Central part of the park is characterized by quite dense vegetation. Mopane forests damaged by elephants are everywhere surrounding open grass areas with natural and artificial waterholes. Hundreds of elephants move through the park and photographic opportunities around waterholes are countless!

Predators are moving around, however, dense mopane vegetation proves to be a challenge to find spectacular photo opportunities. Area is also rich in general game with iconic antelopes such as Roan and Sable. In order to stay close to the action I recommend Camp Hwange run by exceptionally friendly staff. Facilities are comfortable and location is fairly central.

Hwange is the largest natural reserve in Zimbabwe dominated by the Kalahari ecosystem. Its habitats change from dense mopane, through woodlands and to open plains and pans, dotted with palms in the south. The park has tens of artificial waterholes, which are powered those days using solar panels. The water allows animals to stay year round and eases their hardship during the drought.

After five days in the Central part, we have moved to concessions in the south of the Park. Drive along the railway separating, infamous hunting concessions from the northern boundary of the park took some 4.5 hours. The habitats changed along the way, mopane giving way to woodlands and finally to open pans with palms. It reminded me slightly of the Makgadikgadi in the green season.

I definitely liked the habitats around Linkwasha, Davison’s camps much more than challenging mopane in the central part. Having saying that, both areas provided solid photo opportunities.

I stayed in Wilderness camp called Linkwasha (free upgrade since Davison’s wasn’t operational). Most of my time was spent following both, Linkwasha and Ngamo prides of lions. Males were very vocal during nights, and we managed to see 3 out of 4 dominant boys. Three females had small cubs of around 5-6 months, 2-3 months and even few weeks old! I only seen the smallest ones on the last morning drive when the female moved the babies into the bush.

One afternoon sighting included a Mexican standoff between large herd of buffalos and two lion males (thats them hiding behind the log on the photo above). This tense situation was resolved with both parties respectfully avoiding confrontation.

Two afternoons I dedicated to try the underground hide positioned in front of the waterhole. I have to say, very nice experience allowing for some unique photographic opportunities using wide angle lens (as the elephant below).

Hwange is a very interesting and exciting place to visit. It provides very good photographic opportunities and exciting sightings. Now, is the time to prepare a new itinerary that will combine Hwange and Mana Pools – two completely different yet fascinating wilderness areas in Zimbabwe. Stay tuned for this new safari to be offered for 2022 and beyond.

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While the tourist season for the Serengeti crossings peaks between late July to September, the tourist density there is 3-4 times lower than in the famed Maasai Mara reserve. In fact sometimes – with a little bit of knowledge and luck – one can find themselves alone with crossing herds! 

In the Serengeti, this awe-inspiring spectacle can be observed along the Mara from either the Kogatende (southern) or Lamai (northern) side along 12 main crossing points. Note that wildebeests may decide to cross anywhere, thus there are many intermediate places along the river one can observe. In my personal opinion, the views from Lamai side are more dramatic and spectacular when massive herds migrate northwards. 

The mechanics of a regular sighting include spotting/getting info on which crossing point herds gathered day before, then positioning the vehicle a safe distance from the bank of the river (approx. 20-100m depending on the place) in the shade of trees.  The waiting period can last anywhere from a few minutes to several hours… and sometimes, it may not happen at all, despite several thousands gnu moving right on the bank of the Mara.

Observation of the crossing can be sometimes nerve-wracking and not to everyone’s taste, especially when tens of safari vehicles ‘fight’ for the top spot along the riverbank when herds decide to cross.   The number of vehicles can vary from 1 to over 50, which is still much less than the reported 100-150 on some crossings in the Maasai Mara. 

• The so-called ‘decision of wildebeests to cross’ may sometimes take hours, thus patience is a must for anyone who wants to witness this incredible marvel of nature.  Discipline must be exercised by remaining in the vehicle, which is key to not disturb the event – something that is unfortunately being violated regularly lately.  However, efforts by Park Rangers and many conscious drivers/guides help to assure that everyone can enjoy this natural scene with the least disruptions possible.

Once the crossing starts, an orderly and peaceful alignment along the river will result in an undisturbed, spectacular crossing that may last for hours (depending on the herd size).  We may witness wildebeest jumps from the cliffs, crocodile attacks, massive clouds of dust raised by moving herd and all other sightings seen on nature documentaries. Regardless of the level of drama you will witness, the memories of the unforgettable sound of thousands of wildebeest’s calls will last forever.  The video and photo opportunities are limitless.

I have found myself that for spectacular wildlife photography during crossings, there isn’t a magic spot; there’s always an empty place to park the vehicle, creating an angle that allows for an interesting photo shoot.  In fact, some of my award-winning photos from the Mara river crossing were taken from what initially appeared to be a bad vantage point.  There may be the chaos of moving cars, but take a moment to admire and think about the photo(s) you would like to take, and then start documenting.  Every crossing is different and can bring surprising sightings, all of which are unforgettable and amazing to witness.  And please remember, it is the wilderness, sometimes crossings happen daily and sometimes we may face days without it.  Therefore, my advice is to stay at least 3-4 days to maximize your chances to see this astounding wildlife encounter.

A couple of useful points (these are my opinions and may differ from others):

• The most dramatic crossing points: #5 and #4, possibly #6
• The most picturesque: #2
• The most crowded in a peak season: #3 to #7
• The most underrated: #1, #9-12

Is the sighting of massive herds crossing the river guaranteed? The answer is: no, it is not, as nothing in nature can be guaranteed.  However, the combination of a carefully selected camp, best in the business guide and drivers and an intimate knowledge of wildlife behavior combined with some luck can do the trick.

At Wild Encounter Safaris we have an itinerary in July 2022 (to avoid the highest density of tourists in August) where we spend 5 days in the Lamai area, providing a high chance to see the crossings, but also allows exploring open plains north of the river in search of big cats and other wildlife.

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A unique habitat for several species of flora and fauna, Victoria Falls is a spectacular waterfall on the Zambezi River. It spans 1700 m (5500 ft) at its widest and falls down 108 m (355 ft) into a narrow (25-75 m wide) gorge. At the end of the gorge, the river flows under the Victoria Falls Bridge connecting both countries.  The edge of the waterfall is split into several parts by small islands, which continues into an awe-inspiring water drop down the chasm. 

The name was given by David Livingstone, the first European to have visited the natural wonder in 1855, in honour of Queen Victoria.  In addition to the falls themselves, the surroundings are protected by the Victoria Falls National Park (Zimbabwe) and Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park (Zambia). Lush forests are home to klipspringers, bushback and warthogs.  Elephants, giraffes, zebras, lions and leopards roam the forests and grasslands, while hippos are often seen near the falls. Victoria Falls with its surroundings were designated a World Heritage site in 1989.

The water level in the Zambezi River and the corresponding might of the falls depends on two main interconnected factors – the time of the year and intensity of rains.  

• In a nutshell, for anyone who would like to experience Victoria Falls at its ‘peak’ with hundreds of meters high sprays should plan to visit any time between February and June.
• Keep in mind though, the Zambezi River levels as well as intensity of the falls will vary depending on the rains in November to March.  

• Between September to November, the eastern portions of the falls (Zambian side) are mostly dry during times of low river flow.  The surrounding vegetation will also be dry and temperatures can reach 40C. 

There are many attractions around Victoria Falls, depending on your adventure level. Those interested in taking in the sights by walking can enjoy a walk along the gorge on the Zimbabwe side with a visit to the Angel and Devils Pools from the Zambian side. If you wish to experience by boat, there are river cruises available on the Zambezi. For the thrill seekers among us, we recommend a variety of scenic flights or bungee jumping from the Victoria Falls Bridge.

A memorable visit to Victoria Falls is the ultimate cherry on top to safaris in Botswana, Zambia or northwestern Zimbabwe.  We, at Wild Encounter Safaris offer it as an extension to our photo safaris or have it as part of our tailor-made itineraries.

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Seasoned safari-goers understand the types of choices that can be made and have their favourite tried, and tested operators to use.  However, first-time goers or infrequent travellers may need to spend days, or even weeks, in front of the computer researching, reading and customising their trip.

I’ve created a simple, gift-level checklist of questions to help guide you:

• Which country?
• What season?
• What level of comfort? (Quality of accommodation and guiding)
• Pre-set itinerary or private? (Exclusivity and cost)
• What’s my budget? (Closely linked with all above)

In this blog, I will explain the difference between private and ready-made safaris.  Destinations and seasons are covered in my previous (best time for African safari) and upcoming blogs.  It’s worth noting that I will not be discussing choices for safaris on the low budget (self-driving, camping etc), which is in itself deserving of a blog post.

Let’s assume we have our destination and time of the year picked – we want to visit the Okavango Delta in June.  We have also decided that we would like to avoid potentially crowded areas of Chobe, Moremi or Khwai Community, and spend time in private concessions.  Once we’ve narrowed down our choices to this extent, there are some key points we then need to accept:

• Price point of private concessions will be higher than ‘public parks’
• May/June is the encore of the high season (higher prices)
• It is a sought after period (booking is recommended 10-12 months ahead)
• Best concessions will fill up quickly (as above)

You may have noticed that I am guiding my blog towards higher priced and more exclusive safaris.  This is intentional, as I want to focus on private vs ready-made aspect. Therefore, I’m removing variables such as private concessions vs community/national parks with its tens of camps.  Now, that we have pre-set our criteria the key question we need to answer is: what level of exclusivity do we want?  This is of course tightly connected to the budget.

An off-the-shelf itinerary means that all is set – once you’re in, all is being taken care for you.  One of the only decisions you have control over is whether you enjoy the experience or not.  Dates, concessions, camps, attractions, internal flights are all arranged, like a set menu dinner.  It’s worth knowing that you do have a say over the number of participants (your decision to subscribe or not), for example do you prefer a large ‘table for 8-10’ or a more intimate setting for 4-6 people.  The larger number of participants should indicate a lower price for the same itinerary.  The advantages of a bigger group works well here – more people share the total cost = less for one individual to pay.

The ready-made safari offers also possibility to meet new people from different countries, backgrounds and forge new friendships that may last for years to come.

Many boutique operators (including Wild Encounter Safaris) offer an economies of scale approach in order to secure the best dates, concessions and camps ahead of competition. It is also a cost-effective approach to a ‘semi-private’ safari.  In our case, we operate on the basis of a minimum 4 and maximum of 8 participants on 2 exclusive vehicles.

Private safari means that you select everything – custom dates, camp of your choice, local guide, number of people in your vehicle, etc.  Of course, the earlier you decide to plan the safari, the more choice will be available.  In our particular example of June in Botswana, a 16-14 month lead time ahead of the trip is advisable to be completely in control of your options.  

Private safaris can be booked anytime, but keep in mind that due to the choice of properties, available dates may be limited.  Needless to say, this privacy carries an added price tag that is related to the cost of a private vehicle and exclusive guide.  That being said, it is definitely a choice for people who want ultimate freedom and control on their safari experience.

What is the biggest advantage of a private safari? The fact that you don’t compromise with anyone else.  It’s your decision whether to stay 5 hours or 10 minutes on a sighting, providing it is within acceptable local conditions.  In the end it’s up to your local guide and tour leader to ensure your safety and well-being, however, you still have added influence to your itinerary that a safari with a group of people wouldn’t necessarily allow.

There are pros and cons to whatever type of safari you choose. At Wild Encounter Safaris we’re here to discuss your perfect trip and will help you every step of the way to ensure your safari is the way you dream it to be.

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The nuances between our wildlife adventure and a photographic safari can be distilled into a few simple points:

• Density of people in a vehicle
• Price (because of the above)
• Time in the field (although not always)
• Photo tutoring

First of all, let’s consider the price and number of people in a vehicle.  Because all our safaris are based on exclusive vehicles for the group, the cost of the vehicle is spread equally among all participants.  This means that the fewer people in a vehicle, the higher the price per day, per person.  Photographers expecting a full row in a Land Cruiser is today’s standard for high-end photo safaris. Serious photo enthusiasts are prepared to pay for that level of comfort and ability to move freely in the car.  As with other photo tours in Africa, we allow for one row per vehicle to be shared among two participants providing they agree to sit together.  On our wildlife adventures, the standard is two people per row, with max 6 per vehicle.

Time in the field relies on many factors, but most importantly it depends on the wildlife behaviour and the quality of sightings.  For example, in instances where we have active wildlife, we would stay in the field with every group.  On the contrary, if we’re out in the field in hot weather and the animals are resting, we may go back to the camp for a midday siesta.  On our photo safaris, we sometimes decide to stay in the field after locating resting leopard or lions to ensure we don’t miss any action.  The latter means a full day in the field with packed lunches.  On all our safaris, we leave before sunrise to ensure we catch the wildlife animated and lively in the field.

The aim of our safaris is to show our participants dynamic animal scenes, with a strong focus on behaviours.  This requires a similar approach regardless of the type of safari.  I guide and position the vehicles in the same way for an advanced photographer as for someone with a point-and-shoot camera or iPhone.  The goal is the same – to be able to record our sightings on any media from the best possible angle with optimal lighting.  

Those who choose to experience the scenes around them with their own eyes instead of taking photos have the ability to see these unforgettable moments from a different angle to a typical safari for the masses.  It’s worth mentioning that I do talk a bit more about techniques, photo equipment and settings during the photo tour, but the latter is based on a pull from participants rather than a push from me

Hopefully now the subtlety in variation between a photo safari and normal tour is clearer. Differences are not hugely discernible, the main point to take away is that our tours are focussed on ‘recording’ the wildlife experience from an ideal vantage point.  The type of the media is secondary; it’s more essential to show our customers wildlife undisturbed and in their natural habitat, as we see it on our favourite nature documentaries.  We focus on emotions, both of the animals and our participants.

The key to all our safaris is to have patience, trust our guides and tour lead, and heed our carefully crafted timetable to experience the flora and fauna at its absolute best.  The early bird catches the ‘shot’!

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In order to stay focused I will limit opinions regarding the best time to visit Botswana, Zimbabwe and Tanzania. However, it may be applicable to other Eastern and Southern Africa destinations. I will focus on key aspects, including weather, reliability of sightings, number of visitors and the value for your money. Major natures events and their overall importance will also be taken into perspective.

We can roughly divide the time of the year into the Green or Rain season (November-March) and the dry season (June-October). It is a gross approximation, as important transition periods exists in-between. Temperatures are quite predictable, being driven by the position of the Earth vs the Sun. However, arrival of rains and its intensity varies and plays a major role in the appearance of natural habitats. Behavior of wildlife will strongly depend of availability of drinking water and condition of pastures. One has to remember, that the nature is not a Swiss watch – It can not be easily predicted, especially in the times of global climate changes.

Everyone planning African safari should remember that all aspects of your trip can be controlled apart from nature. Normally safaris are booked a year ahead, thus weather prediction is impossible. Be prepared for surprises arriving on location. Delay of wildebeests calving around Lake Ndutu or drought in the Okavango Delta can happen if rains won’t come on time. This is nature and we need to embrace it!

THE HIGH SEASON

Anyone looking for a maximum sightings and comfortable weather conditions, while visiting Botswana and Zimbabwe, should consider June-September. It is a high season for a couple of reasons. Firstly, it is a vacation time in many countries and secondly, animals concentrate around ever-shrinking water supplies and are easier to spot in dry vegetation. Temperatures vary from 5-10C in the morning to 25-30C during the day (coolest months May-July). Precipitation is almost non-existent and skies are clear of clouds.

It is the time when the waters of Okavango are at its peak, and provide one of a kind experience for all visitors. African painted dogs are very active feeding their pups, which just begin to discover the world outside a den. Elephants come to larger water sources in hundreds to bathe. Predators are active and easy to spot in the leafless vegetation. A general animal encounters are at its peak as we move from June to September/October.

In Tanzania, this time of the year means one major spectacle – The Mara River crossing in the Northern part of Serengeti. Hundreds of thousands of wildebeests are on their annual migration to Maasai Mara, Kenya. On their journey they have to cross the Mara River providing countless opportunities for memories that will last forever. It’s a ‘pilgrimage’ time for regular visitors and wildlife photographers.

High season is also a time when the number of visitors and prices are at their peak. Private concession of Okavango are never crowded and national parks of Zimbabwe are always reasonable. Public areas in Botswana, such as Chobe NP or Khwai receive higher number of visitors and can be very busy. Serengeti can sometimes be overbearing with numbers of cars on one sighting, especially in central parts of Seronera. Prices at very good camps (read: in high demand) can easily reach $1000-2000 per night per person and are being booked 12-14 months ahead of safari. Finally, airline tickets are correspondingly expensive and flights can be often overbooked.

Planning your safari in the high season, requires keeping in mind all aspects mentioned above and be prepared to plan ahead. Best camps, best guides and locations will book first, thus be prepared to ‘shop’ 16-12 months before your trip. Keep in mind such inclusions as internal flights, park fees, drinks, laundry and the number of visitors per vehicle. If the offer looks too good to be true, it most probably is – inquire and read T&Cs. Remember, that price by itself and number of days can be deceiving – its important to look at details of the offer. Looking at opinions of others (testimonials) is always useful.

THE GREEN SEASON

The time of the year between late November and March is often called a green season due to rains over vast areas of Eastern and Southern Africa. Temperatures often reach >40C during the day and >20C at night, with humidity being at its peak. The hottest months are Nov-Dec with a general cooling towards Feb-Mar. Number of visitors in Zimbabwe goes almost down to ‘zero’ while Botswana is at the lowest numbers of the year in January. I have a separate blog on the green season in Botswana, thus I will only focus below on Tanzania.

Time between end of January and March is seeing increased number of visitors to the Greater Ngorongoro Conservation Area. The reason – massive herds of wildebeests, zebras and antelopes gather around Lake Ndutu and Masek to give a birth to thousands of babies in the span of 2-3 weeks. The peak of this great nature spectacle is February and early March.

Abundance of lions and cheetahs, and other predators is tightly connected to this yearly phenomena. It is also a time when many predators have their babies to align with a ‘time of plenty’. Southern Serengeti is buzzing with life with pride of lions gathering on kopjes and leopards resting in trees of Seronera.

Many seasonal camps sprinkle the area around Lake Ndutu to cater for increased umber of visitors coming to Tanzania. Camps in Ngorongoro crater are at capacity providing base for the visit to the ‘Garden of Eden’. The highest prices and number of visitors is in February. However, one can find a very good deals and still fantastic experience in March. Because of the limited number of well-positioned camps around Lake Ndutu, bookings are recommended at least 12 months ahead. Cost, depending on the standard, can run from $500-1500 per night sharing basis.

Weather is unpredictable, with warm temperatures throughout, possible daily rains and thunderstorms passing through. Sometimes, rains make many areas impassable even for the 4×4 vehicles. It is a very special time to visit Southern Serengeti and plains around Ngorongoro – every wildlife photographers ‘bucket list’.

My final thoughts. First time visitors hoping to maximize ratio of time to number of sightings should consider safari in the High Season. February or March in Tanzania can be considered a high season as well. People valuing solitude, lack of crowds and happy to patiently look for wildlife should consider a green season as a great time to visit Africa. Either way, while planning your African safari, please look at our incredible, carefully crafted itineraries.

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I still remember my excitement when I have seen the aardwolf for the first time.  It was in 2014 in Okavango during a night drive – a tame, foraging individual allowed us to accompany him for 20 minutes.  You may ask, what is the Aardwolf!?  It is a very elusive specie of hyena (sometimes called civet hyena) that inhabits Eastern and Southern Africa. And, yes, it is primarily nocturnal and very difficult to see during the day.  It took me 6 years (until the January 2020) to be able to see and photograph this beautiful animal without the use of artificial light.  And it happened when a mother came to a den to fetch her two grown pups for a night hunt.  It was quick, it was getting dark and it was magical!

Let’s continue with hyenas.  I am not a big fun of a common, spotted hyenas, but I have a lot of time for their Kalahari cousins – the Brown Hyenas. It is the rarest of hyenas, adults are solitary and do not form clans as their spotted relatives.  I have seen brown hyena in the past, but it was a first time that I (and the group of photographers I was guiding) was able to spend a quality evening with three cubs around a den.  It was amazing to observe their evening rituals after leaving the den.  The bathroom break in a particular spot away from the den or grooming between siblings. And realizing the size difference between smaller female and her larger brothers.  True, memorable sundowner ?

Bat-eared foxes (BEF) are relatively common in semi-arid environment of Kalahari. They are small canids with characteristic large ears.  BEFs are very important in regulating termites, which together with dung beetles consist of 80% of bat-eared fox diet.  Thanks to their incredible sense of hearing they aren’t easy to approach and are known as escape artists.  We had one family a little less shy allowing us for some observations and couple photographs.

Evening drives are special as they allow to experience nature completely differently to what we used to.  Our bespoke safaris, always have night drives in the schedule when in Botswana.  Sightings vary from trip to trip, but we always see something interesting, exciting and sometimes flat out – unbelievable. 

Our next safaris to Botswana – January 2021 and June 2021.

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There are several possible concessions/camps in the region. I found Kwando on the western side of Linyanti to offer the best value and never disappoint in terms of sightings.  The place is known for big cats, elephants, buffalos, sable, roan, general game but also rarities such as brown hyena, aardwolf or pangolin.  In fact on my last trip we have had a very nice sighting of the young aardwolf lying peacefully by the den...  Hold on, the blog supposed to be about the lions! ?

Last couple years Kwando became a true lions heaven – at any time there are some 60 lions in the concession, and prides can reach up to 25 individuals!  In 2019/20 during overall 10 days I spent in the concession between June and January, my guests and I were able to see many cats. Sightings included a large (21 cats) Wapoka pride with two dominant males, and the Holy pride with two, very pale males and some 17 females and cubs. Finally this past January, my group of photographers have followed a coalition of very beautiful, some 7-8 years old brothers, two young females and a female mother on a hunt.  That is a lot of lions! And a lot of photo opportunities.

The green season is especially rewarding as one can have big cats to themselves only.  There is something to be said about totally relaxed animals, not bothered by tens of moving vehicles.  In addition, there is nothing more rewarding for photographers than ability to position for a ‘shot’, with the right angle and light to one desires.  Jockeying for the best position simply doesn’t exist!  The only challenge is to find the good spot, anticipate lions movements and of course…look out for those high grasses.

The top sighting of the January trip was the hunt of the lioness and the catch of a baby impala.  It all revealed in front of our eyes – the cruelty of nature, when the massive lioness ‘played’ with the impala before she finally snapped her neck and devoured small animal…as a snack.  But, this was a perfect example of the circle of life – baby died so babies can live…yes, the lioness gave birth to cubs and needed to eat to provide for her own offspring’s.

Linyanti marshes always deliver, regardless of the season.  It is also a permanent stop on our Green Season and June itineraries to Botswana.  You need to experience it to believe it!

Entrust us and join our safaris to Botswana in 2021.

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They are small carnivore belonging to the mongoose family inhabiting all parts of the Kalahari in Botswana.  Meerkats are also known as suricate and besides Kalahari, can be found in Namibia, SW Angola and South Africa.  They were one of my ‘target species’ during this visit to Makgadikgadi.

I have read quite a lot about habituated meerkats around the Jacks Camp in Makgadikgadi ecosystem prior to this trip.  However, I didn’t have set expectations, knowing how it all changes in nature everyday.   What I, and the group of photographers I was guiding, seen and experienced during our visits to meerkat colonies was simply amazing and exceeded all my expectations…that I really didn’t have ?

We visited two different gangs – one with 9 individuals (adults and pretty grown up juveniles) and the second one with six adults and two, small, 4 weeks old babies.  The visit were accompanied and supervised by a dedicated care taker for each family.  We were able to get out of the vehicle and instructed on how close we can approach.  Of course, as on all my safaris, I am observing carefully animals and develop understanding of the safe/comfortable distance…here, the comfort distance sometimes meant 1 centimeter.

Meerkats definitely learned how to take advantage of visiting humans.  They feel more comfortable in our company as jackals and other possible predators avoid the area.  We have also learned, that on the flat pans raised head of photographer is the best scouting point.  Moreover, sitting and lying down human bodies also provide an excellent playground after 1-2 hrs of foraging ? (photo of a meerkat on my head is courtesy of Tomek Szpila)

Photographing meerkats seems relatively easy, but it is actually quite difficult task because of their constant movement. Opportunities for wide angle and long range photos can lead to quite chaotic behavior – yes, photographer not the meerkat. It is not that easy to be super calm and premeditated when you visit these creatures for the first time – I found myself changing cameras all the time. Only during the last visit, I decided to stick to pre-planned scenarios. However, more visits are required to master the meerkat photography ?

During three visits (each of 3-4 hrs), we have have seen them waking up, cleaning their dens, foraging, playing around, teaching young ones how to behave outside of the den and more.  Lying down, sitting or walking along meerkats on their quest for juicy scorpions or beetles, I felt as a part of a meerkat gang.  Very special and incredibly gratifying experience.

Our next safari that will visit colonies of these fascinating creatures – 2022.

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Makgadikgadi has been a first stop on the 11 days itinerary that ‘visited’ key wildlife destinations in Botswana. For details please visit Safaris>Upcoming>2020.

I have spent 4 days in the Pans guiding group of photographers and scouting in consideration for future safaris. We have stayed in the Camp Kalahari located in a private concession, 15 minutes drive from the National Park’s gate. Location offers uninterrupted access to vast Makgadikgadi system and its unique wildlife, including 3 colonies of meerkats.

The place is quite incredible and different from many others I have visited over the years. It’s buzzing with life this time of the year with thousands of zebras visiting green pastures. It is also a calving season, so one can see young ones of all hoofed animals. Semi-arid environment ‘specials’ such as the brown hyena, bat-eared foxes and meerkats are also bringing up their young ones. Local and migrating birds fill the air with their calls. The general atmosphere is enhanced by storms and rapidly moving clouds. Sunrises and sunsets are something else – simply magical!

Four days spent in Makgadikgadi consisted of many activities and phenomenal sightings, that will be featured in upcoming blogs:

• Three, eventful visits to two, different meerkat colonies
• An evening watching brown hyena cubs playing around the den
• An evening witnessing an aardwolf mother collecting its two juvenile cubs for the night hunt
• A visit to the Makgadikgadi National Park admiring flocks of lesser and greater flamingos
• Time with herds of zebras scattered across vast sea of fresh grasses
• Mornings with different families of bat-eared foxes
• Admiration of unbelievable sunrises and sunsets

The overall atmosphere and unique wildlife of the place is very special. It warrants the visit for every nature enthusiast. Makgadikgadi ecosystem will become a permanent stop on itineraries of our safaris to Botswana starting in 2021. Please check for details in upcoming months.

We will be visiting Makgadikgadi again in the 2022 season.

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