Savuti to Zambia

On our final morning at Savuti, we had an abbreviated morning drive. Our plane to Kasane, Botswana would pick us up at 11AM. We would go through customs in Kasane then fly over the border of Botswana to Livingstone, Zambia. This was our last game drive as our time in Zambia was to be spent exploring Victoria Falls.



We came upon a troop of agitated Chacma Baboons. At first, we didn't know what had them so upset. Then Goodman pointed out some unwelcome visitors on the left side of the trail:



The wild dogs looked hungry. As much as they look like our own domestic canines, don't be fooled... They are ruthless predators and can take down an antelope in a matter of minutes. They won't take on the baboons - the primates are too fast, have too many options for escape and they outnumber the dogs by a handsome ratio. Here, one of the dogs sizes up a baboon:



Chacma Baboons are a social animal. They travel in large, family groups and are quite vocal. I found this family quite cute:





After watching the theatrics of the canines & primates, we moved along to the runway. One of the other guides, Vincent, would meet us at the runway with our bags. We were off to another country and other great adventures.

Here is the approach to Kasane Airport (I got to sit next to the pilot!):



Once we cleared customs in Kasane, we followed the beautiful Zambezi River downstream, coming upon Victoria Falls. Our pilot received clearance for a fly-over - so we enjoyed a spectacular view of the falls before landing in Livingstone.









It was a 30 minute drive from the airport to our lodge, The Islands of Siankaba. This was the most meaningful part of the visit to me - I was so excited to visit this lodge.



We were greeted at the mainland reception building and within a few minutes were on our boat, to get to our island hideaway. The four of us (me, James, Ed & Marty) were the only visitors at the 6 chalet resort. We had the entire staff at our disposal, which was a luxury we had not ever experienced. Our chalets were accessible by a network of rope bridges which dangled above the very swollen Zambezi River:





Here is the view from the deck of our chalet:



And of course, no day is complete without a 'Sundowner' - which we joyfully enjoyed from our boat:





Our first Zambian sunset:



The following day, Saturday, we were off to visit Victoria Falls and make the descent to the 'Boiling Point'. You'll love seeing the photos!!! Until tomorrow...!

Savuti - A Story Unfolds

Being on Safari is like reading a suspenseful, page-turner novel. Our guides/drivers are the narrators; the animals are the main characters; and the environment containing us all offers the clues that make each turn in the road exciting.

Thursday, May 21st was an exciting day in the bush. It started with one small clue:



Our guide, Goodman, made note of a lone vulture sitting in a tree. The vulture was not showing interest in anything in particular and seemed quite relaxed. We stopped to try a couple shots of the spooky creature and then continued on our way. Within 5 minutes, we came upon this sight:





This was a fresh kill. Goodman told us that this wildebeast had most likely been killed within an hour of our finding this carcass. Lions work quickly, taking only the meatiest limbs of a kill. They do not immediately eviscerate their prey, as the smell of open bowel and intestines attracts other predators. The adults eat first, giving the cubs the remainder. This makes it possible for the adults to stand watch while the cubs eat. Goodman hopped out of our rover to show us that a cub must have been part of the meal - they are not as efficient as an adult at cleaning a bone...



We continued on our way, knowing that whatever animal had feasted on the wildebeast had to be close by. Lo and behold, not long after, we came upon this group:



These lions were part of a 5 member group: Two adult males, one female and two male cubs. One of the older males had been blinded, presumably in a fight:



The other members of the group were obviously resting, having full bellies and plenty of time until dark - when they would begin to hunt again. Hard to believe that this crew was a bunch of killers:











We stalked the lions for about 45 minutes, never facing them - always parallel so as not to influence or inhibit their movements. Once our heart rates returned to normal, we continued on at a leisurely pace. Here are some other sights we saw on that exciting morning...















This had all taken place before 10AM. The anticipation for the evening drive was unbearable as we headed back to camp. But first, brunch and siesta...