Safari Blog

Game viewing on safari holidays in Botswana is known for being simply superb and this month at Tau Pan has been no exception! In fact, the month has been quite dramatic!  On one nature walk guests and their guide came across a bizarre cloud of dust. After noticing that the cloud did not move or change shape, even with the breeze, the group became curious and moved in closer to investigate. On closer inspection a honey badger was found digging deep into the ground. The group watched inquisitively as the honey badger continued to dig, along with a group of jackals who were also eager to see what the honey badger might discover. After about 15 minutes he eventually emerged, dragging a dead young warthog out of the burrow. The opportunistic jackals tried to claim the prize but were eventually put off by the hissing and growling of the honey badger who had worked hard for his meal! In the end he trotted away to eat his meal in peace. On the larger side of things, the Tau Pan pride were seen most days this month, often by the waterhole near camp. There was a little concern in the first week of the month when it appeared two of the cubs were missing and the females were slightly bloodied. Perhaps an intruding lion had been involved in a fight with the pride? Luckily after five days the whole pride was seen, including all six cubs. Towards the end of the month they were spotted feeding on a giraffe, which they managed to finish off in one day. Two days later they pulled down an oryx and finished it by noon – it takes a lot to fill up these hungry adults and growing cubs!

The weather at Damaraland Camp in Namibia has started to become slightly colder as the area moves towards its winter months. It’s now a little chillier in the evenings and mornings, meaning everyone needs that extra layer during their early game drives. One of the favourite activities amongst guests this month is driving out to the Klip River area to look for the magnificent desert-adapted elephants. Although it is quite a drive away, this is one of the elephants’ wet season home ranges and is one of the best places to see them. Guests enjoy the drive very, along the way they can admire some of Namibia’s most breath taking scenery as well as spotting lots of animals on route. This month there have been several sightings of the rare and near-endemic black-faced impala on the way to find the elephants. In fact, over the past month, several unusual and rare critters have been seen by guests. The favourite was probably a dwarf-plated lizard that was basking on the rocks just behind camp. This secretive active hunter of the arid west has a bright blue tail that distracts would be predators from its head and body. If the lizard is attack it can easily shed its tail and the autonomic nerves inside keep the tail twitching to keep the attacker busy, in the meantime, the lizard can escape. A very clever little creature! If you are currently planning a second or third African safari then Namibia could be for you. If you choose to visit this fantastic country you’ll be in for a desert adventure of a lifetime!

Although sometimes overlooked, Namibia is an excellent choice for an African safari, particularly if this is not your first trip to Africa. Namibian safari camp, Andersson’s Camp, was filled with wonderful sightings and safari experiences throughout April. There was a little rain at the beginning of the month, but generally it was quite dry, indicating that the rains are coming for an end for this year. After the early bouts of rain there was an abundance of frogs in the area. Guests watched as they emerged from the fresh rain puddles, possibly in a last bid to find a mate before the dry winter months set in. Frogs are quite vocal creatures and after dark each night they put on quite a show for guests with their frequent calls. Most of the summer migrant birds have left Andersson’s in search of warmer conditions and so birding has quietened down. The resident birds, however, have continued to provide some excellent sightings. In particular, the Crimson-breasted Shrike which steals the show with is dazzling contrasting colouring. A flock of Familiar Chats have taken a liking to the main area at camp and are constantly seen rustling amongst the furniture. On the larger side of things Odin, the black rhino, is starting to come to the camp waterhole a lot. Guests love watching him drink whilst they enjoy a great meal or a beverage of their own.  Large herds of zebra have been congregating around the nearby waterholes a lot too, making for a simply dazzling sighting (and photo!) Although not seen over the past month, the characteristic lion’s roar was heard frequently during the nights – a sign that they must be nearby. Everyone at camp is looking forward to hopefully seeing these fantastic predators in the near future!

Guests at Savuti camp were treated to the sighting of a lifetime last weekend and, even better, the drama unfolded right outside camp – some guests were even sitting on their room decks to watch. One afternoon, when all was calm at camp, a lioness suddenly jumped out of the thick vegetation and unexpectedly killed a kudu on the banks of the Savute Channel. Once the kudu had deceased she dragged it away into the vegetation, presumably so she could feed in peace. After tea the guides at the camp decided to take the guests out and cross the channel for a closer look.  The lioness was found with her three little cubs – much to the guests’ delight! All four of them appeared very relaxed around humans and the vehicles, making for some great photo opportunities. They came out in the afternoon sun to play before disappearing back into the bushes. Since then the lioness and her cubs have been seen daily from the camp’s deck. She seems to enjoy the attention as she brings her cubs out at the perfect time every day! The lioness makes her appearance just around teatime for everyone to enjoy before their afternoon game drive. Everyone at the Botswana safari camp is looking forward to keeping an eye on her and her little cubs. Hopefully she will become a regular addition to safari holidays at Savuti!

The long awaited Planet Earth Live series from the BBC began on Sunday night. The series, which is presented by Richard Hammond and Julia Bradbury, shows real-life animal dramas from around the globe in real-time. The BBC chose to film some of the Kenya sections of the programme from one of our favourite Kenya safari camps, Governor’s Camp. Sunday night’s episode featured a mother bear and her two cubs in the US and a herd of elephants in Kenya. During the programme Richard Hammond narrated and presented as we saw Emily, a female elephant, and her tiny baby trying to survive in a very small herd. Elephants usually live in large breeding herds and, with other older mothers to guide them, new mums learn and flourish. With no one to steer Emily in the right direction, she struggled to look after her first calf which eventually was eaten by a hungry lioness that saw the baby as easy prey. The programme also showed the efforts of wildlife protection programmes, as staff work hard in a bid to combat elephant poaching. During his stay in Kenya, Hammond was able to go out with an anti-poaching team and help them to fit a radio collar to a female elephant. After tranquilising her, the team worked quickly to fit the collar (all whilst pouring buckets of water over her body, making sure this huge creature stayed cool) which will enable to them to track her movements from now on. Catch the second episode of the series tonight on BBC1 for more real-time wildlife action.