Stephanie and Adrienne’s recent trip to Botswana
“To Daphs Lindsay and her team at Zamag thank you so much for an incredible trip to Botswana
I travelled with my friend Adrienne from Vic Falls with Wild Horizons across the Kasane border post. It was extremely seamless with officials both sides of the border very efficient. Our first stop at Cresta Mowana was for one night and thank you to Carol White and her staff for a great stopover as well as the sycamore fig tree full of trumpeter hornbills outside my window.
Major Blue and our pilot Brian flew us to San Camp in the Makgadikgadi salt pans San Camp specifically over looking the Nwetwe Salt Pan. Our guide Ali was fantastic. Helpful in every way. Extremely knowledgeable and entertaining. San camp is where “Lawrence of Arabia meets safari” Persian rugs, old traveling chests, copper jugs and cushions with billowing tents on to the salt pans with continuous lines of zebra and wildebeest. Judy the chef produced superb meals. The staff very attentive. We saw a brown hyaena, lots of giraffe, meerkats, cape hares, lion, yellow mongeese, a magical sleep under the stars. On a night drive we saw an aardvark as well as many spring hares, jackals, bat eared foxes.
At night lanterns light the pathways. No wifi but I did not miss it!
From San we flew again with Brian to Chitabe Lediba. I was worried that I would miss Chitabe Main but Ledibe did not disappoint. It is smaller and more intimate. Eles and bushbuck right next to our rooms. Giraffe walking past and one morning the 19 wild dog. Followed by lion. I cannot praise Goodman our Guide highly enough. His knowledge is outstanding. He looked after us incredibly and obviously has a passion for his job. He was superb with birds as well. We saw wild dog, cheetah, lion and leopard all with kills. The trees are magnificent. Beautiful lead woods, Kigalia in flower. Lots of birds, over 50 species at each camp, including saddle bills, yellow bills, spoonbills and blue cranes.
We helicoptered to Qorokwe and Kyle our pilot took us over the waters of red lechwe, buffalo, numerous water birds an area obviously much greener than elsewhere this time of the year.
Qorokwe is more modern. Wooden paneled walls, High ceilings, lots of light and looking onto a very active waterhole. A large pod of hippo and a continuous stream of eles. The first night was boma night with a variety of excellent salads and the most delicious oxtail cooked by the chef Cisco. The 19 wild dog came over from chitabe and we watched them hunt an impala. There were very large herds of giraffe and we watched a pair of bat eared foxes move it’s young to another den.
Great to see ground hornbills and a rufous bellied heron.
Tsabo our guide was very good and KB the manager superb. Highly efficient with an amazing sense of humor-not to mention his Duracell energy! Thank you guys.
The coffee table books by Peter Beard and Greg du Toit very interesting and thought provoking as well.
One afternoon my room was surrounded by at least 30 elephants I just lay on my high thread count sheets and marveled at it all.
After Qorokwe it was back to Kasane over the panhandle flying over large herds of buffalo and elephant and home.
My departing card from Chitabe Ledibe had a quote from the American naturalist John Burroughs – “I go to nature to be soothed and healed and have my senses put in order”
“Ke itumetse” – Thank you Botswana – at least some of my senses are in order now!”