After a short stop in Maun to buy necessary things, we headed for Moremi National Park.
Moremi National Park
They have everywhere veterinary fences where officers control, if you do not carry forbidden goods. Also our dogs paper are checked at the fences.This time we were lucky and they just waved us through.
The road was as expected terrible. We arrived at Kaziikini Community campsite and this was situated beautifully. Everywhere tracks of elephants round the camp. Broken tree branches and other traces of elephants.
The waste bins were locked, so there for sure were monkeys as well. Alexandra prepared a delicious dinner – watch her website gesundeeinfachekost.com as well. We made a campfire as well and spent a romantic evening.
During the night we listened to the hyenas.
31.04.2012 Khwai River Concession
Next day early in the morning we continued to Khwai River. The river and its surrounding landscape were just fantastic. From tracks4africa we knew there must be a camsite close which we could not find first but nice Capetownians should us the way. Next to the sandy road everwhere elephants, elephants.. We thought we were in paradise.
Finally we got to the campsite. It was in the middle of the bush. The area is not really a national park but a concession area of the local people there. It had hardly any infrastructure. So we put up our tent. Next to us spring bok were grazing, elephants were scrubbing their back at the trees. Not even 20 meters away from our tent. So there must have been lions and hyenas as well so we made a huge campfire while cooking and eating. Later we went to bed.
I woke up when I heard strange noises next to our tent. Quickly the noise was identified as hippos. They are rather dangerous. When they had passed we decided to sleep in the Land Rover as we also heard lions quite close.
01.05.2012
We left and went back to Maun and stayed at Old Bridge Backpackers for 2 days. We worked on our computers and did some necessary “housework”
02.05.2012
Next to the backpackers there was a vet. Tara’s claws had to be shorten. A good vet so it was no big issue for her.
03.05.2012 Makgadikgadi Pans National Park
Leaving Maun to Gweta. Our next destination should be the Makgadikgadi Pans National Park, a huge area of salt pans.. Nature became more dry with every km we drove. We checked in at Planet Baobab Campsite and met a Swiss-German couple who were traveling in a rented camper van in Botswana. Their names Melanie and Florian.
05.05.2012
We spent 2 evenings with them she cut Aexandra’s hair and Alex was massaging her. In the evening we made a huge campfire Florian was baking bread.
07.05.2012
Finally we left for Kubu Island an elevation in Makgadikgadi Pans National Park. The track to this island was not easy to find inspite of the navigation device. So what is Kubu Island?
Kubu Island is situated in Makgadikgadi Pans National Park and is a little bit elevated than the surrounding area, thus island. If there is water in the pan, it forms a little island with beautiful trees and a campsite.
The tricky part there is to find the right path.If you leave it you might get to a spot where you just sink with the vehicle in the mud under the sandy surface. The truck is lost for ever.
We passed Ntwetwe Pan, lots of Springbok were grazing, and finally reached Kubu Island, a heavenly place with lots of old baobab trees. We were the only ones and set up camp and made a campfire for the evening.
Unfortunetly we had no beer and wine left, so was supposed to become a real dry evening.
I had to check and fix the exhaust because on the way to Kubu Island, it broke. It could be fixed with gumgum a strange stuff to bandage exhaust pipes. It was of course only a temporary solution.
The necessaries were done, now we could go arount and film and take photos.
When we returned to our spot a South African Camper vehicle was parked next to us. I turned out it was Martin and Christin and their dog. They had contacted us via internet about our experiences when traveling with a dog. So we knew each other at least from the internet. Now by accident we met them here in the most remote place on earth.
With them it got a very nice evening and as we ran out of good drinks they offered Gin Tonic all evening. Christin was cooking noodles with meat and Alexandra prepared the fire while we guys exchanged important travel information.
08.05.2012
As we got along quite well we arranged a meeting in the near future. We left the site and drove along the Sowa pan to Nata and finally left Makgadikgadi Pans National Park. There we found a guy to weld our exhaust. We checked in at Nata Lodge Campsite and had to ice cold beer – cheers. We enjoyed the stylish decorated Lodge.
09.05.2012
We continued on a good tar road, but good road in Africa still means 30 km/h because of lots of potholes. In the evening we checked in at Panta Camp but as we wanted to pay they had no change so they said they will come later.
Christin and Martin arrived and we spent a nice eening with them.
10.05.2012 Hunters Road
Our destination was the Hunters Road a dirt road that leads to the North and runs along the border to Zimbabwe.
Hunters Road refers to a strip of land all along the Zimbabwe border of Botswana, stretching from Kasane in the north to just north of Nata in the south. The off-road track along the border runs parallel to the A3 and passes through many hunting concessions, forest reserves and tribal trust land or villages.
Camping within forest reserves are not allowed, but you may drive through these areas. The road condition may vary from season to season, so always inquire before you go, especially after heavy rains.
It s said that it is full of wildlife so we were full of expectations. We left early and forgot to pay the campsite.
The route was scenic and the track not so bad but sandy but the wildlife was not overwhelming. Some birds, a herd of zebras and Kudus could be spotted.
When the track was becoming difficult our fear was that the Land Rover might turn over as our roof rack was loaded heavily. And it happened that when declining a river bed that we almost turned over.
We had big Zarges Boxes on the roof rack which were packed full so the weight on the roof was a lot of kgs.
We followed the river bed that is why it can only be traveled in dry season. Finally we arrived in Kasane. In Kubu Lodge we made camp directly at the River Chobe. When we checked in and paid for camping, we realized we had not paid for the last one.
In the afternoon Christin and Martin arrived as well. They had seen lots of elephants. They were lucky.
11.05.2012
The days were fleeting, during the day we had to work on our computers. In the evening we sat together with Christin and Martin. Every day we prepared perfect dinner and had delicios wine.
14.05.2012
Martin had a Kanu on board and we both guys wanted to try it at Chobe River. It was an amazing trip, but the River is tricky but we managed to get back to the campsite in one piece.
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