THE adventure began as soon as I checked in at Ivory Lodge.
A smiling porter offered to carry my suitcase to my room and promptly disappeared out into the bush. I followed him along a winding path to the treehouse which was to be my home for the next two nights. As I climbed the ladder to my room I heard a strange grunting sound coming from the surrounding trees. “Baboons,” said the porter. “Don’t worry, they can’t get past the electric fence.”
He pointed to the three-foot high wire which was the only thing separating me from the 35 species of large mammal which inhabit Zimbabwe’s Hwange National Park. I was not convinced.
The Ivory Lodge is one of several private lodges situated around the perimeter of Hwange and is featured by UK safari operator United Touring Company. Lodges offer varying levels of comfort ranging from basic to deluxe. The Ivory Lodge strikes a good balance, catering for creature comforts with good home cooking and private bathrooms with running water while offering an authentic taste of the African bush.
The sleeping accommodation, or ‘nests’ as staff at the lodge prefer to call them, are raised above the ground on stilts and are partly open-sided allowing a cool breeze and a host of insects to circulate freely around the room.
Obviously electric fences held no fear for the 1,800 different species of beetles, moths and mosquitoes who had decided to hold their annual convention around the lightbulb in my bedroom. I set to work with a can of Doom in each hand and after annihilating most of the African ozone layer, decided to retire behind the safety screen of my mosquito net for the night.
I awoke to a beautiful and deafening dawn chorus at 5am. The insects had mysteriously disappeared and I prepared myself for some wildlife encounters of a more rewarding kind. UTCoffers its clients the chance to prebook early morning and sunset game drives or alternatively they can be booked through the lodge.
Over the next two days we were lucky enough to tick three of the so-called Big Five off our list. The zebra and wildebeest were plentiful, we caught a distant glimpse of a lone giraffe but the big cats remained elusive. Some of the most magical encounters were with herds of elephant by the roadside who instinctively drew back to back in a circle protecting the smaller members of the herd from our curious stares.
Most tourists come to Zimbabwe for the wildlife but it is also possible to arrange excursions to the local craft village, farmstead and school. The half-day trips give a fascinating insight into the lives of people who eke out an existence in this difficult environment and are well worth the effort.
One of the highpoints for me was a walking safari around the outskirts of the lodge. Our guide Musa, a former leopard hunter, knew the bush inside out and gave us a fascinating insight into bush survival – how to tell an elephant’s age from its footprints, the medicinal properties of various plants and tips on extracting drinking water from elephant dung. The male members of our group stood transfixed in front of the legendary sausage tree. Among the tree’s fabled properties is the ability to enlarge the sexual organs.
Provided you don’t have a phobia about flying insects, a stay in a safari lodge is one of the best ways to experience the African wilderness.
You may have to sacrifice air conditioning and resign yourself to sharing your shower with a frog, but the payoff is an experience of the bush at close quarters which is unforgettable.
n United Touring Company offers a two-night stay at the Ivory Lodge including local transfers and full-board accommodation for $230 per person.
A six-night safari package featuring two nights in Lake Kariba, two nights in a safari lodge in Hwange and two further nights in Victoria Falls will cost $1,200 per person excluding air fares.
Air Zimbabwe
Air Zimbabwe is to introduce a weekly flight from Gatwick to Victoria Falls in the New Year.
The direct flight, using a Boeing 767, will ease frustration on the part of long-haul passengers from Europe who have previously had to change to a domestic flight in Harare.
The aim is to align Victoria Falls more closely with Zimbabwe product.
Often Victoria Falls is sold as an add-on to a South Africa package accessed from Johannesburg using Comair.
Previously Air Zimbabwe has serviced Victoria Falls, Kariba and Hwange National Park with domestic flights from Harare.
Its aim, through the direct flight from London which is scheduled for Fridays, is to put more of an international focus on Victoria Falls.
safari add-ons
Victoria Falls: the African name for this natural wonder is the ‘smoke that thunders’ and long before you reach the falls you can see the spray clouds and hear the water falling.
For a small entrance fee, visitors can admire the Falls from a walking trail on the opposite side of the gorge. Helicopters and twin-engine aircraft make regular 12-15min flights over the Falls. Net rate for a helicopter flight is about US$70.
The town of Victoria Falls is a busy tourist hub and a major starting point for safaris, whitewater rafting along the Zambezi river and bungee jumping from the Victoria Falls Bridge. There is accommodation to suit all budgets but for a specialoccasion the colonial elegance of theVictoria Falls Hotel is hard to beat. Rates are from US$186 per person per night
Visitors can enjoy a display of traditional dancing at the local craftvillage followed by a meal at the Boma Restaurant – a spectacular wooden structure with dancers, a resident witch doctor and local specialities such as boma worm casserole and ostrich kebabs.
Whitewater rafting on the Zambezi: strictly for adrenaline junkies, the Zambezi offers some of the most hair-raising rapids in the world. Full and half-day excursions depart daily from the town of Victoria Falls. There is some fairly strenuous climbing involved. A full day costs around US$100 net.
Zambezi River Cruise: a more sedate way of enjoying the river. Opt for a 2hr breakfast, lunch or sunset cruise and watch out for families of hippos, lone crocodiles and other wildlife basking on the riverbank. Cost is about US$40 net
Lake Kariba: the second largest man-made lake in the world. One of the best ways to enjoy the lake is on a sunset cruise. You can also walk across the imposing Kariba Dam and visit the nearby interpretation centre to find out more about its construction. There are several lakeside lodges and the opportunity for game viewing along the lakeshore either by canoe or on foot.