Having just returned from our post Indaba agents fam trip I Dirk had to share this wonderful experience. We started in Vic falls, Zimbabwe and had an afternoon walk at the might Victoria Falls.
This is something that needs to be experienced if heading to Africa. While it is neither the highest nor the widest waterfall in the world, Victoria Falls is classified as the largest, based on its combined width of 1,708 metres and height of 108 metres resulting in the world's largest sheet of falling water.

Next we headed across to Kasane Botswana and the Chobe National park. An afternoon was spent on the Chobe River on a boat cruise. Having herds of elephants coming down to the river to quench their thirst, pods of hippo and large croc’s were a welcome to all that where on the trip.

Early the next morning a game drive into the park was another way to experience the park with good general game sightings. After a quick breakfast we headed across the Chobe River into Namibia and started our 2 day trip through the caprivi region. First stop Kwando camp on the banks of the Kwando River. The afternoon was spent relaxing in the wonderful rooms and then around the fire at the main lodge before a scrumptious dinner was had in the dining room.

The next morning we took a boat up the river to see what the area looked like from the water. Unfortunately we had to turn around earlier than planned as a pod of hippo was blocking the way and we had no way past. On return to the camp we packed up and headed to Ngepi Camp on the upper reaches of the Okavango pan handle. Hear we set up camp as it would be the one night of camping and then headed to the view deck for sundowners. On return to the campsite we started with dinner, a braai of lamb chops and fresh veggies.

Early the next morning with the fire going and hot coffee and breakfast for all we broke down camp and left for a short drive through the Mahango Game Reserve. It was a really beautiful drive but not many animals were seen. Now the highlight (for me at least) was the next stop being Nxamaseri Lodge in the Okavango pan Handle. Crossing back into Botswana we headed through Shakawe and stopped at the sign board to the Lodge. As we arrived a little earlier than planned we had a quick brunch and then the agents went to visit a local village and got to meet the family that had 1 or 2 members working at Nxamaseri. Our guide Fish arrived in his land cruiser and we headed into the bush following the twin tracks closer to the pan handle. We arrived at our boat launch and boarded the boat that would take us further into the delta and to our camp. Arriving at the camp we were all astounded at what we saw. The most beautiful camp set on an island with massive trees and local troop of Vervet monkeys.

After a quick check in and a guided tour of the lodge, tea and cake we headed back to the boat and went out to see the pan handle. Now I have wanted to see this part of the delta for many years and I was so excited to finally get there. I asked Fish if they had any local Pels fishing Owls that he knew of and he replied, yes and I will show you tomorrow. We returned to camp after one of the most amazing sunsets I have seen in Africa to a welcoming dinner and drinks around the fire.

Now it’s been 20 years of searching for this elusive owl for me so i replied “don’t make promises you cannot keep” and he laughed. The Pels Fishing owl is a large species of owl and feeds nocturnally on fish and frogs snatched from the surface of lakes and rivers. The species prefers slow moving rivers with large overhanging trees to roost and forage from and they haunt the deeper pools of meandering rivers in riverine forest areas. Early the next morning after breakfast we headed out in makoro’s into the shallow waters behind the camp in search of my Pels, the last of the owl species in Southern Africa for my check list. After searching for a while and clambering through a few islands searching the thickets we had no luck and I was getting disheartened as to not being able to see my owl. I could see Fish was also getting a little worried as he had promised to show me. As we started to head back to camp I realised it would have to be another day or year to see the Pels, when all of a sudden the mokoro stopped. Fish whispered, Pels!! I could not believe it.. There sitting amongst the thick palms and trees’ sitting on a branch was my owl looking down at us!! I could not believe it, finally I had the experience of seeing the Pels Fishing owl.

The rest of the day travelling to Maun to our last stop was a blur as all I had in my mind was the owl staring down at me... Arriving in Maun we headed to our last overnight stop at Mochaba crossing. A wonderful dinner was had by all and then a few drinks to close off the tour and we all went to bed dreaming of the wonderful experience we had all had over the last few days... never to be forgotten we dropped the agents off at the airport and headed back to Johannesburg.