We departed Cape Town and flew to Maun, Botswana (a 2.5 hour flight on a small jet) then waited about an hour for a bush pilot to take us in the 12 seat plane to the Moremi Game Reserve and our camp at Xakamaka (pronounced Tsa-ka-ma-ka). Our guides, Stanley and Mr. Fish picked us up in the five-passenger Range Rovers and we started our game watching safari right then and there!
The first animal any of us saw was a warthog running across the runway (Lanny spotted this one since he was sitting in the co-pilot seat) as we landed, then the smallish elephant as we entered the park.
Water buck - a forest antelope with a white circle on its rump so its young can follow them when in the water. Also called a toilet seat buck.
Impalas - they have brown backs, tan middles and white bellies with curled horns.
Red Lechwe - similar to the Impala but they are reddish-brown with white bellies and their horns are not spiraled.
Red billed ox pecker who clean the backs of many animals on the savanna.
Tawny Eagle
Hooded Vulture
African Darter - looks like a small heron
Swallow tail bee eater - little birds that are very colorful, bright green or yellow
This is a BIG one - a lioness and her cub sleeping next to a recent kill!! OMG - so pretty!
Sacred Ibis
Hippotomus - 6-8 in a pond. It was hard to count as we saw only their noses and ears and never all at the same time.
Vervet Monkeys
Chachma Baboons
Cape Buffalo - large herd seen from a long distance.
Wildebeest - just one today but he is really ugly!
Reedboc - an antelope
Zebra
Impalas - they have brown backs, tan middles and white bellies with curled horns.
Red Lechwe - similar to the Impala but they are reddish-brown with white bellies and their horns are not spiraled.
Red billed ox pecker who clean the backs of many animals on the savanna.
Tawny Eagle
Hooded Vulture
African Darter - looks like a small heron
Swallow tail bee eater - little birds that are very colorful, bright green or yellow
This is a BIG one - a lioness and her cub sleeping next to a recent kill!! OMG - so pretty!
Sacred Ibis
Hippotomus - 6-8 in a pond. It was hard to count as we saw only their noses and ears and never all at the same time.
Vervet Monkeys
Chachma Baboons
Cape Buffalo - large herd seen from a long distance.
Wildebeest - just one today but he is really ugly!
Reedboc - an antelope
Zebra
We finally came to our camp and were introduced to the camp staff then shown to our tents that we will be staying in for 7 of the 9 nights we are on safari. Two nights will be in a lodge. We had a lovely dinner under the big tent with beer, wine and spirits, cloth napkins and formal setting. A campfire beckoned but only held us for a short time as we all were tired after this long and exciting day.
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