Our trip to the Okavango Delta was our highlight bush trip of the last years. Many times wished for and planned for, now finally happening. The Okavango is one of the last true wilderness areas with unbelievable wildlife and beauty. Large herds of animals migrate to the rains and waterflows of the Angolan highfelds and rain-forests, coming through and ending in the Okavango. Our Okavango adventure started in Little Kwara: we flew directly from Maun in a small aircraft, being witness of this unbelievable view:
| View on the Delta |
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On our first game drives we enjoyed the views and sceneries, with herd of animals passing through. Although we anticipated the wet season to have started, we were still at the end of the dry season. The large herds, the rains and the pools filling up with water, was still ahead off us, the wet season started late. But, we did see some of it, as some small herds of Zebra decided to move forward in happy anticipation of the wet season.
| Zebra Herd |
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On the way back, the lovey sunset and accompanying light presented us with this herd of Impala:
| Impala in sunset |
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The next morning, in the earliest rays of light at around 6am, I walked into this little family of Pearl Spotted Owls. Mom was feeding the young. I just had my monopod with me, but managed this halfway decent image of mom and young on this branch. Note the cricket in moms beak.
| Pearl Spotted Owls |
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The long drive that followed, we were looking for a Cheetah that was apparently separated from his group. This separation was caused by a Lion group, intervening in the cheetah hunt. We found him, in a large plain, calling out for his buddies.
| Cheetah |
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After a while, the cheetah got tired of his own efforts in finding his peers and settled for the hotter periods of the day.
| Taking a rest |
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Later we heard that the three cheetahs were able to regroup.
The afternoon drive became an afternoon boat trip, meandering through the delta canals. Since the wet season had not started yet, the canals were very undeep, sometimes to the point where the boat’s engine got stuck in the sand and weed. This is where we ‘ran’ into a young male elephant bull, in a rather grumpy state, also know as musth.
| In a bad mood |
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Taking photos at this moment was difficult as all I wanted to do is run away (…where…?) but the guide yelled to me to take pictures. I did and the charge was a bluff. Mostly they are and running away is suicide. So, thanks for that and I am happy with the result.
On the way back we saw a couple of tsesebe’s running into the sunset. Tsesebe’s are the fastest running antelopes, some reaching speeds of up to 90kmh.
| Bolt Tsesebe |
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Before coming back to the lodge, we were treated to a Giant Eagle Owl, together with a young who was being fed. The mother was not at ease and left a few moments later, but allowing me to take a few images.
| Mom & Son |
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Getting to see this in the evening was nice, not expecting to see the them again the next morning. In the early daylight, the mother got away immediately, but the juv. settled and let us take a number of nice images. At first, the chick closed his eyes (if I can’t see you ….)
| Juv, Giant Eagle Owl |
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| You cannot see me |
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| But a couple of seconds later, he opened his eyes and I managed to get a nice early morning light photograph. |
One last image from our last morning drive in Kwara, a Squacco Heron landing nearby in a reed bed.
| Squacco Heron |
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Finally, in relative poor light, this Roller allowed me to get very close and to take a close up. The Lilacbreasted Roller is the national bird of Botswana, so this bird may never fail to appear in any trip report regarding Botswana. Of course, its color beauty is a clear other reason to publish photographs of this amazing bird.
| Lilacbreasted Roller |
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See for additional images also: Sable Ranch & Botswana Gallery