Zimbabwe: Summer '07
This is the first season that Chris has run this multi-centre, activity-based photo safari. Taking in Zambia, Botswana and Zimbabwe - from the famous Victoria Falls to walking with Lions. Read all about the events as they unfold in the bush.
Happy landings ... but only just
20th August 2007
Everyone has arrived safely (inclusing, this time, my bags) but not without a scary moment for two of our team, who undergo a full emergency landing after trouble with the under carriage. In the event, everything was fine, but a cool G&T is a welcome soother of hearts and minds. In the afternoon, we head out for our first glimpse of the Victoria Falls. Only around 20% of the extent of the falls is visible from Zambia, but it's a worthy percentage, exploited by the setting sun.
River crossings
21st August 2007
An early start, as we head for Botswana and the Chobe river. We take a circuitous route through customs and, as the sun rises, we're on ourt pontoon boat in search of wading elephants. Large herds are spotted heading for the river and we sit and watch them in relative comfort. A small baby charges from the bush towards a group - but these are males and the baby is lost. Fingers crossed it finds it's family in time. Fish eagles, herons, pied kingfisher vie for air space, while in the river the crocs and hippos do their best to ignore each others presence. As the sun dips we say goodbye to Chobe and head for the Zim border.
A warm Zimbabwe welcome
22nd August 2007
Despite the current difficulties, Zimbabwe is a beautiful country and its people warm and welcoming. In the morning we seek again the falls, this time taking in the 80% invisible from Zambia. It's worth the short trek. The views are breathtaking and spectacular. There's no sign of Health & Safety having visited, as the paths and edge of the falls are unrestricted. Only common sense keeps you from the 100m drop! In the afternoon we head back to Zambia to fulfil what must be the best way to see the falls - from a helicopter, hovering high overhead. From the air, the full majesty of the scene hits you.
Rocks and rhino
23rd August 2007
We head on, to Motopos National Park, a place that's hard to describe but awesomely photogrenic. Our rooms are built into the granite caves and an evening walk takes us to the space-like landscape of granite outcrops. The following morning we head into the bush on foot to spend time with the resident white rhino - a new and very different photographic experience.
Colonel Harty’s crowd
25th August 2007
We are deep in Hwange National Park, one of Zimbabwe's last refuges for wildlife. Here the elephant herds number into the hundreds. There are 45,000 elephants in Hwange (more than 3x the number in Kruger) and I reckon over the next four days, we managed to see them all. They are matched by buffalo in similarly-sized herds. The waterholes the lifeblood of Hwange in the winter, and it's here that we find most activity. Rare sable and roan antelope mix with impala, zebra and giraffe, bending gymnastically for a drink. The cats are eluding us, however, and we nearly miss them ...
