Chitabe – Lion, Impala, Red Lechwe, Kudu, Steenbok
On the first evening drive we encountered a pride of lions at a water hole in the last rays of the setting sun. Two young ones were playing with a stick which they had retrieved from the water, but the rest were taking it easy. A little more action was to be seen the next day when the two adult males of the pride were sitting on the runway. One remained almost until a plane landed before strolling off to the side. They remained there until after we had left.
Impalas are seen everywhere and form the staple diet of leopards and cheetahs. Seen from a distance always amongst high grasses or reeds the much less common Red Lechwe look similar but are slightly larger. Very much larger are the Kudu antelope, the male being even larger than the female with impressive spiral horns. The occasional shy Steenbok fled immediately from sight as in the Kalahari.