Hippo Report - Kanga CAMP

Dates Visited: July 2017

Location: Mana Pools, Zimbabwe

Comments: Visited Kanga during the dry season after a recommendation from a fellow, frequent safari traveler. We stayed in tent 5 (out of 7) with a view of the lagoon that the camp backs into. It was a great location as we get to observe elephants, impalas and warthogs visiting the lagoon to have a drink. My travel partner witnessed a leopard coming in for a drink while I was busy chatting with the camp manager in his office. The leopard stayed for awhile, long enough to have the lucky guests take numerous photos as it drank quietly all to itself. 

The camp is very intimate where everyone sits in one big table for breakfast and dinner. The bartender never seemed to forget our favorite drinks every time we returned from our game drives.  They offered "walking" trail hikes which I would not mistake for a true "walking safari". It was educational but only lasted an hour and we didn't encounter many animals. 

One big plus for us was the amazing amount and diversity of birds that visited the camp. For birders, this camp is great for taking photos while you sit down for breakfast. They literally perch within 5 meters of your table. 

Highlight of the trip: after a sundowner, we were on our way home when we encountered wild dogs on a hunt. Instead of driving back to the camp for dinner, our guide decided to follow the wild dogs on their hunt and it was an hour's worth of excitement tracking them at night as they searched for prey!

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Hippo Report - Goliath SAFARIS

Dates Visited: August 2017

Location: Mana Pools, Zimbabwe

Comments: We met a couple last year on their 13th safari. They go on safari every year and have many experiences to share. When we asked them what was their most memorable experience, they didn't hesitate and both responded, "Walking with Stretch!"

Stretch Ferreira runs Goliath Safaris, a mobile tented camp that is put up and taken down every year along the Zambesi River. The tents are simple yet comfortable and the food is filling and delicious. The welcoming staff are very accommodating and helpful to make one's stay memorable.

But the main reason one schedules and books Goliath Safaris way in advance is for the chance of walking with Stretch. He is known as the "Elephant Whisperer" but he might as well be known as a "Lion or a Wild Dog Whisperer" as well as that's what we did on our 3 night stay there. We walked with a pack of wild dogs while they were on a hunt and the most memorable experience for us, was when Stretch walked us within 5 meters of 4 growling lions. He just knows animal behavior as he has been doing this for 30+years. This type of safari adventure is recommended for experienced safari enthusiasts not for beginners. Also, you must be fit as we walked an average of 15-20 kms every day! 

If one wants an "experience of a lifetime", we recommend walking with Stretch.

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Hippo Report - Elsa’s Kopje

Dates Visited: August 2017

Location: Meru National Park

Comments: Elsa's Kopje has it's own airstrip which allows easy access for most safari travelers flying in from Nairobi and the other safari parks. It is located high up on the hills (a kopje) that affords stunning views from the beautifully decorated and large rooms. 

The lasting experience for my travel partner and I were the game drives. After coming from the Mara and that area's game drive experience, we were pleasantly surprised by how different the animals reacted to seeing our approaching vehicles. Unlike the Mara, the animals here are not too familiar with humans and react to our encroachment to their territory with aggressiveness. Specially the cape buffalo herds. They were alert and prepared for defensive formations around their young as soon as they saw us. Some of the males actually charged at us to try and scare us away. 

The elephants were also not too keen on our approach. Throughout our brief visit with them, they were trumpeting to try and move us away! 

The highlight for us was the visit to the separate rhino protected area. We were not allowed to visit more than 2 hours to minimize the impact of the human footprint around the rhinos. At the time of our visit, there were only 80+ rhinos (both black and white) remaining in this conservancy!

The lodge has a very welcoming central area and the main area for dining is quite spacious. Night time dining under the stars is quite peaceful and serene. If one would want to have a romantic or more private dinner for two, they can set up an intimate table by the vast and warm swimming pool. 

Beautiful stay and amazing animal experience!

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Hippo Report - Little Vumbura

Dates Visited: April 2017

Location: Okavango Delta

Comments:  Little Vumbura is its own little island in the middle of the Okavango Delta. Only accessible by boat, traveling to and from the camp is an adventure in itself. The sandy pathways and cabins raised on stilts above the Delta give the island a charming tropical feel. My travel partner and I especially loved hearing hungry hippos splashing and munching on grass underneath our room.

Though it rained for the duration of our stay, we were still able to encounter all varieties of wildlife on our game drives. We were lucky to find a pack of wild dogs feasting on a freshly killed kudu. We also witnessed a lioness and her two cubs playing, as well as multiple species of birds.

The food at the camp was some of the best I’ve ever had on vacation, and we thoroughly enjoyed having dinner at the communal dinner table with the other guests. The Food and Beverage manager Leina was a joy to be around as he had so many hilarious stories to share.

Highlight of the trip: When the rain stopped for a few hours we decided to explore the Okavango Delta by speedboat. It was exhilarating flying over the water and navigating through narrow pathways of reeds while learning about the aquatic plant life. We finished the journey with our sundowner, and I witnessed the most amazing sunset - truly a photographer’s dream. Next time we hope to try a Mokoro boat ride!

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Hippo Report - Vumbura Plains

Dates Visited: April 2017

Location: Okavango Delta

Comments:  My travel partner and I were lucky enough to take a site visit to Wilderness Safaris’ premiere camp Vumbura Plains. The North and South camps are connected through long elevated boardwalks and are equally stunning. Even on a cloudy day the surrounding Delta landscape is beautiful and filled with wildlife. One of my favourite parts of this camp is their “loo with a view” – the washroom at the main camp has one completely open side so that one can take in the sights while doing their business.

The cabins are spaced quite far apart to allow for optimal privacy. Each room comes with a plunge pool which is cleaned daily, as well as an outdoor shower. The comfortable rooms come with coolers beside the couches, and an amazingly spacious shower that takes up about a quarter of the entire space. We intend to visit this gorgeous camp for a more thorough stay someday soon!

Highlight of the trip: Just being able to see that shower in person.

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Hippo Report - Duba Plains

Dates Visited: April 2017

Location: Okavango

Comments: 

Having learned that Duba Plains was newly renovated a few months prior to my arrival, I had high expectations for my stay and was not disappointed. The main camp is gorgeous and features a lounge area, wine cellar, and a large outdoor deck where lunch is served. It feels luxurious but warm and welcoming at the same time. The tents are very spacious – the washroom is a room in itself with a massive shower and a gold bathtub. Each tent also comes with a plunge pool, an exercise bike, and two yoga mats (the best I encountered during my trip). We were also given a tour of the family suite, which it similar in size and lavishness to the Zarafa Dhow suites which is also owned by the Great Plains organization.

There is a plethora of wildlife to be seen in the surrounding area. We enjoyed our breakfast by a hippo pool, encountered herds of lechwe, a group of a dozen elephants, and found a pack of young lions before sunset. We were also lucky to find 4 rhinos which were relocated to Botswana to be protected from poachers. It was so amazing to see them happily grazing and growing accustomed to their new habitat!

Highlight of the trip: My travel partner and I had a great time getting to know Herman, the camp chef, who often greeted us at the main camp to introduce our afternoon tea snacks and present our dinner menu. Before departing, he gave me a tour of the kitchen which he says is a chef’s dream living in the bush. It’s no wonder that his food is so delicious because the extensive kitchen allows for more culinary freedom and creativity. There is also an open kitchen so guests can watch their dinner being made, and I hope I can take advantage of that next time!

One must have snack: Herman's famous chocolate cake! Ask for it!!

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Hippo Report - Duba Expeditions

Dates Visited: July 2016 and April 2017

Location: Okavango

Comments: 

After staying at the lavish Duba Plains and Zarafa Dhow camps, it was nice to end my trip on a humbler note. Humbler but still luxurious! Duba Plains Expedition has that tented camping-like atmosphere where you feel closer to nature. The tents are still very comfortable and stylish, but without the extra frills. Though there is no bathtub, the water pressure in the shower was the best of all the camps I visited. I definitely feel my trip finished on a high note at this camp!

It is easy to find wildlife in the Duba area. My travel partner and I encountered a pack of lions eating the remains of a baby cape buffalo and it was fascinating to watch them chew and play with the bones, stealing them away from each other. There were tons of baboons, warthogs, elephants and birds to be seen as well. We were also ecstatic to find more of the relocated rhinos.

Highlight of the trip: My travel partner and I had a great time getting to know camp managers Alasdair and Jessica. One evening Alasdair picked us up from our tent and we thought we were heading to the main camp for dinner, but he drove us to meet the other guests for a surprise dinner in the bush! We all sat around a fire drinking wine and getting to know one another while the food was being prepared, and then ate dinner together by moonlight. It was delicious and a lovely surprise!

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Hippo Report - Zarafa

Dates Visited: July 2016 and April 2017

Location: Selinda Private Concessions, Botswana

Comments: 

My stay at the breath-taking Zarafa Camp was unforgettable. Upon arrival to the beautiful but smallish camp (smallish in terms of only having an intimate 4 suites), my travel partner and I were moved to the family units known as the Zarafa Dhow Suites. It was a massive suite, both my travel partner and I thought we had just arrived to the main camp and were shocked to learn we had the entire suites to ourselves! In the common area which conjoins the two master bedroom suites on either side of the camp there is a full bar, lounge area, and a dining area (where meals from your private chef are served). Everything about this camp screams luxury, and the bathrobes felt so comfortable we wish they were available for purchase!

After soaking up the sun in the private pool for an hour or so, we set out on a game drive and encountered 3 lionesses feasting on a wildebeest. We also spotted a number of elephants, one of which came up to the back of our vehicle, peered in and looked me straight in the eyes! (Check out our Facebook page for the video posting). There were tons of animals to be seen in the area including hippos, roan antelope, and various bird species.

Highlight of the trip: We watched the sunset while drinking sparkling wine and sitting around the fire pit on the camp’s massive deck. The camp manager Frank told us that they had to extend the deck because the fire pit was too big to fit next to the swimming pool, and I think it makes the suite all the more spectacular. We had a wonderful intimate dinner with Frank that night, sharing stories and delicious food, laughing so hard tears were in our eyes. And the next morning just before we left the camp, the resident elephant George passed by our tent to see us off. I hope to return someday with a private party because my stay was truly magical, and one night there was not enough!

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