Month: June 2025

It’s a late start (our party are the only guests) and we are on a cruise up the other side of the island to look at the Zambian side of the river. Small communities farm here, growing maize and vegetables. There are herds of cows and Zulu (who speaks nine languages) talks to the people on the edge of the river to pass the time of day as we hover in the boat. We see a vast variety of birds, the Bee Eaters and Egyptian Geese we saw yesterday, an enormous Grey Heron and Fish Eagles to name only a few.

 

Further up the river we can see a huge group of Elephants drinking. Zulu thinks they might be the same group we saw on our first day. Everywhere are Hippos, but they are mostly under water keeping out of the sun.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our afternoon excursion is to the area on the other side of the main road to Botswana. As usual it’s the boat from Tsowa Island to pick up the Land Cruisers.

Our first obstacle on this dirt track is a lorry parked in the middle of the road. Workers are preparing to fill one of the many large holes and we manoeuvrer around them. Only a few minutes up the road we spot a huge Bull elephant coming towards us down the track. He is clearly on a mission. Zulu says he is ‘in musk’ as he has a huge erection and we must give way. This guy has a possible date and is in a hurry. He pauses momentarily to grab a mouthfulls of vegetation – he needs to eat – giving us a few seconds.  We back up and both jeeps manage to turn around in time and manage to negotiate around the road-workers and take the long way round to the main road.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This part of the Zimbabwe National Park is quite different – we are in a dried-up riverbed covered in grass up gentle slopes on each side, where small shrubs graduate into green forest beyond. The Elephants have been here doing their shrub pruning but it’s a herd of Buffalos that we encounter first, grazing amongst the trees.

We’ve interrupted them and they just stare at us. Bulls, cows and calves make up the herd. One female had recently lost a horn and constantly flaps her ear over the bloody hole to keep the flies at bay.

There is a small group of seven Zebras – our first- and they seem paler that I had expected, a beautiful sight. Here the sky is large and the thin strip of dark green forest separates the golden grass from the blue winter sky.

 

 

 

 

It’s time for more elephants. A family group of four cautiously approach the water hole The park has installed dinking pools fed by pumps powered by solar panels from artesian wells. As we continue along the road, Zen suddenly stops to avoid running over a Dung Beetle, rolling his prize along the wheel rut. The beetle makes a diversion up the bank and away from danger.

Hornbills are everywhere and then, without warning a herd of Warthogs cross our path. I can see why they are cast in Disney movies as comedy characters – they are funny.

At the final waterhole, what looks like two groups of elephants are gathering. Some of the young males are being pushed away. One of the females is in oestrous. It’s the mating season and dominant males with erections are trying to tempt her but she’s not ready to play yet.

We are on the high side of the valley to have our sunset drinks in a hide – a hut on tall poles. We can see two Kudu deer nervously break cover from the bush and hesitantly make their way down to drink. Our last encounter in the dying light is a Hyena, newly emerged from one of four burrows. He is off for a night’s scavenging but stamps the ground on seeing us – a farewell gesture indeed.

On our now familiar route back to the river, a tree has been uprooted over the path by Elephants. They like to eat roots for medicinal purposes.  It is pitch dark, but with the ais of headlights, Zen gets out his machete and sets to work chopping the branches which prevent the jeep from passing. Zulu also gets out his machete, but doesn’t use it, looking on in a supervisory way. Another jeep has arrived and the much taller guy hacks from the other side. A last bit of drama for us all at the end of our stay at Tsowa Island Safari lodge.

Tsowa 19th May

We take an optional early morning walk, guided by Zulu, to look at flora and fauna on Tsowa Island. The lava of the Lion Ant which makes a conical depression in the sand to trap insects. They are everywhere. At the bottom, the larvae make a hole in which to live, reaching out of it when a stray insect falls into their trap and can’t escape, devouring it. When it needs to move to a better location or is ready to change into an adult Ant, it sweeps away the side of the cone to escape their own trap.

 

 

Next up is a huge, slow-moving Millipede making it’s way across the path. Zulu explains that it excretes a substance to deter animal from eating it. Nevertheless, some birds do eat it. Everything it seems has a place in the food-chain and a self-preservation strategy.
Zulu also points out various species of plants. The acacia trees, favourite food for Elephants, have been re-named, as have many species here. DNA evidence has shown that some categories defined by Linnaeus centuries ago are questionable. Our main object of interest this morning is a giant Baobab tree.

It’s not actually a tree but a succulent and you can see this by the texture of the trunk. This one might be about five hundred years old. The inside of the Baobab tree is fibrous, so chunks can be dug out, dried and spun into rope and textiles. The tree is deciduous and most of the leaves have fallen, leaving fruit hanging on the branches. Zulu picks up a fallen fruit and opens it to show the white edible parts which we try. The inner seeds are revealed. These are also very useful as baby food and the husk can be ground down and made into oil for the skin or cooking.
After breakfast we have two options: A game drive over on the mainland or a canoe expedition down the river. I opt for the Drive and we watch the canoes float away as we follow in a boat, meeting up with our driver/guides.

Our first encounter is a group of female Impala screened by tall grass – almost invisible. Termite hills are ubiquitous and, in some cases enormous. They play a vital part in the ecology of the area. Along the river bank we spot more Hippos and birds. The Elephants it seems have moved on.

Lunch is another gastronomic triumph, also catering for celiac and lactate intolerance. By now, meal times are lively with erudite conversations. I am so comfortable talking with other older Gays and Lesbians with great life and educational experience. The Americans have a pact – to enjoy a Trump-free holiday. This is a challenge as conversations inevitably move in the that direction. Someone reminds us, and we alter course.
There is no cell phone coverage or 4/5G here and it will be the same in Botswana. There has been no need to get a local sim card. There is Wifi in our rooms and in the lounge area and our main communication is by WhatsApp. Frankly it’s a relief not to know what is going on in the world or to be more precise, what the media reporting to be going on.
We have a break after lunch and I try out the swimming pool – once again only four strokes from end to end. The water is refreshing in the hot afternoons.

Afternoon tea is followed by another game drive on the mainland. The elephants are back and we also spot Kudu Antelopes and giraffes. The pattern of the African safari is set and like clockwork we end up at a vantage point to see the sunset. We are on the riverbank and behind us it the lagoon where the Elephants were yesterday.

Today, only a pair of Kudu are drinking in the fading light. We are having Gin and Tonics with nibbles. Bill is telling some of us about the small foundation he is involved with, funding places in universities for those less well-off. This is topical and I am almost brought to tears to hear how proud they are of their achievements and sense that there is a threat.
Back on the Island it’s more drinks around the fire pit and gourmet time again. Everything is included, so it could be a boozer’s paradise here, but it isn’t. No one is getting drunk and besides we have a six thirty wake-up call to be ready for a seven am Game drive in the morning.

Tsowa Island 17 May

After a good breakfast with fruit, amazing muesli followed by Eggs Benedict, our mini-bus and trailer awaits to transport us and our luggage to the Zambezi National Park and to Tsowa Safari Island in the middle of the Zambezi River.

Thirty minutes’ drive along the deserted main road in the direction of Botswana, we transfer into two Safari Land Cruisers and proceed along a dirt track through the shrubby landscape, dotted with giant trees. It quickly becomes obvious that the elephants have been here recently as their dung is everywhere and the driver/guides Zuli and Zen swerve to avoid it on the track. The grass has been trampled flat and the trees look like a newly pruned orchard. We are on the brow of a hill looking down. In the distance is a green ridge which marks the Zambezi River and our destination. As we progress, the sight of a dung beetle rolling a prise of very fresh elephant dung along the track suggests the elephants are not far away.

Sure enough, a few minutes down the track, our way is blocked by a female elephant with her head in the bush and most of her body across the road. Ahead is what looks like another female with some youngsters.

Surprisingly, they blend into the landscape and from a distance can look like rocks unless moving. Our driver Zen says it must be a family or breeding group as there are all ages. Suddenly, on our right, a huge male becomes apparent. He is partly covered by bushes and tree branches. There is nothing we can do but wait while they graze. We are all in awe at being this close and are more than happy to just sit and watch. Slowly, the path ahead becomes clear and we move, but not before we let the large male go ahead. It’s not a good idea to come between him and the rest of the tribe.

We progress at a delicious snail’s pace until there is a sudden surge from the herd and elephant are emerging from the bush onto the track. We turn a corner and watch in amazement thirty elephants of all sizes piling into an inlet off the Zambezi River. It’s a perfect watering spot. One bank has a mud bath which seems to be a favourite of the middle sized. Others are drawing up muddy water in their trunks and spraying their bellies. Some are playing with each other and all are drinking and cooling down from the heat of the day. It’s a wonderful sight for our first day of Safari but suddenly it’s time to return to the task of grazing. They quickly melt back into the bush.

Elephants must consume huge amounts of food as their digestive system is inefficient. 40-60% of their food is absorbed. This means their dung is a great source of food and fertilizer.

We also spot two Giraffes, one watching us over the top of a tree, the other a skeleton. His bones, bleached white by the sun have lain there since being killed by three male lions two years ago.

We transfer onto a boat for a short journey to the Tsowa Safari Lodge for a late lunch and to discover our beautiful accommodation.

 

A river viewIn the late afternoon we take to the river again, looking for Hippos. They spend their days submerged in the waters overhung by trees near the bank only emerging to breath. Mostly only the ears and eyes can be spotted when they surface. Occasionally their whole head emerges and you get a yawn, often with grunting hippo noises. They are plentiful here as are a great array of birds. There are red-billed Hornbills and small, brightly coloured birds who nest in the muddy river bank. Egyptian Geese have adapted here to roosting and nesting in trees and there are beautiful Kingfishes sitting on branches, waiting for fish.

In the fading light a tribe of Baboons are making their way down the river bank. Large males, females with young catching a ride on or underneath mother. The young ones seem to play as they travel looking ghostly in the fading light.

The sun is setting and as is the custom here, we make land to enjoy nibbles and drinks. There’s a range of tastes in the group from Gin & Tonic to beer to sparkling water, consumed whilst watching the passage of day to night.

Back at the Lodge we gather around the fire pit with pre-dinner drinks before eating exquisite food. It’s been a good start to our Safari and Richard, our Outside the Square leader says it is unprecedented to see so many Elephants. There were none in the area on his last tour.