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Botswana and Namibia Trip Report June 2012


penolva

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We got back from our amazing trip last Friday and I will be posting a report and photographs later. However, I thought this video might cheer everyone up on a Monday morning. Pen

 

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Uh_oh busted

What a great sight! It's Sunday here, and what a joyful time those dogs are sharing!

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Thanks Uh-oh busted. I was also thinking of those where it's Monday already. Pen

 

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That was fantastic! Big smile on my face now. Thanks, penolva.

Eagerly awaiting your report.

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madaboutcheetah

Great stuff ..... Amazing trip I'm sure.... Glad you had a great trip.

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What a sighting....surely made my day :D

Eagerly waiting for your report now!

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Wonderful video! Look forward to the trip report.

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Yes, that's very cheering!

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Very enjoyable.

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Game Warden

(Off topic - 500 posts for Safaridude...)

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Thanks for all the positive comments everyone. Pen :D

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africapurohit

Thanks Pen, I enjoyed watching that. I've also got footage of the Lagoon pack splashing around in rainwater and that was from 2006.

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Safaridude

(Off topic - 500 posts for Safaridude...)

 

He should be granted a pith helmeted status. Can you imagine a sable sporting a pith helmet?

 

Wow, 500! Yes, pith helmet please. Sorry to hijack this thread...

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Absolutely lovely video, Pen! Really looking forward to the report now.

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Hi Sangeeta, have been working on report and video this week, as well as planning next years self drive! Only problem is I can't work out how to post my photographs here with my trip report. Pen

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Trip Report Namibia and Botswana June 2012.

 

I am going to start with the Botswana part of our trip even though we did a self drive in Namibia from 1 - 14 June. I think the Botswana part was a real ‘Safari’ whereas the Namibian part was a ‘Road Trip’. We enjoyed both immensely.

 

We carry two cameras Nikon D300 and Nikon D40x. I use a Panasonic HDC-HS900 camcorder held on a monopod with a Rode microphone. The monopod allows me to record without having to constantly be looking through the lens. I just set it off recording, where possible, and watch the action with my own eyes. I also use the Panasonic to take still photographs. Despite my efforts and help from ST I can't seem to include photographs in the text but have managed to get them on as attachments. I think its because I have a Mac, with Windows it would have been easy. Any suggestions for the next part of the TR?

 

Botswana 15 June - 27 June 2012

 

We went to Tanzania a year ago and enjoyed it so much that on our return we immediately started planning our next trip. Kwando camps in Botswana attracted us because of their guide/trackers and we wanted to stay in Linyanti, Okavango and Chobe areas so we chose 3 nights at Lebala, 2 nights Lagoon, 3 nights Little Kwara followed by 2 nights at Muchenje Lodge Chobe. Our last 2 nights, for my birthday, was spent at Waterberry Lodge Zambia.

 

We flew from Windhoek to Maun and onto Lebala. Our guide was Alex and tracker Bowman. We were surprised at the lack of general game animals at Lebala and often could drive quite a time without seeing anything more than a couple of impala. However we enjoyed the camp very much, the sound of the frogs, hippos and elephants in the darkness was fantastic.

 

During the five game drives at Lebala we had we spent four of them with a group of 4 very healthy, beautiful lioness’s and 2 cubs. They were enchanting and very entertaining. We spent hours observing behaviour, listening to the cubs calling and watched the lionesses climbing trees and one almost ending up in one of the Uri’s!. One lioness has a beauty spot on her side and I hope anyone going to Lebala, madaboutcheetah I am counting on you!!, will let me know if they see her or the others.

 

I can’t find out, yet, the fate of those cubs. The male had left the group and we heard that there was another new male in the area. The last tracks we saw from him were going away from the cubs but on our last drive we found ‘Beauty Spot’ on her own calling for the others.

 

 

 

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We all know what that male can mean for the cubs! However the photographs and video of the cubs shows how beautiful they are and they were enjoying life to the full during the time we spent with them.

 

We did our first ever night drives at Lebala and, again, the lions were the stars of the show. We didn’t see the cubs during the night drives of course as it would have been too dangerous to put the lights on them.

 

On the morning of our second day at Lebala we set off looking for wild dogs. There was no sign them although we looked far and wide. We came to a most beautiful area of crystal clear flowing water. Alex explained that the area had been dry for 20 years but now was full of this amazing water. I think it was the Savute slipway but I am not sure. There was so much water the road Alex expected to use was impassable and we had to drive through dense woodland to find the old road.

 

The final evening at Lebala was spent with the lions again. Watching the cubs play in the evening light and follow their mother was very special. I had always wanted to see young lion cubs and my wish was granted at Lebala.

 

P.S. I heard from Ali at Kwando yesterday that the cubs have not been seen with the lioness's for several days, so it may be bad news. :(

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madaboutcheetah

Hi Penolva,

 

Loved your videos ....... Saw it on my ipad when i was away in Mumbai yesterday. Back home now and enjoyed it on my computer. I hope to be able to see the Lions when I'm there - also, counting on the big pride of Lion that comes across from Selinda.

Cheers

Hari

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Thanks Hari will be posting more later, went a bit mad with my video camera this time! Pen

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madaboutcheetah

Pen, what about the Leopard sightings? Hopefully you got to see a couple of them too? Lebala from their May report, looked stellar!

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No, they all hid from us, we had to wait to Chobe where we saw three. Pen

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Atravelynn

Dogs in the water, wow!

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madaboutcheetah

No, they all hid from us, we had to wait to Chobe where we saw three. Pen

 

Glad they popped up in Chobe - great stuff!!!

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