On May 7 we headed to DIA to begin our long awaited trip to see the animals in some of the African national parks. This trip was organized differently from others we have taken and so the organization of this web presentation will reflect that. In general, we spent several days at each of five national parks where the activities for the day were basically the same: morning and evening game drives, and eating. Time was also spent in the town of Victoria Falls and the city of Cape Town. In the parks we saw many, many animals and birds with a lot of repetition from park to park. So instead of the usual day-by-day organization I will deal with each park/place and its unique activities in individual sections and also present sections on the animals and birds we saw. If you just want to look at the animals and birds, use the appropriate links in the table below.
The trip pictures and descriptions are organized so that by using the itinerary links below you may look at the whole trip or any of the parts separately.
Please enjoy - we surely did!!
Ultimate Africa: Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa
| General Information | Camps; Transportation |
| May 7-9 | Getting to South Africa |
| May 9-13 | Pafuri Tented Camp, Kruger National Park, South Africa |
| May 13-16 | Baobab Safari Lodge, Chobe National Park, Botswana |
| May 16-19 | Moremi Camp, Okvango Delta, Botswana |
| May 19-22 | |
| May 22-25 | Linkwasha Camp, Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe |
| Victoria Falls | Victoria Falls |
| Cape Town | Cape Town, Cape of Good Hope |
| June 1 | Returning home |
| Animals | Animals we saw |
| Birds | Birds we saw |
| Trees, Flowers | Trees and flowers we saw |
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Below is the map of southern Africa on which you can see the general area of our trip. Below this is our specific OAT trip map.
Ultimate Africa: Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa
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Our trip lasted for 26 days (25 nights) - from May 7 to June 1. During that time we spent 15 nights in safari-style tents at camps in various game reserve areas, 7 nights in 3 hotels, and 3 nights on airplanes. The game viewing experiences were both in the national parks and in private game reserves set aside specifically for the purpose of tourist safaris. Most days consisted of getting up at 5:30 or 6:00 and going to the dining area for a light breakfast; leaving at 6:30 or 7:00 for a 4-hour game drive; returning to the lodge for brunch or lunch; having some free time (a nap) until the afternoon game drive, usually at 3:30 or 4:00; another 3-4 hours looking for game; back for dinner around 7:30; then fall into bed to be ready for the next day. Each game drive included a stop for drinks and snacks and visits to the "bush loo."
The various "tents" were usually canvas sided and on a wood or concrete base. They included a sleeping area, sitting area, and bathroom and were generally as nice or nicer that a lot of hotel rooms we have been it. The walls are screened and have canvas panels that can be used to cover them at night. All but one of the beds was surrounded by mosquito netting (we saw very few mosquitos) and the camps provided insect repellent and sun screen. We literally spent 16 days and nights entirely out of doors. It was wonderful.
Makuleke is the private game reserve associated with Kruger National Park in South Africa |
Our "tent" at Lufupa Camp
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Sleeping/sitting area at Pafuri
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Mosquito netting in place for the night
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Lounge area at Moremi
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Typical safari vehicle with raised, tiered seats and room for 2 or 3 people across. They were great for viewing game but bumpy and cold in the early mornings and evenings.
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The primary means of moving from one camp to the next was using these small 12-16 seat charters which landed on the dirt landing strips at the camps. |
Seeing and attempting to photograph animals and birds was probably the major objective of the trip. The main subjects, of course, are not always cooperative. Unlike buildings and scenery, animals move and in the process do not always present their best aspect to the camera.
This is reputed to be a Grysbok. He was not interested in showing his face.
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Quite often the photographer is treated to the north end of south bound animals, as in this and the following pictures |
Elephants moving to their own drummer
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Retreating ostriches
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Sat., 5/7/11 to Mon., 5/9/11 - In the Air! From Estes Park to Kruger National Park, South Africa
One thing is for sure about going to southern Africa: It takes a long time. We could think of nothing else to do around home, so we left early for the airport. We got there four hours early (instead of the 3 for international flights) only to find out our British Airways plane coming in from London was delayed three and a half hours because it had to land in Iceland with a medical emergency. So we had to wait seven hours in the Denver airport. BA did try to contact us by e-mail to tell us of the delay, but we had already left home. Since we were scheduled for seven hours in Heathrow (London airport) we would not miss our connection to South Africa, but we did lose the use of a hotel (Sofitel) "day room" to nap and shower between our two long flights.
We left Denver around midnight and landed at Heathrow 8 3/4 hours later. We walked and sat for 3 more hours and got on our next BA plane. Ten hours and 45 minutes later we arrived in Johannesburg (Joburg). It was interesting that Marie and Grace, two of our fellow travelers for the pre-trip extension in Kruger NP were seated in the row in front of us, so we met them long before we arrived in South Africa. An OAT (Overseas Adventure Travel) rep met us as we arrived. I used an airport ATM and got some local money (SA rands) while Marie filed a claim for her missing luggage. Our rep shuffled us into a van, and we were taken on a one-hour drive to another airport - for smaller planes. Our pilot and first mate met us there and put us on his 12 seater, single prop plane for two more air hours before arriving on a dirt runway at Pafuri Camp in Kruger NP, South Africa. By now we had lost all idea of time of day and when to take medicine or what meal we were to have next. There is an eight-hour time difference from Denver to Joburg and we had spent about 48 hours without being horizontal!
Some pictures from the plane on the flight from Joburg to Pafuri.
Suburb somewhere northeast of Johannesburg
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World Cup Soccer venue |
Center-pivot irrigation in South Africa |
The land changes as we get over Kruger. The roads are safari vehicle trails that the drivers follow while trying to find game for the tourists to view.
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