D&D in Africa

Botswana 6: Chobe National Park

September 13, 2008

To reach our first destination in Chobe NP we first had to drive 120km over bumpy and windy trails that were extremely sandy at times. But almost before we had really started the day had another highlight in store for us. After leaving the Moremi GR through the North Gate the track runs along the picturesque bank of the Kwai River. Because of some swampy areas we had to do small detours to drive around them and it was on one of these detours that we suddenly drove up to seven Lions laying spread out on the grass! It was two mothers with five young ones in their adolescence. The mothers watched patiently while the young lazed about or played with each other. The morning light was just perfect for amazing shots of the beautiful animals. Game wise the rest of the drive was rather uneventful, some Elephants and Antelopes as usual, but it was mainly the scenery that caught my attention. In the Delta we were mostly driving in quite dense bush or even forests but now on the way to Savuti the landscape opened up into the huge Savuti marshes, which are all that remain from a huge lake that existed here thousands of years ago. As soon as we had crossed one of the sand ridges that used to form the shore of this lake we descended into the Savuti Marshes and the landscape opened to a grassy plain. Sometimes the dry grass on either side of the road was higher than the car and it felt like driving through a tunnel.

The mother keeping a watchful eye over her lazing offspring.

A young male Lion yawning into the morning light

We were lucky to get a Reserve Campsite, not because there was to little space, but because the ranger didn’t seem to be very happy about our request. The day was extremely hot and the sun was baking down on us. I realized that I had drank way too little and had to lay down for a while curing my headache. It was so hot we were sentenced to inactivity and only late into the afternoon we managed to mobilize for a short gamedrive. Savuti is famous for it’s Elephants and we saw a lot of the gray giants. Some were even rummaging around the campsites of some other campers, feeding on trees right next to their tents .

Me on Bushman Hill near Savuti, in the back the dry savanna of the Chobe NP

Despite the soaring heat and the height of the dry season some trees still flowered beautifully

We got up early the next day to tackle another 120km drive to the northern border of Botswana and the Chobe River. Progress was good because the road was much better than the day before and we arrived at the Gate for the northern section of Chobe before lunch. The drive to Ihaha was spectacular. The main trail runs somewhat inland, but small gamedrive trails lead all along the winding curves of the river. The scenery is breathtaking and the concentration of animals is simply fantastic. There are literally animals as far as you can see on either side along the river. Herds of Zebra, Elephants, Buffalos and Antelopes roam the plains and drink in the river. Ocasionally a few Giraffes come to quench their thirst and flocks of birds fill the sky above. The campsite at Ihaha is right on the edge of the river and you can watch game right from the camp. A herd of Elephants passed right by us in the hammocks, only 4m or so away! For me Ihaha was one of the best campsites we have been on so far.

Paradise – Chobe River – Game as far as you can see

Herd of Elephants on drinking and grazing on the river

A Buffalo herd at dusk

Unfortunately we could only stay for one night and so we went on the next morning. As long as we were still in the park we followed the game drive paths to combine travelling and game drive. And we got lucky once more! Two large female Lions were walking along the riverbank and then suddenly a male comes around the bush in front of the car! We stayed until the Lion trotted back into the bushes and continued on to Kasane. There we resupplied on food and fuel and continued to the Kazalunga Ferry over to Zambia. Although this is the only bordercrossing from Botswana to Zambia there is only a ferry to cross the Zambezi River! A huge line of trucks, 5km long, extends before the ferry. Supposedly next year they will begin to finally build a bridge, but who knows, T.I.A.

Large male Lion coming around the corner on our morning drive at Chobe River

Rafiki on the pontoon over the Zambezi to Zambia

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