AFRICA, PART 5: ZAMBIA(!), ZIMBABWE & VICTORIA FALLS

"I think we're landing in Zambia!  I didn't know we were going there!!"  And that was the entry to stop #5 on our African holiday (click here for previous). I knew the airport destination was called Livingstone (as in "Dr. Livingstone, I presume?"), but the Zambian part was a surprise.   It was a very short and somewhat costly stay.  Between the entrance visa paid at the airport, and then the additional fee paid at the border between the two countries, it was under an hour and about $220. Good news is we were ably met and guided (all pre-arranged by &Beyond) by Joseph for the Zambian part, and then handed off to Tinus to make sure we and our bags made it safely to The Elephant Camp in Victoria Falls.  The tariff for the Zambian-registered vehicle to continue over the border would have been prohibitive so this plan was employed. Crossing between Zambia & Zimbabwe First sight of the falls on airport approach above; view below from our terrace with the spray shooting up. Annie & Brad White are the general managers of the camp (like pretty much everything else in the area, part of Wild Horizons) and welcomed us upon arrival. We were shown to "tent" 3 -- sitting area, king bed, en suite bath, deck and plunge pool.  While considered luxury accommodations, these were very different than the two camps in South Africa, and about as close to camping as the hubby and I want to be at this stage in our lives -- for me, maybe ever. Above: our tent below: looking around to the deck and plunge pool. To give some context, when my sisters and I were young, we went on a family trip to Yosemite National Park.  The first time our dad had an insect encounter, we packed up and headed straight to Las Vegas. Not much has changed .. we are clearly not the camping types.   The Elephant Camp staff was terrific nonetheless and put up with the hubby's endless banter and attempted jokes so that's a very good thing. In particular, there was assistant manager Moses who the hubby  kept calling "the leader of our people." And no doubt the biggest challenge on this brief stay was "mosquito abatement" -- regrettably nothing we had (spray, wristbands, etc) did much good.  Mosquitoes were the clear winners in this battle.  At left:  those are towels folded in the shape of an elephant's head and trunk, holding a welcome note ...    Pinpointing our location ...  We had a wonderful encounter with Sylvester, a 7-year-old cheetah who was lucky to have been rescued after his family was killed.  He has been raised "domestically" and walks around on a leash.  I guess he was ready for a nap ... all 170 lbs of him.  We were so fortunate to have a guide by the name of Vusa lead us on our tour of the area.  Learning English is compulsory in his native Zimbabwe, and his was beautiful and articulate. We learned he previously had been with &Beyond where he met and subsequently married Thembi who works both as a masseuse and in guest relations at another area hotel. They have two young sons. I tell you this because no matter     Vusa and Thembi where we go, the life challenges are the same for most all when it comes to child rearing and relationships. Vusa even helped us navigate the gifts purchased from "Mr. Discount" outside of the falls.  The hubby had fun with that negotiation ... The powerful spray appears to blur the photo -- lenses must be regularly dried off.  Below, the hubby & Vusa deep in conversation.  Neither the coats nor umbrellas really do much to keep anyone dry.

Ode to Dr. Livingstone at left; above is one of the many rainbows visible through the spray

Left:  view of the lower area.   Those ropes suspended above the water are for the daredevils (clearly not us).   The photo above shows the contrast in the landscape just outside the spray's reach.  Dry as a bone .. Near the spray was a rain forest.

 

Above is a Vivid Monkey -- so called because his "bottom" (not really the name of the body part) is an absolutely gorgeous shade of blue.

Above is a baby baboon whose family was very close by (she didn't appear to have "permission" to venture far)

Four countries converge near Victoria Falls:  Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Zambia.  The falls straddle the two "Z" countries from the Zambesi River, which is the fourth longest in Africa after the Nile, Congo and Niger.

"Rush hour" on the Zambesi River -- on our sunset cruise

Male of this pod showing he's boss

 

As for us, this post was mostly written while sitting in the very modern Victoria Falls airport, eating pizza and waiting to depart for Johannesburg -- flight time a mere 1-1/2 hours (south). To be continued ... 

AFRICA,PART 4: THREE NIGHTS IN A PRIVATE GAME RESERVE

Tales of the recent trip to Africa continue with the next stop after our stay in Kruger National Park at Royal Malewane (see previous post). We were transported two hours southeast to Londolozi in the Sabi Sand Game Reserve.   Our camps: #17 Londolozi; #28 Royal Malewane Londolozi is a private concern, comprising 32 accommodations divided among five different camps (based on families with children, adults only, price range). The chef oversees food for all of the various areas. Our digs in the Tree Camp were similar to Royal Malewane -- living area, bedroom, deck with plunge pool and incredible bath including an outdoor shower. No TV anywhere which was a very good thing.  Happy to take a break.   This reserve has been in the same family since 1926 and comprises roughly 40,000 acres.  The company also operates a tracking academy where both trackers in training and/or those already working spend up to 10 hours a day learning how to find all the various animals -- perhaps by footprint but sometimes based on the sounds other animals are making.   Londolozi Tracker Academy Guests are awoken at 5:30am with a knock and (thankfully) coffee delivered prior to leaving on the 6am morning drive.  After a luscious breakfast upon return, the day was free. The evening drive departure depends on the time of year; for us it was 3:30 p.m. Prior to heading out, we were invited to convene in the bar area where a selection of lovely food was offered to tide us over until dinner. This is beginning to sound like a cruise ship (any other similarities definitely end there). Breakfast started like this ...  One of the high points of Londolozi was the hour offered in the photo studio with expert guidance on how to best edit some of my shots.  Of course I "had" to select a few which were printed on canvas and delivered to the room, beautifully wrapped for transporting home.  They looked like paintings .. It is a fabulous benefit of staying at this establishment as nearly everyone wants to capture the experience.  They also have a variety of cameras and powerful lenses available to guests to rent on the drives. Editing one of my photos with expert Roxy -- I was given a flash drive afterwards with the work we (she) had done. The hubby and I tried to stick to our guns of not comparing the two safari camps we were privileged to experience but rather savor them both.  If pressed, I would say it comes down to personal taste in decor or food; maybe making ongoing connections with other guests.  One would be hard pressed to find faults with either, given the attention to the smallest detail and level of luxury provided guests in the middle of vast African wilderness.  All I can say is this: If you have the opportunity, go. It is extraordinary. We were in the middle of an enormous herd of Cape Buffalo -- probably 500 in all.  They just kept coming and coming.  We had stopped for cocktails when the one below got a little too close so it back in the vehicle pdq. The spectacular scenery and colors The baby was no more than 6-8 weeks Maribou Stork -- hand's down the ugliest bird. Ever. And nasty.  Cocktail hour was interrupted when this Cape Buffalo got a little too close; one of about 500 in a nearby herd. Even in repose, the undisputed King of the Jungle night and day ...   This beauty is full grown; about 7-8 years old.  Below, doing her stretches. Fortunately for the guests, the animals have grown up around the safari vehicles and thus are unfazed.  Still, great caution is taken for the safety of all.   And this was how we left Sabi Sand for a larger airport in Nelspruit en route to the next stop: Zimbabwe.  This "airplane" was piloted by two very young men (they looked about 12).  The first landing attempt was aborted due to antelope on the runway ... something one doesn't see everyday.  More to follow as we continue our journey.

AFRICA, PART 3: LUXURY SAFARI IN KRUGER NATIONAL PARK

The lead-up and anticipation prior to a safari is exciting and filled with anticipation.  One can look online and talk to friends who have been; experiencing it first-hand is an entirely different story.

The third stop on this African holiday took us north after our the wonderful days in the Cape Winelands (see previous post). One could call Hoedspruit an "airport," but it's really nothing more than a series of connected landing strips and a small building surrounded by fencing to keep the animals out.  Rudi, our guide for the next couple of days, greeted us and handled our duffels (in keeping with the reduced baggage allowance).  

Can't you just see Simba on that cliff??	Deplaning at Hoedspruit
Quite the modern technology;  kind of like the scoreboard at Fenway Park	With Rudi, our guide for the stay who also does airport runs

Forty minutes later, we were warmly welcomed at Royal Malewane by the GM and assorted personnel with a cool towel and tropical drink. This safari camp is also part of The Royal Portfolio; after our stay at their sister property in the wine area of Franschhoek, we knew we were in for a treat.  Lunch on the terrace (with buffalo in sight) included orientation, and then we were off on our first safari drive. Nothing is mandatory in the schedule, of course, but it would seem rather silly to come all this way and not participate.  The 5:30 a.m. wake-up call for 6:15 departure may sound a bit like boot camp, but I've never known one with luxury accommodations, service and cuisine.

Quite the welcome ..

Beautifully and warmly decorated accommodations.  We were free to walk to our room during the daylight, however guests must be escorted by camp personnel after dark ... lots of critters around that might not be friendly.

Hangin' outside the camp kitchen; couldn't care less about us; below: looking out to the grounds from the spa area.

We were in luck right off the bat, with a number of giraffe, elephants and rhinos all congregated around a mud hole.  Sage advice was proffered:  ... don't miss the experience of being on safari by being glued to whatever device you are using.  Cells were allowed for photos only but had to be on mute. The high point was a rare sighting of a black rhino; only about 20% of visitors are able to do that. To us lay people, the rhinos (black and white) looked pretty much the same -- the name has nothing to do with their color... 

Honestly, he looked the same to me .. we were told the mouth has a different shape than the white rhino.

They love a good mud bath ...

The days are long.  Coffee and a light bite is served prior to the first drive of three hours or so.  A beautiful breakfast awaits on return, and then the day is free to do as you wish (exercise, spa visit, etc).  The afternoon drive heads out at 3:30 and dinner is served after the return.  There were candlelit terraces one night; a short drive to a tent the next where we were greeted with champagne, traditional African dancing and buffet. Every wine and spirit is available, and the staff is always quietly present.  They really serve "with pleasure."

The lighting is extraordinary; once the sun set, it seemed like every star in the sky was visible

Cocktails and snacks at sunset on the drive

When one thinks of staying in a hotel, typically included is daily maid service, with the next level being turn-down upon request, then to automatic turn-down plus maybe some amenities in the room. Then there are these camps where (invisible) staff were in the room every time we left --sometimes four or five times each day. Oh, and laundry is beautifully washed and ironed -- at no charge.

The primary goal of going out on the drives is to provide guests with sightings of the "big five" -- originally so designated as the most difficult animals hunted on foot, but now regarded as the most desired to be photographed by safari-goers.  They are: African lion, African leopard, Cape buffalo, black/white rhinos and African elephant. Expert ranger Rudi, along with tracker Jonas, led us for all of the drives, and they were extraordinary.  Sightings cannot be guaranteed. But with cooperation via short-wave radio -- not only with our camp's other vehicles but with neighboring camps as well -- information is shared regarding the best direction to see the animals.  The experience was remarkable. Some animals were more cooperative and abundant than others which can merely be a matter of timing.   The pictures tell it best....

Zebras, although there they are called Zabras (long "a")

That's what happens when you don't listen to your mama. The vehicle at top indicates how close we were.

Hippos were a frequent sight outside the water -- a prolonged drought is not giving them much choice.

Talk about having a target on one's back ... one of the many types of antelope

The experience in the vehicle is akin to "Transformers" -- up, down and through steep terrain.  Jonas is using a machete to cut through brush to get us closer to a leopard.

The birds aren't just along for the ride; they are performing a service by removing ticks from the rhino's back.

Analyzing tracks so as to find animals for us to view

That's me in the mirror -- forever taking photos.

Candlelit dinner on the terrace

Above, the greeting after we were driven to a tent for dinner; menu at right.

Sisters?  Girlfriends?  Not sure about these two beauties.

The elusive leopard -- very hard to see in the brush.  This young lady was about 18 months old.

Our very compatible group: Bonnie & Jay from NJ; newlyweds Major & Marta from Cabo; with Rudi & Jonas

We HATED to say goodbye ...

Next post: we head two hours southeast to private game reserve Sabi Sand to stay at Londolozi.  We vowed not to compare the game viewing with this stay in Kruger, but I'll weigh in on the difference in the accommodations, etc....