The Return to Hwange

I recently had the opportunity to return to the beyond wonderful Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe.

(How can you not love a place whose sunsets look like this?!)

I returned to The Hide, a wonderful safari lodge, tucked away in the middle of Zimbabwe and was treated to this sunset the following night.

Oh, be still my heart, how I love sunsets.

I was traveling with someone who was experiencing his first safari.  The moment of seeing something like these giraffes never grows old,
whether it's his first safari or mine, the number of which I've lost count.

Our safaris were marked with these beautiful female kudus, so gracefully when they run.

Hwange has these stunning zebras and it's easy to be lost in the memorizing nature of their stripes.

Love this Zebra's head markings.

What is it about giraffes drinking that is always so comical?! 

An elephant's skull--this thing was huge and a little creepy.

We had a full moon, visible even before the sun set!

Which boded well since we were also visiting Victoria Falls and I hoped we'd be able to experience the rare lunar rainbow!!

Remember this sign?  I laughed seeing it again--it brought back so many good memories
of my very first safari experience in the company of a wonderful friend.

(Oh! What luck I have to have such wonderful people with whom to experience this world!)

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Three of the Big Five

While on safari in Mana Pools National Park, Zimbabwe, I was lucky enough to see three of the big five!

One: this impressive male lion.

Two: this huge hippopotamus in the Zambezi River.

Three: this huge herd of African Buffalo.

So amazing...and my heart beat a bit faster the closer they got to us.

Even with their beauty, you can see how they are the kings.

We didn't see a leopard sadly..but one was spotted while we were there. So close!

(African Buffalo skull...)

Two hippos on a small island in the middle of the Zambezi River.

We weren't lucky enough to see the fifth of the big five: the rhino.  

They apparently don't come to that part of Zimbabwe anymore and those that used to had been poached.

(Why are these the big five?  They are the most dangerous animals to hunt.  

In particular, they are the ones that will charge you vice run from you when threatened.)

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Ruckomechi Camp!

After arriving in Zimbabwe's Mana Pools National Park, we stayed at the Ruckomechi Camp.

And our "tent" was wonderfully relaxing (when the hippos weren't startling us outside!!).

Here's the tent I stayed in (please ignore my forgotten to hide bag on the floor...)

I loved, loved, loved the rock walls.

The tent overlooked the open floodplains of the stunning Zambezi River and the mountains of Zambia's Rift Valley.

The personal facilities.  Word of the wise: either know your traveling partner really well
or be willing to get to know them really well (advice for basically all of Africa!!!!)
...because standards of privacy (such as no doors...) aren't always what you're used to when you visit new places!

The lounging area with its wonderful relaxed air.  Ruckomechi/Mana Pools is by far my favorite place I've visited in Zimbabwe thus far!

A perfect spot to watch the Zambezi River as elephants wander past with the Rift Valley mountains in the background.  Divine.

The paths leading to the tents.  More than a few times I found elephants hanging out here.

And while this skull really has nothing to do with the camp itself, it was too cool not to share.

For more information on Ruckomechi Camp.

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Adios, Hwange!

Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe.

After a wonderful stay at The Hide, we left early in the morning to return to Harare.

Only seeing the early rising impalas and this bird to send us off.

Although you'd see signs of life (and death all around): the remnants of a giraffe skull were so cleverly positioned as a dam.

Or skulls were used as fencing.

We left Hwange---it's almost easy not to realize if you've left the park.

It seemed fitting to run into traffic on the road as we left: a beautiful giraffe.

It's impossible not to love the beauty and serenity of Hwange.

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