Day 26 – Namibia/Botswana Safari 2015. Serowe to Pretoria via Martins Drift Border Post

Our Namibia and Botswana safari sadly comes to an end today although we will have a few days in Pretoria/Johannesburg seeing friends and family before we head off for home in Knysna.

Last night I asked Denise what was her highlight of the trip and she quite rightly said you cannot pick out one or more highlights as every day had its highlights and it was another adventure of note, full of highlights.

We get an early start and cross the Limpopo River and the border at 09h00 the Botswana side was very efficient and we were across in 15 minutes when we get to the South African side there was one official dealing with arrivals and departures, which takes us another hour.

We have breakfast at a little pad stop and go through a very busy and growing Mokopane (Potgietersrus). I remember this as a one horse town and it shows what a newish Platinum Mine can do for a town, on the downside is what happens when the mine closes.

We arrive at Michael’s house in Centurion at 15h30 thereby ending another wonderful adventure.

We trust you have all enjoyed following our trip as much as we have sharing it with you, we have around 1500 photos and so many memories and now all we have to think of is where to next?

Van Zyls Pass Namibia

Epupa Falls on Kunene River Namibia

Desert Elephants of Namibia

Baines baobabs - Botswana

Makgadikgadi Pans

White Rhino in Khama Rhino Sanctuary Botswana

Proud Granny with her three grandaughters
Sinead, Amber Lee and Naomi

Day 25 – Namibia/Botswana Safari 2015. Khama Rhino Sanctuary

We are up at 05h30 to be ready for a pick up at 06h00 to go tracking rhino, we are on the back of this game viewing vehicle and it is freezing, we drive around for one and a half hours and as it gets light we are searching for recent rhino tracks crossing the sandy road. Eventually our rangers see tracks of a mother and baby and we dismount cracking our icy joints and start to follow the tracks. There are times when I think we have lost them, but our tracker keeps us on track by following other signs, grass bent by their passage, grass eaten, area where they have laid down, dung and finally in dense bush we get see a movement and a large grey shape, but getting closer is too dangerous and they have already got our scent and are on the move.

We liked the experience and spotted other wildlife including Zebra, Wildebeest, Mongoose and a carcase of an Eland that has probably died of old age, there are 52 White Rhino and 4 Black Rhino in the sanctuary and the only predators are 10 Leopards, Spotted Hyena, Caracal and African Wild Cat.

After a late breakfast we go on a self drive and at a bird hide waterhole we come across two White Rhino, Warthog, Impala and a wide variety of bird life.

In the late afternoon we go on a game drive and we see another six White Rhino one with a month old baby. The place is used as a Rhino breeding ground and the Botswana Defence Force are involved in protecting the Rhino and anyone caught killing a Rhino is jailed for 10 to 15 years and have to pay a fine of Pula50, 000.

Another interesting point is that all hunting has been banned in Botswana by the current President Ian Khama who is an avid conservationist; this will obviously be to the advantage of South African Game Farms and to a lesser extent Namibia. 

Khama Rhino Sanctuary our first sighting at the Bird Hide

A Nice Warthog Specimen

Mum and baby going home

A flying Banana according to our guide (Southern Yellow Billed Hornbill)

A Serowe chicken I am battling to identify this bird, the closest I can get is an Orange River Francolin

The endangered species; Mum and baby boy.
In the sanctuary they have named all the Rhino and a male called Jack thinks the swimming pool is his private bath

Day 24 – Namibia/Botswana Safari 2015. Gweta to Serowe (Khama Rhino Sanctuary) via Makgadikgadi Pans

Getting out of Gweta to the Ntwetwe Pan was en exercise in frustration, on loading our first destination our Garmin takes us to the town graveyard and when we finally find a road it is sometimes on the Garmin and sometimes not, which is not surprising as there are so many roads, in the end I tell Denise who is driving just as long as we are heading South or South East we are going in the right direction and sure enough after at least an hour we have travelled 25kms and are at the pans.

To describe the pans is difficult and our photos do not capture the splendour of the landscape. The theory is that these are all part of a huge inland lake and were formed when the rivers Okavango and Limpopo were diverted by a huge shift and fault that cut off this area from the rivers feeding into it. Travel on these pans is a pleasure although it is not recommended if they are even slightly wet as is evidenced by the deep ruts caused by vehicles that have been bogged down in the black cotton soil.

Upon exiting we also get confused by the many roads, sorry tracks/paths, heading into the bush, again we follow our travel South mantra and we eventually arrive at Mmatshoumo and onwards through Orapa, Letlhakane. Paje and 25kms West of Serowe we arrive at the Rhino sanctuary at 16h30.

It is thirsty work 

At last we arrive at Ntwetwe Pan 

In the middle of the Makgadikgadi Pans  

Picture a huge sea

Salama crossing the Pans

What the road looks like before the pans

Day 23 – Namibia/Botswana Safari 2015. Maun to Gweta

We have another Wimpy breakfast, fill up with fuel and head out for Gweta a journey of over 300kms as we want to see Baines Baobabs and a bit of Nxai Pan. We enter Nxai Pan National Park just off the A3 some 120kms from Maun and Baines Baobabs that on all map books appear to be right alongside the main road proves not to be the case and the first 13kms the road is the worst I have ever been on, again there is tracts of thick sand then corrugations that were made in hell they are a metre apart and half a metre deep and then you get sections where it is like you are in a rodeo on a bucking bronco and it throws your car back across the road, my poor car, let alone my nerves

Kudiakama Pan

Black and white coming for a drink

Elephants stomach ripped open, Ranger said nothing they could do it was probably a lion attack or a fight with a peer that caused it and it was a case of survival of the fittest 

What fun they had

.

We reach Baines Baobabs which are very impressive and then we head for the waterhole at North Camp and on our way there we see a group of 4 elephant, clearly on a mission to the waterhole.

We arrive at the waterhole before the elephant , but they and a couple of bull elephants arrive along with Kudu, Oryx, Zebra and a couple of Black Backed Jackals and they put on quite a show for us. We had to tear ourselves away as we have to drive back on the helter skelter road from hell with me driving this time.

Our first priority at Gweta Lodge, yes another establishment that has the cheek to call itself a Lodge, but it is fine, we down 3 St Louis Beers with sprites a very nice dinner that included a superb Pavlova dessert. A very satisfying if exhausting day.

Baines Baobabs

Spraying themselves with mud

A few of the Gemsbok (Oryx)

Nxai Pan

Twins

Kudu male with one of his 8 females

This one was a real character and full of tricks like this slip slide into the waterhole

Day 22 – Namibia/Botswana Safari 2015. Maun and Moremi Game Reserve

Following a Wimpy breakfast we head out for Moremi Game Reserve, the first 29kms is on a tar road, but it also accomodates cattle and donkeys galore and those donkeys believe they do not have to move off the road for anyone. It is another 30kms and we turn off for Moremi South Gate, we immediately see elephants, giraffe, warthog, impala, zebra and kudu, we even get to go off the road down to a water hole and see more wildlife and it is elephant, elephant and more elephant. For an in transit day visit it cost us R348, the route is up to North Gate at Kwaai, but when we come to a fork in the road I say to Denise why don’t we go up to 3^rd Bridge and then cut across to North Gate, which we did.

We soon realise that we have seen more wildlife outside the reserve than in it so far, the road is very bumpy on dried black cotton soil and tracts of deep sand. On reaching 3^rd Bridge gate the ranger there says the bridge is closed as it is damaged, but we can go and have a look, I ask him three times if he would recommend crossing and he says no three times.

On getting to the bridge we see a Suzuki Jiminy on the other side and the occupants are inspecting the bridge and the access and then they commence the crossing and without incident, so I cannot let a Suzuki cross and I turn back, the driver of the Suzuki tells me that some of the log construction as split apart leaving big gaps in some areas. The water at both sides is quite deep, but Salama handles it with aplomb and we make it to the other side and continue our journey.

Distances are not great, but they do take a long time as we are travelling at slow speeds. Denise takes on 4^th Bridge also a deviation through very deep water, however we meet a guide with Kalahari Adventures who turns round and drives through the water to show Denise the right line the water is up to the doors, but she ploughed through it, but there is always a sting in the tail and we encounter this on the main road after North Gate when we have to take another deviation around the Kwaai river, which we assume has washed away the road or bridge, however, we never did see what the real problem was.

We again encounter very deep sand and around a corner we come across a broken down vehicle that forces us to deviate through the bush, if Denise does not know how to tackle deep sand driving after this trip she never will.

Driving at night in Botswana, which we vowed we never would, but we have no choice you have just got to be very alert what with cows, goats, horses and elephants not to mention people. We arrive at Theklakane River Lodge where we enjoy a stiff drink and a very nice oxtail dinner, getting back to our “lodge” after 21h00.    

No I did not tell Denise (On right of picture) to go and check 3rd bridge before I crossed over

Up close and personal

Three Kudu ladies

4th Bridge Moremi national Park, Botswana 

One of the many elephants in the Moremi area

4th Bridge

Elephant Crossing

Day 21 – Namibia/Botswana Safari 2015. Guma Lagoon to Maun

Up at 6.30 with the intention of leaving at 8h00.  Mission accomplished as we are such seasoned travellers and packers.

Denise drove this road to hell in and I now have to drive it out, but seriously we have become pretty good 4x4 drivers. There are 2 types of sand on the road white and slightly coarse and off white soft, powdery and slippery and in both cases it was very deep and you cannot loose concentration for a moment and to add to the adventure, water in places is quite deep as well. Would not like to see what its like in the rainy season.

The road to Maun is tarred and there is no doubt in our minds that we prefer a gravel road with bumps and corrugations to tar and pot holes. I should rephrase that tar with canyons in them left, right and centre and across the road. As well as dodging the live stock. 200 k’s of this.

We finally arrive at Maun and search for our accommodation Dolar Lodge in the town, townships, slums and suburbs. When we finally locate the "Lodge" on the main road, the receptionist said the booking agents gave us the wrong map…….understatement.

A word of warning the word lodge is widely used and conjures up a very different perceptionin your mind and never go by their star rating or get taken in with their web site photo-shopped pictures

Tomorrow we will head for Moremi Game Park and hopefully get in as they are privatised and do not seem to allow self drives. Will tackle that tomorrow…..watch this space.

We are getting to the tail end of our journey and as with Africa 2013 we just want to carry on driving.

Our bedroom for two nights, TV did not work, Fan did not work

The swimming pools at Dolar Lodge, photos can be deceiving 

The entrance to Dolar Lodge

That is not a real girrafe 

We decided not to take a chance of ordering dinner and went into Maun town and had dinner at Nando's, which was packed the choice for restaurants is extremely limited, but Nando's was adequate. 

Day 20 – Namibia/Botswana Safari 2015. R and R at Guma Lagoon in the Okavango Swamps

Today is Denise’s birthday. Happy Birthday my love.

We booked a mokoro boat trip for the day into the swamps and to one of the islands for a picnic lunch. It was necessary to first take a motor boat ride for 45 minutes to the mokoro pick up point and then off we go. Well you should have seen Denise’s face as we are pushed into the water, thought she was ready to bail. Took 15 minutes to settle down and then we just enjoyed been poled through the swamps. How these guys stand, balance and push you through is amazing. Was rather disappointing as to the lack of game and bird life the general reason given was migration and the abundance of water.  The guys took us to see a pod of hippos they were about 15 metres away from our mokoro, blowing and making hippo noises.

This area is not known for game but rather fishing of tiger, catfish and bream.

One of the channels we negotiated through the swamps

Denise in a mokoro

 It looks easy, but you get told not to do any counter balancing as the result could be a swim in the Okavango swamps, not so easy as it goes against ones instincts.

Wonderful riverine forest.

Mangrove swamps

We headed for one of the islands where we had lunch, there was lots of signs that Elephant and other game had swam over to the island, but it seems that this happens from September through to January when the water in the swamps recedes, but if it is fishing you are after then they tell us this is the place.

Food at Guma Lagoon was good and the room/chalet was rustic, but clean and right on the lagoon edge in fact part was on stilts in the water, at night we had a veritable orchestra of different frog calls, hippo grunts coupled with the tree branches scratching on our roof, thank goodness for ear plugs or we would not have slept.  

Day 19 – Namibia/Botswana Safari 2015. Hakusembe to Guma Lagoon (Botswana)

Up bright and early for our next leg of our journey. It seems that most of the Namibians come from this part of Namibia. There are many villages with clinics and schools. More than we have seen in the rest of Namibia.

We cross the border to Botswana in the middle of Mohango Game Park and we are greeted with smiles and jokes by the border officials. No problems with alcohol or fuel.

Roads on the Botswana side are not good. Seems all the pot holes have relocated here..

Road from Etsha 13 to Guma lagoon was quiet a challenge as there was no road just tracks to add to that there was only the odd sign post showing the direction to our destination thank goodness we had got experience in the river beds as it was needed here. We stopped to let one of the lodges vehicles through; they were leading another guest back to the main road, they looked surprised to see Denise driving and asked if she needed help she said we were fine, they said follow the sign posts and when they disappeared look for white stakes as they denote the road. What they did not tell us is that the stakes were under water with only the tips showing, probably just under a metre deep, Denise handled it like a pro and has got her deep sand, big rocks and deep water badges only mud and bad corrugation badges outstanding

Could not wait to down a cold Windhoek lager….

View onto Guma Lagoon

The most important area at Guma Lodge

This is the moon rising and it stayed red for a couple of hours

 The evening was amazing with a beautiful sunset and shortly thereafter the moon rises in the East blood red, quite a sight, my phtographic skills were not up to the occassion, but the memory is, at least for the time being.

Moonrise over the Okavango Swamps

Day 18 - Namibia/Botswana Safari 2015. R&R Hakusembe River Lodge (Rundu - Angola Border)

The Okavango known as Cubango in Angola all of 100metres across

Had to take the morning off to catch up on our blog so everyone would know what we had been up to.

But before I could get to this task the car had to be tidied up and repacked…..by order of Denise.

We than had to get onto the car roof to get the petrol jerry can down so we could decant back into the car. Needless to say I get up onto the roof with Denise pushing me from the rear…..you can   just imagine what we must have looked like. On the roof had to pass the can down to Denise and then had to get down another push and pull exercise, we than empty the petrol into the car and once more aided by my trusty helper back onto the roof to secure the jerry can. All necessary repairs to the locks and squeaky parts of the car were also attended to.  We can now join a travelling circus with our act.

As a sweetener we go on a Sundowner champagne cruise and see Crocodile, Water monitor lizards and lots of bird life some not seen any where else.  The river is about 100 metres wide and is flowing fast and we are told that this is the place to do Tiger fishing the season being from September to December.

River frontage at Hakusembe River Lodge

Denise on the Okavango River

The Okavango river at Rundu on the Angola border

Queen of the Okavango

Another glorious sunset in Africa and the African Darter's roosting for the night

It would take a lot of this to kill me.