South Africa & Botswana, we had a blast!

[MR1980]

Thank you very much @@Tom Kellie & @@graceland for your compliments, glad my images put a smile on your faces!

 

@@Peter Connan thanks for answering the questions graceland has asked, I think she now has an idea how camping in the wilderness of Botswana works...

 

Maybe @@Game Warden can edit post #92 and only show the final image of the post, because that's the image graceland was referring to? It makes no sense to have to scroll through the images twice if you ask me.

 

Cheers,

 

Michel

[FlyTraveler]

Great trip report and photos @@MR1980! Enjoying every bit of it!

[SSF556]

Great report...we are looking to do a self drive around Nambia in the future.

[Tom Kellie]

How Did I Miss this?

~ @MR1980:

 

When looking back through your images I stumbled across this superb landscape.

It's everything I like all in one shot.

Here in Beijing I've struggled to make an image like this, which so effectively conveys the beauty of marshland.

Big LIKE!

Tom K.

[Marks]

Great update; very intrepid camping with the hyena encounter.

I also like the "cheerful" shot that @@Tom Kellie has already pointed out.

[MR1980]

Thanks @@FlyTraveler, glad you like it! I plan to write the next story today and hopefully upload it together with new images in the next few days...

 

Thank you also @@SSF556! I can highly recommend doing just that... We did a self drive trip through the Kgalagadi & Namibia last year and it was an awesome experience! Namibian landscape in so incredibly beauitful you almost don't need the wildlife...

 

@@Tom Kellie and that's just one of the views you get when you're camping at Xakanaxa...

 

Thanks @@Marks! The hyena encounter was a bit scary since it happened on our first night in Moremi. Now we are more experienced and probably wouldn't go to bed straight away but enjoy it all even more.

 

@@Game Warden can you maybe also delete post #99 as it's a double post? Thanks!

[Tom Kellie]

 

@@Tom Kellie and that's just one of the views you get when you're camping at Xakanaxa...

 

 

~ @MR1980:

 

Thank you for specifying the location.

Xakanaxa.

That's a name to flag in memory, as one never knows.

It's exactly the sort of view which tugs at my interest in all places lovely.

Tom K.

[Marks]

Thanks @@Marks! The hyena encounter was a bit scary since it happened on our first night in Moremi. Now we are more experienced and probably wouldn't go to bed straight away but enjoy it all even more.

Oh I agree, I would've been unnerved. But it makes for a good anecdote now!

[MR1980]

 

Thanks @@Marks! The hyena encounter was a bit scary since it happened on our first night in Moremi. Now we are more experienced and probably wouldn't go to bed straight away but enjoy it all even more.

Oh I agree, I would've been unnerved. But it makes for a good anecdote now!

 

 

Absolutely @@Marks!

[MR1980]

August 30^th 2012

 

Rise and shine! Today we would have a full day to explore the area around Xakanaxa Campsite and we were very curious of what the day would bring us in terms of sightings. But first it was time for the daily routine at the ablutions. On my way back from the ablutions block I overheard some fellow campers about a night camera they had installed at their campsite and as I was very interested in if they had caught something on the camera I asked if they had. And they did! At first they showed me an image of a hyena which was already nice but they also had images of a lioness which was obviously roaming around the campsites. I was pretty stunned as I didn’t expect lions would get so close to us humans and I was happy I didn’t have the same stomach problems as I had that night in the Makgadikgadi Pans… They also showed me some lion tracks and the tracks were leading in the direction of our campsite. Unfortunately the lion(s) didn’t roar during the night so we weren’t aware of the lion(s) being so close to our campsite while we were having sweet dreams.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We left camp at around 09.15, I know, far too late of course as the sun was already up at around 06.45… I already knew that when you’re on safari and want to spot animals you have to get on the road as early as possible but in 2012 I still thought 09.15 was early enough. I will definitively change this routine when we’re in Kruger in a couple of weeks time! The day on the roads around Xakanaxa didn’t bring us much in terms of special sightings unfortunately, we didn’t even see the usual suspects that much. Only a couple of elephants, red lechwe and a lone waterbuck. The scenery was lovely though and in the afternoon we spotted a Southern ground hornbill and a martial eagle with a kill high up in a tree.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We also had an interesting encounter with a big bull elephant next to the airstrip. He was showing behaviour that I’ve seen on images of Mana Pools in Zimbabwe where elephants get on their hindquarters to be able to reach the higher branches. He was also blocking the road so in the end we spend nearly half an hour with him before we could pass him safely. In the evening we had another braai. Even the hyena didn’t show itself again so all in all it was a slow day from a wildlife point of view. On the internet people always show the highlights of their trips of course so if you venture in these wilderness areas expecting to see predators around every corner your fooling yourself. You just have to tell yourself that being able to explore these areas is already very special and every animal you see is a bonus.

 

 

 

 

I’m sorry it took so long again to post my next story and I can’t promise I’ll post another one soon as my girlfriend and I will be on a plane to Johannesburg for our holiday in South Africa in 2 weeks time!! I will get back to you when I’m home again and have time to continue this trip report.

 

Cheers, all the best!

 

Michel

 

Edited May 13, 2015 by MR1980

[michael-ibk]

Glad to see you continue this report - interesting pics of the Elephant indeed. Really like that Bushbuck photo, too.

 

Have a wonderful safari - and don´t forget to proceed with this report (and start a new one) afterwards!

[Marks]

Nice to see more of this TR. I really like the eles and the shot of the pugmarks in the sand.

 

You just have to tell yourself that being able to explore these areas is already very special and every animal you see is a bonus

A good policy!

[MR1980]

Glad to see you continue this report - interesting pics of the Elephant indeed. Really like that Bushbuck photo, too.

 

Have a wonderful safari - and don´t forget to proceed with this report (and start a new one) afterwards!

 

Thank you very much @@michael-ibk, I'm sure we will! I promise I will continue the report...

 

Great you like it as well @@Marks! I think so too but it is difficult sometimes, especially when you see all those amazing sightings on Safari Talk...!

Edited May 18, 2015 by MR1980

[TonyQ]

@@MR1980

This is a really enjoyable report - and a beautiful campsite. Lovely pictures of the elephant and I really like the bushbuck.

Enjoy the trip to South Africa!

Edited May 18, 2015 by TonyQ

[MR1980]

@@MR1980

This is a really enjoyable report - and a beautiful campsite. Lovely pictures of the elephant and I really like the bushbuck.

Enjoy the trip to South Africa!

 

Glad you like it @@TonyQ! Xakanaxa Campsite is really awesome, very peaceful and great scenery.

 

Thanks, looking forward to it very much!!

 

Cheers,

 

Michel

[Tom Kellie]

 

 

 

On the internet people always show the highlights of their trips of course so if you venture in these wilderness areas expecting to see predators around every corner your fooling yourself. You just have to tell yourself that being able to explore these areas is already very special and every animal you see is a bonus.

 

~ @@MR1980

 

What you've eloquently expressed above is 100% true.

I fully agree with you. Your selection of images is superb due to your fine aesthetic judgment.

All predators all the time would be comparable to an all-meat diet. Satisfying for a saber-toothed tiger but less so for descendants of omnivorous equatorial primates.

Your next safari is sure to be a lovely experience as you'll be bringing the ideal outlook.

Every moment is a blessing, every species a treasure and every animal is indeed a bonus.

My respect for your commentary, photography and attitude is great.

May your upcoming safari exceed your expectations.

Tom K.

[wilddog]

@@MR1980 Enjoying this report.

Love the first sunrise (?) shot with the grass fronds in front. Really artistic and atmospheric. Also the B&W ellie shots and the bushbuck portait. Lots of other great pics too. Thanks for the Tr and enjoy your next trip.

[MR1980]

@@MR1980 Enjoying this report.

Love the first sunrise (?) shot with the grass fronds in front. Really artistic and atmospheric. Also the B&W ellie shots and the bushbuck portait. Lots of other great pics too. Thanks for the Tr and enjoy your next trip.

 

Great to hear you like it @@wilddog! It is indeed a sunrise shot but edited a bit in Lightroom so this is not as I've actually actually it but I liked the effect very much. The final image of the post is also a sunrise shot from almost the same spot in front of our campsite and this required only minor editing in Lightroom so it's pretty much the way I've seen it.

 

I'm sure my next trip will be as good as this trip!

 

@@Tom Kellie thank you for your kind comments and the way I "try" to enjoy the African bush. Usually when you don't expect anything the best sightings happen, like on our trip last year to the Kgalagadi. We were almost back in Nossob Camp while on a guided game drive and hadn't seen much during this very cold morning at the end of May. We probably had 5 minutes left of our game drive when all of a sudden a lioness and her 3 cubs came into view and started to come in our direction. This turned out to be the best sighting of our entire Kgalagadi & Namibia trip and I had actually put away my camera already, can you imagine... But that's something for a different trip report of course...

 

Cheers,

 

Michel

Edited May 18, 2015 by MR1980

[Tom Kellie]

@@Tom Kellie thank you for your kind comments and the way I "try" to enjoy the African bush. Usually when you don't expect anything the best sightings happen, like on our trip last year to the Kgalagadi. We were almost back in Nossob Camp while on a guided game drive and hadn't seen much during this very cold morning at the end of May. We probably had 5 minutes left of our game drive when all of a sudden a lioness and her 3 cubs came into view and started to come in our direction. This turned out to be the best sighting of our entire Kgalagadi & Namibia trip and I had actually put away my camera already, can you imagine... But that's something for a different trip report of course...

 

~ @@MR1980

 

That's a great “last minute sighting” story! Thank you very much for telling it.

Two weeks ago in Kenya I was shaking hands with staff at the Emakoko thanking them and saying farewell. My camera backpack was in the vehicle with the door open for my short drive to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.

At that “zero hour” Emakoko manager Anthony Childs summoned me to see a python beside the river — my first and only snake sighting in Africa. You may be sure that my clumsy hands scrambled to throw a lens on the camera for the shooting opportunity.

That ‘other trip report’ will be gratefully received in the future.

Once again, may your coming safari be the stuff of dreams!

Tom K.

[Atravelynn]

After a lengthy hiatus, I just spent the worst day on safari with you. The flat tire was nothing. You must have been in a remote location when you got stuck if nobody came by. That had to be scary digging for hours. Exerting yourself like that out in the heat could have contributed to your illness that night.

 

I'm surprised you were asked for more wine. That'[s rather bold.

 

You had me thinking that hammerkop was going to be a lion.

 

The panoramas just keep coming.

 

The hyraxes (right?) are wonderful. Good thing that hyena was not around when you were making loo trips.
But it was probably the cooking that attracted it. Yet another adventure of self-drive camping.

 

You have some excellent sunrise/sunset shots and camper pics.

Edited June 16, 2015 by Atravelynn

[MR1980]

Hi @@Atravelynn, glad to read you enjoyed my report so much!! We were indeed in a remote location, the Makgadikgadi isn't exactly a busy park and the "road" we took was along the fence. Eventually the park officers would have started a search for us when we hadn't arrived in camp before dark but still it would haven taken a while for them to find us I guess. You're probably right about the reason for my illness.

 

The already seemed a bit tipsy from this one bottle so it was indeed a bit odd. It seems my panorama's are very popular!

 

I still have a lot more coming so I hope I can keep you entertained!

 

I returned last sunday from my trip to South Africa and it was a stunning trip! We had so many amazing sightings/photographic opportunities. Many lion encounters, leopards, cheetah, wild dog puppy's and even a pangolin!! But I first have to finish this trip report... And start last years Kgalagadi & Namibia trip report...

 

Cheers,

 

Michel

[michael-ibk]

But you can´t leave us hanging for so long! Give us a teaser at least, Wild Dog pups and Pangolin are irresistibe!

[MR1980]

Ok well than... Especially for you @@michael-ibk, a teaser of the puppy's... This image comes straight from my camera so it's unedited. I hope you will allow me to finish this trip report now...

 

Cheers,

 

Michel

 

Edited June 25, 2015 by MR1980

[michael-ibk]

Thank you. I´ll allow it. ;-)

 

Great sighting of the pups!

[MR1980]

August 31^st 2012 Part 1

 

For this morning we had planned a boat cruise to explore the Delta, we thought it would be a nice change of perspective. I had booked through Okavango Boating by email and paid for the trip at their office in Maun.. Price was about BWP 1.560 for a three hour trip, from 08.00 until 11.00am. So after breakfast we packed up the car and drove to the boat station 200 meters further. If I look back at it, it seems a bit overdone to take the car for such a short distance but we didn’t want to take any unnecessary risks… Our guide was informative and kind and although we didn’t see much wildlife it was definitively worth it. There’s not much more I can say about it so I’ll just let the images do the talking again. I will post the second part of this day another time, so until then…

 

Cheers,

 

Michel