Tag: Botswana

Posted in Culture, Travel

ZAMBIA and VICTORIA FALLS

Posted on by pierreo

As I mentioned in the last post, we left Botswana and Kasane to cross the Zambezi River into Zambia and Livingstone.  However, even this can be an adventure.  We had no problems on the Botswana side to register our departure.  There was a very long line of trucks waiting to go across, but fortunately we were able to by-pass all that.  We were told we had a “private” ferry across and this is it…

This little boat is going to carry the ten of us plus all our luggage across the mighty Zambezi River which is currently in full flood!  I am not sure that Bob is convinced …

Here is the meeting of the Zambezi and the Chobe – additional current and eddies are caused by the two large rivers meeting.  More dangers for our little “private” ferry.

There are “real” ferries that cross here – this is the main crossing point between Zambia and Botswana but also Zambia and Namibia as there are no direct routes.

The landing on the Zambian side is like a large beach.  However, it is also filled with trucks coming and going.  It looks like a massive traffic jam and we are not sure how we are going to get out.  We are immediately assailed by souvenir sellers – funny, we did not have any in Botswana – here they are about as aggressive as I have know, not taking the first 20 “No’s” for a definitive answer.

We are soon stuck in the middle of large truck and parked cars in our air conditionned mini-bus – comfy, but not going anywhere.

We are not alone in that situation and one enterprising man from South Africa has decided to find a way out.  He is the one facing the bus.  He got us to back off a little, so that the big white truck next to us could also move and free his car.  After that, the truck was able to advance enough so that we could also pass and we moved into Zambia proper.  We are now making progress towards Livingstone, the large city nearest to the Victoria Falls, which is about one hour away.

We crossed through Livingstone and headed towards the fall.  For a while now, we are seeing the plumes above the trees indicating where the falls must be.  Just before we turn off the road towards the hotel, we get a quick glimpse at the Zambezi about to disappear over the falls.

Continue reading “ZAMBIA and VICTORIA FALLS” →

(3115 Page Views)

Posted in Culture, Travel

Botswana 4 – Chobe Riverfront

Posted on by pierreo

Our last day in Savute – we have another long day of driving ahead of us (actually, for us it is just a long day of riding and taking pictures – Stanley and Bata have to do all the driving) before we arrive along the Chobe River at our last camping stop of the trip – this part of the Chobe National Park is called the Chobe Riverfront.  However, as on previous occasions, we spend the first few hours of the day exploring the area that we are leaving, just in case there are things to see there.

And we are not disappointed.  We quickly spot a Secretary Bird perched on a tree – we had not seen that before.

It is the first time that I noticed the ‘flash’ of feathers around its head which it seems to control for effect.

We also run into another large group of zebras

A little further we noticed two cars stopped at the same place – this is usually a good sign.  Just as we pulled up, we noticed a
leopard walking in the tall grass.

It then went into a bush and I thought it was all over.  However, if two bounces, just as I was taking its picture, it ran up
the bush, scaring some birds that were relaxing on the top branches.

(3823 Page Views)

Posted in Culture, Travel

Botswana 2 – Okavango Delta

Posted on by pierreo

As I mentioned in the last post, we moved from the desert to the top (North side) of the Okavango Delta. I had heard a lot about it in various Nature Documentaries and was fascinated by the thought of a huge river that opens up into a delta yet never reaches the sea. The water that flows from the tropical forests of Angola, rich with flood waters from the rain falling there, penetrates into the soil and evaporates before it can reach any major body of water. In Maun, where this journey started, there used to be two seasons, the dry and the wet, not because of rain, but because of the water from the delta. Water would flow for 6 months than stop and another six months later, would come back. There was wild celebration each year when the flood waters reached Maun again.

Things have changed about 6 years ago, I was told, as a result of the earthquake which created the “Boxing Day” Tsunami in December 2004 in the Indian Ocean. The Great Rift Valley, which cuts Africa in two and extends all the way into Zambia and Botswana is actually at the other end of the same tectonic plate that disappears under Indonesia at that end of the Indian Ocean – it is not, therefore, totally unrealistic that such a huge event at one end, had a small consequence at the other. Since then, rivers that had not flowed in 30+ years have started to flow again on a seasonal basis and Maun has seen more water than usual. There have been changes to the Chobe River as well, but I will get into those later, when we visit that area.

We arrived at noon and after lunch, some of us went on a boat trip to the Hippo Pool – I wonder what animals we will see there…

This is an African Darter. It took me a long time to remember the name (I am not sure why) and to also be able to recognize the difference between the Darter and the Cormorant – not until some one explained it to me clearly on a boat trip on the Chobe River. As Darters and Cormorants are often seen together, at first I was not sure which was which, but this is definitely a Darter – it spears its fish and therefore has a long, sharp-end beak.

We saw an Fish Eagle surveying the land. Soon after I took this picture, it flew away, majestically…

We were slowly travelling in small canals, with all sorts of grasses and reeds around us, especially papyrus. The water was very calm in most places (not really flowing) and the reflection of the grass in the water was almost perfect at times.

We ran into the same Fish Eagle just minutes later, in another tree. It has caught a pray and was eating it as we watched.

We eventually arrived at the Hippo Pool, and agreed that it deserved its name. There were at least 6 large groups of hippos in this one area. We observed this mother and baby just a little remote from the rest and were told that this is probably a male baby and the mother needs to protect him from the alpha male of the family …

A “Darter Tree” – no, they do not grow on them, but seem to favor this particular tree.

Continue reading “Botswana 2 – Okavango Delta” →

(31989 Page Views)

Posted in Culture, Travel

Botswana 1 – Kalahari Desert

Posted on by pierreo

In early April, I went on an absolutely fabulous trip to Botswana and Zambia.

It took a while to get there – Brussels to Frankfurt to Johannesburg and finally Maun in Botswana, just South of the Okavango Delta.  It took nearly 18 hours to get from my apartment to the small airport of this town which is the tourism hub of the country, and I was very glad to arrive.  As I wait for my luggage, I am clearly surrounded by other people going on “safari”.  There is one pair of Germans (Father and Son – I had noticed them coming out of the Frankfurt flight) who are completely dressed in brand new “safari” clothes, down to the hat with one side held up and the empty case for a ‘leatherman’ on their belt! I just hope they are not in my group …

In Maun, I meet the group leader Stanley and the rest of the group I will be travelling with.  We are just nine, Bob and Lynda from Oregon, Raymond and Trish from Connecticut, Pamela from LA and Jim from Ohio,  Sue from Chicago and Judy from Wisconsin.  We board two jeeps and head towards the lodge where will be spending the first night.

The tarred road quickly gives way to a soft sandy track where we are glad to have four wheel drive.  Soon after that we get to the gate of the “Private Game Reserve” and the fun starts right away.  Imagine meeting animals between the airport and the hotel.  First Giraffes with a small baby too …

and a small herd of Springboks …

as well as the odd ostrich

and finally Hartebeest.

Amazing to see all that even before you check into the hotel …

Our “rooms” are actually permanent tents installed throughout the property.  Mine looks like this:

with en-suite bathroom and an outdoor shower

I think I should be OK jn here for one night!

Continue reading “Botswana 1 – Kalahari Desert” →

(3321 Page Views)