Stunning Botswana (page 4 of 7)

Tuesday, August 29: We hit the road to Kasane for a closed campsite. Here, the kitchen is shared by all occupants, and you can choose between sleeping in a tent or a dorm. We tried the dorm. What a change!!

The road to get there was pretty funny. We were on a nice sandy climb when we started to spin a bit. Sure enough, we didn’t get stuck in the sand, but while trying to avoid it, our trailer tipped over, tearing out all the contact wires 🤪. Wow. Well, we had to get the lady back upright, and once that was done, we went back down the hill to take a less steep route ;)

That said, on the way, we came across a group of lions (yep, again): 2 females and 2 cubs, plus some roan antelopes, but they were far away in the woods (we’ll have to go back to see them again).









In the afternoon, after settling in, we went on a boat cruise on the Chobe River. A small boat just for the four of us. It was magical, and the guide, seeing how much we loved birds, took us to all the ones he spotted. Really nice of him. Gorgeous sunset over the river, which I completely messed up! 🏴‍☠️

face to face with a group of 16 lions!! We counted them: 2 lionesses, 4 teens like William told us, and 10 cubs

That’s enough to make your head spin 😛 ... actually, it was a breeding farm 😉

It’s such a treat to follow your trip 🙂

Hi Mathilde, I just discovered this travel journal and... how can I put it, it’s simply unbelievable all the animals you saw—you weren’t in a zoo, were you? 😛 So many lions, it’s incredible; we’ll have to add Botswana to our already long list 🤪. Thanks so much for sharing this, Isabelle

😮 Unbelievable... all these lions... come on, I'm going back, it's just unreal, heading to Savuti! 🙂🙂 I saw the wild dogs on my way out of Moremi, small consolation on the last day... More pictures!!!

Congrats on your photos—they’re absolutely gorgeous!

Now *that’s* a farm—those ladies really put in the work! 😄

Thanks for following our trip, which unfortunately is slowly coming to an end. Everything has to end, right? 😕 And sometimes, it’s a real shame...

Thanks Isabelle and ... I assure you we weren’t in a zoo 😏 it’s actually much better than that, and besides, I never go to those because they break my heart (just a side note). Add this magnificent country to your list. It’s totally worth it 🙂

Yeah, I saw in your travel journal from the trip back that you’d spotted some African wild dogs. 🙂 You’ve gotta pitch your tent in Savute and just stay put—bet you’ll find lions galore. As for the photos, they’ll be ready soon since the vacation’s almost over. 😕

Thanks! :)

Thank you Isabelle and ... I assure you we weren’t in a zoo 😏—it’s so much better than that in reality, and besides, I never go to those because they break my heart (just a side note). Add this magnificent country to your list. It’s totally worth it 🙂

Absolutely, zoos are definitely not our thing 🙁. It’s so amazing to see all these animals in their natural habitat 🙂. Every morning when we wake up, we wonder which ones we’ll encounter around the next bend 😉. We made a little trip to South Africa this spring and we’re planning to go back in 2018 🙂. But the problem is, ever since, I’ve been reading all the Southern Africa travel journals and I don’t know where to start 😊. And now South Africa, Namibia, and this incredible journal with all those big cats add Botswana to the mix 🤪.

Yep, I’m going to add this beautiful country to my list... Thanks again for this feedback and these amazing photos

Namibia is also on our plans :) but a bit later. And definitely South Africa even later. We're really tempted after everything we saw in Botswana. We want more. And maybe we'll even go back to this stunning country just for the pleasure of the eyes

The thing is, with Botswana, the bar is set *so* high... like, *really* high... it’s gonna be tough to find anything more magical. In Botswana, you don’t just get your eyes filled—your ears get a workout too, with all the racket the animals make at night. 😎 To be honest, when it comes to wildlife, there’s nothing above it... or at least, I haven’t seen it. 😮 Really, only Zimbabwe with Mana Pools can even come close. 😉

Oh right, well, we should take it step by step then? 😉 And so... since we're starting to explore Southern Africa, it's best to begin with...

The easiest (and most budget-friendly) option is South Africa. Otherwise, Namibia is a magnificent "gateway." The most beautiful in terms of landscapes is South Africa.

Only Zimbabwe with Mana Pools can really compete 😕 Only you would understand... but I still have the roars ringing in my ears at 2 AM! But the worst part is that I want to go back! because it was truly magical🙂

With snore-stopping pills for Yves 😉

For the rest of you: we were at Mana Pools in a place called Chitake Spring. We were camping alone (the nearest humans must have been over an hour away by 4x4). It’s a magical spot because there’s a spring that only flows for a few hundred meters. That’s where all the animals come to drink (no other water sources nearby). Right by our tent, 4 lions passed by—we could hear them walking, even breathing, they were so close... Mayrig and Yves were in a ground tent... a little stressful, right? 😉

Wednesday, August 30th: The night in Kasane wasn’t great at all. Instead of hearing lions roaring, hippos trumpeting, or hyenas cackling, dogs barked all night long 🏴‍☠️ Not cool. Thankfully, the rest of the day will be amazing.

We’re spending our last day in Zimbabwe to see Victoria Falls. A must-do when you're this close and have a little time. Customs formalities went quickly on the Botswana side. It took much longer on the Zimbabwe side, but we made it through in the end... Now, a guide is waiting to take us wherever we want for the day. For us, that means a helicopter ride over the falls (a surprise birthday gift for my husband), a walk along the falls, the local market, and the Victoria Falls Hotel.



There’s little water because it’s the dry season. This lets us see the gorge clearly without too much spray, and yet the flow is still impressive. It’s breathtaking.

















The hotel is gorgeous and well-maintained. The gardens are stunning, and the view of the bridge serving as the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia is spectacular.

Ah, I don’t know Zimbabwe so I can’t compare, but it’s true that in Botswana, you’re in for a real treat—it’s absolutely delightful. I loved it, and I know it’s top-tier for wildlife 🙂

Wow... Amazing! You’ll have to tell me more, Marygabrielle

Thursday, August 31st: Still a rough night. We're heading to Nata, our last stop before returning to Maun. The end is near 🙁

The lodge we're going to is gorgeous, and there's a pool!! A luxury for us, who've only seen sand so far. My son is thrilled—he can finally go for a swim.

After setting up camp and finishing our meal, we decide to check it out and grab a cold drink by the water before our evening drive. At Nata Sanctuary, we're hoping to see the pink flamingos.





The sun has set by the time we finally spot them. I have to crank up the ISO—the noise is higher, and the shutter speed stays low regardless. So when this incredible flock takes off, the lack of light and slow speed mean the photo isn’t sharp. But what a sight 😛