Moremi Game Reserve - Day 9

The call of the Fish Eagle is another magical call in the wild. 

Our final morning in the park but it was a quiet one. Even the game drive vehicles were telling us that the area was quiet. We did both the east and western sides of the Khwai gate but there wasnt even spoor to be found. 

Moremi Game Reserve - Day 8

Meandering bush tracks of Moremi. 

The lions were roaring just outside the campsite at around 4.30 am. After picking up our bucket that the hyena had grabbed and walked off with we quickly drove in the direction of the lions just after 6 am, but they were nowhere to be seen. In fact, the whole game drive was quiet, with even the tour guides struggling to find anything. 

Moremi Game Reserve - Day 7

Paradise pools sunrise. 

Our plan in the morning was to head first to Paradise Pools, and if nothing was there, we'd head into the area where we'd seen the leopard and then make our way slowly to Khwai. The good thing about paradise pools is that its only 4km from the entrance gate so we arrived there while it was still dark and were able to catch a few nice shots of the sunrise with dead trees as a focus point. 

Moremi Game Reserve - Day 6

Xakanaxa has beautiful scenes.

We always hope that our early mornings leaving in the dark will pay off, but they usually don't. But for the first time in a long time it paid off and with the biggest prize of all - leopard. We spotted eyes in the headlights and quickly worked out it was a leopard. 

Moremi Game Reserve - Day 5

The iconic Khwai river bridge at North Gate.

The campsite was quiet when we left in the morning after packing up and visiting the ablutions. We arrived at north gate just after opening while it was still dark. We weren't surprised to find the office still closed so we headed in and went straight to where we suspected the lions had been seen the day before. But the lions had long disappeared with not even spoor to give us an idea of where they had gone. 

Moremi Game Reserve - Day 4

The Xini pride was on our list for this trip. 

It was dark when we left after a night of few sounds except the scops owl and distant lion and hyena. Our plan was to head to 2nd bridge to check out the flood damage before heading back to the gate and then driving to Khwai. 

Moremi Game Reserve - Day 3

Crocodile camp Maun. Small individual campsite. 

Breakfast of muesli and coffee was had just after 5 am and we were out the Crocodile Camp gate at 6 am in the dark. A potholed road to Shorobe marked the end of the tarmac and after dropping the tyres we started the corrugated sand road to the park entrance gate. It's a 50km slog that should take an hour depending on the road conditions and of course, if you see anything as this is wild game country. 

Moremi Game Reserve - Day 2

The Thamalakane flowing thought Maun. 

Up early at 5 am but it took a while to get breakfast and the last of the packing done before we got on the road just before 6.30. We'd chosen the longer route - via Lobatse and Ghanzi - rather than travel on the busy Palapye road, but it was an uneventful drive to Maun. 

Moremi Game Reserve - Day 1

130 liters of diesel, 50 liters water, firewood, lots to fit in. 

It's time to pack the car again and head to northern Botswana. We had a 9 trip, 2 days to travel, and the rest of time in Moremi Game Reserve. The big difference compared to our trip the same time last year was the water levels.