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First of all I wish to thank Sangeeta Prasad of Chalo Africa for suggesting Gonorezhou Bush Camp in the first place. I was planning to visit Pamushana Camp,and she felt that it would combine very well with Gonorezhou Bush Camp because the two offer such a superb contrast. I have to say that she was completely right. I feel that Pamushana is a superb lodge in terms of food,accommodation, and service. It offers a wide range of activities including a boat cruise,game drives,and walking . There is no doubt that Pamushana's guides are amongst the best in the industry. I was ably guided by Brad the head guide,and also Japheth. They were both superb. Pamushana also uses trackers as well as guides.

 

I have to say that the viewing of both wildlife,and birds was just outstanding. I was fortunate to see both Liechteinstein's hartebeest,and Sharpe's grysbok both for the first time. I also saw a lesser galago. I was fortunate to see duikers,klipspringer,greater kudu, wildebeest, and even plenty of magnificent sable. I also saw nyala which I had only seen once before. post-47384-0-37682800-1478429061_thumb.jpgpost-47384-0-11185300-1478429198_thumb.jpgpost-47384-0-92410700-1478429289_thumb.jpgpost-47384-0-45739100-1478429424_thumb.jpg

Edited by optig
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I was fortunate enough to see the resident pack of wild dogs at Pamushana. They were as expected simply magnificent as always. My first guide Brad estimated that they were roughly 4 months old. One just loves watching them walk with their distinctive gait. I always get excited seeing them,but then again even impalas and baboons set my heart racing. i simply never tire of being in the bush :rolleyes::D.post-47384-0-00622400-1478511858_thumb.jpgpost-47384-0-06090200-1478511989_thumb.jpgpost-47384-0-34561000-1478512157_thumb.jpg

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I have to mention that most people who see wild dogs for the first time on safari fall in love with them,however,as my guide in Gonarezhou pointed out except when they've witnessed a kill. I remember that when I saw a pack of 17 dogs quickly dispatch a warthog one year ago when I was staying for the third time at Lagoon Camp it wasn't pretty. The dogs tore it to pieces as it screamed. Two of my fellow passengers in the vehicle an Englishwoman and her daughter were reduced to tears when they saw it. The older Englishwoman told me that my love for wild dogs was just appalling. I could only think that was how nature works.post-47384-0-15704000-1478513399_thumb.jpgpost-47384-0-75445500-1478513497_thumb.jpgpost-47384-0-61976800-1478513623_thumb.jpg

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I almost forgot to mention that I saw plenty of giraffes at Pamushana. I remember seeing more than 20 in one game drive. It's always thrilling to see them running. I was privileged to see cheetah as well. I learned that cheetah will only eat the certain parts of any animal that they've killed;they won't eat an animal's organs. I found it fascinating that in the Malingamwe Trust that cheetah ambush their pray like leopards and rely less on speed than on their ability to stalk and ambush.

 

I wasn't to be disappointed in my desire to see rhinos. In one day I managed to see no less than 18. I also witnessed an incredible confrontation between 4 white rhinos,and two bull elephants over a waterhole. A black rhino than emerged from the brush and made a mock charge!!! It was truly something worth posting on youtube.com it's a shame that it happened too fast to photograph. I did see no less than 4 adult black rhino which is fortunate because they aren't only highly endangered,as we all know they're quite elusive.

 

I had already forgotten just how thrilling it is to watch zebra running. I saw many zebra. I actually saw a zebra attack a hyena, and break it's leg in a confrontation at the waterhole. The hyena dragged itself off. post-47384-0-87940400-1478515716_thumb.jpgpost-47384-0-54312200-1478515812_thumb.jpgpost-47384-0-26699900-1478515919_thumb.jpgpost-47384-0-76900400-1478515992_thumb.jpg

 

 

 

 

Edited by optig
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@@optig

 

Great report, I am very much enjoying it and looking forward to the next installment. Thanks also for the tid-bit about cheetahs not eating organs, i didn't know that.

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@@optig so pleased you are starting the TR. indeed i have Sangeeta to thank for the genesis of this trip. As mentioned in a different thread, I had been looking for a place to go - one of those remote paths that are not often trodden on. I had looked at Gona at one point but had been hoping to do it with Save Valley and Chilo but 1. dogs in Save were on the move in September and 2. to go to save/chilo i would have to fly into Harare, stay a night then face a long drive into Gona. Given that I have limited leave, I didn't want to stay where I didn't need to. That meant I had to stay in Pamushana to make use of the Buffalo Range flights (there's a minimum number of nights, and there must be other passengers or else you'll have to pay for 2 seats).

 

The other issue was that Ant does only group safaris but there was only I, me and myself. Will it work? somehow Sangeeta and Rawana managed to persuade Ant to give mex3 a chance and we would all pitch in to get me some companions. and the combo of Pamushana and GBC was born, Owen bought into the combo and two other ladies (such lovely wonderful ladies) from Zim would join us.

 

Now the combo of Pamushana and GBC will not work anymore. Singita is adamant that Pamushana guests who extend into Gonarezhou will not be granted a seat on the FedAir chartered flight from OR Tambo. as of now, I shall be the last person to benefit from it. If that is true, I think it is really arrogant of Singita to keep the Buffalo range flights only for its guests and staff. and not extend for the tourism benefits for all beyond Malilangwe into Gonarezhou or Save Valley, for eg.

 

If Singita's policy stays, there are at least two other ways to get into Gonarezhou - via Harare with a long drive down or a chartered flight into Gona.

 

sorry Owen, i've started rambling again....

 

 

Has she stopped yakking already?

 

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Edited by Kitsafari
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this is shaping up to be a picture TR, so I'll go with the flow.... first game drive for which I had excitedly clambered into the vehicle driven ably by Jephat, helped by tracker Difficult/Fortune/Problem. BTW, @@optig was at Pamushana three days before I had arrived.

 

the wildlife is doing well in Malilangwe. I was pleasantly surprised to see how many rhinos there were in the reserve and they were pretty chilled.

 

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If somebody tries to paint the african bush and wilderness ..it is very difficult to achieve even for the master artist ..such is the beauty of africa.

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the morning after...

 

i was struck by not only the diversity of wildlife, but also the diversity of landscape in malilangwe. When I arrived at Buffalo Range, the land was brown, dry and the trees were looking like dry tinder, thirsting for water after a prolonged drought. the start of the malilangwe reserve was just as dry but as we closed in on the lodge, the flora changed with a slightly greener tinge.

 

Malilangwe means "call of the leopard" in a local tribal language (i was trying to google which tribe but i can't find it - though it could be shangaan which is a dominant tribe in this region) and contains some 120,000 acres of bushveld. compared to the raw remote rugged beauty further south, the beauty here is more refined, keeping in Pamushana's high-end qualities, i suppose.

 

 

early morning wait - young hyena waiting for the adults

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a exhausted mum taking a rest at a waterhole with 2 cubs, one of which was very nervous of us even though we were a far distance from them. eventually he bugged the mum till she got up and left. poor mom.

 

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wildebeest on high ground

 

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a crumbled baobab

 

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a group of giraffes took turns at a waterhole to quench their thirst. i grabbed the opportunity to practise getting that S-shaped waterspills. after several tries (much found the wastebasket),i got one, though far from perfect (i'm no perfectionist, didn't want to stay the entire afternoon shooting those water spills).

 

 

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A C-shaped Spill - getting closer....

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finally, even a bird approves!

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moving further we stopped to admire a couple of male nyalas grazing with a group of impalas sharing their company. as the nyalas came closer, it became a royale battle....

 

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i have a video of the combat but it's in nmy home computer so it'll have to wait till i return from an overseas trip.......akan datang (that's malay for coming up soon....)

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I have to say that I'm not as experienced a photographer as my buddy@@Kitsafari,but at least I'm trying. i was amazed at the diversity of bird life in Malingamwe. I can honestly say that in a week it's safe to say that I saw no less than 50 new species of birds. The Malingamwe Trust where Pamushana is located is particularly good for raptors and aquatic birds,. I did two different boat trips on the river both in different directions and even though i was already on my 10th safari i was very favorably impressed by the number of different species of birds that I saw. post-47384-0-34476200-1478588157_thumb.jpgpost-47384-0-67439700-1478588220_thumb.jpgpost-47384-0-50640900-1478588332_thumb.jpgpost-47384-0-02688000-1478588406_thumb.jpgpost-47384-0-86109100-1478588477_thumb.jpgpost-47384-0-62020700-1478588541_thumb.jpgpost-47384-0-77766800-1478588627_thumb.jpgpost-47384-0-88295300-1478588738_thumb.jpg

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@@optig like that shot of the shaking guineafowl. :)

 

yes i recall you trying with the camera. :ph34r::D

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I have identified the bird in the 4th photo as an African harrier hawk. The bird in the sixth photo is a helmeted guinea fowl. Please help me because I'm simply unable to identify the other birds!!! :unsure::(:wub:

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@@optig not sure about pix 1, pix 2 and 3 are of white bellied go away bird ( i think), pix 4 is a peregrine falcon, pix 5 is guineafowl, pix 6 i think is a spurfowl but i always confuse this with francolin, so i'm not sure, not sure about pix 7 altho it sure looks like a giant kingfisher but the brown chest extends into belly unlike the giant kingfisher.

 

i'm just as clueless about birds, as you can see.

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@@optig @@Kitsafari

 

1 Looks like an European Roller

2,3 White bellied Go Away bird

4 Not sure but does not look like a Peregrine

5 Eastern Chanting Goshawk

6 Helmeted Guineafowl

7

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@@optig @@Kitsafari

 

 

I think the birds are as follows

1 Looks like an European Roller

2,3 White bellied Go Away bird

4 Not sure but does not look like a Peregrine

5 Eastern Chanting Goshawk

6 Helmeted Guineafowl

7 Yellow necked Spurfowl

8 Female Giant Kingfisher

Edited by mvecht
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I have to say that when I watch birds on safari I get the same feeling as I do with mammals, it's very different watching them in a different situation. For example,it's quite different watching a bird fly than watching it on the branch of a tree. It's also totally different simply watching them on the ground. While at Pamushana I had the absolutely astounding experience of driving into a herd of buffalo at night. I finally learned that buffalo in a herd aren't really dangerous to you when your'e on foot,it's the notorious dagga boys which are a threat. They are either alone or in small bachelor herds and know very well that lions are stalking them. I've never seen it personally but I know that a pack of hyenas have been known to attack and take a buffalo. post-47384-0-10335300-1478591060_thumb.jpgpost-47384-0-75159100-1478591233_thumb.jpgpost-47384-0-86401600-1478591321_thumb.jpg

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@@mvecht Thank you so much for correcting me. I'm happy that I at least identified one bird correctly.I'm such an inept birder,but then again that's part of the reason why we all go on safari because it's so educational. As we all know one of Africa's greatest delights are simply the sunsets and I wasn't to be disappointed at Pamushana.

post-47384-0-30146200-1478592110_thumb.jpgpost-47384-0-79807600-1478592171_thumb.jpgpost-47384-0-53444900-1478592257_thumb.jpg

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I have to say that I made so many friends with the staff at Pamushana. We had long conversations. Emily the assistant manager couldn't have been kinder or more charming. She made sure that I got my refund from Singita without me even having to ask her for it. Polly was a superb waiter,as was Aldrin. Kuda was a gentleman. Tatenda is a beautiful and sweet lady.post-47384-0-52803200-1478594774_thumb.jpgpost-47384-0-62176000-1478594842_thumb.jpgpost-47384-0-84279900-1478594906_thumb.jpgpost-47384-0-62893500-1478595110_thumb.jpg

Edited by optig
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@Kitsafari@optig

 

Here are my ID of the birds :

 

1 European roller (not sure?)

2/3 White-bellied go-away-bird

4/5 Pale chanting goshawk

6 Helmeted guinea fowl

7 Red-necked francolin (not sure?)

8 Giant kingfisher (female)

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