Here I am trying to focus on my out-of-control inbox when all I would like to be is back in Hwange. We had so many incredible experiences from walking to cycling, look up hides with truly incredible photography, being so very close to elephants during dinner at Nehimba and making Knob Tin bread with the chefs in the kitchen. This years Imvelo fam trip really was remarkable.
We started with the Elephant Express of course, heading down to Dete to the south of Victoria Falls. Butch and Operator were there to meet us with a most delicious lunch and then we trundled down to BOMANI seeing elephant, zebra, baboons and plains game along the way. On the way in to camp, we had planned to stop by the waterhole for sundowners but as always in Africa, plans change last minute and we veered off to find a young lioness carrying her one month old cub in her mouth. Such a special sighting and all on our first day. Drinks by the fire and a delicious supper and we were ready for bed.
We were up bright and early the next day – I had forgotten just how cold it can be in Hwange in July! But well wrapped up in blankets and thick jackets, we set off and found two lionesses drinking from the waterhole before stretching themselves out comfortably under a shady tree. As we headed back for coffee and muffins, we heard that two male lions were quite close by so we changed course again to spend time watching them. They were in such good condition and very relaxed around the vehicle.
The day was spent in Hwange National Park taking a packed lunch – no chicken sandwiches for us but a delicious piece of steak cooked alfresco with a variety of salads and freshly made bread. All served under the shade of a big tree whilst we watched several elephant families coming down to the waterhole to drink. 
Being an El Nino year with so little rain, the dry season in Hwange started early this year. Despite the drought, the Ngamo Plains didn’t disappoint and we saw wildebeest, impala, zebra, buffalo and kudu that morning. The additional waterholes that Imvelo pump provided great sightings too with an impressive herd of sable, eland, zebra and multiple elephants of course. A great day in the Park followed by a private bush dinner with the distant sound of hyena and lion made, such a memorable evening.
With Imvelo so intertwined with the community, we set off early to provide a ‘school bus’ service to the Ngamo primary school children who can have up to a 6km walk to school each day, one way. This is always so much fun and the kids love it. We drove to a distant point away from school and honked the horn. The kids who were late rushed out of nowhere it seemed and clambered on board the vehicle or climbed up at the back and just started singing. We arrived as a swaying mass into school only slightly late for assembly! As visitors, we were invited to stand quietly at the side while assembly took place and then in to one of the classrooms for a five minute chat with the children and they always ask if they can sing a song or two which is invariably combined with a bit of dancing, leg shaking and foot tapping! The children absolutely love it and as the visit is short and at the beginning of the day, there is no disruption to any classroom work and certainly not to the older children who may be studying for exams.
We visited Ngunyana, one of the more remote villages a further 20 minutes or so away but still within the District as we had been invited to the Headman’s house to chat with him and his wife and have a better understanding of local ways and customs. Mr. Mazayi Moyo was one of the key people to spearhead the rhino conservation project so it was an absolute pleasure to meet with such a forward thinking man. We all learnt a lot about local traditions and it was a real privilege to do this as part of the community experience. We continued on to Zandhile village, much further from the immediate impact of tourism so it was lovely to be able to support the ladies there by buying their beautifully crafted curios. They were so excited to see us, really friendly and not pushy at all. The Imvelo ‘reach’ is having such a positive and direct impact and with the opening of the second rhino sanctuary in September, this is slowly spreading along the southern boundary of the Park. 
In the afternoon, we visited the CRCI rhino conservation programme and learnt about the translocation of two rhino from Malilangwe a couple of years ago and the imminent translocation of two more into the new Mlevu sanctuary towards Gwenga which is super exciting (especially since writing this, they have already been transported to their Boma in readiness for their journey to Hwange). It was so good to see the clinic, the staff and all the medicines that Ngamo and surrounding villages now benefit from, all from the rhino sanctuary fees. It is such a success story and to know that the plan is to roll this down the boundary of the Park is just incredible. Imvelo really does offer the most fantastic experiences to guests. We learned more about the Cobras anti-poaching team and saw one of the security dogs, Ragnar, put through his paces with his handler pretending to be a poacher, it was quite eye opening to watch! We then walked with the Cobras and the rhino, Thuza and Kusasa, which was a very humbling experience. They are so enormous and had definitely grown since I saw them a couple of years ago. Really impressive. We stayed at CAMELTHORN within the sanctuary, such a warm welcome from Siboe and her team and a delicious supper served in front of the roaring dining room fires.
JOZIBANINI was next. After first spotting six lionesses lazing around and then who suddenly and silently killed a female kudu right behind us, this led on to a full day pump run through the Park to Jozi. 
The pump run is always a fun day as we travel a long way to the remotest regions of the Park but stop at various waterholes to view game, stretch legs, meet the pump attendants and drop off spare parts, have refreshments and lunch, arriving in camp mid afternoon. Jozi is so incredibly special. It is truly remote within a beautiful wilderness and it’s all about the ele. Watching them from the look up blind, watching them from the deck of your tent and cycling past them on a bush bike ride. There are bikes of all sizes in camp and after a trial-go learning how not to fall off in deep sand, we were away, cycling past the waterhole by camp with ele calmly watching on. We also went walking which is always special and we tracked a lioness who was tracking hyena. This Camp is so different and so relaxed. The beds can be wheeled out onto the deck so that guests can sleep under the stars listening to the sounds of the night although we decided not to as it was warmer in the tents! The food at Jozi was exceptional – with such limited facilities in the middle of the bush, it really was so incredibly tasty. Huge thanks to Dean and his team.
Most guests would fly from Jozi to Nehimba but being on a fam trip budget, we took the scenic route which really put Jozi into perspective – just how wild and remote it really is and such a true wilderness experience, away from other camps and any form of civilization. We had some lovely sightings of roan and gemsbok on the way and we were at Nehimba by lunchtime.
NEHIMBA has completed her soft refurb and looks fresh and vibrant. There is a relaxed feel about the camp and much more colour has been added in terms of fabrics and decor and the bar has been upgraded to The Thirsty Elephant. The bathrooms in the rooms have had a repaint and the bedding has been updated and new rugs make it feel much warmer. Such a warm welcome from Elijah, Beza and the team and great to see MT and Harris. The food was beautifully presented and absolutely delicious and we learnt to make knob tin bread in the kitchen with the chefs using basic ingredients and a tin can! The feedback from Helen’s last fam trip was to add fans inside the mozzie nets as well as fridges/cold drinks in the room, both of which have made such a difference.
A mixture of walking and game drives, Nehimba never fails to disappoint. Tracking elephant by foot and driving up to a pride of 11 lion, followed by sundowners surrounded by elephants at one of the waterholes. So many elephants came to drink right in front of camp when we had drinks and dinner by the fire – they were so close and it is this that truly makes Nehimba so special. It was a tough choice but Nehimba was voted the favourite Camp by the group.
With an early start and a packed breakfast, we flew MackAir to the Falls, a quick 30 minute hop and definitely the quickest way to transfer from Victoria Falls to Hwange and vice versa. The roads are variable and some sections are not in the best condition so it is great to be able to offer an alternative.
We topped and tailed our trip at the Falls. It is always exciting to stay somewhere where you have not stayed before and our first night was at Pioneers at Victoria Falls. What a charming and peaceful lodge only 20 minutes from the airport and equidistant from the town. A relatively new camp, it opened on the first day of lockdown and had no guests for the first 18 months! It has more than made up for it offering a serene and calm space from the minute you walk in together with clean, fresh food and excellent service. In a colonial style with a modern twist, the rooms were spacious and well decorated but it is outside that was so appealing. With two pools and mature gardens full of flowers, it was the perfect place to relax after a night flight and before starting our safari journey in the morning. Up nice and early before the crowds and of course, the Victoria Falls didn’t fail to impress. Because of the drought, it was not as full as it would usually be in July but still it was hugely impressive and everyone got refreshingly damp from the spray.
THANK YOU
Sally
