• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer

Fish Eagle Safaris

Fish Eagle safaris

Contact

Logo
  • About
  • Destinations
  • Blogs
  • Newsletter
  • FAQS
  • Team
  • search
  • Contact
  • About
  • Destinations
  • Blogs
  • FAQS
  • Team
  • Contact
  1. home >>
  2. category>
  3. Area>

Area

Revisiting Victoria Falls

16th January 2025

Revisiting Victoria Falls

Three things stuck with me in the aftermath of our recent two-night stay in Victoria Falls:

The Victoria Falls Hotel

It is impossible to over-romanticize the Victoria Falls Hotel. From the arched name board across the entranceway to the unassuming yet oddly regal front door with its four interior pillars, it takes just a few minutes to enter a completely different world. Stepping back into history is not a cliche here. Move from the front lobby through the central courtyard and onto the back verandah and 120 years disappear in an instant. There, right in front of you in the distance, is the enduring marvel of the famous bridge spanning the Zambezi river border between Zimbabwe and Zambia. Looking exactly like it did on the day on which the first general manager of the Vic Falls Hotel – Pierre Gavuzzi – must have gazed upon it when he showed up there in the winter of 1904. Since that day, the venerable old Edwardian property has undergone one complete rebuild and many additions, improvements, refurbishments and restorations. Clearly some good decisions were made along the way as the Victoria Falls Hotel has aged into one of the world’s unquestionably great hotels. To be sure, the grande dame of the Falls looks better every time I see it. In early December last year the property and the gardens were simply sparkling. I’m happy for it and for all the lucky hotel guests who will be spending a day or two there over the next 120 years.  

The view of the Victoria Falls from the Zimbabwe side

My other takeaway following the recent visit? That I had forgotten how impressive the first look at the Victoria Falls can be. I think it was at lookout point #2 as our small group was being escorted to the starting point of the guided tour of the Falls. Which is, predictably, a massive statue of David Livingstone. We stopped at a clearing in the rainforest, looked slightly down and to the right and there it was. A wall of water cascading down the rocks, as vivid and impactful a demonstration of the beauty of nature as anything one could imagine. For at least a minute or two, the spectacle is so awesome, so involving, that most people just look. And stare. And then of course come the iPhones and cameras and other devices, everybody trying – and none truly succeeding – to capture the moment. You absolutely have to be there to truly appreciate it. Right? Right.

A sundowner cruise – and not too many other activities

Thirdly, some advice about activities in the Falls. Every year, there seems to be one or two new activities added to the already long list of things to do. Swimming in the rock pools right underneath the falls? Sounds like a great idea. Or maybe not. The same can be said about jumping into Devil’s Pool, the small natural rock pool right on the edge of the Falls, accessible only when the Zambezi is at low flow stage. As exhilarating an experience as it may be, it is not everybody’s cup of tea.

My best advice for your Vic Falls visit is to not overschedule it, for starters. Leave some time to just explore a bit, poke around in the village and support the local economy with a judicious purchase or two. Better yet, slow down for a cup of coffee at the Lookout Cafe – while enjoying the stupendous views over the Batoka Gorge, left and right. In the same vein, take high tea at the Vic Falls Hotel. Freshly baked scones with strawberry jam and delicate cucumber sandwiches with an endless cup of Earl Grey tea? Why not. All while training your binoculars on the people bungee jumping off the bridge. The view is priceless and the people watching on the verandah never disappoint. Just remember they’re looking at you too. It’s a spot where you can simply let time wash over you, slipping back into a simpler, more genteel era when the ‘news’ from England was at best two months old when it reached this former outpost of the empire.  

There are a couple things you’d want to schedule in Vic Falls though. The previously mentioned tour of the Falls being one of them. Of course the Falls are at their most impressive when the water in the Zambezi is at flood stage, so if you happen to be there around February to May, get ready for a truly awesome experience. Even so, a visit during the low-water season from around September through November is still worthwhile. Our recent early December visit was a case in point. On some of our previous visits many of the views were obscured by incessant spray and foam. This time around, with the Zambezi just starting to come up from its lowest flow stage, the visibility was excellent and it was possible to get some nice exposures from most of the viewpoints. With our Wild Horizons  guide Sorro (he was a jewel) leading the way, I think every one of us enjoyed the stroll along the falls, all the way out to the spot from where we watched the daredevils cavorting in Devil’s Pool. The path along the Falls is quite flat and accessible  – we saw at least one person in a wheelchair – but be sure to wear sturdy walking or running shoes or something similar. There are many uneven spots and loose-fitting sandals or flipflops are just not going to hack it. For the kids, yes. For the rest of us, no.  

Another activity which we would suggest pre-scheduling is an afternoon jet boat sundowner cruise on the Zambezi. There are many options but for our guests, we book the premium Bushtracks cruise. For a little bit more money, there’s a big payoff. A small, comfortable boat with a competent skipper, not too many other guests and the seating done in lounge style with plush chairs and small couches and tables, and plenty of room. In addition to the skipper, there’s a waiter and chef on board, with several warm canapés being freshly prepared and served as you slowly traverse the waters of the Zambezi. The major advantage of the jet boat vessel being that it can negotiate shallower water than most of the other larger propeller-driven boats. 

And why a sundowner cruise, one might ask? Seeing the sun set over the Zambezi – even when it is partially obscured by clouds like it was on the most recent excursion – is always a highlight of a visit to the area. Being out on the Zambezi in a small boat amplifies the size and the impact of the river. It is massive – a veritable juggernaut bearing down on the Falls which are a couple of miles or so down-river. At about the half mile point from the Falls the cruise turns around, heading back upstream to the mooring point. Predictably, we did see some hippos, a couple of not so impressive crocodiles (go to nearby Chobe for the big monsters), several good birds, and as a bonus – an elephant swimming across the Zambezi, from Zimbabwe to Zambia. 

If you overlook the presence of the other boats – at certain times of the year there will be quite a few – a sundowner cruise is a peaceful, relaxing outing in a beautiful natural setting. There is no rush to get anywhere, no deadline other than to be stationary somewhere the moment the softly glowing sun seemingly dips into the water of the Zambezi and then disappears. As you’ll soon find out on an Africa trip, the sunsets often get better and better beyond the actual sun setting moment. The sky becomes suffused with a golden, sometimes reddish or pinkish glow which is at its best as much as 20 minutes or so after sunset. And then, suddenly, it’s dark. 

Pioneers Lodge

This time around, we spent two nights in Vic Falls at Pioneers lodge, a well-run guest lodge with its 50 rooms built around a large courtyard, facing in towards an attractive garden area with two pools, one of which is elevated on a different level. There were quite a few bird species skulking around the lush garden, some of them probably attracted by the nicely done waterfall feature. A bonus was the presence of two young fulvous whistling ducks, who apparently like to get into the pool with visitors. We didn’t mind. They are beautiful.   

Located in a quiet neighborhood a couple of miles or so from the Falls, Pioneers Lodge and its sister property Batonka Lodge offer quality air-conditioned accommodation, well-prepared meals and lots of space in the terrace, bar and restaurant areas. The Wifi was pretty decent and we all spent a bit of time catching up on email or TikTok or whatever on our cellphones. 

In addition to our tour of the Falls and the sundowner cruise, we took a cab (organized by the lodge) to the Vic Falls Hotel, walking from there to the Three Monkeys restaurant for pizza. To say that I was more than mildly surprised by the quality of the pizza – and how quickly it was turned out – would be an understatement. At US$11 and $15 respectively, the large wood-fired thin-crust Margeritha and Quattro Formaggio pan pies were not inexpensive but worth every cent.  

With daily flights from the Victoria Falls area to Nairobi in Kenya, and vice versa, it is now easier than ever before to include a few days in Vic Falls with a Kenya safari. For more information about that, please get in touch with Jason at jason@fisheaglesafaris.com or leave a message with our answering service – any time of the day – at 1-800-513-5222 or 713-467-5222. 

Sunset cruise photo courtesy Bushtracks

YOU MIGHT ALSO BE INTERESTED IN

Destinations
Zambia

10th September 2021

Chindeni and the Bushcamp Company, Zambia

By late July we found ourselves at Chindeni, a small Bushcamp Company property

Read more
Botswana
Destinations
Okavango Delta

3rd October 2022

Camp Okavango, Botswana

Camp Okavango is in the heart of the permanent part of the Delta. In this idyllic setting there are no vehicles, and it is just a short walk

Read more
Area
Destinations
Nyerere National Park
Ruaha
Tanzania

14th October 2023

From My Safari Notebook: Wildlife Photography

Birds in flight and wildlife photographers have an uneasy relationship. Things go wrong as often as they go right. Getting focus-lock on a moving subject

Read more

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER

READERS FAVOURITES

Destinations
India

27th May 2023

India

India’s tiger, mammals and birds.

Read more
Botswana
Destinations

4th August 2022

On Safari At Belmond Eagle Island Lodge, Okavango Delta

What is the ‘secret sauce’ for an unforgettable few days on safari in Botswana? It starts with the animals, of course. The elephants, lions, giraffes, hippos

Read more
Destinations
Zambia

10th September 2021

Chindeni and the Bushcamp Company, Zambia

By late July we found ourselves at Chindeni, a small Bushcamp Company property

Read more

Back to Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe

15th January 2025

Back to Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe

Late one morning, early in our December 2024 Zimbabwe safari, we spotted a small breeding herd of elephants enjoying the shade and the foraging opportunities in the interior of a beautiful teak forest in the far southern area of Hwange National Park. “Feel like taking a walk to get a little closer to them?,” Camelthorn camp head guide Vusa Ncube asked. It was unanimous. Not five minutes later we were out of the Landcruiser and on the forest floor, quietly making our way in single file towards the elephants. Vusa was leading the way, rifle in hand, every now and then checking the direction of the wind by shaking a small bag filled with leadwood ash. Even an untrained observer could see that we were walking directly upwind, to prevent our scent from reaching the elephants’ super sensitive smell detection organ. These gigantic lumbering mammals have the strongest sense of smell of any animal. Twice as good as the best bloodhound out there, and five times better than the world’s top sommeliers. 

Remaining undetected (the elephants’ eyesight not being good at all), we approached to within 20 meters or so, keeping our bodies mostly hidden behind vegetation and tree trunks. Even for seasoned safari pros like Kathy and myself it was an exhilarating moment. For the other guests – on just their second day of being in the African wilderness – it was  a highlight of their entire stay, I am sure. 

Standing there quietly observing the elephants tearing off huge chunks of vegetation with their prehensile trunks, over and over again, hearing them communicating with each other in soft rumbles while flapping their massive ears to dissipate the heat, took us right out of our element. Into theirs. We were on foot in ‘Big Five’ terrain. Vulnerable and exposed. As close to nature as we might ever be. For just a few minutes there we were in the footsteps of our ancestors, feeling exactly what they would have felt. A little bit of fear, a lot of respect and a palpable sense of being one with the natural environment. 

On the way back to the vehicle a young elephant bull appeared as if out of nowhere from stage left and for a minute or two – particularly when it looked as if the animal had picked up our scent – our hearts beat in our throats. All ended well and we lived to tell the tale. Our ancestors would have been proud. And I’m sure they would have been envious of our sturdy footwear and our nifty Swarovski binoculars.

Spending four days at Camelthorn Lodge in the southern Hwange area early last December underscored a lot of what we’ve been telling prospective visitors over the years. And then some. There are just so many reasons to include Hwange in a southern African safari.  

Here are a few: 

The elephants

Particularly for first time visitors, no African safari is complete and satisfying without a truly rewarding  elephant experience. By that I mean more than just observing a few elephants standing around browsing or trundling through a forest. I mean a ‘blow your socks off, bring the house down’ type of elephant experience. Like seeing dozens or even hundreds of elephants in one area, ideally coming to water close to a spot from where you can observe them safely.   

Hwange National Park is just such a place. The park and surrounding areas are home to around 45,000 elephants, all coming to the water regularly in the dry months. Even in the early December time frame – when many of them typically disperse after the first rains – we enjoyed several opportunities to observe elephants close up. The most memorable occasion being sitting in a sunken hide at Stoffies Pan, waiting for the elephants to come to us. A pleasant change from bumping around on a game drive. We had hardly taken up our positions in the sunken hide by late morning before a small breeding herd of elephants approached rapidly from the left. 

It got really quiet really fast inside the blind as the elephants got closer and closer. We practically held our collective breath as the herd stopped near the point where the clean, fresh borehole water emerged. Using their trunks, they sucked up the fresh water by the trunkful, guzzling as much as 40 gallons in less than 5 minutes. An elephant drinking is quite the spectacle. It’s all action and noise, with several moving parts – and invariably ends with the elephant blowing bubbles or amusing itself by squirting water around when it has had its fill. The young elephants are even more entertaining as they frolic and push each other around. On this occasion a couple of young bulls rushed into and out of the water just like your average teenage boys might do, literally trying to make waves and attract attention.  

Stoffies hide provides jaw-droppingly close and intimate looks at elephants coming to water and it is a spot where you will definitely want to spend some time while visiting Hwange in the dry season from about May through October. The borehole and pump supplying Stoffies pan were recently upgraded and it now holds more water than ever before, even right into the teeth of the dry season.   

To be sure, elephants are not the only animals showing up to drink at the Hwange waterholes. Over the course of the few days we spent in Hwange this time around we saw a sable antelope, several buffaloes, a rare side-striped jackal, giraffes, impalas and a multitude of bird species come to the water. The elephants almost always steal the show, but the other visitors and the resident hippos keep things interesting. Literally never a dull moment. 

The guiding

The guiding in Hwange and elsewhere in Zimbabwe is among the best in Africa with the Zimbabwe professional guiding licence setting the gold standard for the rest of the continent. So you will be with guides who have had as much as seven years of in-depth instruction and learning under the supervision of a seasoned mentor. The Zimbabwe guides are superb all-round naturalists and because of their intensive qualification process they are permitted to walk with guests inside of the national parks. In many other parts of Africa the opportunities to walk inside national parks are limited by the availability of qualified walking guides and national parks rangers. 

We were fortunate to work with both Camelthorn head guide Vusa Ncube and his guide training mentor Mark (‘call me Butch’) Butcher, Imvelo’s Managing Director. Vusa is an ebullient, knowledgeable guide and clearly an all round good guy. With him around, we felt safe and cared for from the word go. Even when we ventured out of the vehicle to take a closer peek at the elephants browsing, we could tell that Vusa was not going to get us into a potentially dangerous situation unnecessarily. Sometimes the unexpected can happen but when you are out on foot with a ‘full pro’ Zimbabwe guide you can rely on their experience and their knowledge of animal behavior to keep you safe.   

The big cats and more

Beyond the elephants, the many giraffes, eland, zebra and other plains game and amazing bird life, when you find yourself in Hwange there is always a chance to see one or more special mammals such as lions, African painted dogs, cheetahs, and two unique species of antelope, sable and roan. These animals can be seen elsewhere but Hwange is one of the best places for sable and roan, and it’s a good bet for the painted dogs and cheetah as well.  

Lions are regularly seen in Hwange. This time around, we would cross paths several times with a pride of 10 lions with 7 youngsters of several litters. On our very first outing, the three females were in a hunting mode, targeting some wildebeest. It was fascinating to see the females skulking about, alert as could be, with one of them being pre-positioned to ambush one of the wildebeest should they inadvertently venture too close. Unfortunately it did not pan out with the wildebeest either smelling or seeing one of the lions and taking off into thicker bush. We were as disappointed as the lions must have been. 

We found the lions again later in the day and I managed a few good exposures of three or four of the cubs bunched together at the base of a termite mound with a tree log positioned right in front of it. I just knew one or more of them would get on it, and bingo… The following day we found a solitary female lion in an open area where – for a minute there – she thought she had a chance to take down some wildebeest. The wildebeest spotted her soon enough but she then proceeded to position herself nicely on a termite mound. The photographer in me would have preferred a chase sequence, but happily settled for a nice profile shot. 

The white rhinos

If you spend time at Imvelo’s Camelthorn or Bomani camps, there’s an added bonus to being in Hwange: an included visit to the Ngamo Community Rhino Conservation Initiative (CRCI). This project places local communities at the heart of the conservation effort and engages them as rhino custodians. Already, the revenue from guests visiting the sanctuary is directly benefiting the community, such as by funding a health clinic. 

When visiting the Rhino Sanctuary guests are allowed to and in fact encouraged to approach the two adult white rhinos on foot. An awesome experience. During our visit, we also observed two anti-poaching demonstrations. The first one involved Ragnar, a Belgian Malinois who was only too keen to run down a volunteer perpetrator wearing a protective sleeve. We also observed and participated in a simulated ‘jungle lane’ search and engage mission. With a crack squad of anti-poaching personnel engaging in a rapid pursuit scenario, briefly pausing to aim and hit pop-up targets, using a .22 caliber rifle. The accuracy and precision were impressive.  Guests are welcome to participate in this activity to the degree they feel comfortable with; two of our party tried their marksmanship with some success!

Observing the gargantuan white rhinos – who weigh up to 5,000 pounds and more –  at close range, on foot, supercharges their prehistoric appearance. One has to wonder how it is even possible for something so massive and cumbersome, so seemingly helpless, to continue to survive in an avaricious world where its horn has been imbued with spurious benefits. Sadly we may very well be the last generation to see rhino in the wild in more than just a few highly protected pockets. 

A sense of community 

From Camelthorn and Bomani – and also from the Wilderness properties in southern Hwange –  you can do a 2-hr visit (in between game drives) to Ngamo village, for a meaningful yet relaxing cultural experience. You can spend a bit of time chatting with Johnson Ncube, the headman, who will show you around, likely invite you into his home and time permitting (if the school is in session) you could have a peek into a classroom. I found it to be a good ‘slice of life’ experience, and it didn’t feel forced in any way. A highlight was walking to school – or at least part of the way – with a few of the kids. Instant friends.  

Camelthorn Lodge – where we spent several nights – is definitely in need of some sprucing up; we were happy to see someone on site, getting that project started. The brick & mortar rooms are quite big and comfortable, the food is perfectly fine and tasty and the staff, starting with effervescent camp manager Siboe Sibanda, is keen to make your stay as nice as it can be. I quite like the paths between the rooms which wind their way through a dense forest. In the summer heat it was quite a workout walking from one end of the property to the other and back, repeatedly, while keeping an eye out for white rhinos. 

Prospective visitors beware: Hwange is a land of extremes. As brutally hot as this area can get in October (and through early December as we found out, getting there just as a heatwave set in), temperatures can drop to near freezing in mid-winter months like June and July. Prepare accordingly. 

Getting there

On startup it sounds like an overgrown Harley Davidson motorbike. Getting into and out of it is a bit of an adventure. The luggage compartment is barely 10 inches high and holds about as much as a good sized wheelbarrow. I’m talking of course about the Cessna 206 Stationair which unexpectedly turned out to be our mode of conveyance for the one hour flight from Victoria Falls to  Camelthorn camp in Hwange. 

It has been a while since Kathy and I had flown in a 206 but it started to feel quite familiar, quite soon. The noisy take-off, feeling the power of the 310 horsepower Lycoming engine and a slow ascent to around 7600 feet above sea level where we spent the next 55 minutes or so. We reached a respectable maximum cruising speed over 150 mph, maybe touching 185 on the slow descent into the Bomani Airstrip. All in all a fun ride.  

If you have misgivings about tiny planes, fear not; light air transfers from Victoria Falls to Hwange are usually done in the bigger (12-seater) Cessna 208 Caravan. The work-horse of the safari industry in Africa, this single turboprop aircraft is ideal for flight-seeing with its underwing fuselage and its ability to easily negotiate short take-offs and landings on rough bush strips.  

Hwange can also be reached by road on a 3-hour plus road transfer on a road which is not nearly as good as it used to be. It is also heavily used by big trucks, so best avoided. We do recommend including a ride on Imvelo’s Elephant Express rail service along one of the longest straight stretches of track in the world, if transferring from one of Imvelo’s southern Hwange properties (Bomani and Camelthorn) to their property in the north-central part of the park,  Nehimba. Best done under cool weather conditions, the open rail car serves as a pretty good mobile game-viewing platform with species such as elephants and giraffes seen regularly, together with several antelopes and the occasional predator. Definitely a fun time for the kids! 

For suggestions on how to include one or more Hwange camps in your Southern Africa itinerary – and to learn more about the best time of the year for the area – email Lyndon at lyndon@fisheaglesafaris.com. We can also be reached by phone at 713-467-5222. Leave a message with the answering service and one of us will call you back.

YOU MIGHT ALSO BE INTERESTED IN

Destinations
Zambia

10th September 2021

Chindeni and the Bushcamp Company, Zambia

By late July we found ourselves at Chindeni, a small Bushcamp Company property

Read more
Botswana
Destinations
Okavango Delta

3rd October 2022

Camp Okavango, Botswana

Camp Okavango is in the heart of the permanent part of the Delta. In this idyllic setting there are no vehicles, and it is just a short walk

Read more
Area
Destinations
Nyerere National Park
Ruaha
Tanzania

14th October 2023

From My Safari Notebook: Wildlife Photography

Birds in flight and wildlife photographers have an uneasy relationship. Things go wrong as often as they go right. Getting focus-lock on a moving subject

Read more

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER

READERS FAVOURITES

Destinations
India

27th May 2023

India

India’s tiger, mammals and birds.

Read more
Botswana
Destinations

4th August 2022

On Safari At Belmond Eagle Island Lodge, Okavango Delta

What is the ‘secret sauce’ for an unforgettable few days on safari in Botswana? It starts with the animals, of course. The elephants, lions, giraffes, hippos

Read more
Destinations
Zambia

10th September 2021

Chindeni and the Bushcamp Company, Zambia

By late July we found ourselves at Chindeni, a small Bushcamp Company property

Read more

Our Most Memorable Safari & Wildlife Experiences Volume 1

26th November 2024

Our Most Memorable Safari & Wildlife Experiences Volume 1

Over the course of just about a lifetime of wilderness and wildlife experiences, it’s near impossible to isolate the ‘best ever’ events or sightings, but a few do come to mind without having to dig too deep. In future issues of our newsletter we’ll find out about their best experiences and places from the other members of the Fish Eagle Safaris team. Here are a few of mine:

My first visit to Botswana

My very first visit to Botswana in February 1990 had a lot of firsts. First off-road game drives in an open-sided vehicle, first time seeing the Okavango Delta, first mokoro outing and several others. Even so, the single most memorable event during the trip was something completely unexpected and not likely to happen ever again.

It seems rather bizarre in retrospect but as strange as it sounds, I accompanied the then manager of the now defunct Tsaro Lodge on a rescue mission to extricate the Swedish Ambassador to Zambia from a dangerous situation. His 4-wheel drive vehicle had sunk down to its axles in the sticky black cotton soil of the Mababe Depression. Imparting a sense of urgency to everything: the diplomat had been bitten by a spider which did not know about diplomatic immunity. To make matters worse, a large pride of lions – of the elephant-killing kind – was closing in on his campsite. The honorable gentleman had been traveling with his teenage son who hiked out of this mess – rifle in hand – following random bush tracks until he stumbled into Tsaro Lodge early that afternoon. Where I happened to be the only guest.

Needless to say I accepted – with alacrity – an invitation to go along on the rescue mission which turned into an adventure like few I had ever experienced before, or since. Standing in the back of a vintage Land Rover – tightly gripping the railing on the left and right, we skidded around tight, muddy corners and splashed through pools of rain water in an utterly remote corner of northern Botswana in the gathering dusk. In what was very much a race against time. And, as it turned out, a successful one with the gentleman in question being ok – and definitely relieved – to see us and his son, appearing from the shadows.

What do I remember best about the escapade? Adding three new life birds to my list on the drive out, including African rail and painted snipe. In hindsight I probably did not quite grasp the seriousness of the situation.

Finding my first Bengal tiger in India

There’s before and there is after. Before you got married – and after. Before you had children – and after. There’s also before you see your first tiger in the wild – and after. The African big cats are amazing – individually and collectively. Yet a tiger sighting trumps them all.  

There was a time when it was really difficult to see tigers – anywhere – and visitors often returned from India with accounts of having to settle for just a glimpse. Stripes disappearing into the jungle, a tantalizing tail and that’s it. Fortunately that is no longer the case and one’s chances of coming eye to eye with a tiger are excellent if you spend at least a few days in one of the premier tiger reserves in Madhya Pradesh in central India. Which is where my colleague Lyndon and I saw our first tiger, in Bandhavgarh National Park.

Seeing our very first tiger in the wild in January 2023 was a heart-stopping, jaw-dropping moment, never to be forgotten. Never had I seen an animal quite as confident as that adult tiger male, striding around Bandhavgahr as if it was his personal fiefdom. Seemingly totally without fear, not even bothering to glance in our direction, it walked from one side of a road to the other and then back again, emerging from the forest in beautiful morning light, all the better to appreciate and photograph its incredible color pattern. For obvious reasons, a Bengal tiger is often described as being ‘unmistakable’ in field guides. Its vivid reddish-orange coat with prominent black stripes, a white belly and white spots on the ears are one of a kind and impossible to be confused with any other big cat. A life-changing experience? Absolutely. Right away, I realized that this was an animal I wanted to see again, and more than once.

Painted dogs turn the tables

Some years ago – operating out of Kwando’s Lagoon Camp in northern Botswana – we had two vehicles going out one morning in search of a pack of African painted dogs. The dogs had been seen in the area the previous several days but as it was in March, they were not denning. Which happens around June or July or so, during the southern African winter. During the denning season the painted dogs have their pups holed up in an abandoned hyena den or similar spot, deemed to be safe by them. Food is then brought to the pups and regurgitated. Once the pups are old enough to travel with the pack, the dogs become semi-nomadic, traveling many miles between hunts during the southern African summer months. The landscape in much of the Kwando Concession is very lush at that time of year as it is well into the rainy season. At the time, there were dense thickets, huge expanses of stunted but well-leafed mopane trees and green bush in every direction.

For the better part of three to four hours we seemed to be driving in circles, with the guides talking to each other in Setswana all the time, pointing at the clearly visible dog tracks, all while driving in and out of tight spots, being careful to avoid broken, splintered mopane stumps which puncture tires all the time. Every now and then the two vehicles would intersect and the guides would have an animated conversation, with a lot of pointing and gesturing and surely a few choice Setswana expletives in the mix. And off we’d go again, relocating the painted dog tracks and restarting the pursuit. This went on for more than three hours, as I said and it was getting to be rather frustrating for all involved.

At around 1030 am the decision was made to stop for morning tea and coffee at a convenient water hole. I’m sure the guides were just as keen as the guests were to take a break from the relentless pursuit. We stopped under some trees within sight of the water hole, everone piled out of the two vehicles and the guides were just starting to set up a few small tables when the unexpected happened. First one and then three, and then a whole bunch of African painted dogs emerged from the treeline and headed straight down to the water hole on the opposite side. Right in front of our disbelieving eyes. They were ready to slake their thirst and cool off as well, and the presence of a few humans was not enough to deter them. The dogs had found us! While I initially ribbed the guides for not being able to find the dogs, I later realized it was their tracking expertise which had gotten us that close to the pack. It was indeed the skill and experience of the guides which led us to being positioned in just the right spot for something like that to have happened.

The area where this happened – in the massive Kwando Concession in far northern Botswana – is still one of the best places in Africa to find painted dogs. Other contenders include the Sabi Sand Reserve and Madikwe Private Game Reserve in South Africa, Hwange and Mana Pools National Parks in Zimbabwe, Chitabe Camp and the Kwara area in N. Botswana and the Lower Zambezi region of Zambia.

Dueling Sable antelopes

Wilderness’ Davison’s camp is located in the southern part of Hwange, close to Ngamo Pan. Hidden within the treeline, this classic African safari camp, with eight light and airy tents and one family unit, overlooks an open plain and a waterhole which is heavily frequented by elephants and buffalo in the dry season.

The main area consists of a spacious lounge and dining area, leading onto a large deck with an open campfire area, perfect for evening get-togethers. The small pool and its loungers are beautifully positioned for relaxation, while the deck is an ideal location from which to watch wildlife at the waterhole.

Nearby Ngamo Pans is a jewel of a place year round and this camp – or Wilderness’ Little Makalolo or Linkwasha Camp – is a great choice for the area. On a recent visit we enjoyed several game viewing highlights with our professional guide including some fantastic views of a herd of sable antelope seen in good light inside a beautiful rosewood forest.

Sable antelopes are as distinctive and majestic as any animal anywhere in the world. With their massive swept back horns, black coats and glaringly obvious white bellies, the male Sables are unmistakable. The females are more brown than black and their horns are not quite as long and decurved, but they are no slouches in the beauty stakes either. We took dozens of photographs and stayed with the sable herd as long as we could.

The following day – which also happened to be our last day in the Hwange area – we were already packed and in the vehicle en route to the Linkwasha airstrip when we came upon two male Sables fighting, or dueling. During the mating season, male sable antelope are known to engage in fierce battles with other males to compete for females and establish dominance. As we were to see firsthand, these fights can be intense and may result in injuries, or worse. The two bulls seemed to be practically oblivious to our presence and continued to swing their curved, sharp-ended horns at each other, the loud ‘thwacks’ incongruously drowning out bird calls and some nervous impala snorting. Reluctantly, and regrettably, we had to depart from the spellbinding scene before it had reached its end, as we literally had a plane to catch. We may never see something like that again, but it is certainly imprinted in our collective memory.

Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe is by far the best place in Southern Africa to find and observe Sable antelopes, but they’re also found in northern Botswana where we’ve seen them at Wilderness’ Vumbura camps, at Great Plains’ Okavango Explorer and also at Natural Selection’s Duke’s camp in the northern part of the Delta.

Experiencing the zebra and wildebeest migration for the first time

On my very first trip to Tanzania many years ago, a buddy and I drove all the way from Kenya into Tanzania via the Namanga border post, initially to a camp on the northern side of Kilimanjaro. From there, a couple of days later, we pushed on via Arusha and then – on an atrociously bad road – up onto the escarpment, spending a couple of days at a lodge on the edge of Ngorongoro Crater.

All this was great and well, but what we really came for was the zebra and wildebeest migration. And then, on April 1 that year, we got lucky and found ourselves surrounded by thousands of wildebeest and zebras in every direction, as far as we could see, on the short-grass plains of the Serengeti in the Ndutu area. This is how I described it back then, upon my return to Texas:

“Yes, Virginia there is a wildebeest migration and it is showing right now, somewhere in the theater of the vast Serengeti Plains. And what a picture it is. My first thought upon gazing out over thousands of wildebeest was that in the face of a spectacle like that, all technology fails. There is no camera or other device which can do justice to such a scene, all sound and fury in a 360 degree arc, non-stop movement and action as the wildebeest succumb to instinct and follow the rain across the Serengeti’s sea of grass. Parting ahead of us like water around the prow of a boat, the wildebeest in their hundreds practically engulfed our vehicle, splashing across the muddy, wet shortgrass plains in the Ndutu area. Sounding like a bunch of bullfrogs on steroids, grunting and carrying on something fierce, they bulldozed ahead, seemingly mindless of the rogue hyenas and lions lurking all around. In the space of a couple of hours or so, we must have seen between 200,000 and 300,000 wildebeest. Unbelievable, and simply amazing.”

Every safari is an opportunity for uforgettable moments. Call us at 1-800-513-5222 or email Bert at bert@fisheaglesafaris.com to learn more and to start planning your safari.

YOU MIGHT ALSO BE INTERESTED IN

Destinations
Zambia

10th September 2021

Chindeni and the Bushcamp Company, Zambia

By late July we found ourselves at Chindeni, a small Bushcamp Company property

Read more
Botswana
Destinations
Okavango Delta

3rd October 2022

Camp Okavango, Botswana

Camp Okavango is in the heart of the permanent part of the Delta. In this idyllic setting there are no vehicles, and it is just a short walk

Read more
Area
Destinations
Nyerere National Park
Ruaha
Tanzania

14th October 2023

From My Safari Notebook: Wildlife Photography

Birds in flight and wildlife photographers have an uneasy relationship. Things go wrong as often as they go right. Getting focus-lock on a moving subject

Read more

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER

READERS FAVOURITES

Destinations
India

27th May 2023

India

India’s tiger, mammals and birds.

Read more
Botswana
Destinations

4th August 2022

On Safari At Belmond Eagle Island Lodge, Okavango Delta

What is the ‘secret sauce’ for an unforgettable few days on safari in Botswana? It starts with the animals, of course. The elephants, lions, giraffes, hippos

Read more
Destinations
Zambia

10th September 2021

Chindeni and the Bushcamp Company, Zambia

By late July we found ourselves at Chindeni, a small Bushcamp Company property

Read more

Babylonstoren, A Cape Winelands Retreat

26th November 2024

Babylonstoren, A Cape Winelands Retreat

Babylonstoren is an old Cape Dutch farm, set at the foot of Simonsberg in the Franschhoek wine valley. It is also one of the most beautiful and welcoming hotels we have ever been to, with sublime architecture, wonderfully cozy cottages, inspiring gardens, food which is simply on another level compared with practically anything else and all-round hospitality and guest service that would put it high on a list of the best of the best.

We think Babylonstoren is the perfect spot for our guests to experience local South African culture through food and wine offerings and explorations. There is so much to do and see and experience with bike rides through the property, guided walks, wine-tasting, paddling canoes, enjoying a spa treatment, relaxing on the tiny secluded ‘beach,’ going on a mountain drive, immersing yourself in an interactive farm experience, and interacting with the resident tortoises, donkeys, chickens, turkey, ducks and geese. You may want to try your hand at baking some bread and definitely make some time to browse the farm store with its selection of mouthwatering edibles, wines, books, pantry items and more.

Babylonstoren was firing on all cylinders right from the word go. Arriving after a monster drive from Samara, there was a friendly and helpful staff member ready to assist with our luggage (a lot of it!) which was sent straight to the room. One of the assistant managers Jerry – who helped with the minimal sign-in formalities – was delightful and quickly dispelled my road fatigue with his bubbly personality and disarming smile. I think Kathy and I realized almost right away that a 2-night stay was going to be way too short.

En route to our room – a 1-bedroom garden cottage – we peeked into the small guest lounge – part of the reception area – where guests can come 24/7 for a courtesy drink and some snacks. It is well used, judging by the number of people we saw there over the next couple of days. Babylonstoren is a true boutique hotel, sleeping just 80 persons maximum.

Garden Cottage room at Babylonstoren

Our garden cottage room had everything we needed and some things which we didn’t – but loved anyway. Two coffee stations, freshly pressed juice from seasonal fruit and vegetables. Bottled water – a proprietary Babylonstoren blend. A selection of fresh fruit straight from the garden including delicious tangerines. Two bottles of Babylonstoren house wines. A red Babel blend (Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Pinotage and Malbec) and their Candide white blend (Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay, Viognier, Sémillon and Roussanne). A selection of Babylonstoren candies. A small library with about 100 books ranging from Pakenham’s definitive work on the subject – ‘The Boer War’ – to the collected works of Eugene Marais in Afrikaans. Including his incisive study of chacma baboons in the Waterberg range of South Africa, previously published as ‘The soul of the ape.’

The room also had a flatscreen TV (which remained dark) in a small lounge area with a 2-seater loveseat, a small white table with two chairs and a well functioning fireplace which did not fill the room with any smoke. We gave it our best shot, keeping the fireplace lit until well into the night. Make that both nights.

In the separate bathroom there’s a huge tub with as much steaming hot water as your heart could possibly desire. Plus a separate shower and toilet – all in the same decently sized but not excessively large bathroom.

We’re not done yet. Predictably, our Babylonstoren room had what turned out to be a heavenly bed. A king size four-poster with goose down cushions and a mattress which we would have dragged with us, given half a chance. It was rainy and cold outside (winter in the Cape!) but it mattered not one whit. We were snug and happy.

Rounding out the room fittings: a small fridge stocked with still and sparkling water. Also milk, an apple spinach juice and blood orange juice. We never did use the Wellington boots (also in the room) but perhaps we should have.

And yes we did actually make it out of the room on a few occasions. Despite some all too predictable winter weather, in the way of the Cape Doctor (a stiff southeasterly wind), intermittent showers with occasional heavy rain and temperatures which probably never exceeded 50F.

Dining at Babylonstoren

Nothing would have stopped us from enjoying the meals at Babel restaurant. The breakfasts were simply the best we’ve ever had, anywhere. A stunningly presented spread of local produce – a simply overwhelming array of fruits, breads, cheeses, nuts and more. The eggs were perfectly done – always a sign of a good kitchen – and their boerewors sausage had just the right amount of coriander seasoning. The sparkling server had some great suggestions; I think the customer service alone is reason enough to want to return to Babylonstoren.

The two dinners were both highlights of our South Africa stay. One evening we had steak – a beef filet on the bone – which was done perfectly medium rare, with roasted herbed potatoes cooked just the way we like them. The accompanying salad complemented the meal perfectly and it was also delicious, with most of the ingredients grown and harvested on the farm itself. The other dinner was a perfectly grilled filet of fish served with fresh seasonal vegetables. To finish? A citrus-infused meringue and a rose geranium-and-coconut panna cotta.

Hopefully on a future visit we’ll get to do some of the olive oil and wine tasting, the garden tours, the mountain drive, bike around the property and maybe spend a bit of time by the pool.  The gardens are clearly spectacular and deserving of at least an hour or two of exploration.  It will be high on our ‘to do’ list for the next time.

A hint: be sure to book any spa treatments well in advance. They’re popular and were fully booked during our stay.

In our opinion, Babylonstoren is a great addition to a Cape Town stay, particularly for visitors who have a special interest in food and wine and culture in general. Call us at 1-800-513-5222 or email Bert at bert@fisheaglesafaris.com to learn more and to start making your plans to visit the Cape Winelands.

Some images courtesy Babylonstoren

YOU MIGHT ALSO BE INTERESTED IN

Destinations
Zambia

10th September 2021

Chindeni and the Bushcamp Company, Zambia

By late July we found ourselves at Chindeni, a small Bushcamp Company property

Read more
Botswana
Destinations
Okavango Delta

3rd October 2022

Camp Okavango, Botswana

Camp Okavango is in the heart of the permanent part of the Delta. In this idyllic setting there are no vehicles, and it is just a short walk

Read more
Area
Destinations
Nyerere National Park
Ruaha
Tanzania

14th October 2023

From My Safari Notebook: Wildlife Photography

Birds in flight and wildlife photographers have an uneasy relationship. Things go wrong as often as they go right. Getting focus-lock on a moving subject

Read more

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER

READERS FAVOURITES

Destinations
India

27th May 2023

India

India’s tiger, mammals and birds.

Read more
Botswana
Destinations

4th August 2022

On Safari At Belmond Eagle Island Lodge, Okavango Delta

What is the ‘secret sauce’ for an unforgettable few days on safari in Botswana? It starts with the animals, of course. The elephants, lions, giraffes, hippos

Read more
Destinations
Zambia

10th September 2021

Chindeni and the Bushcamp Company, Zambia

By late July we found ourselves at Chindeni, a small Bushcamp Company property

Read more

Giraffes in the Desert: Samara Karoo Reserve, South Africa

26th November 2024

Giraffes in the Desert: Samara Karoo Reserve, South Africa

Spending a couple of days at Samara Karoo Reserve in the heart of South Africa’s Great Karoo semi-desert is as close as one could ever get to being in a Pierneef landscape. Pierneef, arguably South Africa’s greatest and most celebrated painter, is famous for his hugely evocative landscape paintings, several of which depict  Karoo-like scenes in a highly stylized, impressionistic manner.

Drive around Samara reserve for a day or two and more than just one of the stunning Camdeboo mountain landscapes will surely remain etched in your mind, as impactful as any Pierneef. Each view, each sunset a masterpiece for the ages. 

Like so many South Africans by birth, my impressions of the Karoo have always been woefully short of the reality of this splendid area. Despite more than 30 years of driving through it, crossing it by train and flying over it, I could never see it for what it was. All I saw was open, featureless plains with a few drab koppies (inselbergs) in the distance. Mile after mile of nothing much, just trains sweeping by at night and glimpses of Karoo towns, deserted by 5 pm. Mentally, I had reduced the Karoo to a seemingly never-ending drive through a vast nothingness. A space that simply had to be endured, to get to where you really wanted to be. Which was invariably Cape Town to the south, or home, in the other direction. 

It was only when I saw the Great Karoo again this last summer with older but wiser eyes, stripped of many of the prejudices of my younger years, that I could appreciate it for what it really is. An achingly beautiful and infinitely charming landscape. A living, breathing semidesert area which was once – and now is again at least in part – home to an astonishing variety of large mammals. 

At one time the Great Karoo was synonymous with vast migrating herds of springbok, sometimes numbering into the hundreds of thousands, taking days to pass through an area. Historically, the wildlife of the Karoo included black-maned Cape lions, rhinos, cheetahs, the now extinct quagga (a species of zebra) and several unique mammals such as the Cape fox, eland, caracal, suricate and aardvark. Decades of non-sustainable agricultural practices – primarily overgrazing – resulted in erosion and even desertification, negatively impacting biodiversity. In time, it resulted in many of the larger mammals disappearing. The last Karoo lions were seen around 200 years ago.

Enter Mark and Sarah Tompkins – and other conservation-minded individuals and families – who are now turning back the clock on agricultural exploitation with an ambitious program of land rehabilitation and wildlife reintroduction. Since first acquiring the farm Apieskloof in 1997, the Tompkins family have amassed enough land to establish a self-sustaining ecosystem which supports wildlife – all the way from the herds of antelopes that used to inhabit the area to the predators to keep the balance which helps maintain these fragile ecosystems. 

It is a tedious, painstaking process to eradicate alien, invasive plant species, to tear down internal fencing and to simply rest the land for a sufficiently long period of time. All while rehabilitating the most eroded, degraded areas, planting indigenous vegetation and slowly reintroducing indigenous animals. 

Getting Samara to what it is today started with a dream, involved years of hard work, unwavering dedication, substantial financial investment and the ongoing efforts of a team of people who are passionate about spreading the environmental message to everyone who set foot on the reserve. There were many rewilding milestones along the way: the first cheetahs in 130 years, the first elephants in 150 years, the first lions in 180 years. It is a remarkable conservation success story in an area which remains largely unknown even to South Africans, let alone international visitors.   

In search of cheetahs and more – activities at Samara

Kathy and I arrived at Samara in late August after a drive of about four hours from Sedgefield on South Africa’s Garden Route, our (US) summer base. As if on cue, just after we had negotiated a shallow drift crossing the small Milk River, just around the corner from the main lodge, a large tower of giraffes appeared among the trees on both sides of the road. Acting every bit like a welcoming committee, they slowly moved to the left and right, all while of course staring at us intently and without making a sound, in typical giraffe manner. Observing such a relaxed journey of giraffes so close to the main lodge – and clearly not fussed by the proximity of our vehicle – was a good omen.

With one exception – being the Samara cheetahs evading us – every game drive exceeded our expectations. On our very first game drive, there were more groups of giraffes, then some handsome waterbuck and – not far from the lodge – a group of four white rhinos. An adult female with a youngster and two young males. We got out of the vehicle and approached the rhinos on foot – carefully and quietly – with our guide Roelof and tracker Kevin. 

On every drive at Samara – we were only there for two nights – we saw a wealth of plains game including impressive numbers of eland (South Africa’s largest antelope), the striking gemsbok, red hartebeest, herds of springbok and warthog families running as if their lives depended on it. By morning’s end on day one, our growing mammal list topped 20 species with yellow mongoose, vervet monkey and chacma baboon added to it while driving through the thickets in the small valley adjoining the lodge. A high point was spotting a particularly large herd of eland which let us approach quite closely. This is uncharacteristic of eland which have the longest flight distance of any of the African antelope species. 

The following day, the plan was to go out in search of one or more of Samara’s healthy and growing number of cheetahs, several of which are collared for ongoing research projects. Which makes it relatively easy to find them, under normal circumstances. Most Samara guests who spend three nights or so in the area, do in fact get to approach the cheetahs on foot, observing them at ground level. A singular experience. The drive took us a very long distance to the southern open grassland area but despite our guides giving it their best, we did not catch a glimpse of them. It was a little disappointing as Samara prides itself on their ‘walking with cheetahs’ experience. Unfortunately weather conditions were unfavorable with a strong wind driving the cheetahs into a high hilly area which we could not reach on foot due to timing constraints. We plan on returning to Samara next summer so we’ll file this under ‘to be continued.’

On our last morning drive Roelof and Kevin took us all the way to the top of the high plateau area, a huge expanse of grass-covered savannah plains, sometimes referred to as the ‘Serengeti of the South.’ We reached it after an exciting and sometimes fairly steep but fascinating drive, with amazing views front, left and center. At around 1,500 meters above sea level (or as we would say in Texas – a mile high), the fresh mountain air was crisp and cool. Samara is beautiful but this particular area is uniquely beautiful, being perched high on a mountain saddle with 360 degree views, surrounded by purple mountains and massive valleys in seemingly every direction. Not surprisingly, we encountered several different species up there including Cape mountain zebra, mountain reedbuck, bat-eared fox and a couple sizable herds of black wildebeest in addition to lots of springbok and eland.

An unexpected bonus on the drive back down from the plateau was coming up on a fresh lion kill. And I mean fresh. Roelof and Kevin saw some fresh lion tracks crossing the path and got out of the vehicle to investigate. Not 30 seconds later, they were back into the vehicle, having spotted a male lion barely 10 meters off the track. Inching forward a little bit, we saw the lion looking in our direction, and through an opening in the bushes, there was a seemingly untouched but clearly dead eland bull. We had inadvertently interrupted the lion’s attempt to start feeding. I took a couple of photographs and we moved on; pleased to have seen one of the big cats in this environment but not wanting to insert ourselves into the aftermath of a kill.

Getting there

Samara is located in South Africa’s Eastern Cape Province, about 33 miles south-east of Graaff-Reinet, South Africa’s fourth oldest town, in the very heart of the Great Karoo. All along the drive up to Samara from the Garden Route coast, Kathy and I felt like we were in a misplaced movie set. Being residents of the flat and featureless Texas coastal plains, even the most mediocre of hills impress us but this drive was simply spectacular. It started with a bang, negotiating the stunningly beautiful Outeniqua Pass, not far out of the coastal town of George. Being stuck behind a slow-moving truck is not a hindrance or nuisance there. Quite the contrary. All the more time and opportunity to steal glances in every direction, even if you’re not supposed to, from behind the steering wheel.

Emerging from the pass we thought the landscape bonanza was at an end, but we were wrong. It went on and on literally all the way to Graaff-Reinet, and beyond, right up to and including, of course, Samara itself. One magical vista would fade away only for another to take its place.

The asphalt road was in excellent condition all the way from George and the traffic was light, to put it mildly. Inexplicably, certain stretches of the highway were conspicuously marked with large signs which read “High Accident Zone.” With so few other vehicles around, one has to assume this refers to single vehicle crashes. Very few Houstonians are likely to doze off in such spectacular surroundings but the rest of you – take it easy and stay alert.

I can’t speak to the condition or the visual attractions of the road from Gqeberha (formerly Port Elizabeth), but it is the shortest and most direct way to get to Samara from a major airport. The distance of about 170 miles can be covered in roughly 2.5 to 3 hours. Port Elizabeth Airport (PLZ) can be reached by commercial flights from Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban. Of course, if you were to travel with Fish Eagle Safaris you would likely reach Samara on a pre-planned road transfer from Port Elizabeth Airport.

It’s also possible to drive to Samara from Cape Town, taking up to 8.5 hours along the scenic route 62, considered to be one of the top road trips in South Africa. It is advisable to make this a two-day trip – a journey which we are planning for the summer of 2025. From Samara it takes about 6.5 hours to drive to the Cape Winelands centers such as Stellenbosch or Franschoek along the fastest and most direct route, the N1.

There’s a private gravel airstrip at Samara and an asphalt airstrip in nearby Graaff-Reinet, so the area is reachable by private charter flight from anywhere in South Africa.

Understated elegance:  Accommodation, food & hospitality

General manager Marnus Ochse personally welcomed us at the front entrance of the main building at Samara’s Karoo Lodge, a beautifully reimagined Karoo farmhouse. Marnus’ presence and manner instill confidence and exude a sense that he and his team are on top of things. And so it was. Over the course of our two days my favorable first impressions were confirmed and exceeded. The accommodation certainly leaves nothing to be desired. When we were not busy exploring – which was most of the time – we were warmly and comfortably ensconced in the impressive room #7 at Karoo Lodge. Over the years we have seen and experienced dozens of deluxe lodges all over Africa and Samara’s Karoo Lodge does not have to take a back seat to any of them. To the contrary. By retaining the lodge’s quintessential Karoo character while embracing a modern approach to safari living, Samara’s owners have created something really special and unique. The expansive wraparound verandah abutting the main building is a good example of what makes Samara worth going out of your way for. On my next visit I am 100% going to schedule some time to simply enjoy the fresh, clean Karoo area right there. Taking my time over a cup of decaf Americano while my eyes wander over the craggy, mysterious landscapes in the far background.

Having been extensively renovated in 2023, Karoo Lodge now has 10 suites, eight Karoo Suites and two Karoo Family Suites, sleeping up to 24 guests total. Our Karoo Suite #7 is ideal for a couple, complete with romantic four-poster bed, a fireplace (yes we used it), air-conditioning, a large separate bath, plus indoor and outdoor showers. Hopefully next time we will have a bit of time to spend in the covered patio overlooking the dramatic mountain landscapes, binoculars ready to spot a few birds and maybe a black rhino coming to drink at the waterhole.

The main lodge – where we enjoyed our meals – was as welcoming and comfortable as it gets, with a pleasing blend of natural tones and fabrics creating a warm Karoo homestead setting. There’s certainly plenty of room and as much privacy as anyone could desire with two sitting rooms, a separate dining room, library, a farm-style kitchen, colorful plant-filled courtyard, wine cellar, a story room and of course the aforementioned verandah. Make yourself at home.

Kathy and I very much enjoyed the cooking at Samara. Probably a little too much. We have a penchant for Karoo lamb and there we were, finding ourselves smack in the middle of the Great Karoo in a place where lamb takes pride of place on the menu. So yes we tried their famous Karoo lamb burger and several other South African classics prepared with locally sourced ingredients. Breakfast – served in the crisp morning air outside on the verandah – was equally delicious and fun with a selection of fresh fruit, cold meats, yogurt and cheeses. Those being the precursor to an old-fashioned Karoo hot breakfast with eggs like you like them, lamb sausage (naturally), freshly grilled tomato and sauteed mushrooms. We also managed to squeeze in a pre-game drive afternoon tea-time snack, a superb baked cake.

To find out more about Samara and to learn how it can best be worked into a unique South African experience, email Bert at bert@fisheaglesafaris.com or leave a message with our answering service at 1-800-513-5222, any time.

Samara Karoo entrance/exterior photo and suite exterior photo courtesy Samara Karoo

YOU MIGHT ALSO BE INTERESTED IN

Destinations
Zambia

10th September 2021

Chindeni and the Bushcamp Company, Zambia

By late July we found ourselves at Chindeni, a small Bushcamp Company property

Read more
Botswana
Destinations
Okavango Delta

3rd October 2022

Camp Okavango, Botswana

Camp Okavango is in the heart of the permanent part of the Delta. In this idyllic setting there are no vehicles, and it is just a short walk

Read more
Area
Destinations
Nyerere National Park
Ruaha
Tanzania

14th October 2023

From My Safari Notebook: Wildlife Photography

Birds in flight and wildlife photographers have an uneasy relationship. Things go wrong as often as they go right. Getting focus-lock on a moving subject

Read more

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER

READERS FAVOURITES

Destinations
India

27th May 2023

India

India’s tiger, mammals and birds.

Read more
Botswana
Destinations

4th August 2022

On Safari At Belmond Eagle Island Lodge, Okavango Delta

What is the ‘secret sauce’ for an unforgettable few days on safari in Botswana? It starts with the animals, of course. The elephants, lions, giraffes, hippos

Read more
Destinations
Zambia

10th September 2021

Chindeni and the Bushcamp Company, Zambia

By late July we found ourselves at Chindeni, a small Bushcamp Company property

Read more

48 Hours at Great Plains Duba Explorer and Okavango Explorer Camps

13th October 2024

48 Hours at Great Plains Duba Explorer and Okavango Explorer Camps

The most unexpected experience at both Great Plains’ Duba Explorer and Okavango Explorer tented camps, located in remote corners of the Okavango Delta in Northern Botswana, was not the warmth and friendliness of the staff and management. Or the expertise of the professional guides – Paul and Chillie B – which between them helped us find 111 different bird species in 48 hours. Neither was it the quality of the food, particularly the two tasty bush breakfasts. The most unexpected experience at the two classic tented camps was the showers. No kidding. Not just the size of the shower head or the temperature of the water (as hot as you can handle) but the water pressure. Astonishingly high for anywhere. I’m an inveterate bath person but even I enjoyed that deluge of Okavango Delta water washing away the dust and sand. 

Of course, Great Plains Conservation does a lot of other things well. The interiors of the tent were tastefully furnished with a collection of campaign style chests, desks and chairs, and they had proper reading lights, plenty of storage space, a most comfortable king size bed and soft pillows. The vehicles had ample space with three rows each with two seats, separated by a lidded box for electronic gear and other stuff. There were soft blankets for the crisp mornings, cup holders for your morning coffee to go and a sturdy sun cover to provide some shade. 

The dining experience was a solid step up from some of the buffet offerings we had enjoyed earlier. Particularly at Duba Explorer where chef Beauty treated us to a wonderfully romantic poolside dinner with an Italian style panna cotta of tomato starter with a choice of trout or duck (both superb) or a vegetarian main course. The meal was rounded off with a delectable dessert – a chocolate brownie with caramelized sugar and homemade ice cream.  

Yet another exciting helicopter flight with Helicopter Horizons took us directly from Mokete to Duba Explorer with some fantastic sight-seeing en route, flying within sight of several airstrips and safari camps. Every few kilometers there would be new and different vistas over the Okavango Delta with water in every direction. A veritable kaleidoscope of colors, textures and patterns ranging from blue-green to bright green vegetation, almost black sandy spots and swirls, white bleached sand and grey burn patches with the ashy outline of tree trunks demarcating the direction of the fire.

Landing quite close to the camp in a small clearing, our guide Paul (whom we had first met at Mashatu in 2023) drove us the short distance into camp. Duba Explorer has a grand entrance, with every new arrival walking into camp across a sizable bridge over a perennial Okavango Delta waterway. After completing the routine arrival formalities (receiving a camp briefing and signing the indemnity form) we were escorted to our room, one of six tented classic expedition style tents. With ultra comfortable beds, a mosquito net, separate shower and toilet compartments, decent lighting and enough power points. The lounge at Duba Explorer is a fun place to spend a bit of time, with a spacious indoor/outdoor seating area for meals. Just off to the right, there is a small plunge pool built into an antique military style vehicle.   

Our afternoon outing from Duba Explorer was a boating safari along the Okavango River and it reminded me of what we had been missing on the last several game drives in Northern Botswana. Navigable water. The entire two and a half to three hour outing felt like being inside a painting waiting for a canvas and an artist. Simply gorgeous, particularly as the sun started to sink lower and everything was bathed in the golden afternoon sun. Just a few minutes out of Duba Explorer, we took a left turn from a large lagoon into a waterway which seemed to be cordoned off by a sizable raft of uneasy hippos. I had just resigned myself to the fact that the only way forward was going to involve a perilous dash along the far left edge of the stream, when Paul did a 180 degree turn and we headed back in the direction we came from.  

Another left turn got us into a spectacular channel in the direction of Duba Plains. It was one of the best outings of the entire trip, with elephants crossing ahead of us, lechwe giving us the side-eye, kudu visible everywhere and even the usually elusive bushbuck putting in an appearance. We were on a quest to snag one of Great Plains’ special 111 Club caps, given to guests who can spot that many birds over the course of their stay at one or more Great Plains camps. With four pairs of eyes on the boat (Paul, me, Kathy and Kay, a community representative ) we were spotting birds left right and center and by the end of the afternoon our list reached the low 80’s. In hindsight, I think a boating activity in the Okavango Delta – water levels permitting – should be right at the top of anyone’s list of things to do in Northern Botswana. This is what the Okavango Delta is all about and it can only be appreciated and experienced to its full, amazing effect from a boat.  

Our game drive at Duba  Explorer the following morning was initially quiet. We simply could not locate the lions which had been roaring right outside of the camp the previous night. For a while there we had to be content with simply driving through the spectacular grassland scenery. And then, as so often happens on game drives, everything changed. We started to rack up one good sighting after another –  initially a large herd of buffalo, then a large journey of giraffes and eventually a young male leopard about halfway up a tree. The leopard had clearly been observing us enjoying our morning coffee and muffins. Paul had pulled into a spot less than 100 meters away from and in direct line of sight of the leopard.

A short 15-minute helicopter ride took us across some beautiful expanses of Okavango Delta floodplains to the far southern edge of the Selinda Concession to Great Plains’ Okavango Explorer camp. It was in many ways similar to Duba Explorers, just with fewer touches (no plunge pool, scaled down lounge and dining area) and a different, less than ideal bathroom layout with the shower and the screened toilet in the same room. On the plus side, the location right on the edge of the Selinda Spillway is perfect and the camp is in an ecotone with remarkable habitat diversity. This is prime elephant and predator terrain, with lions, leopards and African painted dogs being seen regularly. In addition, as we were to see for ourselves, there are good densities of giraffes and some rare antelopes like roan, sable and eland. All three of which we saw in good numbers.  

Our two game drives at Okavango Explorer with our guide Chillie B, delivered plenty of plains game but were light on predators. This is of course exactly why we recommend that guests spend a minimum of three nights in any one area. Animals move around in real time, they come and go, appear and disappear. You’ve just got to give yourself – and your guides – enough time to make it all happen. And yes, you will almost certainly have a slow morning or afternoon or two somewhere. Sooner or later. As it turned out, we saw a solitary painted dog but the animal was in distress, having been injured or otherwise harmed without any obvious, visible clues.  

On our final morning game drive  we racked up a series of sightings starting with a huge herd of buffalo kicking up a plume of dust as they moved across an island. A bit later we saw some shy zebras, a small group of the superb roan antelope, several herds of eland, elephants, giraffes, more not-so-shy zebras, a hippo out of the water and the highlight of the morning: a nice sized breeding herd of the magnificent sable antelopes. With Chillie B’s help, we reached the mark of 111 bird species in 48 hours in just four outings (three game drives and a boating excursion in the Okavango Delta) at the two Great Plains Conservation Explorers camps. In addition to being fun – and we learnt a lot – it livened up the not so exciting stretches of the outings and incentivized our guides.  

We’re looking forward to spending several days at another Great Plains Conservation Explorers Camp – Selinda – in early December this year. This time, we’ll have 72 hours to reach the 111 bird tally! 

For more information about the Great Plains properties, including some attractive long-stay options for this year and next, please email Lyndon at lyndon@fisheaglesafaris.com or call us at 713-467-5222 at any time, to leave a message with the answering service. We will get back to you right away.

YOU MIGHT ALSO BE INTERESTED IN

Destinations
Zambia

10th September 2021

Chindeni and the Bushcamp Company, Zambia

By late July we found ourselves at Chindeni, a small Bushcamp Company property

Read more
Botswana
Destinations
Okavango Delta

3rd October 2022

Camp Okavango, Botswana

Camp Okavango is in the heart of the permanent part of the Delta. In this idyllic setting there are no vehicles, and it is just a short walk

Read more
Area
Destinations
Nyerere National Park
Ruaha
Tanzania

14th October 2023

From My Safari Notebook: Wildlife Photography

Birds in flight and wildlife photographers have an uneasy relationship. Things go wrong as often as they go right. Getting focus-lock on a moving subject

Read more

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER

READERS FAVOURITES

Destinations
India

27th May 2023

India

India’s tiger, mammals and birds.

Read more
Botswana
Destinations

4th August 2022

On Safari At Belmond Eagle Island Lodge, Okavango Delta

What is the ‘secret sauce’ for an unforgettable few days on safari in Botswana? It starts with the animals, of course. The elephants, lions, giraffes, hippos

Read more
Destinations
Zambia

10th September 2021

Chindeni and the Bushcamp Company, Zambia

By late July we found ourselves at Chindeni, a small Bushcamp Company property

Read more
  • « Go to Previous Page
  • Go to page 1
  • Go to page 2
  • Go to page 3
  • Go to page 4
  • Interim pages omitted …
  • Go to page 16
  • Go to Next Page »

Footer

Design

  • About
  • Destinations
  • Blogs
  • FAQS
  • Team
  • Contact
All Rights Reserved ©Fish Eagle Safaris 2022 | Terms & Conditions | Privacy Policy
Designed & Developed by B Online

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER

SIGN-UP TO OUR NEWSLETTER

Subscribe Form

Footer Widget Header

Related Blogs