8 AM start. I was up at 5 and was very organized, and energetic. We left Maun and travelled towards Nata Lodge at the edge of the Magadigadi salt pans. There was foot and mouth control here in Botswana due to the wild game and local cattle. We had to disinfect our shoes before we could go on, so that we didn't spread the disease to other parts of the country.There were some stops for toilet and drawing money and we stopped one the road when we spotted an elephant quite close to the road. Another stop was made for the Baobab tree.....a really healthy one. The journey was a long one.The guide told us it was a male baobab, and the pic will explain that for you. There are no male/female trees to my knowledge but I love these trees. At about 1 PM we arrived at Nata Lodge, pitched tent, organized, swam at a lovely pool to cool down. Just as well as I was starting to overheat again. We are waiting to go on a tour of the pans at 4:30 PM. More to follow.............
The tour of the pans was great. As far as game goes, we saw wildebeest, but mostly lots of types of birds. I was expecting thousands of acres of white salt, but the rains had come, and the pans had become a very shallow lake, as you can see from the pics. There were places were the crunchy salt had formed smaller pans, and I have pics of that. Bird life was the main attraction here in a very flat terrain. Before sunset we stopped to have a drink provided by the tour operator, and ate popcorn. The African sunset was impressive, as the pics show.
We returned to camp for an enormous braaivleis of boerewors and steaks and sudza ( maize porridge) corn on the cob, veggies too,and dessert. Bed called as the start was early the next day. Tiring!!
Above: Phallic Baobab tree
Below: Nata lodge swimming pool....you need it to lower body temperature
Below: sunset over the Magadigadi salt pans, but they are flooded and shallow so don't look like the huge salt pans they are. Looks like a massive lake.
Below: Wildebeest browsing on the short grass of the flats. Many dry smaller salt pans were evident too.
Below: African sunset
Sundowner time....we had a beer and popcorn
African sunset shots below
Just gorgeous
The tour of the pans was great. As far as game goes, we saw wildebeest, but mostly lots of types of birds. I was expecting thousands of acres of white salt, but the rains had come, and the pans had become a very shallow lake, as you can see from the pics. There were places were the crunchy salt had formed smaller pans, and I have pics of that. Bird life was the main attraction here in a very flat terrain. Before sunset we stopped to have a drink provided by the tour operator, and ate popcorn. The African sunset was impressive, as the pics show.
We returned to camp for an enormous braaivleis of boerewors and steaks and sudza ( maize porridge) corn on the cob, veggies too,and dessert. Bed called as the start was early the next day. Tiring!!
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