Leg 83, Sinazongwe, Zambia via Zimbabwe and Botswana to Okaukuejo, Namibia
DAY11_13.PLN (18.8 KB)
I almost broke my record for most airports visited in a day. Not intentionally, there are so many airstrips for Safari camps, I could not resist landing at most of them. 53 landings, most around the Okavango Delta with some flights lasting less than 2 minutes.
11-13 Sinazongwe FLSI 3:55 AM
11-13 Maamba FLMB 4:03 AM
11-13 Sijarira Lodge FVBN 4:12 AM
11-13 Binga FVBI 4:19 AM
11-13 Manjolo FVBG 4:26 AM Short runway
11-13 Mlibizi FVML 4:36 AM
11-13 Deka FVDE 4:42 AM
11-13 Victoria Falls FVFA Falls to the East 5:01 AM
11-13 Livingstone FLHN 5:12 AM
11-13 Kasane FBKE 5:28 AM
11-13 Saile FBSI 5:57 AM
CTD on touchdown, restart
11-13 Saile FBSI 6:03 AM
11-13 Linyanti Airport FYKI 6:13 AM
11-13 Chobe Airport FBCH 6:20 AM
11-13 Selinda Old Airport FYKU 6:25 AM
11-13 Selinda Airport FBSL 6:27 AM
11-13 Ketumetse Airport FBNC 6:39 AM
11-13 Mapula Airport FBND 6:46 AM
11-13 Vumbura Airport FBVM 6:51 AM
11-13 Xugana Airport FBXG 7:02 AM Okavango Delta
11-13 Kwara Camp Airport FBMI 7:08 AM
11-13 Xakanaxa Airport FBMF 7:14 AM
11-13 Santawani Airport FBMB 7:29 AM
11-13 Chitabe Airstrip FBME 7:36 AM
11-13 Sanctuary Stanley Airport FBMR 7:44 AM
11-13 Ntswi Airport FBMD 7:49 AM
11-13 Delta camp Airport FBDT 7:51 AM
11-13 Xaxaba Airport FBXB 7:54 AM
11-13 Kiri Airport FBKI 7:57 AM
11-13 Rann Airport FBMQ 8:01 AM
11-13 Nokaneng Airport FBXX 8:07 AM
11-13 Pom Pom Airport FBNO 8:12 AM
11-13 Kanana Airport FBKK 8:14 AM
11-13 Nxabega Airport FBNB 8:19 AM
11-13 Nxabega Safari Airport FBNF 8:21 AM
11-13 Cement Airport FBCM 8:27 AM
11-13 Abu Airport FBAB 8:32 AM
11-13 Nokaneng FBNN 8:45 AM
11-13 Gumare FBGM 8:54 AM
11-13 Etsha Airport FBNK 9:02 AM
11-13 Guma Airport FBGU 9:09 AM
11-13 Seronga Airport FBSH 9:18 AM
11-13 Nxamaseri Airport FBNX 9:30 AM
11-13 Shakawe FBSW 9:39 AM
11-13 Bagani Airport FYBI 9:49 AM
11-13 Mucusso Airport FYBA 9:55 AM
11-13 Dirico Airport FYBN 10:16 AM
11-13 Ndonga Linena Airstrip FYSD 10:23 AM
11-13 Calai Airport FYRD 10:41 AM
11-13 Rundu FYRU 10:45 AM
11-13 Cuangar Airport FYNR 11:12 AM
11-13 Operet FYOU 11:55 AM
11-13 Namutoni Airport FYNA 12:04 PM
11-13 Halali Airport FYHI 12:14 PM Virtual vision landing
11-13 Okaukuejo Airport FYOO 12:25 PM Virtual vision landing
Flight time 8:24 53 stops
First up Sijarira lodge airstrip in Sijarira forest on lake Kariba in Zimbabwe
Yep, lightning is there, however much less than before and confined to the distance
Manjola, I had to make a go around for a second attempt, came in too fast for this short runway
Victoria falls, marred by height data errors and lack of falls
The real deal (similar angle but closer)
Following the A33 to Ngoma bridge
The river Chobe, flat terrain creates a lot of loops
Selinda game reserve, one of many in this area
On Google It comes with a picture of 2 lions eating a young elephant, nature is harsh
NG/22 Kwedi East Okavanga Community Trust
I’ve reached the Okavanga delta.
The names here are based on concessions
The Okavango Delta is one of Africa’s great game preserves, an oasis within the Kalahari Desert
Xugana Airport (NG/21 Kwando WMA)
Sausage island up and to the left of the runway
Santawani Airport and lodge (NG/33 Sankuyo Tshwaragano Community Trust)
Great pictures, taken the right way (landscape) by phone, however Google displays them sideways doh!
Departing from Chitabe Airstrip (NG/31 commercial photographic WMA)
Next to &Beyond Sandibe Okavango Safari Lodge, which looks amazing. It should “from USD 3,990 per family suite per night” It’s always nice to dream.
Xaxaba Airport (NG/27B Commercial Photographic WMA) next to Belmond Eagle Island Lodge
I guess the animals are quite used to all the lodges around here and planes and helicopters must be flying in and out all the time as well.
Flying to Nakoneng on the Western edge of the Okavango delta
Or so I thought, this isn’t Nakoneng. Still in the delta close to Pom Pom Camp
To Gumare, now really getting to the edge of the delta
Seronga Airport at the start of the delta, North-East side looking into the Moremi game reserve
A shot of the delta from a real plane
Nxamaseri Airport up ahead, with the Cubango river feeding the delta
While flying onwards to the West I noticed this strange pattern along the Trans Caprivi Highway
On Bing it looks like massive towers for I assume power lines, the crosses mark the anchoring lines.
Following the Cubango River Westwards
More strange repeating patterens at 17°57’37.3"S 18°09’47.9"E
Perhaps preparations to extend the power lines, looks like construction sites
Zooming over the tree tops towards Operet
Etosha Pan / Etosha national park where salt residue formed a crusty pan
Larger than the Kruger or Serengeti, Namibia’s premier safari reserve protects the Etosha Pan, which is fringed by a series of perennial waterholes that attract abundant wildlife in the dry season
Last stop today Okaukuejo at the South-West end of the pan
I’ll fly over the pan tomorrow when the sun is back to take a closer look.