“Pangolins, also sometimes called scaly anteaters, are strange looking creatures covered with protective horny, overlapping scales. It is estimated that the Southern African Pangolin has been around for over 40 million years, adapting itself to the changing environment in order to survive. These mechanisms are, however, not adequate protection against man and pangolins now are reported to be the most trafficked animal in the world. Their scales and body parts are revered in Eastern Medicine and their meat regarded as a delicacy.”

Pangolin Photo Safaris, with major operations in Kasane, Botswana, pride themselves on catering for wildlife photographers with all levels of experience and ability. “The only two barriers to entering the wonderful world of wildlife photography are Knowledge and Equipment both of which are eliminated as we have plenty of cameras for our clients to use and resident photographic guides to show you how to use them.”  Their operations include purpose built flat bottomed boats holding eight people each in individual 360 degree turning seats and Toyota Land Cruisers (take note again Landy fanboys) with only two seats abreast, each with purpose made sandbags for resting their or your camera.  Canon EOS 80D cameras with 150-600m Sigma lenses and SD cards are provided for the use of each guest.  Safari Packages and their own Houseboat parked on the Chobe River, complete their impressive line-up.

Connecting these dots - Pangolin Photo Safaris is proud to be the founding partner of a non-profit organisation dedicated to the conservation of the African Pangolin.

My chosen style of camera is an advanced compact, and I’m currently carrying two – a Panasonic TZ90 with a zoom of 720mm, and an underwater Olympus Tough TG-5.  I wouldn’t be ME without a camera in my pocket 24/7!  I have compromised top notch quality for portability, but I’m OK with that.

Dale is a machine-head.  His knowledge and passion for anything mechanical is outstanding.  Even though a big camera, he is carrying a Seagull Twin Lens Reflex camera and is currently shooting on black and white film, in square format.  He first saw these cameras in a store in Muscat, Oman back in the early 90s, but didn’t purchase one then when priced at $90.  When we went to live there in 2010, he re-visited the same store, had the owner go down to the basement and pull out a dust covered Seagull box.  The fellow said he had had it there for 20 years and offered Dale a discount down to $75!  Some things are worth the wait…

Our good mate in Broome, Pam of Pam Jennings Photography, first alerted us to Pangolin Photo Safaris.  I know her head will be spinning green with envy when she gets to the end of this blog!

Tying all this together, Dale and I had previously been into the Pangolin office in Cape Town to check out what they were doing in the Chobe National Park.  We couldn’t book anything then as we really don’t know where we are going to be, in any one week, on this African Odyssey of ours.  So this information stayed safely locked in our heads until ready for use!

We booked a sunset cruise on their photo boat and Janine, our dedicated photographer and guide, ran us through the features of the Canon EOS safely mounted in the boat’s dedicated bracketing system, and then we were off!  She continually offered suggestions for settings and provided tips on framing and composure.  We traversed the Chobe River with northern Botswana on one side and Namibia on the other.  I can’t describe how good this three hour adventure was.  We passed herds of Elephants grazing and bathing at the water’s edge, baboons playing and drinking from the river, crocs basking in the sun, and the magnificent Fish Eagles swooping overhead.  We both soon came to terms with spinning 360 degrees in search of something to photograph, and as there was so much to photograph, we got pretty dizzy!  I was so chuffed with our photos at the end of the day that I could almost…almost…have been tempted to turn into a DSLR fangirl.  However, then I remembered how heavy these beasts are to carry! 

We were hooked!  We booked an early morning photo boat safari and Charl, our photographer and guide, ran us through how to use panning technique to capture flocks of Yellow Billed Storks in flight.  That took some practice, and still requires practice, but boy did we have fun!  I always keep my camera on mute, however the sound of multiple mirrored cameras on fast continuous shoot was as exciting as seeing the birds in flight.

We travelled with Janine again on an early morning game drive through the Chobe National Park, just five minutes from the township of Kasane.  We were so very lucky to watch three young leopards stalk, wander and laze right near our truck.  I need to add at this point, that Pangolin boat and vehicle drivers are specifically trained to put clients in the best possible positions for the best possible photographs.  I needed this shot in the arm, as I tend to become technically lazy with my photography.  Pangolin have spurred me to re-think my settings!  I’ll let our photos again tell a thousand words.

The Pangolin Voyager Houseboat is registered in Namibia and guests travelling on the houseboat need to be stamped into Namibia before jumping on board.  We had the opportunity to have a brief look at the houseboat and in order to do so, had to leave the Guzzi in Botswana, while we nipped across to Namibia.  That felt quite surreal and weren’t quite sure how we felt about being technically so far from our trusty steed!  A G&T on the open top deck of a houseboat sharing the Chobe River with hippos, crocs, elephants, and Cape buffalos, soon took our minds off the Guzzi …

We had always envisaged our adventures in Botswana would include visiting the Okavango Delta. The Guzzi was packed and with accommodation booked in Maun, the gateway to the Delta, we were ready to rock and roll.  Chatting over a final coffee at Pangolin HQ, made us wonder about the 600km rough and potholed trip to Maun, then five days later, the same crappy potholed ride back.  It was also hard to come to terms with leaving Kasane.  We think the crunch came when Guts from Pangolin said “if you happen to see a rabbit on the road, it’s actually a giraffe in a pothole”.  A quick phone call to Lindy back at the guest house and we re-booked, and then made a beeline for the Old House Café for another of their great vegetarian pizzas!

To complete our Four Rivers journey, we departed Kasane for the Zimbabwe border, and what we knew would be an amazing adventure at one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World, the Victoria Falls…

PS sorry for the stretched images...will fix when I have more time...