Eco Tours in Africa – Chobe River Pangolin Photo Safari

Heinrich Kühne

6 years ago

Chobe River Botswana should be on every birdwatchers bucket list for Eco tours in Africa

Birding photography at its best

Chobe River should be on every birdwatchers bucket list. More than 450 species have been recorded here and the opportunities to photograph them are excellent. During Eco Explore Africa’s last visit to Chobe, my wife Wendy surprised me with an early birthday gift, an eco tours in Africa birding trip with Pangolin Photo Safaris!

Pangolin Photo Safaris collected Johan, Annica and myself early in the morning at our lodge. Their specially equipped photographic boat makes for a morning of birding photography at its best. Their knowledgeable guide and skipper know exactly how to approach the birds to provide the best angle and light for the eager photographers.

I could not believe the numbers and variety of birds to be seen.

This was my first boating trip on the Chobe. In my long experience of eco tours in Africa, I still could not believe the numbers and variety of birds to be seen. The camera kit that Pangolin Photo Safaris provided worked overtime. By silently gliding the boat towards the riverbank we came almost to within touching distance of the Malachite Kingfishers.

Creeping up on a sleeping hippo can be nerve- wracking

Creeping up close to a sleeping hippo in order to photograph a red-billed oxpecker grooming his rather large host can be nerve-wracking. Fewer encounters during eco tours in Africa can heighten the adrenaline levels so dramatically, especially when you are on the hippo’s eye level

Slowly cruising down the river allowed us to observe the birds without disturbing them. It was fascinating to watch this yellow-billed stork slowly stalking through the shallows looking for breakfast.

African Skimmers are near-threatened

One of the highlights was this sighting of an African Skimmer. The skimmer is near-threatened with a world population of about 10000 birds. There are less than 1000 skimmers in Southern Africa. African Skimmers breed on sandbanks in rivers and over-eager birders can easily frighten them off their nests leaving the chicks as prey for predators.

It was a tired but happy birder who stepped off the Pangolin boat after a mornings birding on the magnificent Chobe. Thank you, Wendy and Pangolin Photo Safaris.

To find out more about eco tours in Africa, explore our Eco Tours page today.