Day 4 Sunday 12 April Harare

Up at 5.45 and got ourselves ready for a 7.00 am departure. Breakfast and bags (a shared one) into the trailer, assisted by George. Vehicles full of water, food, camping equipment and us.

Went across town and filled up with petrol, while we ducked around the corner to buy some bottles of water. Met up with Dave & Gilly White just beyond the toll gates. It was good to see them again after all these years.

It was a long drive of nearly 500 kms to get to our camp-site in Gonarezhou. I swapped cars and travelled with Dave & Gilly which gave both Viv and me the opportunity to spread out a bit in cars loaded with food and drinking water.

The route took us south and then south-east through Chivhu, Gutu, Zaka, Buffalo Range and Chiredzi. We stopped under shady roadside trees for a morning and lunch sandwich. The road varied from reasonable in patches to dreadfully potholed in some of the urban areas (Gutu).

Filled up with fuel in Chiredzi (well-maintained sugar cane fields) before turning off towards Gonarezhou through a private game concession (Malalangwe) and then on to the Chipinda Pools entrance to the Gonarezhou National Park. Chatted to some ex-Zimbabwean family who were there from South Africa (one lived in Brisbane).

Another 37 kms took us to our tented campsite of Chipale. The route had been mainly flat and we saw impala and elephants. However we did climb a ridge for an excellent view of the flooded Rundi River. Quite a sight! Soon the Chilojo Cliffs came into view and we had finally arrived. The Hendersons in Tent 1, the Craigs 50 metres away in Tent 2, and the Whites 800 metres away in Tent 3. All identical and very comfortable and clean. As a result of the recent rains the bush was lush and unusually high making animal viewing difficult (both the Whites & Hendersons said that it would have all disappeared by August).

We all ate at the Hendersons', around the fire place. Lots of catch up talk. Headed for bed about 10.00 pm totally exhausted.

There was a large troop of baboons close by and they occupied the trees above our tent overnight with some deep male grunts and female squawks but generally we had a peaceful night (and we were exhausted anyway).Read more