AfroTrek Safari, Maun

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2011-01-15T12:16:00.001+02:00

Hoopoe Visiting Sedia Riverside Hotel

2010-09-15T13:56:00.003+02:00

The Hoopoe is a medium sized bird, 25–32 cm (9.8-12.6 in) long, with a 44–48 cm (17.3–19 in) wingspan weighing 46-89 g (1.6-3.1 oz). The species is highly distinctive, with a long, thin tapering bill that is black with a fawn base. The strengthened musculature of the head allows the bill to be opened when probing inside the soil. The hoopoe has broad and rounded wings capable of strong flight; these are larger in the northern migratory subspecies. The Hoopoe has a characteristic undulating flight, which is like that of a giant butterfly, caused by the wings half closing at the end of each beat or short sequence of beats.^[6]

The song is a trisyllabic "oop-oop-oop", which gives rise to its English and scientific names.

From Wikipedia.

Let Me Take You On A Boat Cruise

2010-01-25T15:47:00.004+02:00

THAMALAKANE RIVER BOAT CRUISE

DEPARTS SEDIA RIVERSIDE HOTEL JETTY
Daily@1700hrs or As Required
( Subject to Bookings )
Ask at Reception or Safari Office for more details
Cruise for about two hours.

Forget the dusty roads and potholes for a couple of hours, enjoy the waters of the Thamalakane River, highest waters for over thirty years, pass through water corridors lined with reeds, rushes and grasses opening out onto waters carpeted with beautiful water lilies and other flora.

Wonderful for the waterbirds, with many species now enjoying these favourable habitat conditions. The camera and bino’s may be usefull. As we go by Maun Nature Reserve, look out for giraffe, zebra, kudu, and impala. To see a zebra washed clean by the rain, dipping its head into the thick emerald grass or maybe witness a giraffe drinking warily from the river are visual delights which can be encountered. Spot the secluded estates of Maun celebrities hidden away in the riverine woodland.

MIN. of 4 PERSONS , MAX. of 12 PERSONS PULA 60 per person only

Happy New Safari Year

2009-12-31T10:13:00.004+02:00

Afro Trek Safaris ends a very successful safari year with their Christmas Special Package. Over 20 people took advantage of a 3 day special - Moremi day trip, mokoro day trip, game flight camping.... An excellent opportunity for Motswana to experience the Okavango Delta firsthand.

Above is a look at the fleet of vehicles that take guests on safari. Perfect for game viewing, photo taking, videos, sharing the experience with others and collecting memories you will never forget. Happy New Year!

Moremi Game Reserve - Safari

2009-10-31T12:27:00.001+02:00

Contact AfroTrek Safaris For More Information

2009-10-03T12:28:00.003+02:00

Moremi Game Reserve - Bird Heaven

2009-09-23T13:16:00.005+02:00

When you are on mobile safari in Moremi Game Reserve, bird watching is one of the safari highlights. Along with the endangered Wattled Cranes above, we saw Egyptian and Spur Winged Geese, The Black, Sacred and Hadida Ibis, Black, Great White and Little Egret, Buffalo Weavers, African Jacana, Long Tailed Shrieks, the African Fish Eagle, Squocco Heron, Nubbled Billed Ducks and....

Many a chance for photo shooting and bird insights from my fellow travellers. With water seemingly flooding everywhere, the birds are everywhere.

Maun & Afro Trek Safaris on the Web

2009-09-15T13:05:00.007+02:00

Afro Trek Safaris - connected to the World Wide Web. Use the following sites to find out more about Maun, Botswana and Afro Trek Safaris - happy surfing, just click!

1. Home Page of AfroTrek Safaris

2. News about AfroTrek and Maun, Botswana

3. Hotel & Tourism Association of Botswana

4. Home Page of Sedia Riverside Hotel

5. Maun’s weekly newspaper

6. WikiTravel Web Guide

Moremi Game Reserve Safari

2009-07-01T11:53:00.005+02:00

Here we have two of our Afro Trek Safari Guides - Shylock in the middle and Kabelo 'KB' Kgafela on the far left with three Norwegian visitors. They did a three day safari around Moremi Game Reserve to end off the month of June. The game was plentiful, the food excellent and the company wonderful.

With the new season getting into full swing, Afro Trek is bringing two new Land Cruisers on stream. Book early to get the dates and camps that you want. Whether it's three days or six - a safaris trip of a lifetime can be organized for you.

Maun Safari Videos

2008-05-11T10:08:00.005+02:00

Botswana Wildlife

Take a few moments and go on a mini safari with Afro Trek Safaris, Botswana:

Maun Safari - African Wild Dogs - After a Kill

2008-05-04T11:19:00.010+02:00

African Wild Dog click for Wikipedia article.

It is late April and I am on a game drive with Alan and two friends from Italy - Gracia and Massimo. When we left Sedia Hotel at 7:00 am it was chilly. Approaching Moremi Game Reserve, we are just starting to warm up and thinking about some breakfast. Joe, are safari guide, starts to slow down our safari vehicle. For the next 10 minutes we have an extraordinary sighting of eighteen Wild Dogs - resting after a morning kill. Wild Dogs are seldom found in Reserves because they require such a large area within which to hunt.

It was a wonderful start to an exceptional day of game viewing. Elephants were plentiful, Joe found a pride of lions with three cubs - impala, kudo, girrafe, water buck and cape buffalo were spotted. We had a great lunch of chicken and tender beef roast, complete with salad and fruit for dessert. Seven or eight hippos provided the midday entertainment, complete with their occasional base booming sounds.

The day would not be complete without mentioning the birdlife - hornbills, egrets and a great white heron - who watched us eat most of our lunch. Vultures were in the trees around some kill we couldn't get to see. While looking at the lions Alan identified a Pels Owl call, which was unusual considering the time of day. All and all - quite an eyeful and earful.

Maun Safari - Mokoro Trails,The Transparent Reality

2008-03-22T13:19:00.008+02:00

Over the past few years, the Okavango Delta and Maun in particular, has become perceived as an expensive destination with many Overland Companies no longer stopping in Maun due to what are considered to be high rates for activities such as Mokoro Trails. Even when Overland Companies do stopover in Maun, a growing number of passengers choose not to do key activities such as the Mokoro Trails because of the rates being quoted.

The rates at Sedia Riverside Hotel and Afro Trek Safaris are constantly reviewed taking in to consideration the declining value of the Botswana Pula against the US dollar, so that we always offer the best possible rates to our guests.

Below, we have described how the Mokoro Trails activity is arranged through the Community Trust that owns the concession area in which the trails are done and the rates the Trust charge locally based licensed safari operators , such as ourselves, for the Mokoro Trails activity. The Mokoro Trails activity forms a part of the Community Based Tourism Policy promoted by the Botswana Government in order to encourage rural communities to generate work and earn an income from the resources of the rural areas in which they live, namely the wilderness.

All drive-in Mokoro Trails from Maun are undertaken in the Okavango Kopano Mokoro Community Trust , known as the OKMCT. The OKMCT have outsourced the Mokoro Trail activity to various Safari Operators based in Maun who market the trails and provide transport for the transfers from Maun into the Mokoro Poling stations within the OKMCT Concession Area. The most popular poling Station being at Boro, which is used by virtually all safari operators from Maun.

Afro Trek Rates for the Mokoro Trails Activity, including transfer charges are :
2 Day / 1 Night Trail US $ 110 - 00 per person

3 Day / 2 Night Trail US $ 125 - 00 per person

1 Day Mokoro Trail US $ 90 - 00 per person
( Rates valid for a minimum of four or more persons.)

The OKMCT is totally autonomous in the management of the Mokoro Trails activity and have fixed the daily rates which safari operators are charged as follows :

Licensed Guide with Mokoro US $ 25 - 00 per day
Licensed Poler with Mokoro US $ 20 - 00 per day
Entrance Fee to Concession US $ 6 - 50 per day

These rates exclude transfer charges into the concession poling station, this transfer is provided and charged for by the Maun based safari operator, the transfer charge being added to the OKMCT fixed rates for the mekoro and entrance fees , by the Maun based safari operator.

For a group of say 10 doing a two day / one night mokoro trail , the charges by the OKMCT would be just under US $ 40 per person. Afro Trek transfer charges into the Mokoro Poling station in the concession area are about US$ 40 per person ( In and Out of the concession area ) and are included in our rates given above.

Since the Boro Poling station lies under 20 kms from Maun and, we feel this rate to be fair and reasonable and covers our transfer costs , ground crew costs , public liability insurance costs, administration costs and vehicle maintenance costs.

The Afro Trek Mokoro Trails depart from the Riverside Hotel campsite for the Boro or Ditshipi Poling Stations. For the Mokoro Trails Transfers we use customised Toyota Landcruisers with rear mounted game viewing seats with a trailer for the luggage.

We feel the above transparency in our rate structuring is important, so that our passengers know where their money is going and that it will encourage more people to participate in a Mokoro Trails and in so doing meet some of the Bayei Tribe who live in the OKMCT concession area and have a real eco-tourism experience at a fair rate. All our guides and drivers are from the region, two of them being from the Kopano Trust area so passengers are given a good insight into the culture and traditions of the people.

Moremi Game Reserve - Rainy Season

2008-01-15T16:11:00.002+02:00

Lioneses Resting With Carcass - Paradise Pools, Moremi

Elephant Enjoying Mud Bath

Early January brought some friends from Canada for a visit to Maun. One of the things we did was a mobile safari with Shylock Raborokwe, into Moremi Game Reserve. The video above shows a huge male elephant enjoying a very wet mudhole. We saw pleny of game - hippos, kudu, impala, wildabeasts, sable, dudiker, crocs, saddlebacked storks, spur winged geese, lions....

Moremi is very wet this year. Northern Botswana is having a heavy rainy season - most places already have over 300mm and some are over 400mm. With 6 to 8 weeks still to go for prime rain times, it could be well above our average rain fall of 460mm.

Moremi Game Reserve, Botswana - World Class

2007-12-09T13:57:00.001+02:00

Whatever your motivation - see the 'big 5', travel the Okavango Delta, bird watching, seeing the heart of Africa, going on safari or just a family trip - Moremi Game Reserve deserves serious consideration. It is one of the best game reserves for variety of habitats, undisturbed viewing of game and closeness to travel facilities.

To do more research go to Google search and look for botswana, moremi_game_reserve, wildlife. I also have a couple of websites with Moremi Game Reserve information, photos, video and sound. Afro Trek Safaris, Botswana and botswana wildlife will give you good backgroud perspectives, Put yourself in the picture, get yourself on safari.

NowPublic

Shylock Captures Lion In Moremi Game Reserve

2007-12-02T11:27:00.000+02:00

Guests from Windhoek had two very special days with Shylock Raborokgwe. On day 1 they went on a mokoro trip in the Okavango Delta and ended the day with a game flight. On day 2 Shylock took his guests on a day trip mobile safari in Moremi Game Reserve. They saw plenty of game - elephants, kudu, impala, hippo....

The highlight of the trip was a lion sighting. No only did the safari guests get some great photos, but there was enough time for Shylock to get a couple of photos of his own. Tautona is the name given the dominant male lion in a pride or area. I think that is what we are looking at in the picture. If I had been there, I would have been listening for the lion roar. For us, Shylock is the 'Tautona Safari Guide. '

Regardless, these guests had two days they will never forget. What a way to spend a weekend or two spare days in your busy schedule. Give it some thought - see the Okavango Delta by air, water and safari vehicle.

Fish Eagle - Take Away Dinner

2007-10-01T11:19:00.000+02:00

Done in split seconds! Here we have the Fish Eagle - high priest of the Okavango River, getting his lunch. At this time of year, September-October, the water is so clear and it is hard to see a missed catch.

Notice the way it corrects its flight pattern after catching the fish. Then it goes back to a favourite tree or nest and has lunch. Fish Eagles can fly away with fish up to 4 pounds. If it can't fly, it will drag the fish along the surface of the river until it reaches the far shore. I have yet to see that happen.

Maun Safari - Game Flight Or Game Drive

2007-08-10T16:28:00.001+02:00

Game Flight or Game Drive?

Let’s assume you have just arrived in Maun, Botswana and you have to plan your activity for the next day. If you have to choose between either doing a game flight or going on a day game drive to Moremi Game Reserve, what should you consider?

The game flight only takes about an hour. It leaves you plenty of time during the next day to rest, shop or catch up on some writing or reading. Mainly the participants seem to remember seeing herds of elephant or cape buffalo. Flying in a small Piper Cub is fun and if you are like me, you see the ground as a real life map.

On the other hand, a game drive starts early in the morning and is a full day activity. The potential to get close to lions, leopards, elephant, giraffe, hippo, wildebeest and a bounty of bird life are reasonably high. The packed lunch and chance for a short midday rest never disappoint.

If getting close to nature in a world renowned game reserve is your idea of fun, then the game drive is for you. If you need a rest and prefer a unique aerial perspective of the Delta, then go for the game flight.

The Central Kalahari Game Reserve

2007-07-05T15:27:00.000+02:00

The Kalahari Desert covers most of Botswana, about 80% of the country is Kalahari savannah, grasslands and dry sandveld. There is no surface water, only a few perennial springs, poor soils and precious little rain or metsi. The Kalahari Desert is better described as an arid savanna wilderness scantily covered with sweet grasses and patches of camelthorn, blackthorn and other aciacas. However, a rich diversity of wildlife is sustained by this desert wilderness area.

The aboriginal inhabitants of Botswana are the San or Bushmen, who made the Kalahari their home for more than 30,000 years ago. The San have a rich cultural heritage and now reside in different parts of the country but the majority of them still reside in the Kalahari region.

The Kalahari Desert is better described as an arid savanna wilderness scantily covered with sweet grasses and patches of camelthorn, blackthorn and other aciacas. However, a rich diversity of wildlife is sustained by this desert wilderness area.

The animals dwelling here are superbly adapted to these extremely dry conditions, amongst which are gemsbok, blue wildebeest , springbok , eland , red hartebeest , lion , leopard , hyena and wild dog. Many of these animals survive on water extracted from dew covered plants and deep rooted succulents.

The Central Kalahari Game Reserve, set aside as a protected area, ranks among the worlds wildest and most remote game reserve. The area is largely flat, with shallow valleys, vast pans and remote hills. Pipers Pan , Tau Pan and Deception Valley are to be found in this area.

Pelicans Cover Maun Skies

2007-06-08T16:55:00.000+02:00

Pelicans In Formation Over Maun

Late afternoon the banks of the Thamalakane River can be covered with hundreds of Pelicans coming together for a night of rest. During the days you can now often look up and see squadrons of Pelicans circling over Maun. On good days, with plenty of wind, they are up in the sky playing with the thermals - dipping and diving, regrouping and doing the process over and over again.

With the new flood about to arrive in Maun, it can only be hoped they will stay with us for a while longer. It remind's me again of the old ditty Kelly would recite when we were on safari together:

"A funny old bird is the pelican.
His beak can hold more than his belly can.
He can hold in his beak
Enough food for a week,
And I don't know how in the world he manages to do it!"

On days like this, it makes you wonder - should the Pelican be the National Bird of Botswana. For another perspective of the Pelicans in Maun - click here.

Lioneses Attack Cape Buffalo

2007-05-20T13:06:00.000+02:00

Life In The Wilderness

For those of you interested in seeing a video of Lionesses attacking a Cape Buffalo, visit TOPIX - Botswana. Take in a couple of minutes of what you can see when you are on mobile safari - life in the wild. These are often the stories that are discussed around the campfire, after dinner.

Plan Your Safari

2007-05-17T13:23:00.001+02:00

Fill out my Wufoo form!

Safari Safely In Botswana

2007-05-12T10:52:00.000+02:00

Botswana Safari Safety

The open safari vehicle does provide a surprising degree of protection. You will be amazed at how close you can get to a lion. Your safari guide will try to get the best setting for your photos and videos. You only leave the vehicle with your guides’ permission.

Predators like lion and hyena are always a concern. Too many accidents happen because the big animals are territorial or protecting their young. Hippos are the most dangerous. They can change from grazing to charge mode surprisingly quickly. Cape Buffalo can be very skittish and mean spirited.Listen to you guides’ guidance. Also, listen to his stories around the campfire at night. The information can save your life.

Whether you are staying at a lodge in the Okavango Delta or on mobile safari with Afro Trek Safari, safety is always concern number 1. Everyone has to realize that when you are on safari in the game reserves, you really are inside the zoo.

The pre-trip briefing, by your professional guide, is extremely important. It is your responsibility to understand and closely follow the safety guidelines. Make sure your fellow travellers understand the guidelines. Make sure your safari of a liftime is memorable for all the right reasons.Your guide wants to get you as close to the big game as possible, in a safe manner. 99.9% of safaris run smoothly. Make sure you are not that 1 in a 1000.

Campfire Safety Perspectives:

After a day on safari exploring for big game and a great dinner in the bush, it is not unusual to sit up for awhile around the campfire. Often, the guides and guests share some great stories. Often the stories are about near accidents or narrow escapes. The themes often come back to safety. Some stories may be fanciful - many are not.

1. Bending over the side of a boat to free a fishing line as a crocodile jumps from a nearby bank and passes just over the startled person…

2. Escape by jumping over a log to get away from a charging hippo…

3. When a lion attacks, keep staring the lion straight in the eyes – it will stop. Your heart may also stop, but that is another story.

4. A guest video taping his own death, walking toward a buffalo herd…5. Last but not least – hyenas. Often they are around camps at night. Their yup – yup sound is distinctive and yup, they can be very dangerous. Follow you guides advice about staying inside your zipped-up tent.

Moremi Gami Reserve - 1st Amongst Equals

2007-05-04T13:55:00.000+02:00

Moremi Game Reserve

Moremi is often described as the most beautiful of all wildlife sanctuaries in Africa, covering almost a third of the entire Okavango Delta. It is a diverse habitat where the desert and delta meet - an area made up of floodplains, pans, lagoons, channels, woodlands and forests.

In 1963, the wife of the late Batawana Chief, Moremi the Third, developed the Moremi Game Reserve in his honour. It it was the first wildlife reserve to be set aside in southern Africa voluntarily, by an African community on their own land. In 1970, the Chief's royal hunting grounds, Chief's Island was added with a further area to the northeast in 1991.

The Reserve is a haven to wide variety of wildlife and many water dependant animals. Birdlife is prolific and also varied, ranging from water birds to shy forest dwellers. Elephants are numerous, particularly in the dry season, as well as a range of other wildlife species from buffalo, giraffe, lion, leopard, cheetah, wild dog, hyena, jackal and the full range of antelope, large and small including the Red Lechwe.

Moremi Game Reserve is best visited in the dry season, game viewing is at its peak from June to October, when the pans have dried up. The winter months of May to August can be very cold at night and early mornings, but pleasantly warm during the day. From October until the rains break in late November or early December, the weather can be very hot, with temperatures regularly topping 40 Celsius (105 Far.) in the day.

Maun Safari - Safari Lion Kill

2007-04-07T11:35:00.001+02:00

Afternoon Safari Drive Story

The following story was developed over a three week period at my Maun - Gateway to the Okavango Delta Wetlands site. Imagine a variation of it being told around the campfire as you return to camp.

"Look - over there - in the tall grass - 2 female lions! And behind them - on the malapo - a herd of sable. Let's just see what happens... if we are patient enough, perhaps a kill. Look - Quelas, by the thousands - flying in tight formation, like they are all one big body. Amazing how they can dip and dive - they have all disappeared into that tree.

This could be it, one of the lions is moving into the mopane trees - it is circling around toward the sable herd... Perhaps we should move the vehicle more out onto the malapo to see what's happening - not far enough we disturb the dozen or so sable slowly grazing toward the woods. Soon the sable will enter into the woodland themselve. My God - look!

The lion is charging out of the woods, straight into the herd of sable. The sable are in panic - turning and trying to scatter - they are coming straight at us. On of the sable clips the back corner of our vehicle as it flees past us back out onto the malapo. Confusion reigns are the lionese continues to charge. She has picked out her prey, a pregnant sable.

With lightning speed she closes down her prey and leaps onto her shoulders. The weight of the lion and the resistance given by her back legs stop the fleeing sable just 5 metres from our vehicle. The second lionese is now sprightly making her way to the scene of the evolving kill. In quick order the sable is now flipped on her side. She awaits her fate with a stoic dignity.

The first lionese continues her grip on the sables should/neck until she is dead - it seems to take forever - perhaps 5 or 6 minutes. The other lionese starts at the other end and work toward the inards. Dinner is served. Who would have guessed it would arrive so suddenly. It is time to start making our way towards camp and think about our own supper. Perhaps we should come back in the morning and have a final look around. How about passing by the river on the way home - elephants may be having an end of day swim and drink?

My, my, we are lucky today - a herd of about 30 elephants coming down, just as we arrive.Ah, one of life's little pleasures - to see an elephant, after a long dry walk, makes it's run for freaf, clean river water. The gait seems to have a spring, the head and nose start to bob up and down more than usual - you can almost see it grinning as it runs staright into the water. Only the baby elephants seem to have some difficulties - trying to figure out what to do with their long noses as they try and run towards the river.

After watching them play in the water for 20 minutes - pushing there mates under water and spraying each other with water, it is getting late and time to go. We enjoy an emence African sun set and twilight. We arrive back in camp. A glowing campfire and a round of refreshing drinks are waiting for us. Now we can really talk about the safari."

Okavango Delta Flooding

2007-04-05T19:06:00.000+02:00

Okavango Delta - Wetlands Getting Wetter

Travellers from around the world are following, with growing interest, the strong floods pouring into the Okavango Delta. A post in the Maun, Botswana Blog about the flow rates at Mohembo is creating worldwide interest. Click on the above link to follow the developing story.

What has started as a strong annual flood with flow rates of over 400 cubic metres per second, has spike over 200 cubes in just 10 days. Kasane is experiencing wide ranging flooding as we speak and it is very possible a similiar situation is developing in the Okavango Delta. A new flow rate chart will be out after April 10th.

Baines Baobabs - Exotic and Strange

2007-04-01T11:15:00.000+02:00

Baines Baobabs - Out of this World

Any visit to Nxai Pan is not complete without a detour to see Baines Baobabs and the pans that surround them. We saw gemsbok, elephant and the old secretary bird on the way in. It really is quite a shock to see this errie landscape out in the middle of nowhere. They look much as they did when they were painted by Baines many years ago.

Baines Baobabs is a great place to have lunch, walk around and marvel at the unique setting - marvel at the size of the baobabs and try and figure out why people carve their initials into trees. There is a camp site nearby that, I think, would be worth trying in or around a full moon - you know, add to that errie feeling.

Dancing With Elephants - Nxai Pan

2007-03-20T16:56:00.000+02:00

Nxai Pan - Bull Elephant Hangout

Nxai Pan is worth visiting 12 months a year. Located about 180 km. or three hours from Maun, the safari expedition can be done in one day, however it is best done overnight. The camps are in very good shape. Expect to hear lions and maybe be visited by elephants. Actually, we were visited by an elephant around 3 in the morning. It was sniffing around our vehicles and tents - quite a sniff, quit a sniffer! The camp site has running water and the elephant was looking for a way to liberate it - an old elephant activity.

Animals are busiest during the rainy season. By mid March the last water hole is being fed by underground pipes. The females and their young have left the bulls behind, so they can stand around the water hole and brag about last season. Springbok are plentiful, with a sprinkling of black back jackel, impala and gemsbok. The secretary bird seems to show up frequently, always on it's own.

Safari in Savute

2007-03-10T19:06:00.000+02:00

Savute

Savute, lying in the west of Chobe National Park about 50km north of Mababe Gate, attracts dense concentrations of game during the wet season, which normally starts in late November.

The shallow Savute Channel, connecting the river to the north with the Mababe Depression, which was once a great lake, seems devoid of life. So to, Savute Marsh, situated at the junction of the Savute Channel and the Mababe Depression, dry for most of the year and best described as a treeless flatland.

Until, however, the rains break, then the game arrives, in their thousands, taking advantage of the new rich grasses. Wildebeast, giraffe, tsesebe, and huge herds of zebra, together with elephants and buffalo making up the variety of animals to be seen.

This massive influx of game also attracts predators, in the form of lion, leopard, cheetah, wild dog and hyenas. Savute is world famous for the carnivores, especially the lion prides that are resident here. Savute is also well known for the bull elephants that roam through this area.

Wildlife - Wilderness - Botswana

2007-03-04T19:53:00.000+02:00

Afro Trek Safaris To Chobe

2007-02-24T13:45:00.000+02:00

Chobe National Park

Chobe National Park is divided into four main focal points. The Chobe Riverfront with floodplains and teak forests; Savute Marsh in the South West; the Linyanti Swamps in the North West and the hot, dry hinterland in between.

The Chobe National Park covers 10,000 sq. km., which is about 4,000 sq. metres and one of the major features is the elephant population. The Chobe elephant comprise part of what is probably the largest surviving continuous elephant population, which covers most of northern Botswana plus northwestern Zimbabwe and is estimated to be well over 100,000 strong. The Chobe elephants are migratory making seasonal movements of up to 200 km. from the Chobe and Linyanti river systems, where they concentrate in the dry seasons.

Game viewing is at its best during the dry months of May through to September, when the majority of natural pans have dried up and the game concentrates around the permanent water sources. Most wildlife activity occurs along the banks of the Chobe River. Hippos bathe, crocodiles sun themselves and wildebeest, zebra and buffalo gambol freely.

The buffalo herds are invariably accompanied by attendant lions, which can result in, the much sought after viewing of a lion kill. Sadly, such a sight in Chobe these days may have to be shared with many other tourists in game viewing vehicles (most of these vehicles now fitted with radios for communication with each other), gridlock could be experienced. However, maybe the awe of the spectacle outweighs any distraction from other game viewing vehicles in the immediate vicinity, some may not agree.

Many baboons and the elusive Chobe bushbuck can be spotted along the riverbank. Not to be missed by party animals is the afternoon boat9or booze) cruises available from most of the riverside lodges in Kasane. The Chobe riverfront offers beautiful scenery and stunning, dramatic sunsets.

Best Time to Safari in Botswana

2007-02-14T19:17:00.000+02:00

The Best of Times - Botswana

Each period of the year offers different highlights, though May through to October / November are the months offering the best general wildlife viewing opportunities. The drier months result in better game viewing as the animals are forced to visit the fewer remaining water holes and pans in order to drink each day.

The predators merely have to wait at these water sources, being fewer in the drier months and therefore more crowded, for the animals to approach and commence drinking. For the wildlife enthusiast with limited time to spend, the period June to November is the wisest choice of times to go on safari in the Okavango Delta or Moremi Game Reserve.

In May, the flood waters from Angola are still making their slow and deliberate progress through the Okavango Delta. The rains have now ended, the nights are significantly cooler with temperatures averaging around 15 Celsius (60 Far) and day temperatures peaking at just over 30 Celsius (90 Far).

Breeding herds of elephant increase in density as they visit the perennial rivers of the Okavango, Chobe and Kwando. The seasonal pans begin to dry up. The lush greens, so evident in the wet season, begin to fade quickly into the duller dry season colours, allowing the predators to take full advantage of the fact that their coats now blend in with their surroundings again. The migrating birds commence their annual flights to winter feeding and breeding grounds in distant lands.

In June, temperatures reach their lowest, night temperatures towards the months end can drop to below zero (32 Far) but day temperatures still hit around 30Celsius (75 Far ) . Dry and dusty conditions now dominate with pans and water holes now resulting in the animals drinking at permanent water sources, closely followed by the predators

However, the wet months of December through to March offer other spectacular highlights which should not be overlooked. Obviously the vegetation at this time of year is rich with lush green growth evident everywhere.

Many of the antelope family have young ones during this period to take advantage of these nutritious grasses for grazing. This again offers predators rich pickings - these very young antelopes being easy prey for lion, cheetah, leopard or wild dog. For the birding enthusiasts the wet months can be a delight with many males of the various species displaying their full breeding plumage.

Afro Trek Safety Briefing #2

2007-01-22T16:54:00.000+02:00

Safari Briefing – Safety 2

The open safari vehicle does provide a surprising degree of protection. You will be amazed at how close you can get to a lion. Your safari guide will try to get the best setting for your photos and videos. You only leave the vehicle with your guides’ permission.

Predators like lion and hyena are always a concern. Too many accidents happen because the big animals are territorial or protecting their young. Hippos are the most dangerous. They can change from grazing to charge mode surprisingly quickly. Cape Buffalo can be very skittish and mean spirited.

Listen to you guides’ guidance. Also, listen to his stories around the campfire at night. The information can save your life.

Afro Trek Safari Goes International

2007-01-04T15:07:00.000+02:00

BlogBurst has just accepted Afro Trek Safari into their syndication. Wonderful news to start the New Year. More people from around the world will share the wonders of the Okavango Delta and destination areas like Moremi Game Reserve and the Tsodilo Hills. BlogBurst is described below, in their own words:

"BlogBurst is a syndication service that places your blog content on top-tier online destinations. You get visibility, audience reach and increased traffic, while publishers get a wide range of new coverage to broaden their reach and increase page views."

BlogBurst clients to date include the following international clients: Reuters, USA Today, Gannet, SF Gate, The Washington Post and Discovery.

Afro Trek Safari - Safety

2006-12-29T13:41:00.000+02:00

Safari Briefing – Safety 1

Whether you are staying at a lodge in the Okavango Delta or on mobile safari with Afro Trek Safari, safety is always concern number 1. Everyone has to realize that when you are on safari in the game reserves, you really are inside the zoo.

The pre-trip briefing, by your professional guide, is extremely important. It is your responsibility to understand and closely follow the safety guidelines. Make sure your fellow travellers understand the guidelines. Make sure your safari of a liftime is memorable for all the right reasons.

Your guide wants to get you as close to the big game as possible, in a safe manner. 99.9% of safaris run smoothly. Make sure you are not that 1 in a 1000.

Safari Safety - Introduction

2006-12-20T20:20:00.000+02:00

Safety First Safaris – Campfire Stories:

After a day on safari exploring for big game and a great dinner in the bush, it is not unusual to sit up for awhile around the campfire. Often, the guides and guests share some great stories. Often the stories are about near accidents or narrow escapes. The themes often come back to safety. Some stories may be fanciful - many are not.

1. Bending over the side of a boat to free a fishing line as a crocodile jumps from a nearby bank and passes just over the startled person…

2. Escape by jumping over a log to get away from a charging hippo…

3. When a lion attacks, keep staring the lion straight in the eyes – it will stop. Your heart may also stop, but that is another story.

4. A guest video taping his own death, walking toward a buffalo herd…

5. Last but not least – hyenas. Often they are around camps at night. Their yup – yup sound is distinctive and yup, they can be very dangerous. Follow you guides advice about staying inside your zipped-up tent.

Request For Information - Afro Trek Safari

2006-12-16T14:11:00.000+02:00

Fill out my Wufoo form!

Afro Trek Flexibility

2006-12-14T14:10:00.000+02:00

Afro Trek Safari has been busy during October and November. There have been day and overnight trips into Moremi Game Reserve. Other safaris have taken Afro Trek to Chobe Game Reserve, Savuti and Nxai Pan.

The annual rains are only just beginning in Northern Botswana. Trip plans for December to February will have to be flexible, with possible adjustments because of weather conditions. Not to worry, campers are a hardy group and the rain showers are often short and the skies exceptionally beautiful.

Remember, on the edge of the Kalahari Desert – life is all about water.

Botswana"s Best Books

2006-12-11T19:27:00.000+02:00

The Perfect Christmas Gift

There are two books of note in the right hand column of this page. If you have a friend or family member who likes stories about safaris or Botswana - consider these books.

Horn of the Hunter was written over 50 years ago and over 2,000 copies are still being printed yearly. It is a classic of the safari genre and highlights some of the early safaris by Maun's own Harry Selby.

Culture and Customs of Botswana is the other extreme. The book launch was just last week. Hopefully, 50 years from now it will still be in-print. Ideal for anyone planning a trip to Botswana in the New Year of for that special someone who has already visited and would like to learn more. Phenyo Thebe is currently working on his second book. For more of a description of the content click on Maun Blog.

Les Francaises on Safari - Le Professor

2006-12-04T20:38:00.000+02:00

Excursion à Moremi

Un Game drive est toujours plein de surprises. Ce fut le cas. Départ très matinal : 6h
Nous sommes 16, il faut donc 2 4x4. Sur les banquettes nous gelons pendant le trajet que durera 2h jusqu’à la première entée. Petite pause d’une ½ h avec café et biscuits. Déjà quelques observations de gazelles et girafes aussi que d’oiseaux. L’excursion commence vraiment après la 2 eme entrée quand les plans d’eau apparaissent. La piste est plus étroite et plus route.

Observations réalisées :
1) Mammifères :
Girafes +de 20, Eléphants + de 100, Singes verts 10, Hippopotames 20, Gazelles et antilopes +200, Cobe défassa, Cobées rouges, Steenboks, Impalas en grand nombre, 2 lions au repas ainsi qu’une lionne
2) Oiseaux :
2 cormorans africains, 3 hérons cendrés, 1 aigrette ordoisée, 2 aigrettes ….., 3 ombrettes, 2 tantales, 1 cigogne blanche, 5 lois sacrés, 10 oies d’Egypte, 3 oies de Gambie, 2 aigles pecheurs, 1 aigle bateleur, 150 francolins à bec rouge, 30 pintades, 1 grue conanculee, 1 outarde, 25 jacanas, 40 vanneaux armés, 100 tourterelles du Cap et à colliées, 5 tomeras ……., 10 grepeurs en …., 5 rolliers à longs brins, 80 calaas à bec rouge, 2 hiromdeles, 1 gonolek rouge et noir, 50 …….. Flèches, Vols de tisserins travailleurs à bec rouge, 30 étourneaux métalliques, 10 étourneaux d’Alexandre, 30 fraque-boeufs, 5 corbeaux, quelques coucon et 1 vanran

Le pique-nique est délicieux : (salade, poulet sandwiches), jus de mangue ….Fruits ( banane poires). Le retour commence à 15h30 après observation finale de lions. Poussiéreux nous rentrons vers 18h45 plein d’émerveillements.

Maun Safari Flashback

2006-11-20T18:54:00.000+02:00

Birdwatching With Kelly Revisited

I received an email over the weekend from Hugh Kelly. He is thinking about bringing some family members to Maun and taking them on safari. It was fun to think back to the trip we did 6 months ago. Along with his reflections on our safari, Kelly also provided a more complete version of his pelican ditty:

'Regarding pelicans - funny old birds, as discussed around the campfire
after a few shots of Bells.'

" A funny old bird is the Pelican
His beak can hold more than his belly can
He fills up his beak
With enough food for a week
But I'm sure I don't know how the hell he can"

San Diego Reader - Breaking News

2006-11-09T19:08:00.000+02:00

Afro Trek Safari, Botswana Breaks Through!

For stories about Botswana, the Okavango Delta and Moremi Game Reserve click and go to the San Diego Reader. This weeks story is the second of five stories to be published during the month of November. You can read the first short story by clicking 'previous blogs' after the end of this story.

Diva Barbarella was gracious enough to contact Delta Dave about two months ago, requesting Botswana stories for her newspaper. It has been fun writing the stories and has helped me focus on what I really like about Botswana. Hope the readers of the Afro Trek blog enjoy them.

Wildlife Magic On Safari, Botswana Part 2

2006-10-28T20:23:00.000+02:00

Trevor's Safari Continues - From The Daily Post, Liverpool

To read Trevor Peake's review of Sedia Riverside Hotel click this link.

"Herds of impala, zebra, and wildebeest abound in the Delta. Giraffe are encountered alone or in small groups, as are elephant, the Greater Kudu, a large browsing antelope, and Red Lechwe, another antelope with raised hindquarters and deeply splayed hooves which allow it to run swiftly through the shallow waters."

"Warthogs, wild dogs, mongoose and baboons are frequently spotted, but the sight of a leopard or any other member of the cat family is a rare treat, one denied us apart from the fairly comotose lions. But there is always an abundance of multi-coloured birdlife, with species too numerous to mention."

"A must during my stay though, was a mokoro trip. A mokoro is a native dug-out canoe, poled through the shallow waters of the Delta in almost total silence, which leaves the birds undisturbed to put on a display as they go about their business."

Wildlife Magic on Safari, Botswana

2006-10-22T19:40:00.000+02:00

Trevor Peake Enjoys A Trip To Botswana, Part 1

From the pages of the Liverpool, Daily Post in Trevors own words -
"Hundreds of buffalo leisurely grazing their way across the savannah as dusk fell will be my abiding memory of a few days in the Moremi Game Reserve, part of the vast Okavango Delta, in northern Botswana."

"Our guide Shylock spotted what we thought was just a small group, but after expertly circling round through the bush he found the front of what turned out to be a vast herd of Cape Buffalo. We could only watch in wonder for over half an hour as they strolled by, the odd magnificent bull giving us the once over as we observed them from the safety of our safari truck 30 yards away."

"An hour earlier, we had been even closer to a male lion, which showed the scars of a recent skirmish. Such splendid sights are what makes a safari the magical experience it is.:

Afro Trek Country, Botswana

2006-10-17T21:07:00.000+02:00

I cannot remember where the map comes from, but it's a good one. It hightlights Moremi Game Reserve and a number of the camps and lodges around the Okavango Delta. Afro Trek does regular trips to the Tsodilo Hills in the north west all the way over to Chobe National Park in the east. Moremi Game Reserve remains our most popular destination area.

Right now, the Delta is about as full of water as the map shows - rare for this time of year. Usually the Delta is receding back upstream or drying out - at least from Maun and north. The rainy season is approaching and it will be interesting to see how long water levels can stay at current peaks. It is one of the best years in a long time for using the river. Mokoro Trails is also enjoying the year round water we are experiencing. They are continuing to receive a steady stream of mokoro travellers.

Maun Safari Choices

2006-09-25T18:57:00.000+02:00

July, August and September is the peak season for mobile safaris. Shylock was back in Maun this weekend. He has travelled much of Botswana, showing his guests the parts of the country he loves best. Much of the time he has been in Moremi Game Reserve and Chobe National Park.

Shylock likes trips of all sizes and durations. For a one day trip, an early start is key. Much of the trip into Moremi is a game drive. Bird lovers do best in the morning and sighting are plentiful. After a good lunch and short rest the guests are ready for a game drive that turns in our return trip. By the time we return ar dusk, enem the big game viewers are happy. From Shylock's perspective, "A guides best friend is an interested guest. They make it happen for everyone on the mobile safari."

Botswana National Bird?

2006-08-30T19:18:00.000+02:00

In an earlier blog I mentioned that the Lilac Breasted Roller was the national bird of Botswana. A member of Birdlife Botswana has commented that Botswana does not have a national bird. I defer to his far more knowledgeable perspective and would like to set the record straight.

I was talking about the lilac breasted roller this week with a local guide and he expressed surprise. In the end we recognized it may be one of the great bird mysteries of Botswana. Where did the misconception start? Perhaps the lilac breasted roller should be made the national bird of Botswana and take it's place proudly alongside the zebra. It would look good on the coat of arms for Botswana.

You are encouraged to click on the Birdlife Botswana link above to find out what is happening with birds in Botswana. To go to the source of the photo please click here. I am so slow with a camera it would take me forever to get a photo of this beautiful bird.

Maun and 'The Gates of Eden'

2006-08-20T18:33:00.000+02:00

Sunday morning, my friend Ernest and I start out from Sedia Riverside Hotel on a trip up the Boro River and into Moremi Wildlife Reserve. To get from the Thamalakane River to the Boro you have to travel under two bridges - the water levels are now high enough to navigate all the way upstream by boat. Like Jacques Cousteau, alot of our outing is about research is about water.

The current is pushing downstream and the flood peak could still be a month away. Going up the Bore to the buffalo fence is about 12 km. You see domestic animals, birds and a variety of farming and garden plots along the river. The buffalo fence is the boundary of the Moremi Wildlife Reserve. Here, everything changes.

Now you enter the 'Gates of Eden' or as close as I am going to get in this lifetime. You don't go too many kilometres before you see wildlife. You feel like you are on a wet safari - cape buffalo, giraffe and elephants are not uncommon. The narrow river channel arcs and bends in front of you. The panorama is wonderful.

Today we spend about half an hour watching elephants have their morning bath and eat brunch. Their brunch is a combination of river grasses and stripping branches from bushes. We have our lunch at a lagoon futher up stream and try some fishing. The lunch was satisfying and the fishing disappointing. Changing lures, adding small chunks of ham and even spitting on the lures didn't work. Fishing stories will have to wait for another trip

In Search of Baobab Beauties

2006-08-17T18:12:00.000+02:00

We all know why visitors come to Botswana - lions, elephants. hippos, birds, desert, culture, friends... What about trees? Less than two weeks ago, seven of us camped overnight in the Gwebe Hills, about 180km from Maun. Along with climbing two of the hills to enjoy the views, seeing eight kudu spring across an open plain and keeping intouch with the group, I keep looking at these amazing Baobabs.

There are more famous places in Botswana for viewing baobabs, like Kubu Island in the Makadikadi Pans. For pure numbers, the Gwebe Hills are hard to beat. My guess, from one visit, is there are more than a 1,000. All configurations are there - the lone baobab, the entertwined couple and the family groupings.

Hard to forget the old baobab once you see one. The kind of look upsidedown, with a bad hair day. The age of an individual tree is a good discussion for around the campfire, after dinner - 1,000 years sounds like a minimum for a big baobab. They are so fat because they store water for the periodic droughts that occur.

At the end of the day, for me, the baobab is mystical - they just give me a special feeling and sense of reverence. Of course I feel that way about all big trees and also like the local jackelberry tree. Once it takes more than 4-5 people to stretch around a tree, your into something special.

A Bird's Eye View - Part 2

2006-07-27T18:59:00.000+02:00

Visitors love to take mokoro trips and have the opportunity to silently move through the Okavango Delta and see the wide range of wildlife available. The traditional dug-out canoe, or 'Mokoro' was originally introduced into the Okavango Delta by the Bayei tribe who moved into the region, from the Zambezi River area, after the 1750's. The presence of the tsetse fly meant that pastoralism was not possible and instead they relied on hunting and fishing for subsistence.

Trees that were favoured, by the Bayei people, for the construction of mekoro were the Mukwa, Jackal Berry and Sausage Trees. A tree might take well over a century to attain Mokore size - but the lifespan of the Mokoro would typically only be about 5 to 8 years.

In the interests of conservation and the protection of the trees and ecology of the Delta, most of the mekoros used for visitors today are made of fiberglass reinforced plastic - the shape has stayed the same. The pole or 'nashi' that is often used to push the Mokoro is the Mogonono tree. When you start your Mokoro trip you may well hear expressions of 'Tsamaya Sentle' - Travel of Go Well. Your Polers will give you more stories and cultural background during your breaks from game spotting.

Bird Watching With Kelly.

2006-06-22T20:29:00.000+02:00

Shylock starting out on a mobile safari.

We rise and shine just before 6 am and down some coffee, toast, jam and boilded eggs. With a thermos filled with boiling water for our mid morning tea, we head off in search of game. Shylook takes us around the edges of flood plains that are filling up with the flood water from Angola. We move off, down stream from the Kwai River Bridge in the Moremi Wildlife Reserve.

Along the way we view some impala, kudu and baboons. Two elephants are spotted foraging for their breakfast. Fresh lion tracks get us excited, but prove elusive. Vehicles are not permitted off existing paths.

The highlight of the morning is stopping near a 30 metre round pool of water, left over from our recent rainy season. The menagerie of birds co-existing peacefully during their morning feeding is impressive. Black Crake, Marabou Storks and Grey Herons mix with Sacred Ibis, African Jacana and 2 Great White Pelicans.

Kelly, one of our fellow travellers from Australia and a bird lover, spots 2 Wattled Cranes flying over our vehicle. After some discussion about their endangered species status and recent migratory bird counting activities, Kelly starts to hum to himself and soon recites bits and pieces of something like: "A funny old bird is the Pelican; His beak holds more food than his belican..."

Before we return to camp for midday feed and some rest, there is one more treat. The Lilac-breasted Roller - Botswana's National Bird is spotted. With good natured talk of our luck and spotting skills, we arrive back at basecamp.

Gliding Through Nature - A Bird's Eye View.

2006-05-28T17:32:00.000+02:00

A very popular activity is a 1 or 2 day mokoro trip - complete with poler and guide. You can see the abundance of nature the Okavango Delta has to offer. Bird lovers and photographers, in particular, love the silent way you can enter into different habitats - capture what is happening and move on.

Afro Trek partners with Mokoro Trails, a local community trust - delivering and picking up visitors. Mokoro trips are an eco-tourism activity that gives the visitor a snapshot view of a traditional mode of transport. Motswanna have for centiries been navigating for the maze of channels that is the Okavango Delta.

Along with birds you are likely to see various antelope, elephant, buffalo, zebra, giraffe and lion. Doing the Mokoro Trails and participating in this type of eco-tourism make a positive impact to the polers and their communities, without compromising our environment. Enjoy one of the largest inland deltas in the world - the feeling can be overwhelming. When you get home - your photos and videos will help you regain your composure.

blog, culture, travel, photos

When Visitors are Fulfilled

2006-05-06T16:06:00.000+02:00

Part 2: Professional Safaris Guide - Viewpoint

Shylock really likes people who come to Africa to see the differences from what they know back home. He believes "indigenous guides are best suited to help them explore the bush and the culture of Botswana." Shylock knows and loves Botswana. The same applies to being a Safari Guide.

Often he has to balance the different needs of guests interested in birds or big game. "Ideally, we move when customers are fulfilled with what they are watching." Some time each day needs to be spent reviewing what was seen and done.

Shylock Raborokgwe gets "excited when I spot a special animal, like a leopard, that a guest has never seen before." Knowing the particular habitat that supports an animal or bird is the skill he uses to find the game.

Professional Safari Guide - Viewpoint

2006-04-23T11:46:00.000+02:00

Part 1:

“Knowing the beauty of your own country.” – Shylock Raborokgwe

Over 20 years as a Professional Guide has taken Shylock to all destination areas in Botswana. He’s been to Moremi and Chobe Game Reserves. He likes to combine trips to the Central Kalahari Game Reserve and the Okavango Delta – “let guests see how dry the desert is, no water, no shower, dust; then go the Delta and travel for a few days with water everywhere. The contrast is the Botswana experience! The two ecosystems are terribly different. People coming to Botswana want to see the diferences”

Shylock has done trips to Nxai Pan, Linyanti, Kutse Game Reserve, Drotsky’s Caves and Tsodilo Hills. For him, “The Tsodilo Hills are a ‘different ballgame’ – you don’t see the obvious, your away from everthing and the paintings are something else. ”

In Part 2, we will find out what Shylock considers ‘a perfect trip.’

Harrys Botswana Experience

2006-04-16T11:21:00.000+02:00

Visit Harrys Botswana Journal and see Ngamiland through the eyes of a 10 year old explorer. His original hand written journal is provided to give that 'on the road' feeling.

Harry is sitting on the roof, waiting for Shaka and Captain to check the truck.

The relaxed leopard was one of the highlights of the morning game drive. After 10 minutes with the leopard it was time for Harry and the rest of the group to have breakfast and talk about the mornings sighting.

AfroTrek Botswana

2006-04-15T13:43:00.000+02:00

AfroTrek Botswana
The Ngami Times Blog
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