We are living for the US

We will be Back

Me and Gena elephant back safari

We could reach the rainbow

If there are people that think that god doesn't exists they have to go to Victoria Falls. We are standing on Zimbabwe site. The whole Zambezi river just drops 99 meters down.

Victoria Falls

Early in the morning we are living Chobe to our destination - Victoria Falls. Two weeks went like one day. Before we visited Africa somebody told me that if you visit Africa one time you would want to come back there over and over again. It is true or at least for me. May be it has something to do with air.

Night on Zambezi river

How could we live park without fishing. I caught some African pleco and Gena caught tilapia

Snake

Our next stop was tree with monkeys. We stayed there for about an hour. One male pushed another one from a tree. He lost orientation and was sitting next to the tree until we left. It was funny to see how monkeys pushing each other even those one that quietly slipping..

Elephants

We were watching for 20 min how elephants were crossing river. Baby elephant had trouble swimming. All the time he kept mothers tail in his trunk. When river was crossed he didn't want to leave the water. His mother pushed him out.

Giraffes on Zambezi River

Buffalo probably most dangerous animal

Chobe National Park

Our last destination is Chobe national park. We have to get up early in the morning. It will take about 6 hours to get there. It is probably the best destination. Even G. Bush when visited Botswana stayed in Chobe. As we drive we can see different animals. Buffalos is one of the most dangerous animals. When we were in our camping area our guide disappeared for couple hours. He was walking around our camp trying to find signal on his cell phone and suddenly he saw buffalo. He was so scarred that he jump on the tree and sat there for two hours. Single buffalo more dangerous then a lion. Huge animal feels unsecured and will attack everything that moves. When we closed to group of buffalos males formed line in front of our track and all females were hiding behind them.

Night. We have to start preparing food. It gets dark early in the winter. It was great to sit next to the fire after nice meal, listen for old African stories and watch around for eyes that everywhere. Hyenas waiting for leftovers, lions that trying to cross camp area. We are strangers on their territory. That night Gena was bitten by scorpion while trying to get to his sleeping bag. We forgot to close our tent during the day and scorpion found dark warm place. Africans say that you shouldn't kill scorpion that bit you otherwise pain will get worst.

By the end of the summer elephants that didn't migrate to river areas. Cold weather at night (30 F) and hot in the day time (86-90) doesn't bother these gorgeous animals. This is one of the largest waterholes in the park and usually there are many tourists who want to make pictures. Elephants so used to people the you can get really close to them.

These people are looking for elephants

After half of day trying to find elephants We realized that all we had to do is to stay in the camp. Elephants would come to us.

Lunch after driving for six hours trough the park. After unsuccessful attempt to find Mc Donald's we decide to prepare food.

Elephants, Elephants, Elephants

At about 10 am we were in Savuti. Another day we had to start with set up of the tents and cooking lunch.

Savuti National Park

Our next destination was Savuti National park. We had to spend 3 days there. Road to Savuti wasn't bad at least we didn’t have to change tires on our track. Our guides knew all roads in the bush without any maps. Pilot (nick name bushman) could drive through the park even in dark and would never get lost. Main attraction of Savuti- Elephants. In most of the parks elephants migrate during winter to places with water. To keep elephants in the park people created artificial waterholes . Because water is always there elephants don't migrate and always stay in the park.

We were leaving Moremi Park and Gena was wondering how it is to be antelope.

Night in the Moremi

Last day was coming to the end. We tracked chita, saw elephants and lions. We stayed too long out in the bush and didn't realize that it became dark. It is prohibited to be in the park at night because most of the animal nocturnal and reservation doesn't want people to disrupt animals life. While we were driving to the camp we saw army track they followed us until we were at the camp. Our guide was afraid they will fine him with $200.

Elephant next to one of many waterholes. Most of elephants migrating in dry season to the delta area but many of them stay.

Baobab trees are thousands years old. Elephants are destroying these beautiful trees and because elephants don't have any natural enemies some places look like after the fire.

These lions are not dead they just sleeping. Our guide found them by smell. When we were closing them became so strong that we had to leave. Lions didn't care when our car was just next to them. We could even touch them. They don't have any natural enemy except humans

Zebra wasn't afraid of our Landrover

Driving trough Moremi

We were driving all day in the park. Animals are everywhere from small antelopes to lions resting somewhere in the bush. After New York Africa was surreal. Air that was full with different smells. Skies that didn’t see any clouds for 6 month. At night you can see falling stars and feel life everywhere. Noises of animals and eyes around the camp. We are here strangers in their territory. While driving around the park we could get close to animals that weren’t afraid of us

On question how many antilopes in this park our guide pilot always answered: "More then you will ever need"

From left to right: Jerry,Gena,Cathy and our guide Mike

Next stop: Moremi game reserve

After one day at Okavango delta we are leaving for Moremi park. Major attraction elephants. We are traveling on land rover no other four wheel drive can handle African roads. Within two hours of driving we have to patch our tires 3 times. Needles from bushes go thought land rovers tire like needle in the butter.
Finally at 7 pm we are in our camping area.

Me and my brother on the small island.
We stayed in the tents. It was first night in the delta and we had no clue what is going to happen at night. We dont like cooking so it was surprise when our guides told us that we have to prepare food and clean dishes. Camp in the delta was pretty comfortable with bathroom not too far from our tents. Our guides warned us to be careful if we want to go at night and call them if there are any suspicions. They saw lions crossing camp one night ago.
I woke up in the middle of the night because something was making strange noises next to our tent. In the morning locals told us that it was hippos.

Night in the Okavango Delta

Flying to Okavango Delta on small 6 people plane

Before flying from Maun to Okavanda Delta you can shake hand of the pilot.

Africa Advanture

I decided for the next couple weeks I will post my adventure journal. I will start with Africa. Last year (2003) me and my brother traveled through three African countries. We spend night in South Africa and in the morning our wild adventure started in Maun-Botswana. Our first camp was on Okavanda delta. We slept in tents surrounded by wilderness. First night was very unusual. Hippos were crossing our camp and picking some vegetables all night