Day 22 Thursday 30 April Chobe NP

Up at 5.00 with large bags packed before a 5.30 breakfast. Tents being 'dropped' as we ate, while the whole camp prepared to move to Savuti. On the road soon after 6.00, well rugged-up.

Spent the next few hours game-viewing along the Chobe River front. Great sightings of a male lion, jackal, elephants . warthog, waterbuck and a herd of 30 giraffe. Amazed at how flooded the Chobe River was.

Left the river and finally turned towards the Ngoma Gate as we exited the National Park. Continued westwards on a tarred road as we followed the river boundary. Small villages with their kgotlas (community meeting places). Acacias appearing for the first time as the vegetation changed to savannah. We stopped for lunch by driving off the road to the shade of a large tree. Views across farm land to the river.

As the road turned south (and the Chobe turned north) we left the tar and embarked on 80 kms of sandy bush tracks. 4WD low traction, bouncy. Very slow progress and we only saw a couple of elephants. On the second part of the rough track we had to negotiate large pools of water in the dips. Finally reached the Ghoha Gate of the Savuti National Park about 4.30 and began to operate as a game-viewing drive, stopping to ask other trucks what they had seen and where.

Saw a saddle billed stork, zebra, a Kori bustard and finally 5 female lions (fast asleep). At dusk we eventually arrived at our new camp, to the shouted greetings from the crew.

Our tents had already been set up and there was hot water in the shower bucket. Great to clean the day's dust off a weary body. G&T before dinner around the fire. A good meal was attacked with positive conversation about the activities of a long day

A very tired group headed for bed by 9.00Read more