Kwando and Selinda trip report, June 6-15, 2017

[modleski]

Just now, modleski said:

That night on the way back to camp we saw more cats, including a leopard cub in a tree. We could see it best by taking a video. Apologies that youtube puts up pictures right after video. I can't figure out how to eliminate them, but I just refresh the page.

 

 

 

 

[modleski]

Our first sighting of the following morning was of cheetah brothers, one of which was feeding on an impala. One brother (first picture) had eaten and was sitting some distance away. Yum.

 

 

Buffalo were starting to appear in the region. A handsome couple: 

 

 

And a handsome group of 14 sable:

 

 

So many elephant babies.

 

 

There were lions nearby (the brothers we'd seen yesterday, but the mother and baby walked across their paths unharmed.

 

 

Edited July 12, 2017 by modleski

[modleski]

We took a few casual pictures of the camp. There were eight tents, which seemed very large compared to the other camps we visited. Our room was lovely and gigantic (with a huge bathroom). There was, by the way, a camp elephant who could be quite ornery and Genny had a near run-in with him. 

 

 

 

View of the lagoon from our room: 

 

 

 

View of the tent from the lagoon:

 

 

We took a motor boat on the lagoon, and just missed a large group of elephants that had crossed the river into Namibia. We did see one laggard who was a bit timid about making the trip, but finally, as it were, took the plunge.

 

 

Tomorrow: lion extravaganza

 

 

 

Edited July 12, 2017 by modleski

[Seniortraveller]

Just started reading your trip report, your first days sightings were incredible. Hard to beat that!

[Hads]

@modleski Great report and your sightings were second to none 

[amybatt]

Found this!  Great report so far and some excellent sightings!  That leopard was most definitely posing for you! Can't wait to read more.

[modleski]

Oh, wait. The lion extravaganza actually starts the next day. BUT we did start out tracking lions and found those same brothers again. One was way behind the other, and had a limp. We stayed with him, as he looked for his bro:

 

 

Then the brothers starting roaring back and forth. Do seasoned safari goers remember the first time they heard a lion roar? I wanted so badly to hear one. Fantastic! I was struck that it's not exactly like  the MGM lion. By the end they seem to have to reach deep to get the sound out.

 

They did catch up with each other, and it felt like we kept running into them sleeping by the road. 

 

Edited July 12, 2017 by modleski

[modleski]

THEN news of wild dogs, the pack of 12. They were all the way down to the Lebala border, and of course, everything else becomes secondary to the pursuit of such a sighting. It was near noon when we arrived, holding onto our hats the whole way. The dogs were just finishing a hunt and were soon sacked out. The blood on some of the fur suggests the hunt was successful. 

 

 

 

Edited July 12, 2017 by modleski

[modleski]

On the way back: those same brothers in the road. Then we encountered something I thought was truly adorable, a young warthog with fur tusks (to make him appear ferocious before his time?)

 

 

 

Time to relax with a beer after such a morning.

 

Edited July 12, 2017 by modleski

[modleski]

The afternoon passed quietly:

 

 

But the next morning--our last at Lagoon before heading to Selinda in the afternoon, we saw lions beginning a hunt. It was an astonishing sight to watch as they padded out confidently one by one, single file, three lionesses and 8 subadults.

 

 

The youngster was bored:

 

 

Twice the young ones spoiled the hunt by revealing their presence and causing alarm sounds everywhere. So the lions gave up and took a snooze--in the road, of course.

 

 

We sincerely hoped they would get those young ones in line for the next hunt, the way the Selinda lions were able to do. And with that . . . we were off to Selinda Explorers.

Edited July 14, 2017 by modleski

[Atravelynn]

All this and a lion roar too.  Liked the over the rainbow quip.  The predators all showed up and how about those 14 sable?  What a treat!  The red lechwe and blue water behind it really says Delta.

 

Your self portraits are divine!   Those morning drives can require some bundling.

Edited July 14, 2017 by Atravelynn

[modleski]

Thank you. Your comments mean so much. We loved the animals that were NOT predators as well as, of course, the predators. Glad you liked our self portraits. We were afraid that our glamour would diminish the beauty of the lions, cheetahs and sable. Thank goodness it doesn't appear we madee them suffer by comparison.  

[xelas]

@modleski, the size of the lens does not force Mother Nature to show you anything. Your camera whichever size it is gets plenty of action for which big lens holders are surely envious! 

I am enjoying this report; one day ...

[modleski]

 

 

 

Simple, elegant Selinda Explorers Camp

Edited July 18, 2017 by modleski

[modleski]

But we weren't to see it until the next day at noon. We landed at the airstrip and Oaks told us the camp was an hour and a half away! But he wanted to go in the other direction where a cheetah had been spotted and also some lion cubs.

 

Sleepy cheetah:

 

 

Occasionally he would lift his head, but that was all the entertainment on offer:

 

Edited July 18, 2017 by modleski

[modleski]

OMG the tiniest lion cubs:

 

 

We watched them play and groom each other. There was a third, very shy, who was behind.

 

Edited July 18, 2017 by modleski

[modleski]

They were left in a thicket by their mother who went out to hunt. Or did she  . . . ? Or was she just trying to get for a little nap before the hunt. A big pile of lions sacked out in some shade:

 

 

 

Edited July 18, 2017 by modleski

[modleski]

After eating a wonderful lunch delivered to us and watching the hippos, we raced home to make it in time for dinner. 

[modleski]

The next morning we set out to find lions on a hunt. We found three subadults who were clearly intimidated by their mother(s) to stay put while the hunt went on. We stayed with these subadults for a long time, hoping the pride would return, but it did not.

 

 

 

So on to some other sightings, including some elephants, a Verreaux's eagle owl, and a kudu, and a small jackal:

 

 

 

[modleski]

The next day, wild dogs in the morning, on the move and then resting:

 

 

Tonight, we will actually see them beginning a hunt! Not that we know that yet.

[modleski]

 

On the way back some more elephants, then another pride of lions with cubs:

 

 

Contemplative cub:

 

 

Edited July 19, 2017 by modleski

[Geoff]

Excellent report, great sightings, nothing wrong with those pics...

[modleski]

Thank you so much!

[modleski]

Tonight: our last night on safari, we see the wild dogs beginning their hunt! It seems fitting that our first night showed the dogs hunting and our last night ends with the wonderful greeting ceremony and the beginning of the hunt. Here's a small section of the video we took:

 

 

[modleski]

 

 

 

Uh oh. There's crocodiles in these waters. A conference about where to cross. They succeeded in crossing, and though we didn't stay with them the whole way, we heard they got their impala.