This morning’s game drive took us to the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans and a visit with the meerkats, but we saw other animals and birds along the way.

Northern Black Korhaan (“Helicopter Bird”)

Ostriches

Springbok

Bat-eared Fox

Ground Squirrel

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Everyone was hoping for a photo op with a meerkat in someone’s lap or on someone’s head, but the meerkats were having none of it (perhaps they’re getting tired of tourists). Still, it was fun to watch them digging, exploring and standing sentinel.

This is the closest a meerkat came to someone in our group

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We had breakfast in the bush and then resumed our game drive.

Wildebeests

White-backed Vultures

Acacia shrub

Springboks and Waterbucks

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We returned to camp for lunch and a siesta, then headed back out to the Pans. Most of the group chose to venture further out on ATVs, but a few of us chose another game drive. We successfully located a lioness and her cubs (about 2-1/2 years old) as well as a jackal. The lioness was actually on one side of the “road” and her cubs were on the other side. She woke up from her nap, crossed in front of our safari vehicle, and called for them – and they came.

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We headed back to the Pans for drinks and dinner under the stars.

 

Some of our group chose to sleep outdoors on the Pans, while the rest of us went back to camp for the night. There were a lot of rustling noises outside my tent that lasted for about 5 minutes before I went to bed. Could that have been an elephant?

See more photos:

• Camp Kalahari
• Makgadikgadi Salt Pans Afternoon Game Drive and Dinner Under the Stars
• Makgadikgadi Salt Pans Morning Game Drive – Meerkats

This morning we made a brief visit to Xaxaba village, spotting several giraffes along the way. Our guide explained the villagers’ way of life, their “general store”, and how a headman is elected and governs the village. We had the opportunity to shop, and the villagers presented songs and dances. Unfortunately, my camera batteries were exhausted and my spares were back at camp, so I could take only a few pictures.

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We then took a short flight to our next destination, Camp Kalahari on the edge of the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans. Our tents had fewer amenities (no A/C) but were still comfortable (running water and flush toilets). Horses from the nearby stable wander the camp freely.

This bird was looking for something stronger than juice…

My tent at Camp Kalahari

Horses grazing outside my tent

The path to my tent (#4)

Georgia O’Keeffe was here…
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After lunch and a siesta, we took a walk with the San Bushmen, who pointed out animal tracks and droppings and explained the uses for different animals and plants. They also lit a fire from scratch. We returned to camp for a sundowner and dinner at the main lodge.

 

See more photos:

• Camp Kalahari Flight and Arrival
• San Bushmen Walk

Today we had a variety of wildlife and plant viewing experiences, starting with a morning game drive where we spotted a steenbok, giraffes, birds, a buffalo carcass, hippos, elephants, zebras, a strangler fig, a baobab tree, a palm tree with a crooked stem, wildebeests, vultures and a sausage-tree.

Steenbok

Giraffe

Gray Go-away-birds (so named for their call)

Buffalo carcass

Marabou Storks and Hooded Vultures

Hippos

Elephants

Zebras

Strangler Fig

Baobab Tree

Palm with crooked stem (the result of competing with the neighboring tree for sunlight)

Wildebeests

Sausage-tree (so named for the appearance of its fruit)

White-backed vultures

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Later in the morning, we took a helicopter ride lasting about 45 minutes over the Okavango Delta. I sat next to the pilot, and there were no doors (??!!). Actually, there were no worries as I was strapped in well. We had sightings of hippos, antelopes, elephants, buffalo and zebras and an aerial view of the Eagle Island Lodge.

Approaching the landing pad

“I could have flown this (yeah, right)…”

African Buffalo

Eagle Island Lodge

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After lunch, we had a few hours of relaxation before our mokoro (canoe) safari. Our tour director informed us that a male lion had been spotted in the area, and we elected to cut the mokoro safari short so we could go out and find him. Still, our excursion was long enough to see lots of elephants as well as a crocodile and an African Fish Eagle.

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We went back to our safari vehicles, and after a short drive we found a male lion along with two females, several cubs and a buffalo carcass (a fresh kill from the morning), giving us lots of photo ops. Our day ended with a barbecue and songs and dances presented by the lodge staff.

The crooked palm framed by a beautiful sunset

See more photos:

• Eagle Island Lodge
• Eagle Island Lodge Morning Game Drive
• Okavango Delta by Canoe
• Okavango Delta by Helicopter
• Okavango Delta Afternoon Game Drive – Part 1
• Okavango Delta Afternoon Game Drive – Part 2

Our last day at the Khwai River Lodge began with a morning game drive where we saw elephants, birds, impalas, hippos, a leopard, buffalo, warthogs and zebras before returning to the lodge for lunch.

Elephants

Hippos

Goliath Heron

Leopard

African Buffalo

Common Warthog and Southern Ground Hornbill

Zebras

A hornbill checks out our food from above

A Cape Starling crashes the buffet line

After lunch we had a short 20-minute flight to the Eagle Island Lodge in the Okavango Delta, where we were greeted in song by the lodge staff.

 

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My tent at Eagle Island Lodge had a few more amenities (daybed, soaking tub and a dipping pool) and a deck where I could see dust devils, elephants, lechwes and birds in the distance.

Dust devil

Elephant

Great White Pelicans

Lechwes

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We reconvened for afternoon tea and then split into two groups to explore the area by boat or on foot. I chose the walking safari, where we learned about animal tracks and the significance of animal droppings in the general ecosystem. We returned to the lodge to watch the sun go down and have drinks and dinner.

A Vervet monkey walks into the bar…

Zebra and termite hill

Buffalo skull

Warthog grazing outside my tent

Sunset in the Okavango Delta – a view from the “Eagle’s Nest”
 

See more photos:

• Eagle Island Lodge
• Eagle Island Lodge Flight and Arrival
• Eagle Island Lodge Walking Safari
• Khwai River Lodge
• Moremi Game Reserve Morning Game Drive

Today was my birthday! Our morning game drive started at 7 AM and ended close to noon. We had so many animal sightings – impalas, waterbucks, zebras, hyenas, warthogs, birds, elephants, hippos, giraffes, buffalo, and best of all, a lioness and her cubs!

Zebras

Impalas

Spotted Hyenas

Common Warthog

Giraffes

Helmeted Guineafowl

Lioness and cubs

Hippo

Elephant

African Buffalo

About mid-way through our drive, we stopped for refreshments, and some inquisitive birds stopped to visit (probably hoping for handouts).

Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill

Burchell’s Starling

We returned to the lodge for lunch and had a few hours to relax and enjoy afternoon tea before the late afternoon game drive, where we spotted birds, lechwes, hippos and elephants.

Saddle-billed Stork

Hippo

Lechwes

African Fish Eagle

Elephant

The drive ended with a surprise sundowner (an African happy hour). We enjoyed drinks and appetizers while watching a beautiful African sunset out in the bush.

 

Our day ended with dinner at the lodge, and there was another surprise after dinner- a birthday party complete with a cake presented by clapping and singing lodge staff, a gift, and a card signed by all of my fellow travelers – all arranged secretly by our tour director! It was so kind and thoughtful – a great end to a great day!

Happy Birthday!
 

See more photos:

• Khwai River Lodge
• Moremi Game Reserve Birthday Safari – Part 1
• Moremi Game Reserve Birthday Safari – Part 2
• Moremi Game Reserve Birthday Safari – Part 3
• Moremi Game Reserve Birthday Safari – Part 4

Today we crossed the Zambia border into Botswana. At the ferry crossing, we were hounded by very persistent street vendors. The one who followed me was selling wooden animal carvings. He had a strange way of bargaining – he kept raising the price instead of lowering it (?!). I held firm on what I was willing to spend, and he sold me three carvings – a rhino, an elephant, and a hippo – and gave me a copper bracelet for free.

 

Once our shopping was over, we boarded the ferry, said goodbye to our bus driver, and crossed the Zambezi River into Botswana (the crossing was located at the four-corner region that includes Angola, Namibia, Botswana and Zambia).

 

Our tour director informed us that Zambia’s major industries are mining (primarily copper), agriculture and tourism, while Botswana’s major industries are tourism and diamonds (Botswana has the third fastest growing economy in the world after Korea and China). In spite of the visible poverty in some areas, it was evident from its gas stations, shopping centers, and restaurants that the people of Botswana seemed better off than the people of Zambia. Our bus passed a festive “electoral motorcade” for a popular candidate in Botswana’s presidential race.

We had a wonderful lunch cruise on the Chobe River and had great food and many animal sightings – crocodiles, birds, hippos, impalas, waterbucks and buffalo.

Chobe River Cruise Boat – buffet lunch in plain sight

African Fish Eagle

Crocodile

African Buffalo

Waterbucks

Hippo and Great Egret

Impalas

We then left for our flight to the Khwai River Lodge where we were greeted in song by the lodge staff prior to getting settled in our luxury tents.

My tent at the Khwai River Lodge

We had a late afternoon tea prior to our game drive where we encountered an elephant, a lion pride and a leopard.

Departing on our game drive

Elephant

Lionesses

Leopard after dark

Our day ended with a traditional boma (an outdoor barbecue buffet) catered by the lodge.

 

See more photos:

• Chobe River Lunch Cruise
• Khwai River Lodge Flight and Arrival
• Moremi Game Reserve Afternoon Game Drive and Boma
• Zambia-Botswana Crossing