Hellllooo from Botswana!!!
 

Hi everyone,

I am sitting here at Chiefs Camp and after being up until nearly Midnight each night, at 10:05PM right now it seems very early for me.

Botswana has been a great experience so far and Linyanti Bushcamp and Baines Camp were both brilliant in their own ways.

The weather has been hot during the day but not intolerable and it has rained a couple times but not enough to spoil the gameviewing. I am now at Chiefs Camp and other than not having night game drives (and everyone seeming to retire to their rooms by 9:30PM) it is great.

Gameviewing highlights so far:

Linyanti Bushcamp

Six different sightings of African Wild Cats (would have preferred Wild Dogs!)

Two cheetah

Giraffes at every turn

Fifteen elephants bathing in the water until chased off by just two hippos


BAINES CAMP

Walk With The Elephants - One of the most amazing experiences I have yet enjoyed in Africa. Walking side by side African elephants and just spending the better part of the day with them.

Three leopards in three days, including one with a kill in a tree (leopard was in tree, kill was too big and on ground)

Baboon chasing and killing an impala!!! I have photos of the baboon chomping away on the poor impala and it was an awesome spectacle.


CHIEFS CAMP

I just got here but already I have seen three lionesses, plenty of zebra, buffalo, tessabee (I know I botched the spelling), kudu, impala, red lechwe and more. Even some hippos were present and they were quite aggressive, swimming from one side of the lagoon to the other to start showing their dominance until we left.

Two more nights here at Chiefs, followed by six nights at Kwando, a couple nights at Mateya and three nights at Sabi Sabi and a night at Michelangeo Towers in Sandton before enjoying a couple nights in Sydney at the Observatory Hotel.

Surprisingly, I have REALLY enjoyed travelling solo and have met so many interesting people. I think when travelling as a couple, it is easy to avoid talking to others and having preconceived (mis)conceptions about others but I have got on great with everybody, from Americans from Colorado, to a Swiss couple, to a German couple, to some sexy Mexicans (think Ricardo Montalban of Fantasy Island and whichever glamorous character from a Telenovela Mexican Soap Opera to Belgians to Brits...just about everybody I have met has been great.

That's all for now!

Cheers.

Dude

You fantasise about Ricardo Montalban - thats just wrong.

I guess Chiefs has internet, is that in room, or a central location?

Did you see any really big elephant herds in the Linyanti?

Glad the trip is good.

Rocco, sounds like a great trip.

How was Sydney?

With so many more days in Botswana, I'm sure you will see wild dogs!

NapaMatt,

I beg to differ...I think it is wrong NOT to fantasize about Ricardo Montalban...come one, he had it all...from Fantasy Island to the little Midget, Tattoo, to the slick Spanish accent to the white suit that any pimp would kill for!

There is a laptop in the common area at Chiefs Camp available to guests and while tied up during much of the day, I am the only one up here now and it is not even 11PM! I have been up most nights until nearly midnight, having met nice friends at all of my other camps but with no night game drive and in a bigger camp, it is a little different story here...still a fantastic luxury camp but not the intimacy that I enjoyed at Baines and Linyanti Bushcamp.

little Midget is redundant

Thit Cho,

Well, you know, when talking about Ricardo Montalban I just get so hot and bothered that I don't even notice such redundant statements! ;)

Haven't done Sydney yet...that comes on the way home.

Thanks Rocco, good to hear from you. Happy to hear all is going - just marvellous!
regards - tom
ps - don't tell the Mrs. you are doing Sydney, unless you also add Australia.

Glad to hear the trip is going well - can't wait for your detailed report and photos!

Baboons chasing and killing an impala. I have got to hear more about this!

I'll want a detailed report on your walk with the eles. What a world we live in where you can update us on the trip from the field.

Sounds fantastic! I should be less hesitant about traveling to Africa alone from the sound of your trip!

Rocco,

Glad your trip is going well....Two cheetah at Linyanti bush camp sounds good. Male cheetah?

Hari

So great to get a trip report before you come home. Sounds fab and can't wait for more. Hope your other camps have internet service.

Good to hear from you Rocco, though I'm not thrilled to hear about internet access in the heart of the delta. A relative-in-law once asked me if she would have email access on safari to keep track of her business, and I nearly told her to stay home if she wanted to be that soft. The need to keep familial peace kept my lips sealed.

Hope you score some dog sightings in the Kwando concessions...otherwise, you'll have to change your wild dog advisor ;) . Can't have a travel planner being badly advised.

Like Hari, I'm very curious about the two cheetahs you saw at Linyanti bushcamp. It would be great if they were the two survivors of the three 'boys', further demonstrating the extent of their range.

John

Find the dogs ((&))

btw, there's such a thing as <b>A</b> little midget - midgets do come in different sizes :)

Enjoy!
Sherry

The dogs all moved to Sandibe when they heard Rocco was at Chiefs.

Some great game viewing Rocco!!! I can watch the baboons all day - the complexity of their social structure and the youngster's antics always makes for a good show!!! Will be interested in any insights you have on the impala kill when you return. I know they are opportunistic feeders/hunters, but was wondering if this impala attack is a common baboon behaviour is that area?

I concur with you on the joys of traveling solo in Africa. In my experience, Africa - particularly in the smaller camps - are outstanding solo trips. By far the best solo trips I have ever taken!!

Hello again!

I may now die a happy man. Although I never even considered the possibility that I would see Wild Dogs in the Mombo Concession, YES!, this morning we saw three wild dogs on a minutes old impala kill.

Another Chiefs Camp vehicle was actually on the spot as it happened and just as it started to unfold we were radioed and because it was just a few minutes into our morning game drive, we were not too far.

The next 10 minutes were possibly some of the most anxious minutes of my life! It was a &quot;ferrari safari&quot; from there as our vehicle raced to the scene.

Just before we arrived, the impala had actually sought sanctuary underneath the other Chiefs Camp vehicle, only for the dogs to chase it out from under the vehicle out into the open. Next, the dogs chased the impala a bit more, in full sight of my very fortunate fellow guests, caught it and killed it quickly.

We stayed with the dogs for about 30 minutes and watched them enjoy their Impala breakfast before moving off.

If that was not enough, after our morning tea we came across mating lions, another first for me.

All this and still two more game drives remaining. In a couple hours we set out in search of rhinos!

What great luck, Rocco! Congratulations are called for.

John

Rocco-
Congratulations on finally seeing the wild dogs!!
=D&gt; =D&gt; =D&gt;
And during such an exciting encounter!

See, good things come to those who wait! Hope you got some good pics!

Have a great time on the rest of your trip!

Woweee, Wow, Wow!
Am I hearing that Zambia may have some competition for your affections?
I'm so glad you're having a great trip. I'm looking forward to another wonderful trip report.
Lily

Rocco, sounds fantastic......some great sightings at Chief's.....Botswana #1???

Hari

The dogs at last and what a sighting. It underscores how Africa continues to pull out surprises where you least expect them.

((&amp;)) ((&amp;)) ((&amp;))

Rocco gets his dogs at last (yeah, woof, woof) - and not just your average sighting, at that.

Very happy for you Rocco!

Uh Oh,,,there goes Zambia!
I told you so Rocco, didn't I. Glad you enjoying it.
Mark

To answer an earlier question...the two Cheetahs were both males and likely brothers...they seemed to be young adult cheetahs and were spotted no more than 5 kilometers from the camp.

Due to an early flight (10:30AM) to Lebala tomorrow, I have decided to skip my final drive tomorrow so that I do not impact the other guests and so I may pack in the morning and enjoy a final leisurely morning in the friendly and luxurious confines of Chiefs Camp.

This has been a fantastic stop and it is currently 10PM with light rain, thunder and lighting here in Moremi/Mombo Concession.

I have some amazing photos but don't dare try to upload them on this slow connection.

Looking forward to six nights worth of Kwando and to Sabi Sabi, Mateya and Sydney at the Observatory.

Cheers for now.

Great news - Botswana does it again.

Meant to ask whether Janice is working at Chiefs right now as a manager / host and whether Jonathan is still a guide.

Rocco-
Don't suppose you were able to pick up a wild dog puppy to bring back to your pack at home, huh?
regards - tom

So, I guess we could say your trip has gone to the dogs, eh? Woohoo! ;-)

Glad you are having a good time and you found the dogs.

arf! arf! Good on ya, mate!

Congrats on finally finding the dogs!

Happy your trip is going well. Jealous you saw some dogs. Hope all continues well.

I think you're lucky to see African Wild Cat - what time of day was that, roughly? But the dogs too!

Any clues as to where the managers from 3 years ago are now? Madeline and Roy, two of the nicest managers in Africa. I believe they are South African (and so those managers must move on at least every 3 years in Bots).

&quot;I think you're lucky to see African Wild Cat - what time of day was that, roughly?&quot; - Clematis1

That's reminded me. How on earth could I have forgotten it? I've seen wild cat on night game drives a couple of times. But in daylight, on a walking safari in Zimbabwe? The cat was poised behind a clump of grass, waiting to pounce on a real or imagined prey. We stood and watched it for only a few seconds until it detected us and disappeared. It was only 20-30 metres away.

Just checked my journal- it was on an afternoon walk near Masumu Pan in Hwange NP.

John

I was in Kgalagadi in July, and I saw several wild cats, including a half dozen or so during daylight and fairly close. I included one upclose photo in the link in my trip report.

I've seen plenty of wild cats in Kwara.

Hari

Wild cats in both lower zambezi and south luangwa. One with a kitten!

In Namibia driving from Sossusvlei Wilderness Camps to the dunes we saw 9 daytime African Wild Cats and at Mombo we did have an afternoon sighting.