Chapter 2: Samburu & Chizarira

[John M.]

Most safaris have memorable moments, some especially so. After my first one, I quickly organised the second, taking the advice of my travel agent to try Kenya. So, in 1997, I enjoyed the wonders of Samburu National Reserve, the Aberdares, Lakes Elmenteita and Nakuru, and-- of course-- the Mara. Lots of experiences stand out, but I'll confine this to just one, for the thrill and in hindsight, the humour.  In Samburu, our guide decided we would have breakfast on the bank of the Ewaso Ng'iro and watch the elephants come to drink. My photos tell the story:

 

Oops! We're blocking the way.

Quick, get in the car. I'll see if they'd like some toast.

It's OK, they're going around...

...with annoyance.

But we got what we came to see, a tranquil and quite beautiful scene.

 

Browsing last night, I came across the old thread about archival photos, containing Geoff's description of Zimbabwe's rugged Chizarira National Park and photos he took on his walks there. More memories! I found it difficult to get to sleep. Harare is where I met Geoff, on our way to my first and only walking safari in "Chiz", on my third trip to Africa in 1998. I found walking in tough country presented few photographic opportunities, even with my camera, a Minolta Dynax 7000i and Tokina 80-200/2.8 lens (heavy) on a monopod. Here are a few pics:

 

Looking over Mucheni Gorge towards the peak Tundazi, dominating the Chizarira Hills.

Sand river, the Chimbova, a tributary of the Busi.

Annoyed bull elephant

Puff adder, on the road out of Chizarira

Probably my favourite Africa photo, taken on the Zambezi just upstream from Victoria Falls, at the end of our Chizarira-Hwange safari. Print film was saturated Agfa Ultra 50 ASA, back when choice of film preceded what could be done in Photoshop

 

 

[John M.]

I accidentally duplicated the last photo in this post, and trying to delete the duplication, I repeated the post!  Can somebody tell me how to fix that?

[Treepol]

@John M.beautiful photos and memories. You inspired me to go back to my own photos of elephants in the Ewaso Ng'iro at sunset. Thanks for sharing.

[John M.]

Thanks Treepol. It's a pleasure. 

[Tdgraves]

7 hours ago, John M. said:

I accidentally duplicated the last photo in this post, and trying to delete the duplication, I repeated the post!  Can somebody tell me how to fix that?

Deleted 

[John M.]

1 hour ago, Tdgraves said:

Deleted 

Many thanks. It was quite embarrassing to find how rusty I was... something like getting in a manual car and finding I had forgotten how to change gears

[Game Warden]

Thank you @Tdgraves 

 

@John M.thanks for sharing.

 

Matt

[ElenaH]

really nice pictures and stories, @John M.

Looking forward to follow-up!!

[John M.]

   I just had to add another photo.  It's another of my favourites from Africa, yet there's not a non-human critter in sight.  During a rest-stop on our walk in the rugged Chizarira National Park, one of my companions sat alone on a rock and immersed herself in the atmosphere of the bush.  I sneakily took the photo because of what it represented to me:  to enjoy and appreciate the wilderness, you don't need what some safari-goers seem to expect, one of the big five around every corner.

 

 

 

[John M.]

One of Bush dog's latest posts reminds me of one of my favourite photos from Masumu pan (Hwange NP) in 1998, when I was still using print film (of all things!).  The youngster, framed by the body of his elder, still learning to use his trunk, was the highlight for me.

 

 

 

Edited December 24, 2022 by John M.

[John M.]

   Kitsafari's TR "long-awaited Return to the Mara" prompted me to resurrect a couple of my Mara images, as I had sadly neglected them in this chapter. The last few days of that safari in 1997 actually afforded me my best leopard sighting, a young female called Beauty who was the daughter of the well-known veteran Half-tail.

  We found Beauty in a lovely big fig tree. She had hidden her kill, a young impala, in the canopy. After a while, she apparently lost patience with us and brought the kill down, perhaps to find another hiding spot. Then she changed her mind and took it back up. 

 

 

Edited February 12, 2023 by John M.

[Kitsafari]

I'm glad you resurrected this thread as I'm just discovering it. those photos of the elephants first on the road walking towards your breakfast, and then the number of them enjoying the river, and the last photo you have of the leopard and its prey halfway down the tree are just stunning. The colours, the activities, the surroundings are very evocative. thank you for sharing your memories. 

[John M.]

2 hours ago, Kitsafari said:

I'm glad you resurrected this thread as I'm just discovering it. those photos of the elephants first on the road walking towards your breakfast, and then the number of them enjoying the river, and the last photo you have of the leopard and its prey halfway down the tree are just stunning. The colours, the activities, the surroundings are very evocative. thank you for sharing your memories. 

My pleasure.  My companions on that trip were two American couples, from the state of Georgia. I still exchange Christmas-New Year greetings with the lady getting into the vehicle as the elephant matriarch and calf approach. She amusingly described my photo as a "butt shot" of her.

[Atravelynn]

How nice you still communicate with your safari-mates.  Where were you in relation to the elephant in that "annoyed bull elephant"  shot?  It looks like you were right under him.  Chizarira is off the beaten path.  Thanks for posting these.

[John M.]

3 hours ago, Atravelynn said:

How nice you still communicate with your safari-mates.  Where were you in relation to the elephant in that "annoyed bull elephant"  shot?  It looks like you were right under him.  Chizarira is off the beaten path.  Thanks for posting these.

We were below him, but I thought at a reasonable distance from his position on a ridgetop.  My lens was probably at max zoom i.e 200mm, which of course is not much. The elephant was quite scarey, and one of our group turned to exit until the guide told us to wait. Soon after, he told us to back off.

[Atravelynn]

10 hours ago, John M. said:

We were below him, but I thought at a reasonable distance from his position on a ridgetop.  My lens was probably at max zoom i.e 200mm, which of course is not much. The elephant was quite scarey, and one of our group turned to exit until the guide told us to wait. Soon after, he told us to back off.

Zoom made for quite a shot.  That would have been an unwise move to exit the vehicle at such a moment.

[John M.]

2 hours ago, Atravelynn said:

Zoom made for quite a shot.  That would have been an unwise move to exit the vehicle at such a moment.

We were on foot. Sorry, the word "exit" might have misled you; my journal said "turned to run" but 25 years on, I thought it sounded a bit  too dramatic 🙂

[Atravelynn]

On foot--an even better story.  Got you on the exit vs run.   "Whatever you do, don't run."

[John M.]

   This is some of the Chizarira terrain we walked in. It was mostly easy to moderate, often in fairly thick bush.  We walked several hours a day, going from camp to camp, set up for us by a mobile crew.

 

 

   Back to the Mara, 1997:  Half-tail, Beauty's mother.

 

 

[wilddog]

Half Tail was such a Tv star. how nice to see her.

[John M.]

   Going through old files, I found this account of my Chizarira walking safari in 1998. It was published in African Safari magazine in 1999.  

https://www.dropbox.com/s/w7u54dwt5lld1ef/Elephant trails.htm?dl=0

 

   Here's another link to the same article. The first one works fine on a desktop PC but may not on a phone or tablet.

 

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/n6t39abtyt3az3549miuz/Elephant-trails-of-Chizarira.docx?dl=0&rlkey=cox66cv6e1une1x4kogdxeetl

Edited March 13, 2023 by John M.

[John M.]

On 2/20/2023 at 9:57 PM, wilddog said:

Half Tail was such a Tv star. how nice to see her.

You probably saw her in one of Jonathan Scott's shows... maybe Big Cat Diary, or Dawn to Dusk? They were very enjoyable.

[John M.]

   Probably the last photo I took on the Chizarira/Hwange safari of 1998-- a little extravagantly, I took a 15-minute helicopter flight over Victoria Falls before leaving for home.

 

 

 

[John M.]

   There's little more awe inspiring than a close encounter with a big bull elephant in musth. I was reminded of this watching a BBC documentary last night on elephants in Samburu NR. Showing the work of Saba Douglas-Hamilton and other elephant rescuers, it was made several years ago but I hadn't had the good fortune to see it until now. It immediately sent me back to my Samburu files and this big fella who I captured on print film in '97.

   

 

 

   The documentary featured a couple of even more impressive bulls in musth. I can't help wondering if mine survived the ivory poachers and became one of the show's stars.

Edited December 7, 2023 by John M.

[ElenaH]

Fascinating. 

I love your vintage pictures and stories!