Makgadikgadi afternoon safari

After a magical picnic lunch in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by wildlife, we resume our exploration of Makgadikgadi Pans National Park.

Long Tailed Shrike

When we came through this area first thing this morning, it was all but devoid of wildlife – just a few bee-eaters hovering around the elephant carcass. Now, later in the afternoon, it’s like a different world: teeming with animals and birds.

Elephant, Ostrich, Zebra, and Giraffe

South African Giraffe

So many Elephants

Checking us out - are we a threat?

More elephants going in the opposite direction

Momma elephant being very protective of her baby

One very aggressive male elephant in Musth confronts several of the others, and uproots a tree in a show of strength and dominance.

Dust baths are popular

As are mud baths

More elephants arrive all the time

Checking us out

A few more giraffes arrive

A small pond has become a popular drinking hole

Lilac Breasted Roller

Burchell's Coucal feeding inside the elephant carcass

Mourning Dove

Masaai Ostriches

Zebra Crossing

African Fish Eagle

Resting hippos

We spend a couple of hours just sitting here looking at the comings and goings of the various species, and their interactions. It is a privilege to be in their world as a passive observer of the relationships between members of different herds, and the pecking order at the waterhole, for instance. Meanwhile, a number of other vehicles pass us, mostly not even bothering to stop. With a sigh, Moscow tells me that all they are interested in is seeing lions. How sad, they miss out on so much!

Eventually, we have to tear ourselves away from this wildlife lover’s paradise and return to the lodge before the park shuts.

The park gate

Boteti River Camp

The entrance to our camp

Our chalet

We have enough time to have a lovely hot shower in the outside bathroom before going down to the bar for a drink and checking the internet.

The outdoor shower

David enjoying a Savanna Cider

Grete checking out the internet

The camp consists of a number of chalets spread out over an enclosed ground (thus making it safe to walk about after dark without the fear of coming across wild animals). There is also a campsite within the grounds. The main building houses the bar, kitchen, and a covered outside dining area. On the roof of the kitchen/bar is a lovely terrace overlooking the dry river and beyond to the national park.

The comfortable terrace

The view across the dry river

You can even see some animals (elephant and kudu) in the park beyond

Judging by the number of people milling around in the bar, I would say the camp site is full this evening. A small group of unruly South African children play with a ball in the dining area, running around being loud, annoying, and a real nuisance. The parents are too busy drinking on the top terrace to notice, although eventually one of the fathers leans across the edge of the terrace telling the children to calm down. It lasts all of five minutes before they return to being pests and disturbing the peace once again. I feel my irritation growing by the minute, and am very close to giving them – and their parents - a piece of my mind, but stop myself in time as I know if I did I would not be able to hold back and I am very likely to say something I would regret and end up in an argument, which is the last thing I want on my holiday. Instead I practice deep breathing and order another drink.

Dinner

Thankfully, it is not long before we are called to dinner by Mokga, the chef, making an impressive battle call.

The children and their families are on one long table of 16, while David, me and Moscow (our driver-guide) have a separate table for three (as do some other French and German travellers).

Tomato and white bean soup - very tasty and served with fresh bread rolls straight out of the oven.

The main course is buffet, featuring beef potje – a stew with meat and vegetables. Despite not being a fan at all of meat served with bones, I manage to pick around them, and the taste is lovely, with the meat very tender. It is served with pap, a traditional South African ‘porridge’ made from maize meal and is quite sticky. The accompanying butternut squash has a slight kick and the lentils, which I believe are supposed to be the vegetarian offering, but I still had some as I love lentils, do not disappoint: they are yummy!

Dessert is a sticky baklava-style pastry, served hot with a vanilla sauce. It is very sweet and very nice.

All through the evening David manages to keep up with the football on his phone.

After an eventful and delightful day, we retire to bed. After about an hour, I feel an urge, which sees the start of a not-so-delightful night rushing between the cold outdoor bathroom and the lovely warm bed every couple of hours or so.

A huge thanks must go to Undiscovered Destinations and their local teams for arranging this amazing Great Africa Trip 2024.