Lions; cubs, walks and stalks at Antelope Park

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Wednesday (3/8/10)
Up and at 'em early (again) we packed our gear back into the truck for a 7am departure. We stopped in Geweru picking up some supplies. We arrived at Antelope Park to an amazing reception drinks. traditional dance and music and a tour of the grounds. Antelope park is home to a Lion breeding program aimed at restoying Africa’s rapidly dimishing lion population. After viewing the activities DVD we signed up for a day of Lion experiences, made some calls home and had lunch in the sun by river.
Jez and Chris joined the staff for the daily soccer match and then it was time to play with the five week old cubs. The three cubs were just like three very large kittens, fascinated with the mop (that’s lion sized ball of wool!) and tackling each other. Our fifteen minutes seemed to fly and it was time for final photo’s (we’d only already taken a couple hundred) and to say goodbye before we knew it.
Next was the lion walk! This time we were accompanied by three nine month old cubs, Carly (ok it was spelt different but pronounced the same), Mika and Myonis. We embarked on the well practiced route with three guides, a couple volunteers and another six people with lots of stops for photo’s.
Our last activity was the Lion Stalk. A night drive aimed at watching a lion kill. We boarded the jeep and set off with four 24 month old hungry lions in the reserve just after dark with the hope of witnessing a kill. Unfortunately it wasn’t quite how we had imagined with the spotter doing most of the work having to coax the lions towards the wilderbeast, impala and zebra. After a couple magnificent chases … we realised wouldn’t be seeing a kill today.
We returned to camp to thaw out by the camp fire and a late dinner.

Thursday
With nothing planned for the morning we enjoyed a real sleep in and a very leisurely breakfast. It was a beautiful sunny day, we hired some rods and hit the bridge for a spot of fishing. It seemed the fish were more interested in showing off as they jumped left right and centre rather then eating. We packed the rods away until the evening and took to the canoes as the elephants reluntantly went on their morning swim. We sat within meters of these amazing giants as they went to consuming some of their 250kg of vegetation completely unfazed by (us) their onlookers.
Back to camp Carly and Eva relaxed in the morning sun whilst Jez and Chris set up another bush gym.
When our truck finially returned from what was to be a short trip into town we had a late lunch and set back out in the canoes to try our luck at the fishing again. With not even a single nibble we ditched the rods for some beers and took a self guided sunset cruise along the river.
We got back in time for a delicious buffet of roast wilderbeast, impala stew, salad, vege, roast potato and banana fritters for dessert! That evening we sat around the camp fire for a few more stories and we farewelled Twanda (our second driver who would be leaving us to join another truck in a few days time).

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Photos

Tawny eagle with 1 wing
Got his good side..

Comments

[Eden32]

Wow....this would be my holiday of a lifetime - Africa is my ultimate trip that im madly saving for, these photos are the best ive seen! Youre very lucky to have these memories, thanks for sharing. Vicky.

[Honeybadger Tours]

Zimbabwe is one of the best places to be in on holiday
I grow up in Harare and got my education in Nyanga and all my life was a tune of rural and urban Zimbabwe. I have done serveral tours around Zimbabwe. It is perfect every trip is a new one. HONEYBADGER TOURS has been and is doing around Zimbabwe tours on an English line and quality. As a trained Hunter l got sone cool bag of knowledge and experience that makes my clients love this place. Talk of Great Zimbabwe ruins, Victoria Falls, Hwange NP, nyanga NP, hotsprings and other facsineting places. Lions are