A Meander through the Zimbabwean Lowveld

[Zim Girl]

So enjoying this trip report, @@Sangeeta

 

Lovely, lovely sunset picture at the end of post 69.

[Marks]

More great updates...some really beautiful landscapes that are totally new to me. I like the elephant walking "sequence."

[Sangeeta]

 @@SafariChick, @@michael-ibk. @@madaboutcheetah, @@Zim Girl, @@Marks - your kind words are so appreciated, thank you! The TR ends with one last post today. I hope it has been persuasive, along with the previous excellent reports  in making at least some of you think of adding the Lowveld to your future Zim trips.

[Sangeeta]

Today was our last morning at GBC I had gone to sleep the night before secretly hoping for another doggie morning, but of course I knew I was being unrealistic. The next day, I thought I was imagining Ant's by-now familiar tally-ho - 'Hounds in the river bed! Hounds in the river bed!' I rushed out hoping he wasn't playing a joke with me, but no, no, he isn't that cruel - sure enough, there they were - a couple of dogs trotting easily along in a no-nonsense manner right in front of camp! I did not have a camera so no photos of this unfortunately, but Ant & Scott will testify to my veracity I know this sounds a bit absurd and anthropomorphic, but I honestly felt they had come to say goodbye!

 

The evening before, we had reached camp to these by-now familiar scenes...

 

 

 

 

Dinner on the river bed

 

 

 

Last breakfast at GBC - look what the staff did to their daily-changing arrangement with the carved dogs of Chishakwe!

 

The Day of the 500 Kudu!

 

As we headed off to Buffalo Range airport after saying our sad farewells to the wonderful staff at GBC who had been ever so kind and thoughtful to us throughout our stay, Ant decided to get us all involved in playing the Mammal Game. So we each had to choose a mammal, and if the mammal that showed up next was the one we had chosen, then we were safe - and the last person left was to circle the plane at the Buffalo Range tarmac doing a baboon imitation! So we all went ahead and chose our mammals - warthog, kudu, impala, grysbok etc etc. And the next thing we see is:

 

 

Okay. Kudu takes it. We trundle along, each with our new mammals, and what do we see next...

 

 

Uh okay, and on we go to...

 

 

By now, all takers for impala, warthog and even elephant had flown out of the window, and when asked to choose a mammal, everybody shouted KUDU...

 

 

 

And unbelievably, even more kudu...

 

 

Getting absurd at this point!

 

But were we all done yet? Not according to the kudu...

 

 

By now, we were all in splits. We were witnessing the Grand Kudu AGM of Gonarezhou National Park and we hadn't even realized it Seriously though, we saw close to 250-500 kudu that last day - magnificent bulls with three spiral horns, two bulls together - both with only 1 horn, many kudu ladies and many many kudu babies!

 

Wildlife has a way of throwing surprises at you. I could never have imagined that I would have come back from my last day on safari to Zim with an overwhelmingly happy memory of kudus, but they will always be special animals for me now. And by virtue of their extraordinary AGM, they will hitherto occupy a special place in my heart, right below my favorite wildies.

 

After a last round of hugs and thank you's, we sadly boarded the plane at Buffalo Range.

 

 

Yours truly at her happiest...

 

 

 

 

Can you believe that places like this still exist!

 

Thank you all for your wonderful support and for staying with me throughout this meander...

 

 

[SafariChick]

Lovely wrap-up. Great to see you in the vehicle and those last couple of scenery photos - wow. It sure is a beautiful place. Thanks for the terrific report!

[Zim Girl]

Fantastic trip report @@Sangeeta

 

We were trying to combine Gonarezhou with Mana into our 2015 itinerary but it just got too expensive with the transfers between parks, so in the end we left it out because we just couldn't give up Mana.

However, I think you did the right thing only going South and certainly that's something to think about for the future.

 

You have shown how beautiful and scenic and wild the Park is, and for me that is the real draw to such a wonderful place.

[michael-ibk]

Kudu overload! Well, since I love Kudus that´s a good thing.

 

Wonderful report, Sangeeta, job well done, you definitely convinced me, Gonarezhou especially just looks like a magical place.

 

Edited December 14, 2018 by michael-ibk

[Sangeeta]

Thanks @@SafariChick, @@Zim Girl, @@michael-ibk - haha, I finally figured out the 'mention' function today, so this was easy to post!

Now got to wait and see what Ant thinks about all this - esp the lungfish and warthog and Old Bull bits

 

But I am glad this is all done and I can finally get back to my less strenuous commentating function

[Sangeeta]

Super news from AWCF and SVC about Scarlet, the dog who was mauled by lions when we were at Chishakwe Ranch:

 

http://zimbabwewilddogs.wildlifedirect.org/2014/09/21/true-altruism/

 

So nice to get some good news after hearing about the sad death of the male Liuwa lion.

[twaffle]

Thanks for all this work, loved the look and feel of Gonarezhou. I wonder if I'll ever get there.

[SafariChick]

@@Sangeeta that is great news!

[PCNW]

I'm up to the lung fish video and loved the music. I'm really enjoying our trip and a peak ahead at that last stunning image is...well, just unbelievable. My MO has always been to put the most lux camp at the end....I'd can't break with my routine....Thank you Sangetta.

[pault]

@Sangeeta Posting while I was away? Really interesting trip report. Like the writing a lot and these are very nice photos and videos - bite-sized (or atravelynn-sized perhaps?) but they look very nice and we can see what is there. Will have to find a way to get to these places (and more, but these really appeal).

[graceland]

@@Sangeeta, I really enjoyed this report, and appreciate it all the more now that I have seen the beauty of Zimbabwe. I thought perhaps I had "done it ", but after seeing the southern side.....hmm, perhaps in the future ~ I can dream it at least

 

Lovely photos. Zim seems to be full of Kudu and Roan!

 

I also like people and camp photos in TR.s You looked quite happy behind those binos!

[Atravelynn]

The dogs and hiding impala account is suspenseful and riveting. Just another day in the life of the dogs.

[TonyQ]

@@Sangeeta

Sorry I had a gap in the middle of my reading as I was away in Brazil.

It has been great to read the last section of this. The scenery looks wonderful - and great to see so many elephants.

It is strange how different animals can grab your affections - and I can see why it was the kudu on your last day

Thank you very much for the report - it has been really enjoyable.

Edited September 28, 2014 by TonyQ

[Atravelynn]

"I think. Even with their wildness and their history, they recognize Ant's voice and smell as belonging to a safe person. " That makes perfect sense and makes for a better bush experience. Your photos keep getting better and better. Some of those scenery shots seem as if they sprung from your imagination. Not only are the photos good, but your cropping and making little Zim tapestries in tile fashion is very effective. Those elephant strips are charming.

 

You have so effectively shared the beauty and drama of these thrilling locations!

[Morkel Erasmus]

@@Sangeeta thanks so much for this TR! Every image and description of Gonarezhou that I see etches it further to the top of my bucket list. It's not even that far to drive for me, but I am getting the feeling that going with Ant is the way to go (though I am quite comfortable camping on my own and being in the bush).

 

Your last image has left me breathless - such beauty!

[Sangeeta]

@PCNW: Patsy - normally that's what I would have done too. But I really think that getting the cats, dogs and rhino out of the way at Pamushana allowed us to enjoy a stress-free time at GBC where these types of sightings are rarer. But you went to Tswalu after Phinda, so perhaps you have a point there too!

 

@@pault - Glad you liked the images. It is a special place. Perhaps one too many eles here, but certainly worth a visit if you were to ever do Pamushana. A nice thought for whenever you head to southern Africa again.

 

@@graceland - As do you - look quite happy behind the magazine and everywhere else too You will make it south - with a BP combo. I know you will!

 

@@TonyQ - Your Brazil trip is on my weekend menu and I am really looking forward to it. I sneaked in a peek already and I already know I need to savor it!

 

@@twaffle - Ya never know

 

@@SafariChick - Yeah, great news about Scarlet, wasn't it?

I may be setting the cat among the pigeons...I am beginning to change my mind about wild animal 'names'. I think I quite like them because they make me invest a little more of myself into the wildlife. Scarlet is no less of a 'wild' wild dog because of her name, but I see her as an individual now, as opposed to 'a wild dog' and that makes her more memorable to me.

 

@@Atravelynn - thanks, Lynn. Settling down in a cozy corner with your Namibia and the @@michael-ibk report next! The tiles are a rip-off from you, as Paul immediately noticed, haha.

 

@@Morkel Erasmus - Coming from you that makes me blush !! But thanks so much for your very kind words. If Gonas is not that far from where you are, I'd say jump in a car and go. And you can easily take the kids with you to camp too.

Edited October 8, 2014 by Sangeeta

[graceland]

@@Sangeeta

 

Aren't we all the lucky ones...you with your discovery of GBC, and me the discovery of Zim altogether - what a great year.

 

Sure wish I was joining you on the next adventure. What a treat that would be...

 

I'm bound to the river this year; but somehow a money tree will be planted somewhere where the roots grown deep and rich quick!

 

So I think next month we get yet another amazing report?

 

Envy; just pure envy.

[Sangeeta]

You honestly won't need a money tree for the Nov trip! I promise!! It will not be your private plane but we will get you special double foam mattresses! The EK ticket is cheap and by the time we stop yakking we'll be in Lusaka and you won't even notice the cattle class - another promise Say the word and we'll shift over and make room for you!

Edited October 8, 2014 by Sangeeta

[Morkel Erasmus]

@@Sangeeta, well it's still about 950km from where I live, but that makes it actually about 150km closer than the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park which I frequent

Albeit I would have to go through the Beit Bridge border post which is one of the biggest schleps in Africa

 

Will have to make a plan...

[Treepol]

Sangeeta, I have just read your entire TR - wow and double wow!

 

Lots of good tips here for dog seekers and I loved the scenery on Gonarezhu. Thanks for taking the time to post in such wonderful detail.

Edited October 12, 2014 by Treepol

[ld1]

@@Sangeeta I have just caught up with this, what a great report. The fly camp looks amazing as does the whole trip. What with this Gonas trip @@TonyQ and @@Bush dog and their fabulous TRs drawing me to the Pantanal and @@Kitsafari convincing me I should get back onto planning an SL and NLNPs visit I am all of a tiz!!!

[panamaleo]

Sangeeta,

 

I literally had tears of joy and wonder watching the video of the huge bull ele and Ant. I am already planning a Zim safari for August 2016, and now I know my priority....Gonarezhou. If possible, may I email you directly with some questions? Mine is panamaleo@gmail.com I am a newbie on this site, and don't know if that is a breech of protocol?

 

The Safari Friendship Renewed trip reports were from the shared Kafue, Zambia safari with my two friends from Australia in August-mid-September. I know you asked me to add my voice, but feel like Clive covered it so very well.

 

Thank you  for alerting me to what looks like the ultimate experience!

 

Louise (in Panama)