My Kwando experience : report & stories

[madaboutcheetah]

Oh Wow ..... Enjoying every post, Mike.

[madaboutcheetah]

I remember the guide Doctor very well. He´s still the favorite guide of my wife. He was guiding us in 2004 and 2005 I think.

He´s the one in charge that we still go to Africa.

My wife was so afraid of the bush (snakes!!!!) and he made her feel comfortable in all ways. I would not say that he cured her snake phobia, which is still a big thing, but he made her feel safe. She trusted him.

I know, he went to Mapula some years later. Would be curios to know, where he ended up.

 

I think after Mapula, he came back to Kwando for a brief time and then went else where again ..... Before all this, he was originally based at Vumbura, that's where he started guiding.

 

What I really like to know, the whereabouts of Baruti (Doctor's brother) who was a brilliant tracker!!! IMHO, Guides are a dime a dozen, trackers are difficult to find (esp in current times).

[AfricIan]

@@madaboutcheetah - The names just keep coming back, Baruti is another I remember

[Bush dog]

October 2009

 

LEBALA

 

Arrival day

 

This first game drive was an indicator of the majority of all those to come, until the end of my stay : along the road that goes from the camp to Twin Pools and elephants, elephants and more elephants. Whatever we saw, I really enjoyed those rides along the flood plains, especially in the afternoon, when the light is at its best.

 

 

Even on this picture, an elephant is present through its reflection in the water.

 

 

2^nd day

 

This second day was the day of the most fantastic, but also most impressive sighting that I ever attended. It involved a big male leopard, called by the guides, the « Magician ». This nickname had been given to it because sometimes, when being on the track of it, suddenly, they could not find anymore spoors or signs of it. It was like the animal had vanished in the air.

 

I already posted a topic concerning this fabulous sighting :

 

http://safaritalk.net/topic/13465-kwando-lebala-october-2009-the-magician-in-action/

[Bush dog]

October 2009

 

LEBALA

 

3^rd to 7^thday

 

During this period, we will not see many predators, only two lions and the Magician on one occasion, under a bush, hiding from the midday heat. Despite our efforts, we have not been able to locate the wild dogs. Indeed, one morning, Spencer and the tracker had spotted, on the road, spoors of the pack that we followed. After a few minutes, we left the road and there, it became much more difficult to follow them, to the point that Spencer and the tracker went out of the vehicle in order to better analyze the track, asking me to drive the car. It is already extremely difficult to track a pack of wild dogs off-road, but it becomes a real headache when they stop progressing, especially when there are a lot of them. Before deciding on a final direction, they come and go in all directions. The purpose of the game is to find the track of the final direction. In our case, we saw that they had decided to take a break and began to come and go and poke in every corner. Add to this the complexity of the field and after ninety minutes, we were nowhere. So, I suggested to Spencer to stop and continue the game drive, especially as there were great chances that the pack was, in the meanwhile, already far away. He finally agreed, but reluctantly and fuming. Spencer, a great guide, with the failings of his qualities, persistent and methodical, but also surly and bad loser.

 

During this period, every afternoon’s game drives, and one or two in the morning, took place along the plains, not only flooded by water, but also by the beautiful late afternoon’s light.

 

Long-toed plover

 

 

Red lechwes

 

 

African spoonbill

 

 

Open-billed Storck

 

 

Ruff

 

 

Carmine bee-eater

 

[Bush dog]

October 2009

 

LEBALA

 

3^rd to 7^thday

 

A fairly big group of kudus,

 

 

and their passengers and cleaners.

 

[Marks]

That cobra story is certainly as good a reason as I've ever heard for being scared around snakes!

 

I adore the "elephants, elephants, elephants" post above. The geese with the reflection is a nice touch, too.

 

Also enjoyed the kudu directly behind the termite mound; a fun shot with them aligned like that.

Edited June 16, 2015 by Marks

[Bush dog]

October 2009

 

LEBALA

 

3^rd to 7^thday

 

Some more elephants on the floodplains. Taking about them, we were, a few times, charged by a small herd. Those elephants were attacking cars, without any warning, the matriarch « sounding » the charge. The only alternative was to flee without delay. Spencer knew them very well and was, on sight, moving away at full speed. They were probably coming from an hunting concession. I think Hari already mentioned this fact in one his post ?

 

[Bush dog]

October 2009

 

LEBALA

 

3^rd to 7^thday

 

Some more pictures of sightings along the floodplains.

 

[Bush dog]

October 2009

 

LEBALA

 

3^rd to 7^thday

 

Some pictures taken in other places than along the floodplains.

 

 

[michael-ibk]

Great Pictures as always. Love the fearsome look in the third pic from below. What kind of setting was this? I continue to enjoy your Kwando adventures very much!

[Bush dog]

@@michael-ibk

 

Thanks Michael! As far as I am concerned I continue to enjoy your comments.

 

The third picture from below shows an African wild cat that found shelter, as soon as it saw us, in a hollow dead trunk. So, its look is more frightened than fearsome.

[michael-ibk]

Oh, my English failed me this time ... of course I meant frightened.

[Bush dog]

October 2009

 

LEBALA

 

3^rd to 7^thday

 

The last pictures of October 2009.

 

 

[Bush dog]

October 2011

 

KWARA

 

This time, I was at main camp. Kwara was the first stop, before Lagoon and Lebala, of a twelve days’ trip, partly payed by the first prize of their photo competition. The four days at Kwara were very disappointing, no predators except for a few lions. Although they are in no way responsible for it, I do not remember the names of the guide and tracker. I just remember that the guide was a big burly guy. Therefore, this chapter will only be limited to this post.

 

 

[TonyQ]

@@Bush dog

Beautiful photos throughout - and it is very interesting to get that perspective fom visiting a place over a number of years.

Edited June 21, 2015 by TonyQ

[Bush dog]

October 2011

 

 

LAGOON

 

The camp had been completely renovated since my last visit in 2006. Moses, whom I had met at Mapula in 2006 co-managed the camp with a lady. My guide was Bali or Mbali, I do not clearly remember the spelling of his name. He is a thin man with small round glasses. The tracker was the excellent OT. During the four days of my stay, it will be wild dogs on almost every game drive and a kill, giving the opportunity to the guide to show his driving skills in the pursuit of these. Two leopards were also seen, the first thanks to a troop of baboons and the second, to wild dogs. Both of them only found their salvation in flight and in a tree.

 

I also had the chance to be the only guest in the vehicle. The camp was mainly occupied by a group of a dozen people from Switzerland. They shared two vehicles. There was also an American couple of serious photographers, guided by Hobbs, using professional equipment, which had a private vehicle. I quickly realized that they were in the same category as those who would « kill father and mother » to get their way, as it was become Wildlife Photographer of the Year. Indeed, the morning of the day after my arrival, we were with the wild dogs near the airstrip. They arrived soon after and, ostensibly, when there was enough space elsewhere, positioned themselves at 180 ° on the same axis as we and the wild dogs. So we had to move so as to not to have them anymore in the background. The wild dogs being not active, we decided to move. Unfortunately, a few meters away, we got stuck in hot and deep sand. Hobbs was immediately there to help us out. That’s when, not content to be rude, they showed, despite the detailed explanations, but in vain, of Hobbs, that they were not at all concerned by the tacit code of conduct that wants that a vehicle having problems is not abandoned alone in a wild environment as long as it has not regained its mobility. Already, when Hobbs arrived, I heard them moan but as soon as the wild dogs were in motion, they ordered him to follow them. Very badly placed, and after we told him to go, Hobbs obeyed. At lunch, though he was not responsible at all, he came to apologize to me. Needless to say that, I did not speak to those people anymore and, until their departure, I have considered them with the utmost contempt.

[Marks]

The elephant in the water, amongst the green and gold foliage, is a real winner. Such a scene just oozes atmosphere.

 

Shame about the other safarigoers not having the common courtesy to stick around. If your photos are any indication, they already had a great view of the dogs. Do you recall how much longer you were stuck at the time?

 

Also, what is that green canvas they are tugging on?

[Bush dog]

@@Marks

 

Thank you very much!

 

The green canvas is a piece of jute they probably found near the anti-poaching unit's camp. Playing with it, those young dogs practice the hunting and killing's gestures.

 

It's difficult to recall how long we were stuck, but certainly at least thirty minutes.

[michael-ibk]

Really unvelievable behaviour of these guests, but as it seems you were richly compensated with fantastic Dog sightings.

[Bush dog]

October 2011

 

LAGOON

 

More dogs !

 

 

[michael-ibk]

Love these shots! You´re showing both their "brutal" and their tender sides, fantastic. Did you observe the hunt as well or just the result (= Impala head)?

[Bush dog]

@@michael-ibk

 

I saw the all hunt from the beginning until the end.

[Bush dog]

October 2011

 

LAGOON

 

This is the young leopard that was forced to take shelter on a tree.

 

 

Scavengers near a death elephant, waiting for the lappet-faced vultures to go through the thick skin.

 

 

Warthogs and kudus joining face to face.

 

 

To close the Lagoon episode, some elephants.

 

 

[Marks]

The dogs appear so deceptively lethargic; the impala head is a stark reminder of their capabilities. Any shots of the chase itself?

 

Love the face-to-face kudu and the wet elephant immediately after.