Botswana – Doing dishes with hyenas, a hippo at campsite and more elephants

Part 4 of "From Cape Town to Nairobi in a Land Rover"

After crossing the border from Namibia, our first longer stop was in Maun. Maun is the town that serves as the entrance gate to the Okavango delta area for those intending to cover Moremi and Chobe national parks from the Botswanan side.  Maun is the place where you need to buy all of your campsite permits and pay your national park fees (I assume this could be also done from the other side, if you come across from the Victoria Falls and Zimbabwean direction, or cross over from Namibia after doing the Caprivi strip – but  I have not checked since we were not planning to do that).

We stayed a couple of nights at the New Brige Backpackers campsite. The site is nicely slightly outside the city and is abit cooler than the town itself since its located on the riverside. That location also made me start taking my malaria medication – what better breeding ground for mosquitos than a delta area! Apparently the otherwise shy hippos occasionally make a visit down the river, as well as the crocodiles. We didn’t see any while we were at the campsite but we weren’t really looking for them.

We spent our time in town hunting for the  campsite and national park permits, doing groceries, searching for car parts (new shock absorbers, amongst other things) and enjoying a milk shakes at Wimpys, the American style diner. I even found a Standard Chartered branch in Maun – I had to take a picture of the premises of the company I worked for such a long time before this trip. 

The Standard Chartered branch in Maun.

Claudio recommended the flight over the delta area that he had done already twice before but did not mind going on one more time. On our second day in town we went to the airport and visited several of the scenic flight operator offices at the airport and the vicinity. Nobody had flights schedulued that we could join in on, so in the end we decided to book one for the next day for just the two of us. The cost for that was about 100 euros per passenger for a 1-hour flight.

The visit to the office was productive also because after having done our round of the airlines, we decided to sit down for a cold drink at the restaurant nearby. Claudio spotted a couple of guys parking a Land Rover next door and walking over to the restaurant. He looked at the car and noticed they had the kind of shock absorbers he needed – and that we had not managed to find. After having finished our drinks we went over to talk to them and Claudio explained what he needs. It turned out the owner of the car, called Alex,  has a tyre workshop called Tyremax in Maun and also brings shock absorbers in. Unfortunately he could not arrange for the double shock absorber bracket that Claudio needed, but he did say he can check if he could get the shocks in for the next day (which was sSaturday and we were leaving Maun on Sunday morning). He did manage to get hold of the supplier who said he will put another pair of shocks on the courier departing that evening. Yay! One problem solved.

We spent a quiet night at the campsite. On Saturday we both spent quite some time on the internet. Not having had connections for a long time meant we needed to catch up with what had happened in the world, send messages to a few friends, I updated my blog and downloaded photos. Claudio also searched for road information for our route over Moremi and Chobe from the travel forums. Tips and hints on inaccessible roads, soft sand conditions, more interesting routes to take are always welcome.

Doing chores at the campsite: Claudio fixing the car, I glued
the soles back on my hiking boots, did some laundry. We also found
a huge beetle!

Once we were done, we headed out to do groceries to have supplies for the next 5 days when we were out in the wild without any grocery stores or restaurants, and collect the shock absorbers from Alex in the Tyremax store.  We finished the errands and headed back to camp for burgers. Claudio then started changing the shocks and once I had finished eating I tried to help him where I culd. That mostly means handing out tools – which is harder than one would think when I don’t know the names of tools in English language!

We still made it for our flight. I was first a little scared although I’ve been in a  small plane before. I find the takeoffs and landings far scarier when you are in a  4-seater than when you are sitting comfortably  in the back of a large Airbus. It went all fine and the flight was truly worth the money. We saw lots of hippos (my first hippos!), quite some elephants, a few giraffes and even crocodiles. No big cats but then, this was in the middle of the afternoon (at 4.30-5.30pm) when the cats will most likey be found at the shade of a big tree, not running around the delta area. There were also big herds of impalas and various birds that were too small to identify from the height of 400 feet. I focused on enjoying the views and spotting the animals – with my little Canon IXUS pictures would not turn out great from a plane window.

Views of the Okavango delta from the plane.

More views of the Okavango delta.

More views of the Okavango delta.

The next day , on the 11^th of January, we left for Moremi. In Moremi we were going to stay at Third Bridge and Khwai campsites, and in Chobe at Linyanti and Ihaha. It is quite a long drive from Maun before you reach the national park. We were there in the low season (11-15 January) and the rainy season had not yet started. I was wondering whether the area is only accessible by air in the high season – even now, when it has been dry for a few weeks (very little rain in January) there was quite some water on parts of the roads. We were also told that the bridge at third bridge is broken and will not be repaired until the week after – this meant taking a detour both going up and also on the next day when we were planning on continuing our journey towards the Khwai campsite.

The driving in Moremi was good. There were lot s of elephants and giraffes, and once we got properly inside the park we started spotting hippos inside the small and bigger pools. We also saw water buffalos. The scenery here was much greener than in Etosha – as one would expect from a river delta area compared to a desert. It was welcome greener after the thousands of kilometers across deserts in South Africa and Namibia. Our campsite was between two waterholes and we could hear hippos grunting in the evening. Not far at all!  We had been warned at the campsite reception of wild animals roaming around the campsite at nigt. Our campsite was also visited by many birds, such as  francolins, hornbills and my favourite, grey go-away birds (Corythaixoides concolor). They make a funny sound – like children talking. One of the pied hornbills landed on our campsite while we were both half napping under the shade of the tree in the middle of the afternoon. It first shied away from us a little but then decided we are not a threat and decided to have a bath in the sand. That was hilarious to watch!

My first hippos! Those little dots in the water are hippos -
you just can't see them (no nature photos with my camera).

Warthogs crossing the road.

A "Pumba" having a mudbath.

Bridge crossing. Will this bridge hold a Landy?

Our campsite at the Third Bridge camp. The Dude is having a nap
next to his Precious Baby.

The next day we woke up late – which means around 7.15am. Most days we seem to have been out of bed around 6.15-6.30. Today we would have also slept longer but we spotted a monkey inspecting our boxes. Although none of them had any food in it and all of them were closed, it managed to overturn one.  I got out of the tent to chase off the monkey and its relatives. Claudio tried to say the monkeys were there to collect me back to the family but I assured him they were there only to make sure I’m still with him and will not be coming back to the monkey territory. My monkey relatives don’t want me back.

We made breakfast at the campsite and went off for a game drive and make our way towards Khwai. On the way out of the camp we were circled by four bee-eaters. Beautiful birds. Unfortunately I did not manage to identify the species.  It was a very nice drive and we spotted plenty of wildlife – including my favourites, the hippos.  We also had a rather funny incident when we had not even got very far off from the site. We were supposed to cross back over the first bridge. However, on the other side of the bridge was an elephant family peacefully grazing and standing right in the middle of the road. We waited for around 10 minutes on the other side, then as elephants made no move, Claudio started slowly driving across the bridge.  The elephants took a few steps towards the forest – but just as we were hoping they are leaving, the big male turned around and looked at us. It seems it had decided we were a threat to the family. It didn’t charge yet but it did parade a few “I own this road” moves. As we did not move, it eventually also peed and pooped on the road – just to make the point the road is his. Eventually it started advancing towards us – so Claudio had no choice but to reverse back across the bridge. We went for a little detour game drive and returned in half an hour. The elephants were gone. The rest of the drive was reasonably uneventful but beautiful.

This Male elephant wanted to make a point that this was its forest.
Bloody tourists get out.

 

Scenery around the lake. There were hippos in the lake in the back.

Khwai  was a nice site – and had a lot of monkeys, both baboons and smaller monkeys. We definitely needed to pack up all of our food and garbage carefully to avoid unwelcome visitors.  We looked around at the campsite and walked down to the riverfront – but did not spot any hippos. Later we cooked dinner. It was already dark after we finished dinner so I decided not to walk over to the ablution block to do the dishes but rather do them at the water tap that was just a few meters from our tent towards the bush. I spotted a pair of eyes looking at me and a hippo grazing in the background. As the hippo was about 40 meters away and seemed to be more interested in the grass than me I tried not to react (although I am a hopeless coward). Then the pair of eyes started following me. I told Claudio there is (again) a pair of eyes in the bush and I’m being a chicken but they make me a little nervous. He just thought I was a wimp. Pair of eyes came a little closer and looked like a giant pair of eyes. I was still trying to do dishes. Then the  pair of eyes passed at a distance of about 4 meters – and this chicken freaked out. I left the dishes and told Claudio there is at least something the size of a leopard in the bush and it will eat me. Claudio came looking for it and told me it’s a hippo. Hello! The hippo had ben ether all the time and I KNOW IT IS A HIPPO! I gathered my dishes and announced I’ll do them in the morning when the chance of getting eaten up is smaller. Claudio kept looking for the creature with a big torch. Eventually he announced that the thing I thought was about a size of a leopard was a hyena. It was soon followed by its friend and they both walked right across our campsite. I decided to get my toothbrush out, brush my teeth and go to bed. I couldn’t deal with two hyenas in the camp. Claudio still continued looking for them for a while and later said one of them had just been a bout a metre from him, just looking at him. Sneaky buggers!

The next day we heard from the lady at the campsite reception that the hyenas indeed tend to come look at visitors at the campsite. Apparently they are completely harmless. I still think it would have been embarrassing to die in Africa eaten by hyenas while doing dishes ;)

We drove over to Linyanti via Savuti camp. Along the way to Savuti we came across another car who told us that if we take another route to Savuti, there should be lions on the route. No need to ask – we turned around and took the other route. We drove a couple of km, and there they were – underneath a tree, right next to the road, two females and one male. Not a bit bothered by the cars stopping to take pictures and look at them, they just continued their afternoon nap. We quickly took a  few pictures and continued towards Savuti and Linyanti not to disturb the king of the jungle more than necessary.

These lions were so well hidden that you had to be right next to them
before you saw them.

After Savuti we had a lot of lose sand on the road. We had already taken air out of the tyres but we had to stop and let out more. The road was really very soft. However, with a Landy and a skillful driver (not me, that is Claudio) we did not get stuck even once and arrived in Linyanti less than an hour and a half after taking off from Savuti. A route that we had been told takes four hours due to the sand. Yes, probably does if you get stuck in the sand and need to dig yourself out.

Stopping to take air out of the tyres.

When we arrived in Linyanti we stopped at the office and got directed to the campsite. Before heading to camp we decided to go for a short drive. Excellent timing, as it was 2.30pm – the hottest time of the day. We found lots of elephants bathing and coming back from their afternoon bathing session. We spotted around 50 elephants on this drive , and some giraffes, impalas and various little birds.

Elephants at a waterhole.

Four young elephants having an afternoon bath in the river near
the Linyanti campsite.

One of the elephants crossing the road when we were leaving
our campsite.

After we arrived on our campsite I tried spotting hippos but I could only hear them – no success with sightings. They were probably all hiding behind the reeds. We had a quick snack, which ended up in another massive argument between me and Claudio. I must say I know very few people with whom I argue as much as with him. I guess that can happen when you travel, particularly with someone whom you don’t know well. I got again threatened to be dropped off at the nearest international airport and I agreed that may be the best solution if we can’t stop arguing.

We managed to improve the atmosphere by evening and had dinner in peace. The campsite was beautiful – the only bother were the numerous mosquitos that came out at dark.

Sunset in Linyanti over our campsite.

A tree at sunset in Linyanti.

From Linyanti we continued towards Ihaha campsite. Camping at Ihaha was uneventful (read: peaceful) and we did a couple of drives trying to find lions. Last time when Claudio was here they had spotted two lions hunting. Unfortunately luck wasn’t on our side. We did have a good time doing elephant spotting, however. When we arrived a little further down from our campsite at the riverside, we found a spot where I counted 150 elephants. Then I stopped counting. It was pointless. There were hundreds of elephants out on the plain and in the water. They were accompanied by some giraffes, water buffalos, impalas – and we also spotted our first sable antelopes. They were unfortunately too far for a picture with my little camera. All over Ihaha and Linyanti we also spotted lots of fish eagles., egrets,, herons, storks (for example the marabou stork, leptoptilos crumeniferus, and saddlebilled stork, ephippiorhynchus senegalensis), African jacanas (actophilornis africanus), blacksmith lapwings (vanellus armatus), bustards, colourful helmeted guineafowls ( numida meleagris), crimsonbreasted shrikes (laniarius atrococcineus), starlings, weavers,  vultures, hawks and eagles. We saw plenty of yellowbiled hornbills and even a few of the southern ground hornbills (bucorvus leadbeateri). On the Linyanti campsite we even had a woodpecker happily pecking off a nearby tree, not at all bothered by our presence.

After we had dinner we had a visit from the park rangers patrolling in the area. They were just checking that everything was ok, and remined us to make a big fire as there are lion sightings at the campsite.  That got me a little nervous, so I placed my Finnish axe on the dining table. So that I culd wack the lion with it, should it turn up (as if I would really get a chance to do that). Claudio again had another reason to call me a wimp. I did manage to get through the evening otherwise – with the help of the Finnish axe and the big fire. Lion did not eat me. It did not even turn up, though once we thought we heard a lion. Most of the sounds we heard overnight were elephants and also one hippo crossing right next to our campsite, probably on its way to graze.

On the 15^th of January we left Chobe behind and headed for Kasane. Kasane’s supermarkets and shop selection impressed us. We shopped at a very well stocked Spar where we got all of our groceries and then visited a wine store and a restaurant with a wifi connection afterwards. I got a message from my mother saying she can see from Claudio’s maplink that we have stopped in front of a big building. She assumed we are doing groceries. I confirmed her assumption correct and told her that after stocking up we will be heading towards the Zimbabwean border and towards Victoria Falls. After lunch we had “The Green Mamba” washed. It changed colouyrs – Claudio complained its too clean now. Whlst waiting for the carwashers to do their job I went to get a couple of milkshakes  from KFC (or krushers as they call them) and then headed off to Zimbabwe.

The border crossing was rather easy, we paid for the Zambia and Zimbabwean joint visa. We welcomed this new visa. It costs USD 50 but its multiple entry (as long as you stay between these two countries) and is valid for 30 days. Unfortunately the car insurance was not valid here so we had to still pay USD 45 for that within Zimbabwe and another USD 10 for road tax. Claudio did mention that the roads were in much better condition than last time when he visited, so it seems the road tax funds have actually been put in appropriate use. I’m looking forward to seeing Victoria Falls!