A correction: I mentioned above that we saw an 'elk' at Ongava; I meant to say an eland.

That first Palmwag photo could be a postcard for the place. You have some nice shots of the mother and baby rhino too.

Unphased by stepping on a puff adder!

hi Lin,
Great photos of all the camps. I especially like the animals going through the water (lion, zebra etc). It really brings the delta back to life.

I think the bird is a grey heron from your kwetsani shots. thanks

Lin,

You were quite lucky with leopards at Kwetsani.

Greetz,

Johan

Great leopard and lion cub shots! Fantastic of all the watery scenery, definitely brings the true Delta feel.

Big Country is right on grey heron.

Glad my photos are bringing back some of the feel of the truly unique Okavango Delta...

Johan, I meant to tell you that I told Chris Bakke that you recommended him and his camp and that was why I asked for him as guide. He remembers you quite well and was delighted at the recommendation. And yes, I was finally lucky with my leopard sightings. Never had such good ones on previous safaris.

Pred/Bigcountry, I will correct my label on the grey heron photo - thanks!

Lin,

We DID have a travel agent--although we made all our own flight arrangements--but our TA had been told that we couldn't come after 5:00 (which also turns out not to be accurate according to our Sefoplane pilot)and everything in our trip had already been organized around available connections from Maun to Namibia, we had arranged to stay overnight near Windhoek (actually stayed in a very pretty, well-run guest farm). We had assumed we would be scheduled to leave early the next morning--but, as described earlier, didn't get there until almost 5:00. The reality is that Wilderness doesn't want anyone there for more than 48 hours if they're booked for two nights--and that would have been okay with us if they had simply been up front about it from the get go. Two nights is really all one needs at LK.

We did, of course, tell the managers that the beds hadn't been set up on the roof--and they set ours up--and the other guests who had requested them but not gotten them , but it was just one more instance of a lackadaisical management. And, of course, ironically, it was a full moon so that it was so bright we couldn't really see many stars and wound up only spending about an hour on the roof--but it was still very special.

It's interesting that you had a similar experience with the management during your stay although it must have been a different manager. There were two women when we were there--one who had quite a bit of attitude, and the other who just wasn't up to the job. The rest of the staff and our guide were sweet and very helpful.
But as you so eloquently described
it is a stunning setting, almost otherworldly in some ways. I'm a desert lover and seeing the red dunes against the white clay pans and black skeletal tress made up for a lot.
I would love to get to the Skeleton Coast one day, also.

And to get our trip report posted before too long!

Lin,

Seeing Chris and Emsie is always a great pleasure. I visited them mid-August last year.

Greetz,

Johan

Johan, Have you posted any photos of black rhino?

Lin,

I did in 2006 - but at the moment I don't have any at home so I can't post them again now.

Lin, finally had time to read your wonderful report - thank you! Can't wait to view your photos too.

Great photos -- the rhino shots are stunning, especially the final picture.

First, another correction. My brother saw that I had written 'Nelson' as my fave guide at Chitabe, but I meant Newman!

Thanks Kavey. And Michael, you picked my personal favorite photo - probably because of all the work I went through to get it ha ha!

Hi Lin,
I totally enjoyed your wonderfully written and very descriptive report. I was in Namibia and Botswana last May and June and had some of the same experiences you had. So nice to relive the memories of my first safari!
We also went rhino tracking from Palmwag camp - Chris was on his honeymoon at the time so I didn't get to meet him - and we saw a mother and her cub in the distance. I wonder if they were the same ones you saw.
We were supposed to stay at the Ongava Tented Camp but were upgraded to the lodge instead. I loved the lodge but by that time - our 4th stop -I had grown quite fond of the tented camps and I still wonder what I missed at Ongava. The park was not at all crowded in May and we never saw more than two other vehicles at the watering holes.
I look forward to viewing your photos when I have a little more time.

My friends are asking for a link that will open ALL my photo albums for this trip so here it is:

http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=...0&y=x3ezzd

panecott: Like you, I always enjoy reading trip reports about places I've been to. I would return to Palmwag, it's really special. I know what you mean about the tented camps; I MUCH prefer having only canvas between me and the nocturnal animals. The noise of an elie browsing next to the tent, baboons running up and down on the roof, etc. is an indescribable experience. (I think half the time we were hearing hares or something but were convinced they were elies! Sound gets magnified.) About Etosha, I guess I am kind of spoiled, because to me, having two other vehicles at the same waterhole as mine, is crowded!

Great photos! Thanks.

Great photos, Lin. Thank you.

BTW, for future reference, you might consider Kulala Tented Camp. I think it would probably qualify as "simple luxury". I haven't been to Little Kulala, but from your photos, I'd say Kulala Tented Camp is somewhere between it and Palmwag on the "luxury" scale. The tents are large, with a small seating area, mosquito nets, running water, sleeping platform on the roof (I skipped that experience too), private verandas with the same wonderful views as LK, and well spaced from each other. Food and service were excellent and there's a small pool in the main area. It was my first tented camp and altho' I enjoyed them all, I think it was my favorite. If I were to return to that area, I'd go back.