Oct 12, 2015 | meetourpeople, Wild Horizons Activites, Wild Horizons Lookout
Moeketsi Ndlovu is a 30-year-old chef who grew up in Victoria Falls but was originally from Esigodini, Zimbabwe. His family noticed his talent in the kitchen early on.
My Grandmother used to enjoy my cooking so she always encouraged me to become a chef though she had a belief it was not a paying job.
His grandmother was right about Moeketsi’s talent but wrong about there not being paid employment in his field. He was employed by Victoria Falls Safari Lodge as an Apprentice Chef in 2005. Moeketsi is now a head chef with 10 years of experience under his belt and says one of his accomplishments was winning the restaurant of the year for the Palm Restaurant, Ilala Lodge, Victoria Falls for three years running during his time there.
On the 23’rd of December, Moeketsi opened the Wild Horizons Lookout Café as the head chef. The café is cantilevered on the edge of the Batoka Gorge and offers diners truly stunning views of the canyon and the Victoria Falls Bridge. However, the tasty and affordable menu brimming with simple, fresh flavours is what draws people. Moeketsi changes the menu with the season and loves to experiment with new dishes while still keeping the same value and quality the Lookout Café has become known for.
Moeketsi says;
Planning a new menu has always given my career its challenges; playing around with combination of flavours, the health aspects of the menu and finally the costing which turns me into an accountant as well!
It is a technique that works and The Lookout Café has been an incredible success, garnering great reviews from international customers, and quickly becoming a favourite for local clientele. In the short space of a year café has more than doubled its seating capacity as a response to the overwhelming demand from the public. Much of this has been due to the innovation and hard work of the head chef and team in the kitchen who work hard every day to ensure the best food is served.
To young people wanting to become a chef Moeketsi says
‘…chefs have good job opportunities so if you have a passion for cooking it’s a fantastic job, but I repeat, only if you have passion!’
Oct 10, 2015 | Wild Horizons Activites, wildhorizons, Zambezi river
A helicopter flight over the Victoria Falls offers an entirely new perspective on a truly special sight. It is only from the air that the scale and majesty of the zig zagging gorge carved by the progression of the Waterfall over millennia are apparent.
The flight over the waterfall is nicknamed ‘The Flight of Angels’- a phrase taken from what Davis Livingstone said upon seeing the Falls “Scenes so lovely must have been gazed upon by Angels in Their Flight”.
As you take off you first follow the incredibly wide lazy path of the upper Zambezi- an entirely different character than when it spills over the waterfall’s chasm and crashes through the narrow gorge. Then you encounter the majestic spectacle of the Victoria Falls- the entire width apparent as you fly lazy figure eights giving everyone a chance to view the Falls and capture the rising spray and plumes of falling water. It truly is something that gives a sense of awe- and in the helicopter you glide in such a smooth way that it’s easy to forget what is propelling you. To me, it truly feels like a magic carpet ride.
If you are taking a 13-minute flight, your pilot will then fly you back upstream and return to the launchpad. If taking the longer 28-minute flight, you will continue down to the Batoka Gorge. This offers the opportunity to spot wildlife from the sky as you take in the beautiful scenery of the Batoka Gorge.
Flights take place every day (weather permitting) from dawn to sunset. For enquiries and bookings contact info@wildhorizons.co.zw or visit our website.http://wildhorizons.co.za/helicopter/#6 The ‘Flight of Angels’ Helicopter Ride
Sep 9, 2015 | birding, birding safari, twitching, Victoria Falls, Victoria Falls Activity, wildhorizons
We have recently had some great sightings of migratory species returning to the Zambezi Region for the summer. We are so lucky to get to see these beautiful birds and we thought the best way to share our luck with you was to compile an album of the birds we have seen this week alone! Thank you to Jeremiah Bondera, captain of The Zambezi Royal and keen birder for compiling this list! Without further ado:
Long Crested Eagle
Black Crowned Night Heron
Hooded Vulture
Black Winged Stilt
Yellow Billed Stork
Yellow Billed Kite
Aug 17, 2015 | Uncategorized
I recently had the opportunity to go on a Chobe Day Trip from Victoria Falls (It can also be taken from Livingstone). This tour departs daily to the spectacular and game-filled Chobe National Park in Botswana. You are collected early- around 7 am and transferred to the Botswana border. Here we were met by our Botswana Guide. We went straight to the Chobe river for a cruise. The wildlife watching on this cruise can only be described as truly exceptional! We returned to shore at 12:30 for an hour of lunch (a great buffet that I over-indulged in!) before we departed- this time in a vehicle to see the park by land. The Chobe landscape and sheer number of animals is amazing. Some experiences are hard to put into words so I have put together a gallery of this must-do. After our game drive,we were taken back to the border for our return transfer to Victoria Falls.
TIPS & TRICKS:
- This is a long and exciting day so I suggest taking a snack bar for the morning if it’s too early for you to eat before departure. You will arrive back around 18:30 (6:30 pm)
- Drinks are provided through-out so don’t worry about staying hydrated
- Sunscreen is a must! It can be very warm in the afternoon.
- Dress comfortably and with layers you can easily peel off as the day warms.
- Charge your camera batteries and empty your memory cards! This trip is a photographer’s dream!
- You can also do this trip as a half day- either the boat cruise or the game drive departing in the morning or afternoon. My pick would be the boat cruise- there’s something very special about it.
- For more information see here.
Aug 14, 2015 | Wild Horizons Activites, Zimbabwean Culture
Last week I had the opportunity to go on a Wild Horizons’ Village Tour. The experience is known as ‘Meet the People’ and for good reason! The experience is entirely driven by the local headman and his people who are proud to share their homes and culture with visitors.
After a short drive- perhaps 15 to 20 minutes we had left the town of Victoria Falls and were in a small rural village on its outskirts. Surrounded by bush-land the village boasts incredible views and natural beauty and the people here live by farming organically and producing most of what they need to survive. We were met and shown around by the incredibly charismatic village headman who gave us a presentation on the way of life, culture and history of his people. Resilience, creativity and skilled workmanship were found everywhere from art work and crafts that used recycled goods to the beautifully decorated and appointed huts and grain silos. These photos will give you a glimpse into the experience but it’s really something you need to do and ‘feel’.
This Tour takes approximately 2 and a half hours and is available in the morning or evening- it includes transfers to and from your accommodation. It is a great experience for children.
