Africa - Tented Safari
A few years ago I had the pleasure of heading out on safari in Zimbabwe and Zambia. It was a life changing experience. Once Africa gets in your blood it is hard to fight the urge to go back, and I intend on taking my kids to experience the majesty and wonder for themselves.
We were lucky enough to stay in tented lodges, namely Mana Pools in Zimbabwe, Tongabezi and Thorntrees in Victoria Falls. All were beautiful, perched on the bank of a river where game watching was easy and accessible.
Tented lodges are a misnomer...they are not tents as you would think of when you go camping. No holey canvas or sleeping on an air mattress here. Instead you have luxurious "tents" situated on raised wooden floors with all the mod cons of a modern hotel room. Yes they may be a little rustic, with mosquito nets draped from the ceilings over the beds, but truly romantic. Fully functional bathrooms that were made of brick or wood adjoined the "tents" offered full privacy and luxury. No skimping here on anything. Nothing beat the sound of hippos grazing, lions roaring or scavengers rustling about at nighttime, but knowing you were safe and sound in your little piece of heaven offest all those scary noises.
Game drives in the morning and evenings ensured we came across all of the "Big 5" when they were most active. Seeing the animals in their natural environment was a luxury and coming across a pack of endangered African Dogs was a bonus. Who knew that elephants were so quiet? And you really can't see zebras at a distance despite their striking markings. Our guides never stopped amazing us with their ability to track and spot animals that we just didn't see, and constantly pointed out things that we would have otherwise missed. They were indespensible.
Our camps offered full butler service and the meals were to die for. Canapes, three courses all with matching wines, served by suited waitors. The afternoons invariably were spent on a deck, overlooking the river below and sipping the requisite Gin and Tonic ( to compliment your malaria tablets), champagne or your liquor of choice. The sunsets were magical, the animals amazing and the experience indelibly etched into my memories.
I will never forget being charged by a Mamma Elephant whilst on a walking safari, canoeing on the Zambizi river a little too close to a pod of hippo, white water rafting at Victoria Falls, having a rhino batter our 4wd and coming across a pride of lions who had just taken down a buffalo. The sound of their purring while they lapped up the blood was both spine chilling and awe inspiring. Nothing prepares you for the rawness of Africa like coming across animals at their most primal, doing what they have to in order to survive. A true wake up call.
I left vowing to come back. And pretty soon I will!