03/07/2025
COME HOME - COME BACK - TO ZIMBABWE!
I recently returned from a 3-night stay at KAVINGA SAFARI CAMP. Situated at the southern side of the Mana Pools National Park and almost up against the escarpment, makes this the most ideal camp to spot leopard, not to mention the rest of the exciting wildlife in this area.
Every day and every evening game drive and walk brought us surprises, some never seen before, having lived my entire life in this country. One night we were in the hide and were surprised by a creature far larger than I had imagined one to be - a civet. And that after our evening game drive where came across not one, but TWO porcupine - clearly a couple, out on their own evening stroll!
Excitement and awe struck us all one evening when a herd of some 300-400 buffalo came to the camp waterhole, having been lurking about for a day or so beforehand. The noise and the atmosphere were both like something totally surreal - dust flying and animals bellowing and grunting whilst jostling for a spot at the poolside - this went on for HOURS during the night whilst every animal in the herd quenched its thirst in turn.
Camp guide Mthuli was brilliant on every drive and walk and incredibly knowledgeable with all the birds, trees and wildlife and really excelled with tracking a lioness and her single remaining cub until we spotted them - he literally TRACKED them - following the spore this way then that until they appeared in the track up ahead of us. Quite a story - she started off with 3 cubs and had been seen with two just the day before, and one on this day - the guides assumed that the lionesses had been disturbed on a kill by hyenas who had run off with the cubs and this particular lioness had been separated from her two 'sisters' on the previous day and was clearly distressed and distraught - not only calling for her little cub to keep up with her, but also calling for her 'sisters'.
Relief came when we spotted all three lionesses the following evening, WITH the little lone cub looking a bit more rested and stronger - in spite of being a very LONG way from where we had spotted them the previous day!
Nature and the 'wild' can be relentless both in cruelty and generosity, giving us mere humans an opportunity to gain an insight into the sounds and sights of her all-giving, all-taking life!
It does a human being an immense amount of GOOD to be in this wilderness...to return home looking at life through different eyes and a cleared-from-the-clutter mind!
Kavinga never ceases to amaze and give - HIGHLY RECOMMENDED for its warm and friendly welcome, service, knowledge, generosity of time and effort for the guests and great cuisine!
Thanks to Clyde and Leah and to Blade and Jade and our 'personal' guide, Mthuli!
P.S. Standing joke - I never mentioned the word PLATYPUS, neither in French, nor in English, whilst at the water-hole!
