Special events for 2017 If you needed any more reason to visit the magnificent Gonarezhou NP in Zimbabwe, the folks at Chilo Gorge Safari Lodge have some wonderful events planned for 2017. 13-17 July – Wine and Wild Dog Weekend. Wine tasting with award winning wine maker Jeremy Bourg from Painted Wolf Wines combined with wild dog conservation presentations by[…]
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What kind of safari can you get for US$4,000? A short while ago we were contacted by some professional photographers from the USA. They wanted to go on safari in Africa, in particular they wanted to witness the great wildebeest migration, but their budget was tight; the cost must not exceed US$4,000 per person. Now, I can hear some of[…]
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Camps & Lodges with the WOW! factor Someone just asked me “What is your favourite camp in Africa?” How do I pick just one? I’ve been fortunate enough to stay in so many amazing places. Faced with this challenge and a few idle hours over the festive season I thought I’d try and at least narrow it down to a short-list.[…]
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Make 2017 the year you visit Zimbabwe For each of the past three years, one of the absolute highlights of my year has been the time spent in Zimbabwe. Despite the politics – and let’s face it the politics suck – Zimbabwe is the place to go for an authentic African safari. It’s got the wildlife, it’s got the scenery,[…]
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The Look Up A visit to the Look Up is always a highlight of a stay at Bomani, so we were all excited to be spending the afternoon there. We got there early so we could get inside before the elephants started arriving to make sure we didn’t deter them from coming to the pan. Once inside it was just[…]
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Gonarezhou, ‘Gonners’, as it is often referred to by those who love it, had been right at the top of my wish list for quite some time and now I was finally going to discover for myself why this park is so revered amongst safari purists.
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Hwange – An African Park in Crisis? Interview with Mark Butcher, Imvelo Safari Lodges Hardly a day goes by without another depressing story about the plight of Africa’s elephants. Elephant numbers across Africa are declining at an alarming rate under the onslaught of ivory poachers yet one National Park, Zimbabwe’s Hwange NP, faces an entirely different problem; its elephant population[…]
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Family Safaris in Africa It’s 2016 and January is already half gone. Can’t decide where to go for this year’s annual family holiday? Have you thought about taking them on safari in Africa? If you’re looking for a holiday that is active and interactive, where every day brings with something new to keep both adults and children happy then a safari[…]
Read moreHwange’s Dilemma (Please excuse the fact that this is a terrible over-simplification of the issue, but I’ve strived to keep it concise) Hwange is the largest Park in Zimbabwe occupying roughly 14 650 square kilometers. It is one of THE places to see elephants in Africa. According to a 2015 pan-African census it is home to 44,000 elephants, roughly 50% of[…]
Read moreNehimba Seeps – water throughout the year – naturally Zimbabwe’s Hwange NP is known as a place with very little natural year round water; a place where pumps are needed to keep water in the pans for several months each year. But the park is not entirely without natural, year round, water sources. During one of the game drives made[…]
Read moreThree days into my stay at Ngamo and I still haven’t seen any cats. I’ve heard them during the night and a couple of the guides reported seeing fresh tracks but no actual sightings yet. Perhaps it was down to the cold wind blowing across the Ngamo plains but we were lacking a bit of urgency this morning; still dawdling[…]
Read moreThe Heartbeat of Hwange On my recent visit to Hwange we were gathered for coffee before setting off on our morning game drive and – as you do – I asked one of the ladies if she had slept OK. She said that she had not, because the sound of the pump close to camp running all night disturbed her;[…]
Read moreBomani Tented Lodge and Camelthorn Lodge On my recent visit to Hwange I stayed in both Bomani Tented Lodge and Camelthorn Lodge. Although both are part of the Imvelo safari lodges portfolio, they could not be more different. Both camps are constructed on community land close to Hwange’s Ngamo gate, in the south east corner of the park. Where Bomani[…]
Read moreNgamo – a template for resolving human-wildlife conflict in Hwange NP You only have to spend a few minutes in his company to see that Mark Butcher, better known as ‘Butch’, is a man on a mission. That mission, in broad terms, is to ensure the survival of Zimbabwe’s Hwange National Park and its wildlife. Butch knows he cannot do it[…]
Read moreGreat to be back in Victoria Falls. It seems a bit busier than my last visit so tourism must be picking up which is terrific news. I’ve only got one night in Vic Falls this time, before I head off to Hwange NP, and rather than staying in the town itself I’ll be a short way outside town at Gorges[…]
Read moreThe introduction of a new ‘univisa‘ – one visa for both Zambia and Zimbabwe – has made safaris combining these 2 countries much less hassle. Arriving at Livingstone airport gave me my first opportunity to take advantage of the new univisa – a joint visa for Zambia and Zimbabwe. The arrivals hall at Livingstone is brand spanking new and a pleasure[…]
Read moreA couple of days ago I was very happy to receive this email from Will Hore-Lacy and his wife Jackie saying what a great time they had on safari in Zimbabwe. If you’re interested in reading more about their safari here are the links: Chundu Island The Hide – Hwange NP Bomani Tented Lodge – Hwange NP
Read moreOne of my favourite safari camps is Bomani Tented Lodge at Ngamo on the south eastern corner of Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe. For me, Bomani manages to combine all the necessary comforts of a first class camp without succumbing to gratuitous luxury. The accommodation is superb, with each tent looking out onto the surrounding plains, and the staff are[…]
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