AM's Southern Africa Adventure: June 2013

June 23, 2013

Our last game drive in Chobe National Park was yet another amazing adventure. This day I began to realize that each drive has unique aspects that are each full of new experiences.

We were driving close to the river's edge when we saw a group of impala. Then, we heard their alarm call. They were in panic mode. They stood guard and watched the bank of the river intently.

Along the bank, stalking, was a lioness. She moved with grace and determination but with no sound. That morning's meal did not include impala for her, and she quickly moved on knowing that her presence was no longer a secret to the impala. We also saw our first leopard! It was very far away, but I was satisfied seeing this impressive and elegant animal.

After this drive, we took the jeeps to the Kasane Airport where our group boarded two Cessna aircrafts. Mom and I were on a twelve seater. This was the first single prop engine plane I have been on.

It was a smooth flight over Botswana complete with an elephant sighting form up high. We even spotted the spray from Victoria Falls. Soon the Chobe River faded away and we were above the Okavango Delta.

We landed on an airstrip - a dirt airstrip with only a windsock and a small structure holding what I assume were buckets of water for an emergency fire. The next set of jeeps were awaiting and we met Thuso, our guide for the next few days.

Thuso drove us the 15-20 minutes to camp. After settling in to our phenomenal canvas sided, thatch roofed cabins, we had lunch.

Our first game drive in the delta showcased how different this part of Botswana is. The water had recently come into the delta, and we had several exciting water crossings. We saw several animals and admired the beauty and isolation of this area. There were no other people around; in fact, anyone else was several hours drive away.

It was on this drive that I fell in love with the Okavango Delta.

We watched the sun set while we enjoyed drinks and snacks during our sundowner. When we returned to our home away from home, we had a bit of time to freshen up before our astronomy talk. Mom and I enjoyed some sherry before getting picked up by one of the guides. I enjoyed looking at and hearing about the stars in the Southern Hemisphere. We saw the Southern Cross constellation (and the one that is often mistaken for the Southern Cross). At the end of the talk we were directed to the horizon and saw a familiar sight: the Big Dipper. However, the Big Dipper was upside down! It might sound silly, but this was my favorite sight of the day! I see the Big Dipper so often at home, but seeing it upside down was a real treat.

After the talk, dinner and a quick transition to sleep finished up the day.

June 24, 2013

We set out with Thuso on the morning drive. Again, I was welcomed with the sights and smells of this beautiful Delta. It was both peaceful and exciting to venture out in the mornings. There was a beautiful morning light from a fresh sunrise and the anticipation of what this drive would bring.

Soon after we left camp, we witnessed a group of three lioness with a cub. They had a fresh impala kill and were each eating their portion of it. One of the lioness was elderly, probably 15 years old or so, and Thuso said that she might only have a few days or a week to live. She'll die of old age, and the scars and cataracts show she had a long life full of the battles that the African bush requires.

It was interesting to watch them eat and clean themselves and each other. At one point, the cub decided it wanted more to eat, so it ran up to one of the lioness, growled a bit, and picked up a bit more meat along with a bone. The cub treated that bone like it was a treasure.

When we were about to leave, the lioness made a move toward the water. We waited and were treated with a view of the three lioness making their way across the water. They passed right behind the jeep - one lioness making eye contact with me. I could have reached down and touched them! We wondered about the cub, and soon we heard a cry from it. Not too long after, we saw it run after the lioness with its precious bone secure in its mouth.

In the afternoon after another nourishing lunch of fresh food, Amy (my partner in the back of the jeep) and I took a half hour trip in a mokoro (a dugout canoe). It was a quiet and relaxing tour where our guide, Boston, used a pole to move us through the water. While we didn't see any animals, it was nice to be in a quiet vehicle on the water.

The evening drive was an adventurous one! We spotted a leopard in a tree, and when it left the tree, Thuso took us on a journey through the trees to view the leopard on the ground. He drove us over 6-7 foot trees! The jeep showed its power and many of the trees just sprung back up again.

Then, we witnessed a set of two leopards with a kill. It was a mother and son pair. The son was old enough to be on its own, but had found his mom with a prey. It is rare to see two adult leopard together, and we were treated with their interactions. The son had stolen the kill from the mom, and she was growling and attempting to get it back. We watched at the son stood dominant and kept the kill. At one point, when the mother was making a move to get to the kill, the son moved quickly over toward her. In a split second, the mother passively went to her back and the son walked back to his meal.

After we watched the leopards for a bit, we headed over to a den of hyena. There was the mother, two babies of 1-2 months old, and an adolescent. The babies and adolescent were much cuter than I would have thought when previously thinking about hyena. We watched the hyena play for a bit and then joined the other jeeps for the sundowner.

Dinner that night was preceeded with entertainment from the multi-talented staff at

Sanctuary Chief's Camp. Then we ate a bar-b-que buffet with the tables set around the fire pit. Delicious and beautiful way to finish off the adventurous day.