go to home page Follow pgostby on Twitter

Botswana

Quick links
Best of Botswana
Chitabe, Okavango Delta
Deception Valley
Duba Plains
Kings Pool
Linyanti
Mkgadikgadi Pans
Moremi Game Reserve
Savuti
The Selinda, Linyanti
Xudum, Okavango Delta
Zambezi River

Related galleries


External links



Get Feed







Best of Botswana

Botswana has probably become the premiere wildlife destination in Africa. The allure of the Okavango Delta with its superb camps and abundant wildife, coupled with the arid expanses of the Kalahari and the Mkgadikgadi Pans makes for a truly wonderful experience. I have primarily used Wilderness Safaris, who host a number of the best camps.

The 'Best of Botswana' shows 60 of my favourite images, from both my 2003 and 2006 trip. Fuller galleries are below along with a more specific images in the Wildlife section.







Zambezi River, Zambia

23 October 2007

My last night in Africa was on the Zambian island resort of Sindabezi, a charming refuge on the Zambezi River only half an hour from Victoria Falls. After the dust of Botswana and given that it was also the hottest day during my whole stay, it was very refreshing to be on the water for a day, as we cruised the river looking for what wildlife we could find. The most fascinating aspect were the colony of White-fronted Bea-eaters in the clay sides of the river banks, constantly flitting about to catch dragonflies and other prey for their chicks who we could barely hear peeping in their holes. We also got a great portrait of a rare Sable Antelope standing on the Zimbabwean side of the river.

En route to the airport we stopped by Victoria Falls to give Brian and Julian a chance to view it and be mobbed by the multitudes of curio vendors. more







King's Pool, Linyanti Swamp, Botswana

22 October 2007

The third of the excellent Wilderness Safaris camps on our agenda, Kings Pool, is located within the same concession as Savuti but in an entirely different habitat of riverine forest on the banks of the Linyanti River. Elephants abound just as at Savuti but the main highlight was a Leopardess and her grown daughter. We came across the pair one afternoon in great light chewing on a Rock Python the mother had caught earlier in the day, and despite the heavy bush were able to follow them for more than an hour as the daughter tried to drag the massive snake away, all the while growling at her mother whenever she tried to get a piece of the kill that she had after all made. (Note that the snake appeared big to us at around 10-12 feet long but according to our guide Gift, Pythons can grow to over 30 feet long!!!) The next morning we found the daughter up on a branch chewing on the last vestiges of the snake, before calmly descending from the 12 foot high tree. She then espied a squirrel... more







Savuti, Linyanti Swamp, Botswana

20 October 2007

Onwards to the edge of the Chobe National Park, to the famous Savuti Channel and the Savuti Bush Camp, which offered possibly the best service of any of the camps I stayed in during the trip. They simply did everything they could to make our stay as memorable as possible – our guide Roger even managing for us stay one night in a hide in the bush, giving a taste as to how the original safaris were held (though Brian was a little bit concerned about the hyaenas that were circling the neighbouring water hole). The night was spent playing guitar and singing (badly) as various herds made their way in for a drink or two.

The main draw of Savuti are the huge herds of Elephants that congregate in the area during the dry season, the camp itself overlooking a water hole at which up to 40-50 of the giant beasts would stop and argue over a drink of water (a bit like some of the pubs... more







Duba Plains, Okavango Delta, Botswana

17 October 2007

Botswana was not on my original itinerary for Africa, having been there so many times before I wanted to try out some new places. But early in March I had been sitting in a London pub with a friend and he mentioned that he had always wanted to take his son on safari. So I said why not come with me and after coming up with a plan to convince the wife (which was slightly marred when during his pitch he forgot that his wifes birthday fell in the middle of the proposed trip…) we agreed that it would have to be Botswana, as for me it is simply the best place in Africa. It also goes to prove that some good things can come from a pub conversation…

So after rendezvousing with Brian and Julian at Joburg International we flew north to Maun and then onwards to the first of four camps, Duba Plains on the western edge of the Okavango Delta. I had always wanted to visit Duba as it is renowned for its spectacular Lion... more







Mkgadikgadi Pans







Chitabe







The Selinda







Xudum







Moremi Game Reserve







Deception Valley







Linyanti


Back to Top