I was privileged to travel to southern Africa recently. It was a sensational trip and I had many unique experiences.
When asked what my most memorable experience would be, I would have to say it was at Nehimba Safari Lodge. It was the day after our arrival and after visiting the magnificent Victoria Falls we headed south bound for Nehimba Lodge in Hwange National Park. Situated in Western Zimbabwe, Hwange National Park is the country's biggest reserve occupying roughly 14,650 square kilometres.
Hwange boasts a tremendous selection of wildlife with over 100 species of mammals and nearly 400 bird species recorded. The elephants are world famous and the park’s elephant population is one of the largest in the world. We travelled by minibus and on entering the National Park transferred to open air safari Land Rover vehicles for the final part of our transfer.
We arrived at Nehimba Lodge at dusk and after being greeted by the staff, entered the main lodge building which faces onto a natural waterhole. The scene when we entered was hard to comprehend, there were wild elephants as close as 5 meters from the dining area. The scene was amazing, something I won’t ever forget.
The photo in dim light shortly after we arrived doesn’t really do it justice. The elephants travel to the waterhole as the sun sets and the heat of the day cools. A while after the photo was taken I estimated there were around 70 elephants spread around the waterhole. However, the thing that makes the experience really unique is how close they are to the lodge dining area.
The following morning, we awoke to an orange African sunrise over the waterhole and embarked on another magical day in this stunning country.
