OWL Safaris

10/11/2026

One of Africa’s most fascinating night-time wanderers!

The African crested porcupine is the largest rodent in Africa and one of the most distinctive animals you might encounter on safari.

Despite their rather formidable appearance, porcupines are generally shy, mostly nocturnal creatures. They spend their nights foraging for roots, bulbs, fallen fruit and other plant material.

And those impressive quills? They are modified hairs, not something the porcupine can shoot at an attacker, as the old myth suggests! When threatened, a porcupine may raise its quills, stamp its feet, rattle its hollow tail quills and charge backwards towards a predator.

An unforgettable little character of the African bush, and a wonderful reminder that some of the most interesting wildlife encounters happen after dark.

Have you ever spotted a porcupine on safari?


Photo courtesy of Kishindo (New name of Tiger Canyon Private Game Reserve in the Free State, South Africa)

10/11/2026

SAFARI CAMP OF INTEREST - Okavango Delta - Botswana
Not every safari camp has a story quite like this one.

In Botswana’s northern Okavango Delta, Duke’s Camp is named after Sarefo “Duke” Sarefo, whose family has called Kgao Island home for three generations.

Duke was born on the island where the camp now stands. His family belongs to the Wayeyi people, traditionally associated with fishing and the waterways of the Okavango. His father and grandfather are also buried on the island.

In 2002, Duke applied to take ownership of the island in recognition of his family's heritage and longstanding connection to the land. Working alongside Uncharted Africa, he embraced responsible tourism as a way of helping protect this special wilderness for future generations.

Duke’s Camp opened in 2022, bringing the distinctive vintage safari style associated with the iconic Jack’s Camp to the Okavango Delta. Its intimate sister property, Duke’s East, followed in May 2023, offering just four safari suites and an ideal setting for families and exclusive-use groups.

A wonderful story of family heritage, local knowledge and conservation, in one of Botswana’s most extraordinary wilderness areas.

Discover Duke’s Camp and Duke’s East with OWL Safaris. Get in touch at [email protected] to start planning your Okavango Delta safari.

Images: Credit to Natural Selection

27/10/2026

ORYX / GEMSBOK: BUILT FOR THE WILD

Few African antelope look quite as striking as the gemsbok. With their long, spear-like horns, bold black-and-white facial markings and sandy coats, they are perfectly suited to some of Africa’s toughest landscapes.

Here are a few fascinating facts about these desert survivors:

1. Masters of the drylands

Gemsbok are exceptionally well adapted to hot, arid environments. They can survive for long periods without drinking water, obtaining moisture from the plants they eat.

2. Those magnificent horns belong to both sexes

Both male and female gemsbok carry long, straight horns. They are formidable weapons for defense against predators, and females often have longer, slimmer horns than males.

3. They can make themselves at home in harsh conditions

From the shifting dunes of the Namib Desert to the dry plains of the Kalahari, gemsbok thrive where many other large herbivores struggle.

4. They are not just found in southern Africa

The name Oryx refers to a group of antelope found across Africa and parts of the Middle East. In southern Africa, the gemsbok (Oryx gazella) is the familiar species. Further east, beisa oryx occur in countries including Kenya, Ethiopia and Somalia.

5. Where can you see them?

Look for gemsbok in Namibia’s Etosha National Park, Botswana’s Central Kalahari and South Africa’s Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park. In East Africa, Beisa Oryx can be seen in suitable dry-country habitats, including parts of Kenya.

There is something special about seeing a gemsbok standing against a vast desert landscape — a reminder that Africa’s wildlife is shaped by some extraordinary adaptations.

At OWL Safaris, we believe seeing these special antelope often makes a safari unforgettable.

19/10/2026

SAFARI CAMP OF INTEREST - PAFURI CAMP
In the far north of South Africa’s Kruger National Park, on the banks of the Luvuvhu River, lies Pafuri Camp — a remarkable corner of Africa where lush riverine forests, ancient baobabs and extraordinary wildlife create a wonderful safari experience.

Set beneath towering trees, the camp offers comfortable tented accommodation, private river-view decks and open-air showers, bringing guests close to the sights and sounds of the bush.

The Pafuri region is one of Kruger’s most distinctive ecological areas, where riverine forest, fever tree woodland and mopane scrub support an exceptional diversity of wildlife. Elephants, buffalo, nyala, kudu and other antelope roam the area, while predators include leopards, lions and spotted hyenas. For bird enthusiasts, this is a particularly special destination, with an outstanding variety of species, including some rarely seen elsewhere in South Africa.

With its striking landscapes, rich biodiversity and quieter, more remote atmosphere, Pafuri offers a different perspective on the Kruger wilderness.

Being in Kruger’s far north means fewer visitors and a more remote wilderness!

Discover Africa’s remarkable places with OWL Safaris.

[email protected]
www.owlsafaris.com

12/10/2026

MEERKATS: AFRICA’S LITTLE LOOKOUTS!

Standing tall, eyes on the horizon, these curious characters are always on the lookout!

Found across the dry landscapes of South Africa, Botswana, Namibia and parts of Angola, meerkats are expert diggers and brilliant team players.

Their dark eye patches help reduce glare from the African sun.

Scorpions on the menu? Absolutely! Meerkats are skilled hunters with a taste for insects and other small creatures.

They live in close-knit family groups, taking turns to stand guard while the others forage. One alarm call can send the whole mob rushing for cover!

And here's the fun fact: there is only ONE recognized living species of meerkat. Those little faces are unmistakable!

Small in size, big on personality — another wonderful reason to love Africa’s wild places.


(Image Credit: Subi Sridharan/ Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards)

12/10/2026

https://www.wanderlustmagazine.com/inspiration/kruger-the-art-of-being-good-neighbours/?uid=458b477ebdc9f3b7cf46c2d65fc6f6ed&utm_campaign=Launch%209%2010%202026%20&utm_medium=Newsletter&utm_source=email

One hundred years ago, South Africa’s Kruger National Park was created to protect the lowveld’s wildlife for future generations. As it marks its

30/09/2026

THE FLOOD THAT ARRIVES IN THE DRY SEASON

There is something wonderfully backwards about the Okavango Delta.

Every year, while Botswana is heading into its dry winter, the Okavango begins to fill.

But the rain isn't falling in Botswana.

More than 1,000 kilometer's to the northwest, summer rains fall across the highlands of Angola. That water gathers into rivers, travels slowly south through Namibia and eventually reaches Botswana – months after the rain that created it has stopped.

And then something extraordinary happens.

The Okavango spreads out across the Kalahari, turning dry floodplains into channels, lagoons, islands and shallow waterways. The flood generally reaches its greatest extent around June to August – right in the middle of Botswana's dry season.

The Delta doesn't flow into the sea either. It is one of the world's great inland deltas, with its water eventually disappearing into the Kalahari through evaporation, plant transpiration and seepage into the sand.

A few Okavango facts:

The Okavango River travels roughly 1,500 km from its source to the Delta.
The Delta is one of the world's largest inland delta systems – its waters never reach the ocean.
UNESCO recognizes the Okavango Delta as a World Heritage Site.
More than 130 species of mammals and 480 species of birds have been recorded in this World Heritage region.

Perhaps the most remarkable thing about the Okavango is that the desert doesn't wait for the rain to arrive. It waits for a flood that began hundreds of kilometers away.

Exciting stories | Wild places | Big adventures.

OWL Safaris

28/09/2026

Meet the Southern Ground Hornbill.

With its glossy black feathers, long legs, enormous bill and brilliant red face, it is difficult not to think of a small dinosaur striding through the grasslands.

And perhaps the most surprising thing about this remarkable bird is that it spends much of its time on the ground.

Southern Ground Hornbills live in family groups, walking together through open woodland and grassland as they search for insects, reptiles, frogs and other small prey.

But there is more to them than their extraordinary appearance.

They are highly social birds, with the younger members of the family often helping to raise the next generation. A group can therefore include several generations living and working together.

They are also a bird worth noticing from a conservation perspective. Their numbers have declined in parts of their range, largely because of habitat loss and changes to the landscapes they depend upon.

So next time you're on safari and your guide says, Ground hornbill…”, look carefully.

You may just have been given a glimpse of one of Africa's most extraordinary living links to the past.

Southern Ground Hornbill.
The dinosaur of the savanna.

Exciting stories. Wild places. Big adventures.

OWL Safaris | Out of this World

23/09/2026

There is a part of Africa I’m itching to visit — Madagascar’s remote Masoala Peninsula.

The more I learn about this extraordinary corner of the world, the more intrigued I become. And after speaking to Nanette from Wild Expeditions, her enthusiasm and genuine passion for Masoala are contagious.

This is not your traditional safari destination. Here, rainforest meets the Indian Ocean, with the wild Masoala forest on one side and the waters of the Tampolo Marine Reserve on the other.

Days can be spent exploring on foot, by traditional pirogue or kayak, searching for lemurs, chameleons and some of Madagascar’s remarkable endemic wildlife. And after dark, the forest takes on a completely different character.

What really appeals to me is that Masoala feels like an adventure rather than simply a safari. Remote, wonderfully wild and very different from the destinations we know so well in southern and eastern Africa.

Masoala Forest Lodge, with Wild Expeditions, is definitely going onto my personal travel wish list.

Sometimes a conversation with someone who is genuinely passionate about a place is enough to make you want to pack your bags.

OWL Safaris — Out of this World.

If Masoala has caught your imagination too, get in touch with me at [email protected]
Let’s explore the possibilities of this extraordinary part of Madagascar.

22/09/2026

https://wetu.com/blog/owl-safaris-story-behind-the-journey