On the Road is a weekday feature spotlighting reader photo submissions.
From the exotic to the familiar, whether you’re traveling or in your own backyard, we would love to see the world through your eyes.
Botswana
Recently I submitted a couple of posts about animals along the Boteti River in Makgadikgadi Pans National Park. This one is based on a driving safari into the heart of the park.
This area of northern Botswana was once a giant lake. The lake is long gone but the park contains several dried salt pans connected by grasslands. During the rainy season flamingos breed along the pans but we visited during the dry season and didn’t see any.
Mining nearby reduced the amount of water reaching the park, so several engineered watering holes were established to support the wildlife.
Everyone gets out of the way when the elephants show up to drink and cool off. The muddy water sprayed on acts as a sunscreen.
A male and female ostrich.
We drove a long way into the Nxai Pan National Park (part of the larger park system) to visit the famous Baines Baobabs located in the Kudiakam Pan. They are named after Thomas Baines, a 19th century painter and colonial explorer.
This tree reminded me of an Ent. The trees are classified as succulents, not surprising given the arid conditions.
This photo gives you a sense of the scale of this salt pan. It covers about 15 square miles. That is actually one of the smaller pans in northern Botswana. Makgadikgadi means “vast, lifeless place.”
Driving back from the pan, our guide had to stop at the entrance to the Nxai Pan National Park. This owl was keeping cool beneath the park gate.
On the drive back to the lodge we encountered various wildlife along the road. We had to stop for this group of curious giraffes who were blocking our vehicle. This photo is blown up and hangs on a wall at our home. I smile every time I see it.
A juvenile vervet monkey by the side of the road.
Two male impala that are play fighting. You can tell by the shadows that it is getting late. A very long day’s drive but a rewarding one.
eclare
Wow, that salt pan is huge! Great photos, the giraffes would make me smile too.
Baud
The giraffe shot is perfect.
Deputinize America
Several years ago, we slept outside under the arc of the Milky Way in the Makgadakgadi Pans after riding out on ATVs – it was genuinely amazing.
HinTN
The picture of the impalas is really good but the giraffe photograph is perfect. Many thanks for this.
YY_Sima Qian
I enjoyed these photos. Baine’s Baobabs is a pretty surreal place. You went in the local summer, right?
stinger
I now think of the giraffe photo as “Wisconsin Elections”. Also, they remind me of meerkats.
YY_Sima Qian
I’ve enjoyed your photos! Baine’s Baobabs is a surreal place.
You went in the local summer, correct? Must have been hot.
WaterGirl
I loved the giraffe photo so much that I immediately made it the sidebar photo – I think the very next day after it came in. It makes me smile, too.
lashonharangue
@YY_Sima Qian: It was in May and yes it was hot.
YY_Sima Qian
@lashonharangue: So, May is early winter, no? We went in Aug., & the salt pans were still pretty unbearable.
J.
Wow! Great photos! Thanks for sharing!
Dmkingto
@stinger: Yes! Didn’t occur to me, but the giraffes do seem to be doing their impression of meercats.
Great photo set!
Betty
Yes, giraffes always make me smile. They seem so mild-mannered.
KSinMA
Wonderful photos. Thanks!