ULTIMATE AFRICA SAFARIS
Ultimate Africa travel and wildlife news archive October 2002 Mombo Mombo
Camp is located in Along with higher temperatures we had our first thunderstorm! As Murphy’s Law would have it the storm sneaked up to camp during a magnificent boma evening with everyone dining under a canopy of stars. With very little warning all hell broke loose! Forgetting just how intense some of our thunderstorms can be everyone was caught flatfooted. Dinner was forgotten as staff and guests alike were frantically trying to get storm flaps down and secured! Apart from that one quick storm though it has been hot and dry - the air literally sponging up the remaining flood waters. Large herds of zebra, impala, wildebeest and lechwe are moving onto the floodplains as the water recedes - followed of course by the plentiful lions here! Both the Moporota and Matata prides are doing well - the young 4 year old males in both prides are starting to feel the pressure from the dominant males to pack their bags and move on. The cubs are however thriving. The cheetah cubs are also doing well - wisely preferring to stay in the drier areas well away from the lions! Leopard sightings have been incredible - on one particular occasion guests witnessed the dominant male (burned ebony male) catch a young warthog by sneaking under the vehicle and dashing out to grab it!! Wild dogs were also seen on 3 occasions - sadly still not showing any signs of settling down in the area. The
rhinos have also been seen regularly - often on the open green floodplains surrounded by
herds of zebra and other plains game - a truly amazing sight! Conservation
Corporation / Afroventures September 2002 Update, For the year 2003 Conservation Corporation / Afroventures will be making several changes to their scheduled safaris. The 13-day “Timeless Botswana” safari will replace the “Botswana Classic” safari and the “Botswana Tales & Traditions” safari in 2003. The
8-day “Splendors of Botswana” safari will replace the 8-day “Kalahari/Okavango
Venture” safari for 2003 and is a vast improvement as it now includes the The 15-day “Parks of Botswana” safari is a combination of the 8-day “Kalahari/Okavango Venture” safari and the 10-day Botswana Explorer. In 2003 the “Parks of Botswana” safari will be a combination of the “Splendors of Botswana” safari and the Botswana Explorer. On the Botswana Pioneer Safaris all meals from dinner on the first day to breakfast on the last day will be included. A reasonable amount of bottled water, local wine, beer and soft drinks will be included on all camping days. From 2003 on all Pioneer Safaris after the 2 days at the Nxabega Trails Camp, guests will fly from from Nxabega straight to Khwai instead of flying back to Maun and then driving to Moremi – this is a big improvement! On the
new Timeless Botswana guests will fly from Maun straight to Tsodilo Hills where they will
meet their guide and crew. This saves the guests driving the same road twice. This is a
wonderful itinerary that now combines a genuine cultural experience (for 3 days) with the
Delta and wildlife highlights of For 2003, the “Luxury Okavango Safari” has been improved/upgraded by replacing Mowana Safari Lodge with Chobe Chilwero. Chobe Chilwero is a far superior product to Mowana, which now makes this a much higher quality trip. In Robin
Pope's Weekly Robin
and Jo Pope runs several very successful safari camps in Some of
you may recall a couple of months ago where Jeffrey regaled the slightly distressing tale
of my (Matthew at Robin Pope Safaris) old prized Swarovski binoculars having been
partially destroyed by a despotic hyena. Whilst
failing to see much humor in the episode I am both relieved and delighted to give an
update and in doing so, give the manufacturers a bit of a plug. When
sending the remains to the Swarovski agent distributor in South Africa, I dug deep to come
up with my most original letter of appeal citing every reason why Swarovski couldn't let
such a marketing opportunity go by. I hoped that the Research and Development team at the
factory in Austria might look favorably on the hyena spittle-encrusted bins presented to
them and thus might extend their warranty to cover such malicious damage given the rather
unusual circumstances surrounding their demise. It
seems my tale of woe might have struck a cord as you can imagine my delight when I opened
my binocular case and found not my repaired bins but a brand new replacement pair of
Swarovski's staring back at me! I doubt whether the same letter would work a second time around and do not recommend such extreme replacement tactics to others. But in this instance, I do feel that you get what you pay for, that such generous customer loyalty is unusual these days and that such loyalty is to be both recognized and applauded. Mana
Pools Canoeing Update, October 6 2002 Colin Bell of Wilderness Safaris recently spent a week canoeing on the Lower Zambezi River in Zimbabwe. He noted “I had an incredible time in Zimbabwe's Mana Pools last week, with some of the best wildlife sightings I have ever had. The game viewing was superb and the northern parks are still islands of peace and tranquillity. Zimbabwe still offers one of the best safari experiences around! Linyanti
Report, October 6 2002 Professional Zimbabwean guide Garth Thompson recently visited Botswana’s Linyanti / Savute area and noted the following during a 24 hour period: I arrived at Kings Pool exactly 24 hours ago from River Club. We were welcomed into the airstrip by giraffe, hippos, eles and then 4 adult and 4 young wild dogs three minutes from the strip. After a quick tea we then went out to see the dogs again, followed by a herd of about 200 buffalo, giraffe, kudu, impala, lechwe etc. then a young male leopard well before sunset. While enjoying him on a termite mound we spotted his mother feeding of a large dog baboon. She then displayed to us well in this massive leadwood, before draping herself across a large bough. He then joined her and fed for us at every angle, with her in close attendance. Two and a half hours later we left, around 8:00 pm, we then moved on to a large male lion, followed by a wild cat, then a spectacular serval, genet, another wild cat, two different families of bat eared foxes before returning to camp for dinner at 9:30. Ryan and crew were most accommodating with us being late for dinner, another vehicle came in after us who had also had a mind blowing afternoon. Unfortunately we had to sleep and then off to inspect Linyanti Tented Camp. We have just returned from there having seen at least a thousand elephant driving there and back. Two lion sightings of a pride of nine, 9 roan, 12 sable, 10 tsessebe, brilliant birds and all the other general game. At LTC we had about 100 eles come down to drink, so we took a canoe and went off to pay them a visit. Not only did they reward us handsomely but it was so good to get into a canoe again, something I wasn’t expecting. So here I am 24 hours later, mind blown, not to mention blowing the 8 rolls of film that you gave me, only 10 days to go! Sorry must go out again, am off to Savuti tomorrow. Cheers Garth Conde
Nast UK Awards Mount Nelson, October 6 2002 In a glittering award ceremony held at the London Science Museum on Wednesday, 18th September, the luxurious Mount Nelson Hotel was voted Conde Nast Traveller UK's best Hotel in Africa in the Overseas Leisure Hotel - Africa & Middle East category. Whilst on a truly international stage, the Mount Nelson held its own amongst the most celebrated hotels, being placed 59th in the World's Top 100 list. South Africa finished 10th in the Best Country category, with Cape Town rating 14th in the Overseas Cities division with a score of 98.95% for value for money. “We are honoured to once again be recognized as one of the best hotels in the world. Cape Town has become a must-visit destination for international travelers and we are delighted to be regarded as the hotel of choice when visiting Cape Town," says Managing Director of the African Collection of Orient-Express Hotels, Nick Seewer. Seewer explains why guests return to the hotel year after year: "At the Mount Nelson Hotel we offer guests the best of both worlds: unrivalled serenity and seclusion at the foot of Table Mountain with lush gardens to relax in, but also just five minutes away from the buzz and life of the Mother City and all its surrounding attractions." He continues that ultimate personalized service is another key attribute that contributes to the consistent success of the Hotel. Conde Nast Traveller prides itself on a 'truth in travel' philosophy and to this end have, for the last five years, conducted an annual award ceremony that is eagerly anticipated by leaders of the international travel industry. Readers of this prestigious magazine are asked to write in and vote on the best that the travel world has to offer in categories that range from hotels and spas to airlines and airports. They are then asked to rate their choices accordingly in various categories such as location, ambience and décor, value for money, superlative service, cuisine and environmental friendliness to name a few. These votes are calculated as an average on each criterion, which provides the overall satisfaction percentage that decides the winners. Other Orient-Express properties that shared the award podium with the Mount Nelson Hotel were Hotel Cipriani, Venice and the Hotel Splendido, Italy that were placed 5th and 6th in the Best Overseas Leisure Hotel category. With a positive growth in overseas visitors to South Africa, the Mount Nelson is proud to maintain its position as one the premier hotels in Cape Town. In 2001
the Mount Nelson was voted the 8th Best Overseas Leisure Hotel in the world (89.61%) and was the only Hotel included that represented Africa. Ultimate
Africa would like to note that in the year 2000 Cape Town’s Cape Grace Hotel was
voted the world’s BEST hotel and still outranks the Mount Nelson. In 2001 Singita
near Kruger National Park in South Africa was voted the world’s BEST hotel. Zimbabwe Please
note that The US
$5 tax will be due on flights out of The internal departure tax does not apply to inter camp light aircraft transfers as these do not use main airports. Robin
Pope's Weekly Robin
and Jo Pope runs several very successful safari camps in As you
know we are able to host weddings in the Colin
and Sue arrived from the Colin
and Sue had never been to I asked
our village host, Obi, "will it rain?" "No" he says with confidence. Within a few minutes we are now in the most amazing sand storm as the wind rushes through the villages. And did it rain! Sue and I sat in a mud hut watching a tropical storm through the door and an hour later the village was awash. There was now no alternative bed at Nkwali. We would not get out of the Village in the mud. We were happy; chatting away - watching the most incredible lightening show. And after a delicious local dinner we went to bed early. The next morning the sky was clear and we visited the school. On the radio I told Kim at Tena Tena that we were fine and leaving soon to come up to camp to get ready for the wedding. "Jo, there is a problem with tent 4". "I'm with Sue" I quickly said. [Tent 4 is the honeymoon tent. "That must be my tent" Sue guessed. "Yup - go and meet the kids, I will catch up". In the
storm a "flying" sausage (from the Sausage Tree), had smashed into
the toilet in the open air bathroom - there was no spare tent until the evening. "Do you think that Colin and Sue would mind staying at Nsefu." Kim asked. "Make
a plan" I say, "they will not want to change plans at this late stage".
So off
we go. The roads were wet and VERY muddy. The drive to Tena Tena was a slipping and
sliding adventure and we arrive having had a mobile mud pack. Robin promptly gave us a gin
and tonic (yes, at Robin
quietly said that we needed to check out the wedding location. I am surprised but off we
go...there is a problem. There is a 2 week old lion carcass 20 meters from the
"alter". And it stinks. We throw the remains into the river and spend an hour
clearing up the very smelly soil and throwing disinfectant down. The smell abates. The day
is becoming a little surreal... Back at camp we make the bouquet, the alter decorations and generally prepare for the afternoon wedding. All is going well. Sue is getting emotional - it is really happening! Father George and his lovely wife, Gloria, arrive. But Miss Lungu - the registrar - did not come! Ouch - her form makes the wedding legal. I do not see the funny side of this - we have reconfirmed her six times - but all of her bosses decided to go out and so she had to stay. Never mind - we will make a plan tomorrow and get her up (which we do). On on... I leave
to set up the "church" but had forgotten to leave a scout at the
site. The site has feeding elephants. I start to feel the strain! I encourage them to move
on and now we are late. We set up fast, keeping an eye open for the eles, and the
most beautiful "church" is created. The alter is right against the edge of the
bank and we all look across the river and the sweeping view. It was the most wonderful wedding. The bride looked beautiful, the setting was superb, the choir sang well and the cake was delicious. And the champagne was French! The
only moment..."Will you, Colin, take Carol to be your” ...Pause "The name
is Sue, Father"…We all laugh! On this
romantic note...have a lovely week! Jo Pope Hotel
Security for the World Traveler, October 13 2002 The sad
truth is that criminals target travelers, especially around hotels. There are, however,
some practices which can reduce your risk of being the target of crime or other hazards in
a hotel. - Don't
leave valuables in your room when you are absent. Use the hotel safe, and get a receipt
for what you leave there. Professional thieves and hotel staffs are usually aware of every
possible hiding place for valuables. Some hotels provide a safe in each guest room for
storing valuables. Be aware that there could be an insurance liability coverage issue if
you use a guest room safe rather than using the main hotel safe (e.g. your credit card
loss/theft policy may not apply if you use the room safe). - When
you are in your room, lock the door, use the chain lock, and use your door peephole to
identify people who knock at your door. Overseas, there may be no chain lock and no
peephole, so you should carry a good quality traveler's door lock, a doorstop alarm that
wedges against the base of the door, or a motion detector. - Do
not open the door for unexpected visitors. Call the front desk to verify that someone
claiming to be making a service call is from the hotel. Overseas, where a language barrier
may complicate such a call, you should definitely carry your own interior door lock so
that even someone with a key may be barred from entering when you are in the room. - Some hotels and motels that do not have their own dining
facilities allow food to be delivered to your room from outside the hotel. It is best to
have such deliveries made to the lobby. Delivery to your room allows an outsider to meet
you, know your room number and determine whether you are alone. It is especially perilous
for women traveling alone to have such details known by an outsider. Also, be careful
about the leftovers you leave on a tray outside your door. A single drinking cup with
lipstick marks and/or remnants of a single meal can alert passersby to the fact that you
are alone in the room and can help them to determine your level of vulnerability. - When you are sleeping, make sure that your deadbolt lock and chain locks are in place and that no window or sliding door will provide access by an intruder. When you are not in your room, you may want passersby to believe that it is occupied. If possible, find out the hours for maid service, so that you may place the DO NOT DISTURB sign on your door and leave the TV or radio on at an audible level. At out-of-the-way foreign destinations, this may be difficult because room cleanings may not be at appointed hours, and maids may have instructions to take down DO NOT DISTURB signs in your absence.
- Most security specialists advise you to keep your room key with you at all times in and out of the hotel so that no one (including hotel staff) can see by checking the front desk that you are not in your room. If you decide to use a hotel fitness room or pool, it's a good idea to leave your key at the front desk rather than with your belongings. At some foreign destinations, hotels require you to turn your room key in as you go out. South Africa Leads World Tourism Growth, October 20 2002 South Africa's tourism industry looks set for another bumper year, says South African Environmental Affairs and Tourism Minister Valli Moosa. "The results of the latest tourism statistics once again confirm the fact that South Africa is the best-performing tourism destination in the world." Moosa said there had been a 7.2% increase in foreign tourist arrivals to the country up to the end of July this year, compared to the same period in 2001. This increase represented over 236,000 additional tourists, bringing the total number of visitors in that period to over 3.5 million. "We continue to be one of the only tourism growth markets in the world at this present time." Orient Express Botswana Update, October 20 2002 It is now summer in Botswana! Temperatures are up in anticipation of the rains. The maximum temperature at their camps was 41 degrees Celsius (at Eagle Island Camp) and the lowest was 8 degrees Celsius (at Khwai River Lodge and at Savute). The sharp increase in temperature, accompanied by wind has seen the water levels throughout the delta decrease rapidly. This is largely attributed to an increase in the evaporation rate associated with these conditions. At Eagle Island Camp the water dropped 15cm in three weeks and now stands at 110cm. The channel is still flowing strongly and motor boat activities are still being conducted. It is anticipated that these boat activities will continue to be conducted well into October and possibly even November. The Khwai River has also seen a marked drop in water levels over the past few weeks. The increase in temperature has seen the vegetation in the region undergo some dramatic changes. At Eagle Island the Jackal Berry trees literally rained down their leaves only to have new ones replacing them in no time. Throughout the region numerous plants are flowering resulting are picturesque surroundings. With the few millimeters of rainfall some new grass shoots have started to grow. There has been a massive number of wildlife sightings throughout the camps with the dry climatic conditions largely contributing to this. At Eagle Island Camp large buffalo herds of as many as 1,000 continue to graze the sodden floodplains lining the Boro channel. In so doing the predators are never very far away. Good sightings of lion, cheetah and leopard have been recorded as well side striped jackal. Elephant and other plains game species have also been very prominent. The resident camp bushbuck population is now up to 14 individuals, making for great sightings within the camp area. Khwai River Lodge has been the pick of the camps with the action along the river being almost as hot as the heat itself. Predators have been nothing but exceptional as the huge variety of plains game species are forced to take a drink at the river, the only permanent source of water for miles. One particular morning drive produced "Predators a Plenty" - guests arrived back at camp ecstatic after seeing 5 different leopard, 3 cheetah and 13 lion. Savute, despite being very dry, has produced some very dramatic sightings. The competition around the pumped water pans has been fierce. Whilst elephant almost always dominate these sources of sustenance by day other animals like lion, leopard, impala and wildebeest sneak in for a drink at night and early in the mornings. Particularly exciting has been the "Lion vs. Elephant" scenario that has been played out on no fewer than five occasions now. The lion pride at Savute numbers around 26 members and on these occasions has killed at least five elephant that we know off. Most of the victims have been young males of up to 3 or 4 years of age. It must however be said that this conflict between two great beasts results in a battle to the bitter end and can last several hours. At Eagle Island Camp the catfish run is attracting a huge variety of water birds to the banks of the Boro channel in search of a bite to eat. Every year at around this time as water levels in the Okavango drop millions of minnows are forced into the deeper channels resulting in a feeding frenzy both above and below the waters surface. As many as thirty species of birds can be seen with ease in a 100 meter stretch of waterway. Species include pelicans, skimmers, herons, egrets, eagles, harriers, storks, stilts, snipes, cormorants and kingfishers. The crocodile are enjoying the catfish run. As catfish form the primary food source for the crocodile, they are everywhere enjoying the feast. A few snakes have also been seen, this most likely because of the increase in temperature. Migrant species continue to flock into the region. First to be sited were the carmine bee-eaters and yellowbilled kites and now guests are seeing paradise flycatchers. Everyone is on the look out for woodland kingfishers. After the great disappointment last month when the wattled cranes at Khwai River Lodge had their clutch of eggs eaten by a hungry python, they are once again are all systems go as the birds have mated and laid for a second time. Members of the Botswana crane working group have set the ball in motion to try and successfully monitor the hatching of the single egg. Obviously due to the threatened status of the species great caution will be taken not to disturb the birds and egg. Ndutu Safari Lodge Update, October 20 2002 Ndutu Safari Lodge is located on the southern boundary of Tanzania's Serengeti National Park. Here is the lodge's October update: At this time of the year, fierce winds fill the sky with dust - the dried soda of Lake Ndutu and Masek is swept to the west, billows up and forms impressive white clouds. The winds have been unrelenting these past weeks and maybe that's why the dead Acacia tortilis in front of the Lodge finally fell over. Since it died, some ten years ago, it has been under constant attack from different armies. Birds and insects have steadily hammered away at it, gnawing, eating and boring holes through the bark and into the wood. However, still standing upright, it commanded great presence, and served as an ideal perch or look-out for birds of prey. Often at dusk, a flock of guinea fowl would spread over the bare branches and use it as their overnight lodging. Now that it's lying on its side, it will continue to provide shelter and food for a host of crawlies, snakes, scorpions and centipedes making all of them very happy! Most of the action now revolves around the few remaining water-holes in the area such as the Big and Small Marsh, as well as some springs along and at the end of Masek. In fact, Heathrow Air Traffic volume is nothing compared to the flight movements of a great variety of birds coming and going, especially doves and sandgrouse. After landing and a good check around, they fly to the water, followed by a quick drink and then take off again, filling the air with constant clappings and whooshings of wings. In all these flurry of flights it only takes one bird of prey to fly over and the birds scatter in every direction! Three cheetah seem to have taken over the Big Marsh area and guests have been lucky to witness quite a few hunts and kills. The area's Grant's gazelle population have to be on their toes at all times! Elephants, drinking and bathing in the mud, giraffe coming in late afternoons, an occasional leopard and serval sighting... it may all be called "Low Season or Dry Season" but what wonderful spectacles there are! With less vegetation at this time of the year, animals can be spotted more easily. The yellow and sepia colors of the grasses, so typical of the end of dry season in Serengeti, as well as some stunning sunsets, provide a beautiful backdrop for photographs. Several guests have commented how nice it was to be able to watch animals undisturbed by vehicles and noise... one couple stayed here for four nights watching a female cheetah with three cubs every day. This particular female has been resident in the area, moving around the marsh and lake Ndutu and as she made several kills, she was very easy to spot. I went out for a quick drive to the Big Marsh the other morning and saw bat-eared foxes, Grant's gazelle, hartebeests, giraffe, zebra, hyena, elephant, cheetah and lion as well as ground hornbills, ostrich, secretary birds, Verreaux eagle owl, flocks of European bee eaters and a great variety of other birds... all in a short one-and-half hour! Later that same day, it was a special treat to wait for the full moon to rise over the white soda of Lake Ndutu, with a brilliant and very bright Venus hanging in the Western sky. To end on a humorous note - recently great zoologist friends came to stay for a few weeks. They have lived in Tanzania for many years and so should know better. One evening they forgot some things on the verandah in front of their room. The next morning they woke up to find that of three pairs of shoes, all three left ones were missing!!! Who says hyenas don't have a good sense of humor? Botswana Report from Beks Ndlovu, October 20 2002 Professional Zimbabwean guide Beks Ndlovu recently toured Botswana and noted the following: When we arrived at Kasane airport, our pilot was waiting for us to board his Islander Twin engine aircraft.It didn't take very long before we were flying over the wide, open spaces of Botswana. Vast tracks of land, purely wild and uninhabited by man. We were on our way to the Linyanti area. We landed at the Duma Tau airstrip where our driver with ice-cold refreshments met us. The temperature was at least a hundred and the air was very hazy. This time of the year there are bush fires everywhere and the combination of the smoke and the dust paints a smokey horizon that filters the harsh sun but not enough to stop the drying out of most of the surface water. The Linyanti has at this time become almost like a desert and with very little grass cover in most areas, the woodlands looked bare, as all it's trees were naked having lost all their leaves. As we approached Duma Tau camp, we could see the only greenery spread along the riverbed of the lagoon. The camp however is surrounded by African Mangosteins, which were green and flourishing full of flower. Elephants evidently love this creamy, white flower of this peculiar-shaped tree. As we arrived into the camp, we had to negotiate our way through two herds of elephant. On the front of every tent, the elephants frequently vacuumed the decking, sweeping with their trucks and gathering all the fallen flowers. If you sat still on your decking you would have the elephant feeding right by your feet. I was very fortunate and had the pleasure of three bulls visiting my tent and proceed to eat their fill. This was after giving the grove of leaves above me a good shake until my patio was carpeted with the white flowers that looked like confetti. For our first morning we did a three hour walk, where we spent time looking at some of the smaller but fascinating things that one never takes note of from the within a vehicle. We must have spent about half an hour next to a termite mound discussing it's intricate and complex system that has been referred to as one of the most efficient forms of life that exists. We talked about tracks, droppings from different animals and even stopped to learn about how one could make rope from the bark of certain trees. We also managed to sneak close to a young elephant bull that was fast asleep on the slope of the termite mound. We could hear his heavy breathing and stomach rumbles as he snoozed, he was totally unaware of our presence, and so we kept it that way. We came across some old carcasses of hippo and buffalo that had been picked clean, by various wildlife. We only saw a hooded vulture that sat in a near by camel thorn acacia. At noon, we opted to sit up on a platform overlooking the Linyanti lagoon. We were entertained by a troop of baboons that visited the water for an afternoon drink. As soon as they drank they would run across the sand escaping the blistering midday heat under their thick-callused feet. We watched baby crocodiles swim and sun bath on the banks, a herd of kudu, impala and a sleeping pod of hippos. That afternoon we took a drive down the famous Savuti channel which is a recent river system that has ceased to flow. This was a result of a shift in the earth from underlying tectonic movements causing the river to be diverted and change its course. This dry channel has become savannah grassland, giving rise to a wide variety of antelope, and big herds of zebra. Where there is an abundance of wildlife, the predator awaits and seizes the opportunity. It is on this stolen river, that numerous wild life documentaries have been captured, particularly that of predators. Once a pride of thirty-six lions were recorded in this area! After being told of a leopard that had killed an Impala ram, we went out in search of the shy and elusive cat. We found it resting under a rain tree, having dragged its kill about a hundred yards from where it had killed it. The cat was a youngster and would have been vulnerable to other predators out in the open plains. He took no notice of us even though we were a few meters away from him, as he was pre-occupied with grooming.. As we drove down the channel past a dried water hole we noticed some movement in a clump of tall dry grass. We went round to have a better look in the direction of the movement and waited - a male cheetah walked out. When he came out into the open, the first thing he did was have a stretch and then arch his back like a typical cat waking from his sleep. That was a good find. He was a very shy cheetah because he did not let us get any closer. Soon he moved off and disappeared into the woodland. In the mean time, there were wildebeest and warthog not too far from there. So we waited to see if anything would come of it, but to no avail. We sipped on gin and tonics, nibbling on delicious well-prepared snacks, as the daylight hours drew to an end with a magnificent sunset filtering through the dust, thrown up by a herd of dust bathing elephants. As we drove home in the semi-dark we could see the waking of another life. Under our spotlight we could see bat-eared foxes, spring hares and bush babies moving restlessly as they started their day. The nocturnal birds such as night jars and coursers suddenly appeared in the front of the headlights of our Land Rover. As we were about to drive off into the woodland we could see pairs of eyes of the same height, walking, seemingly with a purpose. We went closer, and we could not believe our luck, we had three male cheetahs right in front of us. These were apparently the dominant cheetah of the area. They were in good condition and walked so elegantly as though they were on show, long legged and tall. We followed them for a while until they got to the tree line where they stopped and with sprays of urine spread their scent all over the bushes and tree trunks. We finished our evening drive with a pair of giant eagle owls and an African wild cat. In one afternoon we had clocked three of the cats. Our last afternoon at Duma Tau, was spent on the water on a small powerboat. We saw two herds of elephants swimming across the lagoon. We could see a cloud of dust hanging above the trees in the distance where a big herd of buffalo was walking. The late afternoon in these true wilderness areas are truly magic just before sunset. That last golden hour of sunlight falling on the earth, all the sounds are amplified, whether it is elephants trumpeting, baboons chirping as they prepare to roost, Egyptian geese hissing and squawking as they take off from the water - it is a special time of the day. The nights are always great fun especially after dinner retiring to the campfire where so many stories of past experiences in the wild are told by guides and visitors who also tell of their travel experiences. The stories are occasionally interrupted by lions calling in the back round, the screech of a barn owl, or by the hooping call of a hyena in the campgrounds. It was our last morning that we finally found a pride of three lionesses and five very young cubs of about six months old. They had only recently started to venture out in the open, but they were still timid. The big lionesses lay spread out under the Combretum bush getting away from the warming sun. Two of the lionesses were the mothers. When the cubs eventually relaxed, they would play with each other and walk up to the mothers and try to force the mothers to join in by biting on their tails or jumping on the head of one of them. They were full and it looked that they had eaten not so long ago. When a herd of Zebra walked by not too far, the most they would do was lift their heads up and drop them down again and drift back to sleep. The next aircraft was a small Cessna 206, which took us to the Okavango Delta. We landed at Jao airstrip and made our way to Kwetsani Tree Camp where we stayed for the next three days. On our first afternoon, on a game drive we sat under a Marula Tree watching a leopard silhouetted against an orange-lit sky at sunset. That female leopard had been seen that morning in the area with two cubs, which it had obviously hidden in a palm grove just below the tree. The next morning we saw the tracks of the leopard with her cubs having walked down the sandy road. Our favorite day was waking up to two big male lions walking right past the front of the camp as we had our continental breakfast. They walked past with great confidence and occasionally they would stop to look at us because they could see movement from the camp. The two boys showed a great respect for the camp especially during the day, because their natural fear for man as their predator still existed. We left that morning for Hunda Island, taking with us a picnic basket and a box of cold refreshments. We saw buffalo, lechwe, warthogs, wildebeest, herds of zebra and a number of elephants. It was interesting to see the contrast between the wetlands of the Delta in the Jao concession and the dryness of the Island within such close distance. As we drove past the back of Tubu Tree Camp, a large male leopard dashed into the grove of a palm forest. He was one of the biggest males I have ever seen, and I distinctly remember that he was a very dark chocolate color. He was very shy and obviously not accustomed to seeing any vehicles.That night we saw the two big male lions again feeding on a lechwe antelope that they had robbed from the leopard we had seen the night before. On our last morning we experienced the peace and tranquil of the Delta from a mekoro. These fiberglass vessels styled on the concept of the traditional dug out, that the locals used as their mode of transport and fishing, move graciously through the growths of bull rush and beautiful water lilies in the marshes. We were intrigued by the skills of the polers keeping the vessel stable as they negotiated their way through water only inches deep. Because of the natural filtering system through sand and various thickly woven grass and weeds, the waters were crystal clear - so clear that it was tempting to reach out for a drink. After brunch, we bid farewell to our hosts at Kwetsani and left for the airstrip where we took our last light aircraft to Maun, where we connected for our flight back home. As we took off we flew very low for a while taking photographs of the palm islands completely surrounded by water. The intricate details of animal paths weaving in and out of the delta, elephants on the move from island to island, herds of lechwe antelope running, sending splashes of water up in the air. It was the perfect Garden of Eden. Robin Pope's Weekly Zambia Update, October 20 2002 Robin and Jo Pope runs several very successful safari camps in Zambia. Here is their weekly update: It has been HOT but not quite like one would expect during the middle of October. It feels like September with lovely breezes, lots of sun and warm nights! A tell-tale sign of the time of year is the sudden bright flash of green that can be seen across the mopane woodlands! Much of it still resembles the Valley of the Dead but in a very short time (and before the rains commence) it will be a bright green wilderness once more. And then the rains will bring more and more green again. As you know we have had some unexpected showers recently with the result being that the wildlife has scattered a bit...thinking that the rains had come and there was water-a-plenty in far-flung areas of the Park. Within a short time they realized it was a trick played by mother nature and then back to the river they all came. And how!! I'm told that this morning guests at Nsefu enjoyed breakfast whilst in front of them a pride of lion crossed the river. What a way to start the day and what a beautiful sighting. All of our camps have had excellent all-round game viewing lately. Nsefu continues with its great season of leopard all over the place. Guests and staff at Nsefu have been spotting baby porcupine (quite a treat) and aardvark! Jason is quite excited about the baby porcupines and is extremely chuffed about the aardvark! Not to be outdone, our last mobile walking safari for the season had two leopard sightings and an aardvark during one of the last activities on the trip! Tena Tena have had a good run on honeybadger sightings and also eland up at the salt pan. Nkwali has had cats all over too, along with the more unusual spottings...only this morning Simon saw a long tailed barred cuckoo by the bar! This cuckoo is very uncommon around here and Simon thinks he has never seen one before - very exciting! On the cuckoo front...they are all returning at the moment to feed and breed in preparation for the rains. I always think I should start thinking about booking in for therapy treatment as the first annoying calls of the Emerald Cuckoo are heard...and yes, the all-too-familiar broken record sound of "hello Georgie" was first heard by Jo the other day. Here we go again!! The bird sighting of the week (and quite possibly of the year) involved the African fish eagle. On the river bank not far from Nkwali a crocodile was trying to swallow a brown squeaker (a fish to the rest of us). It was too large for the croc to throw the head back and gulp down in one stroke so required a bit of mastical maneuvering first! In the meantime Zambia's national bird swooped down and sat next to the croc. The game viewers stopped to watch. The eagle decided it wanted that fish, as you can imagine, and suddenly swooped in to grab it from the croc's jaws but missed and came to rest again next to the large reptile. The croc all the while trying to get this fish into its gullet quickly!! Another try - the eagle swooped in again and succeeded! It actually prized the fish out of the croc's mouth and flew victoriously away. The croc, quite understandably peeved at losing its lunch, turned to a piece of wood and started biting into it! The area around Nkwali has also shown evidence that the wild dogs are back WITH pups! They have been spotted lately which is great news and Simon is just itching to see them again - hopefully we shall be able to report on this soon! And finally the baby warthogs are out there and have been seen by everyone (except Jo!!!) which brings many "oooh's" and "aaaah's" from the vehicles these days! Wendy led one of the last walking safaris of the season whose guests included Robert and Glenese from Australia. It became quickly apparent that Robert (Rob), in particular, is a very good drummer. On the first of five nights at our mobile tented camps along the Mupamadzi River, Rob asked if he could be taken 'out the back' to the kitchen/camp staff area. Issy took him out there and Wendy thought nothing more of it until the sounds of some seriously good drumming could be heard. What a great background sound under the bright stars! On night two Rob told everyone to come to the kitchen and grab anything they could use to create some sound. Wendy used a roasting pan and a wooden spoon! I'm told this was extremely good fun indeed - very interactive and a great way to digest one's dinner before bed! Night three and just when everyone thought they been given the night off from bush music lessons out came Rob with all the camp staff and the "musical instruments" to do it all again but this time by the fire! Anything and everything was used - wine glasses (one met its end after a forceful bang from a spoon!), winterthorn seed pods, pans, bottles and sticks. The seed pods were collected during the daytime walks specifically in preparation for the nighttime outdoor concerts! Rob made a didgereedoo (if spelling is incorrect many apologies!) out of a tent pole and a copper water jug (but it didn't work that well). It was a lot of fun! Night four was a reprieve and night five was the big finale. It was, in fact, a surprise provided by the staff. They prepared it in secret and alone without any help from Rob. Wendy, Issy and guests were reclining around the fire when out came the campstaff with their own kit - buckets, containers, pots, pans and Mosi bottles with stones inside held up by sticks! They prepared face masks and became 'ladies' by wrapping table cloths around their waists!! One of our guys re-invented himself as a heavily pregnant woman with a large bottom and big stomach - they thought this was hilarious! And did they dance!!! The music instruments and natural talent resulted in some excellent dancing performed for the guests, as individuals or in small groups, then everybody was up and dancing around the fire. It was a very special night and overall certainly a safari they will never forget. A big thank you to Rob for getting everyone going! I'll never look at a Mosi bottle the same way again!!! Tim Trench Safaris Update, October 20 2002 This winter - your summer if you are in the northern hemisphere (June - September), has been a great four months for us. We have been busy, with 9 successful safaris run, and one still to go. Between these we managed to squeeze in a couple of trips to Zanzibar (all work of course), and a fair number of mountain biking adventures closer to home. All in all a very satisfying few months! Winter is always an extraordinary time for wildlife in Kenya, and nowhere more so than in the Masai Mara, which has had a vintage year. Fortunately all the safaris I have guided this season have included the Mara in their itinerary, and I have been lucky enough to drop in to the area every two weeks or so. I could happily stay in the Mara for the entire season, so rich is its appeal and so numerous its fascinations, but equally intriguing are the time-lapse snap shots that those of us who are lucky enough to "pop in and out" witness. Watching the season change, as the tall green savannah grasslands turn to cropped gold in the wake of the relentless tide of the wildebeest migration is awe inspiring. And to follow the fortunes of the other residents of the Masai Mara ecosystem fluctuate with the changing season offers endless fascination. Perhaps the stars of this year's Mara visits have been the "Musiara" Lions. This Pride holds a territory at the northern end of the Masai Mara National Reserve, on the lands surrounding the Musiara Swamp. It is not a huge territory, but make no mistake, during the winter months the Musiara area is truly prime lion real estate. For as the savannah dries out and the great migratory herds seek sources of permanent water and good grazing, both Musiara and its lions are literally bursting with wildebeest. Through the heart of this territory runs a seasonal stream or "Lugga" which has become known as the "Bila Shaka Lugga", for in Swahili Bila Shaka means "without fail". Without fail the Musiara Pride, or a good representation of them, are to be found most days either resting in its erosion channels and ravines, in the ribbon of woodland that follows its winding path towards Paradise Plain, or on the open grasslands that border it on both sides. Over the last few years the pride dynamics of the Musiara area have been somewhat complicated, with new males crossing the river to challenge for territory, the females of the pride fragmenting to start new prides, and tough times as a result of several years of poor rains leading to a scarcity of dinner options. However, with good rains earlier this year and the arrival of the great migration in impressive numbers, we were set for exciting times. At the start of year the Musiara pride, by my reckoning anyway, consisted of two males, eight females, one sub-adult male of around two years and a couple of cubs. However, as the vanguard of the two million strong migration (around one million wildebeest, half a million zebra and another half million Grant's and Thompson's gazelles) arrived, so too did a very welcome addition to the savannas, 10 lion cubs. The cubs were born to three mothers, all within a few weeks of each other, and all in the Bila Shaka Lugga, which became their crèche and playground. They were born at the perfect time, just as the wildebeest and zebra herds approached their peak. This meant that rather than having to forage far for their prey, their mothers were able to feed close to home, with ease, and in the prodigious amounts required to produce a plentiful supply of milk. Mortality of lion cubs can be very high, especially in lean times when competition for milk is fierce and when the mothers must leave the cubs for extended periods to forage further a field, exposing the cubs to threat from other opportunistic predators. So it was fortuitous that after a 100-day gestation these cubs were all delivered simultaneously (which is not unusual) and during a time of feast. Lions are co-operative creatures, and as females are usually closely related they are tolerant of each other's offspring, as they share a common genetic heritage (known as "Kin Selection"). So though the mothers separated from the pride to give birth to their blind and helpless cubs, and kept them hidden for the first few weeks of their lives, the babies were soon introduced to their fascinated and doting extended family. Baby-sitting duties were volunteered by most of the females (and even the sub-adult male), and the lionesses in milk allowed cross suckling - it was merely survival of the fittest that determined which cub got the lion's share of the milk! Cubs can develop at a variable rate, depending on conditions, and these just thrived! Whenever I found myself in the Mara, at least once during our stay we would arise in the dark to the first song of the white-browed robin chat, and as dawn crept across the sky we would wind our way down to Bila Shaka, with high hopes and a box full of coffee and breakfast. As we crossed the Musiara plains and approached the Lugga we would often spot the adults of the pride, either still feasting on last nights catch, or walking heavy bellied through the red oat grass glistening with dew, back to where the cubs had been secreted. As the parents arrived home and rubbed faces with the babysitters, the cubs would come barreling out, leaping and yipping, excited to see both the return of their mothers and their breakfast. So we would settle down to watch, as the mothers, trailed by persistent and noisy cubs, would find a spot in the sun to lay, distended stomach in the air, and allow them to feed. Perched on the roof of the car, with coffee and a bacon sandwich, we could easily pass an hour or two watching, as the cubs fed and wrestled, explored and caused havoc amongst, and usually over the top of the tolerant resting adults until, as the sun climbed higher, both we and the pride sought into thicker shade. So the "wildebeest season" went for the Musiara pride, and for a while they didn't seem to have a care in the world. However, as August moved into September and the migrating herds began to drift south again towards their birthing grounds in the Serengeti, a potential disaster loomed; one of the three mothers abandoned her cubs and began mating with one of the pride males. This was worrying but not inexplicable behavior, as it was representative of females whose cubs had died or been killed - such as in pride takeovers when new males kill infants that are not their offspring. In such cases the bereaved females are back in oestrus within a few days and mating with the killers of their progeny, such is the overriding desire to breed. In this case we could only assume this females behavior was caused by her confusion, as she was young and it was her first pregnancy. The real concern was that though the two remaining mothers would happily allow the abandoned cubs to suckle, there were now only eight nipples between ten cubs. With the wildebeest receding into the distance and lean times ahead for the lions, would there be enough meat, and therefore milk for all? Happily I am pleased to report that it is now three weeks since the cubs were abandoned, and though feeding times are more noisy and competitive than ever, all the cubs seen to be in excellent condition, and none the worse for their loss. Soon they will be eating meat and out of danger, so fingers crossed they will all make it. All through this season we have had the "BIG CAT DIARY" team filming the fortunes of the Musiara pride, as well as the other big cats in the area and their hapless prey. The series began on UK BBC television on the 5th of October, and should be on every week for the next couple of months. It should also be showing in the Americas by mid October on Discovery Channel, so why not take a look and see for your selves. In a couple of days time I'm off on my last safari of the season, to Botswana, Zambia and South Africa, which will be a very exciting change. After that Caroline and I hope to buy another Land Rover in South Africa, fill it with goodies and drive back to Kenya in time for the beginning of the Christmas season. We will keep you posted. Cheers…Tim Trench Okavango Delta Trip Report, October 27 2002 Here is a report from a guest who just spent 6 months traveling around the world and spent 4 days in Botswana's Okavango Delta! I think he sums up well what life in the camps is all about. "Since I left you last I have had the best part of my six-month sabbatical. A crazy week in Mauritius and a simply amazing 4 day safari in Botswana. Now I am back in Johannesburg. Mauritius was the typical beach holiday - sand, sun, watersports, deep-sea fishing and general partying. Again South African hospitality shone through as I joined 9 others at a friend of a friends house. After this I flew out to Botswana for a trip that another friend had organized. After an hour flight I touched down in Maun (Botswana). I jumped into a six-seater plane and flew into the Duba Plains in the Okavango Delta I knew I was in for a treat as the plane swung over thousands of running buffaloes, zebras, giraffes etc. We touched down on a dirt runway in the middle of nowhere having first carried out a topgun sort of flyby to clear the elephants from the runway. As we got off the plane we met with a National Geographic crew who were just leaving having just completed a shoot for a possible documentary on the lions (if its good enough for National Geographic its good enough for me). A short Land Rover ride later I was in the camp. Absolutely unbelievable the most amazing luxury in the middle of nowhere. The so-called tented accommodation was like a 5 star penthouse with Chippendale desks, sofa, huge double bed, inside shower, huge veranda and best of all a huge outside shower and plunge pool. As you looked out of a huge veranda overlooking a flood plain you could see every sort of animal imaginable (well within reason) crossing or drinking from the water hole, that includes lions, elephants etc. Each morning I would shower outside and watch these animals pass by 40 meters away. On the first night I had just fallen asleep in luxury when I heard a lot of rustling going on outside. With my no fear army training (having also dealt with a shark) I crept up (commando role to be precise) to the mosquito netted window and had a look out. Nothing could prepare me for what I saw........ In front of me about a foot outside my window a bull elephant (these things are big) was bending over and looking straight at me. I stood there motionless, as did the elephant after what seemed an eternity he turned and carried on eating the vegetation above the tent. The next morning I left by the back door since my front veranda had the same elephant snoring on it. We sort of became friends as he returned every night sometimes with his family. Although the camp could take 12 there were only 6 of us. 2 retired Germans and 2 South Africans (always good for a laugh) and an American lady. All these guys were safari addicts who had done everything possible and invested their life savings in the pursuit of safari and Kodak or Fuji (I have never seen such camera equipment more like a bazooka than a camera). We would do two game drives a day 6AM to 10AM and 4PM to 8M since at midday the heat would be too much. I won't labor on (much anyway) but we saw everything - quantity and quality - and a lot of ACTION. We saw 48 lions and more impressively two lion kills, lion warfare, hyena kills, cheetah kills, charging hippos and elephants you name we saw it. On average the guests with me had had 200 days on safari during their life and they all agreed they had never seen anything quite like it (lucky for once it makes up for the missed Marlin in Mauritius). A quick example: We followed a lion pride from 7AM (5 lionesses and two males). We were about ten meters behind them but when they were stalking the buffalo we were right there with the action with them around us. It was absolutely breathtaking we had left flanking right flanking one decoy lioness - all brilliant army maneuvers - they went in for the kill and the first three buffalo got away. The male buffaloes formed a line protecting their females and young ones. The lions charged the line. One of the lions got speared (he went off whining) meanwhile the other male had broken the line and had got a female buffalo the others moved in (we were already there) and that was it. The next bit is pretty gross as you see the lions tear this buffalo to pieces (unbelievable teamwork) the hyenas and vultures were next to come and the lions had to defend their prey. If you ever have the opportunity go to Botswana it is an absolutely stunning country with amazing wildlife. If not watch out for the National Geographic show on the Discovery Channel on the lions of Duba Plains. If you ever get the chance between jobs go traveling; there are no excuses and you will be amazed how complete strangers or people you hardly know can be so kind. Anyway enough of the wise words. Ciao, Bill" Robin Pope's Weekly Zambia Update, October 27 2002 Robin and Jo Pope runs several very successful safari camps in Zambia. Here is their weekly update: A wonderful thing about this time of year (our hottest!) is the sudden reminder that the rains are not too far away! A long hot day with bright sun and little breeze can sometimes end with exciting stormy cloud build-ups. At this time of year they lead to little more than a few large drops of water and a lot of strong wind. These little bursts certainly cool things right down at night. The river is dropping dramatically now with much of it turning into bare sand and diminishing pools of water. One way to enjoy this time of year is to head over the pontoon and settle on Chichele Hill for sundowners - the sunset is bright bright red these days and watching it from altitude is breathtaking! Jo said that with all the leafless mopane woodlands this dry landscape would have made the perfect set location for the filming of Lord of the Rings (I've not seen it but I am under the assumption that this is correct). After a few drinks and before all the light had gone we came back to Nkwali...but not by conventional means! Simon had us driving towards camp from the OTHER side of the river...then suddenly he drove down the bank, onto the sand and headed directly into the river itself!! The water level is low enough to make this a very quick option of getting into (or out of) the Park! We drove past the camp, past Matthew & Sara's house on the far west side and then came out of the river bank and onto the private loop roads that we can use in the dry season for private gameviewing. An excellent way to end a Sunday afternoon!! Gameviewing has been of the unusual kind this past week. Nkwali guests have enjoyed the sight of baby warthogs on the other side of the river..their little tails bobbing high in the air! We haven't seen baby impala yet - it shouldn't be too long now! A very interesting sight from the bar at lunchtime were two male kudu fighting across the bank. The repeated sounds of their horns knocking together got everyone's attention. And for a second time in a week Simon spotted the long tailed barred cuckoo that has located itself, for the time being, at Nkwali camp...this time it was seen in the staff housing area. Robin has missed both of these recent sightings (and he is yet to see one). I was fortunate to see this bird which is very rarely seen around here - it sat on a low branch watching us all with much interest! It certainly wasn't shy and had beautiful markings. Tena Tena guests had a visit from a steppe eagle...a migrant to this area and great to see it back again!! And many hours later, at 4 AM to be precise, everybody woke suddenly to the roar of several lion particularly close to camp! Nsefu punters, on their way to sundowners, came across an amazing sight - between 70 to 100 crocodile feeding on a hippo carcass in shallow water! The crocs go into a feeding frenzy when this opportunity arises by grabbing hold of the carcass with their teeth and spinning around in the water to prize the flesh away. This is followed by throwing chunks of flesh into the air before catching and swallowing the lot! Anyway, suddenly a young adult male lion strode into the water and pulled the carcass onto dry ground! It braved the crocs and only had a few of them snapping at him as he took their dinner away from them!! Not long up the track the same punters came to the scene of another hippo carcass with a pride of lion feeding on it. They looked for a while, went for sundowners and came back later to find only one female lion on one side of the hippo and one croc on the other...they were barely one meter apart from each other! Lufthansa Helps South African Tourism Grow, October 27 2002 Lufthansa is making a substantial contribution to the boom in tourism travel to the western Cape. "When we started flying to Cape Town a decade ago we never anticipated that we would ultimately be operating a daily 747-400 flight," says Uri Amiram, Lufthansa sales manager for Cape Town, Cape Province, KwaZulu Natal and Mpumalanga. During the South African high season, from November to the end of March, this flight from Frankfurt to Cape Town, via Johannesburg is invariably full. In addition, during the high season the airline flies five times a week from Munich to Johannesburg, He says the airline has made significant additions to its service in the past 12 months by moving from 7 to 12 frequencies a week. British Airways to fly Direct London - Zimbabwe, October 27 2002 British Airways will be flying Boeing 777's to Harare International Airport direct from London's Heathrow Airport from the end of October 2002. Return to Weekly Update Archive |
