them struggled with English.  As I said earlier, a bit of French goes a long way in Madagascar.  The meals in the attached Italian restaurant were good and cheap (by US standards).  The (not included) continental breakfast was strange (more cake!) and the order form with lots of options and boxes to be ticked, was confusing.  You’ll get it right the second time around.  All in all for what you pay the hotel is perfectly adequate for a night or two in Tana.

I did go for a short run on the day of arrival and somehow found my way to a small park overlooking the city, the Jardin Antaninarenina.  It was quite lively with families and young people enjoying the views and some refreshments.  A less welcome aspect of running in Tana was being followed around by random strangers (just for fun!) and street urchins.  A couple of them did eventually pose for a photograph, though.

ANDASIBE-MANTADIA
The drive from Tana to Andasibe seemed shorter and less daunting the second time around. Our Boogie Pilgrim driver was competent and careful and I never once felt uncomfortable about speeding or inattentiveness or anything else. Always cautious and defensive. We made a couple of stops en route, the most interesting one being at an old, rather dilapidated but still fully functional iron bridge over the Mangoro River. It was everything you’d expect from a bridge in Madagascar. Rusting away quietly, narrow with no space for pedestrians, and a narrow-gauge railroad track right next to the auto roadway. We were fortunate to see an old and rather antiquated train set roll by, while we were scouting around for Madagascar Pratincoles. Which we did not find. We did have some good interaction with some of the local inhabitants resting up under the trees nearby.

The Andasibe-Mantadia forest complex is likely Madagascar’s most popular forest destination, for several reasons.  It is relatively easily reached from Tana on a good road; there are several accommodation options to fit every budget, good restaurants and some wonderful forests with well-maintained trails to explore.   But mostly it is about the lemurs.  The most impressive of all of them – the Indri Indri – can be seen here quite easily.  They are noisy – the call of the Indri is near unforgettable – and conspicuous due to their size and black and white coloration.  But never easy to photograph due to the pesky back-lit conditions.  Better to put the camera away, pick up the binoculars and observe the stunning athleticism of these powerful animals as they jump gracefully from one branch to the next or from one tree to another.

There is of course a lot more to Andasibe-Mantadia than the Indri.   There are several other lemur species including the stunning Sifaka.  Also tenrecs (a type of hedgehog), chameleons including Parsons, the biggest of its kind in Madagascar, some simply stunning birds, beautiful scenery, orchids and water-lilies, fascinating insects, reptiles.  I could go on.  Definitely plan on spending three nights here to do the area even a modicum of justice.  The walks – particularly in nearby Mantadia Forest – are time-consuming and if you are looking for some of the rare bird species rushing around is not going to do it.  Also it takes an hour or so to get from Andasibe to the trailhead at Mantadia; it is about 10km along a pretty dreadful road.  I think I picked up 5,000 steps on my Fitbit.  Driving.

For keen bird-watchers there are many highly sought-after birds to be found and seen at Andasibe-Mantadia including the blue coua, Madagascar wood rail, various vangas, the velvet asity, sunbirds, the quite superb pitta-like ground roller, short-legged ground roller and many others.  We did not miss many of the local specials due to the skills of our Boogie Pilgrim birding guide, with the assistance of an excellent local guide.

Our accommodation for the three nights there, the hotel Feon’ny Ala is quite basic but what it lacks in charm it makes up for in location.  Right where you want to be, close to the Andasibe park entrance.  The restaurant was good and popular and the local beer like the Three Horse brand tasty and inexpensive.

In summary Andasibe-Mantadia simply cannot be omitted from a first Madagascar trip – and it is well worth a return visit after an absence of several years.  The primary forest of Mantadia is gorgeous to behold and the thought that so little of this habitat remains in Madagascar is depressing.  One morning, in search of a couple of endemic water birds, we came upon a small, pristine lake tucked into a quiet glade, right at the edge of the forest.  Not a major landmark or well-known sight, yet so striking that we all stopped talking.  We simply stood there and looked at the beautiful reflection of the trees and sky in the crystal clear water, with some ducks dabbling in the background, realizing that we were sharing a special moment in an extraordinary place.

Ranomafan National Park
From Andasibe, we drove back in the direction of Tana and then headed south along the N-7 route which was in much better shape than most of the roads I had encountered years ago on my first visit to Madagascar. About 6 hours later – with some stops along the way – we checked into the pleasant Chambre de Voyageur in Antsirabe.

In a safe setting, which felt like an oasis from the busy main road a couple of blocks away, the first thing one sees is the lush garden which surrounds a large natural water feature. The rooms were on the smallish side but comfortable enough; there was hot water and the set menu dinner was excellent. A big bonus: friendly management.  I went for a run the following morning along the main route, watching the TukTuks lining up at hotels and other spots, with local resident and kids waiting for buses to take them to work and school.

After a light breakfast we resumed driving south, making a short stop at a horn manufacturing factory along the way.  Then it was on to Ambositra where we observed wood carvers in action.  After a pleasant lunch at the Artisan Hotel we completed the rest of the 6-hour drive along the N7 to Ranomanafa National Park.

There were some rough spots along the road here but as we turned east from the N7 towards Ranomafana the quality of the road surface improved.  Which is just as well because the road becomes quite hilly and winding from the turn-off, all the way to Ranomafana.

For the next several miles we drove up and down one hill after another and negotiated a series of sharp bends, with all of us except the driver admiring the nice scenery dropping down to a river below us, to the right.  We drove through the town of Ranomafana to the hotel where we would spend the next 3 nights.

The Hotel Manja & restaurant were disappointing, to put it mildly.  It really had no character; the rooms were large but sterile, the bathroom inadequate and there was nowhere to put one’s clothes.  The restaurant food was mediocre at best, either over-cooked (shrimp) or under-cooked (tough chicken).  Fortunately there are better accommodation options in Ranomafana such as the Setam Lodge where we enjoyed a nice lunch one day.

What Ranomafana does not have in the way of great hotels, it makes up for by the spade-full in atmosphere, setting and bio-diversity.  The primary protected forest area is gorgeous, green and lush but also quite challenging with major changes in elevation.  So be prepared for some long hikes along fairly steep uphills and downhills, fortunately with well-maintained stone steps pretty much everywhere.  If you go stomping around in the forest interior you may pick up a few leeches.  They are icky but harmless and easily removed.   None of our party of 4 visitors – who stayed mainly on the trails – got any on us.

Together with Bruno, our local guide Jean Chris and his assistant worked quite hard and over the course of 2 days at Ranomafana we did see some fantastic birds, several new (for the trip) lemur species and a few fascinating insects and reptiles such as a Giraffe-necked weevil, more chameleons including exceedingly tiny ones and a couple of cryptic-colored geckos.

If you are intent on exploring all aspects of its natural history Ranomafana is a most rewarding place; for people simply rushing from one lemur sighting to another it may be disappointing as the lemurs are spread out and often high in the trees.  In the high season there are many other visitors around, particularly on the shorter trails.  So get a good guide, take your time and walk well beyond the 2 or 3-hour circuit to make the most of it.

We did just that and were amply rewarded with some of the best lemurs of the trip.  Ranomafana is well-known for its bamboo lemurs including the Great Bamboo lemur and the recently discovered Golden Bamboo lemur.  Red-bellied lemurs and Milne-Edwards Sifaka can also be seen.

Isalo National Park
From Ranomafana to Ranohira – the gateway to Isalo National Park – entailed another long but gentle drive, back along the winding great south road, NR7. We passed the city of Fianarantsoa, stopped in Ambalavao and eventually made our way to the Anjah reserve, a community-based project where a large and seemingly thriving colony of ring-tailed lemurs can be observed. These striking red-eyed lemurs with their long and boldly ringed tails are unmistakeable and without a doubt the best known of the lemur family.

After a light lunch we pushed on and made it to our overnight destination, the quite lovely and surprisingly good (for Madagascar) Relais de la Reine.

This luxury hotel and its sister property the Jardin du Roy are spectacularly located among bold sandstone outcrops which form the foothills of the Massif Central (mountain range).  Spending one night here was an itinerary planning error: it left absolutely no time to visit Isalo National Park, which is why people travel to this area.  We had to be content with exploring the Colorado-like terrain around the two hotels, taking a couple of gentle hikes in the area in search of Benson’s Rock Thrush, among others.  Not being able to spend any time inside Isalo National Park was clearly a mistake, one that will not be made on any other trips we book in this area.  Even so we needed somewhere to stay en route to the coast and there is no better spot than the Relais de la Reine. A convivial bar (try some of the local gin), excellent food and quite comfortable (no air-conditioning) stone cabins made for a welcome change from the sub-standard accommodation at Ranomafana.

Zombitze Forest & Tulear
Well rested, we continued the journey southward along the NR7, spending a couple of hours or so looking for more special birds and lemurs at Zombitze National Park, a small dry forest reserve right along the main road. This pocket park is spectacular yet its diminutive size is a stark reminder of what has already been irretrievably lost. One can only imagine what the area once looked like, many decades ago. A great, spectacular forest must have covered the entire area. Then came people. Who immediately commenced with deforestation for building materials and charcoal. Plus they brought with them zebu cattle who are prime habitat destroyers. Catastrophic habitat loss ensued. Sad as it is to contemplate the relentless destructive force of unchecked human intrusion, exacerbated by lax local regulations and no coherent conservation strategy, at least it is not all totally gone. It is still possible to enter into the interior of this beautiful forest with baobabs, rosewood, aloes, strangler fig and many other fascinating plants, and to imagine for just a minute or so that nothing has changed. But not for long. Observe a pre-historic looking Giant Coua clambering through the vegetation and reflect upon the fact that it and its habitat, the result of millions of years of evolution, are in real and imminent danger of being wiped out in a matter of decades.

We only spent a few hours at Zombitze but it was a worthwhile and delightful spot.  Among the special bird species of the forest were several striking couas, notably the Crested and the previously mentioned Giant Coua.

Ifaty
From Zombitze it wasn’t far to Tulear, where we enjoyed a pretty good lunch at Chez Alain, a French restaurant specializing in zebu steak. It was delicious and the garden setting was quite pleasant. Just too many flies!

In the afternoon we drove along the coast – back on a dirt road – making several stops for shorebirds en route to Ifaty Beach where we would spend the next two nights at Ikotel.  Unfortunately this turned out be another sub-standard hotel with bare-bones rooms and a completely uninspiring lounge-restaurant with very limited menu choices. By this stage of the trip one of the participants clearly had had enough of Madagascar.  Her exasperated sighs – when confronted with another ‘strange’ food item, or contemplating another uncomfortable night behind a dodgy mosquito net – were a source of concern.  As I said in the introduction:  Madagascar is not for everyone.  Come with a wide open mind, a taste for the strange and unusual (both food and experience) and above all a good measure of forbearance, patience and the ability and willingness to shrug off minor inconveniences.  You will love it.  Expect everything to be just like in the USA?  I don’t even have to say it. Just don’t go.  Of course that applies only to this type of relatively low-cost overland tour.  Fortunately Madagascar has several deluxe properties in all the main tourism centers so it is possible to put together an itinerary which will suit even the most fastidious and demanding visitor.

With an enthusiastic crew of local guides on hand we entered the small Reniala Reserve early the next morning.  This is what Madagascar is all about. This simply bizarre spiny forest is definitely unlike anything you have seen before.  Stunted baobabs, sinister looking didiereas and various other weirdly formed, knobby, spiny plants and trees simply saturate the flat sandy terrain. You literally have to duck and dive your way around some positively dangerous-looking specimens.  In all there are about 2,000 plant species here, many of them endemic.

Reniala Reserve is a paradise for bird-watchers and ably assisted by the local guides who ran ahead to find the local specials, we were soon marveling over some very rare endemic species, such as the long-tailed ground roller, the sub-desert mesite, the red-capped coua and the blue vanga. There are about 65  bird species in total within  the reserve. I have been interested in birds for more than 30 years and have birded widely in Africa and the USA.  My first glimpse of the long-tailed ground roller will remain as one of my most memorable sightings ever.  In this strange, weird setting this ethereal ground-dwelling bird with a diagnostic sky blue patch on its wing looks like a dainty version of North America’s desert-dwelling Roadrunner.  Superb, fantastic.  It is easy to run out of superlatives when talking about any of Madagascar’s four ground-rollers but this one takes the cake.

Anakao
Our last few days in Madagascar were spent at Prince Anakao Resort, which in many ways typified and encapsulated the entire Madagascar experience. Different, striking, even exhilarating in measure but often with minor blemishes and unexpected ‘left field’ moments. Unquestionably memorable.

Anakao is a fishing village stretching along a pretty white sand beach about 40 kilometers south of Tulear.  The relative isolation of the village and the fact that it is sparsely visited has helped to preserve the traditional lifestyle of its estimated 3,000 Vezo inhabitants.

Getting there was worth the price of admission.  Late one morning, having been transferred from Ifaty to Tulear by road, we spent perhaps 40 minutes or so cooling our heels in a waiting room belonging to the boat operator who would take us to Anakao Island.

From there, we were bundled into a different vehicle which set off a breakneck speed – for no apparent reason – to a restaurant which we assumed was close to the point of embarkation.  Not having an exact time-frame we ordered some coffee and the ubiquitous  French breakfast cake and chatted to the German-born owner-manager who was quite a character.

Somewhat later we were told to walk down to the edge of the bay, where an ‘only in Madagascar’ scenario unfolded.  Our large and powerful motor boat could be seen anchored in the shallow waters of the bay, about 300 meters or so from the wooden jetty.  How to get from the edge of the water into the boat?  By oxcart of course.   Indeed.  Much to our astonishment first one and then another oxcart approached the jetty, rippling their way through the calm waves of Tulear harbor.  We were unceremoniously bundled into the back of the carts, looking at each other in disbelief as we tightly gripped the edges.  A crack of the whip and we’re off, our nervous laughter mixing with the sounds of the oxen splashing their way through the surf amid exhortations from the wranglers who somehow managed to keep them going in the right direction.

The almost hour-long speed boat ride which followed was almost anti-climactic.  It was not without interest, though.  First, we stopped at another jetty where more passengers boarded the boat.  This time in a conventional manner.  Then we were handed life jackets which everyone donned.  A minute or so later the skipper opened the throttle and soon enough we were powering our way along and over the swells, next stop Anakao.  The disembarkation there involved removing one’s shoes, rolling up trousers and splashing through the shallow water onto the beach.  All in a day’s fun.

Prince Anakao Resort is one of a few hotels strung out along the coastline of Anakao beyond both ends of the village. Consisting mostly of simple beach huts, the Anakao hotels provide a low-key beach experience for visiting tourists. In the early morning hours, many pirogues can be seen sailing into the open ocean for fishing trips, returning with their catch during the afternoon in ones and two or sometimes small clusters.

Living up to its Malagasy heritage, the Prince Anakao excelled beautifully in some ways and fell totally flat in others.  The cooking was nothing short of sublime.  The owner-chef turned out some ridiculously fantastic seafood dishes, no doubt making use of fresh locally caught fare.  The desserts were no slouch either.  Alas, the property never could get hot water going in my room over the space of two days.  Even moving to a different room didn’t fix the problem.  We also had major issues with WIFI availability which was sporadic at best with electricity issues seemingly pervasive.  Did it matter in the long run?  Not at all.  This is Madagascar…

Over the course of two wonderful days at Anakoa we enjoyed the food and wine, walked or ran along the beach and some of us went scuba diving.  Apparently quite successfully so.  All of us also piled into a boat one morning for a visit to nearby Nosy Ve Island, specifically to see the breeding colony of red-tailed tropic birds.  These elegant tern-like birds could be seen perched and flying at close range; we stood on one high spot for a good 15 minutes or so as one after another came flying by, sometimes seeming to hover before letting the wind sweep them away, the conspicuous red tail-feather putting them squarely in the unmistakable category.  We looked for but did not find the enigmatic Crab Plover which apparently likes the small deserted sandy islands around Nosy Ve.

On our last afternoon in Anakoa I took the camera and spent an enjoyable couple of hours or so photographing the children of Anakoa, one of its best attractions.  Slender and healthy looking with beautiful skin tones, they were happy to pose for the camera, scampering for a prime spot and keen to stand in front of a fishing boat or with the village in the background.  Even a few passing family groups stopped momentarily for their portraits to be taken.  Despite their sometimes threadbare clothing and lack of material things, they looked content and happy and the closeness of familial bonds was easy to discern.

A third trip to Madagascar is in the planning stages; this time around we will likely visit the west (Morondava), the northwest and also go in search of the elusive Aye-Aye.

More Info

Email bert@fisheaglesafaris.com

Email jason@fisheaglesafaris.com

@fisheaglesafarishouston

#FishEagleSafaris

South Africa June 2015

PART 1: MALAMALA, SABI SAND RESERVE

Woke up around 8AM at the hotel and got in a quick breakfast before heading to domestic departures and taking the short 45 minute flight to Skukuza.  From there we were met by a driver with a covered vehicle and driven the remaining 40 minutes to camp.  This is really a superior option than flying to Kruger Mpumalanga as the transfer from there, although scenic, is significantly longer.

Malamala has long been a favorite of ours due to its relative proximity to Johannesburg, its quality lodging and most importantly the expertise of the rangers and the abundance of game on the property.  Once again it delivered in every respect and set the bar high for all the camps that followed.

The property itself is well manicured with the grass cut in the immediate vicinity to make it easy to spot a predator should they venture close to camp.  The gravel walkways are painstakingly combed over by the staff for aesthetic reasons and also to keep track of what animals have been in the area recently.   There is literally always someone working on these things so when you see some animal footprints you know it was very recent.  Rooms are air conditioned/heated and there are two bathrooms in each.  From the terrace at my room we had a great view of the Sand River, often times with animals grazing on its banks.  In fact many antelope can be seen all around camp.

We met our ranger, Morne, just before lunch.  He was friends with the ranger I had on my last trip, Peter, who was not in camp at the time.  The lunch buffet was plentiful and we grabbed a beer or two as we had the unlimited alcohol option.  After lunch we had a little bit of time to ourselves and as it was warming up I decided to have a quick dip in the pool.  It was a bit too cool for me but refreshing nonetheless.  The pool also overlooks the river and it is a treat when you spot the head of a giraffe on the far bank peeking over some trees as you float in the pool.

The first game drive of a safari is always filled with anticipation and excitement.  We were treated early with a good giraffe sighting followed up by general antelope and a lone elephant before hitting an early jackpot with a leopard sighting.  The rangers here have no fear of off-roading so we were able to follow it across some very tough terrain for a quality viewing.  Eventually even the sturdiest vehicles cannot keep pace with an active leopard.  Unless you spot one in a tree you will inevitably lose it.  Also saw a white rhino on the way back to camp that night.  By this time it was quite dark so the sighting was not excellent but it’s always nice to see one of the big five, especially since it was everyone else’s first time to see one.

Woke up at around 6:30 the following morning in an effort to head out around 7:00 but it took us a little bit longer to get sorted out.  Weather was surprisingly warm though it would change in the following days.  Early on in the drive we began to track some lions using footprints on the road.  As we were searching for them we came across a buffalo which made 4 out of the big 5.  It took us a while but after turning around a couple times we finally found those lions and it was absolutely worth the trouble.   2 males with a female and 2 tiny cubs.  The cubs were rowdy and noisy and it was a pleasure to watch them all interact.  The cubs are very inquisitive giving long glances to the vehicle and occasionally taking a few steps toward us.  They growl constantly to everyone’s delight.  On our way back to camp we saw a nice herd of elephant as well as more general game.  Had some delicious bobotie for lunch which is a South African specialty consisting of spiced ground beef with an egg based topping.  I’m going to have to bug my dad to help me cook some when I get home.

Our afternoon drive was productive as well.  Some wild dog had a den within the property and they were lying down outside as we arrived.  We waited for quite a while for them to go hunt but unfortunately they did not comply.  Multiple times one of the dogs seemed to make the rounds and try to get the others stirred up but to no avail.  The alpha female had recently given birth but the pups were too young to come out.  It was still a pleasure to sit amongst them as we enjoyed a little tea and coffee.

Almost had the sighting of a lifetime when we returned to camp.  The sun had gone down and a big male leopard was stalking some impala.  We got a great look because he was using the road to stay low and hide behind the tall grass.  Time seemed to pass slowly because it appeared that he would pounce at any moment.  Even now I am surprised he didn’t take a run at them.  I suppose he knows what he’s doing a little better than I do.  It looked like the impala either spotted him or caught his scent and we had to get back for dinner but a beautiful sighting nonetheless.

The night’s dinner was enjoyed in the outdoor boma area under the stars.  We had some great soup, kudu venison, mixed vegetables and salad as well as one of my favorites, malva pudding.  We also decided to get up earlier the following day.

6:00 wake up this morning and we made good time heading back to the wild dog den.  It looked like they had been hunting as several had blood around their mouths.  Had our morning coffee in the vehicle as we watched them and then let another vehicle come in to observe.  Shortly after we left we spotted 3 white rhinos, 2 females and a male.  Absolutely massive horns on these prehistoric looking beasts!  The evening drive netted us 4 different lions near the airstrip.  They were doing what most lions do bathing in the sun and then moving into the shade once they get enough.  We had gone to the northeast side of the property which borders Kruger in search of cheetah but to no avail.  We were treated to a wide variety of plains game to the tune of zebras, wildebeest and ostrich.  Heard lions roaring around camp before dinner which is always cool if not the slightest bit unnerving.

Our final drive on the property was a little quiet but still enjoyable.  Went in search of cheetah again but wound up finding more lions.  3 adults and 3 younger cubs.  The adults were resting while the cubs fed and played around a bit.  On our way back to camp we saw a nice variety of animals at a water hole including elephant, zebra, wildebeest and impala.

Malamala remains one of my all-time favorites.  It delivers time and time again and whenever we include it in someone’s itinerary I know it will be one of the highlights of their trip.  This stay was no exception and I only wish we could have stayed longer.

More Info

Email bert@fisheaglesafaris.com

Email jason@fisheaglesafaris.com

@fisheaglesafarishouston

#FishEagleSafaris

Southern Africa Nov 2014

PART 1: INTRODUCTION

My Nov-Dec 2014 marathon Southern Africa inspection trip ended on 24 Dec 2014 when my Delta flight from ATL to IAH touched down right on schedule.  Kathy had to return to the USA about 10 days earlier.  Between us we stayed at and inspected different safari lodges, camps and hotels in 3 countries: South Africa, Botswana and Zimbabwe.

There were many highlights which I will touch upon in more detail in the area trip reports to follow.  If I were given the opportunity to go back tomorrow and pick out just two or three places, it would have to be Seba & Abu in the Okavango Delta for a once-in-a-lifetime elephant experience and the most drop-dead gorgeous natural environment and the Savute Marsh right now for astonishingly good game-viewing.   I’d love to be able to go back and spend several days with guide ‘Magic Mike’ at Somalisa, stalking the perfect afternoon light and whatever it may shine upon.  Cheetahs would be nice, elephant would be great too and I’d even settle for a steenbok, just to find myself back in that time and place.   And yes I might want to add a few days at La Residence in Franschoek for the most blissful of sybaritic delights.  Fabulous food, some of the best wines you may ever enjoy, looking out over vineyards & mountains, being pampered every step of the way, pinching yourself every time you re-enter your room.  It doesn’t get old quickly at all.  In fact, La Residence has joined my very short list of ‘Groundhog Day’ places.  You know.  Those very special places you’d like to wake up in again and again and again…

Predictably this trip once again illustrated our long-held belief that Southern Africa is very worthwhile visiting in the ‘Green Season’ – roughly from December through the end of March, the height of summer.  This co-incides with the rainy season in the interior.  Cape Town of course has a Mediterranean climate with the three rainiest months being the winter months of June, July and August.  Weather was not an issue except that it was cooler than we had anticipated.  So be sure totake a fleece on every outing.  Our activities were not hampered by weather or rain, with the exception of one boat trip on the Chobe River which had to be abandoned due to lighting.  Not a good idea to be in an open aluminum ‘box’ on an stretch of open water…

Here and there I was hoping for better light for photography but cloudy weather does have its advantages too, extending the number of hours of photography, particularly in the early morning.  Under optimum full sunlight conditions, you’d have perhaps 2 hours of very good ‘golden’ light, but it is all over by 8:30A or so by which time it gets awfully bright with harsh shadows making photography all but impossible.  Not so when it is overcast, with the soft, even light enabling decent shots pretty much any time of the day.  Plus the fact that clouds always add atmosphere to sunset and sunrise shots, and those big, billowing white cumulus clouds can look pretty impressive as a backdrop to a landscape pic.

A few practical things: We flew from Houston to Johannesburg via Atlanta, on Delta.  As we’ve done the last few times, it was ‘economy comfort’ all the way.  The four extra inches of legroom – compared with regular coach – is a lifesaver as is the early boarding privileges.  No worries about finding overhead storage space for your carry-on luggage and being closer to the exit you can beat the crowd to the immigration desk.

Delta’s on-board service and amenities can best be described as mediocre to acceptable.  The food was edible but not much more than that and I thought the movie selection was particularly bad.  I had to resort to re-watching Australia (would have been nice to sing myself to Jo’burg…) and The Big Lebowski.  Plus one or two other movies which I won’t even mention by name for fear of inspiring someone else to try them.  I somehow found a few episodes of Game of Thrones and House of Cards which helped to while away the long, long hours.  As always, it was essential to have and use a good pair of noise-canceling headphones.

At Johannesburg’s Oliver Tambo Airport the immigration and customs formalities were handled promptly (although I have stood in a 20-minute+ line there before) and it was just a short walk to the Budget counter where we collected a Toyota Camry for the 40-minute drive to Pretoria.  Over the next few days we enjoyed a family reunion while we struggled to adjust to having abruptly skipped seven time zones.  It was not as warm as we had anticipated in Pretoria which translated into nice running weather.  We made full use of every opportunity to get a few miles under our belts, realizing that our exercise opportunities would be severely curtailed once on safari.

Next stop – Cape Town.

PART 2: CAPE TOWN

We started our educational trip in Cape Town and Franschoek, spending some time at a couple of our favorite properties and having a look at several new ones.

In Cape Town itself we divided our time amongst Four Rosmead, The Twelve Apostles and the Belmond Mt. Nelson Hotel.  Four Rosmead – which we use for many of our clients – was near perfect in terms of location, rooms and hospitality.  The managers and staff could not have been friendlier or more helpful, right down to setting an outdoor table for a ‘call-out’ lunch one day.

The Mount Nelson is as solid as Table Mountain itself – always dependable and with a great location, just a short walk away from Parliament, the Company Gardens and several museums.  We had dinner with old friends in Claremont, so had to settle for high tea at the Mt. Nelson.  It was the best ever!  Even if you don’t plan on spending a night there, by all means book their high tea.

We have mixed feelings about the 12 Apostles or 12A.  It is a perfectly fine property but it felt a bit claustrophobic, with very narrow hallways and somewhat cramped common areas.  The food and service were excellent and the rooms on the ocean side have beautiful views.

The highlight of our Cape Town stay was a half day visit to Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens.  We went specifically to see and experience the new ‘Boomslang’ forest canopy walkway but predictably fell in love with Kirstenbosch all over again. Is there a more worthwhile place to spend half a day in Cape Town?  I don’t think so – it should be on everyone’s ‘must do’ list for even the shortest of Cape Town trips.

Friday 21 November 2014: Four Rosmead Boutique Hotel, Gardens, Cape Town
We have been sending many of our clients to Four Rosmead over the last few years to rave reviews. Somehow or other – mostly because they were full – we were not able to spend time there on our last two trips to Cape. This time we did and now we know why it is so popular.

It starts and ends with a high level of personal attention.  In our case from duty manager Nadine who is a star.  Nothing was too much trouble and even when we managed to break a (gift) bottle of sparkling wine the property handled our mishap smoothly and without a fuss.

First impressions count and Nadine’s arrival briefing was complete and informative without being tedious.  Without any prompting, she offered to make dinner reservations for us, which turned out to be a good move as Cape Town was already hopping, early in the summer season.

Dinner was at Baia, a popular seafood restaurant at the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront.  The food was delicious and the service impeccable.  It was a bit of a struggle with taxis going to the restaurant and getting back to the hotel but we had such a good time it did not really matter.

Saturday 22 November – Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens
When we woke up this morning at 8:15A instead of at 4:15A, we both knew that the dreaded jetlag was behind us. The plan was to spend some time at Kirstenbosch on this day, so soon after breakfast (corn fritters, eggs to order and toast), we headed out along De Waal Drive to this jewel of a place. Kirstenbosch is certainly one Cape Town attraction which you shouldn’t miss when spending a few days in the Mother City.

At any time of the year there is something – usually many things – flowering and the views are always stupendous.  Kirstenbosch is a national treasure.  There are very few signs – in fact almost none – telling you not to do this or the other, because Capetonians and out of town visitors treat it with respect and care.  There is practically no littering & even though it was quite crowded, we did not see any boorish behavior.  Which makes Kirstenbosch pretty much the perfect place for family and friends to enjoy the great outdoors.

It practically goes without saying that Kirstenbosch is a photographer’s delight and so it was on this day.  I took a bunch of photographs of kids going to a Mad Hatter’s party, beautiful vistas with the mountains in the background and of course flowers of all shapes and sizes.  Kirstenbosch has some 350 tree species and countless types of shrubs, flowering plants, sedges, aloes and other succulents.

The main purpose of our visit was to see and experience Kirstenbosch’s latest addition, the ‘Boomslang’ Tree Canopy Walkway.  Clearly, we were not the only visitors who wanted to see the new walkway – there were lots of other people heading in the same direction.  Once we were standing on one of its high points, we realized why:  it was a novel and thrilling experience to look out over the gardens from about 10 meters (30 feet) or so up from the forest floor – and the structure blends into the environment fairly well.  So it offers a new and unique perspective without totally sacrificing Kirstenbosch’s ‘natural’ ambience.

After searching for an finding the last few blooming King Proteas (Protea Cynaroides), we enjoyed a not-so-light lunch at Moyo’s which offers traditional South African menu items such as boerewors rolls and fish & chips.  And Malva Pudding.

Sunday 25 November – Jogging along the Mouille Point Promenade
This morning we had a fairly early start, driving up and across Kloof Nek via Clifton (almost no parking there by 0900A) and Bantry Bay to the Mouille Point Promendade. This is the place to enjoy a run along flat terrain, not always easy to find elsewhere in Cape Town. We jogged about 4 miles out and back, enjoy the ‘rave run’ setting, kids, bikes, dogs, paragliders above and ships offshore. We even did a little bird-watching, spotting some uncommon African Oystercatchers, amongst others.

PART 3: FRANSCHOEK & THE CAPE WINELANDS

You don’t have to be a wine-lover to enjoy the Cape wine lands – there’s plenty of gorgeous scenery, history, culture and other things of interest to appeal to every taste. Even so, exploring a few of the wine estates in the area is definitely the thing to do.  On one of our very first trips to the area back in the early 1980’s the owner himself came to the door at Rustenberg, to welcome us and assist us with an impromptu wine-tasting.  What a treat! Nowadays Rustenberg is a highly acclaimed winery and while we have not been back there lately, I wouldn’t expect that level of personal service anywhere, in this day and age.  Everything has grown in size, complexity and sophistication and while wine-tastings are as much fun as ever, they’re a bit more structured.

La Petite Ferme
Our most recent visit last November started with a drive from Cape Town via Stellenbosch, arriving in Franschoek just in time for a tasty lunch at La Petite Ferme, the well-known and highly regarded restaurant and guest house, overlooking the pretty Franschoek Valley. It was a little more expensive than I had anticipated, but our food was expertly prepared and presented, with some affordable and very tasty estate-grown wine available.

La Residence
By early afternoon, we were being welcomed at the imposing La Residence, a deluxe 11-suite property a few kilometers out of Franschoek village.

La Residence is simply out of this world. Does it get any better than this? Not really. Eclectic, elegant, sophisticated, all the superlatives apply to this amazing place. Add a fantastic view over the vineyards and mountains beyond, food to die for and attentive staff and it’s a winner all the way.

Our room – #4 – looked out right over the vineyards, and it was quite spacious with a massive bathroom, really great tub, and french doors opening to the balcony. The main bedroom also had large doors opening to the outside.  Plush bedding, goose-down pillows, elegant china, a full selection of complimentary drinks, wines, beers, candies, salty snacks, chips and more.

We were welcomed with an estate-grown rose and complimentary bottle of of the estate’s rose wine as well.  Nice double!

I spent about 40 minutes in the gym, which had a decent number of cardio equipment – and not a whole lot else.  After a luxurious bath – there is no other kind at La Res – we got ready for dinner.

Dinner at La Residence is special.  It starts with the setting.  The beautifully lit main dining room with a simply massive chandelier sets the scene.  On this evening, we sat down for a 4-course tasting menu which included lightly smoked salmon, locally sourced trout, gorgonzola pear salad, broccoli cauliflower soup, beet medallions, panfried hake, and the vegetarian option being a pasta with mushroom sauce.  Dessert was a malva pudding – or flourless chocolate cake.

We enjoyed the very interesting wine pairings and the sommelier had some insightful comments about the various wines and where they were grown and bottled (mostly from the Franschoek area).

The next morning we did a full site inspection at La Residence, checking our 3 other rooms and all of the La Residence Villas, some with a private pools, some with 2 bedrooms and a child-friendly option as well.  All of the rooms are individually decorated, demonstrating an amazing range of finishings and interior decorating of the highest standard.

From La Res as it is affectionately known, Kathy and I drove back to Franschoek town and checked in at Franschoek Country House and Villas.  The Guesthouse is on the outskirts of Franschoek town, in a garden setting with standard rooms and villas.  The villas are huge, with a lounge area with TV &, DVD player, a good-sized bedroom and comfortable bed, plus a large tub and separate shower.

We drove the 3 kilometers or so into town to support the local economy by buying a couple of shirts and trying some local craft beer.  Then it was time for a 5-mile run along a quiet country road, passing a couple of interesting properties along the way, including Richard Branson’s newly opened Mont Rochelle hotel.

Monneaux Restaurant, Franschoek Country House
This evening, we tried the new tasting menu at Monneaux Restaurant and it turned out to be one of the best meals of our entire trip, if not the single best one. With some imaginative wine pairings, it was excellent value at about $50 per person. Some of the menu items were butternut croquettes or tempura mussels (pierre jourdan tranquille), seared Franschoek salmon trout (mont andre chardonnay), lamb rack with pistachio parsley crust (mont andre shiraz), panko crumbed brie (rickety bridge chenin blanc), frozen dark chocolate mud pie with turkish delight jello (nederburg noble late harvest). And good coffee. One of the best meals we’ve enjoyed in South Africa lately!

Huguenot Museum, Franschoek
It has been too many years since I last visited the impressive and very moving Huguenot Museum in Franschoek.  The distinctive triple arch design and Coert Steynberg’s beautiful sculpture of a young woman seemingly freed of the shackles of religious persecution dominate the top of Main Street, on the high side of the village of Franschoek.

We paid the equivalent of US$1.00 entry fee for the monument, marvelled at some impressive Protea Cynaroides (King Protea) in full bloom, lots of other pretty and colorful flowers and roses and then spent a good 20 minutes or so immersing ourselves in the monument and its symbolism.

It cost the equivalent of another US Dollar to enter the nearly Franschoek Museum – run by a different entity.  Rather annoyingly, there was a blanket prohibition on the taking of photographs (with or without flash), ostensibly for ‘security purposes’.  Funny how this bogus catch-all phrase is used all over the world as an excuse when there is no real good reason to prohibit something.

Even so it was worthwhile spending some time in the museum which has a few very interesting artifacts, maps and pieces of furniture such as desks, wardrobes and beds plus family histories of various prominent Huguenot families, tracing their arrival particularly from 1688 onwards.

From there we drove back towards Stellenbosch for a delightful lunch and site inspection at Delaire Graf, a luxury lodge, winery and art repository with picturesque views over the Franschoek mountains.  We enjoyed our linefish and langoustines served on the best restaurant deck imaginable, eventually heading back to Franschoek. On our last day in Franschoek we were hosted by Patrick Siebel, MD of Luxury Afica, on a sight-seeing, wine-tasting and site inspection trip in the Cape winelands.

More food, wine & antique cars
On our last day in Franschoek we were hosted by Patrick Siebel, MD of Luxury Africa, on a sightseeing,
wine-tasting and site inspection trip in the Cape winelands.

We started off with a thorough site inspection at La Cle des Montagnes, a superb and clearly well-managed property consisting of four large and luxuriously appointed villas, ranging from two to four+ bedrooms.   An excellent choice for accommodation very close to Franschoek, equivalent to being a guest in a stylish farmhouse with private garden and pool.

Then it was on to L’Ormarins, the famed Rupert-family property where classic cars, top quality wines and race horses combine to make it a ‘must see’ stop on the Cape winelands route.

We spent probably too much time gawking at the stunning collection of antique, classic and recent vintage automobiles, followed by a fascinating drive along the farm’s private roads in a splendid vintage model Rolls Royce Silver Shadow.

Our L’Ormarins visit was capped off by a wine-tasting and we tried a little bit of L’Ormanris’ Optima as well a Syrah and a Cabernet Sauvignon – and some brut sparkling wine.  All were terrific.

Lunch on the day was at the acclaimed Terroir Restaurant in Stellenbosch where both our Cepe and Pork Belly main courses were delicious.  Highly recommended.

12 Apostles Hotel, Cape Town
By late afternoon we were being welcomed at the 12 Apostles Hotel, located right off the rugged coastline a few kilometers from Camps Bay.  By far its best feature is the view over the ocean, so if you do stay at this hotel, be sure to get a deluxe room or suite on the ocean-facing side.  Our 1-BR suite (honeymoon suite) was perfectly nice but the design and interior decor was not overly exciting; we did however like the very comfortable bed & pillows & slept exceedingly well.

We tried a local craft beer at the Leopard Bar and a light dinner at the casual restaurant, both receiving a big thumbs up.  The passageways and common areas are somewhat cramped and a bit dark; but overall we quite enjoyed our short stay.  Breakfast was one of the best of the trip with a huge array of items at the hot and cold buffet plus several a la carte choices.

Mount Nelson Hotel
On the morning of 27 November we moved on to the venerable Mount Nelson Hotel which looked to be in splendid shape.  And so it was.  From the imposing arbor grove which makes for a very impressive arrival to the superb high tea, it lived up to our every expectation.

Our junior suite in the annex was spacious, quiet and understated – just what one would expect from the Mt. Nelson.  The Nellie is a property where one could easily spend several days as the location is very convenient to downtown and just a short walk to the Company Gardens and Cape Town’s museum district.

We did not have time for any meals at the Mt. Nelson – except for high tea – but will make a point of doing so on our next visit.  From what we saw and experienced at high tea, we won’t be disappointed.  The Mt. Nelson house blend and premium export quality Rooibos was just what the doctor ordered.  Plus a bewildering variety of sweets and a dozen or so types of sandwiches ranging from chili bites to more conventional cucumber sandwiches.  Even if you’re not staying at the ‘Pink Lady’ by all means go and enjoy the high tea – it is an experience!

PART 4: XIGERA CAMP, OKAVANGO DELTA

Early on the morning of Fri 28 November, without the boxed breakfast lunch which the Mt. Nelson Hotel forgot to give to us, Kathy and I made the less than 20-minute drive to Cape Town Airport.  Then we dove into the travel maelstrom, swept along like tiny fish in a powerful current.   Drop off the car.  Submit to security and check in.  A cup of coffee at the Mug & Bean.  Some walking and then waiting.  More waiting.  Two hours in the air to Jo’burg.  A little more walking and more waiting.  Cramped bus ride to an aircraft.  Less than 2 hours in the air to Maun.  And then we were there.

In real life it took more than half a day and added half a year to the aging process, of course. At least there was no luggage lost or broken into, no major delays or even minor mishaps. Springing a little extra for business class seats paid off handsomely with ‘first on, first off’ being the biggest bonus. A more comfortable seat, a little more legroom, food on real plates and wine in real glasses – meh. It is all about the priority boarding and fast exit.
One more flight awaited us that day, being a 20-minute hop by Cessna Caravan to Xigera. Real flying and great fun. By 3:00P that day, we were in the Okavango Delta. It was warm and there were some thunderstorms visible in the distance.
Xigera is a typical Okavanago Delta camp on an island with an imposing pedestrian bridge leading up to the lounge and dining room area. Everything is on a large, sturday boardwalk. Rooms are spacious and comfortable, but not luxurious. Good lighting, mosquito nets, hot water, effective ventilation. The stuff that matters.
Our afternoon mokoro outing was very successful. I saw and photographed a male sitatunga – this being my first photograph ever of this shy and elusive antelope. We found ourselves in just the most beautiful environment imaginable, papyrus groves in every direction, birds all around, and elephants hurrying past us and through the river. This is what the Okavango Delta is all about. No noise, almost no pollution, nobody else around. If there were a secret portal to re-connect with nature, this is where you are likely to find it.
The day ended much much less stressfully than it started, with a delicious dinner – your choice of peppered beef or bell peppers stuffed with couscous. Plus lots of other tasty items, freshly baked bread and a very sweet but very good dessert. It was early to bed for us.

Enjoying Xigera and the Okavango Delta
On what turned out to be a Saturday morning – not that days of the week really matter on safari – we were up at 05:30A, for a game + birding drive. Again, we were pleasantly surprised by the abundance of wildlife. Lots and lots of birds, for sure, and also lechwe, impala, bushbuck and zebra. Then we transitioned to a boating outing on a channel in the Delta, from the boat station down to the Boro River. On arrival at the boat station we observed a good sized herd of elephants, plus there were – predictably – hippo in the pool. Back to camp for a late brunch and then – sleeping safari, aka siesta time.
By late afternoon, we took another longish outing with our guide Lesh into or close to the neighboring AndBeyond concession in search of more mammals. We came across quite a few: zebra, impala, kudu, tsessebe, warthogs and elephant. Oddly enough, no giraffe. Over the course of the first two days we did not see any predators but that is not why we came to Xigera.
Xigera is all about the water, the Delta, the water-adapted mammals and the birds. It is about tranquility and about being in a place where you set out on a morning or afternoon activity fully expecting to see lots of exciting things – but no other human beings.
And so it was. Over two days here, we saw a myriad of birds, beautiful landscapes, plenty of general wildlife and we enjoyed almost total exclusivity on activities.
Our final dinner at Xigera was again a delightful experience. It started with an entertaining and highly education talk by Dave Luck, a specialist guide, who talked about the Delta and about Northern Botswana, using a map to highlight some natural features, the origin of the annual flood, how various factors such as tectonic activity and even hippo channels affect the way the water disperses and so on. Very interesting.
The dinner menu was varied and exciting with couscous, rice and a variety of vegetables including butternut squash and green beans plus salads, chicken stir-fry, loin of venison, vegetarian crepes and more fresh bread. We also had a choice of chardonnay and shiraz table wine.

Lions at Xigera
Our intended plan this morning was to do a birding walk around camp, but overnight a pride of lions had walked into the concession from the adjacent Nxabega area. Naturally we went out to the spot where they were – near the Xigera mokoro station – and promptly bumped into one and soon after another four individuals, three males and two females. Quite handsome too and while the light wasn’t perfect, it was soft and even with no harsh shadows.
The bottom line on Xigera: the camp is very comfortable, with a great lay-out, ideally located lounge and dining room area. The rooms are likely ready for a complete re-build to catch up with the rest of the Wilderness Safaris ‘classic’ portfolio, but the camp’s location right on the edge of the permanent Delta is excellent. Although we enjoyed some exceptionally good game-viewing, Xigera is really not the camp for someone who is ‘only’ interested in big game. It is a great Okavango Delta camp choice – where the focus is on the Delta itself, the water, water-adapted wildlife including a wealth of birds, plants and of course water-related activities such as mokoro outings and boating.

PART 5: SEBA CAMP, OKAVANGO DELTA

By early afternoon on Nov 30 we made the short hop to Seba in a Cessna 206. Our guide for the next two days would be Speedy. On arrival, Speedy gave us a short introduction to the concession and the area, what was currently being seen and what was possible, told us about the various activities and provided basic facts about the camp. All very useful information to have early on in one’s stay at any camp.

Managers Tim and Haley continued the welcome and provided more information about the camp and our family room – which was very spacious and well-appointed – and then left us to settle in.

After tea at 4:00P, we set off on a game drive and saw good numbers of plains game – giraffe, kudu, zebra, buffalo, and also elephant and enjoyed one of our best sightings ever of hyenas, with three sets of hyena cubs around the den, playing and barrelling around, much to our delight.

The next morning – December 1 – we were up at 5:30A which was really 30 minutes too late, with the sun already well up in the sky by the time we started our game drive at 6:30A. In summer it is imperative to already be in position to take your best photographs right at first light.

We were looking for a specific female leopard which had been observed the previous day, but had no luck with it. The game drive ended up being typical of an Okavango Delta outing with a fair number of general game species including zebra, giraffe (lots!), kudu and of course impala. Towards the end of the drive, while waiting to see if a lechwe would jump across a channel, a large herd of elephants emerged – one by one and sometimes two by two – from the edge of thick vegetation bordering an island.

Some of them – the vanguard – looked momentarily surprised by the presence of our vehicle in the road but proceeded ahead, making a slight detour around us, past a mokoro station. Eventually a long staggered line of about 40 elephants of all sizes paraded right by us. Bringing up the rear was a massive elephant bull who came closer to the vehicle than any of the other elephants.

After brunch that morning we attempted a nap but it was not entirely successful – too much light in the room.

We find the elusive Leopard
The afternoon outing with Speedy was one of our best in several years. There was an abundance of wildlife: zebra, wildebeest, kudu, tsessebe, impala, warthog, giraffe and elephants, several with young to very young babies.

En route to our fishing location – a nearby lagoon – Speedy heard some vervet monkeys make an alarm call and sure enough – there was a female leopard walking in the floodplain, right in the open.
We turned around and drove in the same direction, and saw the heavily pregnant female leopard disappear into thick vegetation just off the road.

We searched for a while but did not see her again. Then it was on to fishing. We had a lot of fun over the next hour or so, with Kathy pulling out 5 catfish to my single one. I did lose a big one though!

Romantic bush dinner at Seba
The day ended on a high note with a spectacular bush dinner on the edge of the water, on a small ‘peninsula’, with lots of lanterns on poles and candles creating a fairytale scene and atmosphere. It was all very romantic, complete with a full bar, two good South African table wines and an array of traditional African starters such as samoosas, followed by grilled fish, grilled rumpsteak, chicken tagine, roasted new potato, green beans, tomato salad and fresh bread. It was past 10:00P by the time we got back to camp. We were already starting to look forward to sending our clients to this camp!

Prior to dinner a very entertaining and well done singing and dancing performance was put on by the members of the Seba staff. Interestingly – but likely totally co-incidentally – a large troop of baboons were making a huge racket in a stand of trees behind us, as the group started to sing. They did not like the competition!

The next day – Dec 2 – we were up very early – 05:00A – to go in search of the leopard we had spotted the previous afternoon, but had no luck with that. We did find some kudu, zebra and more elephants, and I managed to get a few useful pics of birds in flight. By 10:00A we sat down to a hot breakfast in camp, and just after 11:00A flew out on a C-206 with Mack Air. Our routing took us 15 minutes to a place by the name of Xaraxai and another 25 minutes to Khwai River Lodge Airstrip, where someone from our next camp – Machaba – would come to meet us.

What makes Seba and the Okavango Delta ‘special’
Our overall experience at Seba was a true reflection of every reason why people who come to Botswana once, often end up returning again and again.

This tented camp is located in typical Okavango Delta mosaic with large open stretches of floodplain, meandering waterways and papyrus-choked channels connecting with the Boro River, lagoons and small palm-fringed islands. It is remote, private and there is lots of game with very diverse activities including mokoro outings, boating, game drives and walking. The accommodation, hospitality and guiding are all first-class.

Nowhere else in Africa can you do and see so much in a practically pristine environment with hardly anybody else around. Over the course of 4 days at Seba and Abu – the two camps are just a short driving disatnce from each other – we saw perhaps three other game drive vehicles out on the roads – total – and shared a sighting with another car only once.

PART 6: MACHABA CAMP, KHWAI RIVER – MOREMI

Machaba is a mid-range tented camp – with some nice luxury touches – located in the Khwai region of Botswana, on the edge of the Moremi Game Reserve. Machaba makes a good first impression because of its excellent location on an elevated spot overlooking the Khwai River.
There is a spacious lounge and dining room to the left and right of the entrance area. We enjoyed a light lunch of baked tilapia with potato and beetroot salad & green salad, fresh bread & macaroni & cheese. All very tasty.

Then we were shown to our room #6 – one of the two family rooms in this very child-friendly camp which is happy to accommodate kids of any age. The room is a combination of two large tents with one king and two twin beds. The bathroom has an indoor and outdoor shower.

Unfortunately the room opens and closes with zippers, which can get very tedious very quickly. Also the tents are relatively close to each other – we could hear our neighbors, although indistinctly, thank goodness. Another feature lacking was a ceiling fan – the room was quite stifling by mid-afternoon and a ceiling fan would have made a big difference. As it turned out I spent about an hour checking and responding to e-mail – the outdoor WIFI hotspot worked very well – and then went straight to a game drive.

The game drive was successful with good sightings of elephant – several – and a solitary lion – a rather scruffy individual. Plus lots of lechwe, zebra, wildebeest and kudu.

Much of the information provided by our guide Leopard was superfluous to anyone who had been on safari before. However he gave a good pre-departure briefing, was very thorough and at all times concerned about his clients’ well-being. After sundowners a short distance from camp, we returned to camp at around 7:40P.
Dinner at 8:00P was a festive affair with lanterns adorning a dead tree in front of the lounge. There was an open outside bar. After a bit of socializing in typical Botswana safari camp fashion, the dinner menu and choice of wines (a chenin blanc and a cabernet sauvignon) were announced.

Compared with lunch, the food was disappointing. The cauliflower was undercooked and the green peas overcooked. The beef curry did not have much flavor, with a distinct lack of spices. The curry side dishes which included coconut, a yoghurt mix, a tomato relish and a cucumber raita were good, as was the basmati rice and baked pumpkin. All in all the most forgettable meal so far on the trip.

Mixed results on game drives at Machaba
Our morning game drive started slowly but picked up about 90 minutes later when we came across a large herd of buffalo. Unfortunately we had lost much of the nice morning light by then. On the way back to camp we stopped to observe two elephants dunking themselves plafyully and jousting with each other tusk to usk. It was truly a ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ sighting as the two behemoths went at each other for what seemed like the longest time. We were all thrilled to see it play out. Minutes later someone else drove up and asked if we had seen anything. We just looked at each other and nodded affirmatively. We sure had!

The afternoon game drive was very slow. We were all keen to find a leopard so spent more than 2 hours bumping around the bush in search of one – but found not a thing. In the process I watched in dismay as the perfect late afternoon light (the golden hour) came and went without an opportunity to point a lens at anything.

I think guides would be well-served to find something – anything – to light up for that one perfect morning and afternoon hour (cloud cover permitting). Impala, lechwe, kudu, elephant – there is not an animal out there that doesn’t look good and photograph well in great light.

Overall the game-viewing at Machaba was unsatisfactory. No reflection on our guide Leopard who tried valiantly. We realize that seasonality comes into it, and that game-viewing is better in the dry season, with not as much vegetation which obscures one’s view and with more animals concentrated around water.

Had we been able to drive into the adjacent Moremi Game Reserve – where African Painted Dogs and leopard had been seen – this might have turned out differently. However the lodge has what appears to be a self-serving rule that only guests staying 3 nights or longer are allowed to enter the Moremi Game Reserve.

In my opinion, it makes no sense not to fully utilize this asset. Most guests would be more than happy to pay the park entry fee which is less than US$20.00 per person.

I would likely recommend Machaba for the dry season when game viewing is at its best. Hopefully the camp can sort out the Moremi Game reserve access issue so that guests who spend only 2 nights there will also be able to enjoy it. On our last morning there – December 4 – the game drive was really very slow. I barely took the camera out of its case which is frustrating. Again, we were in search of leopard but to no avail. I did get a few useful pics of a couple of young hyenas at their den and some zebra.

PART 7: ABU CAMP, OKAVANGO DELTA

Abu is a beautiful, remote camp in the Okavango Delta where six habituated elephants provide the lucky guests with a thrill of a lifetime, whether it is riding, walking with or just observing these amazing giants of the animal world.Right now the star attraction is little Naledi, a little more than a year old and pretty much ruling the roost. If you’re at all keen on elephants, make your plans to travel to Abu soon, before Naledi passes out of the ‘cute’ stage…

This famous elephant camp is located in a beautiful 170,000 hectare concession, one of the largest in the Okavango Delta. We reach it by early afternoon on Dec 3 2014.

Abu Camp has a reputation which goes back many years to the early 1990’s when Randall Moore brought back to Africa several elephants from the USA, notably Abu – the star of several movies and award-winning TV commercials.

Abu Camp has had a couple of iterations since then. At one time it was mandatory to book a 5-night minimum stay which was not everybody’s preference. Currently, Abu Camp is owned by Paul Allen and operated and marketed by Wilderness Safaris.

The property consists of 6 deluxe rooms, each with pretty views over the Okavango Delta floodplain, and with lots of space. There is no boardwalk except to room #3, which is the closest to the lodge. The rooms all have a high degree of privacy. They have an indoor shower and outdoor tub, his and hers wash basins and ample storage area. Plus a fully stocked mini-bar and coffee/tea station with a French press. There is a large patio with 2 chairs and a table.

The camp’s main area consists of two structures with an ‘undulating’ roof, again with ample space and light. The focus is on providing a private, exclusive experience, with a high degree of flexibility. On our first morning at Abu this became quickly evident when we were having breakfast while a Scandinavian couple was already perusing the lunch menu.

For the duration of our stay at Abu Camp, the food was superb. Amongst the memorable meals were a bush dinner in the form of ‘bush tapas’, an array of small servings of soup & various types of sate and other light bites, ending with a malva pudding. Quite satisfactory, fun and delicious.

After a thorough briefing from camp managers Aaron Gjellstad and Jamie Rose – both American – we settled into our room, unpacked, checked a few e-mails (Abu’s WIFI reaches into room #3), and then got ready for our first activity – an elephant-back ride.

To be honest, I’ve always harbored some misgivings about actually getting onto an elephant’s back, fearing that by doing so I would be crossing a line from observing wild animals to treating them like a circus animal.

Being guests at Abu we did not want to pass on the opportunity to experience elephant-back riding and anyway, I would have felt like a jerk turning down the chance to try it, simply because of my own prejudice. I did not regret the decision. But more about that in a minute.

Earlier in the day – when we first arrived at Abu – we had been introduced to the herd so we knew that we’d be riding on Cathy (leading from behind) and Sherini (out in front).

The Abu herd currently consists of:
Kathy – 52 – from Uganda via Canada
Sherini – 29 – saved from a culling operation
Lorato – 6 – daughter of Ketimetsi & sister to Naledi
Pasika – 5 – saved after an African Painted dog attack
Waruna – 3 – daughter of Sherini
Naledi – 1 – bottle-raised orphan child of Ketimetsi

After some brief interaction with the elephants – including an obligatory but rather rambunctious ‘cuddling session’ with little Naledi – we climbed up on a small metal platform, and as nimbly as we could stepped across and into one of two sturdy seats right behind the elephant handler.

Having just ridden a camel for the first time earlier in 2014 in Laikipia (see this trip report), I can say that riding an elephant is much more pleasant than a camel. More steady, much more gentle and far less smelly. Rolls Royce versus Volkswagen.

On the afternoon ride the elephants walk back from a spot out in the bush at a steady pace – interrupted by brief feeding stops – to their boma, which took a little more than an hour on this particular day. We were sitting on the elephant ‘saddle’ in a straddle position which is ok for an hour or so – it might become uncomfortable on a longer outing.

You can also ride side-saddle if you prefer. ‘My’ elephant – Cathy – was quite well-behaved and never lurched or made any abrupt moves. I was able to completely relax and take in the sensation of being transported through the wilderness in this most unique of ways.

Being on an elephant’s back is a singularly bizarre experience. For one thing, you are about 4 meters – 12 feet – off the ground with a fantastic view of the surrounding bush. To your immediate left and right are two giant elephant ears (fortunately with a minimum amount of flapping on this rather cool day) and most interestingly directly in front the large trunk of the elephant, occasionally being extended right up and back with the tip coming to rest in front of the handler. All the better to receive a treat in the way of an elephant pellet which the handler doles out sparingly.

The best part of the ride is to closely observe the elephants when they stop to feed on a variety of plants and trees, ranging from grass to mopane trees to fresh silverleaf terminalia vegetation. Neither Kathy nor I had ever been able to observe elephants strip the bark off a thin branch at such close range. They would very skillfully roll it from left to right, the stripped wood being discarded or stepped upon and broken off, if there was another branch to be ‘processed’.

Quite a few times the elephants would all seem to stop and fan out, do a little feeding and then re-form in their pre-allocated positions. Twice en route Naledi consumed a large bottle of elephant formula, following on which she would rush to the front to retain her spot just behind sister Lorato – they are both dughters of the late Ketimetsi.

It was entertaining to see Naledi almost break into a trot, her short little legs practically whorling under her as she wiggled her way to the front of the line. Not far from the boma all the elephants walked to the top of a termite hill for a ‘photo op’, clearly pausing and posing for the cameras.

All too soon we were back at the boma where we dismounted. There was more to come. We were given big handfuls of elephant pellets (from a central bin) which we either tossed directly into the elephants’ open mouths or placed in the upended tips of their trunks which they would expectantly thrust right in front of you. It was a nice way for us to say ‘thank you’ to them – job well done!

December 5 2014
Our morning activity at Abu Camp on the day was again elephant-related. As it should be. This time, however, we walked with the elephants instead of riding on them. Some guests may prefer this to elephant-back riding or they can do it as an additional activity, as we did.

It is of course completely different (then the riding) with the three of us walking behind five of the elephants and ahead of one (Cathy). Again, we were able to observe them feeding on various shoots, leaves and trees, and there was more time and opportunity to observe Naledi.

The pellet feeding at the conclusion of the walk, which also lasted a bit more than an hour, was a little less structured and Kathy was bumped by Naledi who was seemingly frustrated with the way in which the pellets were presented to her. Feisty little animal!

We had one more chance to interact with the elephants when they decided to take a mud bath & swim, close to the spot where we had earlier gone fishing out of Seba Camp, a few days ago. It was entertaining and sometimes hilarious to watch the elephants plunge into the water, splash and squirt it all over and wallow in the mud, often lying on their sides and wriggling their large bodies, clearly enjoying the sensation. This went on for well over 20 minutes with both Kathy and I taking lots of photographs.

Back in camp we enjoyed a short siesta followed by an afternoon game drive. Just like from Seba, there was plenty of game in the area and I got some useful pics of giraffe, impala and zebra and a few birds in flight.

Dec 6
As a final farewell to the elephants of Abu, we had breakfast with them at the Boma this morning, observing their monring routine including feeding before they head out for the day. We were sad to see them go. Our stay at Abu turned out to be one of our most memorable safari experiences ever.

PART 8: GHOHA HILLS SAVUTI

From Abu and the lush environment of the Okavango Delta, we would now venture into a very different yet equally intriguing area of Northern Botswana – the near legendary Savuti. The Savuti Channel and Savuti Marsh – also spelled Savute – plus the adjacent Linyanti area stretching all the way to the border of Namibia – have for many decades been a popular and reliable safari destination. The area is well known for its abundance of elephants, particularly in the dry season when sometimes hundreds of them congregate around water.

From Abu we flew via Pom Pom (15 minutes) to Savuti Airstrip, another 35 minutes away, where our guide Bee met us and a young Australian couple Abigail and Ben. They had just been married for 6 days and it was fun to observe their reactions and impressions, with so much of what they were seeing and experiencing being completely new to them. They were a cute couple who was clearly having the time of their life on this, their first Africa trip. They had already spent some time in the Okavango Delta and Moremi.

It was about an hour’s drive to Ghoha Hills Savuti Camp, along a sandy road about 12 miles (20 kilimeters) from the Savuti Airstrip, in the direction of Kasane. The main lodge at Ghoha Hills has a spectacular setting and very pleasant, soothing surroundings, literally about as far away from everything as you can be in this modern world.

From inside the lodge one has an amazing view over the plains, as far as the eye can see. The lodge is spacious with a large dining room and adjacent lounge/library area as well as an outdoor verandah where a new outdoor breakfast deck will soon be added. There is free WIFI available inside the main lodge – I tried it a couple of times and it worked well. A note of caution: there are lots of step going up to the lodge – 23 – and down to the fireplace – 14 – which may be tricky to negotiate for less mobile visitors.

Our room was nicely appointed with lots of space and a very comfortable bed; we slept soundly both nights there. The room had a good mosquito next, adequate lighting and a high degree of privacy. The staff at Ghoha Hills was terrific. From an enthusiastic singing and dancing performance on arrival, to the friendly greeting on return to the lodge after an activity, the staff could not have been more welcoming. They clearly enjoy having people around. Their pre-dinner ‘concert’ was likewise very entertaining and one of the best we had seen in a long time in Botswana. Lots of enthusiasm, plenty of smiles and laughter and a refreshing ‘joi de vivre’! Food and drinks were excellent all round. We were treated to tasty, well-prepared food – and beautifully presented. Clearly all dietary preferences can be catered for, portions are ample and everything was fresh. Our guide Bee worked very hard to find good sightings for us and we saw a good variety of mammals and birds that included elephant, impala, buffalo, lions, giraffe, kudu and roan (first ones for the trip) as well as zebra and other plains game.

The full day drive to the Savuti Marsh ended up being overly long – 9 hours out and back. Too much for all but the hardiest of safari afficionados. We thought that leaving the lodge earlier would have been better, in order to get to the marsh when the light was still good for photography. As it turned out we got there when the light was already very harsh, so while the wildlife was ample my photographs of the lions which we saw as well as the many elephants, were below par.

The overall experience at Ghoha Hills was excellent and we really enjoyed the people, the setting, the warmth and genuine desire to please demonstrated by managers Abraham and Nanette and their staff, who went out of their way to make us feel welcome and comfortable.

We do have some reservations about the property though because of the relative scarcity of wildlife in the lodge’s immediate environment, which necessitates a time-consuming outing to the Savuti Marsh to see the animals. We were told that a similar outing could be made to the Linyanti area. We did not have time to do this ourselves but guests who were at Ghoha at the same time as us, did go on the Linyanti drive and they did not see much in the way of big game.

PART 9: SAVUTE SAFARI LODGE

From Ghoha Hills it was an hour-long drive back to the Savuti Airstrip where a driver from Desert & Delta Safaris picked us up for the short trip to Savute Safari Lodge.

The lodge had not changed much at all since my first visit here in December 2008. The one big change was the state of the Savute Channel which runs right in front of the camp. Back in 2008 there was an artificially maintained waterhole in front of camp and nothing else. At the time the Savuti Channel had reverted to being an ephemeral river or linear oasis – the kind of river which occassionally collects some water from local runoff with a few pools here and there, and some spots where elephants could get their trunks into clean water just below the surface of the sand. The water hole in front of camp was a hive of activity, particularly in the dry season.

By 2009 – for reasons that are still not entirely clear but likely the result of a heavier rainfall pattern over several years – also known as a wet cycle – the Savute Channel had started to flow strongly again and at least for a while the presence or absence of waterholes such as the one at Savute Lodge did not matter one way or another. There was water all along the channel from its source close to the Zibadianja Lagoon, almost all the way to the Savuti Marsh.

At least initially this made game-viewing in the area more challenging because it created more dispersal of big game species such as elephants and buffalo who did not ‘have’ to come to the few remaining waterholes in the dry season – they had access to water pretty much anywere.

By the time we got back to Savute late in 2014, the Savute Channel was still flowing but not very strongly – and the elephants were back at the original waterhole in big numbers, trying to get to the source of the fresh water which they prefer to the muddy stuff available elsewhere in the channel. More about that later. The rooms at Savute Safari Lodge are very comfortable with a large bed – in our case two 3/4 size beds next to each other enclosed in a mosquito net – a sitting area with a couple of stuffed chairs and a separate bathroom with toilet and shower. The rooms are a bit dated and have a distinct 1980’s feel – for now they are okay but will have to be redone or upgraded soon. In our room there were a few minor issues with plumbing, doors not closing properly & oddly enough the overhead fan stopped working once the power went off at night. Just when you need it most. Clearly the fans need to be on a battery-operated power source. The lounge and dining room are quite conventional and not very exciting by current safari camp design standards, but it really doesn’t matter that much. Savute Safari Lodge offers an exceedingly comfortable stay at a reasonable price, and the management and staff are most welcoming and helpful. Everyone made a point of introducing him or herself and maintained a high degree of interaction with all the guests for the duration of their stay.

The grounds of Savute Safari Lodge are well maintained with good walkways and borders and several natural patches, resulting in an abundance of birdlife and small mammals such as dwarf and slendertailed mongoose and tree squirrels.

There is also a very nice pool with a view over the channel and the elephant activity in and around it. What made it even better was a cooler box close the pool with some soft drinks and cold beers. The water was on the chilly side as the pool is mostly in the shade, but it was refreshing and we made good use of the loungers.

The focal point of the camp is the breakfast/dinner serving area which is elevated just above the electrified perimeter fence, overlooking a waterhole where fresh brackish water is pumped on a daily basis. The many elephants in this area all seem to want to put their trunk right over the jet of cool, fresh water. As a result, as many as 20 or more elephants would crowd into this relatively small space, taking turns at sucking up the much sought-after liquid.

From time to time, a spat would develop as one or more of the elephants would bar the entrance to another one, or warn off a rival on approach. Often this would be accompanied by deep rumbles, growls and a lot of trumpeting, from short warning blasts to long, intense expressions of anger, frustration or aggression.

It soon became evident that we had happened on upon a once-in-a-life time wilderness experience where the game-viewing was elevated to an almost surreal, hyper level. Never before had we seen such a high density of elephants spread out in such a large area. Not at Amboseli, not at Hwange, not at Chobe and not at Kruger Park. The number of large bull elephants roaming around the Savute Marsh on this trip was simply astonishing, and there were dozens of large breeding herds around every corner.

Our driver-guide had to take evasive action all the time, either driving off road to avoid the lumbering animals, or stopping and waiting for them to cross or – once or twice – blasting them off the road with the noise of the revving engine. The latter tactic was regrettable and we hope that he does not employ it too often as elephants have long memories and may exact revenge on (another) unuspecting driver elsewhere in Botswana, some day in the future.

In 25 years of going on safari, this ranked in the ‘top three’ of our ultimate elephant experiences, the other two being at Little Makalolo in early November one year and at Amboseli in June. It was a confluence of factors which we realize is unlikely to happen again. Possibly there was inadequate vegetation available in the Linyanti area with earlier rain creating ideal grazing conditions in and around the marsh itself. For whatever reason it seemed like every last elephant in Northern Botswana was in Savute that week.

What made the entire experience even more special, was the presence of so many other animals. There were zebras moving into the fringes of the marsh in their tens and hundreds, kudu of all sizes and ages around everywhere, hundreds of impala with multiple hundreds of babies, many giraffes, plus good numbers of wildebeest and even a few roan antelope.

On top of that we also found ourselves right in the middle of a massive herd of buffalo on the final afternoon, moving in the direction of a watering hole. A while later, we relocated to a different spot where two lionesses were watching the approaching buffalo herd, seemingly weighing up the odds of making a successful attempt at bringing one down. Ultimately they decided not to, which was a wise decision as they were totally outnumbered and would have been no match for the many large, powerful buffalo bulls at the waterhole.

December 10 2014
The game-viewing at Savute Safari Lodge did not stop at hundreds of elephant, zebra and other plains game.
We had previously – on the all-day trip from Ghoha Hills – seen the Marsh Pride on the edge of the marsh (duh). On the day of arrival at Savute Safari Lodge we went back to take a look at them and they were still in the same spot in the marsh, about 20 meters or so off the road.

On this morning we were on our way back to the marsh when our guide Gwist received word of the presence of a pack of African Painted dogs near the Rock Painting site. We promptly drove there, missed them on the first attempt and then enjoyed a very good – albeit brief – view of 5 or so of the animals moving from our right to left and eventually disappearing into the thick bush.

Just minutes later we were looking at a trio of mating leopards. Usually leopards are found either by themselves or in a mating pair. Or sometimes a female with youngsters. This was an exception as an older male leopard was vying for the attention of a female with a younger, more enthusiastic and energetic male. At first the older leopard was just resting up on a rock ledge but eventually he got into the action as well, displacing the young male towards the latter stages of the encounter.

The previous afternoon, we had seen the three of them as well and at that stage the young male had seemed to be in control. By this morning the tables had clearly been turned.

We spent the remainder of the morning looking a several lions (part of the Marsh Pride) on a dead elephant carcass. Only two of them were clearly visible – a very old female and one of her daughters. The others were mostly obscured by thickets and bushes. Driving around the edges of the marsh, our vehicle was followed by several carmine bee-eaters, intent on catching the insects stirred up by our activities. In the process I managed a fee decent pics of these colorful birds in flight – always something to behold.

What we experienced at Savute in December 2014 was undoubtedly a once in a lifetime experience. I know that we could go back there for the next 5 years on the exact same dates and never have the same experience.

Even so, I think that conditions at the Savute Marsh and the adjacent portion of the Savute Channel will be favorable for game-viewing for at least the next couple of years. So if you are going to visit Botswana soon – or any time in 2015 or 2016 – by all means consider including Savute Safari Lodge or the nearby Belmond Savute property on your itinerary. You can thank me later.

PART 10: DUMATAU CAMP, LINYANTI CONCESSION

Early on the afternoon of Dec 10 2014 – after a very smooth flight from Savuti with Mack Air – we arrived in the Linyanti Concession. Between Kathy and myself, we had visisted the area 6 different times in the past starting in the mid 1990’s and spending various amounts of time at Linyanti Tented Camp, Kings Pool, Dumatau, Selinda, Lebala and Lagoon Camps.Of all of these visits, this most recent 2-night visit to Dumatau produced the least satisfying game-viewing. Surprisingly, we did not see any elephants there over the course of the two days, which was disappointing particularly because we knew that several good-sized herds were present in the area and had been seen crossing the Linyanti River.

Of course it all has to do with seasonality and luck. Early in the wet season – when the elephants are widely dispersed – it is possible to experience a couple of quiet days anywhere and prospective visitors should keep this in mind when booking green season trips. Give yourself enough time in any one particular area – at least 3 nights but preferably 4 – so that one or two quiet days won’t matter as much. You will make up for it with some quality sightings – but they are sometimes few and far between. Don’t forget: the animals move around in real time and could be anywhere, anytime.

Over the years – both during the green season and later in the dry season – we have enjoyed some of our best game-viewing and most memorable sightings in the Linyanti-Selinda-Kwando region. Huge concentrations of elephants, leopards mating, lions hunting, a cheetah kill, African Painted Dogs pretty much every time – we’ve seen it all in this area. So we were probably a little spoilt and had set our expectations just a little too high. The few sightings which we did enjoy this time – there was very little in the way of general game – were very good though. One morning early we had our best lion sighting of the trip when we bumped into a coalition of two young males just entering their prime years. They were just waking up from a slumber and did not seem to be in any hurry to get going, giving us that flat, yellow-eyed lion look. The one which you know isn’t exactly meant for you but which makes it quite clear that as long as you remain blended in with the vehicle, you’re ok. Stand up and wave or put your foot down on the ground and everything changes. That look.

We also had a brilliant porcupine and small-spotted genet sighting on a night drive. Night drives are often rather dreary, uneventful outings but this one was quite lively and seeing the porcupine close up was very special. Particularly because we could see quite clearly that the porcupine was a good-sized, powerful animal – quite a contrast to its retiring, shy nature. Except of course when it is threatened.

One of the most memorable events of the entire trip happened pretty much by chance when we were observing a Tawny Eagle feeding on something. Which turned out to be a snake – identified as a Puffadder when we finally moved up close enough to see it in the binoculars. Always risky to get closer to a bird on its prey as it may feel threatened and fly off. The Tawny started to look at us and gave us ample warning to stop approaching any closer. Which we promptly did. As the encounter proved once again, patience pays off big time in the bush. We must have been watching the Eagle feed for a good 5 minutes when a Yellowbilled Kite unexpectedly injected itself into the scenario. The kite repeatedly tried to rob the eagle of its prey, flying in and out and dive-bombing the Tawny over and over, hoping that it would abandon its kill.

When the kite unexpectedly gave up just when it seemed that it was getting the upper hand, the eagle quickly relocated to a different, safer spot, dragging the snake behind it, initially hopping along, before finally taking to the air. It turned out that the kite had indeed snagged a portion of the puffadder, so in the end it worked out ok for both of them. And we enjoyed a spell-binding few minutes on safari, plus we managed to take a couple of nice photographs! A win-win-win scenario…

The new Dumatau Camp itself was fantastic and exceeded our every expectation. The communal area which consists of an expansive lounge, dining area and several separate small corners and circles gives the appearance of air and space even beyond what is there. Everything you ever wanted in a safari lodge and more. Elegant, exciting, fun to hang out in, an inviting bar plus several cozy, secluded corners for private dinners. You could spend 3 nights here without having two meals in the same spot. The variety of food, preparation and presentation were excellent and every bit the equal of several deluxe properties we had visited previously.

Our room was very private – and a good hike away from the main lounge area. The lay-out of the room had just recently been changed to move the shower to a different position in the room. Not having experienced the ‘original’ iteration of the room we can’t say for sure if this is an improvement or not, but it worked great! There was plenty of space for our ‘stuff’, the bed was comfortable and while we had preciously little time to enjoy it, it had a nice view over the Linyanti River. We even saw some impala jumping over the boardwalk one afternoon when Bert had to return to the room to pick up something.

One of the best activities at Dumatau was an afternoon of fishing on the Linyanti River with Tim and Haley from Seba Camp, who happened to be at Dumatau at the same time. It was most successful and between the four of us we must have caught – and released – more than 20 decent-sized tilapia and African Pike, as well as catfish – a most fun outing!

But beyond just being fun, we enjoyed the beautiful surroundings and the complete privacy. There was not a person or another boat to be seen or heard in any direction. We had miles and miles of river, marsh and lagoon all to ourselves. That is what makes the private concessions in northern Botswana so special. You just flat-out don’t have to deal with anything like the numbers of visitors and presence of other vehicles which often mar the experience in other more heavily visited safari destinations.

Another interesting activity which we tried out for an hour or so is a launch or pontoon cruise. The vessel which takes up to 15 or so passengers is able to cruise along the Linyanti River comfortably and smoothly, either up or downstream from Dumatau, and is ideal for brunch or sundowner outings. We would encourage all our clients to try this activity at some time during their stay at Dumatau.

PART 11: TUBU TREE CAMP, OKAVANGO DELTA

On December 12 2014 we returned to Tubu Tree Camp in the Jao Concession of the Okavango Delta, after an absence of about 3 years. It was still just as good and over the course of a brief 2-night stay we enjoyed close-up sightings of lions, a leopard, good numbers of buffalo, wildebeest, giraffe, kudu, impala and a few other mammals, and fantastic birdlife.

The camp and its sister property Little Tubu have proven themselves over and over to be reliable year-round Okavango Delta destinations, and we will continue to recommend either of these two camps as well as Kwetsani and Jao for our clients.

Tubu Tree Camp is no longer the small 5-room camp it once was, but despite now having 10 rooms along the same boardwalk (counting the 3 rooms of Little Tubu), the atmosphere really hasn’t changed. It still feels quite intimate and very much in keeping with the ethos of the true, authentic safari experience: private and personalized and very much in tune with its environment.

I still like the location of the rooms overlooking a large open floodplain. The newly improved and now larger rooms have a perfect balcony to sit and relax and observe whatever may be present in front of camp. On the day we arrived there were good numbers of zebra, wildebeest and impala around, as well as a small family of ground hornbills. Sitting and contemplating life on the verandah at Tubu Tree Camp is one of the under-rated joys of being on safari. Mostly we spend so much time on game drives and other activities that we neglect the reflective, introspective part of the experience.

The rooms at Tubu Tree and Little Tubu are right in the ‘goldilocks’ category of safari accommodation: not too big, not too small, not too fancy – just right. They are quite high on an elevated boardwalk and tucked right under the canopy of large trees – in shadow – thus cool even on a hot summer afternoon. The lighting is adequate, and although the ceiling fan is not the most effective one I’ve seen, it pushes enough air down and into the mosquito net at night to keep things comfortable.

The outdoor shower at room #5 – it actually has 2 shower heads – passed Kathy’s stringent outdoor shower test with flying colors. Most importantly, it is shaded, it has a natural feel (not just a conventional shower outside the room) and it received bonus points for the view. The rooms at Little Tubu are identical and the much smaller (3-roomed) camp is built on the same boardwalk as Tubu Tree.

The very intimate lounge and dining room as well as deck, swimming pool and bar area bear a strong resemblance to Tubu Tree as well, with similar stylistic elements. Little Tubu is operated as a completely separate camp with its own kitchen, vehicles and guiding team.

Dec 14, 2014
The game drive at Tubu Tree this morning with our guide Maipa (on loan from Jao) was great and reminded me of a couple of game drives at Mombo a few years ago. There was something to be seen around every corner: if it wasn’t giraffe, it was zebra or wildebeest or kudu, or the occasional elephant. Plus lots of impala with tiny babies, baboons and a proliferation of birds. More often than not three or four mammal species could be seen at the same time.

Add to this some of the prettiest scenery to be found anywhere in Northern Botswana and you have yourself a wilderness winner.

Earlier, we went on an 8-hour long excursion with Maipa to go and take a look at Jao and Kwetsani camps, which we had not seen in several years.

Jao was just as stunning and impressive as the first time, even more so now.  Of all the Okavango Delta camps which we’ve visited over the space of 25 years, Jao still sets the standard in visual and dramatic appeal.  The main lodge and dining room is nothing short of exquisite.  Built in the style of a Balinese long house, the setting is near perfect.  No matter where you are in camp you know that you are right in the heart of the Okavango Delta.  Even when the water in the Delta is at its lowest in late November and early December the camp offers water activities such as mokoro outings and boating.

We took a quick look at the extensive wine cellar and also the expertly staffed full-service spa.  These – plus a nicely equipped gym and a curio store stocked with all the things you’ve been looking for – elevate Jao into the upper echelon of deluxe safari properties.  If you truly enjoy the finer things in life, then Jao is for you.

We also went to nearby Kwetsani for a quick walk-through.  Of course the location was perfect as ever, overlooking a large grassy floodplain which is completely flooded in the wet season from about April through August.  We still like the deck at Kwetsani as much as ever – it extends out from the cozy main lodge and dining room area quite a bit, creating the ideal platform to enjoy the special, almost spiritual appeal of the Okavango Delta.

We were told that the camp would be closed for about 4 months until early winter of 2015 to completely rebuild the rooms from their current hybrid tented format to a 3-tent’ configuration with a connected lounge, sleeping and bathroom setup.  Clearly this will make Kwetsani even better than before.  We will continue to recommend it to our clients who prefer a small property (just 5 tents) in a remote and beautiful setting with diverse range of activities including boating, mokoro outings, fishing and of course game drives on nearby Hunda Island.

Getting back to the game drive this morning, we had the best view yet on the trip of a leopard – apparently the ‘camp female’ – who crossed the road in front of us in full view, allowing several good photo ops before disappearing into a thicket.

Later on we also enjoyed good views of a herd of wildebeest before returning to camp for brunch.

Alas, I then had to say goodbye to Kathy who was on her way back to the USA and to some good friends and clients from Southern Illinois with whom we had shared their last 2 days at Dumatau and their first 2 days at Tubu; lucky devils would be spending another several days there after our departure.

It was time to go.  A quick trip to the airstrip, a final goodbye to our guide Maipa and there over the horizon – we could hear it before we could see it – appeared our Wilderness Air ride.  Once more I pulled the shoulder strap tight over my left shoulder, clicked it into place, took a deep breath and watched the speed indicator climb to 80 knots which transforms the Cessna 208 from a bulky, lumbering collection of metal, rubber, plastic & synthetic parts into a powerful flying machine.

About an hour later, after brief stops at Vumbura and Chobe (Linyanti), we touched down at Kasane where I was met by a driver from Chobe Game Lodge.

PART 12: CHOBE GAME LODGE

It was only about 7 miles or so from Kasane Airport (BBK) to the Chobe Game Lodge (CGL) which is of course inside Chobe National Park.  Superficially CGL was the same as when I last visited it in 2008.  The interior part of the lodge including the reception, bar/lounge, verandah and restaurant also remained very much the same as in previous years.

There have been some significant changes though and all of the rooms – some had already been completed – are slated for far-reaching modifications including remodeling and enlargement of the bathrooms.

Something which I noticed on arrival – for a late lunch – was the addition of an 800-meter long raised walkway which hugs the edge of the Chobe River and which makes the most of the fantastic views over the water and grassy plains beyond.

The walkway has several nooks where private dinners or other activities can be conducted and it is large enough – at the eastern-most point – to host an outdoor dinner for the entire camp.

There are plans to extend the western portion of the boardwalk as well, all the way to the current boat jetty.  Great idea!

Another relatively new addition is a large outdoor dining/boma venue, with oversize umbrella stands capable of providing shade for 30+ people if required.

The pool at CGL is still in an ideal semi-shaded spot, blending into the natural scenery.  Once again I did not have time to use it…

From a previous visit to CGL, I recalled the wide choice and nice presentation of food dishes.  If anything the food selection and choice was even better this time around.  Invariably there were multiple choices of starters, main course and desserts for dinner and lunch, and an array of hot and cold items for breakfast.  Coffee lovers take note:  CGL has an espresso machine which produces some fantastic coffee!

In summer, morning game drives at CGL start early – at 0530A – which requires a wake-up call as early as 0430A to 0500A – depending on how quickly you can get ready.  Most guests show up at the restaurant at just after 0500A for a cup of coffee or tea and a rusk or freshly baked muffin.

Then it is off on a game drive of about 3 hours duration under the capable stewardship of one of CGL’s all-female guides.  The very early departure has two main benefits:  you get to enjoy the cool morning temperatures before it starts to get really hot around 1000A, and you mostly beat the crowd by being able to enjoy game viewing west of CGL for a good amount of time – as much as 2 hours – before other vehicles & day trippers from Kasane start to show up.

My first two outings at CGL – a boat trip on the day of arrival and a game drive the following morning – were quite slow.  No elephants were seen and other than some hippo in the Chobe River, the only large mammals we saw were a good group of about 50 buffaloes.  Plus hundreds of impala and all of their babies.

By the time a family of three Americans including their Peace Corps volunteer daughter joined us on the afternoon game drive on December 15 we were starting to get a bit anxious.  Would they see something on their first ever game drive in Africa?  Where were the elephants?  There was no reason to be worried.

We were hardly out of camp when we started to see the first of what ended up bring dozens if not quite hundreds of elephants.

Some were coming back from the Chobe River and other were on their way there – at one stage we saw two large breeding herds cross paths while a third – smaller – group was observing from nearby.

It didn’t stop with elephants.  We also saw giraffe (many!), kudu, buffalo, and enjoyed a long-awaited sighting of a handsome pride of Chobe lions.  There were about 7 or 8 individuals altogether, one young male on one side of the road and a group of about 6 females all lying more or less on top of one another.

We watched them for quite a while, with two sisters entertaining us with some playful jostling and display of affection.

Back in camp I had a rare chance to get some exercise, spending 30 minutes on the treadmill.  A lot of ‘damage’ to repair once I get back to the USA…

My stay at Chobe Game Lodge was concluded with a ‘behind the scenes’ tour of the property’s green iniatives which are significant and laudable.  They are very serious about recycling everything from plastic and paper right down to glass bottles which gets crushed and mixed into bricks – in fact as much as 95% of all of the lodge’s trash is sorted and recycled.  CGL has a very effective grey water recycling program and it also generates a substantial amount of bio-gas on the property.

CGL is moving forward on other fronts as well:  the lodge is now operating the first all-electric game drive vehicle in Botswana as well as an electric pontoon boat.  Additional game drive vehicles are slated to be converted to all-electric configuration soon.  As I can attest from personal experience, it is a novel and exciting experience to approach the wildlife on the electrically operated car as there is no noise to scare them off or make them apprehensive.  Even the tiny impala babies, normally very skittish around regular game drive vehicles, let us approach very close on the quiet car.  Cleary it will improve the game-viewing experience as the guide is able to hear ‘clues’ like alarm calls which might otherwise be drowned out by the noise of the engine.  There is nothing wrong with the vehicle’s ability to get into and out of ‘real’ 4-wheel terrain either!

In conclusion – I’ve always been a Chobe Game Lodge ‘fan’ and my most recent experience there just underscored the many positives of staying there.  It is the only lodge inside the Chobe National Park and it has an ideal location right on the Chobe River.  Yes there are some restrictions being inside the reserve (no off-roading and no night drives) and at times there can be too many vehicles in one area or at one sighting.  But these issues can be managed (for example with an early game drive start) and there is a very good road network so it is really not critical to be able to drive off-road.  In a park environment like this it will cause chaos and ruin the place in no time.

The main reason to visit Chobe Game Lodge is to enjoy its proximity to the water and to take advantage of the much greater degree of exclusivity which you can get on a boat cruise on the river, as opposed to a game drive.  Being on the river is a fantastic safari experience and lends itself to some of the best wildlife photographs of all, with animals inside or on the edge of the water, and a nice green backdrop to boot.  A couple of nights at Chobe Game Lodge will improve almost any Botswana itinerary.  Just don’t go there thinking it will be like spending time in a small tented safari camp.  Quite the opposite:  CGL is a hotel in the bush but a very special one with superb atmosphere, game galore, a very long list of things to do, great for kids and just flat-out fun and entertaining.

PART 13: CHOBE CHILWERO LODGE

It was a short transfer of only about 8 miles from Chobe Game Lodge to Chobe Chilwero Lodge (operated by Sanctuary), a 14-roomed property in the Kasane Forest Reserve, overlooking the Chobe River.  First impressions were good:  certainly the main lodge and dining room area and pleasant verandah fringed by a green lawn and lots of large, leafy trees are inviting and gracious.

The high-ceiling thatched buildings create a wonderful safari atmosphere, reminiscent of a private lodge of a much earlier era. There are no jarring notes – it is quiet, clean and elegant and styled in a timeless fashion.

The rooms at Chobe Chilwero are amongst the best I’ve seen and experienced anywhere in Botswana.  Huge, with a large canopied bed and a wrap-around mosquito net as the centerpiece.  Accessible on two sides, there is a very well-designed bathroom with massive free-standing bath, shower and outdoor shower, lots of storage space and good natural light.  Bathrooms have to be quite special to look good in photographs but the ones at Chobe Chilwero are in that category!  Mix in plentiful plug points, effective lighting and a good view and it all adds up to rooms that are first class in every respect.

Meals at Chobe Chilwero were outstanding with printed menus, offering a variety of delectable options.  I tried a grilled fillet of bream for lunch and it turned out to be the single best dish of the entire trip.  Perfectly done and served with scalloped potatoes, it was the equal of deluxe restaurant fare, any day.  The other meals didn’t disappoint either.  The soups and starters were delicious and creative as were the desserts.  Plus a wonderful selection of fruit and other items such as cereals, muesli, cheese, scones etc. for breakfast, in addition to several hot breakfast options with eggs to order.

The afternoon activity on the day of arrival at Chobe Chilwero was supposed to be a boat outing on the Chobe River – I was looking forward to photographing some elephants along the river’s edge – but it was not to be.  We had hardly been underway for 10 minutes or so when we had to turn around due to running into some heavy rain and more importantly, lightning.  Nobody wants to be in an aluminum skiff on the open water, within striking distance of a lightning bolt.

Our morning game drive on December 17 was mostly quiet but was enlivened later in the morning when we came upon several lions right along the river.  There were several females and a young male, about 5 or 6 in total.

The afternoon activity was a definite highlight.  From Chobe Chilwero Lodge, it is a drive of about 15 minutes or so to a jetty where we boarded a typical Okavango Delta-type aluminum skiff (just like the previous day).  Within minutes, we were observing hippo and crocodiles close-up, including a fascinating interaction between an adult and several baby crocodiles.

Although we could not be sure, it looked as if the older crocodile was interested in catching and eating the recently hatched 6-inch long baby crocodiles.  Fortunately for the youngsters, they were in an awkward spot on the top of a log, difficult to get to.  We left the spot with the outcome uncertain.  A fairly large water monitor was also eyeing the young crocs.  It is a hard life out there, no wonder the survival rate of baby crocodiles is so low:  as many as 40% to 60% of crocodile eggs hatch, but a very tiny percentage of hatchlings make it to adulthood.

Our next stop along the Chobe River was a group of about 20 or so elephants which we observed drinking, hosing themselves down and generally enjoying the water.  They were almost all a very dark, almost black shade of ‘elephant grey’, clearly just recently having been immersed in water.

Two of the young bulls started to push each other around and delighted the many onlookers – there were several other boats from nearby lodges in attendance.  This is what one comes to Chobe to see! After 20 minutes or so of observing the spectacle in decent light, we returned to the jetty and to the lodge, a much happier group than the rather bedraggled, damp bunch of the previous day.

The next morning, after an enjoyable breakfast at Chobe Chilwero, I would be off to Victoria Falls.

I’ve wanted to spend a couple of days at Chobe Chilwero for many years now and was very happy to finally get the chance to do so. The lodge was even better than I had anticipated and it would be a great choice for any visitor to the Chobe area, particularly for honeymooners or for anyone who puts a high premium on privacy in a luxury setting.

PART 14: VICTORIA FALLS – GORGES LODGE & ZAMBEZI SANDS LODGE

On the morning of December 18 – in keeping with my advice to prospective visitors – I opted for a road transfer from the Kasane area to Victoria Falls, instead of a flight.  From most of the Chobe lodges and from Kasane Airport it is only about 90 minutes or so to Victoria Falls by road.

In my experience, it is the least stressful and most hassle-free way to get from the Kasane area or Chobe to Vic Falls.  A competent driver, an air-conditioned minivan and a very well maintained asphalt road with minimal delay and perfunctory border formalities exiting Zimbabwe and entering Botswana.  The flight is somewhat quicker but comes with a heavy load of airport formalities and potential delays.  It is also more expensive and much more stressful.

My destination in Victoria Falls was Gorges Lodge, a property in the Imvelo Safaris portfolio.  We primarily use – and personally prefer – to stay at the Victoria Falls Hotel in Vic Falls because of its location and old world charm.

Even so, it is not everybody’s cup of tea, so to speak, and for visitors who prefer a more quiet environment away from Vic Falls town with its attendant hustle and bustle, occasional helicopter noise and hawkers, Gorges Lodge is an attractive option.  It is about 30 minutes or so by road from the Falls, with a simply spectacular location right on the edge of the Batoka Gorge below the Falls, right around rapid #18.

On arrival at Gorges Lodge, the first impression is of walking into a rainforest as the property is built right inside an immaculately maintained and very lush garden, full of gorgeous indigenous trees, shrubs and plants with birds all over the place.

First-time arrivals are taken through to the bar verandah where they get their predictably startling first look at the view down and across the Batoka Gorge.  It is something!  I know I must have visibly flinched as the railing overhangs the edge of the gorge and taking one’s first steps towards it feels like you are about to plunge down into the void.

Just for the view alone, Gorges Lodge is worth considering as an overnight choice for a couple of nights in the Vic Falls area.  There is more though.  Managers Debbie and husband Chris are super-keen to make all visitors feel welcome and will take very good care of you.  It is very easy to feel like you are at home at Gorges.

The interior of my room #10 was rather uninspiring with a utilitarian mix of furnishings and decoration.  It feels a bit dated and could benefit from some styling and a cohesive interior decorating theme.

The bathroom by contrast, had recently been updated and the ample space, separate toilet with sliding door and large twin-headed ‘his and hers’ shower would satisfy all but the most demanding travelers.  Water pressure was good and there was plenty of hot water available.

My overall impression of the food at Gorges is mixed:  the afternoon snacks which were served with drinks during the eagle-viewing/gorge walk activity were excellent.  A mix of mini meatballs, chicken wings and other hors d’oeuvres – all very tempting and delicious.  Lunch and dinner were less successful, with way too much mayonnaise in one of the salads, and in the case of a poussin – totally overcooking the delicate bird.  Portions were ample – maybe even too much for small appetites, the meals being pre-plated and brought to the table.

But Gorges Lodge is not so much about the food or the rooms.  It is about the wonderful people who run it, the amazing views and the chance to see birds like Black Eagle and Peregrine Falcons practically at eye-level as they swoop past the edges of the cliffs.

With very limited time at my disposal – just one night – I managed a couple of decent pics of a Black Eagle and will have to come back to get a bit more depth of field in the shot the next time around.

What really sets Gorges apart from any of the Victoria Falls hotels is the fact that all meals, local drinks and two activities per day are included in the price.  If you spend 2 nights and opt for the Tour of the Falls plus a sundowner cruise, you will be getting excellent value for money.  We also enjoyed a splendid singing and dancing performance by a colorful and expressive troupe of local dancers & drummers.

I had the opportunity to check out the site of Imvelo’s next Vic Falls property, to be built and hopefully open by the fall of 2015.  The location is even more stunning than Gorges, with a stupendous view down the Batoka Gorge accentuating the gargantuan depth and width of this simply awe-inspiring chasm.  Batoka Lodge will be tented but will otherwise offer the same mix of activities as Gorges.

A bonus at both locations is the soothing sound of the Zambezi River drifting upwards from the bottom of the Gorge, where it rushes through a series of rapids, continuing a geological process which started some 100 million years ago.

The bottom line on Gorges Lodge:  comfortable, warm and very casual.  Nothing fancy, not suitable for families with toddlers or very young children, but otherwise family-friendly with ample family accommodation options.

Dec 19, 2015
After a 5-mile run (another benefit of staying at Gorges = you can run), we enjoyed a leisurely breakfast before heading off to Zambezi Sands, Imvelo’s (then) newest addition, about an hour’s drive from Vic Falls, and about the same distance from Kasane on the Chobe road.

Zambezi Sands is a 4.5-star tented camp, located right on the banks of the Zambezi upwards of the San Simba Islands and just slightly upstream from a significant set of rapids.

Just like at Gorges Lodge – but a lot more so – this pipes in a wonderful natural sound track which makes for the perfect ‘white noise’ to lull even the most chronic insomniac to sleep.

The tents at Zambezi Sands are huge with separate lounge, bedroom and bathroom/toilet sections, plus a really nice outdoor shower (Kathy would approve) and pretty views over the Zambezi.

Zambezi Sands is located inside the Zambezi National Park and even though the property is not being primarily promoted as a game-viewing destination, a short game drive one afternoon delivered some good views of a herd of elephant, some giraffes, lots of kudu and impala and several other small mammals and lots of birds.

I was being guided by the redoubtable Mark Butcher – ‘Butch’ to his friends.  Butch is an erstwhile Zimbabwe game ranger and Parks Board executive.  Already somewhat of a legend in his time, what Butch doesn’t know about the Zimbabwe veld, natural environment and wildlife, is literally not worth knowing.

Mark is confident in his abilities as a guide and business leader and it is clear that he commands respect from his peers and employees.  I certainly benefited greatly from being in his company for several days.  An activity which Mark favors and which many of us enjoy as an alternative to the relentless game drives so often associated with photographic safaris, is walking.  It is definitely an Imvelo specialty, and is high on the list at Zambezi Sands which offers ideal foot safari environment.

Of course the Zambezi and everything associated with it dominates one’s stay at this river-side lodge.  Boating, kayaking and fishing – the choice is yours.  On my last morning at Zambezi Sands I tried my luck with some fishing in the river with guide Clint, but unlike the earlier successful outing on the Linyanti River in Botswana, the fish weren’t cooperative.  We had a couple of early strikes and Clint did have a really good sized Nembwe on the line.  Plus we had some great views of a pod of hippo in fantastic early morning light.

Zambezi Sands is running a ‘stay 3, pay for 2′ special offer through the end of 2015 so it is certainly an option to keep in mind for the Vic Falls area, particularly for slightly longer stays.

PART 15: HWANGE NATIONAL PARK, ZIMBABWE

Over the last three days of my Dec 2014 educational trip in Southern Africa, I checked out a trio of lodges in Hwange National Park, which we last visited in Nov 2012 – (Little Makalolo).  On my most recent visit, I spent one night each at Camelthorn, The Hide and Somalisa and did a site inspection at Bomani Tented Camp.

All of these camps are already in the Fish Eagle Safaris rotation, and based on what I saw and experienced on this trip, we will be sending more of our clients to this spectacular park.

Game-viewing in Hwange is at its best in the dry season from about May through October and early November when sometimes huge concentrations of elephants can be seen at the water holes which are artificially maintained with a mix of diesel and solar powered pumps.

What I saw last December in the way of game-viewing under very wet conditions on this trip, confirmed some earlier impressions which can be summarized as follows:

• Game-viewing in the green season can be slow or quiet at times, but if visitors spend three or four nights in a specific area or camp, they will see an abundance of species.
• What is more, they will get to experience Hwange at a time when everything is literally bursting with new life.  The elephants are not as densely concentrated as in the dry season, but they are practically giddy with the delight they take in the abundance of fresh water, emerging tufts of grass and fresh leaves.
• Without exception the mammals are in good condition, there are lots of baby impalas, wildebeest and zebra around and this stimulates predator activity.
• As open areas like the Ngamo flats and the ‘vlei line’ from The Hide up to Mgweshla Pan green up with emerging vegetation from mid-December through March & April, the open areas become magnets for impala, kudu, wildebeest, zebra, giraffe as well as roan and sable antelope.  We even saw a few eland out and about.  And always elephant, just not in great big numbers as later in the year.
• Hwange is an exceptionally good area for predator sightings and if you spend 5 or so nights in total in the area, split between a couple of camps such as one in the far southern area and another one further north, you’d stand an excellent chance for lion and cheetah with leopard and African painted dogs being seen every few days as well.

Each of the camps I visited had something special to offer and any one of them can be included in a Hwange itinerary, to good effect.

My guide at Somalisa was Michael who turned out to be the best of any of the guides on the entire trip – quite a character.  I had not seen any cheetah on my Southern Africa trip and had pretty much given up hope of doing so, only to find them on my very last game drive out of Somalisa, on Dec. 22, and again the next morning on the way to the airport at Hwange Main Camp.  So the trip definitely ended on a very high note!

Somalisa is a no-frills, low-key tented camp located on the edge of a private concession and within easy driving distance of Mgweshla Pan, one of the very productive open areas in this part of Hwange.  My tent in Somalisa Bush Camp was comfortable and well equipped, the food was tasty and well-prepared and the small dining room/lounge tent looks out over a water hole which likely sees a lot of activity in the dry season.

My brief stay at The Hide – from where game drives often also head along the vlei line past the Kennedy water hole to Mgweshla – was likewise very pleasant.  The family style dinner – with everyone seated around a long oblong table – was particularly convivial, the food was good and even though my tented room was nothing special it had enough space, a nice view over the pan, and it was just a short walk to the main lounge & dining room area.  The only game drive I had time for at The Hide delivered preciously little in the way of wildlife but that is sometimes how it goes in the green season – another couple of days there would have made a big difference.  Of course in the dry season there is a lot of activity at the waterhole right in front of camp and the underground hide is the place to be.

My Hwange experience started with a drive from Vic Falls, which was a first as we had previously only flown into the reserve.  Of course it takes much longer – depending on the camp you are headed to as much as 4 hours or so, but not an unpleasant experience particularly if you want to see and experience a bit of the countryside.  The road from Vic Falls winds through well-wooded, undulating terrain.  Once you are past the  the hills around Hwange town itself – where the unsightly effects of surface mining for coal are all too evident – it is not too far to Halfway House where we entered the reserve proper and made our way along an isolated track to Camelthorn Lodge.

Camelthorn and the property adjacent to it – Bomani – are both excellent choices for accommodation and safaris in the far southern portion of Hwange.  They have access to a private concession where night drives can be done, there are ample opportunities for walking and the ‘piece d’resistance’ is a superb sunken hide, much frequented by elephants and other wildlife in the dry season.  I could see that the experience there would be akin to being in the stable with the horses – no need for a telephoto lense!  From both Bomani and Camelthorn guests can also undertake an authentic village visit.  The range of activities include game drives, pump runs (to check and service the pumps at the water holes and enjoy game-viewing along the way), foot safaris and just sitting and observing the wildlife from vantage points at the various water holes.

The hospitality, food and accommodation at Camelthorn Lodge were of a high standard.  The brick and mortar rooms are quite large with very high ceilings, designed to be cool during the hot summer months and warm and cozy in winter. My room had a large en-suite bathroom with a bath and window overlooking the woodland, a large shower, separate toilet, fireplace, an outside deck, as well as an upstairs area with hammock and day bed.

The very impressive main lodge is dominated by a huge ancient Camelthorn tree that covers a massive outdoor dining area- perfect for al fresco meals.

It is quite noticeable that the lodge is inside one of Hwange’s last remaining patches of acacia woodlands, on the edge of the south-eastern corner of Hwange National Park.  The many elephants which frequent the area do not have direct access to the lodge grounds due to the nearby buffalo fence and other impediments, so the grounds and surrounding forest have largely avoided their bark-stripping, tree-killing activities. Camelthorn and Bomani are close to the Ngamo Plains where abundant wildlife is present year-round.

In conclusion:  We have been sending our clients to Hwange for 20+ years without interruption and will continue to do so – it offers a fantastic safari experience with excellent game-viewing, top of the line guiding, the friendliest people imaginable and all in a very relaxed, peaceful environment.

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