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.
Jul 29, 2015 | Victoria Falls, Zambezi river
August in Victoria Falls
- One of the great things about visiting Victoria Falls in August is that it will tie in perfectly with any safari and game viewing activities with the best game viewing in the region from late August to the first rains around Mid November. There is less vegetation and less water- making it easier to see the animals and making them more likely to gather at water sources.
- Elephants also gather in larger numbers in the area at this time.
- The Best Rafting is generally from mid August through to December – due to the low water levels in the Zambezi River.
- Great weather- as we come out of winter the weather is generally not too cold or too hot and we are blessed by blue, cloudless skies – ideal weather as you will be warm but not uncomfortably hot.
Jun 20, 2015 | birding, birding safari, Sunset Cruise, twitching, Zambezi river, Zambezi River Cruise, Zambezi Royal
We arrive at The Wild Horizons jetty to the mesmerising sound of African voices harmonising over water. A group of men, dressed in traditional skins are singing and dancing. The sound is beautiful as we make our way up the path and onto the jetty and boat. We are greeted by name and helped aboard where we are offered a glass of bubbly. The boat is a study in understated luxury. A open plan single-story it is decorated in tasteful neutrals, and has plush seating at intimate tables of four. My dining partner and I take a seat and begin to take in our surrounds. The Zambezi is beautiful. It stretches glass like in the evening light, with palm islands adorning it and the sounds of the singer’s voices carrying over the water.
We take off, soon after being seated, and are given a short introduction and safety briefing by our captain, Jeremiah. It is immediately apparent we are in knowledgeable hands, as he orients us to our surrounds and points out many facts about the Zambezi. He is a calmly capable man, quietly answering all the guests’ queries with a smile.
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| Guests Photograph a Crocodile on the Banks of the Zambezi. Image Sarah Kerr. |
The first of many well-portioned hors-d’oeuvres arrives as we bask in our surrounds and we are offered a drink from the cocktail menu. The food and beverages flow faultlessly throughout the cruise- the service is such that you never feel crowded yet also never find yourself wanting. Plate after plate of delicacies arrive- from crocodile croquettes to cheese selections, and you are free to order from the generous bar selection and cocktail menu.
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| Friendly Service aboard the Zambezi Royal. Image Sarah Kerr. |
As we cruise upstream Jeremiah points out the many birds to be seen along the river and turns out be the outstanding feature of the cruise. As we glide along we see Open billed stork’s dextrously removing snails from their shell, White backed vultures swirling overhead, Cormorants and Darters preening, Egyptian Geese honking obnoxiously, the predatory swoop of the African Harrier-Hawk, the whistling of White-Faced Ducks and so much more. The boat is effortlessly steered for the best sightings and all of this adds to the background ambience and the feel of the river.
We see larger creatures too. Hippopotami surface and crocodiles bask like oversized lizards on small islands, making for great photo opportunities. Then there is the special time we spend watching a family of elephants quietly come down to quench their thirst. They are unperturbed and we feel lucky to witness their interactions. Yet it is still the birds that most stand out; their abundance and variety is truly exceptional. As we make our way homeward, content and with sated bellies, Jeremiah mentions in his characteristically understand manner that there is an African fin foot up ahead and to our right.
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| Watching a herd of Elephants from the Zambezi Royal. Image Sarah Kerr. |
You can hear the intake of breath by the two South African birders who accompany us. For them this bird is a ‘lifer’. A goal they have been seeking for years and never attained. Because these birds are so highly secretive they are rarely seen by even experienced ornithologists and little is known about their habits or even their conservation status. We all peer unconvinced at the spot Jeremiah has pointed out to us. Where a tree’s branches reach the water in a confused tangle approximately 200 metres ahead. As he steers us closer we all squint and murmur ‘to the right’, ‘no, that’s not it’, ‘is that a log?’, ‘there’s nothing there!’… Until finally a gap in the foliage provides the glimpse we have been seeking. A small, pretty bird peers back at us before erupting from the tree and taking off downstream. This provides us with a beautiful view of the characteristic orange feet and bill and leaves us all with a sense of awe and gratitude.
Our fellow passengers are beside themselves with joy and we make our way back with smiles on our faces, knowing we have seen something that few people ever get to.
What we saw: Reed Cormorant, African Darter, Green-Backed Heron, Hamerkop, African Open- Billed Storks, Hadeda Ibises, White Faced ‘Whistling’ Ducks, Egyptian Geese, Spur Winged Geese, White backed Vultures, African Harrier Hawk (Gymnogene), African Fin Foot, African Jacana, African Wattled Lapwing, Pied Kingfisher, Giant Kingfisher, Brown-Hooded Kingfisher, White fronted Bee-Eaters and African Pied Wagtail.
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| African Darter (Anhinga rufa). Image Jane Bettenay |
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Jun 4, 2015 | Wild Horizons Lookout, Zambezi river
After visiting The Lookout Cafe to experience a Full Moon dinner I was left in awe of the meal as well as the scenery. The cafe, usually closed in the evenings, offers this full moon dining experience due to it’s prime position on the edge of the Zambezi Gorge allowing for diners to view the moon-rise over a truly special scene.
The Lookout clings to the edge of the Zambezi Gorge just downstream of the Victoria Falls. Below lies the Zambezi, a force you are aware of before you glimpse it as its low rumble emanates upward from the river below. The dining area faces the iconic Victoria Falls Bridge but it is the natural elements of the scene that strike me. The Lookout Cafe is cantilevered over the gorge so that you stand, insignificant in size when compared to the mighty chasm of the canyon dropping steeply away. A 120 metres below, the serpentine Zambezi – churns with incredible force and mellows into great, glasslike swathes that bely it’s power. The sun is setting and the moon has risen; a giant, yellow orb hung low over the mesmerising scene.
I soak in the scene for a few minutes before becoming aware of the cafe behind me. The warm glow of the lighting, the chatter of diners and the smell of food cooking reminds me of my hunger. A friendly waiter helps us to a table for two, warm and prompt in his service. I order the fish, local bream, caught in the Zambezi. It arrives quickly and doesn’t disappoint- flaky and succulent encased in crisp, beer batter and my partners’ steak is equally good, perfectly cooked to order and tender to the bite. We end the meal with fruit skewers and a cheese platter Before departing, I return to the edge to soak in the scene one more time.
The light has changed; the myriad of ochres and rusts are gone and the bath of cool moonlight has turned the river into a band of silver. In the background the Victoria Falls Bridge illuminated, beyond that the spray from the Falls reaches up to a sky now twinkling with stars. The view brings a sense of tranquility and it is this calm feeling I depart with. I go to sleep thinking of the onward rumble of the Zambezi, ever stretching forward, and how it was here before me and still will be long after.
Tips for a moon-rise visit:
• Look up the time of the moonrise and if not too late I suggest coming before sunset so you can experience the changing colours of the canyon walls and see the moon rising over the scene. Your best views will be whilst the moon is low to the Horizon.
• Plan to dress warmly in winter months as it is open air dining.
Full Moon Dinner Dates for 2015:
3rd July & 31st July
29th August
28th September
27th October
26th November
25th December
Special Opening Hours: From 10:00 to 22:00 (last meal orders at 20:30)
Wi-Fi: Free
Cuisine: A’la Carte menu
Free Shuttle transfers: Please call 013-42013 to arrange
