TUSKERS CAMP NEAR NXAI PAN , MANKWE NEAR MOREMI AND XOBEGA DELTA

[COSMIC RHINO]

KWAI is a area of mixed trees bushes and good grass

 

puku antelopes are in good sized groups

[COSMIC RHINO]

the track   goes  quiet close  to the  river  ,  it was  great  to see  the elephants  there

 

it was  the first time I  had seen an elephant with  their trunk  resting  on  their tusks  

 

it was  the first time  since  1991  I  had  been in a public reserve  

 

at  times it was  great  to be  able to get  closer  with  a  high magnification  zoom  lens  

[COSMIC RHINO]

the  emphasis  at all camps  is do  not drink the  water

 

I  was  told  directly  that  the  tap water  is to  shower or wash clothes  

 

I  was constantly  offered  more  bottled  water  (included in the  daily rate  ) 

 

in the  delta  I  was  told  that local  people  drink the  water  but  they become  accustomed  to it  

[offshorebirder]

Sorry to be late in posting these photos for @COSMIC RHINO.   I just noticed them when he sent me a new batch.

 

These were titled "Around Mankwe Camp" so presumably this large Baobab tree is close by.  

 

 

 

 

These are Sunset photos I presume

 

 

[offshorebirder]

 

 

 

 

 

[offshorebirder]

 

 

 

[COSMIC RHINO]

the  elephants in  posts 30 and 31  are from the  day trip  to Moremi  , I  am  please  with my pictures

Edited August 19, 2019 by COSMIC RHINO

[wilddog]

They are very good pictures @COSMIC RHINO

[COSMIC RHINO]

There are  cats at Moremi   but they  were  not followed  ,  lions are  not my thing the closest  was a  rear view  way  in the distance  

 

SK  is an experienced  guide  who first worked with cattle  , trained with  Wilderness  Safaris   staying with them for 5 years  

 

they offered  him an admin management role  but  asked to remain a guide , he then  worked for some other  luxury operators ,  then  spent some time again with  cattle and looking after  his older  aged  parents  

 

after this  time he went to  work with Tuskers  and its associated  camps

 

At another  time there was talk from  the other vehicles  of  a leopard  ,  well  looking  a long time  found  no one  ,  they can move  away  and be very hard to find

 

there was neither talk  or sight or cheetahs

Edited August 20, 2019 by COSMIC RHINO

[COSMIC RHINO]

SK  told  me that  the luxury  operators  Ker  and Downey  , and  Desert  and Delta  safaris  are  the one  group

 

they  are in  the same   office  building   and have  the same  company  directors   

 

as  an identifiable  travel offering  desert  and delta  is easier to  market  as  the  name  says directly  what they do

[COSMIC RHINO]

# there  were some good  hippo pools  at the  areas visited in  Moremi  

 

 

# a  pleasing aspect  of  the camps  I  stayed  at was  being call to lunch  and  dinner  by  reasonably good  singing from  the guide  and other  camp staff 

 

this is  a  whole  lot better  than the drum  banging  I  have  had   at  some places  in STH Africa  

Edited August 21, 2019 by COSMIC RHINO

[offshorebirder]

Latest batch of converted photos from @COSMIC RHINO - more coming soon.

 

 

Edit - these are Red Lechwe - thanks for the ID @madaboutcheetah.

 

I am jealous of the close Southern Ground-Hornbill encounter.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 23, 2019 by offshorebirder

[COSMIC RHINO]

• the antelope are puku
• I  love the  scene  with the impala and termite mound
• I  use  an advanced compact camera  with  a strong optical zoom  going up to 900 mm , the ground hornbills  were at least 100 meters  away but  in  open space  with  good light  

[madaboutcheetah]

Those are female Red Lechwe...... Not Puku

[COSMIC RHINO]

Well my guide mentioned  puku , thanks for sorting things out

[COSMIC RHINO]

I thoughly endorse  the  advice on the  sun safaris  information  , f  you  are  driving  you  must use  a 4WD vehicle  

 

the  tracks are very  rough  

 

if  you  are taking the  delta  boat  with any of the  other  camps  , it is  only  viable  to use the  camp transfer vehicles as  the  drive back  to  the car rental  depot  is several  hours

 

the  boat  leaves  from   a jetty  on the river  channel side  in Moremi  game reserve  

 

it is done  in  a aluminium  runabout  with a  cloth cover  to protect from the sun  and fitted  with fixed  seats

 

Xobega   island  camp  is  pronounced  as  Kobega

 

anyone who is  flying  to  the island  camp  and looks  like they  have overweight  baggage  arriving in Manu  will  be taken  to the  Mack  air offices  so things  can be put into  storage

Edited August 23, 2019 by COSMIC RHINO

[Atravelynn]

The battery charger worked well to allow you to get the trip report photos.  Great action at the waterhole.  What a surprise to learn you were in Botswana, but when you explained it was post Lewa Downs, it is not such a shock.

 

Your giraffe poses are delightful.

 

The photo of you in front of the baobab confirms you are indeed impressively dressed, perhaps with garments freshly laundered and hung to dry on the tree branch.  Ready for whatever safari excitement comes your way.

 

[COSMIC RHINO]

I Had a good supply of batteries ,always handy to change

 

I have a small zip bag in my cargo pants pocket to put the exhausted ones in dust free

 

I was reasonable close to the river elephants at Moremi

 

 

[COSMIC RHINO]

high magnification zoom and keeping out the camera 📷 nearly always helps gets the pictures I want

 

I am always looking for animals and the landscape,I take photos on the move before the vehicle stops and when it pulls out, if it is no good I can delete it

 

 

charging did not work out well in the delta but I Had lots of spare batteries

 

 

 

Edited August 25, 2019 by COSMIC RHINO

[COSMIC RHINO]

for a short stay I Got lucky with a photo just before sunset a full view of a hippo head on.high zoom you can see.the.hairs on the

edge of the ears

 

crop it.and it fills the frame

[COSMIC RHINO]

I  thought  about delta  options  and  although  I  could  have been taken  to an  area  for  mokoro trips  , decided  to go  on  the  metal runabout  boat trips  with  the outboard  motor  

 

I  was thinking this  way  I  will  see more

 

now mokoro trips are  only done  in areas  with shallow  water  ,  as   when  it is deeper  it is difficult  to know  if  there  are  hippos or crocs  under  the  boat 

 

they are trying to  avoid boat turnovers  from  understanderably protective  animals

 

the   polers  come the traditional  delta  communities  but now do  a brief training  course   and are licensed    

[COSMIC RHINO]

Boat captains are  trained for  about  4 months  after they are  already  trained and qualified  as safari guides   ''

 

Xobega   island  camp   is low key and simple  

 

[COSMIC RHINO]

• the camp has Meru  tents set on the ground,  with  external  terrace including   seats and  folding table
• the  tents have  a queen  sized   twin bed, a simple  table   and  battery operated  lights
• the bathroom is  at the back open to the  sky with  a bucket  shower well  screened  but open to the  sky    and chemical  toilet 
• the staff leave  friendly messages on the bed  created  with small leaves  turned  into  the letters of the  alphabet 
• water is brought to the tent  (rather  than piped ) morning and evening
• I  prefer  to wash in the morning,  instead  of the evening which  is a prime period  for  stinging  insects  
• the  tents are well  spaced  for privacy  
•  there  are lots of attractive sausage trees  around
• there  are two lounge  areas  in the camp 
• there  is a  hammock  near  the boat tie up area
• nearly  all of  the island  is densely covered  by trees
• I  was told that  vervet monkies   and 2 large  but not  yet fully  grown  male elephants  could  be around camp,  well  I  did not see them when I  was there

Edited August 29, 2019 by COSMIC RHINO

[COSMIC RHINO]

the  boat trips begin a bit later  8AM  wishing to avoid  any  possible  contact with  the   2  resident  male  elephants or  any hippos who may  have come up to  graze  

 

the boat  trips   are a delight of water  and plants without a whole  lot   of wildlife  

 

there  are some  waterbirds , mainly small  ones, like malachite  kingfishers

 

at  places  the water  plants are dense  making it hard for  the boat to stop  

 

hippos  are around  showing  the very top  of their heads  , when  the boat  get anywhere  near  them  they dive down  below  the  water

Edited September 3, 2019 by COSMIC RHINO

[COSMIC RHINO]

the  section of the delta  has no other camps  , so it is  peaceful  and quiet  

 

once  I  managed to see  a sitatunga  antelope  on  an island  close  to the  water  ,  and got  a close  up photo  using  high  range zoom