To All Our Clients and Friends,

Wilmot Safaris are still proudly operating mobile safaris to most parts of Botswana. No two expeditions are the same and we can now offer you a streamlined operation of mobile safaris. Over the years we have travelled to areas of unspoilt beauty and pristine wilderness.

We have enjoyed quiet sunsets with sundowners in hand and watched the fading beauty of a colourful sky. Your holiday time has been spread over as many areas and camps as time will allow thereby giving you a peek into the many areas of acacia savannah and beautiful island palm belts. The more varied the habitat, the more varied the wildlife.

The historic Tsodilo Hills with its enchanting Bushmen paintings gave us a view of vast and lonely sandveld, where only the little people of the desert can carve out an existence and live with nature.

Onward flying, our eyes sweep over the entire Okavango Delta of meandering channels. Wooded islands echo the call of the Fish Eagle by day and the Pel's Fishing Owl by night. (At Shakawe the rare Narina Trogon gave us a clear sighting) Favourite spots in the delta gives us the freedom to swim alongside white sand banks through which flow the crystal clear waters of the Okavango. Our night drives reveal a different story to the daily game drives and we see the secret nocturnal life of so many creatures. Following a herd of buffalo is always exciting. Lions lie in wait or bide their time until dusk, waiting for an opportunity to grab a young calf, or lure an over-protective cow out into the open. Once separated from the herd, the lionesses close in and a kill is made.

The recent game drives have been both exciting and unique. We have travelled to Deception Valley, Savute the Moremi Game Reserve; Trust areas, Tsodilo Hills, Samochima and places in between. Through August and the whole of September/October, we have been busy - about 5 or 6 safaris pretty much one after the other. Interesting people - nice people who became like friends after a few days. The viewing has been wonderful. At least four major herds of elephant setting off on their western migration - an annual event that begins with the ripening palm fruits then becomes an escape from the hot dry interior.

In broad daylight, we were lucky to spot a curious young leopard up the hill at Savute who simply couldn't resist coming down to investigate the vehicle. A herd of around 250 buffalo at Maxgwegana (Moremi Game Reserve) were so tame that we could park ahead of them and have huge bulls grazing about three yards away. With the red ball of a September sunset descending over the black buffalo in a field of yellow grass, the contrasts were fantastic.

The Santa flood has eased and most of the new flocks of waterfowl have learnt their formation flying and gone to places new. The water has cleared to crystal clear and the fish have become even more concentrated. We canoed and camped out down the Motsebe River and swam in many places. It is so clean, so clear and at such a perfect temperature that you feel you can swim all day. As we drifted down with the current, we watched a small breeding herd of elephant feed on the new green grass along the river. We found an ideal camping spot with a wonderful swimming hole just out the front. The Croton trees were in full leaf and provided deep dense shade – a welcome relief to the end of a hot day. That night's campfire reflected peace and contentment on the faces of all who sat around.

Looks like 2007 is going to be busy. This year we had some of the best game-viewing that we have had over the past 5 years. The clients have been very happy and want to book again, will send their friends etc. We are quietly optimistic of a good season next year.

Some of the highlights of this year were definitely:
* The large herd of very tame buffalo in Moremi Game Reserve being harassed by young and inexperienced lions,

* Visits by young leopard at suppertime in Savute,

* Watching solid wall of over 200 elephant walk straight up to vehicle and part on either side (annual migration to palm fruits in swamps),

* Falling asleep under a tree at lunchtime and waking to find breeding herd all around,

* Wild dog pack of 12 youngsters and 14 adults dancing around the vehicle, sniffing at the buffalo dung on the tyres,

* Two big male cheetah rolling on the green lawn on the slope of an anthill enjoying the cool of the approaching evening,

* 2 lionesses draped over an anthill and rudely awakened by a honey badger oblivious of their presence,

* Lions feeding on dead elephant in water while crocs fed on rear end and a boisterous baby buffalo lost and found!

* A magnificent sighting of a female leopard up a tree with a freshly caught baboon

* And lastly but not least, a hippo feeding right next to our tents at night.

The list goes on and on. !! It was fun, fun, fun and Storm and Johnson's cooking was to die for. We now have a tried and tested itinerary that includes the best of the Moremi and other parts of the Okavango. On just such a trip recently we found a dead buffalo and watched the second biggest pair of male lions that we can remember, feed on it while we sat with sundowners in hand. Luck happens.

The year is coming to an end and our thoughts turn to the approaching festive season. Whilst many are already in the chill of winter, we look forward to our summer rains. We wish you all a very happy time over the festive season and hope that your stockings will be filled with love and laughter!! Our office is always open and we will be checking emails as often as we can in between travelling all over Botswana.