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Well that was special! Daily encounters with hunting cheetahs, painted wolves and mating lions in Botswana’s Khwai Private Reserve was the tonic I needed to remind me why I am so in love with Africa, my home. And of course elephants everywhere and even a few sightings of stunning sable antelopes.
My personal highlight was hours spent watching thousands of birds working the drying out channels for fish and molluscs. Flotillas of pelicans shepherded the shoals amongst hovering pied kingfishers while marabou and yellow-billed storks stabbed away and black herons, slaty egrets and open-billed storks worked the fringes. And of course, fish eagles kept everybody on their toes. Simply breathtaking. And somewhere a leopard lurked on the fringes, but we could not see it.
Expect my report back in a month or two – and some mouth-watering images 🙂
Did Covid impact negatively on my safari? No. I jotted down relevant Covid-related details here – for our club members.
Keep the passion
Simon Espley – CEO, Africa Geographic
From our Scientific Editor
Have you ever wondered why, when you were a child, the summer holidays seemed to last forever but now whole years seem to pass in the blink of an eye? Our perception of time is extremely subjective and tends to speed up as we age. In other words, people are fairly bad at objectively comprehending the passage of time.
Why do I mention this? Have a look at our “Did you know” fact of the week about the tallest tree in Africa. Experts estimate that this particular tree is between 500-600 years old but there are some pine trees in North America that are over 5,000 years old and still living. Imagine if our lifespans extended that long – would we be more invested in protecting the planet’s future?
From our Editor-in-Chief
The storms are beginning to build over Southern Africa, the hot afternoons pregnant with anticipation for the dry season’s breaking. For many areas, we are still a month or so away from the first big rains that will coax the exuberant green from the dusty, brown-grey landscape. As the heat increases, so the herbivores are forced to the diminishing waterholes. The predators know this and provide a terrifying gauntlet for the thirsty herds.
Now, if you live in Africa, you can go and see these epic dramas unfolding in Botswana for a bargain price – check out this amazing special. Alas for African residents only.
While you are considering where to find the cash to take us up on this amazing offer, have a read through our first story below which delves into the lives of what many consider Africa’s most beautiful antelopes – sable and roan.
In our second story below, CEO Simon Espley leads teamAG into the remote mountains of Magoebaskloof in search of Africa’s rarest parrot as part of the conservation efforts directed at saving the Cape parrot.
Finally, to inspire you further into safari mode, our third story below is a deep dive into Chobe National Park, Botswana – a stunning, diverse wilderness heading into its most action-packed month.
Story 1
https://africageographic.com/stories/sable-and-roan-antelopes/
HORSE GOATS?
Sable and roan delight with their majestic bearing, gorgeous coats and rapier horns – the oddly-named horse-goat antelope of Africa!
Story 2
https://africageographic.com/stories/counting-the-cape-parrot-africas-rarest/
COUNTING POLLY
Counting the Cape parrot – Africa’s rarest – on a remote mountain top in stunning Magoebaskloof, South Africa.
Story 3
https://africageographic.com/stories/chobe-national-park-africas-elephant-eden/
CHOBE – ELEPHANT EDEN
Elephant Eden – Chobe National Park, Botswana, the embodiment of safari the spirit.
TRAVEL DESK UPDATES:
• Safari dreaming? Check out this seductive video of the stunning Elsa’s Kopje in Meru National Park, Kenya. For the best prices for this and many other camps and lodges check out our club lodge collection.
• Wonderful Covid-related news is that Kenya has been removed from the UK red list and Malawi has loosened its requirements to a 72-hour negative PCR test window and no prior clearance required from the Ministry of Health. Visit our club forum for Covid-related travel advice from our members.
• Did you know that tipping can be an anxious moment for some safari-goers, and the subject of much debate and advice? Well, stress no more because here is all the information that you need: Tipping while on safari.
WATCH: The last desert-adapted elephants of the Sahel (1:03)
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