Mana Magic and Hwange Highlights

[Marks]

I've recently seen a documentary that echoed what you said about the oxpecker/buffalo relationship and its essentially parasitic nature. Interesting how such a front-and-center, everyday interaction could have been somewhat misunderstood for so long. Always something to learn.

 

Really cool eagle sequence and great photos of the unusually cooperative eland.

[panamaleo]

Michael@ibk Fantastic and heart-felt trip report; I look forward to your Hwange conclusion. The short videos were great; something that caught my ear was the breathing of the videographer...audible, paced. That tiny bit of unavoidable, and inevitable, technology makes the human connection so real to the moment.

 

The golden light of Mana Pools; you captured what I hope to experience next year.

 

You are a fine writer and photographer. Thank you for sharing your experiences.

[Kitsafari]

 

@@michael-ibk such a lovely moment.

[Kitsafari]

@@michael-ibk

 

Wow, wow, wow, wow, WOW!

 

A lion kill. On foot. With an elephant intrusion. And a buffalo standoff. Are you kidding me???? I have a good mind to just set my trip report aside and wallow in the adventures of yours, as I can offer nothing even remotely as riveting.

 

And I love this part:

 

I was excited, I was overjoyed, I was a bit afraid, I was tense, I was happy, I was alert, I was looking everywhere and listening to everthing, I heard my heart race - were we really going after a lion? On foot? In sandals?

 

Yes, we were, and it felt absolutely awesome, like something only other (much more adventurous) people would do, not chicken little Michael me. "Walk in a single line behind me". "Keep low, don´t move too fast!"

 

Your words really bring the reader into the picture with you. I've never experienced anything quite like this, but if I were to, I'm betting I'd run through the same set of emotions as you did. Congratulations on an unforgettable sighting. Looking forward to more -- much more!

 

 

X2

 

i'm just up to your first day at chitake. camp looks awesome. wow wow wow. you struck gold on first day! A proper lion hunt and kill, and it involves a grandmother many times over. she's indeed a fierce warrior and fantastic hunter. fantastic capture of the hunt.

 

why was she alone?

[Kitsafari]

Yay you all found the dogs! (post #164). how i envy you, lying on the sand and watching those beautiful dogs at eye level.

 

Mana Pools always looks so lovely but your shots of it, especially at zembezi river, adds so much allure to it.

[Kitsafari]

Even Doug was fooled when he had first seen them in the thickish, probably because we all wanted to see Nyala, and that´s what we all saw then. Well, the females will have to wait for another trip, we left Ten Rhinos Pan at 11:15.

 

now i don't feel bad at mistaking bushbuck for nyala in Londo.

 

and what a fantastic capture of the bully martial against my favourite fish eagle (theft is so overrated. )

Edited November 28, 2015 by Kitsafari

[TonyQ]

What a beautiful final walk along the river as the light changes colour making everything glow.

I enjoyed your CIF pictures and your description of how they were achieved!

I look forward to the next section

[michael-ibk]

Thanks a lot, @@SafariChick , @@Alexander33 , @@screentraveller , @@Zim Girl , @@Atravelynn , @@Marks , @@panamaleo , @@Kitsafari and @@TonyQ!

 

 

 

why was she alone?

 

She seemed to like to venture out on her own, Kit, she was also alone near our camp on the second afternoon. But she also spends time with the pride, on our last day we saw her with the others, and Big Andy saw her on a buffalo kill in the middle of them.

Edited December 2, 2015 by michael-ibk

[michael-ibk]

Hwange - of Dancing Dogs, Lazy Lions and Elephants Everywhere

 

It´s a bit more than a two hour flight from Mana to Hwange. We were lucky and were the only passengers. Cessna flights are always enjoyable of course, and our pilot Achill was a very nice and funny guy.

 

 

 

After leaving Mana we passed the mountainy area of the Zambezi Escarpment.

 

 

 

We went down at Lake Kariba for refuelling.

 

 

And of course I forgot that it´s not a very clever thing to take photos of airports in Africa and was quickly reprimanded and told by the nice lady in the next picture that I am a very bad boy.

 

 

We continued along Lake Kariba.

 

 

 

It was quite clear from up here why one topic would always came up when Zimbabweans would chat - when will the rains finally come? The country was brown, dry and desperately thirsty everywhere.

 

 

Not much wilderness in this part of Zimbabwe - orderly cultivated landscape.

 

 

Only riverbeds brightened up the dull brown here and there, but almost never was water seen in them. Small trickles - if at all - were left.

 

 

 

This railway line, cutting straight through the area, is Hwange´s Eastern border.

 

 

The first of Hwange´s artificial waterholes - both a blessing and a curse, as has been so intensely discussed in several threads on ST lately.

 

 

Hwange is an enormous park, almost 15,000 squ kms, the largest game reserve in Zimbabwe.

 

 

It didn´t take long until we saw what tourists love here in Hwange and what worries conversationists - many, many Elephants.

 

 

 

The wilderness airport of Wilderness Safaris´ Linkwasha Concession:

 

 

Edited December 2, 2015 by michael-ibk

[michael-ibk]

 

Madison Pan, one of the many waterholes in the Linkwasha Concession Wilderness Safaris is taking care of. It feels a bit weird hearing "Hwange´s Hearbeat", the noise of the petrol pumps, such a mechanic, industrial hum in the middle of nowhere but one gets used to it quickly.

 

Why did we choose Hwange as an add-on? In a way, it was very much because of two antelopes - Roan and Sable. Doug had told us that there would be a very good chance of finding them in this part of the park. We´ve never seen Roan, and only glimpsed Sable so far (on the road from Kasane to the Botswana/Zim border of all places).

 

Well, Doug was right - on the way to camp from the airstrip the very first animal in Hwange we saw was - Roan!

 

 

 

And 10 minutes later, just before arriving in camp, what was hiding there in a copse? Yes, exactly - Sable! :)

 

 

We arrived at Little Makalolo at 11:20.

 

The parking area where we were welcomed by staff with the obligatory wet towels and welcome drinks.

 

 

 

Little Makalolo (Six tents) was our first Wilderness Safaris camp, and we were curious about how we would like it. Most people are reporting back with very positive reviews about Wilderness but sometimes it´s been said that the atmosphere can be a bit "corporate", too designed, too soulless, too inflexible, too rigid with game drive times and such things.

 

Couldn´t be farther from the truth IMO. Lil Mak is a fantastic place, all of staff (with managers Eddie and Marvel) would do absolutely everything to make our stay as pleasant as possible, and it´s a wonderful intimate, small little camp. Game drives lasted as long as there was good stuff around to see, and almost never would be be back in the mornings at 10:30 as "scheduled". We also could leave earlier in the morning after asking.

 

And the very best thing: I would ask about the option and the costs of having a private vehicle. And then they just gave us one for five out of eight drives without charging extra for it - and they could have lumped us with others! That was so wonderful and unexpected, really didn´t know what to say.

 

 

 

We had tent Nr. 4.

 

 

 

It was really nice having this kind of luxury tents at the end of our safari. Mobile camping was a wonderful experience (and, given the choice, the preferred one), but it isn´t all bad having soft super-comfy beds, proper toilets, outdoor showers with lots of water, more than enough space for everything and all that for a change.

 

 

Lots of nice personal touches. Cards like this one were on our bed every day.

 

 

 

In older reviews it is mentioned that the toilet arrangements take a bit getting used to, since they would be right behind the bed wall, and so several people had "privacy issues". They changed that and added a small annex room.

 

 

Outdoor shower

 

 

 

We were not the only inhabitants.

 

 

The camp has its own waterhole, and so it´s impossible to get bored anywhere - animals are always around and quite close.

 

 

 

I only saw this Sable back home on the PC - never even realized it was there.

 

 

Since the Elephants make it quite hard for other animals to get through to the waterhole they have installed a second, smaller water source which Antelopes and Zebras gratefully accept.

 

 

The main lounge area:

 

 

The boma where we had breakfast and our after-dinner drinks.

 

 

Lunch and dining area. The only thing I would change at Little Mak because they don´t do communal dining, which I always much prefer, but that´s a matter of personal taste of course.

 

 

The pool. Wilderness have cut a ditch around it because Elephants and other animals of course didn´t care that the pool was "not for them" and frequented it much more often that camp guests.

 

 

Often animals use camps for security. In the case of Lil Makalolo it´s Red-Billed Spurfowl who especially appreciate the wooden walkways as cover against raptors. Lots of them around.

 

 

Natal Spurfowl

 

 

I had firmly resolved not to eat so much on safari this time, especially after the walking part was over, and no, I would certainly have none of this totally superfluous High-Tea stuff. None!

 

 

I had cake, I had savoury, I had Icetea, I had Iced Coffee, I had all the Sundowner fingerfood, I had everything .

 

 

 

The food at Lil Makalolo was absolutely outstanding, best I´ve ever had on safari. Their chef is a genius! I was especially impressed with their meat quality, among other things we´ve enjoyed some of the very best steaks ever.

 

But what about the most important stuff - game drives?

 

Our time in Makalolo started with our guide Edwin coming very excitedly to greet us and saying "Come to the car quickly, we need to go to the waterhole very quickly, something very, very cool is coming."

 

It was four times cooler than we were even hoping for.

Edited December 2, 2015 by michael-ibk

[Alexander33]

Ah! A classic michael-ibk cliffhanger. I'm hooked....

[Atravelynn]

Nice aerial shots and nice on-the-ground airport shot from the bad boy. Nice food shots too. Roan right off the bad!

 

4x cooler is an algebraic cliffhanger!

[Kitsafari]

@@michael-ibk Resistance is futile. Prepare for assimilation.

 

I don't blame you for giving in. they look delicious! I would dive into them as well. I forego a lot of the tea during the last safari trips, and always regretted not eating the cakes at tea.

 

Why aren't you allowed to take pictures of airports in Africa? I didn't know that!

 

how long will you keep us in suspense??

[Double Dare]

Little Mak was our first camp on our first safari. We loved it! Brings back many fond memories!

[TonyQ]

@@michael-ibk

Roan and Sable straight away - excellent

The shots from the air are really interesting - it does look so dry.

The camp looks very nice- and I think no-one could resist the High Tea delights

You can always lose weight when you get home!

[wilddog]

Little Mak looks lovely and who could resist that food? I never eat cakes at home but on safari I cannot resist.

 

How wonderful to have caught the roan and sable so promptly after getting off the plane!

[optig]

Hello @michael_ibk,I loved my stay in Hwange four years ago and now seeing your brilliant photos of the camp I would like to visit Hwange again! I would stay in Little Makololo ,in camp Hwange because it is a different concession and I would enjoy the different experiences. We all appreciate the skills and qualifications of Zimbabwean guides.

[michael-ibk]

Thanks, @@Alexander33 , @@Atravelynn , @@Kitsafari , @@Double Dare , @@TonyQ , @@wilddog and @@optig

 

Ah! A classic michael-ibk cliffhanger. I'm hooked....

I know - I watch too many TV series.

 

 

@@michael-ibk

 

Why aren't you allowed to take pictures of airports in Africa? I didn't know that!

Most travel guides mention this, apparently one shouldn´t take pictures of places which could have strategic values, like airports or bridges. This was the first time I experienced that they are serious about this.

 

 

Little Mak was our first camp on our first safari. We loved it! Brings back many fond memories!

Now that´s starting out Safari life in style! You certainly haven´t gone the "more luxury" road on the way, though - isn´t it Congo next for you?

 

The camp looks very nice- and I think no-one could resist the High Tea delights

You can always lose weight when you get home!

Yes, of course, and that´s exactly what I did back home, lost lots of, absolutely! Call me Mr. Self-Discipline! Uhm ...well ...

 

Hello @michael_ibk,I loved my stay in Hwange four years ago and now seeing your brilliant photos of the camp I would like to visit Hwange again! I would stay in Little Makololo ,in camp Hwange because it is a different concession and I would enjoy the different experiences. We all appreciate the skills and qualifications of Zimbabwean guides.

Zim guides really are very special, I agree. I´m sure you would love Little Mak, it´s a fantastic camp and Hwange was really good to us. Would return in a heartbeat!

[michael-ibk]

"Edwin, what is coming to the waterhole, tell us tell us tell us", we demanded while we were going to the vehicle but he just smiled and said "Wait and See". What could it be? So special that he wouldn´t tell us? What is an animal Hwange is not exactly famous for and cool enough that our guide wanted us to "wait and see"?

"It´s Cheetah, right?" I guessed.

But as mentioned - it was four times cooler.

Now what, you will ask, could be cooler than Cheetah, one of Africa´s most enigmatic, wonderful and sought-after predators? The cat pretty much everybody will ignore most other animals for? The most elegant of the Big Cats? And, just to come out and say it, the most beautiful one in Africa? Better than my favourite cat here - what could that be?

Simple.

FOUR(!) Cheetahs! :)

 

Four beautiful brothers, absolutely relaxed about us, basically ignoring us - now that was a real treat. Get ready for lots of pics, Hari isn´t the only one @@madaboutcheetah around here.





This was a very lucky sighting indeed, there are not many Cheetahs in Hwange, a terrain which does not particularly suit them. At times some are passing through the Linkwasha (Wilderness) Concession but none are resident. Lil Makalolo has a very thorough sightings file which I studied during afternoon siesta time, and Cheetahs have only been seen twice or three times a month this year.





These brothers were probably three or four years old according to Edwin, and well known to him. They looked a bit thin to me. Impalas are comparatively rare in Hwange, and the area with many scrubs and roots is not really accomodating their speed hunting technique. So it´s not too easy for them finding suitable prey, especially enough to feed four hungry mouths. Edwin told us Cheetahs are more often seen in the Green Season when the open plains turn from the hostile dust bowls of the dry times to lush green meadows.

Edited December 3, 2015 by michael-ibk

[michael-ibk]

A herd of elephants was approaching the waterhole and the Cheetahs decided that they had to move. The logical thing would have been just to walk sideways along the waterhole and then go off into the bushes.



Oddly enough though, they decided to move away from the Elephants in a straight line, which led them more into the centre of the waterhole. They were carefully avoiding to have to touch the water.

But once they were in there they realized their plan had not been the brightest one - now the Elephants were behind them, the way back was blocked, and this scary wet stuff was between them and the opposite side of the waterhole.



NO going back!



No wonder the sensitive one almost started crying.





Sorry, claws won´t help here.



Sad faces full of despair - no way back, no way forward!



What to do now? Edited December 3, 2015 by michael-ibk

[wilddog]

Oh...wow. Now I am speechless and green with envy. ☺

[michael-ibk]

Finally they reluctantly accepted that they had only one way to go, and so we had the privilege of witnessing something quite extraordinary - Water Cheetahs!

Oh, they absolutely, absolutely hated it!

 

 

"Iiiiiiieh! This is cold! This is wet! This is horrible! This sucks!"

"Mommy, I want to get out!"

 

But if you are between a rock and a hard place an elephant herd and water a Cheetah gotta do what a Cheeta gotta do.

 

They had of course made it in a matter of seconds, and then rested no five metres away from our car, on the logs of the waterhole´s hide. And showed the elephants their contempt of them by ignoring them, but I´m sure they were secretely already thinking about how to get payback for this terrible ordeal the Grey Giants had put them through.

 

The Eles didn´t mind much:

 

 

That´s the hide behind them - this would have been a very good time to sit in there.

Still shellshocked, they then rested in the warm sand.

 

[michael-ibk]

The brothers needed some quality sibling time now:





Good to have brothers.

















The mythical two-headed Cheetah:





After a while they got excited - they had spotted a small herd of Impalas near the camp back in the bushes.



Three of them were just waiting, while one brother tried to get closer - clever strategy, it would be very hard for all four of them to remain unnoticed by the watchful Impalas.



We kept our distance in order not to spoil the hunt.







But the young Mr. was too impatient and started his sprint way too early - the Impalas got away easily, especially since it was impossible to accelerate to full speed in the scrubbery.





They all retreated then, and we finally left them. Well, as first sightings go - not a bad one.

[FlyTraveler]

... we had seen some very cool Eagle interaction. The female had caught some fish:

 

 

 

But they soon had other worries when THIS happened:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Amazing photos of Fish Eagles and the Martial Eagle in flight, Michael!!! Especially the one with both species in the same frame!!!

Edited December 3, 2015 by FlyTraveler

[FlyTraveler]

 

The brothers needed some quality sibling time now:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fabulous cheetah photos in the last four posts, Michael!! Some of the best I have ever seen!

 

Thanks also for posting the aerials - a great perspective on the landscape from Mana Pools to Hwange!

Edited December 3, 2015 by FlyTraveler