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A Few of Our Favorite Elephant Destinations

20th January 2025

A Few of Our Favorite Elephant Destinations

Over the last thirty years plus since Fish Eagle Safaris came into being, our team members have been fortunate to observe thousands of elephants. Even so, there is not one among us who will ever tire or become bored of finding and observing these amazing beasts. They are at the heart of a successful safari and like so many other passionate wildlife enthusiasts, we can and do watch them for hours on end. There are elephants in many areas of eastern and Southern Africa, but these five locations are standouts:

Amboseli National Park 

Two things elevate the elephants of Amboseli National Park into superstar status. The one is the fact that they – alone among all the many thousands of African elephants – are the only ones which live and breathe in the rain shadow of Mt Kilimanjaro. With a little bit of luck and skill – and a guide who will already be primed to do this – you too can take a photo putting the elephants between you and the mountain. It’s not too difficult and the results are stellar. 

What is the other thing about Amboseli elephants which makes them special? Their white tusks. But don’t all elephants have white tusks? Indeed they do but if there were a dental whiteness standard for elephants as there is for human teeth, then the Amboseli tuskers would be practically off the charts on the bright side. The reason? Observe Amboseli’s elephants for a day or two and you’ll quickly figure it out. They are continuously moving between the woodlands and the swamps. In the swamps they practically submerge themselves while rooting around for edible plants. In the process undergoing a repeated and ongoing tusk cleanup, more effective than any giant elephant toothbrush ever could be. 

Chobe National Park, Botswana

Botswana is a reliably good elephant destination and specifically so along the Chobe and Linyanti River, as well as along the Selinda Spillway and Savuti Channel. In those places, elephants gather in their hundreds and sometimes thousands during the dry season as they are dependent on water, having to drink at least once every couple of days or so. By June and through October, this is where they can be seen moving to the water, drinking from it and often getting into it. A Chobe and Linyanti highlight is to see small groups of elephants swimming to nearby islands or simply splashing around. Ideally visitors to the area should spend a good amount of time in the water themselves. On a boat, of course. 

The stable platform provided by a boat or skiff is ideal for photography in a spot which is invariably chockablock with subjects: not only the elephants  but also as many as three or four species of kingfishers; and several ducks, geese, egrets, cormorants, herons, bee-eaters and storks. Plus an abundance of hippos and Nile crocodiles. 

Tsavo East, Kenya 

If I had to pick just one favorite spot in all of Kenya with its incredible diversity it would have to be Galdessa Camp on the Galana River, in Tsavo East. At the very base of the intriguing Yatta plateau – the remnant of the world’s longest lava flow – Galdessa is a simply magical spot. Spend half an hour gazing out over the usually tranquil Galana River, and you’ll almost certainly see some interesting birds and mammals in or close to it. Stick around a little longer and an elephant trunk is likely to be extended up and over the edge of the embankment, silently imploring you to roll a tasty doum palm fruit in its general direction. Several elephants habitually swing by the property to avail themselves of these free treats. 

The undisputed #1 activity from Galana – which is operated by Sheldrick Wildlife Trust – is a half day trip to the Voi Reintegration unit. This is where your fondest elephant dreams come true. Where you come face-to-face with several subadult elephant orphans being readied for release back into the wilderness. Observe their camaraderie, their unbridled joie de vivre, and reflect how every one of them initially made it to the Sheldrick elephant as orphans. Hungry, lonely, lost little souls, somehow separated from their mothers. Seeing them happy and content, feeding, drinking and playing with the other members of their peer group (they are usually released back into the wilderness together) is one of the most heartwarming, most inspirational, simply magical Africa experiences out there.

Mashatu, SE Botswana

Listen to a group of travelers talking about their upcoming trip to Botswana and you’ll hear them mention the Okavango Delta, Chobe, Moremi. Maybe Kalahari. What you won’t hear is Mashatu. Which is a pity as Mashatu is one of Botswana’s best destinations for elephants – and the big cats. Unquestionably, Mashatu private game reserve in the Tuli block in southeastern Botswana is a hugely underrated safari destination. 

Over the course of several visits over the years we have experienced some amazing sightings at Mashatu, several revolving around elephants. The undisputed highlights were a couple of sessions at Mashatu’s Matebole elephant hide. Elephant aficionado heaven. Observe as one, two, a few and then an entire herd of elephants walk right into your field of view, just a few meters away. Put aside the telephoto lens – this is wide angle stuff. Youngsters pushing each other around, big bulls scaring everyone, tiny babies not knowing what their trunks are for. At the height of the dry season it can be an intense experience with even the observers sensing the desperation, sympathizing with the survival instincts so starkly on display there. 

While one can never get tired of watching elephants and elephant behavior, Mashatu has plenty of other things to see and do. Spend three or four nights there and you’re likely to see lots of plains game species as well as lions and leopards, and perhaps even cheetahs. They are not always present, but when they are, they are relatively easily seen being diurnal cats which roam around, hunt and kill during the day.  

Mashatu lends itself to foot safaris, which can be done in lieu of a game drive at no additional cost, or which can be added as an extra activity at nominal additional cost. At additional cost (not a lot) you can prebook a photographic session in the elephant hide, or embark on a mountain bike safari. If you’re a proficient horseback rider, you may wish to saddle up and go out into the wilderness on a horseback safari.

Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe

With more than 45,000 elephants resident in greater Hwange National Park, with some seasonal movements mostly within the park, Hwange is solidly in the top three best elephant destinations in Africa. Several of our most memorable elephant viewing experiences occurred at waterholes in Hwange, among others on outings from four Imvelo properties – Jozibanini, Camelthorn, Nehimba and Bomani – and from three Wilderness camps namely Davison’s, Little Makalolo and Linkwasha. In another blog post which can be found here, you can read more about Hwange and what makes it special, beyond the elephants.

On a safari some years ago, Kathy and I were sitting just outside the vehicle on the side of the Makalolo Pan in southern Hwange late one afternoon, observing one after another herd of elephants coming to the water. It was early November and still bone dry, with no early rain having fallen. As a result, the stream of elephants coming to the waterhole was practically never-ending. Herd after herd after herd emerged from the edge of the woodland, the youngsters running ahead in boisterous fashion, all intent on quenching what is usually a substantial thirst in the dry season. We would watch as the elephants initially focused – almost exclusively – on just getting in as much water as fast as they could. Trunkful after trunkful, their huge heads and tusks would go up and down, sometimes in tandem with the other elephants around. Which was the cue for us to press the shutter release buttons on our cameras.  Getting a bit of synchronicity into a wildlife photo can be appealing.  

And then the unexpected happened. On that afternoon, Kathy and I each had a camera focused on the elephants. When the shutter release sound on her camera suddenly stopped, I wondered what was going on and looked to my right, where she was seated. She was looking directly at me, wide-eyed and used a small head movement to prompt me to look behind her. I immediately realized what was happening. A huge herd of elephants was in the process of approaching the waterhole from the side where we were parked. They split left and right of the vehicle, streaming past on our right and left, very close by. Hence the interrupted photography. We looked at our Wilderness guide who gave us a thumbs up sign, indicating that all was fine and that we were in no danger.  

For a few minutes there, we sat in awe of the huge beasts softly trundling past us in the direction of the water. Almost without a sound – the massive pads on their feet muffling the sounds of their footsteps – they glided right by us with no more than the occasional cautionary glance. In the late afternoon light they were beautifully lit and we could see the finest details on their massive heads and trunks, their gleaming tusks and finely rippled, charcoal grey hides. It was awesome in the old-fashioned sense of the word. I like to think that there was nothing we could have done to have improved on the experience. It was as perfect as an encounter with wild animals could be: the elephants were not displaced or distressed in any way, not scared or disturbed. Which is of course how one ideally wants every interaction with wild animals to go. Spellbinding and fascinating, yet not intrusive or disruptive.  

There are a myriad of safari options where one or more of these elephant havens can be included in a thoughtful and practical way. Particularly for a first safari but certainly not exclusively so – we think it is essential to include a really great elephant experience: Amboseli, the Chobe-Linyanti-Selinda corridor, Tsavo East, Mashatu and Hwange all fit the bill. So email Bert at bert@fisheaglesafaris.com to help you figure out a plan for your next trip to do just that. Or call us at
Fish Eagle Safaris Inc. at 1-800-513-5222 or 713-467-5222 any time; we will get back to you promptly. 

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A Grand Finale: Great Plains Conservation’s Selinda Explorers and Zarafa Camps

18th January 2025

A Grand Finale: Great Plains Conservation’s Selinda Explorers and Zarafa Camps

Big cats high on your list of animals to see on your next or first safari? Then I might suggest that you include the massive Selinda Concession in far northern Botswana in your trip itinerary. When designing an African safari, one always hopes that it will end on a highlight. We spent the last three nights of our early December 2024 safari in two Great Plains Conservation properties – Selinda Explorers and Zarafa Camp. While this was not actually the original plan – the sequence had to be changed due to a booking glitch – we could not have scripted the grand finale any better.  

Selinda Explorers Camp

By helicopter it took around 40 minutes to cover the approximately 80 miles from Tawana to Selinda Explorers camp, a tiny tented camp tucked into a riverine forest along the (then) dry Selinda channel. When we stepped out of the helicopter on what was another scorching hot day in northern Botswana, we had seen a lot on our trip to that point. But we had seen neither leopards nor cheetahs. So for those last three nights, our objective was two-fold: find these two (often) elusive members of the big cat family and try to see 111 different bird species in 72 hours. Which qualifies one for membership of Great Plains’ 111 club and scores you a nice cap in the process.

Selinda Explorers feels and is remote. For me personally it is the ideal iteration of a safari property. A truly classic tented camp, Selinda Explorer has three custom designed canvas guest tents and one 2-bedroom family tent. The main area consists of two inviting lounge and dining tents, with the entire camp exuding an atmosphere of warmth and genuine hospitality. A long day out in safari? This place, its people, and the manner in which they treat their guests will have you revived and re-energized in no time whatsoever. 

With our guide Esefa behind the wheel, our afternoon drive took us in a westerly direction along the mostly dry Selinda spillway. I don’t believe we were ever out of sight of what turned out to be an abundance of general game including zebra, kudu, tsessebe, buffalo, giraffe and more. And we started to set a good foundation with the bird list with many woodland species. 

Our dinner that night at Selinda Explorers was, I think, the most fun and enjoyable of any of our meals on safari. With just the six of us tucked in around a beautifully set table, it was as private as it could be and it felt like and sounded like we were in Africa. An approaching thunderstorm added a note of excitement as rain was on everyone’s mind. We would gladly have been drenched to the bone to see some relief for the wildlife and the environment. 

As it turned out the thunderstorm and rain held off until the wee hours of the next morning, and not without some concern on my part as to being safe from lightning. But first, it was time to just enjoy the delicious dinner prepared by the Great Plains chef. Dinners on safari are an opportunity to look back upon the day, recount some interesting or memorable sightings and to appreciate just how special it is to spend another night on safari.  

Zarafa Camp

For the last two nights of our Botswana safari, Great Plains Conservation upgraded our party to their Zarafa camp, a deluxe Relais and Chateaux property located in a great spot overlooking the Zibadianja Lagoon. Even after just one night, we had already grown quite fond of Selinda Explorers but the area was still in the grip of a heat wave, so the prospect of airconditioning in the sleeping areas at Zarafa made it an offer we couldn’t turn down. 

Highlights of our stay at Zarafa included extraordinarily good big cat viewing, starting with a male leopard on the way in, shortly to be followed by what turned out to be our only cheetah sighting of the entire trip. But first, the leopard sighting. It was an enthralling experience, from beginning to end. To start with, it was a miraculous effort by Esefa to spot the leopard in the first instance, as obscured as it was in a big tree, a good 30 meters or more off the road. Once we approached closer, the leopard twice relocated and each time we got a better view. Initially on a branch in the tree with a decent background (meaning not completely backlit) and then it climbed down. Walking straight towards our vehicle in really good light, the leopard then took a look at a nearby tree and, just meters away from us, clambered straight up. It was so close that we could hear the leopard’s claws scratching on the tree bark.  

About 40 minutes after we had been admiring the leopard, we were looking at spots of a different kind, this time watching a sleek cheetah as it made its way across an open area, not far from the Selinda airstrip. The cheetah was not quite as obliging in terms of providing us with photo opportunities, but it didn’t really matter. It was a cheetah and for several persons in our group, the first one they had ever seen. Over the next couple of days we were to enjoy another fascinating sighting of a female leopard who had dragged her baby impala prey into a tree. Also, we were fortunate to bump into 10 more lions, among others, two of the best looking males we’ve seen in a long time, the so-called Army Boys. A big cat bonanza if ever there was one. 

Over the course of three days in the Selinda area we racked up 120 different bird species: with extensive wetlands as well as mixed woodland, riverine forest, open floodplain and acacia thickets, the area has significant habitat diversity which is what it takes to support such an abundance of species. Cracking the 111 species mark would not have happened without our guide Esefa’s enthusiasm and expertise. I think he liked chasing the 111 bird target as much as we did!

Zarafa is a property which delivers a superior wilderness experience on many levels. The under-canvas tented rooms are massive and make a few days on safari about as much fun as can be imagined. Chill out in the plunge pool on a hot day, soak away a dusty day on safari in the large tub or take a quick shower indoors or outdoors – my best advice is to do them all. The four huge guest suites consist of a lounge area which flows to a beautiful bedroom and an open layout indoor bathroom with a gas fireplace, shower and claw-foot bath. A hand-crafted Zanzibar door at the entrance sets the right tone: this is not a run-of-the-mill tent by any stretch of the imagination.  

Being on safari at a deluxe property like Zarafa is synonymous with being pampered and we certainly were. Get ready for the full treatment: delicious, elaborate and expertly prepared meals, served with panache and elegance. Select a fine wine – bubbly if you prefer – from the sizable private wine cellar, or request your favorite cocktails with or without alcohol. Spend a bit of time at the outdoor gym with expansive views over the Zibadianja lagoon.  

Even so, and despite the luxury surroundings, Zarafa is very much in the wilderness and you don’t have to go on a game drive to experience it. One of the best spots in the area is the large deck right in front of camp, overlooking the massive Zibadianja lagoon. At the time of our visit the lagoon was mostly dry, but the remaining water attracted many herds of elephants, which would slowly move into the water from out of the woodlands, quench their thirst and then just as peacefully as they arrived, wander off in another direction. At times there were close to a hundred elephants or more at the same time. Peering through a telescope on the deck, it was possible to pick out the matriarch – the one who keeps things together for the herd – and to take a closer look at the tiny baby elephants, usually seen just a few meters away from an adult female, and often shielded between several of them. 

On the morning on which we had to say our reluctant goodbyes at Zarafa, Kathy and I decided to go and have a quick look at the gym – on the extreme left hand side of the camp – and to take a few pictures from there. What we had not reckoned on or planned for was an ‘elephant delay’ which occurred when a solitary bull elephant quietly made his way right up to the gym as we were looking in a different direction. We knew better than to try to dart across in front of him. So we just waited for a few minutes, giving him some space. With one eye on us and very much aware of our presence, the bull elephant moved past the gym from our left to our right and walked away, using the same path which we had used to get to the gym. We sighed a small sigh of relief, looked at each other with raised eyebrows and walked in the steps of the elephant, back to the lodge. Our safari was over.  

Our colleague Lyndon has visited several Great Plains properties recently so he is well equipped to answer any questions you may have about combining some of Great Plains’ Reserve Collection or Explorers camps in your safari itinerary. Great Plains have a range of first-class properties in Kenya, Zimbabwe and Botswana. Lyndon can be reached at lyndon@fisheaglesafaris.com or by calling and leaving a message at 713-467-5222 or 1-800-513-5222.

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A Visit to Tawana Camp, Moremi

17th January 2025

A Visit to Tawana Camp, Moremi

Over a splendid alfresco dinner in late 2024 at Natural Selection’s new Moremi jewel – Tawana – the conversation ranged from painted dogs to lion on lion conflict to our trip bird list. It was unseasonably hot (in the grip of a heatwave) so we talked about that and about the lack of rain. All standard safari dinner conversation fodder. Until we started to talk about cork. 

Earlier during our stay I had noticed the extensive cork flooring which is a distinct feature of the huge Tawana rooms and massive common areas. The textured – seamless – cork floors are attractive, essentially slip-free and they feel good when walking around barefoot in your room. Which I wouldn’t ordinarily do, but with slightly spongy, soft cork underfoot, I had to try. 

It turns out that the cork flooring had a story. We were fortunate to have been joined for dinner by Tawana co-owner Hennie Rawlinson and his talented daughter Jenna. While talking about some of the design features of the lodge (which has the same architect as Natural Selection’s fascinating Shipwreck Lodge in the Skeleton Coast National Park in Namibia), Hennie mentioned that  the finely textured cork was applied to the floor in slurry form, somewhat like cement. And, as it turned out, the lodge construction process had a ‘cork delay’ due to construction having to be halted for several weeks. Their South African cork sources had run dry. Additional cork had to be imported from Portugal to complete the process. 

When I make it back to Tawana – which I definitely plan to do some day soon – I’ll no doubt inadvertently wonder about the cork underfoot. South African pinotage or Portuguese port? Tawana happens to have a particularly impressive wine cellar so guests have ample opportunities to help accumulate the next batch of cork. They’re going to need it folks, so do your best.

Getting there

One of the guests in our party had Priority Pass access, which got us into the Mack Air private lounge at Kasane Airport. Thank you Carole! For once, we weren’t fussed about the possibility of a delay. Cookies, coffee, sandwiches, samosas, chips – need I say more? As it turned out Mack Air was right on time as we had come to expect from them by then. From Kasane to Khwai Private airstrip took about 50 uneventful minutes in a Cessna Caravan. We did have to cool our heels in a shady spot at the airstrip waiting for a helicopter from Helicopter Horizons to show up. It was flaming hot outside – right around 100 F – so there were some smiles when we started to hear the familiar sound of helicopter blades beating the air into submission. It took just about 40 minutes or so in the Bell Longranger helicopter to reach Tawana. There’s no such thing as a quiet helicopter but with each of us wearing a proper headset, we could listen in to some of the pilot’s communication with air traffic control. Flying relatively low over the terrain, we did spot some elephants en route and there was a herd of them close to the camp on our approach. A big plus point for me when evaluating any safari property? Big animals close to camp on arrival. Check. What gets an even higher score? Big animals on arrival at camp preventing you from getting to your room. Of course. 

The camp experience

Tawana is a deluxe property, simply stunning all round with eight huge rooms, an air-conditioned gym and boutique, an air-conditioned wine cellar and there is a small locker in the main area for each room to leave some items behind, instead of lugging them to your room and back every day.  

The rooms at Tawana are huge and there’s plenty of outside decking to boot,  with a good-sized outside plunge pool, an inside shower and bath, and a proper outside shower with a view. From a distance, the exterior views of the suites are reminiscent of the local thatched Batawana huts. The suites are set in the shade of several huge ebony and sausage trees which help to create a cool, calm environment. Some of the trees are also home to a troop of chacma baboons. If there’s any kind of disturbance at night – such as leopards prowling around – the baboons can be quite noisy and disruptive. So to be sure, have some earplugs ready to shut out any unwarranted baboon noise.  

Each room at Tawana has an air cooling unit in the main bedroom portion of the room, right over the bed. The two family rooms have a unit in each bedroom. While it doesn’t cool down the entire room (it would be impractical in a tented environment), the solar operated cooling unit creates ideal sleeping conditions, particularly when the mosquito net is in place, further insulating the space above the bed. In a country like Botswana which has a long hot season – essentially from October through the end of March – having effective air cooling in the sleeping area in a tent makes it possible to take an afternoon nap on a hot summer day. And of course to sleep comfortably at night.  

The ultra-spacious communal areas in the camp include an elegant lounge and indoor and outdoor dining spaces. Our party made good use of the walk-in wine cellar and the wood-fired pizza oven, creating our own delicious pizzas one afternoon. The hospitality at Tawana was simply the best. My vegetarian food requirement was handled deftly, which is not always the case with a plant-based preference. Several members of our party took advantage of the spa and wellness treatments and supported the gift shop. Kathy and I took a walk down to the other side of the camp to check out the 52-foot lap pool and the well-equipped gym.

Game viewing in the Moremi

The game viewing in the Tawana area was excellent and with our capable guide Jonas in charge, we experienced many thrilling encounters, notably with lions and African painted dogs. Setting out on a track which meandered alongside the Gomoti river, we were soon reminded why seasoned African travellers speak so highly of the Moremi Game Reserve. Stretching across nearly 1,900 square miles, the Moremi is a magical corner of Botswana renowned for its high concentration of antelope, predators and large herbivores. 

Drought conditions at the time – subsequently broken by good rain having fallen – created ideal conditions for wildlife activity and interaction along the Gomoti river. We were not just observing mammals and birds, we were seeing them dealing with and reacting to a situation which constituted an existential threat. The many hippo families in the Gomoti river, for example, had to extend their usual ‘night-time only’ grazing habits right into the daylight hours. Simply because palatable grass sources were scarce close to the river, and they had to walk miles and miles every day just to find enough forage to stay alive. From our very first game drive and for the duration of our stay there, seeing so many hippos out of the water in daylight was a reminder of the harsh reality of surviving in nature.  

On two different occasions, we spent time with a large pride of lions (both males and females and several youngsters) and were fortunate to photograph them in good afternoon light. The following afternoon Jonas took us out in search of a coalition of four cheetahs, which had been spotted in the area the previous day. We didn’t find the cheetahs but it didn’t really matter as we came across a large pack of 27 African painted dogs with several puppies around 6 to 8 weeks old. In what was a first for all of us, three or four of the painted dogs were interacting with a young crocodile. Repeatedly darting right up to the inert crocodile, only to swerve away and retreat. Seemingly in an attempt to get the crocodile to turn tail, in which case the painted dogs may have attacked it.  

Yet another exciting encounter came the next day when a territorial fracas between two prides of lions erupted into an intruder female lion pursuing and driving off another female. What made it all worse, from our perspective, was watching the reaction of the four subadult offspring of the retreating, defeated lioness. They ran off into the distance and watched the scene unfold, clearly anxious and sensing that this did not bode well for them. 

Seeing that he’s just visited Tawana, do get in touch with Bert at bert@fisheaglesafaris.com for up to date information about Tawana and the many other Natural Selection Safaris properties which we can book for you in Botswana. Natural Selections now have an enviable portfolio of safari properties in South Africa, Botswana and Namibia and we know just how to combine some of them in the best possible way. There are some attractive shoulder season offers as well as long-stay incentives. If you prefer, leave us a message at 1-800-513-5222 and we’ll get back to you promptly.  

Tawana dining area and exterior suite photos courtesy Tawana

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Safari Lodge of the Month: Xigera

21st May 2024

Safari Lodge of the Month: Xigera

Until not too long ago, Xigera Safari Lodge in northern Botswana’s Okavango Delta was like a young artist just breaking into the crowded and hugely competitive pop music arena. Brilliant at times and with loads of talent but just not quite there yet. An opening act at best, and sometimes the ticket you settled for when all the other concerts were sold out. 

No more. Architect Anton De Kock and the Tollman family have turned this one-time Cinderella into a superstar, contending for the highest accolades one could possibly bestow in the panoply of elite safari lodge.  

Xigera Safari Camp is currently and will likely remain – for the foreseeable future – the most impressive iteration of a safari lodge in Africa. At least that we know of. Twelve ultra-deluxe suites radiate out from a sumptuous central dining and lounge area, all elevated on a three meter high boardwalk.  

The rooms are nothing short of gargantuan in size; ours (#2) had a huge lounge area with large plate glass windows and doors with pretty views over the floodplain. The  large bedroom with a king size bed sported equally good views. The entire bedroom can be closed off by a simple but effective, electrically operated sliding mosquito net.  To the rear of the room, there’s a large walk-in closet with a make-up desk and magnifying mirror. The room has tons of storage space and clothes hanging space. And yes, there is a hair dryer.  

The cuisine at Xigera

During a recent visit to Xigera we found the food to be of the highest standard throughout, starting with lunch on our day of arrival. It was fun and exciting with  items like peri-peri wings, lamb sliders and a classic caesar salad with anchovies. Dinner was a multi-course affair, served outside in the boma under the African night sky. Does food taste better outside? Maybe not, but combining cutting-edge cuisine with fire and coals, smoke and heat, is never a bad idea. All the more so in the hands of the Xigera culinary team who does magical things with a fine lamb loin chop or a perfectly done portion of boerewors, firm to the bite but never tough, juicy and with a characteristic but understated note of coriander. Delicious served with plain mealiepap, known as sadza, ugali and nshima elsewhere in Africa. 

It ended up being an enchanted evening for guests and staff alike. Several of the guests were introduced to African dishes for the first time, much to their delight. A spirited dancing and singing performance by staff members concluded the night. 

The team was back at it quite early the next morning over breakfast. The Xigera eggs Benedict, with salmon, was particularly good and delicate, with a perfect Hollandaise sauce.  

Dinner that night was an outstanding 6-course tasting menu, a novel and sophisticated take on the traditional boma dinner. It retained the fire, coals and smoke of the boma, as well as the social nature, with guests, chef, and sommelier around a quadrangular outside area, with 3 small hibachi cookers providing the coals. 

Taking us through the first five courses, assistant chef Ollie Notes provided background and context to each dish. 

These included:

  • A smoked mozzarella with tomato relish and basil pesto
  • Grilled butternut with herb salt and local honey over a bed of butternut mousse
  • Salmon tostada with avocado wrapped in a freshly made corn tortilla
  • Twice-baked potato with onion and chevre and fresh goat cheese.
  • Grilled onion with a Gorgonzola reduction

Chef Branea from Cape Town put the finishing touches to the delectable ice cream dessert.  

Game viewing at Xigera

We’ve been on quite a few game drives in the Xigera area over the years and we have seen a definite uptrend. On our previous visit there we had our best view yet of a sitatunga on a mokoro outing, we bumped into some lions and we got some great leopard photos as well. 

This time, more of the same. Right off the bat, Xigera surprised with a sighting of two good-sized male lions, in their prime, on a small island not far from the lodge. Not too far away – three female lions – all part of the same pride.  

Early mornings are when you want to be on safari in Botswana. That’s when some of the cats are still active as we found out on the following morning’s drive. There was a lot going on with a coalition of two young male lions – just coming into their prime – having just recently moved into the Xigera area at the time.

On this day, they were making no secret of their presence, loudly proclaiming being around with roaring – all while scent-marking everywhere. Of the two, the dominant male lion seemed to be keen to seek out the three females we had seen the previous day. That action would no doubt have serious consequences as the pair of dominant males would have been forced to react. That didn’t happen that day.

We left the two interlopers and located the dominant brothers who had also been roaring earlier that morning. They were clearly aware of the threat to their authority but were by no means cowed or nervous. They seemed very much at ease and in fact dozed off after they had found a shady spot to their liking.

What was clear at the time was that the lion pride dynamics at Xigera were poised for a sea change and guests at Xigera may be in for some surprising developments and titanic battles should the two younger males decide to take on the older, bigger, dominant males for control of the pride.

While we concentrated on the lion dynamics during the course of our stay, it became clear that the hit and miss game viewing which had characterized Xigera back in the day had matured. There was plenty of general plains game around in the way of zebras, lechwe, giraffes and kudus. Plus some solitary elephant bulls and a few small breeding herds. 

Combining Xigera with other Botswana camps

How does one ideally combine Xigera with other Botswana properties? We posed the question to Red Carnations’ Sally Gray who had an elegant and creative suggestion. Combine Xigera with Natural Selections’ Jacks Camp and Wilderness’ Mombo. 

Here is Sally’s take on the unique appeal of each of these properties and how they complement each other to create a perfect safari combination. One more piece of good advice from her:  “Be sure to end your stay at Xigera!”

Jack’s Camp

  • As with all lodges of this caliber – location is pivotal. Jack’s location is incredible – overlooking the Makgadikgadi pans.
  • Completely different ecosystem and landscape compared with anywhere else in Botswana.
  • Home to several unusual species of game, largely endemic to this region, such as brown hyena, black-maned lions, aardvark, oryx and springbok.
  • The experience of being able to sleep out in the salt pans – I have done this – possibly the best experience I have ever had.
  • Accompany the local San people on one of their bush walks – learning the secrets to their survival in such a harsh environment.
  • This area is also the home to one of the largest migrations of zebras in Africa – truly remarkable.
  • Similarly run to Xigera – Jack’s is family owned and run by Ralph Bousfield, who is hugely respected in the safari industry.
  • Jack’s Camp works well with Xigera as the two properties deliver a completely different experience.
  • Jack’s offers a wide variety of activities, so a 3-night stay is recommended.

Mombo

  • Iconic location on Chief’s Island in the Moremi Game Reserve.
  • It’s not for nothing that Mombo is known as the place of plenty – it is a game-viewing delight.
  • Made famous by the leopard named Legadema – beautifully captured in the wildlife documentary Eye of the Leopard. Her grandchildren and great-grandchildren are still at Mombo.
  • Dominated by cats, particularly lions and leopards.
  • Mombo offers game drives only, so it needs to be combined with another lodge for guests to get the full Botswana experience.
  • Mombo has a “hide” experience which allows you to get up and close with the animals.

Xigera Safari Lodge

  • Refurbished and revamped and opened in 2021.
  • 12 Suite lodge.
  • Fully air-conditioned which is a rarity in the Okavango Delta. Most of the other lodges have an airflow over the beds.
  • Xigera has as many as five different activities daily – four of them all year. Daily: game drives, mekoro outings, fishing, walking;  seasonal: boating.
  • A variety of activities calls for a longer stay – as there is so much more to experience.
  • Xigera is among the most sustainable lodges in Botswana – being 95% off the grid and having a sophisticated recycling program.
  • Incredible game experience. Intriguing species such as the rare African painted dog and cheetah have moved back into the region after a shift in the tectonic plates in Botswana in 2017.  This very minor earthquake has changed the face of this part of the Okavango Delta
  • Food is described as being “luscious.” All from local farmers supported by Xigera’s “Make Travel Matter” initiatives.

When you are ready to embark on what may very well be the ultimate safari combining Jack’s Camp, Mombo and Xigera Safari Lodge – give us a call at 1-800-513-5222 or email bert@fisheaglesafaris.com.   

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Groundhog Day Properties – 2024

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Groundhog Day Properties – 2024

We’re well into 2024 and all we can say is wow! The year started with a bang and it hasn’t stopped. We are fielding more inquiries for African travel than we probably ever have in 30+ plus years and so are our colleagues in the Safari Professionals of the Americas. It appears that international travel is fast getting back to pre-pandemic levels and then some. Thank you for your business!

Where is everybody going? If I pull up the next few trips which our guests will be embarking on, I see southern Tanzania (Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater), Botswana’s Okavango Delta, Zimbabwe and South Africa. Actually, quite a few guests are heading to Botswana, mostly on itineraries combining it with Hwange National Park, Victoria Falls and even Lake Kariba. Also on the list? Madagascar and Namibia. A little later in the year Kenya starts to pop up, as well as Zambia, Uganda and Rwanda. Many of the Southern Africa trips include Cape Town, South Africa’s ‘mother city’.

If I dig down a little deeper into the itineraries, I notice several of our ‘Groundhog Day’ properties there. These are places where we’d personally be happy to wake up every day for the rest of our lives.

In no particular order, here are a few:

MalaMala Game Reserve, Sabi Sand

MalaMala is the 800-lb gorilla of the safari properties in the Sabi Sand reserve. Stay three or four nights here and you will see the ‘Big Five’ mammals and a lot more. Perhaps even the ‘Magnificent Seven:’ lion, leopard, elephant, rhino, buffalo, African painted dog and cheetah. Few places in Africa present such a splendid buffet of wildlife photography moments. You really, really want to see leopards walking around in broad daylight? MalaMala’s the spot.

Jabulani Safari

Jabulani is about as multifaceted as it gets in the luxury safari lodge category. It starts with reliably good game-viewing – of course. Mix in an extraordinary elephant experience, with a chance to interact with (hand-feed and touch) two or three of the older bulls of the Jabulani herd, being Jabulani, Sebakwe or Somopane. And top it off with the amazing conservation story attached to the property. It dates back to 1997 when the original co-owner, Lente Roode, saved a young elephant orphan (Jabulani) who had been abandoned in a mud pit. That tradition has been carried on to the present, with Jabulani Safari now owned and managed by Lente’s daughter Adine Roode. Layered on top of all of this, is Jabulani’s status as a Relais & Chateaux property. No matter how demanding your palate or your penchant for good wines – the chefs and the sommelier will be happy to see you.

Olonana Camp, Masai Mara

In a blog post following up on our short stay at Olonana a couple of years ago, I was highly complimentary about the overall experience. One thing I did forget to mention? The hippos in the Mara River can be noisy when they greet each other early in the morning upon returning from their nightly feeding forays. So be sure to pack some earplugs. Something else which I could have made more clear: game drives from Olonana head into the Mara Triangle which is currently the best area in the entire Mara, also the best monitored in terms of vehicles per sighting. Driving through the Triangle in Nov. 2023 we were simply astonished at its beauty and abundant wildlife. A pride of lions right by the road, a martial eagle on its prey, a journey of giraffes in near perfect light – none of us could have scripted it any better.

Lewa Wilderness, Kenya

Is there a more ideal combination of place, people, experiences and hospitality than Lewa Wilderness in Kenya – or anywhere Africa – right now? Maybe one or two, but it is a super short list. The rooms, the wildlife, the activities – it’s superlatives piled on superlatives. It even extends to the wildlife. There are zebras and giraffes in many parts of Africa, but they’re not Grevy’s zebras or reticulated giraffes. Or beisa oryx. These superb – and in some cases endangered – regional endemics are easily seen on game drives from Lewa Wilderness. Lewa is also one of the best places in East Africa to see both white and black rhinos in their natural state with their horns intact.

Take a 48-hour virtual safari with us at Lewa.

Chitabe Camp, Botswana

Absolutely the best game viewing likely anywhere in Africa is happening at Chitabe in northern Botswana, day after day, right now – and for the foreseeable future. I receive a daily WhatsApp ‘Chitabe Frame a Day’ message from the camp with the latest game viewing photographs and it is a stream of leopards, cheetahs, lions, painted dogs, hyenas, and quite often, interaction between some of these. Lots of action. And all with not having to drive very far; the concession is one of the smaller ones in Botswana, so you could be on to something special within 15 minutes or so out of camp.

The Belmond Mt. Nelson Hotel, Cape Town

The ‘Nellie’ or the ‘Pink Lady’ as it is affectionately known, is a Cape Town institution. Its beautiful palm-lined entrance way and light salmon pink exterior are timeless, dating back more than 100 years. The rooms and suites have all been updated as have the common areas. Spend at least three nights because there’s a lot to see and do beyond exploring the city and the Cape peninsula. The high tea at the Nellie is as good as it gets; it has a great pool (two of them) and gym, and be sure to ask the concierge to book a table at the Nelson’s Eye restaurant one night. It’s an experience. What really sets Mt. Nelson apart from any other Cape Town city hotel are its grounds and the gardens. It’s like staying in a not-so-small private park right in the middle of Cape Town – which makes it an ideal companion to a safari trip, either before or after.

Check out all of our favorite hotels in Cape Town here.

If any of these properties look like spots you too would wake up happy in, call us in Houston at 1 800 513-5222 or send an email to bert@fisheaglesafaris.com. 

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