Savuti different then last years.

[Going Africa Safaris]

After been so many time to Botswana for me this time our Botswana special in April was really special. For the first time I would see Savuti channel with water. After almost 30 years being a dry channel with dead trees this time Savuti Channel would look different then during our earlier visits. Something to look forward, which I did.

I want to share some photos form Savuti Channel flowing and some of the channel reaching the Marsh. Never did see Fish Eagle and Saddle Billed Stork before in Savuti.

Apart from this we did see some amazing nice young lions and a two month old leopard cub.

Savuti, a year to remember.

 

Photos are from 22 and 23 April 2010.

(Photos are copyright and not to be used by others on other websites.)

 

Crossing the water ate the Savuti Public campsite gate.

 

Notice at the Savuti Public Campsite gate.

 

Savuti channel flowing.

 

Savuti Channel entering Savuti Marsh.

 

Savuti Marsh, the Way to Rhino Vlei.

 

 

Besides Savuti, we did visit Nxai, Central Kalahari, Okavango Delta, Moremi and Chobe river front.

A first selection of our photos you can find here.

 

Photos from our Botswana (special) April 2010 visit.

 

 

Cheers

 

Paul Janssen

[Jan]

Thankyou so much for your photos of the Savuti Channel. I know the area well from many visits to Loyd's Camp in

 

the 90's.

 

Jan

[Pangolin]

Yes, the Savuti Channel was quite special indeed during our trip in late Feb. Quite a stunning change from when I had last been there in 1996.

 

Thanks for the photos!

[tracker]

Paul,

Great photos!

It appears our paths crossed at Moremi with the lion pride at the giraffe kill sight.

What a special sighting to witness!

 

Thanks for sharing,

Tracker

[twaffle]

Thanks for the report and excellent photos … my goodness it is wet.

[Atravelynn]

I thought I was getting my trips mixed up when I saw the lions on the giraffe. A shared sighting, and a unique one indeed. Beautiful photos. The dogs were out in force for you as well. I like the lioness in the light.

[madaboutcheetah]

Thanks for the report, Paul.

 

How was the CKGR on your trip? Any highlights?

[Going Africa Safaris]

Thank you all.

About the giraffe kill. We were the lucky ones being the first ones to find them and have about one hour with them alone and see what it happing after they just had opened the giraffe and knowing we were just about 15 minutes late to see the actually kill.

This Xakanaxa pride we met the evening before just after leaving the wild dogs. It was getting dark already and we had to drive back to our Hatab campsite. We really like camping out in the bush.

The wild dogs and lions were really close to each other and the lions did know it. But with 10 minutes to go we had to go for our campsite not knowing we would see the lions again first thing next morning.

The lioness in the light was taken in Central Kalahari Game reserve at Leopard pan. The family lions of 10 was just leaving the pan where they had spend the night and know looking for the bushes to hide. Same day we found two pare of mating lions only about 40 meters from each other at Passarge Valley.

At Savuti we again did see the wild dogs just after a kill they had finished and again during our way to our campsite.

 

 

The leopard cup (2 months) was a big bonus for us. Also here a family of lions was just around the corner.

So the trip was really great and surprising like our earlier specials in Botswana and this regarding the wet areas that makes wildlife less easy to spot. This is why Chobe River Front was (knowing how it can be) rather quite with animals.

 

Cheers

 

Paul Janssen

[Kavey]

Lovely to see your photos of the channel with water flowing!

[tracker]

Paul.

Being the first ones to witness the lions on the giraffe, was the pride male there all along with the pride at the kill or did he join them. You didn't see the other Xakanaxa pride male by chance the morning of the kill or at the kill sight.

We also followed the pride the night before the giraffe kill with the obscene of either male.

Thanks for sharing,

Tracker

[ZaminOz]

We also followed the pride the night before the giraffe kill with the obscene of either male.

I don't know what obscene things the male lions were doing with the giraffe... ... but I'm glad you didn't photograph it...

[Going Africa Safaris]

Tracker,

 

The moment we arrived the male was there. So I think he was there from the beginning. We think we were just 15 minutes late. So this leaves a gab. But I think the male played a role in killing the giraffe.

We did not see the other male lion during our whole stay in this area. Did read the whole pride has not been seen for days after leaving the kill.

 

Cheers

 

Paul