September 3-15, 2011
Safari Leaders: Andy Biggs and James Weis

Mountain gorilla baby

In September 2011, Andy Biggs and James Weis will lead a private group of photographers to Kenya and Rwanda. The safari will focus on photographing the critically endangered mountain gorillas of Rwanda and the amazing array of predators and herds in Kenya’s Masai Mara. This safari combines some of Africa’s finest wildlife photography experiences, superb accommodation, and expert guiding. We have selected these two locations in order to create a private safari geared specifically toward serious photography and game viewing.

"Silverback" mountain gorilla in Rwanda

Safari Highlights
• Three private treks to photograph the endangered mountain gorillas in Rwanda. Group sizes for these treks are 8 people only, so we will have two groups of eight for each day in Rwanda. Once we reach the gorilla family, our time is limited to one hour only, so we will spend three days in Rwanda.
• Spending time in the company of the lovely mountain gorillas is perhaps one of the most dramatic, thrilling and poignant wildlife experiences possible.
• Expert guides will accompany us for the gorilla treks. We will also have the services of trackers (who will locate the gorillas) and porters to help carry gear.
• Game drives in the private Olare Orok Conservancy (where our camp is located), bordering the Masai Mara to the north. Unlike the Mara itself, this reserve is private to the very few camps located here, so we will not experience the larger crowds present inside the Mara proper. This said, we will have the option of driving into the Mara each day if we decide to, although the game viewing is as good or better in the Orok. We will also have the option of returning to camp after dark since we are not subject to the rules of the National Park.
• We have private vehicles for the Kenya safari game drives, with only 1 person per row of seating (the vehicles have either 2 or 3 rows behind the driver, plus a seat next to the driver if you want to be lower down to the ground.) The vehicles are open 4×4 vehicles, allowing for unhindered movement for photography.
• Private and exclusive use of the safari camp in Kenya and the gorilla lodge in Rwanda.
• Safari is limited to 14 participants, plus Andy and James.
• Private air charters between Nairobi and our private camp in the Masai Mara region.
• Extra luggage allowances to accommodate the special needs of our photographic equipment. The Nairobi-Mara charter flights will allow for an average of 288 pounds per person (including body weight). For Rwanda, we will get quite close to the gorillas, so only a mid-range zoom and a wide angle lens are recommended. We have a secure storage lockup in Nairobi to leave behind our long lenses and other equipment during our journey to Rwanda. The weight allowance for our flights between Nairobi and Rwanda is 66 pounds (luggage only) plus a carry-on.
• This itinerary focuses on up-close and real wildlife experiences from the surroundings of premier accommodations.

Cheetah mom and cubs

IS THIS SAFARI FOR YOU?
Here are some key points to help you decide:
1. We welcome photographers of ALL levels. This safari will be conducive to learning from one another and offer an experience that will suit everyone’s photographic needs.
2. We are BIG on photographing in the field. We will spend most our time and effort on safari / photographic activities and making images.
3. Non-photographer or videographer spouses / travel companions will love this safari. The wildlife experiences on this trip will appeal to anyone with a love for animals and nature.

Maasai tribesmen

THE ITINERARY

03-04 September 2011; (1 night)
NORFOLK HOTEL – Nairobi, Kenya

On your arrival in Nairobi, you will be met by our local representative, who will assist you across the terminal and to check in at the hotel. We will meet up as a group and dinner will be at a nearby restaurant (cost of which is included).

The Norfolk Hotel has played a leading role in Kenya’s colorful history (the original being first opened in 1904) and it continues to be Nairobi’s finest and best-known luxury hotel. Today, the hotel offers accommodations in 165 guest rooms and suites, has eight conference rooms, a heated outdoor swimming pool, a health club with gym, sauna and steam room, a beauty salon, book shop and gift shops.

On the morning of the 4th, our group will transfer back to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport the next morning, where we catch our scheduled flight to Kigali, Rwanda.

04-07 September 2011; (3 Nights)
SABYINYO SILVERBACK LODGE – Virunga Mountains / Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda

Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge

On arrival in Kigali, we will be met by our local representatives, who brief us and then take us on a tour of the genocide memorial in Kigali. Afterwards we will proceed by road to Ruhengeri and Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge, which we will occupy exclusively for the next three nights. Dinner at the lodge.

The lodge is situated in the foothills of the mighty Virungas, the chain of 15,000-ft volcanoes stretching through Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Accommodation comprises five double cottages, two suites and one family suite. All are stone buildings with Rwandese terra cotta tile roofs, and feature large sitting areas, fireplaces, stylish en-suite bathrooms finished with Venetian plaster, a dressing room and a sheltered veranda. Heat exchangers in the fireplaces provide a plentiful supply of hot water.

The main lodge building comprises reception, sitting room with snug area, dining room, library / games room, a responsible tourism / community awareness room, shop and bathrooms. Two patio areas afford wonderful and dramatic views to the Virunga Volcanoes and the surrounding lowland farmland.

Mountain gorilla family in Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda

05 September
• Early breakfast and drive to the park offices, where we will have a briefing by our trackers and then drive to the beginning of the trail.
• From there we will begin our trek up the path to meet up with the gorillas — (see important information on gorilla trekking below).
• Upon sighting the gorillas, we will stay with them for a magical hour before returning to the base where our driver will be waiting for us.
• Lunch at the Lodge.
• This afternoon we offer an optional tour to the ex-poachers’ village, where we will learn about the traditional methods of fire-making, archery, traditional medicine, traditional dances and other local customs.
• Dinner back at the Lodge.

06 September
• Up early again for our second morning up to see the gorillas, this time a different family of gorillas will be visited.
• Lunch at the Lodge.
• This afternoon we have the option of a visit to the nearby local markets or a scenic drive to visit the twin lakes of Burera and Ruhondo.
• Dinner back at the Lodge.

07 September
• Our third and last morning of gorilla trekking, where we will visit yet another family of gorillas.
• Lunch at the Lodge.
• This afternoon we drive to Kigali for an overnight.

Mountain gorilla in Rwanda

GORILLA TRACKING INFORMATION
The gorillas you will track in Volcanoes National Park will belong to one of five ‘habituated’ family groups, The Susa Group (38 individuals), The Sabinyo Group (11 individuals), Group Thirteen (18 individuals), the Amahoro A Group (15 Individuals), or the Umubano Group (8 Individuals). Eight permits per day are issued for each group. Gorilla groups tend to move around a lot and their home ranges often overlap.

For many years, these groups have undergone an extremely delicate process that has gradually made them used to the presence of humans and allowed a few privileged visitors to interact with them briefly in the wild.

The gorillas are by no means tame. They are completely wild animals, which even now tolerate human presence for an hour a day at most. Experienced guides will accompany you on your tracking, many of whom have been involved in the habituation process themselves. These guides will brief you in detail on your arrival on the various aspects of ‘gorilla etiquette’, but the information contained in this set of guidelines is to help you arrive for your track well prepared and ready to enjoy this unique opportunity to the full.

Visitors may track for as many days as they like, on purchase of the required number of gorilla permits. The permits are in extremely short supply, and are often booked as much as 18 months in advance. Only persons over the age of 15 are allowed to track the gorillas.

Gorilla tracking is a year-round activity, with no season as such. The rain forest is moist, and it rains very often in Volcanoes National Park, even in the dry season. Tracking commences every morning from the park headquarters at 8:30 AM. There is a daily maximum of 8 visitors to each gorilla group, and each group is accompanied by a guide and by porters who will carry your shoulder pack for you. The gorillas cover large distances overnight, and they are never constantly in one area. The guides will use their knowledge of the gorillas’ habits and information from the previous day to locate the group’s whereabouts.

Because of this, the time taken to track the gorillas varies enormously, from as little as half an hour to as much as 9 hours before returning to camp. The terrain is extremely difficult, with steep trails (often steeper than a flight of stairs) covered in dense vegetation that gives the park its name. In addition, the altitude of 5200 feet and more means participants do need to be physically fit to enjoy the track.

Once the gorillas are located, your group will be allowed a maximum of one hour with them. After this, you will return to the park headquarters and your camp.

Relaxed gorilla

07-08 September 2011; (1 Night)
KIGALI SERENA HOTEL – Kigali, Rwanda

Tonight we will stay at the Kigali Serena and dine at one of its restaurants.

Ideally located on one of Kigali’s most charming boulevards, the five-star Kigali Serena Hotel is built around a polished granite atrium, which showcases the very best of Rwandese cultural art. Relaxed yet elegant, the hotel centres on the Executive Lounge and Bar, which opens onto a wide sun deck overlooking the newly refurbished swimming pool. Also overlooking the pool, the popular Milima Restaurant offers a wide range of all-day buffet choices, while the relaxed Sokoni Café offers inside and outside pool side seating.

08-09 September 2011; (1 Night)
NORFOLK HOTEL – Nairobi, Kenya

This morning we will be transferred to the Kigali Airport in time to catch our scheduled flight back to Nairobi.

On arrival in Nairobi, we will be met and transferred back to the Norfolk Hotel, where we will overnight before heading on to the Masai Mara the next day.

Dinner is again at the hotel.

09-15 September 2011; (6 Nights)
MARA PLAINS CAMP – Olare Orok Conservancy, Masai Mara region, Kenya

Mara Plains Camp - main area

On the morning of the 9th, we will be transferred to Wilson Airport, where we will catch our private charter flight to Mara Plains Camp.

Mara Plains is located on the northern border of the Masai Mara Game Reserve in the Olare Orok Conservancy. Rarely a night passes without lion roaring nearby, while leopard are regularly found to wander through the camp and cheetah have established territories on the savannah off the main area.

Mara Plains Camp is a small, high quality, seven-roomed camp under canvas and on raised decks with sweeping views across Kenya’s notable savannahs. It is among the smallest and most personal camps in the Mara region. As one of just three camps currently operating within the Conservancy, which boasts the region’s lowest vehicle density, no mini-buses and only one guest room per 700 acres. It is possible to avoid the high tourist density of the Masai Mara Game Reserve proper, if desired.

No other camp in the greater Masai Mara Game Reserve or Olare Orok Conservancy has the privilege of traversing opportunities of Mara Plains Camp. Guests are able to traverse three areas as part of their stay at Mara Plains.

Walking at Mara Plains Camp

For the next six days we will have exclusive use of the camp, as well as five private vehicles at our disposal day and night. Since we have the entire camp at our disposal, there are no set camp schedules or meal times. Plans are tailored around the whims of the day, and as the wildlife dictates.

Typically, we rise just before dawn, have a quick bite, and head out at first light to see what has happened overnight. We look for tracks and signs of nocturnal activity, perhaps heading in the direction of the lion calls and hyena laughs we heard from bed. The big cats are usually quite active in the early hours. As the sun begins to rise in the sky, and the heat mounts, we head back to our mid-day resting post, Mara Plains Camp for a brunch and a bit of a siesta. Or, if guests prefer, it’s a lovely time sit quietly and bird on the river. Our guides will introduce us to the abundant bird life and can help you identify trees and local plant species, or sharpen our wildlife tracking skills.

Giraffe and sunset

In the late afternoon, as the sun wanes, we are off again in search of wildlife. It’s a time to savor the African sunset with refreshing sundowner drinks and snacks before continuing our drive as nocturnal animals become more active with dusk. A hearty dinner awaits us back at camp, whenever its time to return. We share stories of the day around the campfire and under the stars. So goes another blissful day in Africa.

We may also do full-day adventures to the Masai Mara Game Reserve. For full day expeditions, lavish picnic boxes with cold drinks are provided.

We will also have the opportunity to visit a local Masai village (or “Enkang” in Maa) to learn more about the traditions and culture of the surrounding community and photograph the people and their village.

Hot air balloon safaris are available (at extra cost). This is a very early morning activity, giving stunning views of the sunrise, the landscape and a sense of the sheer size of the Masai Mara region.

Wildebeests and cheetah

15 September 2011
Today we will catch our private charter flight back to Wilson Airport in Nairobi. On arrival, we will be met by our representatives and three separate vehicle at our disposal for the remainder of the day in Nairobi. International flights may be scheduled to depart that evening to home destinations. See note below regarding travel extensions.

NOTE: Customized extensions to this safari, including Amboseli National Park, additional safari nights in Kenya or Tanzania, Cape Town, Victoria Falls and other destinations may be arranged through Eyes on Africa as desired. Ask us for further information.

The "Great Migration"

COSTS
The cost of this all-inclusive safari is $14,950 per person. This fee includes all in-country ground and air transportation as well as hotel accommodation (double occupancy) and all meals (except as noted above and in exclusions below).

Note regarding gorilla trekking permits: At present the cost of a permit (which covers a single trek) is US$500. Any increase in the cost of permits before the time we purchase them will passed through to the guest.

Please note: We will attempt to adhere to this itinerary as much as possible. However, certain conditions (political, climatic, environmental, cultural, or wildlife migrations) may necessitate changes in the itinerary. We reserves the right to alter any itinerary at any time, if necessary. We will attempt to notify participants of changes as far in advance as possible. Costs incurred by such changes will be the responsibility of the participant.

INCLUSIONS & EXCLUSIONS
WHAT IS INCLUDED
• Accommodation on a shared basis (singles only available in Nairobi and Kigali on a limited basis and at extra cost).
• 2x trip leaders (Biggs, Weis).
• 3 guided gorilla treks in Rwanda, including porters and guides.
• 5x private safari vehicles in Masai Mara camp
• Luggage allowance Nairobi-Kigali: 30kgs plus carry-on.
• Luggage allowance Mara charters (2 caravans): 288 pounds including body weight.
• All safari activities and transfers to/from the airports and the hotels.
• Daily laundry.
• Olare Orok / Mara North Conservancy fees and Masai Mara Game Reserve fees.
• Meet & Assist service on arrival in Nairobi.
• All meals and drinks in Nairobi and Kigali.
• All meals and drinks at Mara Plains Camp.
• All meals and wines, beers and soft drinks at Sabyinyo.
• Round-trip airfare: Nairobi to Rwanda.
• Round trip private air charter: Nairobi to Mara Plains Camp.
• The current Tourism Levies and all relevant Value Added Tax or Government Sales Tax .
• One row per guest on game drive vehicles at Mara Plains – (note that the front seat next to the driver is also counted as a row for this purpose).
• Kigali Genocide Memorial tour.
• Visit to ex-poachers’ village in Rwanda.
• Visit to market or Twin Lakes in Rwanda.

WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED
• International airfare and/or other transportation between your home and Nairobi.
• Visas
• Travel Insurance
• Personal purchases (including curios, spirit liquors, telephone calls etc.)
• Gratuities for guides and hotel staff, except for gorilla treks, for which tips are included.
• Pre- and post- safari tours and meals or accommodation before or after the safari

Wildebeest and Nile crocodile

HOW DO I SIGN UP?
Our group size is limited to 14 participants, so space is limited. If this exciting safari has your name on it and you’re excited by the thought of joining on this trip, then now is the time to register. Remember, there will be limited space available for this safari and when the spots are spoken for, that’s it. If you have any questions before registering, send an e-mail with any inquiries to james@eyesonafrica.net or simply call us (800-457-9575) and ask to speak to James Weis or Nicky Glover.

I spent the last week of May guiding out of Mombo camp.  It is a time of year in the Delta which brings with it very comfortable temperatures, with cool mornings and gentle warm mid-days.

The vegetation at Mombo was still green and quite lush after our excellent rainy season.  Water levels in some of the seasonal channels that fringe the area were very high.   However, the only effect that this had on the game-viewing was to drive many of the grazing animals onto the higher-lying parts of the game-drive areas.

A lioness watches and listens as dusk falls, and she slowly begins to get ready for the evenings activity. This imagewas taken at Mombo camp, Okavango Delta, Botswana.

The wildlife highlights during the week were many.  They began with a sighting of lions:  The Mathata sub-pride with their cubs, two afternoons in a row.  On our second sighting a couple of the lionesses with their cubs really posed for us on a termite mound.  We saw the cubs playing, flexing claws and the whole pride slowly getting ready for the evening hunt.  We also saw the coalition pair of males that spend time with this pride, the Western Boys.  One of them stole an impala from a leopard.

Leopard cub at Mombo camp.

It was in fact the leopards that stole the show during the week.  First the female who had lost the impala to the lion posed in a tree for us.  Then, the female leopard known as Legadima showed up with her two cubs and an impala kill.  The cubs are almost four months old and are incredibly cute.  They kept us totally entertained.  They climbed trees, chased one another about, and jumped from one branch to another, at times almost falling and catching themselves by one paw at the last second.

A leopard cub, one of two, belonging to an adult female that has long been resident in the Mombo area of Botswana's Okavango Delta.

When the impala carcass was half-eaten, the mother leopard pulled it up into a jackalberry tree.  Overnight a group of spotted hyenas showed up.  For almost a whole day the hyenas were at the base of the tree.  What little was left of the impala carcass was just out of their reach, and the two little leopard cubs were seemingly trapped, higher up in the same tree.  Eventually a hyena managed to reach the impala and pulled it down.  Shortly after eating the remains, the hyena left and to our relief the mother leopard showed up.  She collected the two cubs, totally unharmed, and they moved off together.

One of the leopard cubs posing on a tree branch.

We also enjoyed several sightings of the lone African wild dog at Mombo.  This dog has lost the other members of its pack and is now socializing with groups of black-backed jackals.  We saw the dog heading off on hunting forays with the jackals in tow.  This is most unusual behavior, but serves to show how strong the dogs’ social instincts are.

A lone African wild dog searches for prey at Mombo in the Okavango Delta, Botswana. These dogs typically hunt at dusk, as this one is preparing to do, and again at dawn.

Mombo's 'lone' wild dog, which is associating with jackals.

Spotted hyena, buffalo and hippo close to camp were further highlights, and we also had excellent viewing of both breeding herds of elephants with youngsters, as well as some very big, old bulls, who were competing for courting rights with an estrous female.

Black rhino at Mombo camp.

The week’s game-viewing was rounded off by a single sighting of rhino, which was again unusual in that we located a group of three white rhino, accompanied by an adult female black rhino.  The two species don’t typically spend time together, although there is no reason that they shouldn’t, as both feed on different types of vegetation.  Although brief, we had a good sighting.

A group of elephants, both male and female, photographed at Mombo, in the Okavango Delta, Botswana.

I had a great week at Mombo watching and photographing these fascinating sightings, and it has left me looking forward a whole lot to my next visit, which will take place in July 2010.

For more of Grant’s photography, check out his website.

Sorry about the delay on updates from the Timbavati, things have been busy here! (Especially with our Wedding planning…). I got married to Melissa, our Head Therapist at camp, on 04 April 2010 and had very little time afterward to sort through my photographs.

I’m back on track now and here follows a brief update on some happenings.

Ntombi, the leopardess I reported to be pregnant (in my last update), has given birth to cubs somewhere close to the camp. We haven’t seen much of them yet, but we know there is at least one little baby. She still hunts frequently close to the camp and she often visits us in camp for a drink of water at the rock pool under the coffee deck.

Ntombi looking for prey

Rockfig Jr. and her two cubs (now almost 6 months old) are doing great. We have seen them on three kills recently and their little bellies seem “full” every time we see them. The cubs are surely the two most entertaining leopard cubs I’ve encountered in my 10 years of guiding in the reserve. The little boy is also a very “brave” one… I have now recorded him stalking adult giraffe, buffalo and elephant. Just some curiosity and sharpening of skills!

Rockfig Jr. looking at the cubs

Some loving from mom

Rockfig Jr and her cubs

Little Boy

Little Girl

Kuhanya (a female) had a great strike rate over the last few weeks and in a matter of ten days we saw her on three adult impala kills!

Kuhanya resting

Kuhanya staring at impalas

The Xakubasa pride of lions was missing for nearly two weeks.

They are back now and entertained us with some magical sightings over the last week. The young ones were playing in a marula tree and kept trying to bite and swipe at each other’s legs to drop them out. Recently the lionesses killed two adult female kudus and this kept them occupied for nearly three days.

The two white girls

Walking to mom

Playful cubs

Playing in the tree

Clear colour difference!

The one Machaton lioness has given birth to a single cub, which is now about six weeks of age. Let’s hope it survives…

Machaton female's new cub

We were lucky to see an Southern African python out on drive one morning. It was about 9-10 feet long! The snake went up into a tree and was quite happy to pose for us.

Southern African python

A pack of 15 African wild dogs came through for a quick visit! Sightings of this endangered predator are always spectacular and this time was no exception. They killed an impala and devoured it in less than eight minutes! There are only about 200-300 wild dogs left in the greater Kruger (that includes the Timbavati). They are the second most endangered predator in Africa, after the Ethiopian wolf.

African wild dogs feeding

More pictures taken over the last few weeks at Kings Camp:

Elephant bull

Young male leopard eating

Two white rhinos

Lionesses at sunset

Lilac-breasted roller

I’ll be back with more updates again soon!

Regards,
Morné Hamlyn (Kings Camp – Field Guide)

My wife Vanessa and I just spent a phenomenal weekend at Kings Camp in the Timbavati Reserve.

Our guide, Colbert, was one of the most enthusiastic guides I have came across in more than 10 years in the safari industry. He had a great sense of humour and loved sharing his vast knowledge of Africa. Our first “big” sighting was of a herd of buffalo numbering more than 400 individuals drinking at a dam. After viewing and photographing these large bovids for some time, we left in search of some Timbavati lions.

Lioness at dusk

Unfortunately we never had a chance to see the famous “white” lions of the Timbavati, but we had a great sighting of one of the “Timbavati Boys” (a coalition consisting of 3 males) and 2 females. We watched the felines gracefully wake up and begin their evening hunt.

We woke up with great excitement the next morning and after a cup of hot coffee, we headed out on our second drive. Colbert and his tracker Sam found fresh tracks of a rhino bull and after tracking this massive beast for some time, we came across this magnificent specimen of a rhino. We viewed and photographed him marking his territory and then headed off in search of some predators.

White Rhino marking his territory

Minutes later we watched a beautiful female leopard sitting high up a Marula tree. Every now and then something caught her attention and she would sit up and stare into the distance, providing us with some great photographic opportunities.

Female Leopard

That afternoon we departed on our afternoon safari with anticipation of some more wildlife sightings and we were not disappointed… Shortly after leaving camp we came across a very heavily pregnant female leopard. We followed her for some time while she walked through the bush and she eventually led us straight to an impala carcass that she had apparently killed a couple of days earlier.

Our next sighting was of a hyena at a small waterhole, perfectly back-lit by the afternoon sunset.

Spotted Hyena

After our sun downer, sipping Gin and Tonics while watching the African sun setting over the savanna, we headed back to camp. On our way back we came across another female leopard and her two 7-month-old cubs at a small waterhole. The cubs caused great excitement and watching these little cats was definitely a highlight of our stay.

Swainson's Spurfowl

On our last morning we awoke to the most impressive sound in the African bush, rain!! We decided to spend the morning enjoying our spacious and comfortable room and after yet another great breakfast, we headed for home.

Marius Coetzee
For more of Marius’ photography, check out his blog.

Leopards
Two of the female leopards on our traversing area are bringing a lot of excitement to our game drives. ‘Ntombi’ is a 4-5 year-old female that is showing signs of readiness to give birth to her first litter of cubs! This is great news for us, as the area around the camp is the core of her territory. This means that she will probably have the cubs somewhere close by in the river bed.

Ntombi on 'lookout' from a Marula tree.

Following Ntombi on Game drive.

The second female is known as ‘Rockfig Junior’. She is about 6 years old now and her first litter of two cubs are growing up fast now. They are now 4 months old and are very entertaining to watch on our safaris. She has one male and one female cub. I’ll keep you posted on future sightings of them.

Rockfig Jr - The proud mother.

Rockfig Jr. dragging a kill to cover.

Mum cleaning one of the cubs.

Siblings playing.

Lions
The ‘Xakubasa’ (pronounced “shakubasa” – meaning “white ones”) pride has provided a lot of great viewing. Two youngsters in the pride are white lions and it is the first time in years that we are again seeing white lions, something that made the Timbavati safari region famous in the 1970’s. The effect is known as ‘leukism’ (recessive genes) and is not ‘albinism’, as one would perhaps think.

The Xakubasa pride resting at Hide dam.

One of the white lions next to a tawny cousin.

White lion.

The adult lionesses watching an injured Cape buffalo.

The kill. Light was bad at 7pm.

The youngsters are not keen on the water.

The ‘Timbavati Boys’, a three-male coalition in the south, are spending lots of time back with the remaining three lionesses of the ‘Machaton’ pride. We suspect that one female has given birth and I will update on this in a future post. The 6-year-old female did mate with one of ‘the Boys’ not long ago, so hopefully we’ll have a few cubs to report about in the next few months.

Timbavati male and Machaton lioness.

Mahlatini male from the northern coalition.

Sightings of Cape buffalo, White rhino and Elephants are prolific and the general game sightings have been good as well.

Cape buffalo.

White Rhino bull.

White Rhinos drinking water.

Elephant dust.

Elephant bull.

Zebra and wildebeests on the grasslands.

Spotted hyena cubs.

Looking forward to giving you many more updates from the Timbavati!

Kind Regards,
Morné Hamlyn – Kings Camp guide.

The guests on this safari had all visited Botswana before for wildlife viewing. None of them had been at this time of year though and we had an interesting and varied itinerary. We made use of two vehicles at each stop. Some members of the group were very interested in photography.

Our first stop after a 45-minute flight from Maun was at the new Kalahari Plains Camp, where we spent two nights. Accommodation was comfortable and the roads were smooth. The weather was extremely hot. We were lucky enough to have a lion pride that frequents the area turn up very close to camp on our first morning. We returned to the lions in the late afternoon and enjoyed a spectacular sighting as they woke up, came together and bonded. The highlight was having all 8 lions roaring at once. Later that night they walked by very close to camp. We enjoyed an outdoor meal and sleeping on the specially made decks on the roof of each room, enjoying the desert skies in the dark.

A herd of springbok seek shelter under the leaves of an acacia tree in Deception Valley in the Central Kalahari Game Reserve, Botswana. Midday temperatures in the summer force virtually all mammal activity to cease as the animals do their best to hide from the sun's scorching rays.

We left Kalahari Plains in our two expedition vehicles and made our way deeper still into the Central Kalahari Reserve to meet up with our camping crew, where they had erected our camp at a place called Letiahau. This was home for the next three nights. Game viewing highlights were herds of oryx and springbok and a late afternoon lion walking by. A giraffe at sunrise kept the photographers in the group happy. During the warm mid-days, we visited the artificially pumped waterhole, which was just a few kms from our camp, to watch the small birds flocking and drinking. Harriers, goshawks, ostrich and secretary birds were seen each day.

A young springbok takes to the air in a series of leaps known as pronking. This behaviour may serve a function in sending out messages to potential predators of the fitness of an individual springbok. This image was captured at sunset in the Central Kalahari Game Reserve, Botswana

On our fourth and fifth nights we changed venues and relocated our camp close to Deception Valley itself. Following very localized rain showers, the herds of general game were more abundant here and each afternoon several hundred springbok, oryx and wildebeest would flood out of the sheltering woodland and graze in the open grassland of the valley floor. This made for spectacular viewing. We also had a great sighting of a pair of male lions roaring and marking as the sun rose. There is a no-off-road driving policy in the reserve, but we were fortunate that most of the wildlife showed up close to the roads, at one time or another. Jackals and bat-eared foxes were abundant. The heat in the middle part of the day was so great that very few mammals remained active during this time, but some pools of water attracted a good number of vultures, eagles, kites and falcons. We sat out to watch and photograph some of these impressive birds during the middle parts of the day.

A flight of egrets, accompanied by a sacred ibis, fly in formation as the setting sun colours the sky. Waterbirds are abundant in the Okavango Delta in Botswana, and are very capable of taking advantage of the ever-changing water levels in this dynamic system. This image was captured at Duba Plains, in the northern part of the delta.

Next stop was reached by means of a ninety minute flight that took us to DumaTau camp in the north. Here we spent three nights. The hot weather broke and we experienced several thundershowers, but to accommodate this we just changed the timing of our game drives and went out after the rain. We had many excellent sightings of elephant, giraffe, kudu, impala and hippo almost every drive here. We also witnessed a short-lived but savage fight between three male baboons along the Savuti channel.

An in-flight image taken of an adult southern carmine bee-eater. These brilliantly coloured birds are also extremely agile fliers and catch insects in the airl. They nest in burrows along sandy riverbanks. This image was taken close to Dumatau camp in northern Botswana.

With water levels on the rise in the Linyanti River, the numbers of red lechwe antelope were also increasing and we saw herds of them crashing through the water. This time of year also brings with it a whole variety of migratory birds and these include some of the most colourful birds to be seen anywhere. Carmine bee-eaters, woodland kingfishers and broad-billed rollers are some of these species. There are also raptors moving through the region and Amur falcons, steppe buzzards and Montagu’s harriers were some of these.

A view of the main inflowing channel that feeds water into the Duba Plains area. Over the past ten years this channel has changed from being a seasonal trickle to a permanent waterway, inhabited by hippo and fish.

We flew south to the Okavango Delta and spent our last three nights at Duba Plains Camp. The roads at Duba are bumpy and torturous and there are incredibly deep water crossings. The reward for getting through the mud and water in the Land Rover is some wonderful wildlife viewing on the open plains that lie close to the camp. Buffalo, elephant, red lechwe, tsessebe and lions are all to be found here. Birding is exceptional too, with flocks of waterfowl abundant, as well as herons, egrets and a good number of birds of prey too. The open terrain makes for excellent viewing opportunities and in this regard we weren’t disappointed.

A pair of mating lions photographed at Duba Plains in the Okavango Delta.

Mating lions and then a lion hunt were some of the highlights. The lions were moving around the edges of a buffalo herd, but never quite managed to separate a buffalo from the herd. Instead they snatched a young red lechwe which wasn’t nearly enough food for all seven of them. We were also treated to the sight of these swamp lions leaping over a small channel as they kept following along behind the buffalo. On another afternoon we watched 3 lionesses stalk to within a few meters of a large, solitary buffalo bull, but at the last moment, the lionesses decided that the bull was too dangerous and pulled out of a direct attack.

An adult lioness stalks a bull buffalo at Duba Plains in the Okavango Delta. On this occasion the bull was too big and intimidating and the lioness didn't make a serious attack. The lions in this area prefer to catch younger buffalo or females whenever they can

Our very last morning at Duba produced more special sightings when we came across some lionesses with three young cubs playing on an island in the shallow water.

A male lion leaps across a channel in the Okavango Delta, Botswana. This image was taken at Duba Plains camp.

This summer safari turned out to be an unusual one with regard to predator sightings in that whilst we didn’t see leopard or cheetah, we did have lion sightings of exceptional quality. We also enjoyed some wonderful summer skies, with dramatic cloud-build ups adding colour and depth to our viewing. Exceptional summer birds added still more colour and interest to the experience. Combined with the bright green-grass landscapes, it all made for an excellent photographic safari and one that left me with good memories all around.

Grant Atkinson
Specialist Guide – Botswana
For more of Grant’s photography, check out his website.

During our recent visit to Zarafa Camp in northern Botswana’s Selinda Concession, Nicky and I enjoyed superb game viewing, both on game drive and from the boat.  This area is so lovely during Botswana’s summer months, with the green landscapes, the abundant baby animals and the dramatic skies that it makes one pause at the grandeur.

Our favorite sighting at Zarafa was that of two 3-week-old leopard cubs and their mother, hidden in a den under a fallen tree.  It is not often that one has a chance to see leopard cubs in the wild and this was our first chance to see kittens this young.

The female leopard - Copyright © James Weis --- (Nikon D3; Nikon 600mmf4; 1/200sec at f5.6; ISO2000)

As we approached the den site, we were very quiet and saw the two young cubs in the shadows at the back of the den.  However, we could not see the female leopard anywhere and so we decided to leave the area, as we did not wish to attract any attention to the unprotected cubs.  But just as we were turning the vehicle around to leave, we noticed some movement in the bush to the side of our vehicle…

Female leopard returns to the den - Copyright © James Weis --- (Nikon D3; Nikon 200-400mmf4 at 240mm; 1/250sec at f10; ISO400)

Female leopard above the den - Copyright © James Weis --- (Nikon D3; Nikon 200-400mmf4 at 200mm; 1/250sec at f10; ISO400)

Moments later, a gorgeous female leopard emerged from the fever-berry bushes and silently moved toward the den.  It was the mother of the cubs, returning from an absence that may have been a day or more in duration.  Female leopards spend only 50-60 percent of their time with cubs at this age, as they must hunt to provide the cubs with milk.  The timing of her return was fortuitous for us, as we now could now stay a short while to take a few images and watch the cubs with their mother.

Female leopard enters the den - Copyright © James Weis --- (Nikon D3; Nikon 200-400mmf4 at 200mm; 1/50sec at f13; ISO400)

Female leopard peering out from inside the den - Copyright © James Weis --- (Nikon D3; Nikon 200-400mmf4 at 250mm; 1/40sec at f13; ISO800)

This female leopard is well known to the guides here and she is quite used to being around game drive vehicles and is very relaxed, so Foster (our guide) assured us that we were not causing her any stress by being at the den.  This was quite clear as she calmly passed within 2 meters of our vehicle en route to her cubs, whilst barely casting us a glance.

The female leopard nursing her cubs - Copyright © James Weis --- (Nikon D3; Nikon 200-400mmf4 at 300mm; 1/250sec at f5; ISO800)

One of the little cubs gives us a look - Copyright © James Weis --- (Nikon D3; Nikon 600mmf4 with 1.4TC; 1/320sec at f5.6; ISO1250)

What followed was a pleasure to watch, as the purring cubs were greeted with nuzzling and licking from their mom… but she lay down almost immediately so that the cubs could suckle and fill their tiny bellies with her milk.

One of the leopard cubs looks out from the den - Copyright © James Weis --- Nikon D3; Nikon 600mmf4 with 1.4TC; 1/160sec at f5.6; ISO1250)

One of the leopard cubs - Copyright © James Weis --- (Nikon D3; Nikon 600mmf4 with 1.4TC; 1/400sec at f5.6; ISO1250)

After feeding for perhaps 5 minutes, the little cubs were full and ready for more affection and they proceeded to clamber all about mom’s head and shoulders, looking for more grooming and nuzzling.  With fat tummies, they soon tired and fell asleep under their mother’s chin and all three were soon dozing peacefully. This is how we left them.  What a privilege to have witnessed this.

Mom and her two babies in the den - Copyright © James Weis --- (Nikon D3; Nikon 600mmf4 with 1.4TC; 1/80sec at f10; ISO1600)

Mom and her two cubs - Copyright © James Weis --- (Nikon D3; Nikon 600mmf4 with 1.4TC; 1/80sec at f9; ISO1600)

Life for a baby leopard is extremely tenuous at this age, as they are completely reliant on their mother for sustenance and protection. The cubs will only venture from hiding at about 6 weeks and then only to make short excursions with their mother, as they are still extremely vulnerable.  At this time they also start to eat meat.  Weaning occurs at around 3 months, but they will stay with their mother for over a year before they are ready to fend for themselves.

Mom and her little ones settling in for a nap - Copyright © James Weis --- (Nikon D3; Nikon 600mmf4 with 1.4TC; 1/125sec at f9; ISO1600)

The female and her cub in the den - Copyright © James Weis --- (Nikon D3; Nikon 600mmf4 with 1.4TC; 1/125sec at f7.1; ISO2000)

Leopards will often move their cubs to a new hiding place, especially at this early stage, and in fact all three were seen a week later in a new den site, this one a burrow dug into the side of a termite mound.  If all goes well, then perhaps future visitors to Zarafa will have a chance to see these leopards as they grow.  I hope so!

James Weis
January 2010

During our most recent safari in Botswana, Nicky and I were fortunate to spend an afternoon with a pride of lions that resides along the now-flowing Savute Channel.  This sighting demonstrates the dynamic nature of this region and specifically, some of the effects that the “new” water has on the animals living here.

The Savute Channel, which connects the Linyanti river on Botswana’s northern border with the Savute marsh in the Chobe National Park some 60 kilometers away, only began filling with water again in 2008. Before that time, it last flowed from 1967 to 1981 and so until recently, the resident animals here only experienced this Channel as dry grassland.  However, this cycle of wet and dry is a phenomenon that has occurred on and off here over the centuries.

Lioness and her cubs - Copyright © James Weis

We encountered the lions, alternately known as the “Selinda pride” or the “DumaTau pride” and consisting of 5 adult lionesses and three young cubs, all of which belonged to one of the females, in the late afternoon – just when the light was turning to the gold tones so advantageous for photography.

The pride had just begun to move again after waiting out the 90-degree heat of the day and we followed them, enjoying the playful antics of the little cubs, which were clearly relieved to finally be moving again after a long day of rest.

The three little lion cubs - Copyright © James Weis

The lionesses seemed to be hungry and we hoped we might get an opportunity to watch them hunting.  We kept a respectful distance as we followed, in case they encountered impalas or warthogs, both of which species we had passed on our way to the lions a short time earlier.  However, the lions never encountered anything to hunt, so we spent our time watching and photographing the cubs as the females walked through the bush and along the sand road leading to the Savute Channel a short distance away.

One of the three cubs - Copyright © James Weis

As the lions reached the main transit road, they turned toward the Savute Channel, which now covers this track in the sand for some 70 meters or so, with a small island in the middle.  The water in the Channel is now deep enough in many spots to sustain pods of hippos and we have seen numerous crocodiles, some of them quite large, all along the length of the Channel down to and past Savuti camp.

The lions arrive at the Savute Channel - Copyright © James Weis

On previous visits since the arrival of the “new” water, we have seen lions, cheetahs, wild dogs, hyenas, zebras, impalas, giraffes, ostriches, kudu and various other animals crossing the water of the Channel and it is not an uncommon occurrence.  However, with the arrival of hippos and especially crocodiles further and further down the Channel, it has now become far riskier for the animals that dare to swim across this growing river and I suspect that some are having close escapes or are even losing their lives doing so.

Refreshing drinks from the channel water - Copyright © James Weis

The lions stood on the bank of the Channel and drank from the fresh, clean water and the four lionesses without cubs gazed intently at the opposite bank.  These four seemed very keen to cross to the other side of the Channel and we worried that the female with cubs would try to follow with her little babies.  The crossing in this location is not deep enough to force adult lions to swim a long distance, but for the small cubs, this would be an extremely strenuous swim and full of potential danger.

The other four lionesses about to cross - Copyright © James Weis

One cub had to be pulled out by mom - Copyright © James Weis

As we watched, the four other lionesses all waded into the Channel and the female with cubs followed a short way into the water as well, her cubs battling through the reeds and fighting to keep their heads above water as they tried valiantly to keep alongside of their mom.  Suddenly one of the cubs slipped completely under the water and his mother had to quickly reach in to fish him out with her jaws.  The poor little guy looked more like a wet rag than a furry little lion as he dangled limply in his mother’s mouth…

The female with cubs watches her pride leaving her - Copyright © James Weis

It was now becoming a bit stressful to watch the unfolding drama and we all hoped that the mother would not force her cubs to follow the other lions, which had now begun crossing the Channel in earnest.  We spent some tense moments watching her as she called forlornly to her pride sisters and we could see that she was torn between her desire to stay with her pride and her instincts to protect her cubs from danger.

The rest of the pride reaches the far bank - Copyright © James Weis

As the four lionesses reached the far bank and shook off the water, the female with cubs continued to watch and call to them, but they strode off into the trees and out of sight.  Long moments passed as we nervously watched her now in silence as the light faded and her cubs shivered in the shallow water.

One cub is rescued while the other two swim back to shore - Copyright © James Weis

Two of the little ones returning to the channel bank - Copyright © James Weis

Finally she made her decision… she turned around and led her cubs back to the dry and sandy road beside our vehicle.  We were all very relieved and happy to see that she had made what we felt was the “right” decision and we left them playing with their mother happily as dusk turned to darkness.

The little cubs wait for their mom to decide - Copyright © James Weis

Wet lion cubs - Copyright © James Weis

The flowing Savute Channel has obviously changed the lives of all the animals that live in this area.  This pride of lions has its territory on both sides of what was once open grassland, but that land is now split by a flowing river.  The act of simply traversing across their territory now poses new and potentially life-altering dangers.

Mom leads her cubs away from danger - Copyright © James Weis

Mom brings little one back to dry land - Copyright © James Weis

James Weis
January 2010

The next day was our transfer day to Botswana.  Along the way we spent the midday on the Chobe River, taking in some wonderful viewing of hippo, crocodiles, buffalo and many water birds.  A herd of young male elephants also put on a show for us by playing in the river in front of us.

A female leopard guards her impala kill. Leopards do not always carry their kills up trees immediately but will often feed extensively first in order to lighten the load. This leopard was photographed along the woodland fringing the Linyanti River in northern Botswana.

A female leopard rests under the shelter of a fallen tree in woodland fringing the Linyanti River in northern Botswana.

We flew into Linyanti Discoverer camp for the next 3 nights and our best leopard sighting came before we even reached camp.  A female leopard was feeding on an impala she had killed and we had a good, long sighting of her feeding and resting.

Hyena resting in water.

We also encountered three lions which were feeding on a giraffe and we visited these lions several times during our stay.  Five hyaenas and many vultures took over when the lions walked away and they reduced the carcass to just bones very rapidly.

This ten-week old lion cub was photographed close to Savuti camp in northern Botswana. There were three cubs in the litter, and the mother was close by.

Savuti Camp was our next camp and the first summer rains began falling during our stay here.  On our first afternoon, just minutes after the rain had stopped, we found a lioness with 3 young cubs.  We watched them till dark.

A pair of dwarf mongooses peer from the refuge of a fallen tree stump. These social mongooses are active during the day and live in highly social groups. This image was taken at Savuti camp in northern Botswana.

Still at Savuti, we had a sighting of a pack of 12 African wild dogs. Adding to our excitement at seeing these endangered animals, the resting dogs were chased off by 3 lionesses while we watched.  Luckily the wild dogs were alert and they managed to escape without any incident, other than getting a nasty scare.  We also had a nice time watching some dwarf mongooses as they went about their business on a fallen tree.

A lilac-breasted roller in flight. These brilliantly coloured birds are active hunters of insects and small reptiles. They nest in cavities in dead trees, and are resident over most of Botswana. This individual was photographed at Savuti.

This bull elephant was walking through permanent water near Jacana camp in the Okavango Delta. He was feeding on emergent vegetation on the edges of the islands. Deep water in the delta presents no barrier to these elephants.

After two nights at Savuti, we flew to Jacana Camp, deep in the Okavango Delta. While there, we enjoyed some boating along the pristine channels and water birds in great numbers and variety.  We also enjoyed some interesting mekoro (dugout canoe) trips to some of the nearby islands.

An African fish-eagle perched in a fig tree. The bulging crop indicates that the bird had fed recently. Fish-eagles are common in many parts of the Okavango Delta.

A game drive on the Jao flats produced still more waterbirds, as well as herds of red lechwe antelope and a sighting of the local lion pride one morning.

An adult male baboon shows his curiosity as he gazes at the camera. This baboon was part of a troop of over 40 animals and was photographed near Tubu Tree camp in Botswana's Okavango Delta.

We spent two nights at Jacana and then boated to our next destination – Tubu Tree Camp.  The water levels in this region rise and fall through the course of a season, and ours was the last boat transfer to take place.  The water is just now becoming too low for boating.  Any transfers between now and April next year will be by aircraft or by vehicle.

Wattled Cranes flying overhead.

Tubu is a dry Delta area, with game drives being the main activity.  There were herds of zebra, wildebeest, giraffe and impala.  We saw a leopard in a sausage tree and another highlight was a flock of 54 wattled cranes flying to roost in a floodplain.  These are highly endangered birds and Botswana’s Okavango Delta is one of very few strongholds they still have.  We also saw big troops of chacma baboons, as well as very good birding to end off another successful safari.

Grant Atkinson
Specialist Guide – Botswana
For more of Grant’s photography, check out his website.

Our itinerary was Xigera Camp, Motswiri, Linyanti, and Toka Leya Camp.  The first three of these camps are in Botswana’s Okavango Delta, Selinda concession, and Linyanti concession, respectively, while Toka Leya is on the Zambian side of The Victoria Falls.  We had seven very enthusiastic guests.

A pair of African skimmers fly in tight formation over waters of the Okavango Delta in northern Botswana. These birds were breeding on sandbanks in Xigera Lagoon, close to Xigera camp.

During our three nights at Xigera we boated to Xigera lagoon, where we had fantastic viewing of African skimmers flying over the clear water.  Skimmers breed on exposed sandbanks and are rare birds.  We also did a full-day boat trip to the north, passing through a wonderful variety of habitats on the way, some permanent water, and some seasonal.  We saw hippo, elephant, giraffe, crocodiles, and the highlight was a pride of lions moving about near the water’s edge.

A breeding herd of elephants drinks as one from the Linyanti River in northern Botswana. Rising water levels in this river as well as other rivers in the region benefit wildlife like elephants, especially during the dry times of the year. This image was taken in September, towards the end of the dry season.

Some of the lions looked as if they might cross through the deep water channel we were boating in, but they never quite built up the nerve.  Hundreds of waterbirds kept us entertained as we cruised along through the channels.  We had a midday picnic under some shady trees.  Birding highlights of our Xigera visit included Pels’ fishing-owl and Western-banded snake-eagle.

We flew onward to Motswiri Camp for 2 nights where our activities were more physically active, with some canoeing on the Selinda Spillway, as well as some game drives on which we saw elephant and buffalo.

A lioness and her three-month-old cub shelter from the September heat in the shade of a jackalberry tree. This lioness was photographed along the Linyanti River in northern Botswana.

Next we flew along the now-flowing Selinda Spillway to the Linyanti concession in the north, where we stayed for 4 nights.  We hadn’t even reached camp when we found one of the Linyanti pride lionesses with her 3-month-old lion cub, but she was stressed and searching for a second cub, which was missing.  I had seen her on my last safari with both cubs, so it was sad to see that one had gone missing.

A pack of twelve African wild dogs setting off on a late afternoon hunt along the Linyanti River, in northern Botswana. Some of the dogs had noticed a herd of red lechwe antelope in the distance and were gazing with interest in their direction.

Before reaching camp that evening, we also got to watch a pack of twelve wild dogs on the move along the river.  Aside from these large carnivores, the road provided us with a steady procession of elephant, kudu, baboons, warthogs, impala and red lechwe, all moving about close to the river.

A bull elephant dust bathes in late afternoon sunlight after emerging from the Linyanti River in northern Botswana. Elephants frequently dust bathe. This behaviour may serve to help keep them cool by forming a muddy coating on their skin.

This is a great time of year for the Linyanti concession, as the rising daytime temperatures push many animals towards the river, especially from the late morning onwards.  More highlights were to follow.  Many elephant herds were to be seen each day, especially in the afternoons.  Several elephant bulls also visited us in camp.

A female leopard rests on a termite mound with her eight-month-old cub beside her. This pair of leopards were photographed in the Linyanti concession of northern Botswana. The two cats moved off after some minutes, stopping only to play with one another several times.

Early one morning we came across a female leopard and her cub sunning themselves on a termite mound.  They provided us with excellent photo opportunities and as we had several very eager photographers on board, this was most appreciated.  Male lions at rest the next morning, one called ‘Silver Eye’ and his coalition partner ‘Romeo’ were additional highlights.

A male leopard sits on a termite mound, close to the Linyanti River in Botswana. This male was on a territorial patrol, and had just caught sight of some baboons in the distance.

On our last afternoon drive we found a male leopard on territorial patrol.  At first we had some difficulty trying to approach him, as he was continually diverted off his course by a herd of elephants, but then he went up a termite mound and sat down.  Next moment he put his head into a large hole at the base of the mound and two warthogs exploded out of a hole on the other side of the same mound, leaving the leopard standing in a cloud of dust.  If only the other hole hadn’t been there, he may have gotten lucky with a meal.

Apart from spotted hyena, our stay in the Linyanti also turned up some great birds like white-breasted cuckooshrike, rednecked falcon, gabar goshawk, and white-fronted and carmine bee-eaters to name but a few.

White-fronted bee-eaters line up on a branch close to their nesting colony. These bee-eaters nest along the Linyanti River in northern Botswana. In some areas of southern Africa there are two nesting sessions in each season.

We flew again to Kasane where we spent our midday on a Chobe boat cruise, viewing great herds of elephants along the river bank, as well as many crocodiles, buffalo, hippo and scores of birds.  One more very short flight took us to Livingstone where we had a sunset cruise on the Zambezi River and then had a very comfortable night in the luxurious accommodation at Toka Leya Camp.

I said goodbye sadly to the group next morning at Victoria Falls itself, from where they were heading to the airport and home.  This is a great time of year for big game viewing in Botswana and the Linyanti in particular and we were more than pleased with our good fortune with the wildlife sightings on this Great Wilderness Journey.

Grant Atkinson
Specialist Guide – Wilderness Safaris
For more of Grant’s photography, check out his website.