Victoria Falls, Chobe NP, Moremi GR, Jao and Khwai Concessions

[FlyTraveler]

Helicopter flight over the Okavango Delta. May 29, 2014

 

 

Breeding herd of elephants. To be honest, they looked disturbed by the helicopter:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

 

 

In my humble opinion helicopters do not create more noise than a single piston engine airplanes, which most people use for a transport to and from safari camps.

 

Do you know which altitude the copter kept? How did the animals react? Did they scatter, run away? (Looks a bit like it in your ele pics.) Not trying to be judgmental here, just am interested since I´m thinking about doing a balloon flight in the Mara. Not sure if it´s the noise or just an unknown object in the sky which startles the wildlife. I imagine that a helicopter circling a few times would be perceived as more of a threat than a plane going in a straight line.

 

Your pictures are impressive anyway, undoubtedly a unique experience.

[FlyTraveler]

 

In my humble opinion helicopters do not create more noise than a single piston engine airplanes, which most people use for a transport to and from safari camps.

 

Do you know which altitude the copter kept? How did the animals react? Did they scatter, run away? (Looks a bit like it in your ele pics.) Not trying to be judgmental here, just am interested since I´m thinking about doing a balloon flight in the Mara. Not sure if it´s the noise or just an unknown object in the sky which startles the wildlife. I imagine that a helicopter circling a few times would be perceived as more of a threat than a plane going in a straight line.

 

Your pictures are impressive anyway, undoubtedly a unique experience.

 

 

 

It is really difficult for me to give you an approximate figure for the altitude, a rough guess would be something between 300 and 500 meters, could be less. The herd of elephants on the photos above definitely looked disturbed, I did acknowledge this in the narration, another group of eles seemed calm, just walking slowly. A single red lechwe ran away, others just stayed put. Zebras didn't seem to be bothered at all. The chopper didn't circle or hover, it flew in a straight line, just like a fixed wing plane.

 

I would assume that the helicopter companies do follow certain rules and guidelines in order to sustain operations. I also believe that they are allowed to fly over limited territory only.

 

In mine opinion it is the noise that would disturb the animals, not an unknown object in the sky. In this respect I believe that you should not worry about your hot air balloon ride in Mara at all.

 

I really thought about including the flight in my report several times, at the end I decided that not posting about it would be an act of hypocrisy.

Edited July 29, 2014 by FlyTraveler

[FlyTraveler]

Helicopter flight over the Okavango Delta. May 29, 2014

 

 

Some more aerial views of the delta:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

African fish eagle (didn't bother to fly away):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[FlyTraveler]

Helicopter flight over the Okavango Delta. May 29, 2014

 

 

Another breeding herd of elephants. These ones looked very relaxed, moving slowly on their way:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

More aerial landscapes:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Concentric circles of water around hippos:

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Marks]

@@FlyTraveler Beautiful aerial shots. I love how you can see the way the shadows really stretch across the landscape.

 

@@michael-ibkI really enjoyed ballooning in the Mara, and no animals appeared to be obviously disturbed. I hope you enjoy it if you do it!

[Jochen]

Breeding herd of elephants. To be honest, they looked disturbed by the helicopter:

 

 

The reason for this behaviour is that elephants are scared of helicopters because culling of whole herds is done by helicopter.

 

I highly recommend reading a few books by elephant researchers such as Joyce Poole or Cynthia Moss. It will give you a good understanding on how elephants communicate, and just how intelligent they are. Can't write it all down, but roughly it comes down to this: elephant culls by chopper -> whole herd cries out in fear and dies -> elephants nearby pick this up, a lot via infrasound + some escape sometimes -> other herds learn.

[graceland]

@@FlyTraveler

 

Though I have not flown over the Delta in a copter, the views I saw from a plane (though higher altitude) were so magnificent. I can't think of a region as lovely.

The photos you took show the beauty and diversity.

 

Sad though about the elephants being culled in such a way; @@Jochen thank you for pointing that out for any future safari goers hoping to take a ride. I did not know of it but it certainly would break my heart to think I'd scare those creatures in such a way. And have them die of fear.

 

I was not aware as I am sure Fly was not or would not want to put these creatures through the stress. (Although its not for me to guess but I feel he is an animal advocate )

 

I wonder if the helicopter companies and travel agents are aware of this and advise accordingly?

 

Really love reliving the beauty of the delta through @@FlyTraveler 's report (as well as Chobe!)

[FlyTraveler]

 

Breeding herd of elephants. To be honest, they looked disturbed by the helicopter:

 

 

The reason for this behaviour is that elephants are scared of helicopters because culling of whole herds is done by helicopter.

 

I highly recommend reading a few books by elephant researchers such as Joyce Poole or Cynthia Moss. It will give you a good understanding on how elephants communicate, and just how intelligent they are. Can't write it all down, but roughly it comes down to this: elephant culls by chopper -> whole herd cries out in fear and dies -> elephants nearby pick this up, a lot via infrasound + some escape sometimes -> other herds learn.

 

 

Thanks @@Jochen! This is a very important thing to know. I will try to find the books.

[FlyTraveler]

@@FlyTraveler

 

Though I have not flown over the Delta in a copter, the views I saw from a plane (though higher altitude) were so magnificent. I can't think of a region as lovely.

The photos you took show the beauty and diversity.

 

Sad though about the elephants being culled in such a way; @@Jochen thank you for pointing that out for any future safari goers hoping to take a ride. I did not know of it but it certainly would break my heart to think I'd scare those creatures in such a way. And have them die of fear.

 

I was not aware as I am sure Fly was not or would not want to put these creatures through the stress. (Although its not for me to guess but I feel he is an animal advocate )

 

I wonder if the helicopter companies and travel agents are aware of this and advise accordingly?

 

Really love reliving the beauty of the delta through @@FlyTraveler 's report (as well as Chobe!)

 

Thanks @@graceland. I did not know the fact that @@Jochen wrote about (do not think that elephants have died of fear recently, though). In any case a fixed wing aircraft flight would be less harmful to the wildlife. I believe that I got nicer looking landscapes from airplanes while flying to and from camps than from the chopper, because the airplanes flew deeper into the delta where water levels were higher.

[FlyTraveler]

Helicopter flight over the Okavango Delta. May 29, 2014

 

 

Red lechwe running through the water:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A group of red lechwes:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Running warthogs (love the long shadows):

 

 

 

 

[FlyTraveler]

@@FlyTraveler Beautiful aerial shots. I love how you can see the way the shadows really stretch across the landscape.

 

@@michael-ibkI really enjoyed ballooning in the Mara, and no animals appeared to be obviously disturbed. I hope you enjoy it if you do it!

 

 

Thanks @@Marks! I like the long shadows, too plus long shadows = good light for photography.

[FlyTraveler]

Helicopter flight over the Okavango Delta. May 29, 2014

 

 

Group of zebras were the first and the last animals we saw on this flight.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A few more landscapes:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cessna Grand Caravan taking off from Maun International Airport:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our German pilot Frank after the flight:

[FlyTraveler]

The Old Bridge Backpackers, Maun. May 29 / 30, 2014

 

 

In Maun we stayed one night at The Old Bridge Backpackers in an en-suite tent with open air bathroom and a porch with amazing view of Thamalakane River. We found this place to be an amazing low budget option for lodging while in Maun.

 

 

Our tent:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The view from the porch:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The restaurant / bar:

 

 

The guy with the blue T-shirt next to the pool table is the owner David:

 

 

They also have their own boats and offer various excursions, including overnight stays in the inner delta:

 

 

Edited August 1, 2014 by FlyTraveler

[FlyTraveler]

The Old Bridge Backpackers, Maun. May 29 / 30, 2014

 

 

My favorite activity was taking photos of the various birds over the river from the porch of the tent (most times with a limited success). I could use some help with identifying birds here.

 

 

Pied kingfisher with a fish:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pied kingfisher in flight:

 

 

Pied kingfisher and African Jacana (thanks for the help with the ID @michael-ibk)

 

 

Pied kingfisher in flight:

 

 

 

 

Pied kingfishers' dogfight:

 

 

Edited August 1, 2014 by FlyTraveler

[michael-ibk]

Pied kingfisher and White faced whistling duck?

That´s an African Jacana (Actophilornis africanus).

[FlyTraveler]

 

Pied kingfisher and White faced whistling duck?

That´s an African Jacana (Actophilornis africanus).

 

 

 

Thanks for the help @@michael-ibk!

[FlyTraveler]

The Old Bridge Backpackers, Maun. May 29 / 30, 2014

 

 

A few more photos of birds, taken from the porch of our tent in The Old Bridge Backpackers.

 

 

Could I get some help with this bird ID, please? Is it a cormorant?

 

 

 

Pied kingfisher in flight:

 

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

Is it a cormorant?

A Reed Cormorant (Microcarbo Africanus), I think.

[FlyTraveler]

 

Is it a cormorant?

A Reed Cormorant (Microcarbo Africanus), I think.

 

 

Oh, man, that was quick! Thanks very much @@michael-ibk!

[FlyTraveler]

Wilderness Air Maun - Xigera - Tubu Tree - Jao airstrips flight. May 30, 2014

 

 

This morning we were to embark on our light aircraft flight for a transfer to Jao airstrip. The flight was performed by Wilderness Air and there were two stops on the way - at Xigera and Tubu Tree airstrips. We really enjoyed the flight, even more than the helicopter tour on the day before, the main reason being the fixed wind aircraft flying deeper into the delta. I was able to take nice aerial photos and videos.

 

 

Wilderness Air Cessna Grand Caravan at the Maun airport before the flight:

 

 

 

The South African pilot taxing for a take off:

 

 

Taking off from Maun:

 

 

 

Initial climb after take off from Maun:

 

 

[FlyTraveler]

Wilderness Air Maun - Xigera - Tubu Tree - Jao airstrips flight. May 30, 2014

 

 

Aerial views of the delta:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[xyz99]

FlyT, this last set is just beautiful, I love it. Someday, hopefully...

[FlyTraveler]

FlyT, this last set is just beautiful, I love it. Someday, hopefully...

 

 

Thanks @@xyz99! The aerial views of the delta are spectacular, indeed. I am sure that you will go there some day.

[FlyTraveler]

Wilderness Air Maun - Xigera - Tubu Tree - Jao airstrips flight. May 30, 2014

 

 

As we flew deeper into the delta the scenery became even more beautiful.

 

Descending towards Xigera airstrip:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Right before landing we saw an elephant. The animal actually looked disturbed as much as the elephants during the helicopter flight on the previous day:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nevertheless it was an amazing sighting, seeing wild animals in the water is one of the nicest experiences in the delta.

 

 

Landing at Xigera airstrip: