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We got a real taste for what Southern Africa has to offer visiting Victoria Falls, Chobe National Park, Savute and the Okavango Delta. Ten days and four lodges is not enough. The wildlife was perfectly complimented by the five-star service and accommodation of the Belmond Lodges whose guides found us incredible sightings every day. Top it all off with a doors-off helicopter ride over the Okavango and we came home wanting to go right back. Here is some of what we saw – spoiler it includes mating leopards. Photos were taken with either a Sony A1 or Sony A7RV with Sony 70-200mm F2.8 or Sony 200-600 F5.6-6.3. lenses.
Botswana has more elephants than anyone else and that was clear from our first day in Chobe. For elephant lovers the Belmond Savute Lodge features water holes in front of the rooms where elephants congregate day and night so you can literally watch them from your balcony (photos later in the Lodges section) or their special “Hide”. We also did a boat trip along the Chobe River to see the elephants coming down to the river. In Okavango we had some great opportunities to photograph the elephants from the air (those images in the aerial section later).
Africa’s most successful predators the super rare Wild or Painted Dogs are one of the big reasons to visit Botswana. We were very lucky to have encounters over two days with adults and their pups. In some of the images the adult and the pups are fighting over the head of a Steenbock antelope.
Even if you don’t consider yourself a “bird person”, you can’t help but be amazed at the bird life in Botswana. From the numerous eagles to the storks, secretary birds, kingfishers and bee eaters. Photographing them is definitely one of the more challenging subjects here but so much fun to try.
Hippopotamus are some of the loudest and strangest looking animals in Botswana. There’s nothing like watching them yawn, fight and call to each other at sunset from the bar at Eagle Island Lodge. In the Okavango we are also able to go out on boats to get up close and personal to these massive strange looking animals.
The Belmond properties are nothing short of perfect. The rooms all have stunning views, the food is divine, and the guides are tireless in finding wildlife and incredibly knowledgable about everything they show you. Here are some images from the lodges and the safari vehicles. No middle seats here! Everyone gets a view. Transfers between lodges was on private aircraft and seamless with great views. There’s also some Victoria Falls photos thrown in.
