Early Green Season in Drought stricken Northern Botswana; Tracking Wild Dogs and cheetah; Sting of the blister beetle; Thrilling Wild dog hunts ; A million laughs - yet another Kwando Safari !!!! December 2023

[madaboutcheetah]

Dear All,

 

Just back from a great Kwando safari ...... It was early Green season in a severely dry Northern Botswana, and then we got hit by two severe T'storms that kind of cooled things down and filled the pans with much needed water.  In November there were two storms that were pretty severe bringing a lot of rain inside the woodland (but next to nothing along the flood plains) - so, subsequently most game dispersed into the woodland areas ........ 

 

Oh yes, the first rains brings about blister beetles .... when you encounter them, you flick them away and not hit them!! I made the mistake and paid the price of a HUGE red blister on my face .... Not to worry - Spencer and KB found some anti-histamine cream in the Lebala medical kit and it healed up in time for me to fly home!!

What can I say about this trip - thrilling sightings as always in both concessions ......... a couple of unforgettable encounters as is usually the case in a Kwando safari.  

 

First many Thanks to my friend and guide, Spencer Mathambo for another great safari.  One with a million laughs and giggles ....... Many thanks to my trackers - Kereng, KB and See.  To the managers and staff at the 4 camps .........  OD, Barcos, Ked, Lizzie and Peter and to their entire team at the 4 camps .......   Pity Charles was out on leave at Kwara (missed him by a day).  Some stand out mentions - Poster, Evelyn, Coitsi and Amelia at Kwara; Patricia at Lebala; Miss T at 4R and  Moss and Jamela the chef at Lagoon/Lebala (New - but she got everything spot on!! ) 

 

My itinerary went like this,

 

Nairobi first for a work conference ..... flight Nairobi to livingstone (transfer to Kasane via the kazangula bridge by bushtracks). Moremi air flight kasane to lagoon. 

5 nights Lagoon camp

3 nights Lebala

3 nights Four Rivers

3 nights Kwara 

 

In hind sight - four camps in a trip is too much rushing around for us.......  I think we'd like to stick to 2/ maximum of 3 going forward.  Here is a teaser of what's to come in this report ........ All in all, a great trip!!!

 

Edited December 23, 2023 by madaboutcheetah

[janzin]

wow that was fast, I haven't even had time to go through my photos yet (I was there the same time as @madaboutcheetah)  Well I'll look forward to your report, you'll be finished before I even start I'm sure

 

[Atravelynn]

It's an all-encompassing MadAboutCheetah Title, signalling good things to come!

 

Sorry about your blister.  It looks like that lion club might have suffered the same fate on the eyelid.

 

Edited December 21, 2023 by Atravelynn

[John M.]

A Harisafari. Hard to beat😀

I like your teaser images. My favourites, the saddle-billed stork in landscape, lone wild dog in landscape, wild dog with zebra background. Fine compositions.

A bit mind-boggling to wonder what's to come.

Edited December 22, 2023 by John M.

[marg]

@madaboutcheetah Oh Hari!  I am so happy that you do not stay at home.  Looking forward to more!

[madaboutcheetah]

Thanks a lot @janzin @Atravelynn@John M. @marg

 

Here's the next instalment ......... 

 

1&2) Cheetah Brothers on a termite Mound - the boys are getting old...... Extremely slow and unable to handle the heat.  They hardly move out of their immediate area and move around a lot after dusk scent marking.  Extremely confident and know their territory inside/out ..... stay tuned.

3&4) Lioness and her cub from Lebala.  Looks like the cub is probably injured ..... my hunch in one of the feeding sessions with the pride? The Golden Boys still rule the Lebala grounds atm ..... but, I'm told that a very strong coalition that struck havoc in Selinda (7 males??) is threatening to push north into Lebala.

5.) Sitatunga in landscape - Round the corner from Lebala camp 

7.) Male Lions in Kwara - 2 of the 5 male coalition

8.) Wild dog puppy from Kwara 

 

and Yes, Kwara has cheetah cubs atm too ......... 

 

This, that and the other .........  A much welcome addition.  Kwando have now installed WIFI as a trial run in Kwara to begin with and will be rolled out gradually in all of their camps in due course.  WIFI works well.  It's available only in your room. Not in the common areas.  To me, this is much appreciated. If anyone has a problem with the WIFI - I guess they don't need to get on the grid!!! It's each to their own! 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 22, 2023 by madaboutcheetah

[michael-ibk]

Gorgeous photos as always Hari!

[Hads]

Fantastic photos and super sightings, thanks Harold. How was the sightings in 4Rivers area?

[madaboutcheetah]

Thanks @michael-ibkand @Hads

 

We had very good game at four Rivers - the super productive Tsum Tsum area was amazing.  Spoiler alert - a new male cheetah!!! who was trying his hand at zebra foals  

[madaboutcheetah]

In this instalment -

 

Wild dogs from the Kwara concession .... This is a pack of 22 at the moment (same pack that had their  winter den right across 4 rivers camp) ...... They have a huge territory that takes them running wild and highly mobile all the way from 4 rivers/Tsum Tsum/ Kwara/ Splash/ Khwai / Shinde .........  They can be anywhere on any given day.

 

Leucistic Kudu from Kwara

 

Again, Sitatunga at Lebala (my first sitatunga on land since maybe 2005??? ) 

 

I

 

 

Edited December 24, 2023 by madaboutcheetah

[madaboutcheetah]

Can't get enough of the dogs ..... It's the new season of plenty for them with impala lambs everywhere ..... Somedays they pick off 3-4 in one evening!!  Other days, they choose to hunt once and BIG (stay tuned) 

 

 

[Atravelynn]

Those dog photos make me feel like I am one of the pack.  Very intimate and action-filled.

[vikramghanekar]

Amazing photographs!

Looking forward to the next instalment.

Merry Christmas and Happy New year

Vikram

[madaboutcheetah]

Thanks a lot @Atravelynnand @vikramghanekar

 

Happy Holidays and Best wishes for the New year to one and all ..... 

 

Back to the editing .... 

 

In today's instalment ......  A couple more of the wild dogs

 

One morning in 4 Rivers .... We came across some nice lechwe in morning light and then came upon Some hyena trying to work on their breakfast .....  We did look at tracks in the area, and it appeared that there seemed to be a leopard in the area (perhaps the one who lost the kill? ) The hyena were super active this particular morning and made for some interesting images.

 

[Kitsafari]

sumptuous Hari safari! 

 

so if you were to limit to 2-3 camps, which would you pick and why? 

 

 

[marg]

Great question for Hari.  Looking forward to the reply.  For sure Lagoon will be on the list.

[madaboutcheetah]

Classic Tsum Tsum ....... I'm super delighted that there is an extensive road network once again in Tsum Tsum as in the old days with an extension to an area called "paradise" which is a bit north of last mabala which has dried out now (the area was wet in the old days and out of access) 

[madaboutcheetah]

Thanks @Kitsafariand @marg

 

2-3 camps - I would definitely do Lagoon, Kwara (if I were limited to two) 

 

3 camps - I would do Lagoon, Kwara and Four Rivers ....... 

 

Why?  Lagoon - the area has a wilderness feel to it ...... My personal favourite for sure!!  Brilliant Predetor sightings - Cheetah, dogs, leopard and Lions !!! 

 

Kwara - it's a bit centrally located in the Kwara concession - can head out more east or west for longer drives to stretch out (especially if you are looking for wild dogs or cheetah that can be anywhere on any given day) ..... not to forget top notch service in Kwara with some of our favourite Kwando staff (Charles, Amelia, See, Poster, Evelyn,  Coitsi the long time Lebala chef etc etc., ) 

 

Four Rivers - I just love the area (easy and close access to Tsum Tsum last mabala) 

 

PS - Just about everyone I speak to talk very highly of Pom Pom with raving reviews ( I haven't been to personally so I can't recommend - I don't know when I am going to pencil a visit either because I'm just not ready to give up any nights at lagoon or Kwara atm  ) 

Edited December 29, 2023 by madaboutcheetah

[madaboutcheetah]

• random iPhone photos 

 

That's "See" at our Sundowner stop 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 30, 2023 by madaboutcheetah

[michael-ibk]

Great images Hari - even your handstands! 

 

Happy New Year!

[madaboutcheetah]

 

Our final morning at Lebala camp, we planned a nice easy drive down South to Twin Pools (the Southern boundary of the concession bordering the Selinda concession) ...... Lo and behold we stumbled upon what appeared to be a long stand off between a really large clan of Hyena (easily 40 plus - in hind sight I should have switched to video as they were really all over the joint)  and a fraction of the Wapoka pride (including the super huntress Striker - that's her with the dark spot on her side in one of the images) ........  It was super noisy with what appeared like the Hyena clan had really got to the pride and had some success.  Social bonding and interaction between the clan members made for some interesting images too!! 

 

Eventually, the lions gave up and retreated to the shade with full bellies.  We'd probably got there very early so maybe there was a lot of interaction through the night........ 

 

We bumped into a Selinda vehicle ...... We exchanged information: No sign of the dogs their side atm, but, the younger male coalition of cheetah brothers had drifted off towards Savuti also (GULP ) or so he said!! 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 29, 2023 by madaboutcheetah

[madaboutcheetah]

Still Lebala .......

 

We only had one sighting of the Golden boys and they appeared to be lazy and full bellied (what else??? ) .......  No real images except record shots of them as seen here.

One more of the Sitatunga. 

[Atravelynn]

Two sitatunga!  I like the hyena action.

[madaboutcheetah]

Tsum Tsum in all it's glory .....

 

One evening - we bumped into a brand new male cheetah that's trying to make Kwara his home base (NOTE - Move over Mr.Special ....... We have a new king) ............  This guy is super energetic on the move and trying his hand on some zebra foals.  Sorry I missed the shot as my Z9 lost track of the chase.

 

We also saw lazy Mr.Special one day from Kwara ..... but, alas as is the norm he was robala (stationary and asleep) - my first sighting of him since 2018.

[madaboutcheetah]

He really moves a lot - he was seen in Bat Ear Fox a few days prior and to note where we found him was the exact same areas we would find the mighty cheetah brothers in the old days !!!  

In due course I bet we find more cheetah in Tsum Tsum along the way ...... 

 

PS - Tsum Tsum translates to wild berries in Setswana .