Leopards, Lions, Night Drives: Safari in the Okavango Delta, Botswana

A male leopard seems to say ,"No, this is mine." as it takes a moment to break from his impala kill to stare right into the lens.

There is something so special about Sandibe Okavango Delta Safari Lodge. It is built to immerse you into the deep wilds of one of Africa's most stunning safari locations. The screens keep the bugs out, but allow all the nighttime sounds of the bush to filter in. In fact, last night I woke up around 2am to the sound of something big splashing in my private plunge pool on my outside deck. After listening for a bit, I couldn't fight the urge to try and see what it was, so I flipped on the outside lights. It was a huge elephant! Luckily, it was not in my pool, it wouldn't have fit anyway, but it was just below the deck, splashing around in the floodwaters and reeds. I watched it for a while before slipping back into bed and drifting back off to sleep. This is the kind of experience that I want to give to guests that I bring here. This is what a safari should be like. It can ignite all of your senses.

Today was a big day. The kind of day where we are the first out on safari in the morning, and the last back to the lodge after an after-dinner night drive. We had a big break in the late morning and early afternoon, which is when the animals take their break as well. That gave us a good amount of time to enjoy the lodge, which is something else that is important to make time for. Especially when you stay at a place like this!

On our game drives we were still adding new species to our list, even after three weeks of safari. The biodiversity of big and small animals here in Africa is like no other place on Earth. We saw a new species of jackal, called the side-stripe jackal, and some new nocturnal animals, adding spring hares, the small spotted genet, bat eared foxes, and the very elusive African wild cat to our list. We had great luck with birds as always, including a few species of owls. On our night drive, we had a massive Verreaux's eagle owl, perched about five feet away. Wow!

The biggest sighting of the day, had to be our leopard encounter. We found a male and a female leopard in the same area. We thought maybe that meant they were mating, although they had also made a kill. The male leopard was up in a tree when we arrived on scene, with a beautiful impala, draped over a branch. We watched the leopard eat and lick his meal, from pretty close, while taking photos and videos. Then a small black backed jackal came onto the scene, and let out a warning bark that could be heard for miles. The two leopards seemed unfazed by the newcomer. We watched the male leopard climb down, and wind his way off into the bush, disappearing just as another vehicle drove up. They at least got to see the female leopard on the ground, but it goes to show how luck and timing can play such a role in what you end up seeing that day on safari. You just have to put your time in and keep your eyes open. That is also the idea that brings people back to Africa, over and over. It is always different, always amazing.

A black back jackal strides upon the scene, but it caught unaware by a second leopard in the grass. It barks a warning call before turning and trotting off.

This animal might be a strict vegetarian, but it is also responsible for more deaths in Africa than any other large animal.

The Okavango Delta provides our first glimpse of a rare side-stripe jackal.

We also get a first look at the red lechwe here in the Delta. They prefer the swampy, water filled habitat.

A side-stripe jackal stretching high.

An elephant, stretching higher.

We didn't stop for every single lilac-breasted roller, but I thought about it. Just look at how beautiful this bird is!

Baboons here in the Delta tend to climb the palm trees and nest high in their fronds at night. It keeps them safe from leopards. They remind me of firemen when they slide back down in the mornings.

This photo looks like it could have been taken in the Serengeti, with that golden grass. But parts of the Delta look like this.

A tsessebe strolls through the golden grass.

Our tracker, LK, scans for movement while the vehicle is stopped.

We were in awe of all the impressive termite mounds found here in the okavango delta.

This turned out to be one of my favorite shots of a leopard this trip. It is a very unusual stare from a very elusive animal. And it is framed so magnificently with the golden grass.

A lone elephant is reflected in the waters during a beautiful African sunset.

This elephant was spraying water and grabbing food as it enjoyed the seasonal floods of the Delta.

A cuddle puddle of lions makes for a pretty cozy way to sleep.

This leopard drags a freshly killed impala high into a tree. Check out the horns on the impala! Everything about this shot is set up so nice, and is a once-in-a-lifetime kind of opportunity.

We haven't seen a porcupine yet on this trip. They are a tough nocturnal animal that can be hard to find. However, we did come across a pile of these quills. Guess someone found this porcupine before we did!

With three big meals a day, and lots of sitting on game drives, it can be great to check out the gym at each of our lodges. Here is the one at Sandibe. Pretty much everything you need, plus a great view.

Speaking of all the great food... here is a make your own pizza lunch, out on the deck, overlooking the marsh of the Okavango Delta.

Our bartender extraordinaire at Sandibe Safari Loge.

Bro lunch, overlooking the wilds of the Delta.

Remember when I said that the termite mounds here are impressive? They feel like concrete. Even elephants can come over and scratch their bodies on them without breaking it. I'm glad a black mamba didn't come out of one of those holes.

As always, keep traveling, go on safari, and keep posting!

• Dai Mar