The 2025 Botswana Journals, Ch. 20: The Five Star Overnight Hide

     Armed with toothbrushes and cameras, we climb into the Toyota Land Cruisers for a journey back toward the airstrip where we landed a few hours ago.  No, we aren't leaving Mashatu Game Reserve already.

Alison, left, daughter Erin, and Laura, waiting to start their game drive.   They will be going to the hide tomorrow, as the hide can accommodate only five photographers at a time.

        We are heading to the Lala Limpopo overnight hide at a man-made waterhole.   I've been in an overnight hide before, and while it supplied all our needs for an 18-hour stay, it did not compare in luxurious accommodations to the Lala hide.

    As soon as we pull up, I see this is far beyond anything I envisioned.

The Lala Limpopo hide entrance is down this gently sloping walkway.

    Our host, Aubry, greets us and shows us around.   It's mid-afternoon-ish, so there's plenty of time to get settled and get the cameras set up.

My camera on a beanbag, "locked and loaded."   The mounting foot is turned to the side so the camera will rest lower on the beanbag.

    With the all-important cameras on the firing line and at the ready, we settle into the accommodations for the night.    Behind the cameras are two bedrooms. one on either side of the hide, with two twin beds, a small lamp,  and electric outlets.

Cory and Randy are manning their cameras on the firing line.  One bedroom is seen beyond the screen.   A nice seating area is in the middle of the room, with a fifth bed located at the far right.

The bedroom where Virginia and I stayed.   My bed is at left.  The green lines in the windows appeared during editing and I can't get rid of them.

The dining area is behind overlapping curtains from the photo room.

The other side of the dining/kitchen.   Later, Aubry sets out our dinner supplied by Tuli Lodge.   We eat while he keeps a lookout over the waterhole, to warn us if anything approaches.

The smaller of the two bathrooms.  The larger bathroom has shower facilities.

Outside in the courtyard is a semi-protected coffee spot.

To the left of the table ( above photo) is the exit from the hide.

        And now the wait for wildlife begins.  

The firing line:   Virginia has her camera and a GoPro set up at left.   My chair near the center is empty because I am taking this picture.   Cory and Randy are at the far right.

       

 Our perspective is almost at eye-level to the waterline outside.   Perfect.

African mourning dove.

Laughing dove

Namaqua dove.

Namaqua dove

  

  

    Once again, I can photograph as many doves as I want.   I don't do this on game drives because I get ribbed for wanting to shoot those abundant birds.   We don't really have them in Alaska, so they are equally as fascinating to me as any other birds.  

    So, I take advantage of the opportunity and try to get shots of all the different varieties that appear at the waterhole.

    A  zebra appears stage right, and I hold my breath, hoping he will come to the water and drink.   He watches for a long time, then decides against it.    Lone zebras are very skittish.    

   

        So, it's back to the doves.

I admire the beautiful, pastel colors of the laughing doves.

    Now, it's dusk.   Aubrey goes out to set up the lights that will illuminate any animals that come to the waterhole.

The waterhole at dusk.

    Darkness rises from the earth.   Aubrey checks our camera settings and makes suggestions for optimal exposure.  I take a few practice shots, aiming at a small bush.

    We wait some more.

Heads on swivels, we wait as we look out over the waterhole.

    I strain my eyes looking for something to appear out of the blackness.   

    Wait.   What is that?   Did something move near those little twigs at the edge of the water?   Was that there before?

    I take a couple shots, enlarge the image on the camera's monitor.

        YES!!    It's something, all right, but I can't identify it.

NEXT POST:   The Night Visitors.