Zimbabwe

Our first stop in Zimbabwe was Matopos, famous for its Rhinos and national park.  Poaching is still a major problem here as rhino horn can fetch up to $100,000 per kilo and an average horn weights 10 kgs.  However, Zimbabwe has introduced a shoot on sight policy and there are over 50 rangers constantly patrolling the rhinos in order to protect them. 

We had the opportunity to trek after the rhinos and were lucky enough to see seven.  We also saw the amazing rock formations in the national park and the cave paintings from thousands of years ago.

Andrew getting a good viewpoint for the rhinos

David getting a good shot of the rhino

White rhino

A short drive took us to Antelope Park, a private game reserve.  We spent a few nights here, enjoying the relaxed atmosphere of the camp and getting up close and personal with the wildlife.  Antelope Park have been running a program over many years to try and reintroduce lions back into the wild.  As such, we were able to walk with lions that are used to humans, as well as witness lions being fed.  Some of the group also went out at night and were lucky enough to see lions hunting.

Alison playing with an elephant

Alison with a lion

Jan stroking a cat

Sissy and her horse

Steve playing with an elephant

Tony & Lee at one with the wildlife

To entertain us we created a hair dressing salon.  Tony went for a purple Mohawk, whilst Bruce decided on purple facial hair.  Purple was the only hair dye available at our salon.

Bruce having his facial hair dyed purple

After all the fun with wildlife, we had a bit of culture, and visited Great Zimbabwe, the second oldest historical site in Africa – only second to the pyramids of Egypt and the north of the continent.  Myself and Tony stayed behind to do breakfast for the group.  There were a lot of monkeys around trying (and sometimes succeeding) to steal our food.  But we were prepared with our water pistols! We also made a special breakfast for our Irish contingent….

Horse riding was not available so we improvised and used Tony.  It turns out Tony hasn't been broken in, and so Sissy fell off.

Irish breakfast - green porridge with a potato on top

Then we were off to the Bvumba mountains.  A beautiful spot for walks and relaxing, and our last stop in Zimbabwe before heading to the beaches in Mozambique…

Em & Ciara taking refuge from the flies at a lunch stop

Leanne & Ciara having lunch under a mozzie net to try to avoid the flies

Zambia & Botswana

From Malawi we headed to Zambia and a bit more animal spotting at South Luangwa National Park.  We stayed at a lovely campsite on the bank of the river, where we could see hippos and elephants amongst other animals.

Monkeys in the camp at South Luangwa

Walking safari in South Luangwa

A couple of drive days took us to Livingstone and the mighty Victoria Falls.  The campsite was very nice, it had not one but two swimming pools!  One overlooking the Zambezi River, the other in the gardens.  Unfortunately, Zambia is having severe electricity shortages at the moment and power is not supplied for 8 hours every other day.  Which means most places run their electricity from their own generators every other day.  So the nice peaceful campsite sounded more like the runway at Heathrow every other day.

It is dry season at the moment, so the water levels on the Zambia side was pretty low.  But that did mean that people could go to Devils Pool – a natural rock pool on the top of the falls where you can swim right to the very edge of the falls and look over.  The rocks form a natural barrier to stop people going over the edge.  But the rocks don’t stop cameras from going over the edge….

The water was more impressive from the Zimbabwe side of the falls, so many people took a trip to Zimbabwe.  Not only to see the falls, but to enjoy a typical overlanding activity – high tea at a fancy hotel!

Overlanding has gone posh

Bruce & Lee having high tea

There was lots going on at Victoria Falls, helicopters over the falls, walks, Devils Pool, white water rafting, microlight flights.  But we still managed to find time for some pool action and water fights.  The water pistols we bought were a great investment – hours of fun!

Lenny & Ciara

Lee & Bruce enjoying an iced coffee

Still a way to go!

After three days of enjoying all that Livingstone and Victoria Falls had to offer, we headed to Botswana.  We spent a couple of nights at a campsite on the river, a very beautiful and serene spot – until 3am when the hippos started chatting amongst themselves.  We took a boat safari along the river, spotting lots more wildlife along the way.

Boat safari in Chobe

Tony & Ciara relaxing on the river safari

Hippo

We then spent a couple of nights at Elephant Sands – a camp & lodge in the plains of Botswana.  They have a water hole for the elephants, and as there is such a water shortage across the region at the moment, there were constantly elephants walking around the camp looking for the water.  Luckily they also had a TV there, so we were able to watch the World Cup final.  A little difficult at times to hear the commentary over the noise of the elephants… But well done New Zealand! 

An elephant came into the bar for a drink

We also celebrated Halloween at Elephant Sands.  Pumpkins and fancy dress outfits are a bit difficult to find out here, so we improvised.  Pumpkin carving became, pumpkin, melon, squash or apple carving.  And we all made masks using paper plates.  Wilma’s zebra was by far the most creative.

Halloween pumpkin, melon, squash and apple carving

Wilma and her paper plate zebra mask

Lee & Tony having a swimming race... minus the water in the pool

Killian keeping cool in the heat of Botswana

The gang at Elephant Sands

Tony & Killian hiding so the elephants don't see them

We left Elephant Sands to head to Maun, where we had one nights before heading into the Okavango Delta.  We took traditional Mokoro boats in, and then set up a bush camp in the middle of the delta.  Many people also took a helicopter flight over the delta to appreciate the scale of this beautiful area.

After this, it was time for us to leave Botswana, heading to one final overnight stop in Nata before crossing the border into Zimbabwe. 

Jacq admiring the many types of flora in the delta

Killian in the helicopter above the delta

Mikkel & Geoff being poled through the delta

Sissy & David

Steve & Andrew looking comfortable in their mokoro on the delta