August 18 - 31, 2013
We left the comforts of Uncle Segs and Auntie Shamla's home to go across town to a backpacker's hostel to meet our traveling group, our group leader, Colin, our driver, Ishmael, and our cook, Mungamele. We chatted and ate dinner then left early the next morning for Kruger National Park and camped just outside the park. We woke early to game drive all day through Kruger, having our first glimpses of lions, giraffes, zebra, buffalo, and elephants.
We crossed the border into Mozambique where we stayed in various beach campsites for the next five days. We dove at the first stop, just outside Inhambane (our first dive in the Indian Ocean), but the conditions and visibility were bad. The second stop in Morrungulu was a nice surprise with upgrades to cabins and a pool/bar with beautiful views of the sea. We swam in the waves and relaxed poolside. In Vilanculous we chartered a boat to the island to climb sand dunes, snorkel (amazing fish, coral, and blue starfish!), and eat lunch on the shore.
The next country on our itinerary was Zimbabwe and we loved everything about it :) It was very strange though, to be in a country in Africa where the official languages is English and the currency is US dollars. We spent a couple of days at Antelope Park, a reserve and conservation organization dedicated to introducing lions into the wild. We played with lion cubs, walked with elephants, did a game drive on horseback, and visited the stage two lions, some of which will eventually be released into the wild. The employees were very dedicated and enthusiastic about their work. Loved this stop!
Our next adventure was Hwange National Park. Along the way, we stopped at the painted dog conservation center where researchers are working hard to save this endangered species. Leaving the center we saw a pack of painted dogs crossing the road. A rare and spectacular site! On our evening game drive in Hwange we saw lions stalking an impala, a giraffe drinking from a watering hole, and several herds of elephants taking turns drinking from a watering hole filled with crocodiles and surrounded by baboons. One young elephant separated from his group and once he realized it, he ran to catch up and was reprimanded by the adults. Pretty funny :) The excitement continued through night when our campsite was invaded by a honey badger and it sounded as though we were surrounded by screaming hyenas all night. Colin told us the next morning that a pride of lions had killed a kudu just outside the campground gates and a group of hyenas stole the kill from them. I don't think there was much between our tent and these wild animals!
We finished the trip at Victoria Falls. August is the dry season but the falls were still impressive! We had a private evening game drive through a local reserve, complete with black rhino sitings, a beer while we watched the sunset, and dinner in the bush (fireside). Very romantic <3 We relaxed by the pool in our campsite, had massages and pedicures at a "garden spa", and had a goodbye braai with our new traveling buddies: Liz, Breanna, Andy, Laura, Shorty, Sabine, Taryn, and Carl:)
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