Month: October 2022

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Botswana 2022 (Part 4): Mashatu

Part 1: Nata and Maun

Part 2: Pangolin Voyager Houseboat

Part 3: Pangolin Chobe Hotel

After a refreshing overnight stop at Cresta Marang Gardens Francistown, we had an early morning departure for Mashatu. Parking at Limpopo Valley airfield, we were fetched by our friendly guide for the duration, Lovemore (Lovies), who took us to our accomodation at Tuli Safari Lodge Mashatu

After settling into our very comfortable tented room, we went for high tea, followed by a game drive with Lovies and our tracker, Pontsho, seeing some very lazy lionesses with their young,

followed by another spectacular sunset, this time spent with some giraffe.

We were treated to a bush dinner with Tuli Safari Lodge’s “moving tables”.

The next morning was another early morning start with a full day of morning and afternoon game drives, including the leopard sighting I had been hoping for

For our last morning at Mashatu, we had booked a session in the photographic hide, where we had the most amazing experience, with two hyenas coming to play in the water hole. They eventually came right up to the hide and seemed quite curious about our camera equipment.

Be sure to watch Liana’s video in full size on YouTube by clicking the “Watch on YouTube” button

Some more photos from the hide

On our way back from the hide to the lodge, another surprise awaited us

By now we were utterly exhausted and chose to forego the last evening’s game drive in favour of some rest, before tackling the long road home the next day.

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Botswana 2022 (Part 3): Pangolin Photo Safaris: Pangolin Chobe Hotel

Part 1 here

Part 2 here

After arriving at the hotel and settling into our rooms, Grant spent some time giving those of us who wanted some photo editing tips. I found this tremendously helpful and any editing mistakes you spot in my photos are purely due to my inexperience, certainly not his lack of teaching.

After tea, it was time for a game drive in Chobe National Park

Following the game drive, the group decided unanimously that we wanted to swop the next morning’s game drive for another photo boat excursion. The sightings from the boats seemed to be better and on the boats one could avoid the heat and dust encountered on the game drive vehicles.

A long time spent trying to photograph Carmine bee-eaters the next morning mainly taught me that I need a lot more practice with the small, fast moving birds.

Liana’s video gives an idea of the quick and unpredictable movements of the bee-eaters.

The afternoon brought elephants against a lovely sunset

The last morning at Pangolin for myself and Liana (we had to depart early the next morning and thus miss the last excursion), gave us more hippos, crocodiles, birds and a tigertail dragonfly. Thanks to Grant for showing me how to get rid of that irritating blade of grass over the croc’s mouth.

The elephants of Chobe never failed to keep us entertained and Liana had more than enough material for a few elephant videos (make sure you have sound on for the videos)

On our last afternoon we thought some elephants might join us in the photo boat,

spent some more time with the elephants, skimmers and an Openbill stork,

and watched another spectacular sunset with a bromance between two elephants, observed by us and some buffalo.

A spectacular end to a spectacular 6 days with Pangolin and Grant Atkinson. The next morning, while the rest of the group went on one last photo excusion, we departed for Francistown, on our way to Mashatu.

Part 4: Mashatu

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Botswana 2022 (Part 2): Pangolin Photo Safaris: Pangoling Voyager Houseboat

Part 1 here

We arrived in Kasane, at Pangolin Photo Safaris, the main focus of our Botswana trip, keen for a learning experience and wow, did we learn a lot here! Upon arrival, we met our photo host for the 6 days, Grant Atkinson, who ensured that we had an amazing experience here. We were also very lucky to be with a really pleasant group of people for the duration, who all contributed to making this a truly memorable experience.

The first 3 days were spent on the Pangolin houseboat, which required us to enter Namibia, even though the only time we set foot on land in Namibia was for the visit to the Immigration Office.

We just had time to settle in to our very comfortable accommodation on the houseboat before going on our first excursion on the Pangolin photo boats, which are brilliantly designed to give 8 photographers equal opportunity to get great shots and with very knowledgeable guides positioning the boats for the best shots.

Arriving back at the houseboat after our first afternoon excursion, we settled into our rhythm for the next 6 days, of downloading, sorting and backing up photos and video and charging camera batteries in order to be ready for the next session.

We also had to get used to the mealtime schedule being arranged around photographic excursions: early morning coffee and a rusk or light breakfast, brunch at 11:00 after returning from the morning session, high tea around 15:00 before the late afternoon photographic excursion and supper around 19:00 after returning. Sleep time was limited by the need to get the cameras ready for the next morning.

Next morning we greeted the sunrise on the water.

Ample birdlife was to be seen all around us as well as some beautiful water lillies.

The afternoon brought more elephants and a suggestion from Grant to try some high key photography, which openend my eyes to new possibilities.

Once again the birdlife was not to be forgotten

The next morning there were more hippos at sunrise,

followed by more birdlife

We were amused by the antics of two water monitors, trying to steal a crocodile’s eggs

The afternoon brought an elephant crossing the river, a hippo upset at us for getting too close and some baboon antics,

but the biggest surprise of all, was a Fish Eagle catching a huge catfish in the shallow water right in front of us. A long fight ensued, with the Fish Eagle trying to drag the struggling fish away from the water, while also being harassed by lapwings. After about 15 minutes, it was eventually able to settle down to its hard earned meal.

The next morning brought another hunt, this one less successful

Although the lions were looking hungry, the young ones still remained playful. I do hope the pride found some food later on.

This ended our 3 days on the houseboat. After brunch we departed for the hotel, first having to go through Immigration in order to officially exit Namibia and enter Botswana again.

Part 3: Pangolin Chobe Hotel

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Botswana 2022 (Part 1 Nata and Maun)

Updated with some video links

After 3 days of hard driving, totalling over 1800 km, we eventually reached Nata Lodge.

Visiting Nata Bird Sanctuary, we knew not to expect too much bird life so late in the dry season, but encountered the first of many spectacular sunsets which we were to see during our trip.

After two days at Nata, recovering from our long drive, it was on to Leopard Plains, where we were given a very friendly reception in this lovely setting.

Along the way, we had an interesting sighting of elephants, that had removed a heavy concrete slab, covering a fresh water pipeline next to the main road, transporting clean water from a water treatment plant to neighbouring villages. Apparently the elephants prefer this clean water to that which they could obtain in the nearby Boteti river.

While at Leopard Plains, we did a guided daytrip to Makgadigadi Pans National Park, encountering large numbers of zebra, wildebeest, elephants and pelicans in the Boteti riverbed and quite a few vultures around.

Some video from Makgadigadi on Liana’s YouTube channel

The next morning we did an early morning game drive on the Leopard Plains farm, unfortunately did not get to see any leopard, but saw some really good looking kudu

From here it was on to Maun, where we had the best coffee in Botswana at Dusty Donkey Cafe.

Boteti Tented Safari Lodge near Maun, was a pretty mixed experience. We did have a lovely sunset mokoro cruise on the river on our first afternoon.

The next two days were spent on excursions: a mokoro trip on the Delta and a day trip to Moremi, where we saw some very sleepy lions, suffering in the 40oC daytime heat.

Liana’s Moremi video link

This effectively concluded the first part of our trip. We departed Maun for Kasane, with an overnight stop at Eselbe Camp, an interesting, rustic camp, where we could unfortunately not go canoeing on the Nata river, due to presence of hippo in the river close to the camp. We did get a very nice fillet steak supper, prepared by the owner, Rupert and a good night’s rest in comfortable lodging.

Part 2: Pangolin Voyager Houseboat