“You make one mistake, and you end up in someone’s stomach.” It was our first day at the camp, and Nicholas, our guide, was telling us about the animals in Africa.

We were at the Hide, a safari camp in Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe. Our group was there for three nights and had unbelievable opportunities to view game. We were lucky enough to see four of the big five, including a cheetah on the way to our camp, and a leopard on the day of our departure. In between we saw lion, cape buffalo, wildebeests, baboons, impala, sable, kudu, giraffes, zebra, numerous species of antelope, and elephants. Elephants were every where.

The second day was special. That morning, we approached a watering hole where some wildebeest and a few zebras were drinking. As we watched, more zebras came in from the east. We were about to leave, when something else appeared out of the woods to the east, about 300 yards away. The animals were hard to make out, so binoculars popped up – sable – 6 of them. They were much more cautious than the zebra. It took 15-20 minutes for them to cross the 300 yards. Walk a few steps, stop, and look around. Walk a few more steps, stop, and look around. This continued until they finally arrived and started drinking water. At that point, Nicholas made us tea and coffee, and we had a second breakfast. While we drank our coffee, more zebras came in from the north, and a single bull elephant from the west. As we were packing to leave, a pack of perhaps 40 baboons came hurriedly from the east. No slow and go for them, they moved at a rapid pace. Zebra, wildebeest, elephant, saber and baboons all gathered around the watering hole, taking their turns and drinking their fill.

Driving back to camp, we passed a vehicle going the other way. Both vehicles stopped and the guides spoke together. As we departed, Nicholas informed us that the other guide was from Kariba (also Nicholas’ home town) and passed him a tip about a pride of lions that moved towards a watering hole we had visited the day before. We discussed whether to go now, (well over an hour away), or wait until later to drive there. Nicholas said the lions would probably not move in the heat, so we would go that afternoon around 4PM.

We had lunch at the camp, and dozed for an hour or two. Finally 4PM came and we moved out at a good pace to the location. On the drive, animals appeared everywhere along the way. Several herds of elephant, a large herd of cape buffalo, individual giraffes, more wildebeest, and small herds of impala were all there. Except for the buffalo, we didn’t stop for pictures, pressing on in search of the pride of lion.

We arrived near the watering hole, and Nicholas started looking. Suddenly, he stopped and pointed into brush about 70 yards away. We saw our first lioness. He moved our vehicle to a better vantage point and parked. We spent the next hour watching the pride slowly come to life in the late afternoon heat. One after another appeared from under the bushes. They stretched. They sat. Some moved slowly down to the water for a drink.

Nearby baboons were sounding an alarm, but the lions ignored them, as they continued to mill about. At some point in time, Nicholas served us sundowners, while we continued to watch. A couple of younger lions played with each other. Mostly they lounged about. Finally, it was getting dark and time to return to camp. There were impala in the distance, and perhaps the pride would hunt them as dark settled in. It only takes one mistake on the part of an impala.

Back at camp, we freshened up and had cocktails by the fire. At 8PM the drum sounded, announcing dinner. We moved to the white linen covered table and sat down to a dinner of roast lamb, served with South African Shiraz. For dessert, there was a chocolate mousse that Cathy says is the best she has every tasted. It was a great ending to an amazing day.

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This is the fourth in a series of short blogs I will publish over the next several weeks, about our trip to Africa in September and October of 2018. I’m not trying to be exact in detail, rather, I’m trying to give a bit of the spirit or feeling of the various parts of the trip. Read at your leisure. Or not.

Related Blogs about the trip to Africa:

Fishing and Elephants (Third blog about the trip) https://mnhallblog.wordpress.com/2018/11/12/fishing-and-elephants/

The Drive to Lake Kariba (Second Blog about the trip) – https://mnhallblog.wordpress.com/2018/11/08/the-drive-to-lake-kariba/

Harare (First Blog about the trip) – https://mnhallblog.wordpress.com/2018/11/02/harare-zimbabwe/

Zimbabwe (Just prior to departure) – https://mnhallblog.wordpress.com/2018/09/20/zimbabwe/

Pink Gins (The Genesis)- https://mnhallblog.wordpress.com/2018/04/13/pink-gins/