Sharing a campsite with lions (Botswana, Zimbabwe, September-October 2021)

[ElenaH]

thank you, @TravelMore!

[ElenaH]

Kasane  20.09.2021

I decided to continue with my TR. Sometimes we are writing about our impressions and experience for ourselves because we can forget it and it is so nice to get back and read my own report or perhaps, I left some information in TR and want to get back and check it. In any case I do write TR also for myself. Oh, yes, and it is nicely saved on the lovely platform ;-)

We flew from Vienna with Ethiopian Airlines to Gaborone. It would be better for us to get out in Victoria Falls but we had a bed experience with customs there when they wanted to have a deposit  for our equipment. We were lucky to escape but we didn't want to fly to VicFalls anymore... That means we should drive back North with a car. 

The Ethiopian had a new big Lounge and the life was going on outside the airport.

Addis Ababa from the air:

We love to fly with Ethiopian. We buy tickets a year in advance to Cloud Nine and enjoy the possibility to take a lot of hand-luggage (our photo Equipment).

Five ours later we landed to Gaborone and pick our vehicle from Bushlore:

 

Oh, this red Rimova fits in each small airplane by the way ;-)

 

We stayed at "Tap's home away from home" which wee booked through the booking.com. It is a nice place near the airport. Here is our way to Taps Home and the way to thee Shopping Mall where we bought food and all we needed. It is not our first time in Taps Home so, wee know already where we find everything in the shopping mall.

        

 

The next day we were heading towards Nata. It was about 600km and I don't remember how long we drove but we were there about 16:00. We booked to Bel Rea Guest House but the place was quite expensive for what you get and very strange. The whole Nata was very strange. Kids and teenagers stalked us and asked for money in such a manner that we own them something and that it is their right to get money from us. We wanted to visit the store opposite the guesthouse but gave up that idea because everything looked unfriendly. It was not a good feeling. And it was not Botswana I knew before. Actually it was a wrong decision to stop in Nata for overnight. We must have driven to Elephant Sands Lodge. It was only about 45min from Nata. Or we should have stayed in Nata lodge. Our goal was to make first day as many kilometres as possible so that the next day wee can get to Kasane before noon and make our PCR test for Zimbabwe. The test must be ready in the evening or next day.

And we achieved our goal :-)

The private clinic was just "around the corner" of our apartment in Kasane. We stayed in Chobe River Cottages and my review with pictures you can see here: Chobe River Cottages

It was such a lovely place that despite of the review I need to post a picture here:

 

We had lunch in the Old House which was also just around the corner. The place has a special touch, an atmosphere. The food and service were also great!

 

We thought that Old House is a great alternative to Chobe River Cottages. The pool was better in Cottages but in Old House you don't need to cook ;-)

 

 

 

Almost all images of this part are made by iiPhone. Even the last one with the bug. Who could have thought that iPhone could make such images. But to be honest I am not really happy with them and therefore the next part will contain the pictures of aa different kind.

 

 

Edited August 21, 2022 by ElenaH

[ElenaH]

Chobe 21.09.2021. - alone on the river

 

The birders know - take a boat cruise early in the morning! Yes! You could have thought that elephants are coming to the river in the afternoon. And this is true. But thee birds are waking up starting their every day life early in the morning. There is no wind and the water surface turns into the mirror where some of the beauties like that African Jacana can check their look. Well.. if they want, of course.

Nothing breaks the mirror of water. We were only the boat on the Chobe river that morning.

Well.. some impalas were there:

The magic of the Chobe morning:

By the way who knows what for bird is above?

Some of birds were already hunting:

LBR has also its prey.

And Goliath heron is patiently waiting for a breakfast:

Many of birds just rushing somewhere. Perhaps, the breakfast is serviced already?

White-crowned Lapwing:

Black Heron:

Openbills:

African Skimmers:

Sacred Ibis:

Note, all of them were flying in one direction. 

Here African Darter has already had a breakfast and waiting for others with open hands:

 

And these two are checking who is coming and who is going:

I swapped the sky to make it more dramatic. Did you notice it?

Just a normal Chobe_morning how we know it:

I can almost see a smile on this face:

Amazing structures of the skin:

The early-ellie was happy bathing:

 

 

Our boat-cruise:

 

 

Edited August 21, 2022 by ElenaH

[MMMim]

@ElenaHYour photographs are stunning! I am truly in awe.  Thank-you.

[ElenaH]

Thank you, @MMMim!  

[ElenaH]

Kapula Private Camp 22.09.2021 - the hidden jewel

 

Our next days will be in Kapula Private Camp, in Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe.

The passing border in Kasungula was without any problems. We were the only tourists. Then we drove to Hwange town and took the road to Sinamatella camp which goes through the Cole mine. The road is actually good marked but a few years ago we were able to get lost in the mine. This time it looked like the mine moved a bit aside and we were happy to see familiar navigation points like railway and some crossings. The way from Hwange supermarket through the mine to the gate takes about 20-30 minutes and next 30 to Sinamatella camp where you need to check in and pay the conservation fees. If you are staying longer in the park, the Hwange town supermarkets are close and good providers of suppliers. 

Near the Sinamatella office we met Godfrey, a ranger who takes care for guests in Masuma Dam Picnic side. Before we went to this trip we contacted him and asked what to bring. So, now we had a few presents for him and his 8 years old doughtier. We booked him also as a private ranger for a couple of days.

As we came to Kapula I have realised that I have already forgotten how nice that African jewel is… The south camp has only four tents, a communal kitchen and a deck or main area. There were no people and the camp was full of singing birds. The elephants were drinking in the waterhole. The camp was airing a kind of calmness, and I was happy to be there.

We booked to the South Camp. Our tent number 3.

Main Areea:

Kitchen with fireplace.

The donkey for hot water:

 

The camp has also northern part which consist of four tents for guests and one for the guide. The North Camp is pure luxury! The tents are bigger and nicely built on platforms, where often the lions and hyenas find a shade. The North Camp has also better kitchen and nicer main area. It can be booked as a half-a-camp or the whole camp, but not in a tent-basis. It is rather for small groups of friends or families. Once we booked there because South Camp was fully booked and met there a very interesting Zimbabwean family. But this is another story.

My whole review can be found in Trip Advisor here: Kapula Private Camp Trip Advisor

 

The Kitchen got new stoves.

 

 

 

The bird basin are often visited by resident leopard or hyena. But now let's enjoy the birds!

Golden-breasted Bunting:

 

Yellow-billed Kite:

 

Helmeted Guineafowl:

 

Burchell's Startling (or any other starling)

 

 

 

 

[ElenaH]

Masuma Dam and Picnic Site 23.09.2021 - wonderful place!

 

Kapula camp has its own small concession which stretches from the Masuma Dam to Bumbumutsa waterhole. The guests can drive through the concession a bit later and can enjoy a sunset at Masuma dam until closing time. It is about 10 minutes from Masuma to the camp. On the way you cross the bridge. Lions like to chill in this area. If you stay in Kapula for a long time, you can definitely see them one time. We also saw them a few days later.

One of our drives:

 

Masuma Hide:

 

 

Masuma Dam is a wonderful place. In the cool shadow of the tethered roof, you can sit on the banks of stone, watching the life passing by, drink a cold beer, chat with other guests and take a seldom photo. Sunsets are especially beautiful.

 

There are a few resident hippos who often fight with each other and from which I can take a good high key pictures

 

Giraffes, zebras, kudus and impalas come to drink.

 

 

But the main attractions are of course, elephants!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[ElenaH]

24.09.2021 Big Loop

We were curious about Bumbumutsa waterhole and decided to drive there. The bumpy road guided us along the Kapula Vlei. You can reach Bumbumutsa also via Shumba pans or Hwange Camp. In 2017 we were doing game census in that waterhole. The other time we met there two female lions with very tiny cubs. Bumbumutsa is a pumped waterhole.

This time there was only general game and we decided to drive forward to see if Kapani Pans have water. The road disappeared in some parts, in some places there was just a petrified mud and it was very difficult to drive. But we reached Kapani and couldn’t resist our curiosity about the next waterholes. 
We had offline google maps in our navigation app and could see every bush and every water hole. Dandaro Pans promised to have water. And they had! Two pants had natural water. Can you imagine you are just in nowhere and there are pans with water? 

There was also a military tower, it reminded me on Russian constructions. My partner Hans needed to climb it, of course, but I didn’t trust it. I think, he could have seen Botswana from above.

We didn’t see much game on our way, a few birds, Roan antelopes and a hyena. We continued to Manzibomvo Pan where we met an anti-poaching unit. We gave people cold beers and coke what made them really happy. It was already very hot. Manzibomvo Pan had also water. 

We continued our way to Salt Pans when noticed a tree with vultures. There was definitely a kill not far away. We walked a few hundred meters but didn’t have courage to walk into the thick bush. 
Next days we found out that lions made a kill near Big Tom. It was about 4km from the vultures. After visiting Salt Pans, we hit the main road and drove to the camp with a short stop at Deteema Picnic site. 

Here is our loop:

And here are two Hwange maps I was able to find:

 

It was really a very very long drive. We didn’t see many animals but we got more familiar with Hwange, we felt its spirit. It is a huge park full of surprises and changing moods. 

 

 

 

[ElenaH]

25.09.2021 Robins - a great camp in Hwange!

 

We picked up Godfrey in Sinamatella in the morning and drove to newly renovated Robins Camp to have a look, to eat in the restaurant, to get mails and chat in social media. WiFi was excellent in Robins. The food was also good but not sophisticated. I think, we ate a big breakfast or better to say brunch consisted of eggs, sausages, beans, tomatoes and salad. We made an excursion to the chalets and were nicely surprised how beautifully they were decorated!

 

I post a few pictures here. 

 

 

The Robins Camp review is here: Robins Camp

Here is also a short video I made about Robins Camp. I combined the old footage of GoPro from 2015 with new footage:

 

In the afternoon we explored Big Tom and Little Tom.

 

Blue waxbill:

 

Lilac-breasted Roller:

 

 

 

Little Tom hide:

 

 

Big Tom hide:

 

And the panorama from Big Tom:

 

[ElenaH]

26-27.09.2021 Walking and exploring.

The other days we were walking with Godfrey to the Waterhole where a road supposed to be but it wasn’t there. The blue track is where we were walking. 

The nature took the road over. However, the map was showing a normal road. So, one cannot relay on the map.

By the way I found aa better map of Hwange. Here you can see Bumbumutsa, Kapani, Dandari, Manzibomvo and Mbejane waterholes.

We drove to Mbejane and met there a lot of elephants.

 

 

Mbejane (here we step out of the car and ellies left)

 how to get to Mbejane:

It is interesting to know that Hwange has natural waterholes with water in the end of September. However, the rains were good.

We also positioned our trap-cam on one small natural waterhole near Rhino Bar along Lukosi river. In previous years I was able to catch many different animals on my trap-cam. Along them were two rhinos, a mom and a calf which were not cataloged, leopards, lions, hyenas and elephants.

 

Here are aa few pictures of trap-cam  from this trip:

 

 

 

 

 

Civet is a big animal:

 

And a resident hyena from Kapula:

The wide-angle perspective shows a character ;-)

 

[ElenaH]

28.09.2021 Lions!

As I already said if you stay in Kapula long time then you will definitely see lions on their favourite places: near the Masuma bridge. This time it was also not different. They were roaring at night and early in the morning we met them.

 

 

 

 

It looks that they have eaten something.

 

 

 

 

 

Nice light of an early morning!

 

 

 

It is time to say good bye to Kapula and fell one more time the atmosphere of that camp in this video. Note the mirror on the main deck - it looks like a TV. A bush TV!

 

 

[ElenaH]

29.09.2021 How you can start a monster - machine

 

We liked Robins Camp so much that we decided to spend our two last nights in Hwange there. We dropped Godfrey to Sinamatella in the morning and drove to Robins.

Now I need to make a short pause and tell you a story about starting the excavator. The excavator was brought to Masuma to do some work, was standing a while and couldn’t start anymore. Masuma Picnic Site guests tried to start it with their land cruisers but it didn’t work. The excavator was a Monster.

The rangers from Masuma called to Kapula and asked Godfrey to help. He came to us and told us the problem. My partner took a small box with a starter and pressed into my hand, „Go there and help them.“
„Me?“ , I was unsure holding a small box and feeling like being betrayed.
„Yes. I don’t have time“, he answered.
Godfrey and I looked at each other, then at the box and thought that my partner got crazy. The box was Yaber Jump Starter:

 

Ok, We jumped into thee car. At least we had a land cruiser with us as well.
As we arrived to Masuma I gave the small box to the workers and said: „Try with that, please“. 

I didn’t believe that it would work, but I wanted to avoid some questions from my partner and followed his instructions. The workers didn’t laugh at me because I was a woman and I was blond. I thought: „Oh God, let me pass that embarrassing as quickly as possible!“  

They probably didn’t want to offend me and connect the equipment to the Monster. Maybe they were sorry for me thinking that my parter sent me deliberately to make a fool of me…  

 

The Monster … started immediately from the first turn … 
Now the workers looked at me as I was a witch. 
I, myself, was so astonished that I didn’t know how to react. Perhaps, I should have said with a smile: „And what did you think?“  
Instead, I invited them for a cold coke I had in the car fridge. 

 

The story obviously got known everywhere and as we brought Godfrey to Sinamatella some people greeted me with smiles saying they know about a small black box. When we arrived to Robins a ranger who was eating in the restaurant, saw me and said with a big smile: „Oh, I know you! You started that Monster-machine with a small box!“ 
That time I hoped that my partner regretted not to come with us to Masuma.

 

But back to our sightings.
We drove to Big Tom in the afternoon. There was always something to see: the fighting Egyptian goose males, zebras, a lot of elephants, water monitor …
We were absolutely alone there.

 

Elephants coming to Big Tom:

 

 

 

Water monitor:

 

 

Then all animals disappeared and we were wandering why. And then we saw the lions coming. A nice male was between them. Could it have been Vusi, a known lion from Camp Hwange who left his territory? Who knows.

 

 

 

 

 

 

One of the females lied down opposite the tower on the other side of the water. I was down on the ground, and she saw me but she was not uncomfortable. Obviously, these lions got used to people.

 

 

In the evening we had a very good dinner in the Robins restaurant. I hope, the lions - too.

 

[ElenaH]

30.09.2021 Nice light, handsome animals

 

 

Morning drive around Robins camp is especially beautiful. You can find a herd of buffalos, zebras or curious Roan.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The sun is still low. The red dust creates a mystic atmosphere.

 

Many birds come to drink to Big Tom.

One of most interesting is Yellow-throated Sandgrouse:

 

 

 

Southern Red-billed Hornbill:

 

Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill, a resident by Big Tom:

 

 

 

The other residents: 

African Wattled Lapwing (I hope, I identified the bird correctly)

 

Egyptian Goose:

 

Black.headed Heron juvenile? 

 

LBR:

 

and Starling:

 

Where the lions were yesterday, today were elephants:

 

 

 

 

[ElenaH]

2.10.2021 Chobe Boat Cruise

 

We left Robins on 1.10 in the Morning and drove to Victoria Falls where we were staying for one night because we needed a PCR-test to enter Botswana.

In Robins banded mongooses said us goodbye. They even made a kill just in the camp.

 

 

do you see thee smile?

 

ON our way we meet Giraffes just outside thee park! They were quite curious. 

 

The Bayete Guest Lodge in Vic Falls was great! The full review is here:  Bayete Guest Lodge

We enjoyed air-con in the room and beautiful garden. The test was taken in the lodge and we didn’t need to go somewhere. I remember in the bar people watched soccer.

 

 

Next day we crossed the border and accommodate again in Chobe River Cottages. I called our friend Stanza, whom we know from Chief’s camp where we stayed in 2013. Now Stanza has his own mobile-safari company. We met at lunch in Old House. It was nice to see an old friend!

We decided to take a boat cruise in the afternoon. The boat was very small and unfortunately we were not alone. Two Germans were sitting in the front, and it was very difficult for Hans to take pictures with the long lens. But we were rewarded! We found a lion on the beach and there was only one other boat. We could spend about 10-15 minutes with the lion before he moved away. All boats were still behind us. We were lucky.

 

 

 

 

Buffalos were far away  from the lion and took it easy. 

 

 

 

A standard boat-cruise on Chobe river:

 

The most beautiful pictures were made on the eye-level with object. Sometimes animals were above us and it gave them more dignity. There were also a few birds.

Veery colourful Egyptian Goose:

 

Yellow-billed Stork:

 

African Darter:

 

African Skimmer:

 

I am not sure about this one. Black Heron?

 

And of course, Pied Kingfisher!

 

 

When Kingfisher is fishing it is staying in the air stil nad only wings are mowing. At least the head is staying in full concentration. I tried to experiment with shutter-speed trying to get the head sharp and the wings blurred in motion. Here is 1/500sec and the wings are already blurred!

 

There were a lot of boats on our way back. People were dancing and singing, some of them were drunk. On 30th of September Botswana celebrated the independency day. It was a longer weekend for people, and they obviously continued to celebrate. Perhaps, not all animals were happy about it.

 

 

I made a short video about Chobe sightings. Some of them will be described in the next part.

 

 

 

Edited February 11, 2023 by ElenaH

[ElenaH]

3-4.10.2021 Chobe game drives

 

We decided for a private game drive and went with Stanza early in the morning. Stanza is a very experienced guide. In 2013 wee were tracking rhinos with him in Chief’s Island and we were successful.

 

We found a mating couple who were obviously tired and hungry. The female was trying to chase the warthog but was unsuccessful.

 

 

A jackal was watching the lioness in hope to have a meal.

 

We were staying with them for a while, but they look rather like a romantic pair than a mating pair. 

 

Eventually, we continued. We found elephants coming back from the river, taking a sand bath. 

 

 

Our game drive track in Chobe National Park, river front. The marked point "Lion Kill" is where we saw a lion from the river the previous day. The lion was on his kill (a buffalo calf) but the pictures were nothing special. The we proceeded to Serondela where we met the romantic pair and then to the Picnic Spot.

We always make tracks because we can repeat it ourselves or at least check the way points next day.

 

In the evening we found again the same couple but they were sleeping in the bush. The female was a bit more active but also didn’t left the shade. 
The sunset was very nice.

 

 

The next day I was with Stanza alone. We were 5min before the open hours and nobody was at the gate. After some minutes the ranger saw us and dashed to the gate. So, we were the first in the park and started our game drive.

 

Stanza offered to drive a bit further and try to find the other pride of lions. And indeed we found them. It was a family with a male lion two females and two tiny cubs.

 

The male and female disappeared and a mother with cubs made a rest in the middle of the road.

 

One of the cubs was hungry and was begging for milk. Mama was trying to educate the cub, showed him her teeth, raised the voice but the cub was not impressed and continued to demand the food. A small brave kitten! He even answered her. It was a kind of a dialog. But the mama’s mouth was bigger than the head of the cub. Actually I admired the cub. He didn’t give up.

 

 

 

 

We spent about 20-30 minutes with them and there was no other vehicle. They were lying for a long time on the road, and I could take some nice pictures in the early light.

 

 

It was our track for today. We drove farther than thee previous day.

 

We heard some growling coming from the bush and went there to have a look. The mating couple was there. After comparing the photos from the previous day, I realised that the lioness was the same but the mate was different. 

 

 

 

The lioness was quite young. Perhaps the other gentleman couldn’t serve the lady anymore and asked the brother to help. The lion we saw in the early morning was perhaps the brother of the lion from the previous day. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Because thee lioness was young and probably didn’t have oestrus many times, she was in pain after mating and was crying, groaning. 

 

The other game drive vehicles started to come. We reported about the other sighting with cubs and left for a deserved coffee. In the picnic place the monkeys have already waited. Stanza got out of the car a big stick and let it beside the car. „It is just to show them,“ he mentioned. The monkeys were very aggressive, but we were very cautious with our biscuits and didn’t let them to steal any.

 

As a conclusion I must say that game drives and boat cruises on Chobe river can be very productive especially if you take a private game drive vehicle with the guide. And there are a lot of opportunities in Kasane as I can see in the internet. The prices can vary now but it is about 100-110 USD per vehicle per drive (3-4hrs) and the same for a boat. There are also a lot of accommodation offers for self-catering like cottages, small hotels, camping grounds and airbnb. The prices can be seen in google-maps, for example. Many of accommodation offers are present in booking.com. So, actually you can have a good accommodation with all facilities, private game drives and self-drives as an option.

 

Edited February 11, 2023 by ElenaH

[pault]

You write a proper trip report and the camera traps are a great idea for this kind of trip. Not sure I could handle that much luggage but it seems like a lot of fun. Love the maps. 

[ElenaH]

2 hours ago, pault said:

You write a proper trip report and the camera traps are a great idea for this kind of trip. Not sure I could handle that much luggage but it seems like a lot of fun. Love the maps. 

Thank you very much :-) Good thing you mentioned about the maps! I forgot about them in my last two posts and attached them now.

We are flying with Ethiopian Airlines Cloud Nine and book tickets 11 months in advance. They have a reasonable price and we can take a lot of luggage and as well as hand luggage. But I must say that even a small wild-camera (trail camera) will be a lot of fun. Last year in Mana Pools we were looking for animals and all of them actually passed our tent at night 

I put a wild-camera along the road which was behind the tents with the thought, "It will be nothing there anyway.." and forgot about it for three days. I don't remember if wee saw a leopard on those videos but we saw a lion we looked for during those three days. We searched for him and he actually visited us. 

The wild camera is not a big piece of luggage and they are very good already. I recommend to buy one with dual lens: one for the day light and one for the night. The stills perhaps, will be not so good. However, some cameras have 20-30MP but the video of 4K with interesting content will be a hit!

[pault]

I am browsing already @ElenaH  It would be a lot of fun in Thailand too. Better study how to use it first though!

Edited February 11, 2023 by pault

[TonyQ]

@ElenaHbeautiful photos and good practical details 

[ElenaH]

thank you, @TonyQ

[ElenaH]

5-6.10.2021 Kasane-Wooodlands-Gaborone-Mabua

We left Kasane quite late and reached Woodlands Stop Over with the last sun rays. The Woodlands is a beautiful place. 

 

You can read my full review here: Woodland Stop Over and Lodge

The next night we spent in Gaborone after visiting Airport Junction Shopping Mall to stock the food. During our trip we’ve been to Gaborone three times and slept in different places. But all of them had something we didn’t like. After arrival we spent a night in „Tap’s Home away from Home“. Everything was great there and it was not our first visit but the parking place was quite small and our land cruiser barely fit there. The Tap’s home was not available for other dates. 
The second night on our way to Mabuasehube from Kasane we stopped in Orchid Luxury Boutique Guesthouse. Again we barely fit into the yard with our land cruiser. We also must carry our luggage through the small reception and some corridors. Otherwise, it was a very nice place but also expensive.

And before our departure we stayed in "MadamZ Bed and Breakfast" because it was close to the PCR testing place. The place was not bad but opposite the hotel there was a very loud house with coming and leaving autos and people. The staff member said we should close our window with curtains because the others can see inside. But we were not naked and didn’t do something what can call some special interest. Strange.

 

From Gaborone we drove via Jwaneng to Sekoma where we filled the car and proceeded to Khakhea. After Khakhea there is a road to Mabuasehube.

 

But before we took that road we made a home-office stop under the tree. My partner had an important meeting he couldn’t miss. A goat made a company.

 

 

The road to Mabuasehube is sandy and boring. And very long. At least it feels like. It is also bright and straight, you can see animals on the road from far away. After driving from East to West, you need to drive along the park boarder to the South to reach the gate. After registration there is half an hour to the camping site.
Mpayathutlwa. 

The road was blocked. Nothing new here.
Note the car tracks. The lion didn’t bother about the cars.

 

[ElenaH]

6-7.10.2021 The experience repeats.

 

We pitched the tent and enjoyed the evening. We rolled up the canvas on windows to be able to see through the net. I wanted to hear and see what is going on.

 

I was too brave. Or too stupid. I obviously forgot our first visit to Mpaya in 2019. Read my story here: Mpayathutlwa Symphony

It is really worth.

 

It was also not different this time. As soon as we were in the tent the concert began. There were many voices and they were very loud. I was sitting in the middle of the tent, listening and trying to asses thee situation,“What they are doing? Where are they?“ A very deep bass was just behind our tent. There was also a very strange growling like fighting. Later we found out that there were two mating pairs and one solo lion who had fresh steps of fighting on his face. Probably because of a lady? The mating pairs were obviously also not silent. So, it was frightening in 2019 with three lions and now there was Sodom and Gomorrah outside. I couldn’t even think about sleeping in such a company. I tried to recognise something through the net. 

 

Suddenly a silhouette of a big cat appeared from the darkness and quickly moved to the tent. „A leopard?“, the thought flashed in my mind. The cat was talking. It was not a growl or purr but something in between. If you have cats, you know what I mean. I felt this deep voice with my breast. She came directly to the entrance of the tent and stroked the zip with her paw as she was trying to open it. I noticed her tale. It was a lioness. 

She turned and went away talking. 
„What a cheek!“, I was outraged of her impertinence, „Did you see it?“
And if she had used claws?
The whole event was so quick that you couldn’t even realise what actually happened. But after realising the situation I started to be scared. How did she know the entrance, the zip? Had she ever been in a tent? 
There is a YouTube video of Mabua lion who entered the tent, but the tent was open. Perhaps they pass the knowledge to each other? 
So, the night was not really restful.

 

In the morning we found one pair on the road not far away from our camping site. They were posing like a bridal pair. Perhaps, they were sorry for me and tried to do something good for crazy photographers.

 

Please, smile!

 

Groom, look at your bride with love, please!

 

Bride, hug the groom!

 

And now please, run to me and show who is the boss in your family!

 

Thank you, you were great! Yes, you can go!

 

A quick close-up, please.

 

 

We drove back to the camping site and found a solo-lion with a „blue eye“. He looked like a boss of our camping site, like it was his. 

 

 

The bridal pair joined him, too, tried our shower, inspected everything in the A-frame.

 

 

A groom is looking if shower is occupied. But I am not there 

 

And his bride is also not there.

 

 

 A lioness was especially playful. I think she was visiting us at night. She took and carried a water battle, sniffed everything. But the gentleman was interested only for her.

 

 

[ElenaH]

8.10.2021 Living with lions as neighbours.

 

The next day we found the bridal couples at Mpaya-2 camping site. This camping site was empty from the day we arrived and lions occupied it during the day. And at night they made a patrolling to our campsite and to overflow. In the morning they were active but when it was getting hot they were flat lions.

 

 

 

 

And there is always somebody who is watching:

 

 

 

And here is a second pair:

 

 

 

No, they didn't change the partners! Look with how much love he is looking at her!

 

It was definitely a real love. And as I heard there are some fruits of love in Mabua now!

 

 

Let us do it!

 

It was good!

 

 

 

 

This night we made a barricade around the tent. We parked the vehicle in front of the tent door and put the chairs and the table by each side of the tent. We closed the windows and the door with canvas. Then we put the satellite device on the roof of the car and had a look at fire-map. There were fires around and we wanted to know if they come to Mabua. But after some minutes the roar was here. And it was not even nine o’clock! 

It was interesting: we were doing our stuff, cooking, taking shower, uploading pictures. And not far away four lions were sleeping and fifth perhaps in the bush somewhere near our tent. But they didn’t come and didn’t bother us. 
But as soon as the night covered Mabua they started to announce that their time began and our time is over. We must quickly swallow our stakes, grab our stuff and pull out to our tent. The place was theirs. They sat, slept, roared and made love here. And we tried to get a sleep in our small tent. Well.. between roars.

 

I put a camera trap to capture their night life.

For example here the lioness goes to the shower after we left for a game drive to look for her. Where was she? 
So, in the morning we often rotated: we were leaving, they were coming, we were coming, they were left.
Somehow we lived in symbioses. 

 

 

 

[ElenaH]

9.10.2021 What else in Mabua?

 

Sure, there were also other animals in Mabua. The mornings could be also foggy and what gave it a very special atmosphere.

 

 

Mpayathutlwa waterhole attacks a lot of animals and birds.
Here are some of them.

Jackal

 

Cape Turtle Dove:

 

 

 

Northern Black Korhaan

 

Kori Bustard:

 

Blue Wildebeest:

 

White-backed Vulture:

 

Lappet-faced Vulture:

 

Of course, springbok!

 

We drove to Khiding Pan and Lesholoago. In 2019 we got a leopard on the trap camp in Lesholoago but this year we didn’t see something special.

 

 

 

There were not many tourists in Mabua. People were coming to have a look at bridal pairs who were sleeping in Mpaya-2 camping site. Some were camping at other pans and didn’t drive around.

In some places Mabuasehube looks like a woodland:

 

 

Camping sites had also their own residents.

Ground Squirrel:

 

Yellow Mongoose:

 

African Red-eyed Bulbul:

 

Violet-eared Waxbill and Red-headed Finch

 

White-backed Mousebird:

 

One day a spotted a Bateleur near our campsite. I came very close and eagle didn’t fly away. I mean he was absolutely ok with me, I was standing just under the tree and he just looked at me. Perhaps he thought,“ What a strange animal.“ 
And he was right ;-)

 

 

Something sad had happened during our stay, too. During our late breakfast many Red-billed Spurfowl were visiting trying to get some fallen down crumbs of bread and Rusks. There was also a Crimson-breasted Shrike but it didn’t feel well ass we could see. Two days later we found the bird dead. Was that our crumbs which killed the bird?

 

Under A-frame construction were living mice and there was a resident Western Barn Owl to take care about them. 

 

Apart from lions and jackals a cape fox were visiting us at night:

 

Here a lion going to take a shower:

 

Here together with his bride:

 

 

Mabuasehube will not disappoint you. It is harsh but wild and beautiful. The lions are always there. Sometimes they are also on other pans and camping sites like Khiding, Mabuasehube pan and Lesholoago. And even by gate. There is no fence around the park, and animals can move freely. 

Wildlife management areas reside around Mabua. Some of them like, for example, Zutshwa have campsites and stop over: Zutshwa, KD12-Wilderness

These wildlife areas have a big potential. On our way back to Gaborone we saw a huge number of animals along the road.

Here are some maps showing the wildlife areas and corridors:

 

This website the best describes Mabuasehube campsites: A Guide to Mabuasehube Campsites

 

[Biko]

That was a really adventurous stay! Beautiful pictures as always, thank you for this trip report.