Just to let you know that our March 09 trip to the Okavango Delta, Botswana was a wonderful experience with memories that will stay with us forever - and if not, my 3,000 photographs will take care of that! The main highlights for us were to see the lion kill at Duba Plains, the leopard kill (OK it was a dove, but still) and the wild dog kill at Chitabe Lediba.
We kicked off at the remote Duba Plains camp, and saw an abundance of wildlife with our private guide Reuben. On the second morning we observed the lions of the Tsaro Pride resting in the shade of the acacia bushes and closely monitoring a herd of buffalo. Within 10 minutes, five lionesses (including the infamous Silver Eye) had spotted an opportunity on hearing the plaintive cry of a sick calf left behind at the rear of the herd. They looked at each other and seemed to communicate their strategy. With their necks outstretched, mouths watering, their gaze in the distance, they raced off and we followed at great speed. Not knowing what to expect, it was quite a thrill, and we had to hold on tight as the Land Rover followed at the same pace. My heart was racing as I saw other lions joining the hunt. We crossed through a deep channel - not a problem for these strong swimming lions. One lioness hunted the calf and the others prepared to attack its mother who had returned to protect it. 
What an adrenaline rush to witness this sequence of events at such close range. These lions were hungry, and according to our guide, hadn't eaten for 18 days, so it didn't take them long to cripple the buffalo. Once the buffalo was down, the male lion appeared on the scene and settled in by the hindquarters for his long awaited breakfast. What followed was a veritable feeding frenzy by eight growling lions and the last remaining cub from this pride, interspersed with the occasional pause to drink from the nearby channel.
We left them to it but returned at sunset and saw them still at the scene of the crime, and clearly not leaving much for the vultures and hyenas. The game was poor at our second camp, Kwetsani, due to the higher than expected water levels and fortunately we were able to transfer to another camp. I was very keen to see wild dog and leopard and our guide suggested Chitabe Lediba. Nothing was a problem for our hosts and Wilderness Safaris helped us charter a flight. We were met at the airstrip by Newman Chuma who would be our private guide for the next 3 days. That afternoon we set off with Newman in search of leopard. Within 2 hours or so we found ourselves in a dry, low wooded area and our guide listened and watched for signs. He stopped the vehicle when he heard a flock of noisy and agitated francolins in a nearby tree, then drove off through the long grass and soon spotted a leopard sleeping under a tree. It was a female, about 6 years old, and so beautiful. An awesome sight. Our guide made a scratching noise which caused the leopard to sit bolt upright, slowly look around, and make eye contact with us. Poised and ready with my camera on continuous shoot mode, my shutter release sounded like grateful applause. The leopard then fixed its gaze on something a few metres away, and we were treated to a display of a stealthy stalk-and-pounce. Its prey was a collared dove feeding in the long grass. She played with it rather like a domestic cat with a mouse. We watched her strip the feathers, then eat it but not without a fight, lick her lips, clean the feathers from her whiskers and walk off through the woods. What a promising start!
After that we spotted wildebeest, giraffe, elephant and black back jackal, all very special, but my heart was still pounding from the leopard experience. With the sun sinking fast we headed off to find a safe spot for our sundowner. We parked up by some trees with an open area ahead of us and hopped out to stretch our legs. I swapped over to my macro lens to photograph some colourful wild flowers whilst Newman prepared our G&Ts. Newman heard something - it was an impala running at speed towards the trees on the far side, but what was it running from? An African wild dog no less.
We looked at each other in disbelief. Newman asked us what we wanted to do? No brainer, let's follow the wild dog. In a mad rush we abandoned the cool box, drinks and nibbles, and sped off after the wild dog. Bouncing around in the back I swapped my lenses over in record time. The dog was joined by another one and we raced after them. They stopped to drink at a pool of water, but didn't stop for long, they were very excited about something. We followed and saw them join up with 6 other dogs all running straight ahead of us. Newman made the call of a wild dog in distress which caused them to stop and look around at us - nice photo opportunity! They continued and we followed them into the woods where we found them all huddled around a freshly killed impala. The noises and the smell were remarkable. These eight dogs were hungrily gnawing away at the kill, barking, growling, moaning. I snapped away with my camera but with the combination of the adrenalin and the low light found it difficult to get good shots, however I can't complain. What beautiful animals they are with their yellowish brown, black and white coat, white tipped tail, black muzzle and huge oval black ears.
Within ten minutes there was nothing left but bones; two black back jackals were waiting for their chance, also the vultures, including white headed, white backed, hooded and leopard faced. All this in one afternoon - how amazinlgy lucky we were, and what a great guide we had in Newman. Am I glad we changed our plan and came to Chitabe Lediba! We would definitely recommend this lodge. The wildlife is prolific, the accommodation is adequate, and I believe is due for a refurbishment shortly and its sister camp, Chitabe, was undergoing a refurbishment while we were there. I hope it's not too long before my next African adventure.
Annmarie Meredith
http://www.annmariemeredithphotography.com/
Wildlife Safaris in Botswana and the Okavango Delta - Click here
Leaving the hospitable and comfortable Serena lodge bright and early in the morning we headed further west and down into the lowlands towards the Serengeti, passing solitary and regal Masai herders as the dark green turned into varying shades of yellow and brown. This is where the horizon becomes infinite and space unrestrained and this is where we were to host the Festival of Wildlife.
The welcome continued at camp with dancing by the local Wakuria tribe, poachers in a past life but now working with conservation tourism. Everyone was glad to have finally reached their home for the next 5 days.
Festival is always ‘full-on’ and this year was to be no exception. Joined by expert wildlife photographers Mark Carwardine, Suzi Eszterhas and Nick Garbutt, artist Mandy Shepherd and editor of BBC Wildlife magazine Sophie Stafford, not forgetting Selous Save the Rhino project leader Fraser Smith, Jackson Looseyia from Big Cat Live, local Masai and bushcraft expert Ole Kirimbai and Damian Bell from the local Honeyguide Foundation, we had a lot to pack in.
Varying workshops this year included beadwork with the Wakuria ladies, bushcraft with local Masai guru - Ole Kirimbai
, birding with Nick Garbutt, painting with Mandy Shepherd and the ever popular photography skills and manipulation. 
The pace is fast but there is just so much to do and see in the space of the event so a few nodding heads just after lunch are all part and parcel!
Workshops and further game drives ensure everyone is kept busy followed by a quick bucket shower before sitting down to the delights created by Leonard the camp chef and stories around the camp fire. 
Having never visited the Serengeti before, I understand now that May and June are excellent months to visit; before the numbers of visitors really kick in. As a reasonably large group taking 8 vehicles out each morning, we rarely came into contact with more than one or two other vehicles at most stopping to view a similar event. Our local Tanzanian guides were extremely knowledgeable and attentive to the needs of the group. Aware that other vehicles would encounter equally exciting events, they did not jump to grab a radio resulting in situations of vehicle overload, as can so easily happen when wildlife viewing. 
There is also another wonderful way of getting a different perspective on the whole area – a balloon ride. Six of us braved the 4:30am wake-up call and headed wearily to the take-off point. Packed like pigeons into racing baskets, with only heads protruding as we sat in our advised astronauts position. Slowly the heat built into the balloon and we were upright again and gazing out towards the rising sun and the magnificent plains. Soon we could see for miles and the rising and falling to turn of the balloon, allowed us unparalleled wildlife sightings as we skimmed vulture nests in acacia trees, saw lion cubs darting into the undergrowth and gazed in awe at the aphid-like mass of black which described the head of a huge Wildebeest herd and the tail stretching for miles behind.
Everywhere the abundance of wildlife is staggering. Big cats lounge nonchalantly in acacia branches, well fed and seemingly unconcerned by the stampeding of nearby hooves. Giraffes in their dozens browse gracefully as they create acacia topiary and hyena and jackals roam freely on the off-chance of a grabbed meal. All this and thousands of Wildebeest on a mission. I couldn’t help but draw an imaginary comparison with the bison roaming on the former plains of the USA and the cartoon by the great cartoonist Gary Larson where he has drawn a traffic report helicopter entitled ‘Herd Report’ circling above a mass of cattle with a bubble from the pilot stating ‘It’s bad out there today folks....Noses to derrières as far as I can see.
Of course we can never take these incredible spectacles for granted, and the Festival ethos is one of conservation and learning to highlight issues and promote discussion regarding solutions. We always try to raise as much money as possible for different conservation groups in whichever destination we happen to be. This year we are raising money for Save the Rhino International, The David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation and the Honeyguide Foundation. Even in this year of cutbacks and credit crunch, people realise the importance of wildlife conservation and we are proud to have raised £5,135 during this Festival trip alone. The Serengeti is a vast and unique wildlife reserve without boundaries which is constantly under treat from land usage, poachers, climate changes and more. Let’s try and ensure that its fate is not sealed as below…… 
If you would like to find out about next year’s 
There were lots of howler monkeys roaring to get us up before dawn and, each evening, an entertaining troupe of spider monkeys swung in near the lodge to take up residence for the night. As we travelled, we marvelled at the display and colours of the ocellated turkey, every bit as impressive in its shimmering, many coloured feathers as a peacock. Apparently these large birds have been ‘disappeared’ in most places outside Gallon Jug because they make such good eating. 
Gallon Jug provides a variety of habitats and some great places to observe birds and butterflies, not forgetting frogs and crocodiles. Our quest was centred on the big cats; we had to rely on them to make an appearance in the open areas as the jungle is so dense, a jaguar would be lost to sight a few metres into it. The road and trail systems together with the 3000 acre clear area around Gallon Jug village and farm, offers the best possibility of a sighting. On our first day, one member of staff saw a puma on the Logger’s Trail within a kilometre of Chan Chich lodge. On day three there were two puma sightings by the lodge manager and, on day four, a jaguar was seen at 200 ft. crossing the road, apparently on its way to slack it thirst in Laguna Seca. 
"Peccary and 'Peclet' "
"Bigger than my hand, Tarantula"
"Is it a Space-ship orbiting the moon?"
Alan Cantrell Wood, April 2009 