Tuesday 31 March Back to Zimbabwe

 This morning we head back across the border into Zimbabwe to Victoria Falls for lunch then we drive to Hwange National Park where we stay in tents for the next three nights. It is another sunny morning with temperatures again in the 30s.

Yesterday we left at 3 pm for a late afternoon game drive hoping for a last chance to find lions. We took a different route this time closer to the river. As usual there are plenty of McDonald’s and elephants. Up ahead we see elephants crossing the road but Dnata takes us down to the river edge. There is a family of elephants playing in the water and having mud baths. A fantastic sight. There are also a couple of crocodiles lurking in the river but they are too small to bother the elephants. 

We move on and discover giraffes at the side of the road. We continue driving through the park but no lions. After about two and a quarter hours we stop for afternoon tea which is red or white wine or gin and tonic. As we resume we have one last chance to find an elusive lion but no luck. However we do come across a herd of elephants feeding close to the road. They are so close and have no fear of us. 

After the game drive we have an evening dinner cruise which was fine but annoyed by flying insects. By the time we get back it is almost 10 pm.

Not sure what access we will have from here so posts could be delayed.

Baboons on our way to breakfast

Hippo from Sunday

Monday 30 March Chobe

 Up early again for our 6 am departure. By 6.15 we are in the park with high hopes of finding a big cat! We have barely left the entrance when we pull over to observe a couple of elephants just off the road! After plenty of opportunity to take photos we are on our way. The plan is to head deep into the park in the hope of catching sight of a lion.

We drive past herds of impala, seen so many now they have little impact. Ndata our guide told us yesterday that their rear markings resemble a M so they are known locally as McDonalds because they are everywhere. The lions are not that interested in them as they are more of a snack and not worth the effort as any kill needs to feed the pride. So today as we drove past them and Ndata referred to them as McDonalds I said Junior Burgers. He thought that was very funny.

We see Jackals, Vultures, Warthogs and colourful birds, but no lions. Ndata points out some fresh lion tracks and he is on their trail. We head off on a narrow track deep into the bush. We are dodging the branches as it is that narrow. I am thinking if we find one I hope he or she has had their breakfast as there is no escape route. We stop a couple of times to listen but no luck. The ground cover is very thick and they could resting behind a bush unseen. Ndata did his best and we tried for 2 hours but no luck. We head towards the morning tea break and on our way there we come across a large male giraffe. He is very tall and quite dark in colour, a sign that he is male and old.

At morning tea no one has spotted any lions, but while there is a family of warthogs about 200 metres away. It is now time to head back to our lodge and on the way back we stop for a herd of elephants right beside the road. There are at least half a dozen with a young one and a baby that kept very close to its mother. It was another great experience. We have one more safari this afternoon but I am not really expecting to see any lions.

Cruise on the Chobe River

 Sunday Afternoon

We started off with a great morning and surpassed it with a wonderful afternoon! 3 pm we set out on a cruise down the Chobe river. Our guide asks us what we want to see, nearly everyone says hippopotamus. He says he will make a call and assures us we will see some. We are a bit sceptical but hopeful.

Our first sightings along the banks are impala, seems they are everywhere. Then we see a Kudu which are bigger than the Impala.  As we proceed we come across crocodiles lying on the banks sunning themselves. It is 30 degrees but we are in a shaded boat and it is quite busy with many boats slowly cruising along looking out for wildlife. Then we see a troop of baboons coming down for a drink.

We notice one boat which looks very professional with at least 8 people seated along the middle on seats that can swivel from side to side. Their camera lens are enormous and they have built in brackets for the lens to rest on. I feel very inadequate with the size of my camera lens.

Where they are moored is an osprey in the tree and further up the bank a herd of elephants. We get some good views of the elephants. As we progress further we see some hippos. Then there is a large male Kudu with large antlers, a spectacular sight. Just when we thought it couldn’t get any better there are giraffes! What an afternoon. It is nearly time to head back but then there are hippos everywhere and we get pretty close. As we head back arriving at 6 pm we can hardly believe what we have seen and it is only day1.

Tomorrow another 6 am game drive and then a 3 pm game drive!

First Game Drive

 Sunday 29 March

Up early this morning - 5am. We meet up for early coffee/tea at 5.30 prior to starting the game drive. There are three vehicles each carrying six passengers, so we are all together. Our driver/guide is Ndata. It is 19 degrees as we head off, but it is an open vehicle so the wind as we drive makes it a little chilly. There is a beautiful sunrise behind us as we make our way to the Chobe National Park entrance, about a 15 minute drive.

As we enter the park our driver informs us that as a bonus we will get a free full body massage. He was not wrong. The sandy/dirt tracks are very bumpy! Shortly after entering we come across impala and elephants. A bit further in our driver spots three jackals and we get quite close. The animals are cautious but not afraid. Now that we are moving slower it is quite warm. Our next highlight are three elephants including a very young one less than 50 metres from our path. Our driver then takes us to view the Chobe river which has plenty of water flowing, on the other side of the river is Namibia. At the height of the dry season all the water we can see is reduced to a few small channels with water trickling through. It is hard to imagine.

While there we see a small crocodile lurking in the water just off the bank, further out there are bigger ones swimming by. We continue to see impala and Guinea fowl aplenty. Moving on we view a dead elephant carcass, although most of it has been stripped. Ndata tells us it died of old age about a month ago. While there we hear a baboon shouting and Ndata believes it is likely a danger signal to others of an approaching predator. He takes us round to where he believes the sound was coming from and as we round a corner there is a troop of baboons walking alongside the path and straight by us. No sign of the predator. It is 8.15 so we all stop for coffees and muffin. 

After morning tea we slowly make our way back to the park entrance with many more encounters with impala. On the way though Ndata pulls up and points out some lion tracks along the path. We arrive back at our lodge around 9.30 and then sit down for breakfast. This afternoon we have a river cruise from 3 pm to try and see more wildlife along the river banks.

Dung Beetle

Hitching a ride

Off to Chobe National Park Botswana

 Saturday 28 March

Victoria Falls to Chobe 

Today we leave Victoria Falls and meet up with rest of the group at the airport. Dinner last night  at the hotel was shit. Ann and I ordered the In House fish. It was overcooked, tasteless and difficult to chew. The other meals did not look too good either. Then the wine only came by the glass. I had a white and Ann had a red. Ann couldn’t finish hers and it was so bad I didn’t finish it for her either. The white was just as bad, but I did manage to finish it.

The hotel did redeem itself somewhat this morning as the buffet breakfast was good. We checked out at 10.30 and at the airport by 11 to wait. It is again a beautiful sunny morning. We meet up with Thula our guide and he gets us on the bus while we await the plane from Joburg and the rest of the touring party.

After everyone has arrived we head off. There are a mix of kiwis, aussies and Americans - a total of 16. We have about a 100 minute drive to the border with Botswana. The drive there is on ordinary roads even though it is a major highway. The driver is continually dodging pot holes. Reminds us of home. Ann thinks she saw an elephant which is later confirmed by another member of the group. Ann also saw a steenbok which is different from a springbok. We also saw some Guinea fowl and a warthog.

At Botswana we have to first pass through a foot and mouth check point which required us to have all extra shoes carried separately so they could be disinfected and then we had to walk through special disinfectant. There were a heap of trucks waiting in line to cross, a lot of them were carrying coal to South Africa to power their electricity generation. We went straight through as tourism is one of the top three industries. After passing into Botswana it was only 15 minutes to the Chobe Bush Lodge. 

As we are welcomed to the lodge there is a troop of Baboons traversing the grounds. The lodge area is right on the border to the national park so wildlife are right next door! We have a lengthy introduction to the area and then have lunch. After lunch we are shown our rooms. It is now 4 pm and the rooms are spacious and comfortable. We are on the second level next to John and Kaye, while Ross and Karen are on the ground level. We have a balcony and when we look outside there is a warthog walking past as well as a few baboons. We really feel we are in Africa.

After rearranging our clothes etc for the next three days Ann and I head off for a drink and there is a warthog walking by. We have been told to keep our distance and not try to treat them like domesticated animals. Our dinner is at 7pm and it is a lovely buffet at the restaurant. Tomorrow we have a 5.30 start for an early bush walk. Can’t wait!

Our Bedroom

Baboon showing off on top of Restaurant

Dominant male of Baboon Troop

Dinner at Restaurant 

Baboons

 Night view from our room

Warthog at back of our room