Sep 2 – Makgadikgadi Pans National Park, Botswana and a Helicopter Ride

The sunrise over the riverbed this morning was truly brilliant. 

The highlight of the day was a helicopter ride to the Makgadikgadi Pans.  The landscape started out with bush and some fields surrounded by bush fences.

Then it was sparse bush and then flatlands that seemed to have very little vegetation.

Eventually we could see the saltpans in the distance. 

And then we were over them...

vast expanses of white.

As we crossed into the saltpans we saw several male ostriches (you can tell they are male because they are black, instead of dusty grey) crossing a pan.

We saw a number of animals during the flight.  There were a few elephants, including one resting in the shade of a palm tree.

There were long lines of zebras...

and even a few wildebeests. 

The animals come to the salt flats to lick the salt to get minerals. 

We eventually landed adjacent to one of the pans and we got out to walk around a bit.

A Mirage in the Distance

The area is very desolate and the small grass like clumps of vegetation were dry and crunched when we walked on them.

Such a unique experience.

The airstrip for our camp.

The view from our hotel balcony when we got back.

Later we did have a game drive.  The water holes were very busy.

Some field birds settling down for the night.  

Photos we took of some trees from the game drives. 

Later in the day we watched the wildlife around some of the watering holes.  Parts of the day there are no animals around but in the late afternoons they come down by the hundreds. 

Today was our 51^st anniversary and the camp left us a gift basket in the room of fruits and juices.  What a nice touch.