Missed the first part of my adventure? No problem! Before we dive into my Hwange adventure, click here to catch up on the start of my Botswana journey and see where it all began!
Day 6-9: Nantwich Lodge
Day 6: Arrival at Nantwich Lodge
After a relaxing morning massage at the Ah-Marula Spa and a delicious breakfast, I left for my transfer to Nantwich Lodge in Hwange National Park. Thanks to Adele from Camp Kuzuma and Ndaba from Nantwich, the border crossing at Pandamatenga was a breeze.
Once across, Ndaba and I went on our game transfer through Hwange National Park to Nantwich Lodge. Just minutes after entering the park, we were greeted by a roadblock of elephants, my favorite animals! Not long after, we spotted three giraffes walking through the trees about 50 meters to our right.
The Nantwich team welcomed me with singing and smiling faces as we drove up to the main area. After a quick orientation, I settled into my room before enjoying lunch by the pool and bar area. We had delicious pizzas made in their pizza oven, followed by a late afternoon game drive. We enjoyed sundowners at Big Toms with a lovely German couple, watching the sunset alongside about 30 elephants.
Now that the sun had set, we decided to go on a short night drive on the Nantwich concession back to the lodge. Ndaba initially held the torch, but after I spotted some elephants, he handed it to me with a playful challenge “now you need to find us some lions”. Amazingly, within a minute, I found myself urgently whispering, “Stop, stop, stop!” and “Go back, go back!” There, just 10 meters into the shrubs, were two male lions.
Day 7: A bush walk, breakfast, and relaxing day at the lodge
The day began with an early coffee by the pool, watching the sunrise over Hwange National Park. We set off on a bush walk, learning about local plants and their traditional uses, participating in a dung-spitting contest (I’m pretty sure I lost), and hearing lions roaring in the distance. Our walk ended with a surprise bush breakfast set up by the Nantwich team – the perfect start to our day.
After breakfast, we left for our first game drive of the day. We returned to the lodge for lunch, and afterward, I was pampered with a back massage on my private deck overlooking the waterhole. It was a relaxing treat after the busy days on game drives.
The afternoon game drive concluded with surprise sundowners overlooking the Nantwich dam and lodge from across the plain. We enjoyed our dinner back at the lodge and retired early.
Day 8: Full-Day Game Drive and a busy Hwange waterhole
The day began with a big breakfast and coffee before setting off on an all-day game drive. Our first stop was Croc and Hippo Pools, where we saw numerous crocodiles and hippos. We continued our drive, and although our morning sightings were sparse, we were pleasantly surprised once we arrived at our lunchtime spot at Masuma Dam. A dam full of hippos and crocs, a herd of elephants with a baby so young it still didn’t know how to use its trunk, six giraffes, a fish eagle, impala, kudu, and warthogs all making appearances. The wildlife just kept coming – It was a breathtaking and unforgettable experience.
That evening, we enjoyed a traditional meal by the pool Boma with new guests, followed by dancing and socializing at the pool bar with Tony, Ndaba, and Leroy. It was a night to remember, full of laughter and new friendships.
Day 9-12: Nantwich Lodge
Day 9: Transfer to Bumbusi Wilderness Camp
It was time to say goodbye to Nantwich and hello to Bumbusi Wilderness Camp. On our way to camp, we encountered a pride of four female lions with full bellies, an impressive start to my Bumbusi adventure. The Bumbusi team welcomed me with open arms, and I couldn’t wait to get to the camp, the area and the wildlife.
Upon arrival, the Bumbusi team greeted me with smiles and cheering. I enjoyed a delicious lunch in the main area and met Lucy, their resident bushbuck. After settling in, we took a short game drive around the area and explored the Bumbusi Ruins, learning about the early Nambya settlers and rock etchings. The rock etchings were particularly fascinating. Unlike paintings, these etchings more resembled wildlife sightings seen near the area and were used to describe the size and direction of their path. You can see etchings of antelope, elephants, predators, and even humans, including some with a six-toed foot. We then explored the ruins, where Chief Hwange used to rule. I saw areas assumed to be the kitchen, the “court” with the chief’s judgment chair, and the lookout points. We had sundowners overlooking the unique landscape before heading back to camp for dinner and an early night.
Day 10: A bush walk, leopard calls, and elephant encounters
After a quick cup of coffee and some porridge, we headed off to the gorge for our first bush walk. What started as a relatively quiet and peaceful walk became very exciting as we came across a breeding herd of elephants. We calmly walked up the sloped hill where we sat and watched them graze for a while.
After meandering quite far along the slope, we headed down to the salt pan and flat ground where we walked back to the gorge river bed. It was here that I heard a loud snarl; my heart stopped, thinking it was a leopard. Blessed stopped and listened closely. We heard it again, louder this time. My suspicions were correct—it was a male leopard’s mating call coming from the hill beside us. Blessed took safety precautions, and we continued to walk, eyes glued to where the sound came from. We couldn’t see him, but we knew he could see us. Thankfully, we got far away without needing extraordinary measures.
Returning to the vehicle, we found our path blocked by two elephant bulls. With calm and steady steps, we navigated around them. Finally, we made it to the vehicle and returned to camp for brunch.
We rested in camp before going on a late afternoon game drive to search for lions. We returned to the area where we had seen them before, but they were nowhere to be found. We searched the area for a while but had no luck. The sun had already started setting, so we “gave up” and started driving back to camp. You will never believe it, lions, lying right where we first looked for them!
Day 11: Another Thrilling Bush Walk
Our final full day began with a bush walk along the Deka River. The walk was quiet, filled with sightings of animal tracks and bird species. It was a beautiful, scenic walk and relatively easy. However, I knew it couldn’t be that simple.
We were nearing the end of our walk when things took an unexpected turn. A large bull elephant, one we’d seen earlier, suddenly appeared on the path. In musth and clearly agitated, he raised his trunk in our direction. We quickly detoured to avoid a confrontation, only to stumble upon another bull. With adrenaline surging, we quickly walked up a nearby slope. From our vantage point, we could see the second bull following us in the tree line below. We moved slowly and carefully, keeping an eye on the bull, and we eventually made it back to the vehicle safely.
Back at camp, we enjoyed brunch and a siesta before heading out for a short game drive to our sundowner spot on beautiful rock formations. We overlooked Hwange and watched the different rolling hills turn shades of blue under the pink and orange sky. Before heading back to camp, Blessed wanted to show me another shelter with rock etchings. As we turned the corner, I was surprised to see Tadiwa and Talent with a bush dinner set up right in front of me. It was beautiful and delicious, and a lovely way to end my visit to Hwange.
Stay tuned for the final part of my trip to Mana Pools!
