Cruising with Chad - Motswari October 2014

[JulieM]

@@xyz99 - re the wild dog collar - I guess someone must be tracking them?

 

I think we paid more than you did @@FlyTraveler - more like $240 pppn, but that is still good value. We also had to pay in full at booking, but there was free cancellation up to a certain date.

[JulieM]

Our game drive the next morning netted us some nice general game, as well as a sleepy rhino and a sleepy leopard.

 

 

 

 

 

Chad has written a book for Motswari full of all his amazing images and a history of the place. One of the images in there is a perfect shot of a chameleon, so I asked him to keep an eye out for one so I can try to emulate his image. Guides and trackers really do have magic eyes because we were whizzing home pretty fast, yet he managed to spot one, stop, reverse and then retrieve it for me!

 

 

He popped it down on the ground and I lay down on my tummy in the dust to get the shot - not as good as his but I'm still pretty happy with it!

 

 

Not far from the lodge there was this lovely antelope (I'm sorry I'm not sure what it is!).

 

 

In the gardens around the lodge, these black nyalas make themselves quite at home. I think they are the most handsome of antelope!

 

 

 

 

 

 

[graceland]

Good lawd where have I been; I've missed the past few days @ulieM; but must say your stay was incredible....and to book it on Expedia? Am out of my mind trying to book the Mara with the camps... oh well....

 

My first ever safari (well third day, first 2 in Chobe) was Timbavati. We loved it. But did not have these sort of sights to remember. I need to start all over and re-read. My Mara trip may have to well, change at that price!

 

Your pics are so inviting. I wanted to be there

 

Well actually I'll go anywhere in Africa, but eveyone's reports speak to me.

[JulieM]

@@graceland - we did have a good stay, and the price was right, but (sorry everyone) it doesn't compare to the Mara….

 

Our afternoon drive started with all new truck-mates. There were 6 new people, making for 8 of us in the truck. Billy and I were rather keen on our back row, as you can shoot behind you much easier, so we made sure we got to the truck first to commandeer it. The drive started slowly, as most of the newcomers were first-time safari goers, and were interested in absolutely everything! (Me, not so much, hence no photos). I could see that Chad was heading back to the same area where we had seen the leopard in the morning, so asked him if "the thing" we had seen in the morning was still there - not wanting to let the cat out of the bag as it were…She was in the same area but not the same spot and so it was great excitement for the newcomers!

 

 

Not far away, and heading towards her, was a large herd of buffalo. This could be interesting we thought...

 

 

She got up and moved a couple of times before the buffalo saw her before she finally took off right past the truck - she was right below me as she walked past. Too close for me to focus on her but an incredible moment. Chad seemed to know just where she was heading and motored quickly away from her and around to the other side of this waterhole. The light was so low that I wasn't able to manage any nice sharp shots, so what do you do? Chuck an oil paint filter over it in Photoshop and call it art…!!

 

 

I do love her whiskers!

 

As always, dinner is a sociable affair, with our new safari friends, and Chad at the head of the table. Dinner was either in the "boma" or on the verandah - both quite lovely. As mentioned, the food was great and the staff all friendly and helpful. We even had kudu one night - yummy!

 

We had four more game drives and unfortunately they were a bit slow. Lots of buffalo and general game, with the odd elephant, so I'll condense them into one set of photos.

 

 

 

 

 

Billy thought he might have a crack at driving one day…..well, until Chad kicked him out!

 

 

There was great excitement from Chad, Mbogeni, Billy and I when these little guys were spotted in the grasses!

 

 

The newcomers weren't sure what all the fuss was about, not knowing how rare it is to see honey badgers, and kept asking what else was around! There were two of them and we were able to watch them for around 5 minutes before they took off again. They didn't get close enough for decent photos, but I do have a record that I saw them at least!

 

On our last evening game drive of the trip, we found this lion again - he was the same one we had seen a few days before. He was sitting, rather forlornly, on the top of a termite mound where some warthogs had set up a den, waiting for dinner to come out!

 

 

 

And again, just like *that*, our safari was over and it was time to say goodbye to Chad, Mbogeni and all the staff at Motswari. We had had three weeks away from the kids so I was ready to go home and see them again, knowing that we really had had a superb safari experience both in Kenya and South Africa.

 

 

Feel free to ask me any questions, or send me a message!

[Soukous]

@@JulieM 8 in a vehicle? You were so lucky that didn't happen until your last drive.

The benchmark is so high now - what can top that safari?

[JulieM]

@@Soukous - I know!! I'm thinking Mana Pools, SNLP, Lower Zambezi or somewhere like that next time - September 2016. How will I ever hang out, and like you say, it's hard to believe any safari could top that one!

[TonyQ]

@@JulieM

This has been a really enjoyable report right from the start - lots of great sightings illustrated by great photos

Thank you for posting it!

[graceland]

Really enjoyed your writings and photos. The oil paint filter on the leopard is priceless....I may have to invest in photoshop; my shots are iphoto - hit enchance and upload. After all these years I need to get with the program.

 

No it wasn't the Mara, but all around you had some great sightings. Much more than I ever did in the area.

And dogs!

 

Three weeks. oh if only!

 

Highly recommend Zimbabwe. Find a private guide amongst the safari goers here and you'll have a blast.

SNLP is on my radar as well.

Along with a few other parks in Zim and Zam - one can dream.

[xyz99]

Great report and pictures, I really enjoyed them. The 'oil paint filter' leopard is amazing, I will remember that as an option, although it is not available in Lightroom, but maybe they have others.

Those whiskers ....

[JulieM]

Thanks @@TonyQ @@graceland and @@xyz99 - glad you enjoyed the report and the photos.

 

Re the oil paint filter - it has been removed from the latest version of Photoshop CC so if you particularly wanted it you'd have to find an older version. It is a bit of fun!

 

A private guide in Zimbabwe would be the way to go I think - I've been recommended Doug Macdonald. Any other suggestions anyone?

[graceland]

Thanks @@TonyQ @@graceland and @@xyz99 - glad you enjoyed the report and the photos.

 

Re the oil paint filter - it has been removed from the latest version of Photoshop CC so if you particularly wanted it you'd have to find an older version. It is a bit of fun!

 

A private guide in Zimbabwe would be the way to go I think - I've been recommended Doug Macdonald. Any other suggestions anyone?

I can vouch for Craig Van Zyl.. You may want to read some of Paolos reports on the Zim trip reports with him as well.

 

I can refer you to Safaridudes and @@Game Wardens most excellent adventure....with Benson Siwayaria (not sure I spelled that correctly),

 

And if you go to the Zimbabwe trip reports, I know @@Pennyanne had a fav.

 

Cannot go wrong with a Zim guide -

 

Do some googling, and read reports. You will find the one!

 

And it is an amazing country! No matter with whom you choose!!

[Marks]

Dogs, wildcat, and honey badger - in addition to all the "regulars" - that's very exciting. I have enjoyed following along on this part of the trip!

[michael-ibk]

I also am very glad that you did cover this part of your trip as well. Maybe you didn´t enjoy it as much as the Mara, but I certainly enjoyed your report - very much so. Love the pic of the leopard with the buffalo in the background, and great to see honey badgers! Thanks for sharing all this, Julie.

 

So, Zim for you in 2016? I will scout it for you next October with Doug Macdonald.

[JulieM]

Are you already booked @@michael-ibk? Where are you going? Keen to hear all about it.

[safariguy]

Great trip report, Julie! I have loved both of them quite a bit. You are a great story teller and, of course, photographer.

[JulieM]

Aww thanks @@safariguy . Billy said to say "look what you started!!", and "thanks!!".

[safariguy]

It is quite addictive, isn't it? Insert my evil laugh. You should also do a trip report from our trip together!

[Game Warden]

@@safariguy @JulieM Now's there's a challenge: get crackin' Julie.

 

In return, @@safariguy have you undertaken any trips recently from which you can post some pics?

[safariguy]

Game Warden, I am just back from an Antarctica trip!

[Game Warden]

Tell us all about it then and post some pics when you have chance

[JulieM]

…..checking my memory banks to see if I'll have enough material for a trip report on Botswana…..