Alone in Southern Africa for two months

Section 2

First 12 Days on Safari

Next came the two week Karibu Safari. It started with a flight from Johannesburg to Maun in Botswana. Then by this huge vehicle and small dugouts to Okavango Delta, Savuti, Chobe National Park, and other game viewing spots throughout Botswana and Zimbabwe. Included were a short flight over the Okavango, a couple hours of cruising on the Zambesi River, fly over and walk around the Victoria Falls, etc., etc. There were just four of us with a guide and driver. We had this super huge vehicle that could and did go where jeeps would never make it. We saw hundreds of elephants, wildebeests, giraffe, hippopotamus, warthogs, zebras all over the place, ostriches, buzzards, and thousands of all species of antelopes (Springboks, Steenbok, Impala, Roan Antelope, Sable Antelope, Gemsbok, Buffalo, Kudu, Bushbuck, Eland, Reedbuck, and the Duiker.). Yup, we caught up with and followed a pride of 3 males and 5 females lions as they meandered and laid down every so often over a 3 mile trek. We did spot and spend a short while looking at a leopard lazily taking it easy in a large tree. One of the sorrowful sights was a dead elephant that we came across that had obviously been killed by poachers, since the tusks were gone. We made up our small tents each night and slept inside with our sleeping bags. The weather was perfect, with clear skies and temperatures around the 80's all the time.

The photo quality in all the chapters is not so good. All the photos were orignally on slides. I had to convert them from the slide to the .jpg format, using a slide scanner.

Much of Botswana is barren land. But there are small communities here and there as you drive around. Typical of the housing are these round mud and grass roofed buildings.	Swimming in the Okavanga Delta. Crocodiles, you bet, but not here and not today. Phew!
Ant hills? You bet. Here is one of the large ones that we came across.	On an island in the Delta, we had our tents all set up. Siesta time, of course, from about 12 noon after lunch until about 3 pm.
Transportation to our island site on the Okavanga Delta was by these dugouts. Not bad, either, and smooth sailing.	Just had to have my photo taken at one of the signs by the entrance to the park.
Here I am standing in front of the super large vehicle used for this safari. It could and did go everywhere.	Sign at the entrance to the Chobe National Park. This is the one that really had the animals.
Driving along the Zambesi River we came across the large herd of elephants. We gave them thr right of way.	One of my best photos of an elephant. He was just standing there eating away, not paying attention to us.
Zebras, zebras everywhere. Thousands all over southern Africa. And, mixed in with the Wildabeast herds, they make a moving photo.	We really lucked out finding this pride of lions. There were several females with their offspring. They didn't pay much attention to us, and mosied on their way stopping every so often to lie down. We followed them for at least a mile.
The only leopard we saw on this trip was sitting in a tree with its game catch. It yawned a couple of times and moved to another branch.	Cruising in style on the Zambezi River. Saw lots of rhinos and elephants in the river.
From our small plane flying over the Victoria Falls. Amazing sight. Flat land forever, and then this one gully making up the falls about a mile long. Its river then does flow off on an easterly course to the Indian Ocean.	Information plaque concerning the Victoria Falls Looking down at the water rushing over the falls.
I crossed the border to Zambia to get this photo right next to the falls. That is water behind me.	Standing on the Zimbabwe side directly across from the falls. The mist was really heavy, and before I left I was soaked to the gills. It was beautiful sunshing and warm weather, but the mist came down like rain.
During both safaris, this is typical of the tents and camping layout.	So, let's continue with about 3 weeks of driving all over southern Africa. Just click on the arrow Created by that great traveler, 20 July 2001 Updated 22 June 2002, 17 January 2006 by Lester Gideon