We spent a day in Eswatini’s oldest protected conservation area, Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary (🎟️ 95 ZAR), which covers roughly 4,560 hectares in the spectacular Ezulwini Valley, or “Valley of Heaven.” The landscape ranges from gentle open plains to rugged, high-altitude terrain in the...
A quick 30-minute drive from the border brought us to Ndlovu Camp in Hlane National Park, Eswatini’s largest protected area, covering around 30,000 hectares of Lowveld wilderness. Open savannas and ancient hardwood trees, including leadwoods and tambotis, characterise the park. Hlane is...
The journey from the Machipanda border to Gorongosa National Park covered 231 kilometres and took us a frustrating six hours. Most of the drive followed the excellent EN6 highway to Inchope through Chimoio, where you’ll find the ideal place to refuel or stock up on groceries at...
Finding suitable parking for our heavy expedition truck in Bulawayo wasn’t easy. Fortunately, we found a safe place next to the MARES (Matabeleland Animal Rescue and Equine Sanctuary) rehabilitation centre. It also allowed us to meet the inspiring founder, Claire Einhorn, who has...
Hwange National Park is Zimbabwe’s largest protected area, covering more than 14,650 square kilometres along the Botswana border in northwestern Zimbabwe, between Bulawayo and Victoria Falls. Once a royal hunting ground, it was proclaimed a national park in 1930 and is renowned for...
Just before crossing into Zimbabwe, we enjoyed one final game drive in the 66-square-kilometre Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park (package trip 65 USD), an iconic conservation area best known for protecting the Zambian side of the legendary Victoria Falls, its predator-free wildlife sanctuary...
The Lower Zambezi National Park covers 4,092 square kilometres and is defined by its dramatic northern escarpment and a 120-kilometre stretch of the Zambezi River, directly opposite Zimbabwe’s Mana Pools National Park. Officially designated as a national park in 1983, Lower Zambezi...
We decided to explore South Luangwa National Park on two separate game drives rather than spend the whole day inside. The first was an afternoon drive, followed by an early morning safari the next day. Each lasted about four hours (40 USD/pax), which turned out to be enough to experience...
Majete Wildlife Reserve is one of Africa’s greatest conservation success stories. The reserve is located in southwestern Malawi, just 70 kilometres from Blantyre, but the last 18 kilometres on a dirt road slowed us down to a total drive of 3 hours. This 70,000-hectare reserve has...
We spent three nights in Liwonde National Park, not because there was so much to do, but because we had to wait for other tourists to join the safari. Covering 548 km² in southern Malawi, Liwonde National Park is famous for its lush riverine floodplains and dense woodlands. Since 2015, it...