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An Addendum to Optig's Awesome Safari trip report - Malilangwe, Gonarezhou


Kitsafari

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we had a picnic lunch at the pan, full of cold meats and sumptious salads. I pulled a chair infront the pans, soaking in the calls of the birds, the flight of the birds showing off their freedom, the dozing lone hippo surrounded by the chattering birds, the baboons running next to the bull elephant, the dragonfly that came and rest by my side. @@optig pulled up a chair next to me, and we were deep in talk (I can still recall what we were chatting about) when suddenly a rumble interrupted us.

we immediately stood up and looked backwards. we were surrounded by elephants, literally. It was the breeding group from the pan.

Ant who sat further at the other end under a mopane tree, quickly walked over to us with his chair and motioned us to come closer to the picnic table. the breeding family of over 30 had silently moved close to us. The matriach stretched her trunk to smell our folded beds, placed on the ground. She looked at us over Scott's legs which were sticking out from the vehicle. He was still fast asleep.

The matriach stepped out of the bush to check us out as the young ones stood still behind the bushes. She came closer and made a slight move like a mock charge. we didn't move. Assured that we got the warning, she walked off towards the very tree that Ant had sat under a few minutes ago. That signalled a glorious 3-hour interaction with the elephants. More and more females and their young ones poured out of the bush around us, and some were still behind us. They headed straight to the poor mopane tree for its bark, stripping it that will contribute to its future demise.

 

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It was extremely fascinating to observe their interaction with us and Ant. Ant took command and reassured them with his special ways - rumbling, kicking the sand as elephants do when they are relaxed, and sending them his footwear to let them have a scent of who he was.

It was also fascinating to watch how the elephants send messages. while a young bull was testing its limits with us, the matriarch stood in front of us as if she was keeping an eye not only on us but also on the young bull. at one point, a member of our party made a sudden movement and she took a couple of steps forward - so fast that only the dust stirred up showed that she had moved. at another time, the young bull wanted to come forward but she just took a step forward and he turned away. It was just incredulous during those hours, most of the time just watching the older ones pull the bark out and the babies moving among the trunks and legs waiting for a small bite of the morsels. the matriarch herself passed a small piece of bark to her young.

The entire experience was just awesome. we must have looked so tiny against these giants, but they took our presence in their stride despite all the awful things humans have done to them. Someone ignorant had said elephants in Gonarezhou were very aggressive. well, all i can say now is that he has missed the real honour and privilege being in the calm and majestic presence of one of the most intelligent species in the world.

 

Definitely one of my top 5 experiences in Africa so far.

 

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the matriarch feeding on the bark with her baby
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Edited by Kitsafari
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Seniortraveller

What an incredible experience. If it brings a smile to my face, you must be positively beaming every time you think of it.

Bet Scott got a shock when he woke up!

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@@Kitsafari Thank you for taking time out from your very busy schedule to post more of a trip report. I can only say that yes indeed it was indeed an honor to be in the presence of these awesome animals. I have to say that they are only aggressive when they aren't treated with the respect that they deserve. I can remember how Ant established his bonds of trust with them. As I'm sure that you remember he said there's no such as elephant talking. And yes I can remember how Scott feel asleep only to waken up surrounded by a herd of elephants.I'm especially eager to get to Zakouma after Ant said that it 10x better than the pan in front of us. Of course I read his reviews of Zakouma on Safaritalk.

 

I have to say that one trusts a man far more after you've gone fly camping in with them in the bush,and you know that they are protecting you. I never felt at all unsafe or threatened when I was fly camping at Gonorezhou. In fact I slept quite peacefully. I can hardly wait to go fly camping next year at Sarara,and Chada Katavi for two days at each location.

 

I have to say that there is one negative thing about your photos-the fact hat in one of them I get to see just how much hair I've lost at the back of my head!! I'm totally bald back there,however,it doesn't seem to bother anybody but myself.

Edited by optig
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@@Kitsafari as you may have heard or read there have been some sightings of sizable packs of our favorite wild candid -wild dogs at Zakouma. I can imagine that you hope that you'll see them if you visit. The bad news is that has been a few elephants that there has been a few victims of poaching this year,but fortunately not very many. The population continues to grow. Furthermore,the government of Chad has reinforced the black mambas the well trained and armed game wardens with the army. Camp Nomade looks like great fun despite the heat and tsetse flies. I'm sure that I'd love perhaps in 2019 in combination with Odazala-Kokoua in the Congo(Brazzaville) or even better Sangha Lodge in Dzsanga-Sangha since I know that they're both not only outstanding,but they would provide just an astonishing exciting experience. Rod Cassidy loves Odzala Kokoua as well,and his son is the manager of the camps. As you can imagine I can hardly wait to visit!!! :):D

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@@Kitsafari Thank you for taking time out from your very busy schedule to post more of a trip report. I can only say that yes indeed it was indeed an honor to be in the presence of these awesome animals. I have to say that they are only aggressive when they aren't treated with the respect that they deserve. I can remember how Ant established his bonds of trust with them. As I'm sure that you remember he said there's no such as elephant talking. And yes I can remember how Scott feel asleep only to waken up surrounded by a herd of elephants.I'm especially eager to get to Zakouma after Ant said that it 10x better than the pan in front of us. Of course I read his reviews of Zakouma on Safaritalk.

 

I have to say that one trusts a man far more after you've gone fly camping in with them in the bush,and you know that they are protecting you. I never felt at all unsafe or threatened when I was fly camping at Gonorezhou. In fact I slept quite peacefully. I can hardly wait to go fly camping next year at Sarara,and Chada Katavi for two days at each location.

 

I have to say that there is one negative thing about your photos-the fact hat in one of them I get to see just how much hair I've lost at the back of my head!! I'm totally bald back there,however,it doesn't seem to bother anybody but myself.

 

 

@@optig I didnt even notice that until you mentioned it! you will always be a distinguished gentleman no matter what. :)

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What an incredible experience. If it brings a smile to my face, you must be positively beaming every time you think of it.

Bet Scott got a shock when he woke up!

 

@@Seniortraveller - you have no idea what wide grins we had the entire time. I was incredulous that the elephants chose to come to us and then snack on a tree next to us, all the time keeping their cool, though they were still watching us. I think the matriarch only relaxed after a couple of vehicles nearly came into the picnic area but stopped when they saw the herd. they decided to turn away - a very wise decision! you could sense the matriarch relaxing after that.

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@@Kitsafari I have to say that hearing from you just made a lovely afternoon even better!!! Yes,I do remember Scott's shock when he woke up. I'd love to tell Herman something that he

already knows all too well-that he's so fortunate to be married to such a lovely,sweet lady as yourself.Your'e one of the few people that I know whom it's impossible to say an unkind thing about. Please don't forget that after I left you at Oliver Tambo International Airport I literally cried.

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Did I say I would be brief and wrap up this quickly? gosh I must have been delusional.

 

I wanted to talk about trees.

 

Baobabs:

Baobabs are iconic in the Gonarezhou park. Dotted in the thousands across the park, they stood out for hundreds and thousands of years, providing homes for the birdlife, and providing food to the antelopes. White-backed vultures, red-billed buffalo weavrs, brown-headed nd grey-headed parrots, mottled & bohm's spinetails next almost exclusively in the baobab trees.

 

For years, baobabs survived cheek to jowl with elephants but as human settlements in surrounding regions and hunting pushed the elephants further into the park and with no corridor to move beyond, the baobabs have taken a huge hammering. drought in the past year have driven the elephants to strip the baobab for liquids but in doing so, the elephants condemned hundreds of trees. Many have fallen, Trees that have seen men come and go, witnessed the bloody histories of wars or peaceful settlement of humans for hundreds of years crumpled into fibres after elephants dug deep into their trunks.

 

Frankfurt Zoological SOciety which has a partnership with the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority to manage and develop the park, has embarked on a project to protect as many baobabs as it can. Working with Ant, they have started a Rocking Baobab project to put rocks around each tree. ROcks are easily and freely available in the park, but people are still needed to carry the rocks and a truck to transport the rocks to the trees. Funds are needed to pay the workforce and the transport and they are trying to raise more donations for this purpose. Rocks seem more effective and efficient than wiring the tree; the rocks are loose and elephants cannot balance on the loose rocks so they will just walk away from that tree. the cost of rocking a tree is around US$150-US$300.

 

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a fallen baobab

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a rocking baobab

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the elephants gouged such a large hole in this ancient baobab that there is a huge cavern in it. you can have a campfire in there.

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the cavern inside the baobab. you can see the ashes from a fire there. Ant said rangers sometimes camped inside the tree

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Ant showing how massive this baobab is. I just hope it continues to live for another thousand years.

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Ant caught me hugging a baobab and saying a prayer

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Another damaged baobab

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my other favourite tree - the gnarled nyala berry tree. I imagine the baobabs and the nyala trees waking in the middle of the night, waving to each other and speaking to each other.

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looking up

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some pretty flowers - courtesy of Ant

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@@Kitsafari Gonorezhou is about the cliffs,elephants and baobabs. They are the three things which more than anything else make it such a special place, Of course I've seen many baobabs before particularly in Ruaha National Park,but nevertheless i was amazed by the sheer size of them in Gonorezhou. Of course i was impressed by the importance he places on them in the ecosystem,and his efforts to save them.

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@@Kitsafari

What a wonderful experience with the elephants - and a joy to read for us! Beautiful photos.

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The people add perspective. I like the baobab with the red cliff in the background; it couples two iconic features of Gonorezhou.

 

"Gonorezhou is about the cliffs,elephants and baobabs"

 

2 of the 3 features associated with the park.

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The first evening walk we had, I came across this stunning scene, and immediately thought to myself - Gonarezhou has its own moments as well when you are there at the right time, at the right place. but my camera doesn't do it enough justice....

 

 

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and of course there were the glorious sunrise and sunsets

 

 

 

 

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Birds

 

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a wahlberg eagle

 

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we heard this guy well before we saw him. but when we stopped, the red crested korhaan stopped his calls as well. Scott's sharp eyes found him.

 

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this little pearl-spotted owlet was so tiny I took nearly forever to locate it!

 

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this looks like a woodpecker but i forgot to jot down the name.

 

4J6RvBiX2tTrSw6JBzRzurW3Y5TLaPejpnuC8HaFbrown headed parrot - first time for me, so even tho' it's not a perfect picture, i wanted to document that I saw it.

 

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black headed oriole next to grey headed sparrow

 

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a beautiful southern carmine bee eater

 

 

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Mosque swallow - again my first time seeing it

 

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swallow tailed bee eater

 

 

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@@Kitsafari Thanks again for refreshing my memory of the wonderful week that I spent in Zimbabwe. I particularly love your photos of the stunning sunsets,and birds. The photos of birds help me increase my poor knowledge of them. I remembered very well just how many birds that I saw in Pamushana, but thanks to you I now realize that I saw many new species as well in Gonarezhou.

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and the varying landscapes of Gonarezhou

 

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note the contrasting sides of the river runde - on the opposite lush with trees and green bushes, but dry bare trees on this side. not sure why this was so.

 

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the lush treeline.....

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...dry mopane woods

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adding to the landscape (after being made to wade through the pool!)

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bonding

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surprising pretty landscape close to Save-Runde junction

 

 

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beautiful leafy mopane bush woods

 

 

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and of course the stunning majestic Chilojo Cliffs from the moment we had the first sighting of it in the sunset light. I have to apologise to @@madaboutcheetah because he has been waiting for this set of photos of the cliffs. I just hope the wait was worth it...... :)

 

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and teasing us as we see it first thing in the morning across from the camp

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and then trying to find the right light, the right angle, the right timing - taking every opportunity to take a pix of the cliffs...

 

 

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the pinnacle

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even the baboons and impalas enjoy the views

 

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in case you have any doubts

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So what is Gonarezhou? I've found out - after I returned - that it is more than just the cliffs, the elephants and the baobab trees. It is also the antelopes, the nyala berry and cassia trees and the mopanes, the reptiles and the birds. As a sum ,they make up Gonarezhou.

 

I imagine that the lack of sightings, not lack of wildlife, that makes it hard to sell Gonarezhou to the tourist market. it's like a double edged sword - you want to draw the tourists to bring in the revenues for the local community and make the park economically valuable to the officials; yet if the tourists start flooding the park, it could degrade the park, stress the elephants. Perhaps more mobile camps like what Ant's has and a couple of small lodges within the park will add more appeal to the park as it keeps the number of guests in the park at any one time to a minimum. But Gonarezhou will need more marketing, more publicity, more safari goers who seek remoteness, wildness and raw beauty. Gonarezhou delivers in bucketfuls.

 

But ultimately, the icons of Gonarezhou will always hold sway. whereever you turn, there'll be an elephant, that bend you take you'll glimpse the cliffs, that top view you see will hold the beauty of the baobabs.

 

Thank you all who have liked my posts, left compliments and made comments or just continued to follow this TR. They really encouraged me to continue and complete this TR at a time when work and an ailing dog are soaking up all my time. My dog is now lying at home, an IV fluid drip inserted in her arm, and she's running out of energy fighting some invisible illness. All I can do is give her love, reassurance and comfort, and in between, finishing up this TR. seeing those cliffs definitely brought some balance back.

 

Sitting one morning at the Chilojo cliff picnic spot, I see an elephant kicking up water in the sands. Silhouetted against the cliffs, it makes a strong statement for the park. Just watching it in the quiet atmosphere, I felt just calmness and quiet satisfaction flow through my veins.

 

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madaboutcheetah

@@Kitsafari - was worth the wait!!! hope to get to Gonerezhou one of these years just for the cliffs!

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@madaboutcheetah@Kitsafari I have to agree that I also agree that Gonorezhou could use a couple of small lodges within the park managed by Ant. It is a perfect park for mobile camping. I have no doubt that the number of predators,antelope,and elephants will continue to rise. I also have to note that Singita Pamushana is now allowing people who aren't staying there to use their plane. I'm happy that this has improved.

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@@Kitsafari

 

The pictures of the cliffs are quite breathtaking - especially the shot with the elephant. It really gives a sense of scale.

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This has been a brilliant report @@Kitsafari with your photos, videos and thoughtful and always interesting commentary.

 

The photos of the cliffs are awe-inspiring.

 

The 10th photo in #92 particularly resonates with me and speaks of the size and wonder of Africa.

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@@Kitsafari thanks to you I will somehow or other learn to use my camera hopefully before I go on my next safari in February. I know very well that you suffer from the same problem as I do-technological ineptitude. I'm encouraged by your superb photos despite your problem. I remember very well that you don't even know how to use many of your camera's functions.

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