Kings Pool Camp Sightings - March

Something interesting or exciting is literally always going on in Botswana; and most times our partners at Wilderness Safaris are there to see it. This game report comes from Kings Pool, a beautiful, luxurious camp in the Linyanti Reserve in Northern Botswana.

Kings Pool Camp has nine beautifully appointed tents of canvas and thatch. Each has a large bedroom area, lounge, private plunge pool and 'sala'. The spacious en-suite bathrooms are tiled with double showers and hand-basins - as well as an outdoor shower for those who wish to shower close to nature. The lounge, dining room and pub areas are on expansive raised decks. There is also a communal pool and an open-air 'kgotla' for dining under the stars. Game viewing at the camp is wonderful, as evidenced by the following sightings report.

As the sun slowly sets at the close of another great African afternoon, a range of vibrant colours reflect off the great Linyanti River as it leisurely meanders downstream. Just before the colours disappear completely, the tranquil water surface explodes, and the last afternoon light sparkles off of each water drop as a hippo breaks the surface in front to breath.

Hippo males have been fairly aggressive towards other males this month and two hippos have died from male territorial clashes. These carcasses have been located close to camp on two separate occasions, attracting numerous vultures and other carrion eating birds as well as hyaenas, jackals and on the second carcass - the lion.

Another recent addition to the Kings Pool package is a resident male lion. Guests have heard his majestic roar calling his lioness and cubs on most mornings and evenings. These contact calls have been so close on occasion that they can be heard above the cracking and rumbling of thunder and lightning during a typical summer storm. This male lion has also attracted the attention of another two males form the concession next door and they have been making brief visits to the Kings Pool area. The Kings Pool lioness and cubs have also been playing their part in entertaining our guests this month. The cubs always put on a good show as they pounce, run, stalk, bite, and play attack each other - fun, fun, fun!

Elephant are never far from the area, with breeding herds slowly moving through camp and the big males moving around without a care in the world. Our guests this month have had the pleasure of spending an afternoon on the Queen Silvia - the Kings Pool double-storey barge - and witnessing elephant crossing the great Linyanti River. From the upper deck of the Queen Silvia, looking down on a small herd of elephant swimming, playing, splashing and at some points fully submerged with only their trunks out of the water for air is truly a magnificent sighting - just add a gin and tonic and a beautiful sunset and life cannot get much better.

A trip to Kings Pool would not be complete without seeing a leopard or two. Our guides found male leopards, female leopards, climbing leopards, leopards with kills, shy leopards, sociable leopards, young leopards and old leopards during the course of the month.

Unusual and rare sightings this month have included roan antelope, cheetah, wild dog, Osprey and Bat Hawk. So all in all, quite an exciting wildlife month here at Kings Pool.

Guides - Khan, Diye, O.D. and Lemme

Wildlife photos courtesy O.D., camp photo courtesy Dana Allen - Wilderness Safaris