atravelynn

I like your game show idea. If it would get me to Africa more often, I'd volunteer to play Vanna White on it.

Kay is awesome. We'll have to keep him in mind at Vumbura.

An outstanding welcome-to-Chitabe-ride for your It's a Small World Encounter. Now I have that song in my head. Darn.

I agree with the others about your awesome, vivid description of the leopard & kudu encounter. I know just what happened from your depiction and have seen something like that on a documentary.

Do we know what ever happened to the young injured leopard?

eyelaser

How apropros, being a bit bug phobic I douse myself in Eau de Peaceful Sleep, and just like the name says I have a wonderful 5+ hours out like a log. As Jeffrey says, I sound more like sawing a log. After first awakening at 4:15 I am somehow able to fall back asleep for another 45min or so. Up for good at 5am I hear the fire crackling down below and see Phinley putting out cereals and toasting some bread. But its the coffee I crave and not until I get a bit of caffeine in me can I really get started. Somehow, toast and peanut butter tastes better first thing in the morning in the African bush and the blandest cereal transforms itself into a culinary delight. Every minute I'm not on a drive I feel I am wasting so food, especially breakfast is something to be eaten with urgency.Despite protestations, I found myself helping with the clean up just so we could get started on the road.
We're off about 6-6:15 and its not long before Phinley points and says "look, there on the ground". I was still about 30 minutes from getting the caffeine to my brain so processing his directions were anything but swift. Jeffrey questioned, "Leopard?" "No" I said, "look down by that log, honey badgers!" How cool, two honey badgers scurrying around looking for insects, lizards, whatever. I remember on one of our first safaris being shown honey badgers in the distance...but I don't know that I actually remember seeing them. These guys were in the high grass but then crossed pretty close in front of us. Planning ahead I got ready to get the perfect photo as they came into the open. Bang, I got it! A few more quick pics and they are off, finding a hiding place away from our prying eyes. Now just picture me smacking myself on the side of my head with my hand. I look down at my camera setting and realize that I had not changed back to AI Servo from one shot and so my perfectly framed photo was a total blur...drats (or some expletive deleted words). Ok, ok now I have a reason to come back to Africa (as if I really need to manufacture reasons!). I convince myself the pictures are adequate which in truth they are if viewed from very far away and with a the view that the blur is my idea of artistic expression.
So having gotten over my photographic faux pas we continue and see some wonderful general game, impalas, giraffes, more giraffes and more giraffes...in fact more giraffes than I ever remember seeing which triggers my lame and old joke referring to the area as Giraffic Park.
It's interesting how the mind can wander and dream of things that could have been. My thoughts return to our pouncing leopard from yesterday. In my mind's eye I see him landing on the kudu's back, slipping under its neck and applying it's death inducing choke hold as we stare in disbelief. It could have happened had he just chose a better target...damn!
Ok, back to reality. We come upon a breeding herd of eles and one young bull feels a bit threatened by two vehicles that separated the herd on two sides of a road. Trumpeting, head shaking, dust throwing, mock charging, just boys being boys. Once we were able to allow him to join the rest of the family he settled down and played well with his friends.
The vehicle in front of ours veered right as we went left and we were by ourselves again. Only one day was left and despite the incredible sightings we had had so far I was getting a bit despondent that we hadn't seen anything (alright, we saw honey badgers, feisty elephant boy and lots of giraffes but come on show me the money Phinley) all morning...it was all of 9:30.
The weather has turned. Dark skies, rain and lightning in the distance. Out come the ponchos, more to cover our equipment than ourselves. It was as though this turn in the weather somehow signified a change in our luck. Dark, brooding, threatening clouds...can't be good for game viewing. I keep looking to see which way the clouds are moving hoping that as we move we go towards brightening skies. But we seem to be surrounded and the bad weather is all around us. Then, we hear a noise, sounds like francolins alarming. Phinley says it could be anything, a mongoose, snake, wild cat or big cat. So we investigate but nothing shows itself until we just happen to run right into a leopard sitting in the middle of the road. More head shaking by me, "the hits just keep on coming" I say (redundantly). She got up and we followed her a short distance and heard her growl at something to our left, her right. Phinley says, "its another leopard"...why not? It is her 19 month old cub and mom is trying to push her out of her territory. Why, well she has another cub, a 6 month old beauty. So, we now have a choice, follow mother or daughter. We choose the mother, I think for the hope that she will lead us to the cub. Since leopards often leave their cubs for extended periods of time it wouldn't be a surprise if she just ambled around. We lost her in the bush but luckily we had called in the sighting and two other vehicles in the area picked her up...with her cub! Remarkable, just remarkable! It took us a bit of time to get back in position and when we did it was magic. Mother and cub playing, or rather cub playing, mother lying down. The cub was all over her, jumping, nuzzling, licking...how cool. In very leopard fashion the cub practiced his stalking technique. Hiding in the tall grass he would get down very low and then attack his mom's head, neck and belly. He did this numerous times to his seemingly uninterested mother. Many times I dreamed of seeing two leopards together. I had never had that experience before and to see the mother-cub interaction was precious. There is something about all those spots co-mingling that is just very cool. And to realize that we had just seen three leopards in the span of 15 minutes and 6 different leopards in 2 1/2 days... more head shaking. We followed them for a bit but decided to give them some space and when I looked at my watch realize it was 10:40, exactly the same time as our sighting of the pouncing leopard from yesterday...eerie huh?
Did I forget to mention, IT WAS POURING! Now we had two sets of ponchos, one for the cameras and one for me so I didn't melt. Sometimes, it is better to be lucky than good. I had thought about asking to have the top removed after day one but didn't feel Phinley was that approachable (in retrospect he really was...more later) so I just decided to go with the flow.
When we got back to camp it was only drizzling but there was much more in store for us later. After a wonderful lunch, we read a bit from the book collection and then headed back to the room to recharge our batteries, both figuratively and literally.
It was now just overcast and a perfect time to take an outdoor shower. Ah, hot water, soap and shampoo...I feel like a new person. Tea at 3 and out by 3:15, time is so precious out here. There's an 18 hour plane ride home so there's plenty of time for sleep and food. I don't remember the last time I walked out into my backyard and saw kudu, baboons and eles so...
The past drives have been all about the animals but this one was all about Mother Nature. Thickening clouds, claps of thunder and bolts of lightning seem to surround us although with the flatness of the terrain distances are very difficult to judge. The lightning could be as far as 15-30km away as we are distracted by bolt after bolt. We stop for a while and try to capture the lightning on the video and photographically. I get pretty frustrated and just let my son do his thing. It's good to be young and have good reflexes...the machine gun sound of his camera's 10 frame/sec drive captures a bolt every now and then. We have really been so entranced by the storm that it took a while to realize most of the animals have taken shelter. It is getting darker and darker and the thunder and lightning closer and closer. All the vehicles are being told to come in. Phinley says this is typical of the rainy season, in fact, really just a mild to moderate thunderstorm. I'm sorry, this is no moderate.0 0

eyelaser

O O is right, somehow the rest of the day's trip report got deleted so I hope I saved it and will reprint from the beginning...How apropros, being a bit bug phobic, I douse myself in Eau de Peaceful Sleep, and just like the name says I have a wonderful 5+ hours out like a log. As Jeffrey says, I sound more like sawing a log. After first awakening at 4:15 I am somehow able to fall back asleep for another 45min or so. Up for good at 5am I hear the fire crackling down below and see Phinley putting out cereals and toasting some bread. But its the coffee I crave and not until I get a bit of caffeine in me can I really get started. Somehow, toast and peanut butter tastes better first thing in the morning in the African bush and the blandest cereal transforms itself into a culinary delight. Every minute I'm not on a drive I feel I am wasting so food, especially breakfast is something to be eaten with urgency.Despite protestations, I found myself helping with the clean up just so we could get started on the road.
We're off about 6-6:15 and its not long before Phinley points and says "look, there on the ground". I was still about 30 minutes from getting the caffeine to my brain so processing his directions were anything but swift. Jeffrey questioned, "Leopard?" "No" I said, "look down by that log, honey badgers!" How cool, two honey badgers scurrying around looking for insects, lizards, whatever. I remember on one of our first safaris being shown honey badgers in the distance...but I don't know that I actually remember seeing them. These guys were in the high grass but then crossed pretty close in front of us. Planning ahead I got ready to get the perfect photo as they came into the open. Bang, I got it! A few more quick pics and they are off, finding a hiding place away from our prying eyes. Now just picture me smacking myself on the side of my head with my hand. I look down at my camera setting and realize that I had not changed back to AI Servo from one shot and so my perfectly framed photo was a total blur...drats (or some expletive deleted words). Ok, ok now I have a reason to come back to Africa (as if I really need to manufacture reasons!). I convince myself the pictures are adequate which in truth they are if viewed from very far away and with a the view that the blur is my idea of artistic expression.
So having gotten over my photographic faux pas we continue and see some wonderful general game, impalas, giraffes, more giraffes and more giraffes...in fact more giraffes than I ever remember seeing which triggers my lame and old joke referring to the area as Giraffic Park.
It's interesting how the mind can wander and dream of things that could have been. My thoughts return to our pouncing leopard from yesterday. In my mind's eye I see him landing on the kudu's back, slipping under its neck and applying it's death inducing choke hold as we stare in disbelief. It could have happened had he just chose a better target...damn!
Ok, back to reality. We come upon a breeding herd of eles and one young bull feels a bit threatened by two vehicles that separated the herd on two sides of a road. Trumpeting, head shaking, dust throwing, mock charging, just boys being boys. Once we were able to allow him to join the rest of the family he settled down and played well with his friends.
The vehicle in front of ours veered right as we went left and we were by ourselves again. Only one day was left and despite the incredible sightings we had had so far I was getting a bit despondent that we hadn't seen anything (alright, we saw honey badgers, feisty elephant boy and lots of giraffes but come on show me the money Phinley) all morning...it was all of 9:30.
The weather has turned. Dark skies, rain and lightning in the distance. Out come the ponchos, more to cover our equipment than ourselves. It was as though this turn in the weather somehow signified a change in our luck. Dark, brooding, threatening clouds...can't be good for game viewing. I keep looking to see which way the clouds are moving hoping that as we move we go towards brightening skies. But we seem to be surrounded and the bad weather is all around us. Then, we hear a noise, sounds like francolins alarming. Phinley says it could be anything, a mongoose, snake, wild cat or big cat. So we investigate but nothing shows itself until we just happen to run right into a leopard sitting in the middle of the road. More head shaking by me, "the hits just keep on coming" I say (redundantly). She got up and we followed her a short distance and heard her growl at something to our left, her right. Phinley says, "its another leopard"...why not? It is her 19 month old cub and mom is trying to push her out of her territory. Why, well she has another cub, a 6 month old beauty. So, we now have a choice, follow mother or daughter. We choose the mother, I think for the hope that she will lead us to the cub. Since leopards often leave their cubs for extended periods of time it wouldn't be a surprise if she just ambled around. We lost her in the bush but luckily we had called in the sighting and two other vehicles in the area picked her up...with her cub! Remarkable, just remarkable! It took us a bit of time to get back in position and when we did it was magic. Mother and cub playing, or rather cub playing, mother lying down. The cub was all over her, jumping, nuzzling, licking...how cool. In very leopard fashion the cub practiced his stalking technique. Hiding in the tall grass he would get down very low and then attack his mom's head, neck and belly. He did this numerous times to his seemingly uninterested mother. Many times I dreamed of seeing two leopards together. I had never had that experience before and to see the mother-cub interaction was precious. There is something about all those spots co-mingling that is just very cool. And to realize that we had just seen three leopards in the span of 15 minutes and 6 different leopards in 2 1/2 days... more head shaking. We followed them for a bit but decided to give them some space and when I looked at my watch realize it was 10:40, exactly the same time as our sighting of the pouncing leopard from yesterday...eerie huh?
Did I forget to mention, IT WAS POURING! Now we had two sets of ponchos, one for the cameras and one for me so I didn't melt. Sometimes, it is better to be lucky than good. I had thought about asking to have the top removed after day one but didn't feel Phinley was that approachable (in retrospect he really was...more later) so I just decided to go with the flow.
When we got back to camp it was only drizzling but there was much more in store for us later. After a wonderful lunch, we read a bit from the book collection and then headed back to the room to recharge our batteries, both figuratively and literally.
It was now just overcast and a perfect time to take an outdoor shower. Ah, hot water, soap and shampoo...I feel like a new person. Tea at 3 and out by 3:15, time is so precious out here. There's an 18 hour plane ride home so there's plenty of time for sleep and food. I don't remember the last time I walked out into my backyard and saw kudu, baboons and eles so...
The past drives have been all about the animals but this one was all about Mother Nature. Thickening clouds, claps of thunder and bolts of lightning seem to surround us although with the flatness of the terrain distances are very difficult to judge. The lightning could be as far as 15-30km away as we are distracted by bolt after bolt. We stop for a while and try to capture the lightning on the video and photographically. I get pretty frustrated and just let my son do his thing. It's good to be young and have good reflexes...the machine gun sound of his camera's 10 frame/sec drive captures a bolt every now and then. We have really been so entranced by the storm that it took a while to realize most of the animals have taken shelter. It is getting darker and darker and the thunder and lightning closer and closer. All the vehicles are being told to come in. Phinley says this is typical of the rainy season, in fact, really just a mild to moderate thunderstorm. I'm sorry, this is no moderate storm it is getting really scary. Lightning all around us and my son has his head burried in his hands as we ask how long before we get back to camp. Thirty minutes seemed like forever. I tend to be one who deals with pressure pretty well probably a function of my profession and having to deal with adversity on a daily basis but every time we went through an area with tall trees my heart did a flutter. The rest of the time I convinced myself we were safe and that the giraffes would get hit first.
Finally we got back to camp and had the necessary double gin and tonic...make that two. Just being under a thatched roof somehow made me feel safer. Dinner, a bit of wine and some food quieted the nerves and by the time dinner was over the rain had stopped but not the light and sound show.
We tried to go to sleep and in the past it was difficult because of the sound of reed frogs or hippos or fruit bats (you know that yelping that sounds like puppies),but tonight, save the thunder it was silent. Not a frog, or hippo or bat to be heard. My concern now was for our flight back to Maun in the afternoon to connect with our eventual flight from Jo'Burg to Atlanta. I really didn't want to fly in weather like we had today but the pilots in Botswana will fly through almost anything. My son informed me he wasn't going to go if it was like it was today...ok twist my arm and I'll stay a few extra days...but where? Its not like the Chitabe Hilton has a couple of spare rooms overlooking the pool. So I hope for the best as I go to sleep.
One more morning drive. I think about our time to date and realize if I never get back to Africa this has truly been the trip of a lifetime. I spend the evening writing in my journal not just the day's events but a list of safari firsts. My accounting goes well over 20 first time experiences that we have on this safari.
If all we see tomorrow is a few impala it wouldn't put a dent in our experience...we'll see...

eyelaser

Lynn, sorry but I have nothing to report on the injured leopard except to say he looked none the worse for wear after his missed attempt on the kudu. The difference in his body language from the day before to the day he made his leap was like night and day (no pun intended).
Regards,
Eric

eyelaser

Ok, a promise is a promise. Hopefully this works. I have uploaded only 6 pix of what I call the leopard leap. I have spent zero time post processing these and will get those versions up at some point. Hope you enjoy as much as I did.
Regards,
Eric
http://www.kodakgallery.com/BrowsePh...417&page=1

Kavey

I'm afraid your link won't work even if copied and pasted. There's an invite function on Kodakgallery, the best option is to use that to invite someone to view the entire gallery, but use your OWN email address. Then you will get an email containing a link that allows other people to visit your album.

eyelaser

I will try again when I get home from work today. Access is denied to photo sites from my office computer. Sorry, hope the wait is worth it.
Regards,
Eric

PredatorBiologist

Eric: just saw the pictures on their own thread - Incredible leopard leap!

I think I have figured out your magic with the leopards. Your reported sleeping sounds of a saw on a log matches up to the classic description of the leopards call. No wonder you keep having 3 concessions worth of leopard where you are. I'm going to try this myself in November, after a couple Castles and Windhoeks and perhaps a springbok or two I should be resonating a good leopard call myself

eyelaser

And I thought it was cute leopard boxers

eyelaser

What a storm! Lightning, thunder and rain all over. Somehow I managed to fall asleep. Jeffrey tells me in the morning that not an animal sound was heard for hours until the thunder ceased and then the reed frogs started their calling. Waking up a 4am I realized the power was out and found my way around using my flashlight. I peeked outside and it was still overcast with some patch clear areas. I was feeling a little better knowing we would probably be able to fly in decent weather.
I wanted to pack before breakfast so we could maximize our time out in case we were told we had to leave early. As it turned out we had a late flight so a full game drive and brunch was still on tap.
Our final breakfast of cereals, muffins and instant coffee fortified us for the final drive. Out at 5:45, unlike the night before when all the animals had gone into hiding all the usual suspects were out. Impalas, tsessebees, kudu, eles and an incredible number of giraffes in all sizes and shades. Phinley said he heard a cheetah had been sighted, I thought this morning, but maybe he said the night before in an area north east of the air strip. We had been there a couple of days before and it was really desolate and almost devoid of life.
I saw a vulture flying and then a bateleur and pointed this out to Phinley. Similar to this happening at L. Vumbura, Phinley acknowledged my observation, but I am sure he had seen them way in advance but chose to say nothing.
We found where the scavengers had landed but there was nothing around that seemed to interest them. So we continued on and after a bit saw another bateleur and a yellow billed kite flying around. We went to that area and came upon the partially eaten carcass of an impala and a juvenile bateleur having a feast. Another juvenile was perched on a branch just overhead...I couldn't figure out why it didn't just come down and join in the meal.
Apparently this kill was the deed of the cheetah from the previous night. I found out later another group from Chitabe Main Camp had arrived after the kill had been made at about 8pm at the height of the storm and was able to view the cheetah having its fill.
Leaving the kill and not returning is the cheetah's way and so it was not surprising it wasn't in the immediate vicinity. Well, we tried...we had been so lucky, it had to end. Driving a bit further we came to and elephant that seemed as interested in us as we were in him. We watched him for a while and then continued on. We drove another 10 minutes and then out of the blue Phinley says, "look, there she is!" He had seen a flick of a tail behind some bush and not only had we found a cheetah, we found 4! A mother and three 6 month old cubs. Wow! The three cubs saw us and decided to check us out. They all climbed a small, narrow termite mound to suss us out. Six eyes peering at us...what a sight. Mom, lay down a few meters to the side really unconcerned about these guys with long lenses snapping away. For forty-five minutes we had these guys to ourselves in a gorgeous setting. Once another vehicle joined in the 2 cubs that had remained on the mound came down as if to say, "you got your exclusive guys!" The four then headed to another more gently sloping mound and while we stayed in the distance capturing the scene two other vehicles came in close and I am sure got some nice pix as well. After they left we moved in a bit just to get a few close ups but so as not to stress them anymore we left.
Two days earlier a lioness had killed a juvenile giraffe and had stayed near it with 2 cubs. I thought I heard it was the same lioness that we followed on day one off the plane and was happy she had a successful hunt. We headed over and despite the fact they were obviously full up with giraffe fillet, they gave us a nice show and mugged for the camera.
Cheetahs with cubs, lions with cubs...I am truly in sensory overload. I am getting a bit emotional and having difficulty processing everything we have seen.
So we head back for camp but there is one surprise remaining...another leopard...our 6th different one in 3 days at Chitabe. When we arrived Phinley stopped the vehicle and we just waited. I guess I shouldn't have been surprised but the leopard meandered through the bush, under a fallen tree limb, came out into the now brilliant morning sun and stopped dead in its tracks not 3 meters to my left. I was mesmerized! The most beautiful leopard with it eyes staring directly into mine. I couldn't even lift my camera to capture the scene (thanks to my son it is memorialized however) but the memory is emblazened in my mind. She continues on, jumps up into the fork of a tree, down again and then back up another on to a branch about 3 meters up. I continue to fill up another compact flash card but miss a few spectacular jumps as I try to anticipate which lens to use and have my 300mm on when I really need to be wider. No matter, I am so content that I don't continue to berate myself. She comes down from the tree and we just let her go...its time, its time to head back.
We ride back in silence...the sensory overload is overwhelming. I have difficulty talking and just sit and try to process the past 9 days.
We get back to camp and head back to the room. I am walking ahead of my son and he asks if I am ok. I say "Not really" as I have a few heaves and tears flow.
In the land of tooth and claw I have renewed my spirituality. The Africa I love has delivered in a way I could have hardly imagined just over a week ago. I truly believe if I never get back to Africa this experience will last a lifetime.
We eat our final lunch and before we head out to the airstrip a herd of a dozen or so elephants, young and old are crossing the channel. It is the perfect send off, the image that will stay with me as I head back home.
But for me Africa is the Siren that draws me back and I am sure in time I will return.

Marija

Thanks for a great report!

GeoffG

Eric,

I think you summed up the feeling of many.

You feel it is perhaps the last visit but you always go back.

I have had that feeling so many times. It is an addiction with the only rehab' the African savanna itself.

Geoff.

GeoffG

Eric,

I forgot to ask. You mentioned lunch in the Duma Tau hide on the Linyanti river.

I was unaware that one was there.
I'm wondering if you meant the one facing west looking over Zib lagoon at head of the Savuti channel?

Geoff.

eyelaser

Thanks Geoff. Yes, that's the one. It was getting increasing difficult keeping everything straight. I appreciate you correcting me. I will eventually post photos and will make sure to include one of the hide and if you've been there it should look familiar.
Regards,
Eric

GeoffG

Eric,

I've never been in that hide but I've looked at it from the Selinda side of the Savuti channel hundreds of times.

I've also driven past it when I've stayed at Savuti camp.

Geoff.

GeoffG

Eric,

(I wish we could edit our posts)

I also meant to say that you would have seen the Linyanti river proper if you were near Kings pool.

The Zib lagoon & Selinda spillway are fed from the Kwando river.

You would have also seen Kubu lagoon which is not far from Duma Tau camp.

In the end it's all the same river system anyway.

Geoff.

atravelynn

You'll always have a mental picture of that honey badger. It's the ones we don't capture on camera that we seem to capture best with our brains.

You got your 2 leopard dream! How nice this wildlife abundant safari could be shared with your son.

MyDogKyle

What a beautiful report, thank you.

Dang, now I want to go to Botswana. I have been avoiding reading the Southern Africa trip reports for this very reason...