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New Documentary! "Kalahari - The Hidden Gem"
Roland Steffen Roland Steffen

New Documentary! "Kalahari - The Hidden Gem"

I am pleased to announce that my latest documentary "Kalahari - The Hidden Gem" has just been released on my YouTube channel. The movie impressively tells the story of our time we spent in the Kalahari in Botswana in August this year and also about the famous book "Cry of the Kalahari" about a researcher couple who were the first people to live in the mysterious and legendary Deception Valley for five years in the 1970s.

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The pride of lions - Family Office
Roland Steffen Roland Steffen

The pride of lions - Family Office

The lion's pride paints a picture of unity, determination, and loyalty. It is not just a mere collection of lions; rather, it is a tightly knit community bound by blood and unwavering camaraderie. At the heart of the pride stands a magnificent male, the patriarch, his regal presence unmistakable.

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The amazing Yellow-billed Hornbill
Roland Steffen Roland Steffen

The amazing Yellow-billed Hornbill

The Yellow-billed Hornbill is a captivating bird species that graces the African savannah with its unique appearance and intriguing behavior. With its vibrant plumage and distinctive yellow beak, this avian beauty stands out among its feathered counterparts.

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Meerkats of the Salt Pans
Roland Steffen Roland Steffen

Meerkats of the Salt Pans

The mesmerizing beauty of the Magkadikgadi salt pan is only surpassed by the intricate lives of its inhabitants, particularly the charismatic meerkats that call this harsh desert landscape their home. Nestled within the heart of Botswana, these remarkable creatures have forged a remarkable existence amidst the daunting challenges that accompany life in this unforgiving habitat.

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Oryx - The spirit of the Desert
Roland Steffen Roland Steffen

Oryx - The spirit of the Desert

In the vast expanse of the desert, where unforgiving winds whisper secrets among the dunes, there exists a majestic creature known as the oryx. Embodying the very essence of the desert, the oryx is a symbol of resilience, adaptability, and grace in the face of nature's harshest trials.

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The Majestic Black-Maned Kalahari Lion - a unique encounter
Roland Steffen Roland Steffen

The Majestic Black-Maned Kalahari Lion - a unique encounter

It took us more than eight days in the Kalahari Desert in the south of Botswana, to find this rare lion with its typical black mane - the Black Mane Kalahari Lion. When it then suddenly stood in front of us in all its glory, it almost took our breath away.

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Kalahari Essentials!
Roland Steffen Roland Steffen

Kalahari Essentials!

Tomorrow evening we will fly to Botswana for the second time within a year. Last year we roamed the Okavango Delta and this time we are going for almost two weeks to the southern Kalahari. Afterwards we fly for a week to Zimbabwe to Victoria Falls and Mana Pools region - a very special place! To document the trip again photographically and cinematically, I have packed my most important hardware - The Kalahari Essentials!

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The Soul of Botswana - a film by Roland Steffen

The Soul of Botswana - a film by Roland Steffen

“You will never be able to leave Africa. It will always remain in your heart.”

This film documents the experience of a mobile safari in the Okavango Delta, Botswana in 2022.

All video and photo footage on land and in helicopters were taken between the end of May and the beginning of June 2022 in Botswana in the area of Chobe River, Savuti, Khwai Consession, Moremi Game Reserve and the Makgadikgadi Salt Pan by Roland Steffen.

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Moremi Game Reserve - part four of our mobile safari in Botswana

Moremi Game Reserve - part four of our mobile safari in Botswana

We spent the last three days of our Mobile Safari in the Okavango Delta at the Moremi Game Reserve. This is probably the most famous part of the Okavango Delta - and rightly so! Moremi Game Reserve is all about the big animals. Perfectly adapted to life on the water, antelope graze next to watchful buffalo on riverine meadows framed by mighty trees reaching into the sky, from whose branches leopard tails and paws dangle with relish.

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Khwai Concession - part three of our mobile safari in Botswana

Khwai Concession - part three of our mobile safari in Botswana

After three eventful days in Savuti, we drove further south to the Khwai Concession Game Reserve, where we spent another three days in a fantastic landscape on land and waterways. The Khwai Concession is a region in the north-eastern Okavango Delta boasting an impressive fauna. It is a superb alternative to the Moremi Game Reserve, which can be visited all year around.

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Savuti Game Reserve - part two of our mobile safari in Botswana

Savuti Game Reserve - part two of our mobile safari in Botswana

Our journey in Botswana started end of may 2022 at the Chobe River and led us south via Savuti, Khwai River to the famous Moremi Game Reserve, far down in the Okavango Delta. I already wrote about the first part at the Chobe River in the last blog entry. Here we are talking about a completely different landscape - the Savuti Game Reserve. We spent a total of three days at our Mobile Safari Camp in Savuti. Here are a few photographic impressions of the landscape and wildlife in Savuti.

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Chobe River - The beginning of a wonderful journey

Chobe River - The beginning of a wonderful journey

Our journey in Botswana began at the end of May 2022 in Kasane, more precisely at this legendary Chobe River. Botswana, like many other countries, still suffers from the pandemic or the lack of guests. For us, this was of course positive, because Kasane is otherwise overrun by tourists, as the Vic Falls are also a stone's throw away.

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Botswana - one week to go - the gear is ready!

Botswana - one week to go - the gear is ready!

After long weeks of optimization my photo and film equipment for Botswana is finally ready. When flying to Africa the size of the equipment is always a compromise between professional demand and allowed weight. In Botswana the small planes always have a weight limit and I always have too much weight...personally and in the bag ;-)

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