Ngoma Bridge
Enter Botswana, BW
The entry Botswana was also carried out very quickly. I asked for a
90-days visa; the officer of immigration tells me that I would
receive it on my return from Victoria Falls. The payment of the
driving permit was carried out in US$ with the change in BWP
currency, pula. In Kasane, the first city after the border, I sought
the office of Mascom, leading vendor of Internet accesses, with
which I bought a 15 GB data Sim card for my 40-days stay in
Botswana. Then, having crossed the border with my empty
refrigerator, I made some food purchases for two days. Finally I
moved towards the border of Zimbabwe to visit Victoria Falls.
Enter Zimbabwe, ZW
The crossing of the border to enter Zimbabwe was a true galley in
view of significant number of tourists of tours operators whose
agents brought a great quantity of passports of customers remained
in the buses while passing the long line of waiting. I waited more
than one hour. At the customs I presented the Carnet Passage en
douane which were duly filled. In Zimbabwe the currency is the US$.
I arrived at Victoria Falls around 14:30 to visit the falls at
approximately 100 meters before the border of Zambia. Some think
that they are more impressive than those of the Niagara, it is an
opinion! The village of Victoria Falls is very, too tourist to
arouse my interest. In end of the afternoon I established my bivouac
in Victoria Falls Rest Camp for one night before my return to Kasane
in Botswana.
click on the pic for opening the gallery
|
| Doctor Livingstone, I presume? |
The path of Victoria National Park above gorges gives a view of the
falls without obstacle, but there is neither retreat nor height of
view. It is rather disappointing. I decided as a consequence of
buying a 25 minute tour by helicopter to have a bird's eyes view.
On Sunday, July 22 the helicopter took off around 14:40 for the tour
in white and dotted red on the picture of the map. Unquestionably
the falls are impressive with an exceptional landscape. They are
registered with the world heritage of humanity, UNESCO,
here.
click on the pic for opening the gallery
|
| Bird's eyes view |
Botswana
The GPS road tracklog
from Victoria Falls back to Kasane
from 2018/07/22 to 2018/07/22
Kasane
Flight finished I took again my truck to go back to Kasane,
Botswana, by again crossing the border posts of Zimbabwe and
Botswana, without deceleration. I arrived at Kasane around 17:30 to
bivouac at the entrance of the city behind Shoprite, supermarket,
and Puma, gas station. The night was calm. I remained two days to
prepare my journey in Botswana by booking bivouacs in the parks.
Kasane, Big Five Chobe Lodge
The GPS road tracklog
Kasane
from 2018/07/23 to 2018/07/25
On Tuesday 24th I settled for two days at Big Five Chobe Lodge,
sumptuous lodge and camp-site with private bathroom. I continued
tiresome preparation of search for bivouacs for my stay in Botswana.
The GPS road tracklog
from Kasane to Ihaha Campsite
from 2018/07/26 to 2018/07/26
Ihaha campsite
On Thursday, July 26 I left Big Five Chobe Lodge as of early dawn,
7:00, to traverse Chobe Riverfront where the 4wd of the tour
operators are followed in Indian file at the time of multitude to
observe fauna. I arrived at the park gate at 7:30 and I reached
Ihaha Campsite shortly after midday. Here as in the already visited
parks the antelopes of all species abound. I was lucky to meet an
elephant. But of course no predator. Apparently I was the only one
in Ihaha. I bivouacked not far from the bank of Chobe and I have
several times the visit of the antelopes. At the reception it was
recommended to me not to leave my vehicle during the night because
the camp is not fenced.
click on the pic for opening the gallery
The GPS road tracklog
from Ihaha Campsite to bivouac
from 2018/07/27 to 2018/07/27
En route to Savuti
On Friday, July 28 I finished the exploration of Chobe Riverfront
by traversing the 22 km in 3:00. Then I took the tarred road from
Ngoma to Savuti to bivouac at the edge of a pond. The 60 km of the
Chobe Riverfront park make it possible to observe a large population
of wild animals and birds of all the colors. Admittedly, as in all
the parks the “Big Cats” are very difficult to see. This part of
Chobe River is mainly a marsh natural habitat of birds, buffaloes as
well as hippopotamuses. Antelopes and zebras constitute true herds.
I found a bivouac out the bituminized road.
click on the pic for opening the gallery
The GPS road tracklog
from bivouac to Savuti Campsite
from 2018/07/28 to 2018/07/28
Savuti
On Saturday, July 28 I left the pond around 8:00 to go to Savuti.
The tarred road finished in Kachikau to become a sand track with
sometimes very deep and many bumps and corrugated Moreover it was
very narrow making the crossing of the vehicles problematic. I
traversed the 71 km in three hours. I had booked for two nights at
Savuti Campsite.
 |
 |
| trail B334 |
In the afternoon an Iveco truck came to stop at my bivouac to
require hospitality for the night because the camp-site was full. I
assured the two people that there was no problem for them as for the
other vehicle. They acted of four South-African. In the evening they
invited me to share their barbecue.
 |
 |
| South-African barbecue |
The GPS road tracklog
Savuti Marsh
from 2018/07/29 to 2018/07/29
In search of Big 5 Cats in the marsh
On Sunday, July 29 I left in search of Big 5 Cats in the Savuti
Marsh. I saw many animals as well as birds of all the colors, two
elephants but always no lion and other cheetah and leopard. It will
be for another time. I have the surprise to have the visit of
Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill which was interested very much in
the technological equipment of the cabin of my truck.
click on the pic for opening the gallery
 |
 |
| Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill |
