HariS

First, as usual my Many Thanks to everyone at the Kwando camps for all the warm hospitality. My friend and guides Spencer and Moeti as usual for all the great guiding and keen sense of enthusiasm and genuine work ethic. I don't have enough words of appreciation.

A word about the camps themselves......... Little Kwara was wonderful as always with Lizzie firmly in charge of the camp and all the warm hospitality and professionalism.

Lebala was fantastic with Charles now in charge - what a great choice, indeed!!! His sense of enthusiasm for the bush and game viewing reflects the current camp atmosphere. Fantastic!!! No better dinner seat than the one between Charles and Spencer.

Lagoon with Lebo in charge with all the genuine hospitality and the always great camp setting with lanterns at night. She also has her staff trained very professionally and I can't comment enough about how well they do maintain the camp in "spotless" condition.

Indeed, Thank You to everybody ................

HariS

The week prior to the trip was nothing but tension - with the Botswana consulate not giving me any idea about the status of my visa. They held onto my passport for a full 3 weeks with no firm answer. Why this type of step-motherly attitude towards Indian citizens is beyond comprehension. Given all the hype about the exclusivity of Botswana and the like this type of attitude is not acceptable.

As time was running out, I then had to take the matter up with Kwando's office and I had to use their help to push the matter on. Finally the visa was done just in the nick of time.

HariS

Little Kwara is a great camp. Very well run by Lizzie - Botswana Day celebrations were fantastic. The setting for dinner that day was the open flood plains adjacent to the Hippo pool. Probably the best dinner setting I've had at any of the Kwando camps in all my trips. The staff and their enthusiasm ensured that the full camp had a great time. Steve and his choir do get the guests involved in the song and dance participation after dinner. Good times. Another huge positive - refreshing new BRUNCH menus at Little Kwara and plenty of fresh vegetables. A highlight is a spinach salad from Lizzie's kitchen.

The weather towards the end of September was nothing short of a disaster. It was dark, damp and gloomy - looked more like Manchester than Dry season Botswana. What was also amazing was the water all around after the annual floods. There are so many waterways and channels that it was beyond recognition. A big sand bank is constructed so that the air strip is not flooded. It was also just the start of the rains, that even though it was only light rains the light didn't ever clear up the entire time I was there save the last morning.

The days at Kwara was more game viewing oriented than photography. The only salvaging moment(wrt photography) was on my final morning and suddenly the sky cleared up and I got the chance to photograph a big Male Lion walking through the papyrus.

Fortunately, I took a video camera along - If ever, I figure out how to edit the footage and learn the art of You Tube - I will post them. Did get Spencer to film the dogs eating the impala carcass - all 12 minutes unedited!!!! and without shake.

HariS

Game viewing at Little kwara ....... the general game was really patchy IMHO. With all the water around, it was spread around. Although, all the usual Plains game were around it really wasn't upto potential. What was amazing was ...... Buffalo the usual dry season speciality at Kwara was not to be seen. We only saw two edgy Dagga Boys one morning. Giraffe viewing was good as ever ......... Zebra viewing was sub-par given the very high Kwara standards.

Predators seen:

Wild Dog: A pack of 7 was viewed for most of the days we were at Kwara. 6 males and a female. They really looked like they wanted to make use of the territory as they were very busy scent marking all over. They also ran in different directions while they were hunting and really didn't seem to know their way around. More misses than hits - but one evening they did bring an impala down. A memorable sighting where we were with the dog that made the kill. He ran and brought the rest of the pack to the meal and they polished it off in 12 minutes. Yes, I timed it!!!

I do believe the Khwai pack has split up into many fragments and this is one of the packs.

Leopard: We saw a half shy male Leopard. He was just starting to relax when the second vehicle arrived and he just bolted away. Either way, the light was bad. Although, it still keeps my Leopard sighting at Kwara in perfect shape.

Cheetahs: The Tsum Tsum Boys are hidden in the TT plains that have very very limited access. Just getting there is an adventure in itself.

Did have two sightings of the Female cheetah with the 4 surviving cubs. Believe it or not - they are joined by a young male cheetah (believed to be from her previous litter). Quite bizarre........ but, this Mama's boy is not camera friendly. He is skittish and every time he edged away, the normally okay cubs would follow him. They did get a scrub hare that one morning. A good sighting, indeed!!!


Lions:

Did see only 3 of the Magnificent 7. One by himself and two others with Mrs.One Eye (can't believe she's still around!!!!). Saw various other groups of Lions - mostly in groups of 2s and as Lions always do ...... usually sleeping. That Male Lion walking through the papyrus was really a highlight of the whole Kwara stay.

Didn't do the boat trip this time as the weather was mostly gloomy and not the ideal conditions for the boat trip.

In summary, the Dogs really were the highlight ............ Only to be topped by what followed in Lebala.

HariS

As we flew over the mopane to Lebala we could see water in the pans, along with ELEPHANTS. Also, just before we landed at Lebala - we saw an ELAND from the air by one of the pans. Another first!!!

Already mentioned the Lebala camp with Charles in Charge. Two days, he was guiding too - with Spencer, Charles and Hobbs (in relief duty) - the atmosphere was sublime. (Debates and comedy ensued when we were discussing the various members of the wild dog packs and their pack details)

Lebala - the game viewing was dominated by VERY GOOD WILD DOG viewing. Hobbs was one of the guides at Lebala and with him around it was always going to be WILD DOG sightings ........... On October 3rd we tracked for 4 hours (Spencer/Mr.Moe/Hobbs/Bowman) just to find the Southern Pack (a fragment of the once mighty Selinda pack) at TWIN POOLS with 9 puppies. 4 males and two females in this pack. They were then seen many many times as they moved more and more NORTH and were seen everywhere from John's Pan to Letchwe Corner to Steve's pan and Wild Dog Pan. Many many wild dog hunts and bundu bashing game drives....... watching the puppies play ..... the greeting rituals ....... the regurgitating the meat ..... the baby sitting ..... the running to the carcass etc etc.,

With the Dogs providing most of the action - it only made sense to keep up with them every morning and see what they were upto. This is the best Dog viewing I've had and learnt quite a lot. Was also very very lucky - as the puppies are just moving around short distances. In a month or two they can be on the concession one day and ways away the next day. May not have been able to see them on every drive. There were also a few good clear days, so was pretty HAPPY.

Another highlight with this pack - on my last afternoon drive. I invited the new co-manager Nikki on the drive. She hadn't been on drive in the area. What a drive it would prove to be and a great last full drive. We hunted with the dogs at White Plains (if there's one easy place to follow hunting dogs) it would be White Plains ...... they brought down an impala (one of the dogs - Terminator ex Lagoon pack) in the small mopane patch adjacent to the new airstrip. Terminator then went to fetch the pack and the puppies and they were all feeding. Suddenly on the scene appeared two HYENAS. One stole a piece of meat only to be hounded by the dogs that kept biting his rear. He then went under Hobbs' URI. Pandemonium ensued ...... when another Hyena came onto the scene and they chased each other under all 3 URIS. If all this wasn't enough - an Elephant kept trumpeting as she wasn't happy with all the chaos. No photos this evening as it was dark and gloomy and almost pitch dark.

A word about Terminator. He is one of the original members of the current Lagoon Pack that formed around 2005 that did den deep into the mopane. He is often the baby sitter now as he isn't the alpha male. Yet, he is still a great hunter although age does show on him.

With Hobbs around, it is always WILD DOGS. One day, when we were tracking the dogs and puppies - we get a radio call from Hobbs that he was with hunting dogs ............. and we raced across only to discover the other "southern pack" - pack of 6 with no puppies. They missed that morning and rested at Nari pan. Not far away, the transfer vehicle from Lagoon to Lebala found the pack with Puppies at Steve's Pan. Now we had the option to hunt with either pack that afternoon. We chose the more desperate pack - the one with pups for the afternoon drive. They hunted in deep Kalahari apple leaf that day. We saw them chase a big female kudu and then we lost them ..... trying to find them, we bump into two waking Lionesses!!!! Another first ............

Unfortunately, the pack lost one puppy two days ago. Hyenas the main suspect as they have been trailing the dogs all week.

HariS

Reasonable general game at Lebala. Kudu, Zebra, wildebeest, giraffe, letchwe, tsessebe - viewing all decent.

Elephant viewing - only maybe 20% of true potential. Some good size herds mud bathing etc etc.,

Buffalo viewing - apparently there were big herds of 1500 before the rains. None by the time I got there. Saw 5 bulls around the Lagoon airstrip.

two skittish roan. 1 skittish sable (the consolation - a big majestic bull)

The highlight first time viewing was a 45 minute sighting of a relaxed Caracal. Clicked several photos out of excietement although the light was bad as ever!

A relaxed Hippo bull out of the water - and in good light!

Game viewing in camp was good too ...... a small herd of Elephant every afternoon. A Porcupine spotted by the waitress in the middle of dinner.

A rock Python between tent 3 and 4.

Another highlight at Lebala was watching a glorious Full moon from arond the Baobab tree. Moon-Upper instead of a sun downer. Yet another, first!!!

One day at Morning Tea, we got peed on by the Giant Eagle Owl up in the tree. Another first!!!

The Eastern side of the concession already hit by the floods in 2008 - continues to submerge into 2009 and beyond.

Twin Pools....... first time ever, have I seen Water next to the famous Sundowner spot. ........ Lots of water and still rising/flowing in. Call it the floods/changes in techtonic plates if you must........

The traditional one sublime Leopard drive continues this trip at Lebala. Mysteriously, the skies cleared and we stayed with him through the morning drive until 11AM. First time, have I seen a Leopard pose from a termite mound! He hates the sound of you gulping water from your water bottle. He will hiss at you, when he hears that noise of you gulping water. Something I did, out of thirst!!!

Saw many other Leopards - but, they were all not as relaxed as this guy.

The BOYS OF LAGOON cheetah coalition is the most unpredictable cheetah we have seen. We tracked them one morning through difficult conditions(some early morning rain etc etc.,) as they sent Mr.Moe on a wild goose chase. Found them 20 minutes too late, as they had just brought down a fully grown female Tsessebe.

Now if you think, after that meal they stay still for two days .......... THINK AGAIN. They sent Mr.Moe on another wild goose chase. Having trekked 10 plus KMS on a full belly scent marking the terittory. Then, when you think they are hungry 2-3 days later and will hunt - they sleep from 6 AM until the light fades and start marking again and send you on another witch hunt.

We switched to Lagoon for two nights to follow them. Normal people would go to Lagoon to see the Lagoon pack!

One day, when Mr.Moe had to go on another goose chase - we saw tracks of a single male cheetah in the area ....... HELL BROKE LOOSE. The three boys split seperate ways, walked up and down their entire territory scent marking and calling all over. We were following one of the males and Dijou the Lagoon guide was following another one. No one knows the whereabouts of the 3rd one.

We then returned to Lebala - but, only got patchy updates of cheetah calls and single sets of tracks. We need to await official Kwando game reports to see the outcome of this drama.

Hope they are okay. As they are not your "normal" coalition.

Overall, these were all bizarre cheetah sightings. Yet, in recent times - I have been spoilt by daily cheetah. Back to reality!!!! not this time.

Lots of "Tracking Time" required for these boys. Fortunately, we didn't need to break our 6 hour marthon Trek of October 2008.

Lion viewing on the Kwando concession - saw the Two resident males (useless ones) twice. Once sleeping in the heat of the day on Zebra road. Second time yesterday morning near the airstrip in the cool of the morning, again sleeping.

Two Lionesses, when we bumped into them following the dogs in the Kalahari apple leaf. After dark, we couldn't follow the dogs - so watched them drink incredible amounts of water from the pan across from the baobab tree.

Another shy Lioness that ran off into the mopane one morning. Didn't bother following her.

HariS

Lagoon pack is doing well and running wild. They made a kill in front of Tent 1 - two days after we left Tent 1 and returned to Lebala.

Pack is 11 adults and 8 pups. I didn't see them, as they were far from Lagoon the two days I went up there for cheetah.

The Southern Pack - as I awaited my Moremi Air flight yesterday morning - we heard from Hobbs on the radio that the pack was about to head into the Selinda Reserve. They were at Motswiri Pan.

THE END

matnikstym

Great report Hari! Thanks!

Lillipets

With the lousy weather you could have ended up with a safari that "went to the dogs" in a bad way. Instead, you ended up with a safari that went to the dogs in a good way!

safarichuck1

Thanks Hari, a wonderful report. In fact, I'm going to read it over again
Regards-Chuck

divewop

Kill in front of Lagoon Tent #1. That was my tent when I stayed there! (Got my favorite tents at the camps!)

Great trip report, Hari! Sounds like the Kwando staff is doing well. Should have told you to say hi to Hobbs for me!

What was up with the weather? Were the rains unusual for this time of year? I thought it was supposed to be dry season.

Was Janet at LK? And where was Keya(sp)?

atravelynn

Hari,

I read the thrilling conclusion over here. This is one place where you can share your excitement of being peed on by a Giant Eagle Owl, knowing you'll have an equally excited audience!

I hope the territories are large enough for the coalition of cheetahs and this newcomer and that all this testerone catches the attention of any females in the area.

Thanks for a great report. Take your time with photos, but looking forward to them.

LAleslie

Despite the weather (weird!), sounds like you had a grand time as usual. Lagoon was our favorite camp of our last trip to Bots. Are all the Kwando managers Botswanans? And what's up with the visas and India?

LAleslie

Hari, also meant to ask if Lagoon has indeed been refurbished as I'd read.

HariS

Thanks all for the kind comments.

Sandy: I didn't see Janet, but, I hear she is one of the Co-managers along with Thuso at Main Kwara. I saw Thuso at the airstrip when he went out on leave. Don't really know where Keya is - but, missed that extra spark of energy that he brings to LK.

The weather is really weird with the current wet cycle in Botswana. Imagine the rains in June. Very weird. To think that I was in Bots exact same time last year. The difference was chalk and cheese. Last year, was blue skies every day (haze on a few days from the Namibian fires). No clouds. Cool mornings (animals active a bit longer) and really hot and dry days. This year was awful where there was only a few clear days (no golden light though) and two days where I had the ponchos on the entire morning. Not ideal - but, this is the current wet cycle in Bots. Hot and humid evenings - can hardly sleep at night. Pretty warm.

Thanks Lynn. Will take some time with the pics. I am looking through the videos first.

LAleslie - No Lagoon hasn't had the refurb as yet. I do believe that all the managers at the moment are Batswana.

The visas - Botswana requires Indian citizens to have a visa prior to arrival. I have no problem with that - but their staff at the consulate have no idea about what, how, when etc etc., and really give you the goose chase. It really was a night mare this time. I also think it has to do with new staff at the consulate. Air Bots won't allow me to board the flight without a valid visa - so, there's no on arrival stuff.

Cheers
Hari

atravelynn

That's nice that the camp staff got involved in your visa situation. Nice but unbelievable that something like that would be ncecessary.

DonTopaz

Another excellent report of an excellent trip, Hari -- thanks! It seems like even when the animal viewing is limited, the Kwando guiding staff makes up for the paucity of four-legged adventures.

Good luck with the video editing. I found that it takes a lot more time and patience than I would have thought (we're creatures of experience -- photos take almost no time at all), but the eventual results are worth the time and learning. Watching the video several months later -- seeing the animals move, hearing the sounds of the bush, and knowing that you were shooting the video -- now that's a special treat!

HariS

Thanks, Rizzuto.

napamatt_2

Hari

Welcome back, great report, jealous of the dogs, what a great trip. Remember in low light your video camera really scores where the still camera's have long been put away, the video is still producing brilliant images.

cw

Hari,

Your report is so interesting in recording the immense differences from one year to the next. I'm glad that the trip was a success anyway and that you've found the places that call you back every year.

I wonder how the early rains, coming upon the already still flooded area will change the geography next year.

Love your story about the leopard hissing when you gulped water. Guess that's a sound that he didn't like. Look forward to seeing photos.