Botswana Safari

Our first full day on the Chobe River was nothing but pure excitement. Following a very early rise, we found ourselves in African fish eagle heaven!

We were surrounded by the sound of the fish eagle's unique calls, which have been dubbed the "sound of Africa." As they throw their head back, their loud squawks can be heard over very long distances – and there is no other call like it. 

We gained a deep appreciation for their unbelievable accuracy while hunting. We watched them make calculated dives to snatch their prey right off of the surface of the water (the fish they catch can be up to two pounds and swimming as deep as five inches below the surface). 

Harry Mills took the image below; he used a Nikon D810 and the new 300mm fluorite lens. Man, this baby is sharp, and I will soon own one!

Botswana Safari: Chobe River, Day 7

We took our last bush flight to Kasane and settled into Chobe Savanna Lodge along the banks of Namibia. After border crossing and customs, we were ready for our first afternoon on the river. 

The Chobe River is all about birds, and occasionally catching elephants swim across the river; today was no exception: elephants were everywhere, and there were birds galore! 

I’ll give you more details on our sightings along the river soon but first, check out this photo taken by my client, Jim Guerard at our last camp. Jim caught the evening light falling on a large male leopard – a great shot!

Botswana Safari: Linyanti, Day 6

We’re airborne today! We spent our second full day at Linyanti shooting aerial photography with the wonderful folks at Helicopter Horizons. As we flew from camp to the border of Namibia, the aerial perspective allowed us to see intricate patterns formed by wetlands and grassy islands weaving through the landscape. Observing wildlife from this perspective gave us a deeper understanding of their behavior – it was a wonderful day!

Botswana Safari: Linyanti, Day 4

We boarded a bush flight to Linyanti Bush Camp after a fond farewell to the wonderful staff at Khwai Tented Camp. 

Bordering Chobe National Park, Linyanti is a rugged paradise. Our camp is situated right on the banks of the Linyanti River, in a private concession area, with woodlands and marshes that support impressive numbers of wildlife. 

Almost immediately after arriving to our camp, we watched large herds of elephant cross the Linyanti River on their way to settle in the uplands for the night. We had a serious photography session!

If you like elephants and water, this is the camp to visit – and this is the right time of year to do it. Mature males jockeyed for position while the mothers protected their young. With all of that activity, we had a smorgasbord of endless interesting interactions to observe and photograph.

Botswana Safari: Okavango Delta, Khwai - Day 3

We focused fully on leopards during our last day in Khwai. It paid off with a number of good sightings as well as interesting behavior observations. One of the highlights was witnessing a spotted hyena – boldly – take a fresh kill away from a leopard!

I played a lengthy session of cat and mouse with another leopard; she kept poking her head around the back of a tree, but never revealed her entire body.

Botswana Safari: Okavango Delta, Khwai - Day 2

We set out on our game drive ready to track leopards until our search was interrupted by those crazy African wild dogs! 

We watched the pack of dogs for several hours, as they were intent on crossing the river to return back into the national park area. Unfortunately, they decided to head deep into the brush, which concluded our viewing. For many of my clients, this sighting was their first experience photographing wild dogs – it was such a treat.

Botswana Safari: Okavango Delta, Khwai

I met my group in Johannesburg where we had a wonderful dinner at Tribes African Grill Steak House. The following morning we headed out to Maun, Botswana to begin our Muench workshop. After several airline delays, we finally made it to Khwai Tented Camp, and were able to catch the last bit of light at the nearby hippo streams. 

I have a very talented group of photographers who have named their vehicles the Botswana Boys, under the guide of Pilot, and the Cologne Connection, under the guide of Partner. 

Tomorrow, it is a very early rise (0500) as we start our search for African wild dogs and leopards.

Tanzania Safari: Day 9

When I’m in Arusha, I always make a point to visit Shanga House. Shanga is a remarkable organization that employs and trains disabled Tanzanians in the arts. They create and sell jewelry and glassware – it’s always a hit with my guests. During this visit, I had the opportunity to try my hand at glass blowing under the guidance of Bosley.

What a trip this has been: great photography, great wildlife, and most importantly, great friends! I hope our paths cross again as we explore the world through photography.