From Termites to Elephants: Around Botswana, Finale at Vic Falls
Jun 30th, 2009, 07:25 AM
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thanks amy, for your report and especially of CK. my friends and i have signed on for the migration routes itinerary with WS and 3 nights at CK at the end next may, so your review was much appreciated!
Jun 30th, 2009, 08:27 AM
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Fabulous report, so enjoying it. Haven't checked photos yet!
Your Kwetsani experiences sounds like our visit to Jacana, in same area, in 2004. In June, once the floods are in, the island is surrounded by water, even though it sits in a dry plain the rest of the year.
Your experiences bring back so many of ours, like aknards it's hard to read it because we're unlikely to get back to Bots anytime soon!
Shame they've got rid of the outside showers at Savuti!
Your Kwetsani experiences sounds like our visit to Jacana, in same area, in 2004. In June, once the floods are in, the island is surrounded by water, even though it sits in a dry plain the rest of the year.
Your experiences bring back so many of ours, like aknards it's hard to read it because we're unlikely to get back to Bots anytime soon!
Shame they've got rid of the outside showers at Savuti!
Jun 30th, 2009, 06:58 PM
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Dreams-seems as i we all share each others dreams on this board!
quimbymoy- I think 3 nights at CK will be perfect! and please post your report ( yes I know its a year from now, but I think the fastest way for me to "return" to any of these wonderful places will be thru other's trip reports.
and thank you all for the positive feedback.
One error i noted in my report, Savuti had 7 tents, and Chitabel and Kwetsani had 5 tents each ( not 10).
amy
quimbymoy- I think 3 nights at CK will be perfect! and please post your report ( yes I know its a year from now, but I think the fastest way for me to "return" to any of these wonderful places will be thru other's trip reports.
and thank you all for the positive feedback.
One error i noted in my report, Savuti had 7 tents, and Chitabel and Kwetsani had 5 tents each ( not 10).
amy
Jul 8th, 2009, 03:47 PM
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June 3-AM drive
It was just Sam and me, and Goodman, (I am getting to really like this “private “ guide stuff.) We drove about, watching the sun come up, seeing Zebra and Impala in the early morning light. All of a sudden we saw a large bird fly from the top of a tree. Goodman stopped the LR and commanded us to get out our cameras. He told us that the remaining bird on the top of the tree was a secretary bird, and it was rarely seen in the trees. It was beautiful, I could see the top feathers clearly, and then Goodman carefully positioned the LR for perfect lighting. I took a lot of photos, and Sam videoed it, and then off it flew, as we both got photos and video of it in flight. It was truly the most spectacular bird we had seen. Goodman told us about the bird; it has long unfeathered legs that are designed for walking in tall grasses (which is why it is not often seen so clearly in a tree top). It eats snakes, and lizards. Goodman noted that it is endangered.
We saw a few Cape Buffalo, and Goodman furthered discussed the symbiotic relationship with the oxpeckers. He noted that at times they could be detrimental to the Buffalo. If the Buffalo is wounded, the oxpecker will continually peck at the wound, and it becomes infected. We dove into the midst of a herd of Zebra, and enjoyed watching them. By the waters edge we came upon a herd of Eles. As always, I just sat back and watched them. There were several young adults sparing with each other. The herd contained many young eles, which are always fun to watch. Goodman pointed out one of the Eles that had ears that “flopped forward”, an indication of “bad genes” as he put it.
We had a nice quiet brunch with Goodman. He is quite passionate about nature, and preserving the ecosystems of Botswana. He noted that he was going on his month break they day we were leaving, heading to Victoria Falls (Zimbabwe). There, he and his girlfriend would visit family and friends and go on a Safari- I was not sure if he was leading a private safari, or joining one as a guest, but it speaks of his passion that this is how he chooses to spend his free time.
PM Drive- Camp filled up with new arrivals. We now shared our LR with a young couple. We drove along, and all of a sudden there was a young adolescent male ele right near the LR. He trumpeted loudly, and flared its ears, and took a step towards us. Goodman noted that this behavior was a “mock” charge. A real charge would entail flattening of the ears against the head, and certain tail movements. A bit farther, we came to an ele in a ”clay pit.” He described the importance of clay to aid in the ele’s digestion. It breaks down Keyline or tannin, which acts as a water barrier in the lining of the stomach, preventing the absorption of food in the stomach. When they take in the soil they “suck” it, which we observed, rather than chewing it, as chewing the soil would grind down their teeth. I just love all this information, which I remember because some wonderful Fodors people suggested taking along a little notebook to jot things down in during the game drive.
June 4
Goodman planned an all day drive, which we had all agreed upon the previous day. He felt that we could go farther, seeing a slightly different ecosystem. We decided to depart at 7 rather than 6:30. We headed towards the area near Duma Tau (another Wilderness camp). The vegetation was different, with much taller trees, and fewer Mopane trees. We saw numerous Kudu. Goodman told us that their horns gain a twist each year. He described their markings as a “gilly suit”, and these types of markings aid in camouflage.
We saw an interesting bird called a Gymnogene. Its foot structure allows it to perch on the vertical trunk of the tree. It is a quite large, belonging to the hawk family.
We came to the Linyati River. Goodman noted that Namibia was at the tree line. We saw various water birds in the river. The African Darter is a water bird whose feathers are not waterproof, as this enables it to submerge deeper in the water. We saw both the Pied and Malachite Kingfishers. Sam continued his attempts to video the Pied Kingfisher diving and catching a fish (something Sam did not succeed at).
We came upon a pair of Warthogs. Goodman noted that the males have 4 warts (2 by the eyes and 2 by the tusks) and the females have 2 (by the tusks). He also pointed out that they have heavy calluses on their knees; as they need to knell down to eat as they have such short necks.
Elephant Dung has medicinal uses Goodman also told us. In the villages, it is ground up and used to aid in childbirth- he described it acting like ptocin. He also said that it is used for cervical cancer. He also noted that predators will often roll about in it to disguise their scent.
As we drove away from the river we came to trees with several vultures in them. Goodman felt that they were either waiting to eat something or had just eaten. He began exploring the area, and found the horns and skull of an impala. He noted the markings and tracks and felt that this had been a recent wild dog kill. So we drove off, hoping to find the pack.
As we drove Goodman pointed out 2 Tawny Eagles up in tree. One of them he noted had a snake in its talons. Looking through the binoculars, you could see the snake’s head and tongue. We watched them for a while, until the eagle with the snake flew away carrying the snake in its talons. Goodman thought it was a Black Mamba.
As we drove, Goodman could smell the Wild Dogs, so we drove past a pod of Hippos on the shore of the Linyati River. We were all excited to see our first Wild Dog sighting. Soon we came to the pack. We counted 9 of them. They were sleeping in the shade not far from the river. Their stomach’s looked as if they had just eaten. They all appeared to be adults. We watched them for a while.
We left the dogs, and headed back to a hide that was set right near the river. There we had a nice packed lunch. While we ate we enjoyed watching the various animals in and near the river. We watched a crocodile swim along, then get out of the water on the far bank. We saw 3 eles cross the river. 2 came and crossed the river near us where it was a bit shallower. Goodman pointed out how they use their trunks like a snorkel, always keeping it out of the water. But one of the eles was crossing the river where it was quite deep and wide. At times he was fully submerged, then you would see just his back, then his head and trunk would come out. He seemed to be enjoying his “swim”.
After lunch we drove back to watch the dogs again. This time, some were awake, and moved into the sun. Their coats are so beautiful. I could have stayed there a lot longer, but alas, I no longer had a “private” guide.
As we drove back, we saw a Waterbuck the first and only one I saw on the other side of the river.
As we got near Savuti, we came upon a large herd of Cape Buffalo. They were in amongst the trees, but you could hear them and realize how large a herd it was. We saw a young calf nursing. A bit farther away, we came to a herd of eles; they were drinking at the edge of the channel. We watched some young ones “playing” together; they would swing their trunks at each other. Soon the herd crossed the channel. On the other side there was a mud hole, and several began to roll around in it, or splash mud on themselves with their trunk. The young eles were particularly fun to watch in the mud.
As we watched the eles in the mud, the Buffalo began to cross the channel much further upstream.
We got back to camp about 3:30. Goodman was more than happy to take us out again after tea, for another drive, but I seemed to be the only one interested. Sam convinced me to stay back with him, which I did, with regret.
We had dinner outdoors in the boma. It was Eland kabobs. Yummy. As we were having our soup, I asked for someone to pass me the butter for my roll. Nigel said there was no butter as a Hyena had taken it. We laughed, assuming he was joking. But then he showed Sam and some others the empty butter dishes scattered outside the boma. Later during dinner, we had a visitor, the Hyena. He just poked his head in, and then left. Someone got a light, and we got up and watched him walk away.
It was just Sam and me, and Goodman, (I am getting to really like this “private “ guide stuff.) We drove about, watching the sun come up, seeing Zebra and Impala in the early morning light. All of a sudden we saw a large bird fly from the top of a tree. Goodman stopped the LR and commanded us to get out our cameras. He told us that the remaining bird on the top of the tree was a secretary bird, and it was rarely seen in the trees. It was beautiful, I could see the top feathers clearly, and then Goodman carefully positioned the LR for perfect lighting. I took a lot of photos, and Sam videoed it, and then off it flew, as we both got photos and video of it in flight. It was truly the most spectacular bird we had seen. Goodman told us about the bird; it has long unfeathered legs that are designed for walking in tall grasses (which is why it is not often seen so clearly in a tree top). It eats snakes, and lizards. Goodman noted that it is endangered.
We saw a few Cape Buffalo, and Goodman furthered discussed the symbiotic relationship with the oxpeckers. He noted that at times they could be detrimental to the Buffalo. If the Buffalo is wounded, the oxpecker will continually peck at the wound, and it becomes infected. We dove into the midst of a herd of Zebra, and enjoyed watching them. By the waters edge we came upon a herd of Eles. As always, I just sat back and watched them. There were several young adults sparing with each other. The herd contained many young eles, which are always fun to watch. Goodman pointed out one of the Eles that had ears that “flopped forward”, an indication of “bad genes” as he put it.
We had a nice quiet brunch with Goodman. He is quite passionate about nature, and preserving the ecosystems of Botswana. He noted that he was going on his month break they day we were leaving, heading to Victoria Falls (Zimbabwe). There, he and his girlfriend would visit family and friends and go on a Safari- I was not sure if he was leading a private safari, or joining one as a guest, but it speaks of his passion that this is how he chooses to spend his free time.
PM Drive- Camp filled up with new arrivals. We now shared our LR with a young couple. We drove along, and all of a sudden there was a young adolescent male ele right near the LR. He trumpeted loudly, and flared its ears, and took a step towards us. Goodman noted that this behavior was a “mock” charge. A real charge would entail flattening of the ears against the head, and certain tail movements. A bit farther, we came to an ele in a ”clay pit.” He described the importance of clay to aid in the ele’s digestion. It breaks down Keyline or tannin, which acts as a water barrier in the lining of the stomach, preventing the absorption of food in the stomach. When they take in the soil they “suck” it, which we observed, rather than chewing it, as chewing the soil would grind down their teeth. I just love all this information, which I remember because some wonderful Fodors people suggested taking along a little notebook to jot things down in during the game drive.
June 4
Goodman planned an all day drive, which we had all agreed upon the previous day. He felt that we could go farther, seeing a slightly different ecosystem. We decided to depart at 7 rather than 6:30. We headed towards the area near Duma Tau (another Wilderness camp). The vegetation was different, with much taller trees, and fewer Mopane trees. We saw numerous Kudu. Goodman told us that their horns gain a twist each year. He described their markings as a “gilly suit”, and these types of markings aid in camouflage.
We saw an interesting bird called a Gymnogene. Its foot structure allows it to perch on the vertical trunk of the tree. It is a quite large, belonging to the hawk family.
We came to the Linyati River. Goodman noted that Namibia was at the tree line. We saw various water birds in the river. The African Darter is a water bird whose feathers are not waterproof, as this enables it to submerge deeper in the water. We saw both the Pied and Malachite Kingfishers. Sam continued his attempts to video the Pied Kingfisher diving and catching a fish (something Sam did not succeed at).
We came upon a pair of Warthogs. Goodman noted that the males have 4 warts (2 by the eyes and 2 by the tusks) and the females have 2 (by the tusks). He also pointed out that they have heavy calluses on their knees; as they need to knell down to eat as they have such short necks.
Elephant Dung has medicinal uses Goodman also told us. In the villages, it is ground up and used to aid in childbirth- he described it acting like ptocin. He also said that it is used for cervical cancer. He also noted that predators will often roll about in it to disguise their scent.
As we drove away from the river we came to trees with several vultures in them. Goodman felt that they were either waiting to eat something or had just eaten. He began exploring the area, and found the horns and skull of an impala. He noted the markings and tracks and felt that this had been a recent wild dog kill. So we drove off, hoping to find the pack.
As we drove Goodman pointed out 2 Tawny Eagles up in tree. One of them he noted had a snake in its talons. Looking through the binoculars, you could see the snake’s head and tongue. We watched them for a while, until the eagle with the snake flew away carrying the snake in its talons. Goodman thought it was a Black Mamba.
As we drove, Goodman could smell the Wild Dogs, so we drove past a pod of Hippos on the shore of the Linyati River. We were all excited to see our first Wild Dog sighting. Soon we came to the pack. We counted 9 of them. They were sleeping in the shade not far from the river. Their stomach’s looked as if they had just eaten. They all appeared to be adults. We watched them for a while.
We left the dogs, and headed back to a hide that was set right near the river. There we had a nice packed lunch. While we ate we enjoyed watching the various animals in and near the river. We watched a crocodile swim along, then get out of the water on the far bank. We saw 3 eles cross the river. 2 came and crossed the river near us where it was a bit shallower. Goodman pointed out how they use their trunks like a snorkel, always keeping it out of the water. But one of the eles was crossing the river where it was quite deep and wide. At times he was fully submerged, then you would see just his back, then his head and trunk would come out. He seemed to be enjoying his “swim”.
After lunch we drove back to watch the dogs again. This time, some were awake, and moved into the sun. Their coats are so beautiful. I could have stayed there a lot longer, but alas, I no longer had a “private” guide.
As we drove back, we saw a Waterbuck the first and only one I saw on the other side of the river.
As we got near Savuti, we came upon a large herd of Cape Buffalo. They were in amongst the trees, but you could hear them and realize how large a herd it was. We saw a young calf nursing. A bit farther away, we came to a herd of eles; they were drinking at the edge of the channel. We watched some young ones “playing” together; they would swing their trunks at each other. Soon the herd crossed the channel. On the other side there was a mud hole, and several began to roll around in it, or splash mud on themselves with their trunk. The young eles were particularly fun to watch in the mud.
As we watched the eles in the mud, the Buffalo began to cross the channel much further upstream.
We got back to camp about 3:30. Goodman was more than happy to take us out again after tea, for another drive, but I seemed to be the only one interested. Sam convinced me to stay back with him, which I did, with regret.
We had dinner outdoors in the boma. It was Eland kabobs. Yummy. As we were having our soup, I asked for someone to pass me the butter for my roll. Nigel said there was no butter as a Hyena had taken it. We laughed, assuming he was joking. But then he showed Sam and some others the empty butter dishes scattered outside the boma. Later during dinner, we had a visitor, the Hyena. He just poked his head in, and then left. Someone got a light, and we got up and watched him walk away.
Jul 9th, 2009, 05:09 PM
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June 5- Our last day in Botswana (Savuti)
We left on our last game drive, and it was just Sam and I with Goodman our guide, as the other couple decided to sleep. Who comes to Botswana to sleep??, but their loss was our ability to again dictate our preferences.
The sun was not even up as Goodman first noted some animals in the distance at the water’s edge. They looked familiar to me… dare I hope. But he confirmed it, Lions. We saw 2 and one was definitely female. We had been in Botswana for 10 days, and this was the first female Lion we had seen. From looking at all the wonderful photos on Fodor’s, I had thought this would be a sighting I would have seen well before now. We slowly approached them. As we got fairly near, we noted some others lying nearby. The first 2 we had seen came closer, crossing the shallow water of the channel. We just sat a watched them, as the sun was not yet up, and we were facing east. There were about 9 Lions all together, about 5 were female and 4 were young males with just the beginning hairs of what would become their manes as they grew. They moved about, playing with each other, licking each other, walking down to the water for a drink. They were so much fun to watch. It was a definite hand squeezing moment for Sam and me. Goodman radioed the other guides, but we were alone with them for a while. The sun was just rising, making a beautiful glow on them. I cannot really describe how special this moment was. There were all these large magnificent animals, with the light of the rising sun, and just the 3 of us. It is what Africa should always remain.
Besides just absorbing them by sight, we were also aware of a strong and not particularly pleasant smell. Goodman felt we should investigate the source. So we drove slowly closer to the lions, and they began to move in the direction we were headed. We rounded some large bushes, and there before us was a large rib cage. It took me a moment to register the other parts of the animal that remained. It was a Giraffe. Or what remained. Goodman guessed that it had been 3 days since the kill. The other Lions all slowly began to come back, and we watched as they gnawed and licked the skin. Some chewed on the muscles left between the ribs. While we had not witnessed the kill, this was pretty awesome. We were able to get so close, and being the first vehicle, Goodman carefully put us into a wonderful position for the light, as the sun was now higher in the sky, but still had the warm glow. The other vehicles came and went, and still we sat there mesmerized by what each Lion was doing. How they interacted. Some, as they finished, just lay on top of each other, some moved into the shade and began to alternately groom each other, or wrestled with each other. Others went back down to the water for a drink. I don’t know how long we were there, but eventually the smell became too much for Sam, and we left.
Goodman then told us that this was the Selinda pride, which numbers 12 lions. He noted that the dominant males were not present, (I think he said that there were 2??) He noted the absence of vultures in the area, which he felt unusual for a kill this old.
We were on a high. This was our last safari drive, and what a great way to end it.
We soon came upon a group of 4 warthogs, called a sounder. And Goodman told us that they mate for life.
We then looked at various tress and vegetation; I finally took a picture of a Sausage Tree. Goodman also pointed out Wild Okra- he said that the small flat leaf when cooked tastes similar to the okra I am familiar with.
We said “goodbye” to Botswana, to the baboons, zebra, giraffe, impala, a herd of Cape buffalo crossing the water in the distance, and of course the most wonderful of them all – the Elephants, as we drove back to camp and then on to the airstrip after brunch.
again photos are at
http://gallery.me.com/amycyma
Next installment is Victoria Falls-Zambia
I cannot believe have have been back a month. At times it feels like yesterday, at other times... I want to get back...
amy
We left on our last game drive, and it was just Sam and I with Goodman our guide, as the other couple decided to sleep. Who comes to Botswana to sleep??, but their loss was our ability to again dictate our preferences.
The sun was not even up as Goodman first noted some animals in the distance at the water’s edge. They looked familiar to me… dare I hope. But he confirmed it, Lions. We saw 2 and one was definitely female. We had been in Botswana for 10 days, and this was the first female Lion we had seen. From looking at all the wonderful photos on Fodor’s, I had thought this would be a sighting I would have seen well before now. We slowly approached them. As we got fairly near, we noted some others lying nearby. The first 2 we had seen came closer, crossing the shallow water of the channel. We just sat a watched them, as the sun was not yet up, and we were facing east. There were about 9 Lions all together, about 5 were female and 4 were young males with just the beginning hairs of what would become their manes as they grew. They moved about, playing with each other, licking each other, walking down to the water for a drink. They were so much fun to watch. It was a definite hand squeezing moment for Sam and me. Goodman radioed the other guides, but we were alone with them for a while. The sun was just rising, making a beautiful glow on them. I cannot really describe how special this moment was. There were all these large magnificent animals, with the light of the rising sun, and just the 3 of us. It is what Africa should always remain.
Besides just absorbing them by sight, we were also aware of a strong and not particularly pleasant smell. Goodman felt we should investigate the source. So we drove slowly closer to the lions, and they began to move in the direction we were headed. We rounded some large bushes, and there before us was a large rib cage. It took me a moment to register the other parts of the animal that remained. It was a Giraffe. Or what remained. Goodman guessed that it had been 3 days since the kill. The other Lions all slowly began to come back, and we watched as they gnawed and licked the skin. Some chewed on the muscles left between the ribs. While we had not witnessed the kill, this was pretty awesome. We were able to get so close, and being the first vehicle, Goodman carefully put us into a wonderful position for the light, as the sun was now higher in the sky, but still had the warm glow. The other vehicles came and went, and still we sat there mesmerized by what each Lion was doing. How they interacted. Some, as they finished, just lay on top of each other, some moved into the shade and began to alternately groom each other, or wrestled with each other. Others went back down to the water for a drink. I don’t know how long we were there, but eventually the smell became too much for Sam, and we left.
Goodman then told us that this was the Selinda pride, which numbers 12 lions. He noted that the dominant males were not present, (I think he said that there were 2??) He noted the absence of vultures in the area, which he felt unusual for a kill this old.
We were on a high. This was our last safari drive, and what a great way to end it.
We soon came upon a group of 4 warthogs, called a sounder. And Goodman told us that they mate for life.
We then looked at various tress and vegetation; I finally took a picture of a Sausage Tree. Goodman also pointed out Wild Okra- he said that the small flat leaf when cooked tastes similar to the okra I am familiar with.
We said “goodbye” to Botswana, to the baboons, zebra, giraffe, impala, a herd of Cape buffalo crossing the water in the distance, and of course the most wonderful of them all – the Elephants, as we drove back to camp and then on to the airstrip after brunch.
again photos are at
http://gallery.me.com/amycyma
Next installment is Victoria Falls-Zambia
I cannot believe have have been back a month. At times it feels like yesterday, at other times... I want to get back...
amy
Jul 9th, 2009, 08:19 PM
#49
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Thanks for the Camp Kalahari info and activity description. Your description of the dried mud triggered memories I had long forgotten. That was a good move to request going to the meerkats before sunrise.
How nice you met a lurker. How nice you avoided the spice dictators.
Looking forward to some meerkat photos next.
ScruffyPuma, I requested a second meerkat visit, but I had booked 4 nights, though I actually stayed only 3 nights due to a delayed flight. My meerkat additional visit was in the afternoon. Not quite as exciting as the morning wakeup visit, but a nice visit nonetheless. Make your request for another meerkat visit known early in your stay or before your departure.
How nice you met a lurker. How nice you avoided the spice dictators.
Looking forward to some meerkat photos next.
ScruffyPuma, I requested a second meerkat visit, but I had booked 4 nights, though I actually stayed only 3 nights due to a delayed flight. My meerkat additional visit was in the afternoon. Not quite as exciting as the morning wakeup visit, but a nice visit nonetheless. Make your request for another meerkat visit known early in your stay or before your departure.
Jul 10th, 2009, 06:53 PM
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atravelynn: Thank you very much for the info. We are staying 3 nights, first camp after Mala Mala, first trip to Africa for my daughter, so I think Camp Kalahari will be a bit of a shock after MM. She is really excited about the meerkats (fan of Meerkat Manor). Booked through AAT in Florida, might give Andre a call and see if a second visit is an option, othewise, I will take your advice and ask as soon as we arrive. I read your "Favorite Travel Experiences", we have travelled quite a few of the same roads.....and had to laugh on your profile about the lip balm.....I must have 15 of them stashed around.
Thanks again. Pat
Amy-Truly enjoying your report, waiting for Vic Falls.
Thanks again. Pat
Amy-Truly enjoying your report, waiting for Vic Falls.
Jul 11th, 2009, 03:50 AM
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Pat-
CK was a "shock" for my 22 year old son, which surprised me. It primarily made him homesick for his girlfriend, but when he saw Jack's camp he kept saying he wished we had stayed there- I just did my best "smile" and simply told him I couldn't afford it. However, he slept fine, and enjoyed all the activities, just wanted a little light in the night to read, though I think he benefitted from the extra sleep.
amy
If my "lurkers" M and J are reading, perhaps you could add some thoughts about your 3 night stay.
CK was a "shock" for my 22 year old son, which surprised me. It primarily made him homesick for his girlfriend, but when he saw Jack's camp he kept saying he wished we had stayed there- I just did my best "smile" and simply told him I couldn't afford it. However, he slept fine, and enjoyed all the activities, just wanted a little light in the night to read, though I think he benefitted from the extra sleep.
amy
If my "lurkers" M and J are reading, perhaps you could add some thoughts about your 3 night stay.
Jul 11th, 2009, 04:47 PM
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Amy: My daughter is 23 and is fairly spoiled when it comes to accommodations, but she said it would be worth it for the meerkats! I, also, will use the "smile" and say that the $$ were spent on the rest of the camps later in the trip! I will be the one with the tiny book light! Can't wait for Vic Falls.
Pat
Pat
Jul 11th, 2009, 06:34 PM
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Part 5- Victoria Falls- Zambia - accommodation Zambezi Sun
June 5 - We arrived in Kasane after about a 45-minute flight from Savuti. We were met by a Wilderness rep. and transported by car to the ferry crossing. This was the first time we had driven in Botswana. The ride was short -15 minutes, but I got to see a bit of Kasane, which is where Goodman and some other staff at the various camps were from. We were not even near the river, several miles away, when we came to a line of 16-wheelers (freight trucks). The driver noted that they were waiting to cross the river by the ferry, and that they wait for several days (3-5) to get across. When we got to the river, we saw the ferry. It was a small metal boat that was able to carry one truck and a few passengers at a time. There were 2-3 ferries operating.
I cannot fully give voice to my thoughts about this, as this is a travel forum, but… build a larger dock and more ferries, employ people making these, and running them, and then the goods that are transported will be cheaper as the drivers will take twice as much goods back and forth over a given period of time. OK, so I did put my 2 cents worth in…
We went to a small boat, and were taken across the river. We crossed the Zambezi just where it meets the Chobe River. There were 2 people on the boat, one was the boat operator, and the other was the person that would drive us to the hotel (only I didn’t know that till later). I only mention this, as I had no idea of how much to tip each of these 3 different men. I tried to refer to my tipping guide that I got from my agent as I was in the vehicles, but couldn’t decide if these were long or short road transfers.
The man on the boat with us, that I later learned was from Wilderness, took us thru customs, and then we got into his vehicle. The ride to the hotel was about 45 minutes. He pointed out various things of interest along the way, and proudly said that Zambia was a democracy and we could ask him anything. He was an older man, so I asked him about living there when it was Northern Rhodesia, and under apartheid. He was totally surprised that I knew about this, and I told him that I remember the wars, and when Zambia and Zimbabwe became independent countries. One of the things he pointed out to us was a large farm. He said that it was one of the largest in Zambia, and that it is being run by a farmer who left leave Zimbabwe because he was white. He then noted that Zimbabwe’s losses are Zambia’s gains. He said that their tourist industry is on the rise, especially in Livingstone. He noted that they are reaping the benefits of the experienced former farmers from Zimbabwe. He was very interesting, and I enjoyed talking with him.
We stopped at a viewpoint along the Zambezi. In the distance I saw what seemed to be white low clouds, but our driver quickly pointed out these were from the falls, and that was the “Smoke that Thunders”. We drove through a part of Livingstone; it seemed very colorful, with small shops and restaurants. We arrived at the hotel about 3pm.
Our room was on the second floor, and from our balcony we could see the mist from the falls. The Zambezi Sun is a large “resort type” hotel. There are about 3 buildings each 2 stories high surrounding the pool area. There are several restaurants on the property. None of which are particularly good, and tend to be expensive. We chose to eat at the hotel only because we were exhausted each night, and Sam in particular did not want to venture out into town. (Partially as the road to the hotel was under construction, and was not paved- and he would rather talk to his girlfriend on the phone then spend the time getting to and from town). My recommendation would be to eat elsewhere.
The major benefit of staying at the Zambezi Sun is its proximity to the Falls. We left our room, walked to the front desk to get raincoats, and then walked back towards our room, and turned left and in 10 minutes we were soaked! The water level at the falls is extremely high due to all the water that it has received from Angola. Like the Okavango Delta, there is flooding. Livingstone Island is closed. In fact I would say there was almost too much water, as you could barely see the falls there was so much mist. But the rainbows, and the double rainbows were everywhere. I could only find a few places dry enough for me to take pictures as we walked along the path. Sam and I were totally wet, and having a blast. We took lots of fun pictures of each other. The Falls just felt amazing. The amount of water pouring over them, and the narrowness of the gorge made them unique. We thought the Falls were so wide, but we did not even realize how little of the Falls we were actually seeing until the following day. We walked about the area closest to the Falls, and then headed to a drier area that has a good view of the bridge. It was getting close to closing time (6pm) so we headed back to the hotel. Along the way we noted a craft market just outside the entrance to the Falls and planned on shoppping the following day.
June 6-
We had a half-day canoe trip on the Zambezi booked. We were told to be at the Activity Desk at 8am. We got there, and waited a while till they arrived. AAC booked it for us. It was with SafPar or Safari Par Excellence and for anyone interested. Their web address is www.safpar.com. They are a rather new operation, the very nice capable trip leader told us. We drove about 15 minutes up the river, to the launching area. It was just Sam and me- we were in 1 canoe, and there were 2 other men each in a canoe. The canoe was an inflatable one (greater stability), and we used kayak paddles. We were given a brief overview of the trip, and into the water we went. We had not taken our cameras with us, but they did have a watertight box you could store things in when we hit the rougher water. We just took our binoculars, unzipped our convertible pants, took off our shoes and socks and put on our flip-flops. We paddled over to the Zimbabwe side, as there is a National Park on that side so we would see more animals. The Zambia side is commercial (mainly hotels/resorts).
As we paddled (Sam actually did most of the paddling in the calm water-how nice to be told to “just sit back and relax Mom “- we saw impala, a waterbuck, and various birds that our guides pointed out to us. We saw several pods of hippos – which Sam had requested we stay a “respectful” distance from, many crocodiles, which I thought looked quite large, though we were told were not full grown. Did I mention how wide the Zambezi River is? Where we were, it was the widest river I have ever seen (I live in NY and the Hudson River is quite a wide river). There were islands of varying sizes all throughout the river. We went through some very small rapids, what fun! Then we beached the canoes, stretched our legs, had some water, and then packed up everything we didn’t want to get wet into the waterproof boxes. (Though by this time my shorts and feet were quite wet). We were then given instructions to stay in line between the guides’ canoes. We then went through a series of slightly larger and longer rapids, and the paddling was a workout. But it was really fun. Soon we came to the landing point. We drove through the park, and saw some impala and baboons. There were other animals, but I didn’t have my notebook. We then went to the resort that this company runs to have cocktails. We declined, but we looked about a bit and it seemed quite nice, though it was not on the river, or on the Falls.
We got back to the hotel, had a quick bite to eat, and then we headed to the Falls. This time we walked down to the “Boiling Pot”. The path was a paved descent with steps the first 2/3. Then we got to an area where the walkway had been washed away, and we had to wade through the water to continue on the path. At this point there were a couple of young men standing around, and one began to show us the way down. We would not have made it down to the bottom without him, as the pathway was completely underwater, at points about a foot deep. We got to the bottom; this is very near where the Lower Zambezi starts. It is called the Boiling Pot as the water comes churning through narrow opening of the tall escarpments on the Zimbabwe and Zambia side. The view of the Lower Zambezi is great. We walked back up quickly as we had to head on over for our Microlight flight.
We had booked a Microlight flight for a 3:30 departure. This turned out to mean we had to be at the Activity Center for pickup at 3:30. We were picked up, joining others heading for either helicopter or Microlight flights from the nearby Royal Livingstone. We got to the airstrip, and waited about 15 minutes (they were running a tad late). There are 2 microlight aircraft. Sam went first. I soon followed. I was belted in (a lap belt only). They put a helmet with an attached microphone on me so I could communicate with the pilot. Then we took off. Take off was smooth, and soon we were over the river. The day was clear and I could see the mist from the Falls. As we approached the Falls I realized how wide they are. I could see the escarpment that Sam and I had walked on yesterday. It barely was a ¼ of the width of the Falls. The escarpment on the Zimbabwe side is about 2/3 of the width of the Falls. The pilot talked about the course of the Lower Zambezi as it came into view. It is amazing as it twists back and forth. Sam’s pilot told him that this is the 7th falls, and that each zigzag in the Lower Zambezi represents a previous fault. Sam’s pilot also pointed out that a new fault is developing. We flew along the width of the Falls, and then back up rive. On one of the larger islands you could see elephants on the island. There is a camera attached to the wing of the craft, and they photograph the trip. Once we landed we were able to view the pictures. They came out great, so we each bought our pictures, which were put onto a CD. They also added on some stock photos they have of the Falls at different times of the year. It looked so different when the water level as at it’s lowest.
When we got back to the hotel, we headed out to the craft market. We had been warned by a couple we met at Savuti, that they put a lot of pressure on you, and try to keep you from looking at other vendors. However, I love this kind of stuff. Sam had never done this before, so I handled all the “transactions”. The market was closing, and had yet to buy all we wanted. So we decided to go back again the following morning. Sam also decided that I didn’t get low enough prices, and he could do better.
June 7- Our last day in Africa, how sad!
I got up early, as I wanted to take pictures in the early morning light, Sam decided to sleep. I first walked along the eastern shore of the river above the Falls. I then headed to the path that said “Best Photo” or something like that. It went along the far edge of the lower Zambezi, but there were some great pictures of the lovely bridge that crosses into Zimbabwe. I would have gone back to the escarpment that runs near the Falls just to get the mist in my face, and feel the wonder of it, but decided I didn’t feel like taking back wet clothes, and I promised Sam we would go back to the market.
Sam and I went back to the market, and he did do a better job at wheeling and dealing. We had luckily brought an almost empty bag with us, that we now filled with all our purchases. We finished packing, and checked out. Were taken to the airport. Our flight was on time, and landed in Jo’Burg with four long hours till our flight to NY. We bought some more stuff, as I hand some Rand burning a hole in my pocket. The plane was very pleasantly less than ½ full, which meant that everyone could find an extra seat-some were even stretched out on 4. We had a stop at Dakar, but we didn’t deplane.
June 8-
We arrived back in NY. My wonderful husband was there to pick us up. Once home, I had to put my pictures up on the computer. Sam’s girlfriend came, and we watched videos till I fell asleep.
July 11-
I have finished my trip report. Now I am no longer a “Newbie”. But I dream to return to Africa. I have definitely caught the bug. It is a very special place.
I look forward to reading others reposts and looking at your photos till I again can post my incessant questions as I plan a trip, post photos and write another trip report.
Again, many thanks to all who have patiently answered my questions, looked at my pictures, and posted your comments to my report. And to those of you who have not yet done a safari, but are planning, Africa is a wonderful place, and you will have the most fantastic trip!
again photos are at
http://gallery.me.com/amycyma
amy
June 5 - We arrived in Kasane after about a 45-minute flight from Savuti. We were met by a Wilderness rep. and transported by car to the ferry crossing. This was the first time we had driven in Botswana. The ride was short -15 minutes, but I got to see a bit of Kasane, which is where Goodman and some other staff at the various camps were from. We were not even near the river, several miles away, when we came to a line of 16-wheelers (freight trucks). The driver noted that they were waiting to cross the river by the ferry, and that they wait for several days (3-5) to get across. When we got to the river, we saw the ferry. It was a small metal boat that was able to carry one truck and a few passengers at a time. There were 2-3 ferries operating.
I cannot fully give voice to my thoughts about this, as this is a travel forum, but… build a larger dock and more ferries, employ people making these, and running them, and then the goods that are transported will be cheaper as the drivers will take twice as much goods back and forth over a given period of time. OK, so I did put my 2 cents worth in…
We went to a small boat, and were taken across the river. We crossed the Zambezi just where it meets the Chobe River. There were 2 people on the boat, one was the boat operator, and the other was the person that would drive us to the hotel (only I didn’t know that till later). I only mention this, as I had no idea of how much to tip each of these 3 different men. I tried to refer to my tipping guide that I got from my agent as I was in the vehicles, but couldn’t decide if these were long or short road transfers.
The man on the boat with us, that I later learned was from Wilderness, took us thru customs, and then we got into his vehicle. The ride to the hotel was about 45 minutes. He pointed out various things of interest along the way, and proudly said that Zambia was a democracy and we could ask him anything. He was an older man, so I asked him about living there when it was Northern Rhodesia, and under apartheid. He was totally surprised that I knew about this, and I told him that I remember the wars, and when Zambia and Zimbabwe became independent countries. One of the things he pointed out to us was a large farm. He said that it was one of the largest in Zambia, and that it is being run by a farmer who left leave Zimbabwe because he was white. He then noted that Zimbabwe’s losses are Zambia’s gains. He said that their tourist industry is on the rise, especially in Livingstone. He noted that they are reaping the benefits of the experienced former farmers from Zimbabwe. He was very interesting, and I enjoyed talking with him.
We stopped at a viewpoint along the Zambezi. In the distance I saw what seemed to be white low clouds, but our driver quickly pointed out these were from the falls, and that was the “Smoke that Thunders”. We drove through a part of Livingstone; it seemed very colorful, with small shops and restaurants. We arrived at the hotel about 3pm.
Our room was on the second floor, and from our balcony we could see the mist from the falls. The Zambezi Sun is a large “resort type” hotel. There are about 3 buildings each 2 stories high surrounding the pool area. There are several restaurants on the property. None of which are particularly good, and tend to be expensive. We chose to eat at the hotel only because we were exhausted each night, and Sam in particular did not want to venture out into town. (Partially as the road to the hotel was under construction, and was not paved- and he would rather talk to his girlfriend on the phone then spend the time getting to and from town). My recommendation would be to eat elsewhere.
The major benefit of staying at the Zambezi Sun is its proximity to the Falls. We left our room, walked to the front desk to get raincoats, and then walked back towards our room, and turned left and in 10 minutes we were soaked! The water level at the falls is extremely high due to all the water that it has received from Angola. Like the Okavango Delta, there is flooding. Livingstone Island is closed. In fact I would say there was almost too much water, as you could barely see the falls there was so much mist. But the rainbows, and the double rainbows were everywhere. I could only find a few places dry enough for me to take pictures as we walked along the path. Sam and I were totally wet, and having a blast. We took lots of fun pictures of each other. The Falls just felt amazing. The amount of water pouring over them, and the narrowness of the gorge made them unique. We thought the Falls were so wide, but we did not even realize how little of the Falls we were actually seeing until the following day. We walked about the area closest to the Falls, and then headed to a drier area that has a good view of the bridge. It was getting close to closing time (6pm) so we headed back to the hotel. Along the way we noted a craft market just outside the entrance to the Falls and planned on shoppping the following day.
June 6-
We had a half-day canoe trip on the Zambezi booked. We were told to be at the Activity Desk at 8am. We got there, and waited a while till they arrived. AAC booked it for us. It was with SafPar or Safari Par Excellence and for anyone interested. Their web address is www.safpar.com. They are a rather new operation, the very nice capable trip leader told us. We drove about 15 minutes up the river, to the launching area. It was just Sam and me- we were in 1 canoe, and there were 2 other men each in a canoe. The canoe was an inflatable one (greater stability), and we used kayak paddles. We were given a brief overview of the trip, and into the water we went. We had not taken our cameras with us, but they did have a watertight box you could store things in when we hit the rougher water. We just took our binoculars, unzipped our convertible pants, took off our shoes and socks and put on our flip-flops. We paddled over to the Zimbabwe side, as there is a National Park on that side so we would see more animals. The Zambia side is commercial (mainly hotels/resorts).
As we paddled (Sam actually did most of the paddling in the calm water-how nice to be told to “just sit back and relax Mom “- we saw impala, a waterbuck, and various birds that our guides pointed out to us. We saw several pods of hippos – which Sam had requested we stay a “respectful” distance from, many crocodiles, which I thought looked quite large, though we were told were not full grown. Did I mention how wide the Zambezi River is? Where we were, it was the widest river I have ever seen (I live in NY and the Hudson River is quite a wide river). There were islands of varying sizes all throughout the river. We went through some very small rapids, what fun! Then we beached the canoes, stretched our legs, had some water, and then packed up everything we didn’t want to get wet into the waterproof boxes. (Though by this time my shorts and feet were quite wet). We were then given instructions to stay in line between the guides’ canoes. We then went through a series of slightly larger and longer rapids, and the paddling was a workout. But it was really fun. Soon we came to the landing point. We drove through the park, and saw some impala and baboons. There were other animals, but I didn’t have my notebook. We then went to the resort that this company runs to have cocktails. We declined, but we looked about a bit and it seemed quite nice, though it was not on the river, or on the Falls.
We got back to the hotel, had a quick bite to eat, and then we headed to the Falls. This time we walked down to the “Boiling Pot”. The path was a paved descent with steps the first 2/3. Then we got to an area where the walkway had been washed away, and we had to wade through the water to continue on the path. At this point there were a couple of young men standing around, and one began to show us the way down. We would not have made it down to the bottom without him, as the pathway was completely underwater, at points about a foot deep. We got to the bottom; this is very near where the Lower Zambezi starts. It is called the Boiling Pot as the water comes churning through narrow opening of the tall escarpments on the Zimbabwe and Zambia side. The view of the Lower Zambezi is great. We walked back up quickly as we had to head on over for our Microlight flight.
We had booked a Microlight flight for a 3:30 departure. This turned out to mean we had to be at the Activity Center for pickup at 3:30. We were picked up, joining others heading for either helicopter or Microlight flights from the nearby Royal Livingstone. We got to the airstrip, and waited about 15 minutes (they were running a tad late). There are 2 microlight aircraft. Sam went first. I soon followed. I was belted in (a lap belt only). They put a helmet with an attached microphone on me so I could communicate with the pilot. Then we took off. Take off was smooth, and soon we were over the river. The day was clear and I could see the mist from the Falls. As we approached the Falls I realized how wide they are. I could see the escarpment that Sam and I had walked on yesterday. It barely was a ¼ of the width of the Falls. The escarpment on the Zimbabwe side is about 2/3 of the width of the Falls. The pilot talked about the course of the Lower Zambezi as it came into view. It is amazing as it twists back and forth. Sam’s pilot told him that this is the 7th falls, and that each zigzag in the Lower Zambezi represents a previous fault. Sam’s pilot also pointed out that a new fault is developing. We flew along the width of the Falls, and then back up rive. On one of the larger islands you could see elephants on the island. There is a camera attached to the wing of the craft, and they photograph the trip. Once we landed we were able to view the pictures. They came out great, so we each bought our pictures, which were put onto a CD. They also added on some stock photos they have of the Falls at different times of the year. It looked so different when the water level as at it’s lowest.
When we got back to the hotel, we headed out to the craft market. We had been warned by a couple we met at Savuti, that they put a lot of pressure on you, and try to keep you from looking at other vendors. However, I love this kind of stuff. Sam had never done this before, so I handled all the “transactions”. The market was closing, and had yet to buy all we wanted. So we decided to go back again the following morning. Sam also decided that I didn’t get low enough prices, and he could do better.
June 7- Our last day in Africa, how sad!
I got up early, as I wanted to take pictures in the early morning light, Sam decided to sleep. I first walked along the eastern shore of the river above the Falls. I then headed to the path that said “Best Photo” or something like that. It went along the far edge of the lower Zambezi, but there were some great pictures of the lovely bridge that crosses into Zimbabwe. I would have gone back to the escarpment that runs near the Falls just to get the mist in my face, and feel the wonder of it, but decided I didn’t feel like taking back wet clothes, and I promised Sam we would go back to the market.
Sam and I went back to the market, and he did do a better job at wheeling and dealing. We had luckily brought an almost empty bag with us, that we now filled with all our purchases. We finished packing, and checked out. Were taken to the airport. Our flight was on time, and landed in Jo’Burg with four long hours till our flight to NY. We bought some more stuff, as I hand some Rand burning a hole in my pocket. The plane was very pleasantly less than ½ full, which meant that everyone could find an extra seat-some were even stretched out on 4. We had a stop at Dakar, but we didn’t deplane.
June 8-
We arrived back in NY. My wonderful husband was there to pick us up. Once home, I had to put my pictures up on the computer. Sam’s girlfriend came, and we watched videos till I fell asleep.
July 11-
I have finished my trip report. Now I am no longer a “Newbie”. But I dream to return to Africa. I have definitely caught the bug. It is a very special place.
I look forward to reading others reposts and looking at your photos till I again can post my incessant questions as I plan a trip, post photos and write another trip report.
Again, many thanks to all who have patiently answered my questions, looked at my pictures, and posted your comments to my report. And to those of you who have not yet done a safari, but are planning, Africa is a wonderful place, and you will have the most fantastic trip!
again photos are at
http://gallery.me.com/amycyma
amy
Jul 12th, 2009, 07:15 AM
#58
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Thanks Amy. I've enjoyed every word of your report as I'm doing a similar trip next May.
I have a question about your leg from Kasane to Vic Falls. Was this an adventure/educational and would you do it again? It was suggested that I might prefer an air transfer (at an additional cost ) instead of the ground transfer. I do like to see "a bit of real life" though. Any thoughts?
Debbie
P.S. I'm Paul's friend from SF.
I have a question about your leg from Kasane to Vic Falls. Was this an adventure/educational and would you do it again? It was suggested that I might prefer an air transfer (at an additional cost ) instead of the ground transfer. I do like to see "a bit of real life" though. Any thoughts?
Debbie
P.S. I'm Paul's friend from SF.
Jul 12th, 2009, 07:53 AM
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Wonderful trip report. I was at Kwetsani in June 2006 and found it to be a wonderful camp. After looking at your leopard picture I compared it to the leopard we saw when we were at Kwetsani. The markings are the same. It's nice to know that she is doing well, despite her eye infection. She had a six month old cub at the time and they posed for us in an large dead tree.
Jul 12th, 2009, 03:14 PM
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raelond
When we were there they noted she had a grown male offspring that she still at times hunted for- they described him as an adolescent, so maybe that is the same one you saw as a cub. I am not sure at what age a leopard is considered grown
Debbie-
i would definitely do the road transfer. There was a couple that we lelft Savuti with and were staying at the Zambezi Sun. They took the flight from Kasane. We arrived at the same time at the ZS. So no time is saved by going by air, and I do feel I got to see a bit of Zambia, and talking to the driver was really the only time I had a long conversation with anyone in Zambia. I would choose to go by road if it cost me more money, especially as it not take any more time.
amy
When we were there they noted she had a grown male offspring that she still at times hunted for- they described him as an adolescent, so maybe that is the same one you saw as a cub. I am not sure at what age a leopard is considered grown
Debbie-
i would definitely do the road transfer. There was a couple that we lelft Savuti with and were staying at the Zambezi Sun. They took the flight from Kasane. We arrived at the same time at the ZS. So no time is saved by going by air, and I do feel I got to see a bit of Zambia, and talking to the driver was really the only time I had a long conversation with anyone in Zambia. I would choose to go by road if it cost me more money, especially as it not take any more time.
amy
