Gonarezhou National Park !

Gonarezhou National Park

and the Chilojo Cliffs.

“Do I ever have the Guide for you!” Kel was bubbling over with enthusiasm.

His name is Anthony, Ant for short, he is the youngest man ever to be fully licensed as a Guide in Zimbabwe. He has two degrees and what he does not know about Flora and Fauna of Zim, isn't worth knowing.”

Don't feed me this line, if you don't want a corny joke.

“Is Flora the blond one, or is it Fauna, her sister?”

“You'll never change, will you? Kel laughed.

“I'm too old for changing.” I said. “When can I meet Ant?”

“He'll be here tomorrow morning for breakfast. You'll be able to seize each other up.”

“If you say that he's the best, that's good enough for me. I won't need any

'seizing up.'

****************

Let me jump ahead several Safaris with Ant: He is simply the best there is.

Even when we tracked 6, or was it 7 Lions, on foot, in bush country, I felt safe with Ant. He knows, and almost more important, he feels and anticipates.

Here is a man with whom, as the saying goes, I would go and steal horses.

(If I were so inclined.)

Does Ant ever lose his cool? Never! Never?

Well, once, almost, when we had his beloved Cruiser on a flat boat, with a 25 HP outboard motor, trying to cross the Runde river. Due to this very inadequate motor, we almost did not make the landing at the opposite shore and an abrupt maneuver by the inexperienced helmswoman brought everything into a dangerous, dippy situation.

But, all's well, which ends well. We did not lose Ant's truck, and Ant 'only almost' lost his cool.

*********************

Punctually, for breakfast at Kel's home in Harare, Ant rolled in with his 'Green Monster'

A better and more well kept vehicle is truly hard to imagine.

After introductions were over, and a lavish breakfast was consumed, serious discussion commenced.

“What would you like to do?” Ant asked.

“I would like to go into the middle of Gonarezhou, sleep in a mosy-tent, be as close to 'what's happening' and photograph everything which crosses my lens.” I said, afraid that I was asking too much.

“Yes, Kel has told me about you and from what he said, I assume you are a bit of a 'headbanger.' But, I think, you've come to the right address.”

That same day, at about 9 O'clock in the morning, we rolled out of Kel's fence enclosed property.

In the language of the Shona, 'Gonarezhou' means 'The Place of the Elephants'

and it could not have been named any better. Maybe it could also have been named:

'The place of the Lions' or 'The place of practically every animal known to exist in South/Eastern Africa.'

Across the river Runde, on the opposite shore of Ant's encampment, rises a sandstone cliff, called 'The Chilojo Cliffs.'

Someday, I promised myself, I shall be on the very top, photographing the countryside below.

After the first night in Ant's camp, we set out on a journey south-eastward.

Not ten minutes out of the camp, when two beautiful Sables crosses the road.

“What or where is today's destination?” I asked.

Ant had been unusually quiet during the last few hours.

“A few days ago I saw a group of Lions near a pond. I was on a little rise and down below, through my binos I saw them quite far away.”

“Can we go there?”

“Problem is, we'd have to hike quite a ways. It's not possible to get there in the truck.”

“That's not a problem. I'm in good shape” I said, “I can hike! When will we get there?”

“Probably by early afternoon” Ant was a bit pensive.

“That's a good time to get to Lions. Isn't it?

“Yes, actually it is. They'll have eaten and drank their fill, they'll be hanging loose in the shade, snoozing. Just hanging loose.”

The road, along which we were traveling, was more or less a beaten path. Quite wide enough for our Cruiser, whom we lovingly referred to as our 'Green Monster' .

Ant drove carefully, trying to avoid holes and minor wash-outs, without leaving the path too often.

The country side was a lush green, the rainy period just over. Small ponds still carried water, the air felt fresh and the motion of of our vehicle, although not particularly fast, rather slow, created enough of a breeze to make it 'the good life'.

“Would you like me to drive a while?” I asked, thinking that Ant might be getting a little tired.

“Thanks for offering,” Ant smiled. “But nobody, nobody drives my Cruiser, but me!

We'll stop for a while and have ourselves a bit of lunch. There are some sandwiches and a thermos of cold tea.”

In a little clearing we stopped, and, as always, the solar panels, connected to a battery were strategically put in place first. Then a collapsible table came out of a floor recess, two equally collapsible chairs were produced from equally well hidden recesses in the sides of the rear compartment, and, as if by magic, Ant produced a cozy, comfortable

lunch break.

Lean and juicy ham on Rye-bread, pickles and olives on the side, cold tea with a little sugar and lemon.

After about one hour's break, Ant had closed his eyes and actually slept some, truck loaded, table and chairs stowed into their recesses, we continued our drive to the point where Ant suggested that our hike should begin.

A field had opened up, just beyond the next rise and a small group of Zebras were grazing.

 "Hey, Bert," Ant called out, "what would you call this  Butterfly?"

I admitted that I had no idea, but logically, I would call it 
"The Zebra  Butterfly"

The way the stripes of one melt into the stripes of the other gives a confusing picture for a moment. Then, when your eyes have adjusted, you just marvel at the beautiful scene and you don't want to leave it until this emotional image has dissolved into its two components.

As we slowly drove along this sandy road, Ant kept leaning out of his window, scanning the ground, when suddenly he stopped.

“Here they crossed,” he said.

We left the car, and Ant started to count:

“One...two...three....there is the fourth, …five... six...

there were six Lions, who crossed here.... they headed in this direction, toward these bushes and likely further... let's see if we can follow them and maybe catch up with them!

He said this with such a calm and sure voice, that it never occurred to me to ask this question:

“Do you really suggest, that we should follow, on foot, six Lions into the bush?”

I did not even think about it until much later, when we had returned to our Cruiser, and started to calmly assess what we had just done.

“There was never any danger” said Ant. “At this time of day they are satiated, full of meat and water, and the last thing they want to do is to give us a hard time.”

During this adventure, however, I must confess, that my heart pumped right up to my throat.

It was one of the great adventures of all my travels.

We walked carefully through bush land, similar to this.

Carefully, because the ground was covered with strong, intertwined lichen.

Tripping over any of those could have had most unpleasant consequences.

I was carrying 2 cameras, 3 lenses and a heavy tripod. One camera and lens slung around my neck, the rest in a specially designed backpack.

The ground cover had become very dense and the many zigzag changes in direction had caused me to lose my orientation.

It was reassuring that I was with a super experienced Guide.

The sun stood in the mid afternoon position.

Ant came to a sudden stop. He placed his hand on my shoulder and pointed straight ahead. And there right in front of us, something tan, or brown moved.

Right underneath a leaf- covered bush.

Lions! A pride leader, two young males and four females.

*****************

The Adult Male kept himself somewhat to one side. He was stretched out in tall grass. His head moved and I could swear, he looked directly at us.

The rest were flopping around the bush.

“You counted wrong” I whispered. “You said six... there are seven.”

Ant smiled.”The seventh must have flown in, or already been there..”

I carefully brought my tripod mounted camera into position and started to take image after image.

We moved a little closer... then still closer...

The Pride seemed totally relaxed. Although I am certain that they were well aware of our presence, they seemed unconcerned.

For an hour they lay, as if draped around the bush.

A shrill call from the trees beyond seemed to make them listen for a moment.

Then they relaxed again.

The call was repeated.

“This is a monkey's alarm call” Ant whispered.

“There may also be an Ele beyond those trees.”

A Pride of Lions, an Elephant and a monkey screeching.

A light breeze gently moved the leaves of the bushes.

Then a Ring Necked Dove commenced its never ending guruuu guruuu.

One female, resting tightly against the bush, kept staring at us.

She raised her body a little and placed her hind legs underneath.

Her black-tipped tail twitched nervously.... like an excited pendulum.

“Let's back up a bit. This one is nervous! See how she whips her tail?” Ant cautioned.

“Let's back up about five meters, and see how she reacts”

“Don't turn around. Just carefully walk backwards. Slowly... make no sudden movements.”

The Lioness calmed down and visibly relaxed.

After about 45 minutes, the Pride rose, one after the other, and slowly, deliberately, they disappeared into the bush land.

Only afterwards did I remember hearing the call of the 'Go-away-bird' and his hoarse call which sounds a bit like: 'goaway...goaway'.

The "Go-away Bird"


***************

“Did I really see, what I think I saw” I asked Ant.

“Well, if you saw seven Lions bumming around, then you really saw what you think you saw.” Ant laughed.

A photographic Lion hunt.

“It does not get much better than this”, Ant said.

Somewhat thoughtfully we returned to our Cruiser. After a short drive we found a suitable place to pitch our tents.

"Mosy-Tents" are beautiful. 

If you wake up in the middle of the night,

 because you heard a Lion roar in the distance,

 or a Hyena laugh closer by,  

you can study the starry sky and find the Southern Cross".

“We have quite a drive planned for tomorrow” Ant said.

“We should be in 'Elephant Country' by noon. There'll be lots of interesting sightings on the way there. The area is remote and not too many people go there.”

Dinner was prepared quickly. As usual, it came fresh from the cooler box, and, as always, it tasted good and was plentiful.

We sat around and chatted, while nursing a long G&T.

*+*+*+*+*+*

It's in the South/East corner of Gonarezhou National Park,

where it almost touches Kruger National Park in South Africa

and Limpopo National Park in Mozambique where we encountered

'THE WALL OF ELEPHANTS'

On the way, there was a virtual parade of wildlife.

****************

This question always rears its interesting head.

Do we have a right to enter an area which we know to be the habitat of one specific family of Animal?

Should we not stay away and leave them to their own territory?

Does our entry into 'their land' not disturb their peace, excite them, instill them with fear?

It is impossible to convey to a wild animal that you, the intruder, have no evil intention.

That you have come waving the white flag of peace.

Fear of Man is simply impregnated indelibly into the instinct of all wild animals.

Even an injured Fieldmouse will try to flee and fight your hand which you extend in peace and to help.

The fact, however, was that we went to find and take pictures of any animal, careless enough to stick around when we came.

Here is one of my all time favorite pictures of an Impala.

He is looking over his shoulder, as if to say:

“Don't come too close to me.”

We shall reach the "Wall of Elephants" tomorrow!!

Tune in again !

Then I will take you to the Chilojo Cliffs.