Bushlife Safaris News – January 2014
I thought I’d share with you who Bushlife’s very own Nick Murray likes to invite to his birthday party.
This photo was taken on his birthday last October. I think this is how I would like to spend my birthday every year! Special times.
Mana Pools – Zimbabwe
Location: Vundu, Little Vundu and Ruwesi Canoe Trail are all located in Mana Pools National Park, which covers a section of the Middle Zambezi Valley. It extends from the Zambezi River in the north to the escarpment in the south. The Zambezi Valley is a western extension of the Great Rift Valley. Wildlife is excellent in the area. Kudu, zebra, impala and waterbuck can be seen on the surrounding plains, and elephant take advantage of the plentiful Albida (Ana) trees in the area. Predators including lion, wild dog, leopard, and cheetah are often sighted, and large concentrations of buffalo can also be found along the river’s edges. Bird watching tends to be very good, as the river atttracts large numbers of waterbirds.
Accommodations: The Bushlife Safaris portfolio includes three unique properties all based in beautiful Mana Pools.
Vundu Tented Camp features eight large tents (five doubles and three singles) with an en suite shower and toilet. The main lodge area is set in a canopy of riverine trees on the bank of the Zambezi River. Raised 10 feet off the ground, it is the ideal place to enjoy a cocktail and watch the elephants feed on the bushes below, or observe the monkeys climbing nearby trees. The thatched roof provides shade from the mid-day sun.
Little Vundu offers a personalized service for the discerning adventurer who wants a real bush experience. The five en suite tents are nestled in a grove of sausage and tall ebony trees overlooking an inlet of the Zambezi River. The bathrooms are open-air with flush toilets and bucket showers. The dining room is across a picturesque channel accessed by a foot bridge; it is shaded by the acacia trees that Mana Pools is famous for.
Ruwesi Canoe Trail is a 3 night adventure that allows you to travel the length of this magnificent park. Voyaging by canoe, you begin your paddle at the western edge of Mana Pools National Park, following your guide eastward. Whilst canoeing past sand banks and islands you may spot pods of hippo and elephants. Your mobile tented camp is set up ahead of your arrival as you cruise your way down river.
A stay at one of the Vundu camps is an invitation for adventure! Enjoy game drives in open 4×4 vehicles, game viewing by boat, nature walks with your professional guide, catch and release fishing, and canoeing past plenty of wildlife, such as hippo and elephants.
Guiding:
The professional safari guides in Zimbabwe are the finest on the continent of Africa! Their education and experience is second to none, which makes a safari to Zimbabwe a unique and thrilling venture. It takes an average of 5-7 years to qualify as a fully licensed guide, which ensures that those leading you on your adventure are the utmost professionals. This particular camp in Mana Pools National Park prides themselves on specialized and privately guided trips, allowing a rare freedom to adapt and enhance the enjoyment of each group.
Bushlife Conservancy:
The Bushlife Conservancy is directly funded by your contribution when staying at Vundu, Vundu Tented Camp and Ruwesi. This donation goes toward the animals and national park employees for the betterment of the park. Recently, there have been several examples of said contributions going to good use: A national park member’s sick child was transported to the nearest hospital, which was several hundreds of miles away; the national park’s anti-poaching team received new tents and backpacks, and several trees were planted to improve the national park’s self-catering lodges, with the intent to help regenerate the forest.
