Holiday in Botswana 2008

Part 1

The Journey

We set out from Port Alfred on 23th April 2008. After a few days in Jhb, a night in Maun, 6 nights in Okuti Lodge, we came back to Jhb for another night. We returned to Port Alfred on 5 May.

The 7 strong Okuti Safari team was made up of:

* Floss and John Howden (Floss is Les’s sister.)

* Genny Wragge and her son Frank and sister, Karen (Genny and Floss went to school together)

* Les and Billy

NB We all contributed to the photos (either taking or posing)

DestinationOkuti in Moremi Game Reserve

Okuti Camp is next door to Xakanaka

From PE to JHB

• We caught a plane to Jhb after having lunch with Sean in Port Elizabeth

• The new harbour at Ngura (Koega) just outside Port Elizabeth is massive

• Bad photo of our Air Botswana plane that was 3 hours late.

Reason? Two planes were needed to complete their flight commitments around the country and only one was available – the other had technical problems. So we started out with misgivings . . . !

Bored and irritated passengers!

Give us a smile!!!

• Moremi Game Reserve

Coming in to land at Moremi game reserve

Here at last!

These 2 planes transported us from Maun to Moremi

Part 2

Okuti Camp

Holiday in Botswana 2008

Okuti camp

• A lodge in the Moremi Game Reserve in north Botswana• Capacity - 18 guests• It is made up of several ‘tents’ linked by wooden walkways.• The tents are made from metal arches, covered in canvas.

Inside - mostly reeds, separated from the canvas by insulation material.

• The tents overlook the river.• The camp is not fenced – animals do visit • The tents are vast caverns –

cool (cold) at night & warm (hot) during the day.

The front of the tent bungalows

The walkway linking the tents

This is elephant poo!

The Entrance hall

The Bird hide – also used for special romantic meals

Entertainment deckfor communal sitting and relaxing

• The pool – for cooling off and water aerobics

Communal dining area

The ‘Tent’ Front door Balcony

nKGWE eBO kWEBU

Turd – elephant or hippo?

Inside the TentNB Mosquito nets

Inside the TentAfternoon sun streaming in

• Optional outside shower attached to each dwelling

• Also one inside

Holiday in Botswana 2008

Part 3

Routines in Okuti Camp

Daily schedule

6.00 am - Wake up call/ morning tea

6.30 am - Breakfast

7.00 – 10.30 am – Game drive*

11.30 am – Lunch

12.30 – 3.00 pm Siesta (Not optional)

3.30 - 6.00 pm - Game drive*

7.30 pm - pre-diner drinks

8.00 pm - Supper

* or river cruise

MEALSHelp yourself breakfast and lunch

Choose your Supper• Meat or vegetarian?

Relaxing before and after supper around the fire

Botswana 2008

Part 4 Camp visitors

The camp had no external fence.

In a game reserve it would be reasonable to assume that animals would visit the camp – they did!

We were told that when returning to our tents after dark we should ask a game guard to accompany us – just in case.

It was difficult to take this advice seriously, but after the first night we realized that it was entirely appropriate.

Night one wake up call

• Heard elephant and hippo grazing just in front of the tent – 2 - 3 metres away.

• Floss and John had an elephant grazing leaves off the tree on their verandah.

• Another visitor had an elephant bashing the railing on the verandah with its trunk.

• The camp manager asked if any one had heard

lion wandering around the camp.

There’s something in the bush - but what???

Visit from a bushbuck in the middle of the day

Back scratching

• In the middle of the night, a hippo decided to go on a walk-about. The walkway was in his way, so he flexed is back muscles. The result…. A very loud noise and a broken walkway!

Gat in die pad!

Another outcome …. A conversation piece!

One evening we returned from an afternoon drive to find an elephant next to the parking area.

It moved off and . ..

Some of us went to get a closer look but without success

Floss was a little anxious and sprinted up to the walkway to tell the camp manager.

He soon ushered us back to the pub where, as usual, Molly was waiting to serve us drinks.

Part 5

The Animals

Holiday in Botswana 2008

Variety

• We saw many different animals. Because the water level was relatively high, they were not that easy to find.

Our Check list

• Elephant

• Hippo

• Crocodiles

• Snakes

• Leguan

•Buffalo

•Lion

•Impala

•Water Buck

•Zebra

•Letchwe

•Hyena

Elephant

Plenty

Herd

Elephant crossing

Mommy and Junior

Get off my road!

Giraffe - toiletries

Zebra

Buffalo

Herd of about 200

Provided a steady diet for Lions

Buffs grazing the long grass

Hippo

Big, noisy, strange toilet

habits

Hippos in the backgroundtoilet tree on the right

At the hippo pool

eBushbuck‘Sorry Darling, I have a headache’

Impala

It was the start of the rutting season. So we

saw females and youngsters, with single

rams in charge.

Also lots of rams butting heads!

Impala ram

His hareem

Young impala

What can you hear?

Baboons

Lion

• We were fortunate to see several lion

• Individually and in packs, lolling around and on the move.

Sharing a Lion

Sniffing around

‘I know she is here some

where’Ah, there she is!

Lyin’ in the long grass

Found her

Checking out the vehicle

Lying around

Cubs having fun

Keeping an eye on the stolen leopard kill in the bush on her left. She eventually decided

that it needed much closer attendence

Billy’s Lion pic

John’s Lion pic

How do you handle a lion if it is so close?

Gently!

Holiday in Botswana 2008

Part 6

The Birds

Birds at Okuti

• Birds formed an increasing part of the Okuti experience.

• James, the guide had such excellent eyes, and was so knowledgeable that one couldn’t help but get interested.

• Les and Billy added 50 new birds to their bird list (i.e. never seen before in their birding career)

• Photos are limited – we didn’t have the right equipment but this will give you some idea.

Crake strolling around looking for crumbs

European roller Fish eagle

Little bee eater

Sacred Ibis

The star of the show – the illusive Pels fishing owl

Grey hooded Kingfisher

Saddlebill stork

Some of the new birds seen(with thanks to various photographers on the internet)

Which is the flying Chillipepper and which is the flying Banana?

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/90/281458492_00e4d8d170.jpg?v=0

Holiday in Botswana 2008

PART 7:

Other Interesting moments

The River

• Game drive or river cruise – those were the options.

• We went on one river cruise and a spent a few hours on the mokoras. It wasn’t a journey to see things, but rather to experience the tranquility of travelling in Africa without any bumps!

• And the sunsets! Fantastic!

African version of a gondolier – the mokora poler

Exploring channels in Makoras

Some of the team Genny, Billy, Karen, James, Frank, Les

Going. . .

Going. . .

Gone

Les’s Birthday

• Les managed to get her birthday to coincide with our visit. This produced many surprises!

Les’s Birthday cake

Party on Les’s birthday

Enthusiastic Song and Dance entertainment from the staff

Sundowners

usually at about 5.30. we stopped for snacks and drinks, where ever

we were

On Les’s birthday we had champagne

Frank was the official champagne opener and distributor

Toasting the birthday girl

Sundowners at the hippo pool

James stuck to ginger ale

Hippos wallowing

Hippo pool

Sun on its journey home

Going . . .

Going . ..

Going . . .

Holiday in Botswana 2008

Part 8

The Journey home

Final team photoKaren, Genny, John, Floss, Les James, Billy, Frank

Saying cheers to James,

a gentleman with incredible

knowledge!

He said ‘I am going to miss your group.’

Was that a compliment?

Views of the countryside

Maun landing strip

Robbie being persuaded to pose

All smiles after an excellent holiday

How do you handle a lion if it is so close?

Gently!

Nearly home and then a half hour hold up at Kenton

Arrived home safely and please to have enjoyed a unique African experience