Article Prim Muzah Images Tamuka Nyoni & Rhino Safari Camp
Before we arrived, I was sure of a few things. I knew there would be an unfamiliar level of openness with the thatched structure we’d call our rooms. I was aware that the placement of the camp invaded an area that the animals called home. Quite obviously, this mentioned invasion carried some risks. Lastly, I knew that Jenny, one of the proprietors of the safari camp, was extremely welcoming. We had been in communication since the planning stages of the trip and even as we made our way to Kariba, the updates I shared with Jenny were met with reassurance that we were making good time. We arrived at Marineland Harbour and Pearson, the captain, arrived with the boat a while later. Smartly dressed in his Rhino Safari Camp attire, he welcomed us on board. Once loaded up and us safely inside, he gave us a brief safety chat. The hour long boat ride was relaxing, rocking us into a mesmerised state. Eyes began to close only to be forced open once in a while to be told a fascinating fact about the land in the distance.
As we approached land on the other side, the shoreline teeming with wildlife juxtaposed with the forest of dead Mopane trees tickled something in my brain. This was the memory of Kariba I had held on since my last visit twenty years ago. The thatched roofs peeked through the trees and disappeared from sight as we went into the harbour. Tatenda, another information-filled guide, greeted us there. Information, hospitality and high energy were clearly part of the team spirit. The drive to the camp felt like a game drive due to the abundance of wildlife. Tatenda gladly narrated the story of the bush around us. He spotted the animals and gave some accompanying facts about them. The birds called from far away, while others quietly went about their day in the nearby trees. All of them, by sight or sound, Tatenda named easily. The drive had set the pace for the next few days. Jenny and Karl, the power couple running Rhino Safari Camp, met us upon arrival. More neatly dressed staff members greeted us warmly.
A welcome beverage and a cool refreshing towel were offered to us. It was only then I remembered that the heat had been bothering me. While most of the country was settling into winter, Kariba was still sweltering. Once we had caught our breath, Karl dove into the expected dangers while Jenny chimed in as a buffer of sorts. The beauty and danger of the camp lay mostly on our behaviour when encountering the animals. As it is nestled in their home, the animals tend to wander through the camp. At tense points, Jenny would provide a comforting reminder that it wasn’t our place to pose as a threat to the animals or disrupt their way of life. We were there to observe, learn and enjoy with the animals. Our main responsibility, often forgotten, is to conserve the wildlife around us. The way they handled the introduction demonstrated how well the husband and wife team worked together and confidence in their dynamic only strengthened throughout the stay. As it turns out, we were right on time for afternoon tea and cake. They had saved some lunch for us. The meal was delicious and each bite loosened the nervous knots I had acquired during the safety talk. The other guests joined us at the table. We met Peter, whose love for safari and invaluable knowledge helped with the founding and daily running of the camp. Sally and Dick, long standing guests of the camp, were there too. Their experienced presence against our newbie curiosity balanced the camp energy well.
After our meal, the other guests left on a sunset game drive while Jenny escorted me to my room. The rooms were reminiscent of the Tonga dwellings because of the stilts they stood on, while the use of the straw roofs and reed walls blended well into the surrounding bush. Once I was inside the room, the tangles in my stomach fell loose. The breeze that Karl kept mentioning caressed my face. The roof extended quite low and the walls were short creating the perfect open view from every part of the room. Karl’s mother and Peter had designed and created a naturally air conditioned home for their guests. Once I had acclimatised myself with the room I returned to the Boma, the main area where we congregated for food, drinks and, most importantly, engaging conversations overlooking the shoreline that held an ever changing display of colours and wildlife. Everyone else had already taken off for their game drive but Tatenda was waiting for us. The drive along the shoreline reintroduced us to the impala population that seemed to grow at every turn. Elephants were everywhere. A mongoose darted for cover at the roaring of the car. The Fish Eagle and Marabou Storks perched on the dead Mopane trees while the other smaller birds fed on the elephant dung on the ground. The setting sun provided a cooler atmosphere for the hippopotamus to come out. The back drop of the sunset created the ultimate photo perfect opportunities.
As the darkness settled around us, the elephants began their retreat into the bush. This was the typical serene setting for the sunset game drive. The days ended with drinks and lively chats around the fire. The drums signaled that the food was ready. A beautifully decorated table held our three course dinner and after the meal we returned to the fire to discuss the activities for the next day. After a good night’s sleep with the lullaby of waves gently slapping the shore and animals calls, the next day began. Fishing, walking safaris or game drives were the activities to try. Fishing quickly became addictive despite the cold temperatures making the bush scarce. The calm of the water with tales from Funnyboy, the helmsman and resident fishermen extraordinaire, made the hours fly by fast. The walking safari provided a heart-pumping exercise filled with up-close lessons that involved dung examinations, tree trunk touching and tracking of animals using their footprints. Possibly the best part of the walks were Peter’s stories which were educational and entertaining. Meeting deadly silent elephants on foot held a different form of exhilaration one cannot experience while sitting in the vehicle. The afternoons were hot so the prescheduled siestas in between activities were very much welcomed. The collective retreat to the rooms was done excitedly as it was a guaranteed haven with cool air and possible upclose sightings of animals feeding on the trees next to the rooms. I had the pleasure of watching an elephant at its eye level. It fed on the leaves and communicated with the nearby elephants that I could see on the shoreline. All from the comfort of my bed! Once it was gone, the siesta ended with a refreshing nap, as all the others did. As we were there three nights, it was a pleasure having time to try all the activities more than once. The day of departure was almost sorrowful.
We were all packed in the Landrover when the wind picked up and the water became too rough. This led to a search of the lions we had heard earlier that morning. The best part for me was watching the experts, Peter and Tatenda, track the lions. Using their skills of animal tracking and their brilliant senses of hearing and seeing, we found four males enjoying a nap after their impala feast. With coaching from Peter, we managed to get close to the lions. Some vultures, including the Whiteheaded Vulture, swarmed down to help themselves to the remains of the lions’ kill. The experience ended with this beautiful safari encounter. The whole journey home was filled with talk of the trip. Each story we’d heard about the camp and the wildlife around it was memorable. It was clear that the guests’ experiences were at the heart of this camp and while I had an undeniably phenomenal time, I couldn’t help but hope that my presence at the camp would be one for the records for everyone I’d met there as well.