Article | Rudo Nhamoinesu Images | Wilderness Safaris & Rudo Nhamoinesu
There is something special about stepping away from our fast-paced city lives and embarking on a more remote and adventurous experience, for us this was through the gates of Mana Pools towards our final destination Chikwenya Camp, located on the Eastern Border of the National Park. We travelled in the early dry season, a time when the vegetation began to change from thick greenery to a warm, rich, earthy pallet bursting with golden colours, bringing so much beauty to the Mopane woodland. With bushes thinning out, it is an ideal time for wildlife spotting. Chikwenya Camp under Wilderness Safaris is located on a private concession offering its guests the untamed beauty of Mana in a remote and exclusive setting with the only distractions being the animals that seem to shine brighter here! Come along with us as we take you through our stay.
Day 1- The Arrival
As we turned into the camp, we were immediately struck by the stunning scenery- the Kahali mountain range, the Zambezi river, and the flood plains acting as a backdrop to the perfectly set up camp surrounded by the evergreen Natal Mahogany trees, its wide-spreading crown providing shade to the dining area. The biodiversity, wildlife, and the wonderful welcome from the team brought a sense of excitement, peace, and relaxation; at this point, we were ready to kick off our shoes and revel in the landscape! There is a perfect balance of adventure and comfort, and this is shown through the design of the camp’s main area which offers a lounge, dining, and bar as well as a viewing deck and pool all with a remarkable panoramic view. The décor of the camp main area adds to the grandeur already provided by its surroundings, the combination of nudes, leather, and different textured wood under thatch roofing offer sophistication and contemporary design.
Chikwenya offers a private wilderness escape on a custom-designed journey, this is to allow guests to have a personalised safari experience. During our check-In we were introduced to Cosmos who was to be our Pro Guide for the duration of our stay, his responsibility was to help us discover the bush in ways that we enjoyed and at our own pace. The location of Chikwenya Camp and its accessibility to the Zambezi river means that it is one of the very few camps in Mana Pools that offer water-based activities and having been on the road all morning we could not help but pick a boat cruise cum fishing trip as our first activity! This phenomenal tented camp has 7 canvas tents, and, of these, 2 are family rooms with incredible views of the vast flood plains and the Zambezi river. The rooms embody an old safari romance and each detail within these has been prepared with the guest’s needs in mind. As you open up the door, a world of opulence, elegance, and sophistication is revealed. The rooms reflect a contemporary afro-chic look that speaks luxury and so do its amenities! Each aspect has been well thought out and placed strategically, from the extra length king size bed that offers comfortable and restful sleep, to the seating area that is great for reading to the lavish bathroom that gives you the option of an indoor or outdoor shower that makes the most of the luring landscapes in the wild outdoors allowing you to get lost in nature! If you are anything like me, you will swoon over the grand spacious bathtub within the room that promises a soothing soak as you watch the wildlife go past your room or the sun come up adding that extra romance to your stay! The room extends out to a private deck area that affords you privacy, sitting or lying out here makes for an exceptionally relaxed safari day, it is also a great viewpoint.
The rooms have been designed in a Zen-like manner, they allow you to relax, renew and refresh without missing out on the action! After settling in, and enjoying a scrumptious high tea under the Albida trees, we were off on our first adventure- an afternoon fishing excursion on the Zambezi River. The river is a mere 10-minute drive from camp, with pristine river frontage, this comes with a great sense of peace and tranquility. I’m sure as you can agree there are a few things more relaxing than being on the water! Upon arrival at the docking site, our boat had already been stocked and prepared, what was left for us to do was jump on and prepare for an afternoon of adventure! Cosmos took us to areas off the beaten track and we discovered pools that were great casting spots. As we drifted along the scenic Zambezi river, drinks in hand, Elephants crossing and crocodiles lying along the banks and we thought how incredibly special this place was. The beauty of Chikwenya camp is that the only other boats you will run into are those with other Chikwenya guests. You truly feel as though the Zambezi is all yours! After having caught 1 tiger fish (we were happy about this!), we decided to find a beautiful spot for sundowners before slowly heading to camp. As the day softened into the evening, we sat quietly listening to the trumpeting of the Elephants and the grunting of the hippos who would occasionally lift their heads, and the lazy crocodiles heading back into the water. Seeing the transformation of the gorgeous colours and their reflection on the water just reminded us how lucky we are to be in Zimbabwe and experiencing this very moment!
After a long but fulfilling day, we were ready to end our day with a bush dinner under the stars. The crisp cool on our private deck, the bush I believe has a way of lulling one to sleep or inspiring you to read a page or two of your book. Our day continued with a 3 pm High Tea, with an assortment of scrumptious pastries, sweets, and our favourite beverage- Amarula iced coffee perfectly laid out! This was followed by our next activity, canoeing on the Zambezi River! Our guide Cosmos, a pro river guide, has canoed on this river many times and his knowledge of the river ensured our safety and also the discovery of wildlife from a different perspective. As we canoed down this unspoilt waterway, we had magnificent views of the landscape and wildlife, and this offered an incredible new perspective to safari. The elephants, hippos, and crocodiles evening stars out in full force, tables set, lanterns lit and stories of the day well lived set the tone for a wonderful romantic evening after a day of safari. The staff was always attentive, they knew when to fill up the wine glass or offer another drink and the delicious food prepared by their world-class chef brought everything together.
Day 2- Sunrise to Noon
Sunrises in Africa are said to be the best and I couldn’t agree more, waking up to the different animal calls and elephants grazing a few metres from the room. Our day started early with a 5:30 am wake-up call, and after soaking in the luxuriating bath, we were ready to head out to breakfast and then on a half-day game drive. Our guide took us to Chikwenya island, an island created when the Kariba dam wall was constructed. The highlight of our drive was seeing the resident lion and lioness lying by the side of the road unbothered by our presence. Our guide’s passion for the bush shined through the knowledge that he shared, we learnt so much about the vegetation, the birds of the area, and our new favourite- the Bob Marley tree or Yogasiyana. Drives with an expert guide make you realise that apart from the game that surrounds us, there are even more interesting aspects to safari. Feeling ravenous upon our return to camp, lunch was quickly served most artistically!
Presented to us on various boards, and freshly prepared by the expert chef, who again did not disappoint- the mouth-watering crumbed fish and pot pie had us wishing for seconds! After our lunch it was now time for a well-deserved siesta did not disappoint, if you are a wildlife photographer you will get incredible shots here! Our canoe safari ended after an hour downstream, where we were then collected by a boat and began our slow sunset cruise back to camp. The birdlife in this area is prolific, although I’m not a birder we spotted a few fan favorite’s the Bohm spine tail, Rocket-tailed rollers, the Livingstone Flycatcher, Grey Heron, and many others. For our sundowners, a surprise setup was done by the team, in a secluded area of the concession overlooking the Zambezi river. A lovely fire was going, and with drinks flowing and snacks ravaged we couldn’t help but appreciate the majestic beauty of what was before us and the incredible team that had gone out of their way for us throughout our stay. Chikwenya has a way of melting your heart, it is in the people you meet, its location, the delicious food, and the perfect wildlife experience uninterrupted by any other camp or vehicle. This is a truly magical escape.