Journey to Paradise

Another red dawn lights up the golden grass.  We set out for a long drive to one of the most remote parts of the park: Paradise.  This is so remote that few vehicles even make this journey and we find the road is challenging but luckily we have an excellent Land Rover and John is an expert driver. about 30 minutes from camp we find 2 female lions with 2 cubs that are 6 months (so cute) old siting by the river. 

Just fifteen minutes later we come across a large pride of 11 female lions with 3 cubs all about 3 months old.  This is incredibly good luck for us as the lions are calm and allow us to approach to with about 10 feet for great viewing.  The cubs are curious but shy, roving from the tall grass and then peaking out at us and cautiously approaching the vehicle.

It took about two more hours to reach Paradise. This is the land of plenty.  One of those iconic African scenes where you see animals blanketing the plains in every direction - here the zebras, there the waterbuck, some giraffe in the middle, some hippos up front, a few storks in the distance, several hundred buffalo at rivers edge and on and on.  We set up a bush breakfast in a shady glen on a bluff above the pains and just sit back and soak up the scene for the next hour.  On our return we see a small river snake scurry out of our path as we criss the river, then come upon a large Nile monitor lizard basking under the palms on the shore.  The terrain changes from riverine forest to Kalahari type sands and the not old growth forest as we journey back to camp. We take a well served break in camp and eat a hearty meal after a nice warm bush shower to rinse off the dust.

Tonight we are treated to a special night drive to Katsunga plains - largest in Katavi - after and awesome sunset.  Buffalo, elephants, water buck, fish eagle, topi, and hippo all roam on vast floodplain.  No cheetah here due to flooding in the rainy season. Tonight it is a near full moon. We turn on the torch spotlight and immediately we find the night alive with animals including 2 civet cats, 4 jennet, hippo grazing out of water, elephant, eagle owl, lions with cubs in moonlight, rare honey badgers and more.  One of my best and most rewarding night drives ever!