Drakensberg

Selinda, Okavango Delta / Botswana

At first I was a little concerned – Carol and family arrived in South Africa just when the worst cold front in living history had us in its grip. Its tentacles reached as far as our first camp, Mashatu. We had chosen Mashatu, Tuli Block / Botswana for several reasons, not the least of which was that they had, on a previous trip to Kenya, enjoyed the more basic bush camps. Well, freezing cold bites a little more in tents. But we had superb game viewing – 3 leopard sightings, and 4 cheetahs stalking, chasing and pulling down an impala. All cold was (nearly) forgotten.  The Royal Livingstone at the Victoria Falls / Zambia followed and a good time was had by all in warm sunshine and warm, cosy rooms at night. On arrival at Selinda we had near magic game viewing – one breeding herd of elephants after the other, with tiny tots, coming down to drink at the newly inundated Selinda Spillway. The highlight came at sunset, when we watched a full family of lions entertain us with almost everything lions can do to captivate an audience – feeding on an elephant, coming down to drink, 6 cubs cavorting and pulling stern daddy’s tail, mothers’ muted calls to cubs, a bit of disciplining tempered by cuddling. And then father’s full throated roar not 3 metres from out car. It veritably reverberated.

At dinner, Carol came to hug me to let me know what a wonderful day the family had enjoyed. And that made my day. Thank you too!

 Credit Brigitte Cross