game drive – Clancy Abroad

Moreswe Pan to Khankhwe Pan

Another cool morning, about 12C, but by the middle of the day it’s 32C. Real Desert weather. I saw some ostriches on the pan but not much else. I wonder if the diesel powered pump for the waterhole is too erratic for the animals to trust it.

I packed up and got going by 9:30am. It was a 60km drive to Khankhwe, at about 25kmh. I stopped at the Moreswe waterhole, but there was nothing there, not even birds. I headed north passing Elephant droppings on the track quite often, but didn’t see any elephants. I saw a few antelopes along the way, and stopped in a Molose waterhole to see a group of antelope and a sole Cape Buffalo. I saw some other campers at Molose, and stopped to talk to a ranger who was headed south. About 1pm I arrived at Khankhwe Pan. This is the last stop before crossing the CKGR. It is 72km to Bape campsite. Later in the afternoon I jacked up the rear wheel so I could rotate the tailshaft, and I greased the tailshaft.

South of Khutse to Khutse Game Reserve

I spent an hour or so trying other things to fix the alternator, but they didn’t work. So I decided I would continue on and charge the cranking battery with solar. I headed north towards Kaudwane were I could pickup cell phone service again. I stopped and rang BigFoot tours only to find that they had an office at the Khutse gate. So I drove there and much back and forth with BigFoot tours and the Botswana parks, I worked out I would stay 7 nights in Khutse GR. 3 nights at Khutse 01, 3 nights at Moreswe 02 and one night at Khankhwe. Then I would cross the CKGR (Central Kalahari Game Reserve) towards Ghanzi in the west.

I filled up with water at the gate, and then drove the 12km out to Khutse 01 campsite. Khutse 01 (according to iOverlander) is a prime location for lions working their way towards the waterhole about 500m from here. However in two days no lions, or sounds of lions. I saw some Cape Buffalo on the way in and some springbok. I drove to the waterhole at dusk this afternoon and saw some Elan antelope (I think) and some more springbok. I found an elephant skeleton next to the waterhole. Other than that it was been a relaxing two days being stationary.

Great Zimbabwe Hotel to Save River Conservancy

The next morning it was cold, but at last not raining. We got packed and drove the 30km into Masvingo, for more supplies, fuel, and water. We found a Pick n pay supermarket, which would also take a credit card.

I went over the road to another supermarket to get water. They wouldn’t take a credit card, so I had to pay with USD. So the bill is USD$3.20. So they have no change less than a $1USD note. So what would I like. So I grab a couple of bottles of water out of the fridge. That leaves 22c changed owed, what do I want to do with that? I don’t care, keep the 22c. However the checkout attendant says, can I buy myself a chocolate bar for 20c. I say fine. We then go out both of us to be checked by the guards for my bottles of water, and her chocolate bar.

We try a servo for fuel with a credit card, no luck, but they suggest the Puma out of town. We go to the six month old Puma with attached KFC about a km out of town and buy fuel with a credit card. We are trying to conserve our supply of USD.

We drive east around 140km, decreasing in altitude and with increasing warmth. A couple of police road blocks, but they wave us through. We then turn onto the Save river conservancy, which is so big, that its a 60km drive from the front gate to the camping spot we have booked.

We drive past (and nearly collide with) Elephants. We also see Zebra, Giraffe, Kudu and other antelopes. After a river crossing we arrive at the Humani compound. We don’t know how to get to the campsite, eventually someone guides us out the 3km to the campsite next to the Turwi river.

We saw Elephants down river from us the first night. Occasionally we hear lions. The second day we spent the afternoon game driving down to the Save River, but didn’t see a lot. When we got back to camp, there was an elephant next to our campsite.