BOTSWANA, DAY 4
Its Dad and I’s last morning in Camp Okuti and our last chance to see some lions here, so hoping and praying for some luck. Afterall isn’t that what everyone wants to see?
THERE WERE 20 OR SO ELEPHANTS JUST CHARGING AT US
After our usual 5am wake up call of tea and coffee we had our breakfast and headed off. The plan was to drive to where the 2 vultures have been for the past few days in the hope that the lions have moved on from their suspected kill and are back roaming around the area we have access to.
LIONS
After our usual 5am wake up call of tea and coffee we had our breakfast and headed off. The plan was to drive to where the 2 vultures have been for the past few days in the hope that the lions have moved on from their suspected kill and are back roaming around the area we have access to.
Coming nearer to the area I am on the look out for some vultures and if they remain on the tree then it will likely be bad news. Low and behold they are still there but our guide (zoo) finds some lion prints and fresh shit on the sand and is able to tell they have been sitting in this area not long before.
FOOD COMA
He then points up at two other jeeps who seem to have found something interesting up ahead. It turns out the lions are so full from eating that they can walk no distance at all and remain in the same spot for some brilliant photos.
I can completely relate to their situation after having ate my body weight in pizza and not been able to move more than an inch!
LEOPARD
From there we paid another visit to the leopard we saw a few days ago on the same tree before driving around the camp and back towards the lions who, according to their prints had made their way back into the marshland to their kill. Relentless killers? More like relentless eaters!
It was a super way to end a great time at Camp Okuti and although we saw a lot of game the staff sure helped to make the experience what it was!
SPLASH
I had been recommended to go to Kwando Splash which is only possible to reach by a small aircraft so Dad and I are going it alone while the girls stay at Okuti. Once packed we made our way to the airstrip where we waited in the departure lounge which was our jeep. The plane turned out to be a 4 seater, something the girls could just not have done.
It was an experience in itself, the views from the delta were incredible and you were able to really get a sense of the size of the area!
ELEPHANTS
Arriving into Kwando Splash we were quickly checked in and off for our evening game drive. As soon as we knew the manager of the lodge was in the same jeep along with an agent we knew we were in for a treat.
Pretty soon we came across a herd of around 20 elephants who were making their way across the road. As a precaution we kept our distance but as the herd moved towards us and we noticed more and more babys the driver put the car into reverse. He clearly knew something we didn’t and within seconds the adults came running directly after us.
100 VULTURES
As the driver was prepared he quickly turned the vechile and made our getaway. This wasn’t a quick threat to move us on as the elephants continued to chase us for several hundred metres until they were satisfied their babys were safe. What a start!
Not long after a we noticed a group of vultures (also called a committee) who were perched on the trees surrounding an open area. But if I’m honest this was far from a committee, there could have been 100 of them so we knew something big loomed nearby.
ANOTHER FOOD COMA
After a quick drive around the area we came across the carcass of a Wilderbeast but no sign of any predators. We knew they were close as the Vultures were staying put and only had to drive another 10 yards to see both fast asleep. The meal had put yet another pair of lions into a food coma and even in their current state no other animal would even think of taking bite!
Again another we came across another surprise, this time by way of a dead Hyena. It was clear that lions had seen this one as a threat to their dinner and made light work of it but are never interested in eating such.
AMBUSH
We stopped at a dry watering hole for the traditional sunset drinks and as always it was quite the place. First a herd of elephants walk by who were much less curious than the previous bunch we met earlier today.
The shortly after we were stalking by a few Hyenas who circled us and insisted on crouching within the grass and staring. By this stage it was dark so all you could see were their black silhouettes and although it feels at times edgey you don’t feel in danger like you would expect. It was believed the hyenas were moving towards the lions kill but had smelt our food on the way.
NEXT UP
Cheetahs and dinner at the drinking hole! Click to read.
SAFE TRAVELS, DS x
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This post is part of the Southern Africa Series, click to explore or for episode 1 click here.
