The Grand Adventure - Back to Africa!!!

[luangwablondes]

You are entering Western Botswana near Etsha 13 on the Okavango. There is a new community development mokoro operation that just started up that might interest you-- and the price is right.

http://maunselfdrive4x4.webs.com/therealmokorosafaris.htm

Hey, you're at the Delta, so you should check it out.

Robbie

 

[Christian P.]

Botswana!

well, I think I died and went straight to the Land Cruiser/Land Rover overlanders paradise.
It's unbelievable around here. We meet 4x4 travelers from all over on a daily basis.
But more later on this when I can upload the pictures....

We are now in Maun, in the middle of Botswana, right at the edge of the Okavango Delta.

So much has happened since the last update that I don't know where to begin. I am afraid I will miss out on most interesting stories...but here's a beginning:

First a quick comeback on Namibia - we really enjoyed it.
We covered over 4000 km most of it on dirt roads, sometimes seeing only 1 or 2 cars a day.

After Windhoek we headed to the coast (Walvis Bay) then along the coast through Skeleton Coast park. This is one of the most remote area I have been in my life. The entrance of the park itself is quite disturbing...

Next stop was Etosha where we saw our first real game (lions, elephants, etc). After Etosha things became a bit more challenging as we decided to cross at Dobe into Botswana, which is pretty much in the middle of nowhere.

From there we went up North to explore Khadoum National Park, which is really remote and hard to access. It is about 350 km inland with the last 75 being a really bad sand/dirt road. So remote in fact that they <strong>strongly </strong>suggest you convoy in 2 vehicles. If you break down over there expect to wait for a few days before you see anyone and get help... But as there was absolutely noone else around and having our trusty Land Cruiser - and being a bit crazy - we decided to go on our own.

It was stunning. We had the entire park by ourselves.
We drove through sand tracks, grassy meadows, empty fields, etc.
This is the Africa you dream about and see in movies.

From there we crossed into Botswana at Dobe, a very remote border post. From what I saw on her sheet, we were the second vehicle to cross the border that day....at 4:30 pm. It was so quiet that we actually had to open the gate ourselves, and go fetch the Botswana custom guy in the nearby village.

We have spent the last couple days in Maun, getting re-organized. We also went on a day trip to Moremi Game Park but ended up driving around the park instead of inside, due to some miscommunication...(you can't buy a day pass at the gate anymore). But at the end, we ended up having a fabulous day, seeing all various big game and exploring remote areas where no other tourist goes. We even managed to visit a lodge that's officially only accessible by plane....$$$. Let's just say they were quite surprised to see us.

Now for the bad news...I was hoping to visit the Magakvigan pans, but because of a crazy twist of Mother Nature, it seems like it will be impossible. The problem is that Botswana got 3 days of full rain last week, which is unheard of here in June, rending the pan too muddy/boggy to drive over. We are still heading this way today, just to check it anyway.

Then next step is Chobe National Park and Livingstone for the Victoria Falls.

as usual , I will post more pictures as soon as I get decent access...

 

[UK4X4]

Excellent updates and photo's

redistribution of wealth and articles is an artform - wether in Africa or latinolandia.

The methods are wide and varied, don't beat yourself up over it, just learn and go forward.

I had a van broken into in spain , alarmed secondary locks and bars on the windows.

They knocked a side window out and put a child through the bars, there were little foot prints across the rear seats.

Same van in portugal we went to bed early- the side sliding door opened in the night..............

Now back to the thread....

we are all jealous........

 

[luangwablondes]

Could have saved you that experience in Moremi, if you just looked at my website-
http://maunselfdrive4x4.webs.com/dwnpreservations.htm

Might even have helped you get a campsite in the park. Lots of people cancelled because of the recent rains.

Stop in at the Maun DWNP for campsite availability. If you are going via Savute, be sure to ask at the gates the best ways to go. Mankwe bridge is down, but locals are advising people to wade across here. Then charge a fortune to haul you out.

If you need some better, more recent advice, I can give you a local contact who does recoveries in Moremi and their son is a safari guide in that area.

 

[Christian P.]

Could have saved you that experience in Moremi, if you just looked at my website-
http://maunselfdrive4x4.webs.com/dwnpreservations.htm

Might even have helped you get a campsite in the park. Lots of people cancelled because of the recent rains.

Stop in at the Maun DWNP for campsite availability. If you are going via Savute, be sure to ask at the gates the best ways to go. Mankwe bridge is down, but locals are advising people to wade across here. Then charge a fortune to haul you out.

If you need some better, more recent advice, I can give you a local contact who does recoveries in Moremi and their son is a safari guide in that area.

yes, I wish I could get more info from your site or the web in general, but we are always traveling in remote area where Internet is next to unavailable.

I did enquire at DWNP in Maun but the unfriendly lady was convinced that all the sites were booked up, showing me her 60s-era reservation papers, despite us knowing it wasn't the case. The guard at the gate confirmed it, but would not let us in without the proper receipt from DWNP...nice vicious circle.

However at the end, it worked out better for us. We saw more game than other people we met who actually went in Moremi, without having to pay $100US for the entrance fee for 4 of us. We also visited a lodge developped and maintained by the local community. We had a fantastic day and was really happy how things turned out.

 

[Christian P.]

Botswana II

Another day, another adventure...

Refusing to give up on the Magdikadi pans, Marc and I headed to Gweta yesterday night.
In the morning, after talking to a few people it sounded like it could be possible to get to the edge of the pan despite of the heavy rain of the previous week.

Apparently it's the first time they got rain in June in over 80 years and a lot of people got trapped over there when the dry ground turned into mud.

So we head down the trail but after about 30 km of labyrinth of sand tracks we had to turn around, confronted to a gigantic lake.

We came back to Gweta where we accidently met Tony, the manager of the local lodge whom we have've met in Maun a few days before. He told us that we had been really close, all we had to do was circle the lake (100% off track) on the spongy/muddy field and if we managed not to get stuck we would be at the pan...once there, just follow my track, I am the only one who made it since the rain.

So at about 11:30am, we head back to the pan. We reached the lake and started driving around, trying to make sure we stay on firm ground. We eventually found a safe passage and made it to the pans!!!! Mission accomplished!

Getting more and more confident, we opted for a different route on the way back...and that's when things started to become a bit too challenging...we were about half way back to the tar road, and by then about 100 km out in the middle of nowhere - literally- when all of sudden after trying to find a safer passage around another watery stretch, the ground under us collapsed...

It was about 4 pm by then and we knew we had to get out by ourselves or we would spend a night under the stay and be in for a very long hike tomorrow....So we used every resource we had and after about 1.5 hr we managed to get the truck the out!!!! We finally came back to the camp around 8pm and shared a good story - and several drinks - with the people there...

*****

We are now in Kasana right next to the border of Zambia/Zimbabwe and planned to cross into Zimbabwe later today.

Stay tuned for more....

 

[DiploStrat]

The Kalahari

The rains/pans/desert system of the Kalahari is rather rare. All of the Kalahari is a prehistoric lake. (I have read that the heavy sands are thousands of meters deep. On many tracks in Botswana, the sand is so heavy that you almost can't raise dust.) The area has been basically dry for about 10,000 years, but, as Christian notes, let it rain (and it does) and everything changes.

During the last century, some explorers who traveled there during the rains reported a huge inland ocean. And other explorers, looking for that "ocean" died on dry pans. Crossing the Kalahari required a neat coordination of enough water in the pans for your oxen and enough speed (often travel by night) that your draft oxen (and you) did not die of Sleeping Sickness. Get your wagon bogged and your chances of illness soared. Even today, the Tsetse fly helps preserve large areas for game, not cattle. (Huge grounds for conflicts between ranchers/poachers/naturalists/tourists, et al.)

Add in the Okavango and Chobe rivers and you have one of the very best game viewing environments in the world.

(N.B. When I first arrived in Gaborone we had the first rains in eight years - every roof leaked like a sieve and the streets all flooded. To the Botswana government's credit, there was not one death due to famine during the entire drought.)

 

[Christian P.]

Zim!

We are now in Zimbabwe, right next to the Victoria Falls. So far Zimbabwe looks very promising. They seem to be coming out of the financial crisis - fuel, food and beers are now available, at least here. Still no ATM or cash at the bank though, you must bring cash with you. They have just recently converted to $US dollar.

You can however feel some desperation - today I traded some old t-shirts for souvenirs with the local teenagers. We will see tomorrow as we entered deeper to reach Mana pools, which we have been told is an awesome park to visit.

 

[luangwablondes]

He told us that we had been really close, all we had to do was circle the lake (100% off track) on the spongy/muddy field and if we managed not to get stuck we would be at the pan...once there, just follow my track, I am the only one who made it since the rain.

Off track-- whatever happened to threading lightly? This is why there are maps, and other resources. And yes, your buddy Tony should have known better to give you advice like that. There is already too many tracks tearing up the pans the way it is.

Negative reputation that.

And no, there were others before you.

 

[Christian P.]

Off track-- whatever happened to threading lightly? This is why there are maps, and other resources. And yes, your buddy Tony should have known better to give you advice like that. There is already too many tracks tearing up the pans the way it is.

Negative reputation that.

And no, there were others before you.

yep, I knew someone would not be happy with this sensitive subject...we actually debated it my friend and I before heading around the lake. If it's of any relief, it was only for a very short distance, we got back to the track as soon as we can and tried not to disturb anything. We are not that stupid.

now back to the normal adventures....we are leaving Vic Falls and heading to Mana pools this morning! If anyone has must-do things to share in Zimbabwe let us know, we want to get the most of our $75US Visa fee...

 

[DiploStrat]

Steam!

There used to be wonderful steam trains running from Bulawayo through Hwange to Vic Falls - great articulated Mallet engines.

Hwange game reserve was worth a visit.

Can't help you with the rest of the country other than to advise a bit of caution; TIM still has a lot of power.

 

[luangwablondes]

Yep, should have know better.

The other problem is that South AFrica is legislating 4x4 use currently. The neighboring countries are watching this carefully- including Botswana. They know they have problems. And then this hits the internet. Can you imagine being required to overland only with guided self drive groups in the best places. Needing offroad training before you can go on a trail, in a park, in a group with a guide? Spike would probably know more about this, but I fear they may do something about internationals renting
4x4s in these countries.

Which way are you heading towards Mana Pools. Binga has diesel and petrol at CMED. Stop at Taylors Kwikspar and ask for Alan for more local info. If you go that way, thats pretty much it till you cross all the way to Kariba, Chinhoyi(about 55kms in that direction) or Chirundu. You will need to top up before entering Mana Pools.

Do you need info on the park reservation process and which campsites to try for? You need to make reservations for the best places. And there is some excellent remote places. What do you know about Mana Pools. This is my favorite self drive park in Africa.

If you want a canoe trip arranged, I can try to get you in with a guide I know at Zim or SADC rates. Thats dirt cheap, and this is the best place on the Zambezi for organised canoeing. Even the Zambia safaris cruise close to the Zim side of the river. The Zambia side is mostly villages and Game Management Areas- think hunting.

There is a place near Bumi Hills. Chura Bush Camp- it shouldn't be too expensive, and I think it is self catering. Haven't been, but it is one of those places that seems to resolve the fuel situation. Better then burning fuel and heading to Harare and then to Mana Pools. http://www.club52.co.za/contentpage.asp?id=19
They will stock fuel for you if you arrange this in advance. I always head into Matusadona. Have had good wildlife sightings there. Few go because it is so far from everything. You can do rhino and lion tracking on foot.

 

[rickysymo]

This seems like a very exciting trip. It is really fascinating to see a lot of people becoming more and more inclined to nature.

 

[Christian P.]

Yep, should have know better.

The other problem is that South AFrica is legislating 4x4 use currently. The neighboring countries are watching this carefully- including Botswana. They know they have problems. And then this hits the internet. Can you imagine being required to overland only with guided self drive groups in the best places. Needing offroad training before you can go on a trail, in a park, in a group with a guide? Spike would probably know more about this, but I fear they may do something about internationals renting
4x4s in these countries.

Which way are you heading towards Mana Pools. Binga has diesel and petrol at CMED. Stop at Taylors Kwikspar and ask for Alan for more local info. If you go that way, thats pretty much it till you cross all the way to Kariba, Chinhoyi(about 55kms in that direction) or Chirundu. You will need to top up before entering Mana Pools.

Do you need info on the park reservation process and which campsites to try for? You need to make reservations for the best places. And there is some excellent remote places. What do you know about Mana Pools. This is my favorite self drive park in Africa.

If you want a canoe trip arranged, I can try to get you in with a guide I know at Zim or SADC rates. Thats dirt cheap, and this is the best place on the Zambezi for organised canoeing. Even the Zambia safaris cruise close to the Zim side of the river. The Zambia side is mostly villages and Game Management Areas- think hunting.

There is a place near Bumi Hills. Chura Bush Camp- it shouldn't be too expensive, and I think it is self catering. Haven't been, but it is one of those places that seems to resolve the fuel situation. Better then burning fuel and heading to Harare and then to Mana Pools. http://www.club52.co.za/contentpage.asp?id=19
They will stock fuel for you if you arrange this in advance. I always head into Matusadona. Have had good wildlife sightings there. Few go because it is so far from everything. You can do rhino and lion tracking on foot.

luangwablondes,

Thanks for the advice. We went to Binga and end up revisiting our schedule after discovering an exceptional lodge (Masumu River Lodge) that had been closed and is in the process of reopening - but not for another few months. Alan (not sure if he's the same guy you mentioned) was exceptionally welcoming. This place is gorgeous - think lodge 'a la Richard Branson' with no one else around.

We are now back to Vic Falls as we had to come back regardless for a different reason. We went river rafting today. It was fantastic. We will head back into Zimbabwe tomorrow but are not sure yet if we can still make it to Mana Pools. I will write more later, connection is way too slow right now.

We are heading toward Mozambique so if you have advices over too, please let me know.

 

[Christian P.]

by the way, if any one has info, I am trying to figure out if it is possible to get a visa for Angola in Zambia (Lusaka)?