Kwando did it again
Sep 19th, 2007, 11:32 AM
#21
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Raelond
I havre been to Kwando four years in a row between July and October. Every year has been very different but always lots of action. I think the guides are what makes the difference. A good guide senses where to find the action.
I havre been to Kwando four years in a row between July and October. Every year has been very different but always lots of action. I think the guides are what makes the difference. A good guide senses where to find the action.
Sep 19th, 2007, 07:32 PM
#22
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We were at Zibalianja camp 6-8 Sept. and on the morning of the 7th sighted the male lion with the opaque eye and his partner near Selinda camp. Both looked extremely healthy.
Later that morning came across the 2 cheetah brothers heading north to Lebala. It was nice to see them again as we last saw them (there were then three) in June 2005 at both Lagoon and Lebala, just before one of them disappeared.
Coincidentally our guide at Lagoon in 2005 was O.B and we bumped into him again this trip guiding for Selinda camp
Later that morning came across the 2 cheetah brothers heading north to Lebala. It was nice to see them again as we last saw them (there were then three) in June 2005 at both Lagoon and Lebala, just before one of them disappeared.
Coincidentally our guide at Lagoon in 2005 was O.B and we bumped into him again this trip guiding for Selinda camp
Sep 20th, 2007, 06:27 AM
#25
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Sixth instalment
Of to Kwara. We were welcomed by Anita and Monique (Harry came a few days later). As we got to our tent we enjoyed the large amount of water in the Lagoon and the large pod of 38 Hippos. The first two nights we had Ezekiel as our guide. We saw the juvenile female Leopard a few times (but not its mother) a pride of five Lions that I had seen last year (swimming!) and two males. The pride of five provided some entertainment asone of the females rubbed itself against the vehicle to get rid of the flies. She also lay on her back trying to snap flies in the air. We did a boat trip to the heronry that was already quite active with lots of Marabou and Yellowbilled storks, including a Marabou that was searching for branches to build a nest but could not manage to get airborne as the branch got caught in the surrounding bushes.
For the final day we had Mothusi as a guide which we appreciated. Mothusi is still working freelance but Kwando had called him in to help out for 3 days.
On the last night we had one of the highlights of the trip. 3 of the 5 Lions high up in a tree (6-8 meters) and struggling to get down again.
On the last morning we saw the Lions again and 11 Wattled Cranes and some Slaty Egrets. We went looking for the female Leopard and Cub. The tracks suggested that the mother had made a kill and was bringing the Cub to the kill. We lost the tracks in tall grass so it was time to head back to camp.
After Kwara we spent a few days with friends in Joburg and had the last wildlife sighting at the Botanical gardens were we saw Tortoises mating!
This was the end of three wonderful weeks in Southern Africa. We are already starting to discuss where to go next.
Michael
PS pictures to follow shortly
Of to Kwara. We were welcomed by Anita and Monique (Harry came a few days later). As we got to our tent we enjoyed the large amount of water in the Lagoon and the large pod of 38 Hippos. The first two nights we had Ezekiel as our guide. We saw the juvenile female Leopard a few times (but not its mother) a pride of five Lions that I had seen last year (swimming!) and two males. The pride of five provided some entertainment asone of the females rubbed itself against the vehicle to get rid of the flies. She also lay on her back trying to snap flies in the air. We did a boat trip to the heronry that was already quite active with lots of Marabou and Yellowbilled storks, including a Marabou that was searching for branches to build a nest but could not manage to get airborne as the branch got caught in the surrounding bushes.
For the final day we had Mothusi as a guide which we appreciated. Mothusi is still working freelance but Kwando had called him in to help out for 3 days.
On the last night we had one of the highlights of the trip. 3 of the 5 Lions high up in a tree (6-8 meters) and struggling to get down again.
On the last morning we saw the Lions again and 11 Wattled Cranes and some Slaty Egrets. We went looking for the female Leopard and Cub. The tracks suggested that the mother had made a kill and was bringing the Cub to the kill. We lost the tracks in tall grass so it was time to head back to camp.
After Kwara we spent a few days with friends in Joburg and had the last wildlife sighting at the Botanical gardens were we saw Tortoises mating!
This was the end of three wonderful weeks in Southern Africa. We are already starting to discuss where to go next.
Michael
PS pictures to follow shortly
Sep 20th, 2007, 07:26 AM
#26
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Hi Michael,
Sounds like Kwara was fantastic too ..... that's going to be my next visit this upcoming green season(at LK), so i found this useful. Did you guys see any cheetah tracks there? Mothusi mention anything about the three boys?
Lookforward to the picutures.
Hari
Sounds like Kwara was fantastic too ..... that's going to be my next visit this upcoming green season(at LK), so i found this useful. Did you guys see any cheetah tracks there? Mothusi mention anything about the three boys?
Lookforward to the picutures.
Hari
Sep 20th, 2007, 11:45 PM
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Hari
yes it was the same Anita that was at Lagoon.
Just before I arrived they had seen the 3 Cheetah brothers at Kwara. We wnet up to the plains area to look for them but they had probably taken a short trip into the Shinde concession
Michael
yes it was the same Anita that was at Lagoon.
Just before I arrived they had seen the 3 Cheetah brothers at Kwara. We wnet up to the plains area to look for them but they had probably taken a short trip into the Shinde concession
Michael
Sep 21st, 2007, 06:32 PM
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Hari,
Missed out on the lion cubs at Zib, but did see the wild dogs, albeit briefly. On an evening game drive got a radio call that the dogs were at the CMU waterhole. We got there just as they were setting off on the evening hunt, and followed them for at most 2 minutes until they went into scrub which was too thick for us to follow.
Our guide said they were the pack which was currently denning at Duma Tau. There were 9-10 of them , and our first sighting of wild dogs.
Will do a brief trip report in about 10 days
Missed out on the lion cubs at Zib, but did see the wild dogs, albeit briefly. On an evening game drive got a radio call that the dogs were at the CMU waterhole. We got there just as they were setting off on the evening hunt, and followed them for at most 2 minutes until they went into scrub which was too thick for us to follow.
Our guide said they were the pack which was currently denning at Duma Tau. There were 9-10 of them , and our first sighting of wild dogs.
Will do a brief trip report in about 10 days
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