Surviving Paradise - Cold front moving through winter wonderland .......... Mobile Camping on the Gomoti ; Wild dog dens ; New experiences and lots lots more!!! - July 2023

[madaboutcheetah]

Dear All,

 

Just back from a fun trip from Northern Botswana.   New experiences for this trip for me ..... My itinerary went like this,

 

3 Nights Kwando 4 rivers camp (flight Maun- Kwara airstrip and transfer to 4 rivers by helicopter) - would be guided by Spencer Mathambo with See as my tracker.  Thanks to the terrific Kwando hospitality (AT, Keddie, Queen, Miss T, Kim the chef etc etc.,) 

 

Boat transfer from Kwara boat station to Xaxanaka boat station in the Moremi GR.

 

7 nights Mobile camping on the Gomoti flood plains (outfit by Alwyn Myburgh of Matshebe safaris;  Guided by Vundi Kashamba) ....... Thanks to @Alex The Lionfor inviting me to tag along on this part of the trip.  A terrific experience in a remote corner of the Southern Moremi GR.

1 night Kwando MMa dinare camp to wash up for travel home

 

 

 

 

While it's supposed to be cold in winter - we were hit by a cold front that moved through the last few days on safari that meant brutally cold days.... In fact, one day where I didn't remove my heavy coat even mid day during our all day out with cheetah at Blackpools. I hadn't been on a mobile safari in over 10 years, so a great time with terrific people a super trip, indeed.  More to come of course ...... but, to start with here's a first few from our mobile camp on the Gomoti.  

 

Whilst we would encounter Lions every morning not far from our camp......... The drinking lions shot was right on the Mogogelo.

Edited August 4, 2023 by madaboutcheetah

[michael-ibk]

Great photos Hari, very atmospheric. Ah, Four Rivers - I´ll be interested to hear about that camp (going there next year).

[Alex The Lion]

 

 

@madaboutcheetahand I teamed up for the mobile part of the safari. We were fortunate to be able camp in a remote area of Moremi. Our camp was on the boundary of two coalitions of 4 large male lions, which meant some very noisy nights.

 

The high density of lions on the Gomoti has pushed out the dogs and cheetah to drier areas of the park and also the Dinare concession areas.

 

The low flood meant we could access areas that would normally be underwater this time of year, though the water was pushing in by the time we left.

 

I spent most of my time with the lions. They were tracking huge herds of buffalo and nailing them between the Gomoti and Mogogelo in the palm bushes/wooded islands.

 

Plains game was very strong, and we had hundreds of animals infront of camp all day long.

 

It will take me a little longer to post images, though I do have one of our final moonrise along the Gomoti. I was fortunate to be using a specialist vehicle with filming door and platform.

 

Edited August 4, 2023 by Alex The Lion

[madaboutcheetah]

My editing is going to be random and all over the place ..... So, please bear with me.

 

For the moment - more from the Gomoti. We made sure I didn't leave Botswana without cheetah (it was hard work - but, eventually Alwyn who set out by himself trying to find cheetah did just that when he found 3 recently dispersed youngsters 2m and 1F and called us over) 

Edited August 4, 2023 by madaboutcheetah

[Miss Biscuit]

Love the drinking lions!

[wilddog]

this TR is going to be a feast of photos from both @madaboutcheetahand @Alex The Lion.

So far, so brilliant, and looking forward to more.

[Alex The Lion]

6 minutes ago, wilddog said:

this TR is going to be a feast of photos from both @madaboutcheetahand @Alex The Lion.

So far, so brilliant, and looking forward to more.

 

@wilddog

 

The interesting aspect of the this safari is that we probably shared less than 5 sightings where we both photographed the same thing, we mainly had sightings to ourselves.

 

We spent most of one day together with the cheetah, when they were chased by a lion for 1-2km then killed an impala.

Edited August 4, 2023 by Alex The Lion

[madaboutcheetah]

2 minutes ago, Alex The Lion said:

 

@wilddog

 

The interesting aspect of the this safari is that we probably shared less than 5 sightings where we both photographed the same thing.

 

We spend most of one day together with the cheetah, when they were chased by a lion for 1-2km then killed an impala.

 

We had a little bit of a boo boo with communication re the leopard -  I still wish you'd said "we are in camp!" 

 

So, for the readers ..... Vundi loves driving long distances!  We were on an all day stake out to find cheetah in Blackpools.  By early evening I'd had enough and just wanted to get back to camp to shower before dark and chill out. Lo and behold that's the time he pumps the brakes "leopard on rain tree" with no twigs or distraction.  We did radio call @Alex The Lionand his guide .... alas, we didn't communicate well enough as to the location..........  They were already in camp for a break and thought we were too far to respond.  

 

 

[Alex The Lion]

3 minutes ago, madaboutcheetah said:

 

We had a little bit of a boo boo with communication re the leopard -  I still wish you'd said "we are in camp!" 

 

So, for the readers ..... Vundi loves driving long distances!  We were on an all day stake out to find cheetah in Blackpools.  By early evening I'd had enough and just wanted to get back to camp to shower before dark and chill out. Lo and behold that's the time he pumps the brakes "leopard on rain tree" with no twigs or distraction.  We did radio call @Alex The Lionand his guide .... alas, we didn't communicate well enough as to the location..........  They were already in camp for a break and thought we were too far to respond.  

 

 

 

@madaboutcheetahThat is true, on reflection I'm not too upset about the Leopard. As you know, I have plans on that for 2024!

[madaboutcheetah]

Thanks a lot @michael-ibk @wilddogand @Miss Biscuit

 

Next set from the Gomoti flood plains ...... 

 

[madaboutcheetah]

Next set - Still from the Gomoti flood plains ( boundary with the Wilderness Chitabe concession) 

While I did have the super relaxed Leopard on tree into the evening sunset, Vundi also stumbled on a shy Male leopard who came to drink at the mogogelo

Edited August 14, 2023 by madaboutcheetah

[madaboutcheetah]

Let's take a break from the Gomoti and head down  to Santawani aka Mma dinare camp and meet the current generation of the Samurai pack of Wild Dog.

 

According to my guide, "Grass" .....  I was told 4 females in the pack had puppies this season and eye witness accounts have counted upto 17 pups atm. (I didn't count  ) .   My tracker was Play -  I vaguely remember him from Lagoon from over 10 years ago!! ......

 

More to come ...... 

 

 

 

Edited August 5, 2023 by madaboutcheetah

[AArdvark0]

@Alex The LionMatshebe  has the truck with the filming door?   Alwyn's site originsbotswana doesn't seem to work any more.  Don't the ranger's hassle about the open door without an offroad permit?  Is it a normal 100mm bowl mount on the truck?  

[Alex The Lion]

1 hour ago, AArdvark0 said:

@Alex The LionMatshebe  has the truck with the filming door?   Alwyn's site originsbotswana doesn't seem to work any more.  Don't the ranger's hassle about the open door without an offroad permit?  Is it a normal 100mm bowl mount on the truck?  

 

@AArdvark0The filming vehicle belongs to a film maker from Maun. Without an off-road permit you will struggle to position yourself to take photos like in an open vehicle.

 

No bowl mount for me, I use clamps of the horizontal bars with a gimbal. I Also shot a lot just holding the camera lower than the platform and using the screen to focus.

[marg]

@madaboutcheetah...Hari how fortunate we are that you travel to Africa so often!  How is Spencer?  Great photos as usual.

[madaboutcheetah]

Thanks @marg.... he’s doing well, thanks. Will have the four rivers images added at some point when I’m able to edit them. 

[madaboutcheetah]

More from the Gomoti flood plains ..... Whilst we had the area mostly to ourselves during the trip, I have some concerns about the future for the area with a very high end luxury lodge being built as we speak ....... 

 

[madaboutcheetah]

Rounding out my visit with the Samurai pack and their successful den .......  

 

FYI - Grass also mentioned that the ninja pack are only 4 at the moment and they have a den on the other side of the concession.  According to the Wild dog research team - apparently another pack of 4 from the area have moved all the way from Santawani to Chobe NP and have a successful den atm there!! Go figure!!!! 

[madaboutcheetah]

Rounding out my one night at MMa dinare .......  Lo and behold, I'd heard a lot about the 4 male coalition that calls Santawani their home range along with places in Moremi like Black Pools ......  Once we left the dog den, Grass got a call by one of the trackers out scouting and there they were!!!

 

Unfortunately, only record shots as I had some major communication issues with the camp managers as to the time of my flight and I reluctantly had to leave the boys active and super hungry and on the move as I was told I had to hustle to make the flight!!!! 

 

My Favourite in-camp experience at Mma dinare ..... Catching up with Thuso(for those of you that know him from Lebala/Lagoon from many many years ago) who I hadn't seen in many years!!! Just fortunate that he was there in camp for a random audit. 

 

In Summary: This was my first visit to any of the "under one Botswana sky" camps ....... Interestingly, they have morning tea brought to your room with wake up call like in East Africa - but, oddly by your guide!! Lucky - they have a tracker too - again, oddly no tracker seat like in the Kwando private concessions that we are used to ! 

 

I've only heard great things about Pom Pom - On my list !! 

 

Edited August 6, 2023 by madaboutcheetah

[Alex The Lion]

@madaboutcheetahGlad you got to me meet up with the 4 boys, I think a combination of lodge construction (over 60 workers) and lions will keep them that side more than normal.

 

I too have some concerns regarding the lodge. I actually think they will help habituat the ton of Leopard and also provide a better road network. The whole route to the lions with a Zebra completely off-road. At $3500 per night, most guests will probably still be their plunge pool most afternoons 🤣. Wouldn't blame them, the number of animals viewable from camp will be immense.

 

As a background for everyone else, It's a fantastic area of Moremi, full of wildlife and popular with filmmakers. Blackpools and this area of the Gomoti provides the dry season grazing for huge herds moving from the woodlands for the south and East.

 

The area can be heavily affected by heavy floods, especially if the Mogogelo flows past Blackpools to the Santawani airstrip, which it did in 2021. However, this seasonality and water flow keeps the grasses short and wildlife sustained. Towards the end of our trip, there was a mini zebra migration occuring.

 

For those of you looking to access the area, it can be reached from the Blackpools BOGA site. The two areas are very different, the Gomoti provides stunning flood plains like the Jao Flats, whilst the Mogogelo/Blackpools feels like Lebala/Lagoon, lots of sage in places. The Mogelolo is also dominated by tall reeds.

 

Until the uptick in poaching and subsequent capture, it was a very good place to view Rhino too.

 

My only preference would be to visit in the September-November timeframe. This is for when the floods recede leaving a carpet of green contrasting against the yellow and blue hues. The elephant herds also move up from the Moremi/Dinare cutline and feed on the fresh green roots. This is more a photographic aesthetic thing.

 

(It's also not freezing like it was this July)

[madaboutcheetah]

I personally loved the Black pools area - or at least that's where Vundi ventured daily on a long drive.     ......... Lots of termite mounds everywhere!!!    On the day the 3 youngsters made a kill was right in front. of that Blackpool BOGA campsite that @Alex The Lion mentioned.

 

 

In terms of general game - We had big concentrations of Zebra, Buffalo and impala ........  On one particular hot afternoon prior to the cold front, loads of elephants coming to the water for a drink! 

 

Ofcourse - in the green season, I would imagine the animals disperse into the mopane veldt!! 

[Alex The Lion]

@madaboutcheetahAnd that's the amazing thing about Safari, I loved traversing the islands in the shallow plains along the Gomoti.

[madaboutcheetah]

1 minute ago, Alex The Lion said:

@madaboutcheetahAnd that's the amazing thing about Safari, I loved traversing the islands in the shallow plains along the Gomoti.

 

Haha - I knew I had zero chance for cheetah there!! 

[Alex The Lion]

As I'm not home to start editing yet, I thought I would share an interesting approach that we take with game drives. The Gaia app is popular for mobile guides, researchers and film makers.

 

You can download the relevant map before you leave, and your phones GPS does the rest.

 

I record all game drive loops, then create waypoints of where we have sightings. It allows you to start establishing movement patterns and territories. I now have marking spots for the 4 cheetah boys in Moremi (we missed them near camp when with 3 other cheetah), Leopards and also building buffalo movements, which is often circular, including crossing to Chitabe.

 

We've shared our data with a film maker based in Maun, who is now camping where we did.

 

I think all guides should be encouraged to use the software, as it can reveal information that may not automatically be obvious.

 

[Alex The Lion]

2 minutes ago, madaboutcheetah said:

 

Haha - I knew I had zero chance for cheetah there!! 

 

Just lions hunting Lechwe!

 

I've watched the 4 boys hunt that flood plain to the west of where you saw that Leopard, though had dried out.