Hwange Bush Camp

The baboon tree.

Zimbabwe, Africa adventure continued. Quick link to video (best viewed landscape).

I'm going to try to make this quick as this trip was back in April and I've fallen way behind in posting this blog and creating the video. Editing the photos and putting the video together takes way longer than I think it will. Besides that, summer in Minnesota is the time to get out and about and I have been trying to do just that.

Back to the adventure and this is now Day 9. We flew in a very small plane from the east side of Hwange National Park to the middle of the Park. It was pouring rain as we landed at Robins' Airstrip. We were met by Sean and Ant (Anthony) who would be our assistant guides (think Marlin Perkins and Jim from Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom- you'll meet Mr. Perkins in a bit) for the stay at Hwange Bush Camp. It was Ant's sixth day on the job at this Camp.

The Camp wild cat, Pavlov, on my lap.

The Camp is a semi-mobile setup in the middle of the Park. We actually never saw anyone else except one day we crisscrossed three times with another safari vehicle from a lodge several miles away. We were also the first guests of the season at the Camp and had it to ourselves with the amazing staff which included Sophie, the Camp manager and also married to Ant. She really made our stay so comfortable. She had gone to college in the United States!

Our accommodations were actual tents - rather luxurious tents - but actual canvas sides and tent poles. Showers were provided by ordering a bucket of hot water! There were flush toilets which I have no idea how that works. 

We each had our own tent which meant some alone time, but it also meant you had to sleep alone in the wilderness with strange noises and lights. You weren't allowed to leave the tent at night by yourself because we were in the wilds with lions and other possible scary animals. But the scariest thing was the frog that took up residence in Marlin's toilet! It took at least two catch-and-release programs to get it to stay away.

The mornings at Hwange Bush Camp were probably the earliest ones on our trip. We were awakened at 5am by a very gentle "good morning" from Samuel and escorted to breakfast by 5:30am with a 6am safari departure time.

Jeff, Dave, Cani, Pam, Sean, Susan, and Marlin
having coffee at the "Africa Tree"

Day 10 - first full day and a very long safari drive searching for lions. We did see a lot of other animals including black stork, great grey heron, roan antelope, hippo, wart hog, kudu, African grey hornbill, crocodile, reed buck, saddle-billed stork, and giraffe.

I don't remember going back to Camp but my notes indicate that we did. We were out again at 4pm to a large man-made watering pan and "meadow." We were constantly confusing and confounding Dave (our Marlin Perkins though much younger), who owns the Camp and another one in Botswana, with our questions and terminology. I think we almost brought him to the breaking point a couple of times.

On the way to the "meadow" we had an incredible encounter with a group of giraffes. (Watch the animal video (link below) to see the giraffes. Dave commented that with all the rains we brought the watering pan was now a true lake and the fullest it had been all season.

We saw lots of impala and zebras and a hippo sleeping on the shore. We did not see any lions. The drive back to camp was in the twilight after a particularly beautiful sunset. We came upon the giraffes again this time silhouetted against the orange sky. It was one of those moments we truly won't forget.

This turned out to be our first full day without rain and were able to see a sky full of stars. Ant pointed out the Southern Cross - remember we are south of the equator.

Day 11 was another early start.  We had a walking safari and were joined by Cani, Dave's personal assistant. Cani was a man of few words but obviously knew what he was doing. We tracked elephants for 3.3 kilometers though we never saw them but saw lots of indications they were close by. Again, think lots of trees and bushes and not a lot of open spaces. Also, you will notice that Dave and Ant carry rifles on our walking safari. This was for our protection with a pride of lions that do live in the area.

In the afternoon we returned to the "meadow" and stopped at the location where the Camp had previously been setup. Dave moved the Camp to its current location because the previous spot was too close to a lodge that was built in the Park. He showed us the remains of an elephant that had died or been killed the previous year. There was some skin and a few toenails still left.

Past the "meadow" we met a large herd of elephants, some with babies. We had to race back to Camp as the safari vehicles are not supposed to be out past 6:45pm.

Lion(ess) sighting.

Day 12 was our last day at Hwange Bush Camp. We were up early and as we were preparing to leave, Sean had a gut feeling that there were lions nearby. Dave sent him out to check and sure enough Sean found 2 lionesses on the move and radioed back to the Camp. Dave shouted for us all to jump in the truck and off we flew in pursuit. We had no idea these trucks could go that fast on the paths through the bush. Dave had really, really wanted us to see lions! We did see two lionesses as they trotted through the bush. It made a dramatic end of our stay.

Jeff, Pam, Marlin, Susan, Sean, and Ant
having coffee while we wait for the incoming plane.

Ant and Sean drove us back to Robins' Airstrip to meet our flight to Victoria Falls. Hwange Bush Camp is truly a magical place. To be setup in the midst of the African bush and feeling you are out there with just your group is so special. We cannot recommend this outfit enough.

Link to Hwange Bush Camp video.

Next stop...Victoria Falls Elephant Camp.

Link to the Africa Animal Video.

Link to the Africa Birds Video.

Link to the Amalinda Lodge blog post.

Link to the Khulu Lodge blog post.