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Red markers on the map show our four trips in Africa
Botswana first in the middle then South Africa next then Namibia on the left next then Tanzania upper right last
First of twenty three flights overnight to Dublin business class
Two days in Italy to start time acclimating and eat pizza
Attendants spray the plane on the fourth flight from Cairo to Johannesburg
The three stops in Botswana were Chobe River first then Moremi Crossing and Rra Dinare in the Okavango Delta
Three day stay in Kasane at small lodge with barbed wire fences
A nice lookout to watch the river for game
But protected behind electric fences in the lodge since the town is not fenced
Leaving before sunrise on our very first game drive
The first big animal sighting was so exciting
This lilac breasted roller became the picture we always wanted to capture
The first pride of thirteen lions was so exciting to see
They were down by the river and she was the lookout
The first of many types of antelope in Africa
On the evening game drive we learn what can happen when coming upon a breeding herd
Here is mama in front of us and the bull behind us does not like us between them
Botswaa is home to 130,000 elephants and 50,000 are in Chobe National Park
Here is where we learned that giraffes are very shy by nature
And lions are lazy here is a bachelor group sleeping it off
A lone lioness down by the river waiting for something to ambush
The official safari starts and we move to the Chobe River Lodge
A nice place near the river to edit and publish pix and videos
A group river cruise as part of our safari package
And our captain was a young woman from a nearby village
We got very up close with game in the river
And Africa starts to deliver one amazing sunset after another
Sunset from the deck of the lodge
A day trip to Zimbabwe to see Victoria Falls
Took a three hour walk along the shore and many pictures
Sunset back at the lodge
Finally found a giraffe who was busy getting a bite of grass
Taking a morning coffee break on the game drive
This cheeky monkey jumped straight off the ground and stole my biscuit from my hand
Another lioness along the river
And here is the first of hundreds of zebra we will see
And elephant making a crossing to an island
Up close and personal on a private river cruise
And a lovely pedicure at the lodge watching the wart hogs have lunch
Flight number six from Kasane to Moremi Crossing
Overhead first look at the Okavango Delta
Tiny little landing strip
Pilot has to wait for the elephant to get off the runway
Another roller hoping for a shot of it in flight
Morning drive in the delta
Happy hour stop at a hippo pond
Evening drive home after dark
Sunset from our cabin at Moremi Crossing
Morning view from the sink in our tent
Our tent from the river
Taking a walking tour among the game animals
The boat was waiting for us when we were done walking
Starting to learn about the local birds
The deck at our tent
Inside the tent at Moremi Crossing
Our first outdoor shower
Sad sighting of an aging lion
Had tried to hunt a porcupine
Sunset from our tent at Moremi Crossing
And sunrise the next morning
Finally found a giraffe who would pose for a pretty picture
The view of a hippo you really do not want to see
Back in the air flight number seven seeing more of the Delta
And another little airstrip
Our pilot Lilly from Botswana
The Rra Dinare camp in the Okavango Delta
Nice seating area but too cold for the pool
Inside our tent at Rra Dinare
Had a little porch outside
Campfire area in camp
Dinner in camp
Our guide had a leopard waiting for us in the morning
We watched it for a long time
It was very close and just resting on a tree branch
Another pride of lionesses and cubs
And how cute can the cubs be
The female water buffalo is called Rra Dinare in Tswana
Evening happy hour with the guides on the game drive
Sunset in the Okavango Delta
Our guide Alco is reading the morning news
A jackal
And an ostrich
A pack of pups at a den of wild dogs
Again another fabulous sunset
And another happy hour
Next morning we find a big pride of lions with dad and many lionesses and cubs
Lazing around in the shade
Dad is a very impressive sighting
Here is a kill that a leopard hauled up into a tree to eat
Last animal sighting in Botswana an ostrich on the runway
We enjoyed a ten day rest stop in Cape Town and more sunsets from our VRBO
This is the little beach town of Kalk Bay south of Cape Town
We rented a car and took some drives toward Cape Agulhas
This is definitely the land of have nots with massive shanty towns
Then we went to the other side to the Cape of Good Hope
Where we got to ride a funicular
And see the big waves on the Atlantic side
Found wine country in Cape Town
Our host was French raised with a South African accent
One last drive to Hout Bay and this looks very sketchy to me
Cute little harbor town with sea lion on patrol
Circular path from Windhoek north to Etoshia then southwest to Damaraland out to the coast to Swakopmund then southeast to Sossusvlei
Our next stop was Windhoek in Namibia which was very underwhelming
We picked up a very nice rental car for our self drive
First stop was Gondwana Etosha Safari Lodge
These were cabins not tents
Beautiful outdoor deck for delicious meals
We had a guest in our cabin
Sunsets continue to deliver
Here is the sunrise on the way to our all day game drive
Etoshia National Park is all fenced so the animal populations are out of balance
They provide artificial watering holes because the animals cannot roam and search for real water
But this is where we found the fifth of the big five
A herd of elephants on the way to a watering hole
See how close our driver parked the truck to the crossing
Watching the elephant babies play in the watering hole
Next day heading to Damaraland Lodge in the desert
Beautiful lodge but not much to do here
Pool was freezing cold and nowhere to go but hot desert walks
Pano of the desert from hillside viewing platform
My favorite photog
Watching the sunset
The only activity here besides desert walks
Last sunset in Damaraland
On the road again but now into dirt roads for days
Out to the coast for 3 nights
Another visit to a Yacht Club
This is known as the Skeleton Coast for good reason
Went on a game drive to see tiny little game in the desert
This is a nocturnal Namib Desert Gecko
And a venemous sidewinding adder
A Namaqua chameleon
My favorite photog again
Dunes of the beautiful Namib Desert
On the road once more in the dust and gravel
Finding some beauty in the desert landscapes
Crossing the Tropic of Capricorn
Our last Gondwana Lodge at Sossusvlei
The view from our balcony
Sunset in Namibia
We thought it was a good idea to climb to the top of this sand dune
Long climb in soft sand think one step forward half step back
Views from the top were spectacular
The two intrepid climbers make it to the top
We go straight down the face this is the view back up to the top
Then all the way across the hot salt pan in the baking sun
And back on the road one last time to Windhoek to return the car
Three Tanzania stops first Usa River then Ngorngoro Crater and the grand finale in Serengeti National Park
Flight number thirteen from Ethopia to Kilimanjaro
Lots and lots of game trucks but long drive from here
Small cottage in Dolly Reserve at Usa River where we stayed for 3 days
Big estate where the cottage is
The reserve had a polo club and golf course
Went on a horse back safari
Rob and I riding horses in Tanzania
Hostess feeds the bush babies at her cottage
Flight number fourteen from Dolly airstrip
Flew Air Excel in Tanzania to Ngorongoro Crater and Serengeti
Lots of game trucks at tiny little Lake Manyara air strip
We wat with our guide for another couple on a different flight
Oops I found a Tanzanite store at the air strip
Had a long drive out to the opposite edge of the Ngorongoro Crater
Looking down into the crater from the south edge
Rob and I
Our first camp in Tanzania with Sanctuary Retreats
A beautiful tent camp again all inclusive
Lovely setting at the south edge of the crater inside the Ngorongoro Conservation Area
View from our front porch
Sunset view from camp
More camp sunset
Had an all day long drive in the crater
Lots and lots of game animals up close and personal again
This Crested Crane was the funniest looking bird that we saw all summer
At the hippo pond for morning coffee break
There is a big lake in the crater
With pink flamingos
This lioness was reportedly not healthy and a vet would be checking on her soon
Sunset on our crater game drive
At the top of the crater on the way back to the air strip
Flight fifteen to Lamai airstrip in the Northern Serengeti
Even a tinier strip and our guide waits for us to arrive
Immediately to a game drive on the way to camp
This is a temporary camp moves between northern and southern Serengeti
Rows of tents
Our tent in the Serengeti
Indoor plumbing but outdoor tent attendant filling bucket for shower
Another beautiful tent - total glamping
The view across the Serengeti from the tent
Here the giraffes are much less shy
This one was wounded in a snare but is recovering
And looking as cute as can be
Plenty of elephants in the Serengeti but not as many as Botswana
And let the spectacular sunsets begin
It gets better but just wait
Epic sunset
And here we find the last of the big cats we had hoped to see
Two cheetah brothers have taken a wildebeest and let us watch them feed
They are not bothered by us at all
Look at that big ole belly full o wildebeest
They wash each others face when meal time is over
And stroll off to find some shade
Here is a very good place to sleep it off
It is definitely not hard to find game in the Serengeti
A lioness enjoys a rest and lets us watch
This pack of hyenas heading for the truck made me a little nervous
There are around 1.5 million wildebeest migrating across the plains and through croc infested rivers
Our last morning we have a Bush Breakfast
And the ranger comes to check it out
We find one very shy leopard high in a tree
But nearby this guy isn't as shy
Not sure how this could be comfortable
Our last Serengeti and Africa sunset
Giraffe silhouette
Our last dinner we finally have BBQ
I was crying when I took this pic
