Savute Trip Report - An Update
 

In September 2010, I spent nearly 4 weeks in Botswana.

Part of my mobile safari included a stay at Savute. There has been a lot of coverage of this part of Botswana, as the legendary channel has started flowing once again.

I have included my trip report on my blog as it means I can include photos in my report.

There is a lot of game that has moved into the area since the water has arrived. Unfortunately, the safari experience did not match my safari earlier in the year.

I have divided my report into the The Good:

http://www.thesafariphotographer.com...ion-guide/2521

And The Bad & The Ugly: (Poor behaviour from guides and a lack of roads)

http://www.thesafariphotographer.com...ion-guide/2555

If you have any questions, then fire away...............

Thanks for your comprehensive and interesting reports. Like you photos there also. First a perhaps silly question - is Savute the same as Savuti, are these two different spellings for the same place? And were you every at Savute before the channel came back, and if so, how does it compare, before and after? And thanks for the comments about photography there, I'm always interested in that even if I may never get there.

regards - tom

Your bad experience at Savute is probably going to be a recurring theme. As the recession fades and more camps opens, Botswana has a lot planned, it looks like we may have similiar encounters like what happens in the Mara, Serengeti and the Mara.

I meant the Ngoro Crater too.

Thanks for the hint on Khwai for mobiles. Great photos.

Tom

Savute = area inside Chobe National Park where the water enters a wide open plain

Savuti = WS camp situated on the channel in a private concession. It is possible to drive to its source at the Zib Lagoon.

This camp is situated in a large mopane belt. The dry channel previously acted as a wide flood plains, with man made channels attracting game. I have not visited this area since 2008 and before the channel reached the camp.

Based on the what I saw higher up stream, game will be less concentrated and more in the thickets.

You will have to ask someone who has been there recently.

Before the channel came back, man made waterholes sustained the wildlife populations, though game numbers were less than when the channel flows.

Thanks LB, more camps would not be ideal in this area.

I don't believe that there were that many more vehicles in the Okavango or Savute, it is simply that the road network due to the water levels has meant people are concentrating in smaller areas.

Thanks lbj2

regards - tom

lbj2,

thank you so much for your 2010 trip reports and the photos - those elephant shots are memorable. The photos of the channel reaching the marsh are very exciting as we have a Massons mobile booked for August - 4 nights Savuti, 3 nights Khwai/Moremi and 3 nights Moremi/Delta. The Massons are also reporting that wildlife viewing at Savute has been amazing.

Based on your experience, I guess we can expect to see quite a few other vehicles during the peak season, I will look forward to moving to Khwai on your recommendation.

Regards,


Pol

Thanks for you comments, Pol.

I am sure that you will have a great time at Savute, though just be prepared. Around the time I was there, five male lions had entered the area, so dynamics there may change things also.

I will be blogging on my experience in Khwai too, hopefully over the weekend.