Article | Rudo Nhamoinesu Images | Wilderness Destinations
As we approached the concession, the exhaustion from the long journey vanished as we saw the giants of Africa with their calves metres from our vehicle; rumbles, and trumpets blaring, and in an instant more had gathered. As we fiddled with the appropriate angles with our cameras, hundreds more joined in and they began to cross toward the waterhole. A stunning display of these unmistakable creatures, which are certainly a jewel and a crucial component of an African safari. We continued to watch, enthralled by this intimate experience with the largest elephant herd I had ever seen, and we were provided with comic relief by the mischievous calves who would get the odd trumpet from their elders to keep in line. The calves took advantage of the chance to tumble around in the murky waters as the herd congregated around the waterhole, clearly having the time of their life! Watching this made me joyful, and the memory of it will keep me happy for the rest of my life! This incredible encounter occurred in Hwange National Park’s Ngamo Plains; a region known for its year-round exceptional wildlife sightings. It’s no wonder that Wilderness Destinations picked this spot for its three camps: Linkwasha, Big Makololo, and Little Makololo. We resumed our trek through the Wilderness private concession towards our camp, Linkwasha, after taking a hundred photos! Wilderness has emphasised exclusivity, luxury, bespoke flexibility, and a private piece of the wilderness for their guests in all of their camps, and the modern Linkwasha Camp is no exception.
This intimate camp, located on the Hwange National Park’s southern boundary, features an excellent site that views out to the plains and waterholes, a stunning camp whose airy design draws you in upon arrival. A diverse mix of contemporary interiors complements Linkwasha Camp’s fresh, open, and airy style. The main area, which has multi-level decks, a pool area, and a winter lounge replete with a library, overlooks the spectacular waterhole and has eight magnificent en-suite tents and one family unit. I keep drifting away while host Mbaki takes me around, thinking that, aside from sightings of the Big Five and other magnificent species, the best thrill, hands down, of an African safari is a stay at an exclusive camp in the heart of the bush, and I was standing right in the center of it. You’ll find a noteworthy collection of African art and design throughout the property, and one that caught my eye, in particular, was of a lady from the Dete community, which Wilderness supports; community support is an integral part of Wilderness, and seeing this woman’s picture proudly displayed and her work as décor pieces was incredible and just goes to show the impact tourism has. I was ready to be escorted to my room set under leadwood trees after the check-in procedure, which included a stop to watch the Zebras drinking at the waterhole and the interjection of Cheetah and lion sighting stories from the night before. Eight of the luxury tents are double rooms, with the ninth being a family room all facing the waterhole. As the doors opened to my room, I was taken aback by the very spacious tastefully decorated room before me, “light and Airy” best describes the feeling of the open plan room that features a sleeping area, lounge, bathroom, and outside deck that offers uninterrupted views. Every inch of the room has been designed to ensure “comfort in a contemporary setting, the furniture has been placed well to keep the space uncluttered and each zone has dedicated lighting to create intimacy. A colour scheme of off-whites and greys makes the room effortlessly beautiful and helps the room feel open and airy with the addition of Ndebele-inspired prints around the room. Large-scale pieces such as the armchair, rug, and wide floorboards make the room feel bigger. And the best part- a personalised letter welcoming me from the team After settling into my room and taking a shower with a view of the wilderness, I was ready to begin my adventures- the first activity being the alfresco lunch served on the deck in the main area under the cool shade watching the animals have their drink; during my stay, lunch and dinner was always served out in the open air with a view of the waterhole or the stars above. Whether it was breakfast, lunch, high tea, or a three-course dinner, the chef ensured that our meals were delectable and prepared to perfection, with a diverse menu that included my favorite, freshly baked “Linkwasha” bread rolls.
During your Linkwasha safari, you will be assigned a guide and a 4WD game vehicle, allowing you to explore the concession at your leisure while focusing on your specific interests. My expert guide, Peter, took me to a waterhole and its first visitors, a large herd of buffalo with their sparse gray-black coats shimmering in the sun and males carrying their gorgeous crescent-shaped horns, while the ox-peckers with whom they share a symbiotic relationship keeping their coats clean of any insects. As we sat quietly watching the animals gather around the waterhole, which soon became humming with activity from wilder beast to impala to zebra, all seemingly giving each other a run for their money. With the buffalos periodically shooing the impalas away. While the Skimbok also known as Blesbok graced us with their presence, displaying their majestic horns, an animal found mainly in Hwange National Park. Our day was capped off by a bonus sighting of a troop of male lions ready for the night-time hunt! You may start your day whenever you wish with the use of a private safari vehicle, whether you want to go before dawn or treat yourself to a lie-in. The rest of the day is free to be spent as you like, whether returning to the resort for a midday break or staying out in the African wilderness for a picnic lunch. Peter and I had decided to go out early, beginning with a 5:30 a.m. alarm call and a fast shower followed by a cup of coffee. Everything is peaceful at this time of day, and, I can hear the calls of hyenas, and baboons. I quickly grab my backpack, hat, and camera, and with excitement, in my step, I walk to the main area for cereal before heading out. Our day’s mission was to find “cats”, moving out with intention I learnt, helps to set the day’s achievements and after a quick 6:15 am, we were off! Sightings of the majestic animals of Hwange early morning Is special, from watching Zebras run across in their beautiful stripes with the Ngamo plains landscape background, to elephants shaking down pods from an ilala palm tree to the lazy monkeys lying on the ground, it is “a world much like our own human world” with everyone going about their day’s duties.
We went to the area where the leopards and cheetahs were seen the day before, and after numerous further sightings and our guides conversing via radio, WE FOUND THEM! Peter informed me that these two male cheetahs were brothers and they gave us unlimited hours of viewing. The cheetahs in their gorgeous coat of solid black, round or oval spots were not moving, they were unaffected by our presence and clearly full from a hunt. The beauty of Linkwasha is that the only other cars are those belonging to your camp or the other two Wilderness sites. You may enjoy the magnificence of these sightings without being interrupted. Upon return to camp, and a hearty brunch, I decided to go down into the sunken hide to watch the Elephants who had decided an afternoon drink was in order. This is a great place to sit and admire the animals close up undetected. It was also very special having the opportunity to sit there in silence and realise just how special moments at Linkwasha are and as I think back to it, I cannot wait to go back!