Is it just me who likes to have the noise of twittering birds, drinking elephants or rootling warthogs in the background while I work or pootle around? It transports me, subconsciously at least, to those wild destinations under the attention of the live feed and there is always the potential for something unexpected to happen.
In this blog post we have listed our favourite wildlife webcams to provide you with some escapism too.
*If you are feeling really crazy get them all running at once for a chaotic, impossible, cacophony of sounds from elephants in Kenya, hippos in Botswana and toucans in Panama.
**Disclaimer - we are not responsible for the likely loss of productivity that may result.
Ol Donyo Lodge - Chyulu Hills, Kenya
Ol Donyo Lodge is a luxury safari camp located in the Chyulu Hills between Kenya’s Tsavo and Amboseli National Parks. With the iconic Kilimanjaro as a backdrop and some of the continent’s last big tusker elephants within its 111,000 hectares of private land, it feels epic at every turn.
Walking safaris, mountain bike safaris, horseback safaris, and open vehicle safari drives are all among the activities on offer, while a Relais and Chateaux catering team is waiting to take care of you when you are back at the lodge.
Keep a look out for big tuskers through the webcam link from the lodge’s own hide webcam below.
Chobe Game Lodge - Chobe National Park, Botswana
Chobe Game Lodge has two webcams, one facing the Puku Flats and one overlooking the floodplain from the eastern deck of the lodge. Personally we prefer the Puku Flats webcam and it won’t take long for you to realise why Chobe National Park is so famous for its elephant populations.
Chobe Game Lodge is the only permanent lodge situated inside the national park and therefore you have privileged access to the park compared to the lodges outside of the boundary. It is a fairly substantial lodge with 44 rooms in total, meaning it can accommodate families and groups, as well as couples and still does a great job of making you feel special. As well as the location it is also unique in Botswana in that it has an all female guiding team and a fleet of electric wildlife viewing boats.
View the live Puku Flats webcam here
View the live Floodplain webcam here
Canopy Lodge - El Valle, Panama
If you are in need of a flash of something colourful and tropical to brighten your day, then look no further than the fruit feeder webcam at Canopy Lodge in Panama.
Located within just a few hours of Panama City in El Valle and among a lush rainforest it is a birdwatching paradise. Up to 300 species can be seen in the area, helped by the numerous feeders set up around the lodge as well as the expert guides on hand to assist with identification. Catering largely to birders the lodge is somewhat functional in design and it is all about the location, wildlife, friendly service and hearty meals.
Tau Game Lodge - Madikwe Game Reserve, South Africa
Madikwe Game Reserve is located in South Africa and despite being the country's fifth largest game reserve it is lesser known than some of the more famous safari areas, such as Kruger National Park or the Sabi Sands Private Game Reserve.
Located a 5-6 hour drive or short flight north-west of Johannesburg, Madikwe is special because not only can if offer fantastic wildlife viewing of the "Magnificent Seven" (the "Big Five" plus cheetah and wild dog) but it does so in a malaria free environment. Because of this it is particularly popular with families and the game reserve has a number of lodges and exclusive use houses that cater well for families even with very young children. It isn't just for families however and there are some stunning luxury safari lodges that will suit adults or honeymooners. Some of our favourites are Jaci's Tree Lodge, Madikwe Hills Private Game Lodge, Molori Safari Lodge and Impodimo Safari Lodge.
The live-stream webcam below is from Tau Game Lodge, one of the larger lodges in the reserve with 30 chalets, located in the north-west of the reserve.
Verreaux's Eagles - South Africa
As you might be able to tell from our logo, we love birds of prey here at Faran and Verreaux's eagles, also known as black eagles, are one of the most beautiful raptors you'll find on the continent. They prefer mountainous areas in order to hunt their favourite prey, the undeniably 'cute' rock hyrax.
Matobo National Park in Zimbabwe is thought to have the largest concentration of this impressive bird in the world.
Namib Desert Lodge - Namib-Naukluft National Park, Namibia
For something quite different head to the Namib Desert, keep a look out for oryx, ostrich, springbok, wildebeest and just perhaps a cheetah or brown hyena.
The Namib-Naukluft National Park is home to the famous Sossusvlei and Deadvlei salt pans as well as some of Namibia's iconic apricot sand dunes, the tallest of which is Dune 7, which stands at a towering 383 metres. The area is certainly one of the highlights on any trip to Namibia and it is often a first stop on a self-drive or fly-in trip travelling clock-wise from Windhoek and then onwards to Swakopmund or the wilds of Damaraland.
Some of our favourite lodges in the area are Namib Outpost, Dead Valley Lodge, Desert Hills Glamping Camp and Hoodia Desert Lodge.
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