Into the bush!!! Hwange National Park

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First safari camp/Little Makalolo
After 2 nights in Victoria Falls, getting used to being out of the desert, we were anxious to begin our safari. We headed back to the airport wondering what was ahead of us. We checked in at a small counter in the small airport and had a seat. We were waiting for the other passengers to arrive before we could take off. The other party turned out to be a family of 3; an American couple visiting their daughter who was in the country for 6 months, doing some volunteer work. Our pilot, whose name was Fortune (sounds lucky, doesn’t it?) introduced himself and walked us out to the plane. His previous job was as a pilot in the Zimbabwe Air force, where he flew MIG (Russian) jets. The plane we flew out on was a small Cessna. What a change…from MIGs to a Cessna. This was our first time in a plane this small and I was looking forward to the ride, but once I got a good look at how many people and how much luggage that small plane was expected to hold, I started to reconsider. It turns out that little plane had some secret compartments and enough room for us and our stuff. Of course, some of those stowage areas turned out to be on our laps, which is where our backpacks ended up. Our whole group was heading in the same direction, us to a small safari camp and the other 3 to a larger camp just a few kilometers away. The flight lasted about an hour and I had read on the internet that the flights to your safari camp could be part of the entertainment; seeing animals and the geography. It turned out we flew way too high to see much of anything but once we started descending the excitement began. On our final approach to the landing strip (which was a paved strip with nothing around it except the outhouse) we saw an elephant leaving a watering hole and disturbed 2 ostrich who were hanging out around the airstrip. Okay, we’re really in Africa now!

After prying ourselves out of the plane, were where met by the safari camp guide. Foster turned out to be a really a great guy; he started out our friendship by offering us a cool moist towel and an even cooler beverage. He stowed our luggage in the land rover and as soon as the plane took off (bye Fortune) we were on our way. Our safari vehicle was pretty comfortable and it reminded me of the truck from “The Beverly Hillbillies” TV show. It was a Land Rover with tiered seating and a canvas cover, providing shade if you wanted it. Foster immediately started giving us the standard spiel of what we were looking at, as he drove us to our new home. We were both pretty wide eyed and trying to believe we were really on safari, we both kept giving each other looks that said “Can you believe we are really on safari?”

We drove maybe just a few minutes before we started seeing wildlife. They were everywhere! Just on the 15 minute drive to the camp we encountered elephants, zebra, cape water buffalo, 2 types of small antelope and some birds; and this was all without using our binoculars! On our arrival to the camp, the whole staff turned out to greet us. We were offered more drinks and given an introduction briefing; mostly safety information so we didn’t get hurt or do anything stupid. Rule #1 being most important! Don’t go anywhere after dark (outside your tent) without an armed escort! At first I thought this might be a silly rule to make your stay seem more exciting….oh no. On looking at the ground in the camp and on the way to our tent, we noticed all types and sizes of animal prints, elephant, buffalo, baboon and others I couldn’t recognize. You don’t want to meet up with them alone and in the dark; this isn’t the zoo and you are on their territory. If there’s a showdown, you would lose.

At our safari camp we stayed in a tent but this wasn’t like any camping we’ve ever done before! There was a lounge tent which housed a small pub area, a lounge (living room), coffee/tea area and our dining table. The furniture was comfortable and the sofa was situated to allow a good view of the watering hole, about 50 yards away. You could see plenty of wildlife without even leaving the area. There was always a parade of animals cruising through and the animal behavior we saw was so fascinating. At the watering hole most of the animals were in groups and they would all take their turn. The elephants always had priority of course; they didn’t wait for anyone. But the other species did. If the hole was occupied when they arrived they just waited off to the side until they could take their turn, very politely.

Our own tent was just a short walk away and although it may have had canvas for walls and a ceiling, that was about as close as it came to resembling a tent. We had ceramic tiled floors, softened by a tatami mat type carpet and full plumbing with a sink/vanity area and shower; also a king size bed with ceiling fan. Each tent comes stocked with a full selection of soaps, shampoos, sunscreen and insect repellent as well as an emergency air horn. They make sure you know what constitutes an emergency. It’s not when an animal is outside your tent, it’s when an animal is INSIDE or trying to get inside your tent that you hit the air horn and turn on your tent lights. The guides and staff will all come running at full speed with their guns ready!

Mike was awoken one night by what we think was a herd of Cape buffalo, feasting on the grass and bushes that surrounded our tent. He said it sounded like 50 people eating corn nuts, all at the same time and you standing in the middle of them.

Once we where settled in, it was 3pm and Tea Time. This would include a beverage of your choice, accompanied by sweet cakes, scones and quiche or something light. After tea it was time for our first game drive. We grabbed our binoculars, piled in the Land Rover and started our drive thru Hwange National Park with Forest pointing out the animals and evidence of animals who had once been there (whether it was skeletons, tracks, rubbings or scat/poop) and plant life. The amount and variety of animals we saw was phenomenal. Everywhere we looked there was something to see. It reminded me of a children’s cartoon where you have to find all the animals hidden in a drawing and when you really look closely they are hidden everywhere; it was this way in the bush. Just on our first game drive we saw hippo, warthog, elephants (lots of elephants), zebra, sable antelope, genet cats, lions, wildebeest, hyena, ostrich, jackal, buffalo, eagle and impalas. Most of them very close up; we’re talking just 20 feet away. The afternoon was flying by and we were just blown away by what we were seeing. As the sun began to set, we received a radio call that some lions had been sighted by the neighboring safari camp. Forest kicked it into high gear; we held on tight (there are no seat belts in those Land Rovers) and took off. In our area there were 2 prides, one was a family group of 13 with many small cubs and the second was a group of 5 littermates (4 years old), that hadn’t gone their own ways yet. We saw the second group. They were lounging on the road and the first game driver almost ran over them before he saw them. They walked right next our land rover; very, very close. We watched them for about 30 minutes then they started moving in the direction of the open plain area where we knew some antelope and wildebeest were grazing. We drove out to the area we thought they might come out at with the anticipation of them doing some hunting. We found a good spot from which to view the plain in front of a large termite hill and pulled up.

By this time it was now dusk, so Forest and the other guide prepared for “sundowners”. They had a portable bar, cooler of beverages, selection of wine and liquor and even a tray of appetizers for passing around. So, there we were in the middle of the Zimbabwe bush drinking wine, eating cheese and admiring our view of the sunset on the African plain; animals all around us. Surreal and hard to believe. As it became dark, something seemed odd. We all stopped chatting and looked up……not 10 feet away was a very large bull elephant, hiding behind a very skinny tree. Now this is an interesting phenomenon. First, that elephants (as big as they are) can even sneak up on you without you hearing them, and second, that they think they can hide behind a tree (skinny tree at that) and not be seen. But they actually do this; time and time again. Of course, the presence of the elephant shut us up immediately. It was the first night in the bush for all of us and the fact that such a BIG elephant was so close to us was a bit frightening. We had a stare down for a few minutes before the elephant decided we weren’t worth looking at any more, and ambled off. We nervously laughed a bit and went back to our drinks, keeping an eye out for the lions. Now one thing the bush doesn’t have is bathrooms; no porta-johns, out-houses (you get the picture). It does have plenty of bushes and many large termite mounds. I asked Mike to come with me for company and we ventured behind the large termite mound we were parked in front of. By this time the sun was pretty much gone and it was getting difficult to see. I selected a spot and just as I started to loosen my drawers, I felt and heard a “boom” “boom” “boom”…..we looked up and realized we had company…the bull elephant had decided to come back…..he stood just 10 feet away; not looking very friendly. He then stamped his big feet again, let loose with a very loud trumpet, threw his trunk and BIG TUSKS in the air and CHARGED!!!!!!!

Now, if I was mean I would stop this story right here and make you wait for the next installment. But I won’t, after all, I still have to pee. I grabbed my britches and we started a brisk retreat back to the car! At the same time, the guides came running around the mound to save us. (love those guys) Seems the elephant was giving what they call a “false” charge. He stopped after a few steps but it felt very “real” to me. Nothing false or fake about it in my mind. I waited until we got back to camp to use the facilities that night. It’s difficult to pee in the bush when your knees are shaking like dice in a cup. Our guides had to throw rocks and yell at the elephant before he decided he had scared the skinny white tourist lady enough for one night and then turned to go on his way. Mike, well, he remained calm and didn’t even spill his glass of wine. I almost spilled, well, we won’t say what. So ends our first night in the African bush….not.

For some reason the original plan of waiting and hoping the lions would show up just flew out of our heads. Once we calmed down from our own special elephant encounter Foster packed away our glasses, loaded the cooler and us into the Land Rover and headed back to camp. The drive back was just as entertaining as the drive out. Foster had a large handheld spotlight he used to see animals; one hand on the wheel and one holding the spot. It wasn’t the usual white light used by police cars, it was a softer red light which didn’t spook or freeze the animals in place. When they showed up in the spot, they would look at the light for a few seconds and then just go on about their business. It was much slower going on the return trip. Some areas the road were filled with elephants and we had to wait until they opened up a space for us to drive through their group. We now saw a whole different type of animals; the nocturnal (night) group was out now and this was when we saw our first spotted hyenas.

We reached camp around 7pm just in time for supper. On arrival, the staff was there to greet us with flashlights and “welcome back” smiles. We were offered refreshments and then shown to our seats as the chef announced the evening’s menu. It was time to eat! The atmosphere reminded me of a buffet in a very nice restaurant, with silver chaffing dishes, linen napkins and great service. There was about 1 staff member for 2 or 3 guests which guaranteed excellent service. We were sharing the camp with a family of 5 who lived in the capital of Zimbabwe. He was in the tobacco industry and their 3 children were all 11 and above. While sharing supper conversation I couldn’t help but hear the sound effects coming from the vicinity of the water hole. It sounded like the elephants and a large cat were having a strong difference of opinion. Foster explained the cats (lions and leopards) usually came to drink after dark and the elephants didn’t like the cats around their babies so they would try and drive them away from the water. The rest of the meal proceeded without any more loud interruptions from the scenery. Once we finished dessert, we left the table and had our final drinks and chats at the campfire. We headed for our tents around 9:30, escorted by Foster and his trusty rifle. As we snuggled into our king-size bed we once again had to keep telling ourselves; yes, we really where in Africa, on safari. Zzzzzzzzz……..

The next day started at 6AM with Foster coming by to wake us up. Our breakfast was at 6:30 around the campfire. Hot beverages, cereals, toast and hot porridge (oatmeal or cream of wheat). The biggest surprise…it was COLD! Real, see your breath type cold! We were in AFRICA; what’s with the weather? We were also below the equator which means their seasons are opposite of ours. July is their winter. By 7 we were finished and in the Land Rover for our morning game drive. Thankfully they did provide us with heavy, flannel-lined ponchos or we would have been miserable. We didn’t anticipate such cold weather and the warmest clothing we brought were thick sweaters.

Our game drive was cold, clear and fun. We were able to get a better look at the water holes. Normally in the dry season the water holes eventually dry up but at our location the national park had installed a well and water pump to keep the hole supplied with water ensuring the presence of animals which ensured the presence of tourists looking at the animals. Midway through the morning we stopped for tea. Foster laid out the cups for hot beverages and some biscuits to nibble on. We were out 4 hours this time and returned to camp at 11:00 for brunch.

After brunch it was siesta time. We could have the time to ourselves or spend an hour or 2 at one of the observation blinds. There were 2 blinds at our camp to watch the animals from. Once was a metal cage right in front of the water hole and covered with logs and brush so the animals could ignore you; the second was a platform in a tree overlooking the hole. The platform didn’t sound like such a great idea because there were baboons in the area and they liked to play around the tree platform.

Tea was at 3pm where it was beverages accompanied by something sweet and savory to choose from. Then off again at 3:30 for another game drive. This time we were on the hunt for some rhino. We drove out to a gorgeous open plains area with palm trees dotting the horizon. Looking around us we saw giraffe, warthog, wildebeest, antelope and baboons but unfortunately, no rhino. Once again we had sundowners but with less excitement this time and got back to camp at 8pm. The family of 5 moved on that day and the new guests were a couple from Paris who traveled the world, filming documentaries on animal behavior for the French version of Animal Planet and 3 older people from the states. The French couple were quiet at first; their English hesitant but once you got them talking they had great stories to tell. All we had time to listen to was when they swam in a shark cage filming great white sharks off the coast of South Africa and the time they had to face down a bear in British Columbia, Canada. No rhino!

The next day was quieter. It had gotten pretty cold and the animals had retreated to the forest for warmth so the game drives were not as exciting. We chose to try spending some time in the blind at the water hole that afternoon and the Americans joined us. Foster expected a large group of elephants and buffalo to show up but we were disappointed. The only activity I was able to observe was the old American guy, playing with his digital camera, reviewing his pics and letting it ‘chime’ constantly.

Our afternoon game drive started out slow, but towards dusk it got quite exciting. We saw a rare striped hyena then drove to a different watering hole just before sunset. Forest promised us we would see not only elephants, but MANY elephants. As we drove up to the area we saw a large cloud of dust. There were so many elephants surrounding the water hole we had to drive very slowly to get through the crowd and work our way up to the shelter. Foster got us as close to the blind as he could and we stepped from the truck right into the blind.

Groups of elephants numbering about 60 or so were there drinking, rolling in the mud and spraying water; alongside was a herd of Cape buffalo. The elephants kept them away from the water hole by pushing them and spraying them with water. The shelter had a few wooden chairs and a small table inside. We got comfortable, Foster bringing out the “sundowners’ and snacks. We were totally surrounded by the elephants, some of them no more than 10 feet away from where we sat. As the sun started sinking below the horizon, the sight was like something from a postcard. The trees and elephants had become large, dark figures; back-lit only by the setting sun. We stayed there, watching, until the sun had set and we could no longer see, but only hear them. What a treat!

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Photos

The watering hole
We could sit in the lounge tent and watch the parade of animals to the watering hole.

Mike resting on the Land-Rover
The Land-Rover was used on Safari drives. Very bouncy, but the view was great!

Our rover in the air
our means of getting from one camp to the other. One bumpy ride!

LIttle Makololo lounge tent
All of the meals were eaten here. Plus lots of lounging.

Early morning breakfast
Hot cereal and tea to hold us over until we returned from our morning safari drive.

The elephants have right of way
They aren't kidding folks! This is the path to our tent. It's behind the trees on the right.

Lions at dusk
Odd feeling, having them just 20 feet away and nothing between.

Elephants & water buffalo
That pile of brush in the background is the blind we were sitting in.

Elephant herd
They were everywhere and yes, they are big.

Hwange N.P. Open plains
There are zebra, wildebeest, warthogs and 3 types of antelope in this picture.