After a short flight back to Kasane and another long drive to our next lodge we just enjoyed the sunset
Fly-in-Safari
3rd Lodge: Baobab Safari Lodge, Botswana
(26.-29.09.2003)
[click on the pictures to enlarge]
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After a short flight back to Kasane and another long drive to our next lodge we just enjoyed the sunset |
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Baobab Lodge was situated close by the river Chobe - next to the entrance of the Chobe National Park so we expected quite a lot of game sightings. |
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In the first warming sunrays we saw this big buffalo - and behind the bushes a whole big herd of one of the "Big Five", probably 4 dozen buffalos - quite a sight ! |  |
| On the way back we were followed by a small group of Elephants - actually they even blocked the way back... |  |
They even threatened us when we backed up for a better view |
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Here
at Chobe we saw the typical tree of Botswana: the Baobab - it can store
hundrets of liters of water under its bark - the reason why they are
often damaged by Elephants during the dry period. Right: The banks of the river Chobe |
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| We enjoyed those magnificent views along the Chobe - which actually is the border to Namibia. On the Namibian side we could see huge flocks of different antelopes like these Impalas |
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Left:
a tree trunk felled probably by an Elephant and then fossilized |
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| The view from the lodge over the various arms of the Chobe was really beautiful |  |
Anytime you watched there were hundreds of different animals in sight |
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During all game drives we had to stop once in a while for some passing "walkers" - Frankolins (left) and guinea fowls cannot fly - and they always have to cross the way when you want to pass... |  |
| Another Impala |  |
Down on the banks of the river they still could find lots of fresh green... |
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In the evening some Elephants come down to the Chobe for a bath... |  |
| ... while we enjoyed the sundown |
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On
the way back to the lodge we passed a group of Giraffes even with a joung
one Right: One of the Genets that visited the lodge in the night for some snacks from the tourists |
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| Yeah ! The next morning finally brought us the first three lions ! An overwhelming sight - another one of the "Big Five" helping himself from a prey in the morning sun - always keeping an eye on us |
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| True love ? Well... but two friends helping each other washing up - later the boss took a nap in the shade. |
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Left:
two Nyala does Right: The big Kudu has the biggest and most impressive corkscrew antlers |
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| In spite of the dry period the trees along the banks of the Chobe were full of green |  |
And among them often lots of Baboons having the time of their life |
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Around noon we found another group of lions in the shade of some trees - looking at us as if asking if we wanted to play a bit with them... |  |
| Impalas and Kudus... |  |
...quite a difference in size |
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Left:
a Kudu doe with her satellite ears pointed towards us Right: the remnants of a Leopardīs lunch |
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| While we enjoyed a quiet lunch in the jeep hundreds of Elephants emerged from the woods taking their bath and enjoying the water. Some passed our car just within one or two meters - looking at us, evaluating us. We almost could feel their breaths - and looking into those dark peaceful eyes put you into a different world, time stood still.... One of the most valuable moments in all my life ! |
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Then the parents showed their offspring how to dislodge the grass from the hard ground (left) while a big swarm of birds passed overhead |  |
| Almost everyday we saw some warthogs - this one dozing in the midday heat |  |
Actually we got warthog for dinner twice during our whole tour - very tasty ! |
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Left:
Another crossing - this time an Oxpecker-carrying Giraffe Right: On the way back we found our friends once more |
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| While one was still in the shade the others were enjoying the last sunrays of the day - but one of them just had to get back into the shade when our car (plus eight others, since this was a holiday in Botswana it was quite busy there) was right between him and his buddy - so after taking a look he decided to cross the way just behind our jeep |
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| Golden Skies above Chobe river... |
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Left:
The colors of Africa - the nightsky even showed the half moon, but in
quite a different angle than we are used to Right: On the way back to Kasane Airport we saw our first (and only) Ostriches. Well... Bye bye Chobe |
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