Best of Botswana, Victoria Falls & Cape Town, Winelands….
May 12-24 2010 Trip Report - Page 1
Escorted by: Cindi LaRaia
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My beloved Africa beckoned me back with a wonderful fun group of 6 plus myself. This time I returned to Botswana for an amazing journey through 3 of my favorite areas.
We began our journey in an enormous private concession at Chitable Lediba camp bordered on 3 sides of the Moremi Game Reserve. The area is surrounded by waterways and lagoons and a variety of wildlife can be seen. Our small luxury camp consisted of 5 spacious and luxuriously appointed East African style tents with ensuite facilities. This was a lovely setting with a marsh in front of the main area, our own resident hippo & sighting of Kudu crossing.
We arrived in time for our high tea at 3:30pm with Dawson as our guide for the next 3 days, he was awesome Dawson as we all agreed! One of the major highlights that end up staying indelibly in one’s mind would be witnessing a breeding herd of Elephant of approx 20 to 30 all ages and sizes; crossing the river during the lovely early evening light as the golden sun is beginning to set. My goodness what a delightful way to begin our first game drive in Botswana!
 We also came across a very stuffed and immobile Cheetah laying on the ground with a giant tummy filled with her kill, a full grown Impala, all that was left was the head, horns and ribcage. This piggy Cheetah was not taking any chances of other predators stealing her lunch! Nearby was a shrike headed vulture hoping to get a nibble of the leftovers.
In the distance we hear and finally see 2 giant Eagle Owls hooting, my favorite are Owls and they are huge serious gorgeous owls at that, what a sight. Along we go and there are 2 big male lions that could only be brothers as they looked like twins, lazing on the road, gorgeous big boys they were!
Beautiful herds of Impala the females hang out together and look very dainty and pretty, a short distance away are the males herds, now this is rutting season and we saw a lot of fighting males trying to push off the other in order to win his harem. Several were hurt with battle scars and some we knew would be easy prey for lions that evening. (I advised my group my nick-name for Impala are ‘rocks’ they are everywhere.) There never seems to be a shortage of Impala, good thing since they are the main food source for all the predators of Africa.
One of those amazing trees in Africa are the Baobab (or upside down tree) most of the time it looks upside down as the top look like tree roots that should be planted in the dirt, instead they are at the top and very unmistakable and a beautiful part of the African landscape. Since we were there after the wet season just ended and the start of winter, the trees were budding with leaves! I have never seen Baobab leafed out, such a beautiful and different way to see this gorgeous tree!
Meals at the camp were delish and the staff most friendly and helpful. South African wine served at meal made for happy safari goers as we relived the events and sights of the day!
 
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