CAPETOWN, SOUTH AFRICA
Our first stop on the African Continent was Cape Town, South Africa with the idea of decompressing before our safari experience in Zambia. Cape Grace Hotel, where we stayed was an experience in itself. Melding modern day comforts with refined culture and luxury the location on the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront was perfect. Table Mountain towered over the hotel on one side and a multi-millionaire yacht basin sat on the other. Friends traveling with us hired a private minibus and tour guide to take us on several day trips during our brief stay giving us the opportunity to see the lovely city.
On our first day we ventured south from Cape Town with Cape Point/Cape of Good Hope. Along the way we stopped at Jackass Penguin Colony in Boulders Beach to see the African penguins, also called Jackass or black-footed penguins. A wooden walkway provides a path toward the beach from which we can observe the penguins and take their photos without disturbing them too much.
When we arrived at the Cape of Good Hope we took the ultimate tourist photo at the marker indicating our location on the planet and then took a short hike up to the lighthouse where there was a stunning view of the entire point. It's an easy hike up and totally worth the huffing and puffing.
On our second day we travelled 25 miles east of Cape Town to the cosmopolitan city of Stellenbosch, South Africa's second oldest European settlement after Cape Town. Streets are lined with beautiful examples of Cape Dutch, Georgian and Victorian architecture and the intimate streets and mountainous backdrop makes for an idyllic destination all on its own.
Stellenbosch is most famous for its wine industry. Our group made several stops at a variety of wineries where we sampled the region's famous Cabernet Sauvignon along with Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc and Shiraz. We were also lucky enough to enjoy the experimental variety of Pinotage which is a cross between Pinot Noir and Cinsaut. Delicious. If you ever find yourself in this part of the world it would be worth your while to include Stellenbosch as a destination. At some point I would like to stay a few days because not only is the wine region a full day but apparently there is great hiking and photographic opportunities as well.
On our first day we ventured south from Cape Town with Cape Point/Cape of Good Hope. Along the way we stopped at Jackass Penguin Colony in Boulders Beach to see the African penguins, also called Jackass or black-footed penguins. A wooden walkway provides a path toward the beach from which we can observe the penguins and take their photos without disturbing them too much.
When we arrived at the Cape of Good Hope we took the ultimate tourist photo at the marker indicating our location on the planet and then took a short hike up to the lighthouse where there was a stunning view of the entire point. It's an easy hike up and totally worth the huffing and puffing.
On our second day we travelled 25 miles east of Cape Town to the cosmopolitan city of Stellenbosch, South Africa's second oldest European settlement after Cape Town. Streets are lined with beautiful examples of Cape Dutch, Georgian and Victorian architecture and the intimate streets and mountainous backdrop makes for an idyllic destination all on its own.
Stellenbosch is most famous for its wine industry. Our group made several stops at a variety of wineries where we sampled the region's famous Cabernet Sauvignon along with Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc and Shiraz. We were also lucky enough to enjoy the experimental variety of Pinotage which is a cross between Pinot Noir and Cinsaut. Delicious. If you ever find yourself in this part of the world it would be worth your while to include Stellenbosch as a destination. At some point I would like to stay a few days because not only is the wine region a full day but apparently there is great hiking and photographic opportunities as well.
NORMAN CARR SAFARI CAMPS - NSOLO, MCHENJA, & lUWI
LOWER ZAMBEZI RIVER, ZAMBIA
Nsolo
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Luwi
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Mchenja
We awoke bright and early on our third day on the African continent in order to catch a flight from Cape Town to Johannesburg where we would meet up with our guide, Bwana Jim, later in the evening for dinner in the hotel dining room. For convenience sake we all stayed at the same hotel at the airport - The Intercontinental and City Lodge and to be quite frank, I can't remember much about it except its location - the airport.
The following morning's flight to Lusaka (the capital city of Zambia) connected us to our small chartered aircraft (Ngwasi Airlines) into Mfuwe International Airport where we were met by our Norman Carr Safari drivers and taken into to South Luanga National Park in the lower Zambezi in open air safari jeeps. It was a wonderful trip but there wasn't much to see in the dark. Locals were burning trash so the smell of fire and ash was a little overwhelming. I remember wishing I had packed a hat with a net or clear glasses to protect my eyes.
Our first camp stay was at Nsolo, then Mchenja then Luwi. The daily routine is pretty much the same from camp to camp although there are slight variances between the camps with regard to the accommodations, animals sighted and certainly between the camp hosts and guides. Upon arrival, we peered down from our small portals to watch airport personnel clearing baboons from the runway so that our little airplane could land safely. At that point it was abundantly clear to all of us that we had entered the bush. We all agreed that it was the best trip from the airport ever!
Arriving at Nsolo in the pitch, black, dark of the evening exhausted, hungry, jet-lagged and ready for a good night's sleep. We were greeted by a nice person who had cool, wet washcloths on a silver serving tray and offering us the opportunity to clean the dust from our faces. Our camp host played bartender while the camp employees took our bags to our rooms. The center meeting area was where the living room/dining room/bar was housed. Dinner was served and we were all very pleased at the quality of the food prepared. Time to relax. The camp host took that opportunity to inform us of the safety rules we are to strictly adhere to while we visit all of the Norman Carr camps as well as the basic agenda for each day.
The law of the land:
1) Days begin early at about 5:30am. There is no time to shower in the morning because not only is it dark, but also a quite chilly in the outdoor shower. Our first chance to shower and/or nap is after we return to camp from our morning game ride. (after lunch)
2) Breakfast is served early around 6:00am. We depart for our first safari of the day at 6:30am-7:00am.
3) Around 10am, a stop at a picturesque location in the bush where we will be offered tea service and a snack after which we will continue on our safari.
4) At noon, we return to camp to have lunch and relax.
5) After lunch we can shower, nap or simply relax.
6) Around 4pm we will depart for another safari.
7) Shortly before sunset we stop at a lovely location and enjoy a light snack with cocktails. I learned to like gin and tonic with a twist of lime although the guides made them way too strong! ;-) This was referred to as a sundowner because we ceremoniously salute the setting sun with our cocktails and then continue on our safari as night approaches.
8) Around 7:30pm we return to camp for dinner and drinks served around 8:00pm. Dinner is presented outside in the open air community style and the location is sometimes varied. As the 5 star meal is served and the wine is poured, everyone naturally shares their stories from the day's events. Much good hearted laughter accompanies the stories when we poke fun at one another about one thing or the other that happened during the long day. A favorite was when we all started talking about the vivid dreams we were having as a result of taking the malaria pills. One of our very good natured traveling companions mentioned that he dreamt he was Moses trying to part the seas. This pretty much brought the house down!
9) Very important - If we move about the camp in the evening we must be accompanied by a guide at all times. Therefore if we need to go to our room to go to the bathroom or get a sweater our guide will always without exception escort us and wait in order to walk us back to the main area if we desire. (By the way, he packs "heat!")
The following morning's flight to Lusaka (the capital city of Zambia) connected us to our small chartered aircraft (Ngwasi Airlines) into Mfuwe International Airport where we were met by our Norman Carr Safari drivers and taken into to South Luanga National Park in the lower Zambezi in open air safari jeeps. It was a wonderful trip but there wasn't much to see in the dark. Locals were burning trash so the smell of fire and ash was a little overwhelming. I remember wishing I had packed a hat with a net or clear glasses to protect my eyes.
Our first camp stay was at Nsolo, then Mchenja then Luwi. The daily routine is pretty much the same from camp to camp although there are slight variances between the camps with regard to the accommodations, animals sighted and certainly between the camp hosts and guides. Upon arrival, we peered down from our small portals to watch airport personnel clearing baboons from the runway so that our little airplane could land safely. At that point it was abundantly clear to all of us that we had entered the bush. We all agreed that it was the best trip from the airport ever!
Arriving at Nsolo in the pitch, black, dark of the evening exhausted, hungry, jet-lagged and ready for a good night's sleep. We were greeted by a nice person who had cool, wet washcloths on a silver serving tray and offering us the opportunity to clean the dust from our faces. Our camp host played bartender while the camp employees took our bags to our rooms. The center meeting area was where the living room/dining room/bar was housed. Dinner was served and we were all very pleased at the quality of the food prepared. Time to relax. The camp host took that opportunity to inform us of the safety rules we are to strictly adhere to while we visit all of the Norman Carr camps as well as the basic agenda for each day.
The law of the land:
1) Days begin early at about 5:30am. There is no time to shower in the morning because not only is it dark, but also a quite chilly in the outdoor shower. Our first chance to shower and/or nap is after we return to camp from our morning game ride. (after lunch)
2) Breakfast is served early around 6:00am. We depart for our first safari of the day at 6:30am-7:00am.
3) Around 10am, a stop at a picturesque location in the bush where we will be offered tea service and a snack after which we will continue on our safari.
4) At noon, we return to camp to have lunch and relax.
5) After lunch we can shower, nap or simply relax.
6) Around 4pm we will depart for another safari.
7) Shortly before sunset we stop at a lovely location and enjoy a light snack with cocktails. I learned to like gin and tonic with a twist of lime although the guides made them way too strong! ;-) This was referred to as a sundowner because we ceremoniously salute the setting sun with our cocktails and then continue on our safari as night approaches.
8) Around 7:30pm we return to camp for dinner and drinks served around 8:00pm. Dinner is presented outside in the open air community style and the location is sometimes varied. As the 5 star meal is served and the wine is poured, everyone naturally shares their stories from the day's events. Much good hearted laughter accompanies the stories when we poke fun at one another about one thing or the other that happened during the long day. A favorite was when we all started talking about the vivid dreams we were having as a result of taking the malaria pills. One of our very good natured traveling companions mentioned that he dreamt he was Moses trying to part the seas. This pretty much brought the house down!
9) Very important - If we move about the camp in the evening we must be accompanied by a guide at all times. Therefore if we need to go to our room to go to the bathroom or get a sweater our guide will always without exception escort us and wait in order to walk us back to the main area if we desire. (By the way, he packs "heat!")
A FEW MORE DETAILS
Accommodations at the safari camp consists of four individual chalets sporadically located around the small camp with the main area in the middle. (Camp employee quarters are located at the back of the camp behind a hidden fence and resembling a small village.)
Each chalet was raised on wooden decks with grass and reed walls and open air en-suite bathrooms. Our bathroom even came furnished with a small tree frog which liked to live on the toilet seat! The light in the evening is very dim and outside in the bathroom you always ask yourself if you want to even turn on a light because you don't want to attract mosquitos. On the first night, I opted to use the ambient light from the bedroom while I was preparing for bed and then I saw something move on the toilet seat! Squealing and calling for Michael, he came running in to a small beige frog the size of a 50 cent piece sitting on the toilet seat. He gently removed him so that I could finish my business and crawl into bed. You can't imagine what went through my head. If couldn't tolerate a tiny little frog, what was going to happen the first time I saw a leopard or lion! Not in my element for sure!
The next morning we awoke bright and early under the shade of giant evergreens dotted with curious but shy monkeys towering over the chalets. Stumbling into the central area for breakfast we are provided a delicious breakfast of eggs, oatmeal, fresh fruit etc., prepared over campfire with hot coffee or tea.
There must be only a few African experiences more exciting than heading out on a walking safari early in the morning where we walk single file with a guide in the front and an armed guard in the back looking for fresh tracks and following them through the bush. Philemon, our primary guide at Nsolo conducted driving and walking safari tours for our group. He was soft spoken but very knowledgeable of all the animals as well as the flora and fauna and seemed to appreciate our sense of humor and goofy questions which he patiently answered.
We became acquainted with animal droppings of every type and size. He educated us as to how everything in the wild is useful and nothing is ever wasted. With hushed voices and hearts racing its hard not to imagine a lion around every corner.
On a driving safari there are 4 or 5 guests in an open air Land Cruiser and generally one or two guides. In the evenings there are always 2 guides because it is necessary for someone to hold a spotlight to search for animals. They may also be carrying a gun for security. To me it seemed like looking for a needle in a haystack but the guides radio one another as well as listen for sounds that might indicate when an animal is near.
On one of our first evening safaris we saw a water buffalo that had been killed by a lion. The lion guarded her prey peering from the high grass just beyond the kill while nervous and hungry laughing hyenas paced around on the opposite side of the dead animal, waiting for the lion to be finished. We were told by our guide that this process can sometimes take a few days so the hyenas would steal bites here and there and race back into the brush. If the lion becomes impatient she will come out from her hiding place and roar loudly which scattered all of the critters to and fro. Meanwhile in the trees above, the buzzards perched in the trees just above the kill waiting for the lion and the laughing hyenas to finish so that they could mop up the remains. As we were told by Philemon, nothing in the wild goes to waste.
In the photos above and in the slideshow below, I show photos of each of the camps. In the order of our preference, we liked Mchenja the very best with Nsolo and then Luwi last. Mchenja was what made the Norman Carr experience special to us. It was lovely and interesting with a wide variety of game as well as nicer facilities. Nsolo and Luwi were quite rustic.
Each chalet was raised on wooden decks with grass and reed walls and open air en-suite bathrooms. Our bathroom even came furnished with a small tree frog which liked to live on the toilet seat! The light in the evening is very dim and outside in the bathroom you always ask yourself if you want to even turn on a light because you don't want to attract mosquitos. On the first night, I opted to use the ambient light from the bedroom while I was preparing for bed and then I saw something move on the toilet seat! Squealing and calling for Michael, he came running in to a small beige frog the size of a 50 cent piece sitting on the toilet seat. He gently removed him so that I could finish my business and crawl into bed. You can't imagine what went through my head. If couldn't tolerate a tiny little frog, what was going to happen the first time I saw a leopard or lion! Not in my element for sure!
The next morning we awoke bright and early under the shade of giant evergreens dotted with curious but shy monkeys towering over the chalets. Stumbling into the central area for breakfast we are provided a delicious breakfast of eggs, oatmeal, fresh fruit etc., prepared over campfire with hot coffee or tea.
There must be only a few African experiences more exciting than heading out on a walking safari early in the morning where we walk single file with a guide in the front and an armed guard in the back looking for fresh tracks and following them through the bush. Philemon, our primary guide at Nsolo conducted driving and walking safari tours for our group. He was soft spoken but very knowledgeable of all the animals as well as the flora and fauna and seemed to appreciate our sense of humor and goofy questions which he patiently answered.
We became acquainted with animal droppings of every type and size. He educated us as to how everything in the wild is useful and nothing is ever wasted. With hushed voices and hearts racing its hard not to imagine a lion around every corner.
On a driving safari there are 4 or 5 guests in an open air Land Cruiser and generally one or two guides. In the evenings there are always 2 guides because it is necessary for someone to hold a spotlight to search for animals. They may also be carrying a gun for security. To me it seemed like looking for a needle in a haystack but the guides radio one another as well as listen for sounds that might indicate when an animal is near.
On one of our first evening safaris we saw a water buffalo that had been killed by a lion. The lion guarded her prey peering from the high grass just beyond the kill while nervous and hungry laughing hyenas paced around on the opposite side of the dead animal, waiting for the lion to be finished. We were told by our guide that this process can sometimes take a few days so the hyenas would steal bites here and there and race back into the brush. If the lion becomes impatient she will come out from her hiding place and roar loudly which scattered all of the critters to and fro. Meanwhile in the trees above, the buzzards perched in the trees just above the kill waiting for the lion and the laughing hyenas to finish so that they could mop up the remains. As we were told by Philemon, nothing in the wild goes to waste.
In the photos above and in the slideshow below, I show photos of each of the camps. In the order of our preference, we liked Mchenja the very best with Nsolo and then Luwi last. Mchenja was what made the Norman Carr experience special to us. It was lovely and interesting with a wide variety of game as well as nicer facilities. Nsolo and Luwi were quite rustic.
OLD MONDORO - LOWER ZAMBEZI RIVER, ZAMBIA
 Mfuwe Intl Airport
Taking a charter flight from Mfuwe Airport, we landed on the Jeki air strip where we were met by The Old Mondoro Camp Crew in open air safari jeeps and transported to Old Mondoro about 30 minutes away. Here are a few photos that will give you an idea of the experience.
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Ngwazi Air
Open safari jeep
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Jeki Air Strip
Our safari guard
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The camp and crew at old mondoro
Bath!
sFrom the moment we crossed into is acacia filled dirt entrance, it was there was something special about Old Mondoro. Hippos, elephants and crocodiles inhabit these islands and the scenery was stunning and unlike anything we had seen up to this point.
Our camp hosts, a married couple, divided as conquered as they escorted each couple in our group to our rooms. Michael and I were taken to a large room with a king sized bed similar to the other camps. However we had our own sitting area/porch where we could view the Zambezi river and watch the wildlife as they either flew in, meandered by or as in the case of the baboons loudly announced their presence and stole a banana or two from the dining area whenever possible.
All of the chalets are designed to be completely private, which is good because the bathrooms are located outside. Our room included a bathtub where we were told a local elephant enjoyed coming by to grab a drink and be on his way. We were warned to stay perfectly still if we happened to be in the bathtub at the time of his visit. Um, right! Showers, it is then! ;-)
Our camp hosts, a married couple, divided as conquered as they escorted each couple in our group to our rooms. Michael and I were taken to a large room with a king sized bed similar to the other camps. However we had our own sitting area/porch where we could view the Zambezi river and watch the wildlife as they either flew in, meandered by or as in the case of the baboons loudly announced their presence and stole a banana or two from the dining area whenever possible.
All of the chalets are designed to be completely private, which is good because the bathrooms are located outside. Our room included a bathtub where we were told a local elephant enjoyed coming by to grab a drink and be on his way. We were warned to stay perfectly still if we happened to be in the bathtub at the time of his visit. Um, right! Showers, it is then! ;-)
Days began and ended in about the same way as the Norman Carr Safaris but to be completely honest everyone loved Old Mondoro camp because of the abundance of wildlife that surrounded our camp as well as the beautiful facilities and landscape near and beyond. For sundowners we were often taken to the Jeki Plains to view the sunset and then later in the evenings we would return to see the milky way and the constellations. Our guides were very well versed in astronomy and showed us many things not visible to us in the Northern Hemisphere.
Egyptian cotton linens and the privacy of the outside porch for reading, relaxing or napping after safari, along with the exquisite meals gave the camp a real homey feel. We loved it there and hope to go back in the near future!
Here is a run down of the typical day's schedule:
6:00am - Rise and Shine! Tea or coffee, toast, muffins, cereals, & fruit served by the camp fire
6:30am - 10:30am Game drive or walking safari
11:00am - Brunch back at camp served or choice of full English breakfast with eggs cooked to order
1:00pm - 2:30pm River safari and/or fishing (catch and release - tiger fish)
4:00pm - Tea or coffee with sweet & savory snacks at a very picturesque location
4:30pm - Game drive, canoe trip, sunset river safari
6:00pm - Night game drive after traditional salute to the setting sun (Sundowner) on the Jeki Plain
8:00pm - Beer, wine or cocktails by the camp fire or the “sand bar”
8:30pm - Four course dinner served with wines, perhaps a liqueur and then off to bed
Egyptian cotton linens and the privacy of the outside porch for reading, relaxing or napping after safari, along with the exquisite meals gave the camp a real homey feel. We loved it there and hope to go back in the near future!
Here is a run down of the typical day's schedule:
6:00am - Rise and Shine! Tea or coffee, toast, muffins, cereals, & fruit served by the camp fire
6:30am - 10:30am Game drive or walking safari
11:00am - Brunch back at camp served or choice of full English breakfast with eggs cooked to order
1:00pm - 2:30pm River safari and/or fishing (catch and release - tiger fish)
4:00pm - Tea or coffee with sweet & savory snacks at a very picturesque location
4:30pm - Game drive, canoe trip, sunset river safari
6:00pm - Night game drive after traditional salute to the setting sun (Sundowner) on the Jeki Plain
8:00pm - Beer, wine or cocktails by the camp fire or the “sand bar”
8:30pm - Four course dinner served with wines, perhaps a liqueur and then off to bed
old mondoro
Old Mondoro will be remembered as one of our favorite destinations ever. The camp is located right on the shores of the Zambezi river, and hippo noises will keep you company every evening. (If you are bothered by this, you may want to consider packing earplugs.) The game viewing is extraordinary - leopard, lion, elephants (ellies), zebra, impala, baboon, buffalo, vervet monkeys, crocodiles, etc. and so many beautiful birds! The guides are incredibly knowledgeable and personable pointing out things for you to see that you can't believe they have spotted. There are opportunities to take a walking safari where you take a short hike instead of observing from the jeep. You might decide to enjoy a canoe ride to get a different perspective - Up close and personal! Or fish for tigerfish (catch and release) in the Zambezi. We most definitely want to return to this magical place!
FYI, night game drives are quite spectacular. Old Mondoro uses an infrared light which shines on the animal but is not a blinding bright light that not only scares the animal but ruins every photo taken. The infrared allowed us to observe the animal without disturbing it while watching it behave naturally in the wild. If you look at some of the leopard photos in the slideshow below you will see what I am referring to as compared to the Norman Carr Safari guides who used a very bright light.
FYI, night game drives are quite spectacular. Old Mondoro uses an infrared light which shines on the animal but is not a blinding bright light that not only scares the animal but ruins every photo taken. The infrared allowed us to observe the animal without disturbing it while watching it behave naturally in the wild. If you look at some of the leopard photos in the slideshow below you will see what I am referring to as compared to the Norman Carr Safari guides who used a very bright light.
The view from our porch to the left
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Straight ahead
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The view from our porch to the right
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