What type of safari should I go on?
TRIBE: The big-game groupies
<p><strong>THE CAMP: </strong><a href="http://www.wilderness-safaris.com/camps/davisons-camp" target="_blank" title="Davisons camp" rel="nofollow">Davison’s Camp, Hwange National Park</a><strong><br /></strong></p> <p><strong>THE VIBE</strong>: <a href="http://www.wilderness-safaris.com/camps/davisons-camp" target="_blank" title="davisons camp" rel="nofollow">Davison’s Camp</a> in Zimbabwe is described as an Adventures Camp by its owner Wilderness Safaris and we had one amazing adventure filled with animal-sightings from the moment we arrived! The camp is in the middle of nowhere, so you can be completely alone with nature, although the snug tents and gorgeous lounge area are nice reminders of home comforts.</p>
Davison’s Camp, Hwange National Park
<p><strong>THE WILDLIFE</strong>: In just two days at Davison’s Camp we saw three of the big five – lions, elephants, Cape buffalo, leopard and rhino – just missing out on the last two. We also shared a moment I’ll never forget with some extremely rare wild dogs (there are only an estimated 250-300 in Zimbabwe), spotted a couple of lions in love and enjoyed a sundowner with an elephant around a watering hole. Our morning and evening game drives were incredible (Saturday night hanging out with a pride of 23 lions was a particular highlight and about as far removed from my usual weekends as possible). It was the walking safari that was my favourite though, giving us a chance to get our feet on the ground and learn to track with our brilliant guide, Tendai.</p>
Davison’s camp, Hwange National Park
<p><strong>THE FOOD</strong>: You’ll never go hungry at Davison’s Camp! For starters, there’s breakfast, a real treat after the 5am wake-up call, followed by a post-drive lunch, afternoon tea to perk you up and then dinner – so you’ll have plenty of energy for spotting rare birds and ticking off the big five.</p>
TRIBE: The happy glampers
<p><strong>THE CAMP:</strong> <a href="http://www.wilderness-safaris.com/camps/ruckomechi-camp" target="_blank" title="Ruckomechi" rel="nofollow">Ruckomechi Camp, Mana Pools National Park</a></p> <p><strong>THE VIBE:</strong> This camp is made for five-star lovers. I adored my incredibly spacious tent (if you can call these chic canopies, with their stone feature walls and copper sinks, tents!). There are stunning views of the Zambezi river and the Zambian Great Rift Valley and, in the down time between drives and activities, there’s an infinity pool to dip into. You can even finish the day with a most unlikely camping activity – a long, hot soak in the outdoor tub, which comes with views that will captivate you long enough to make your skin go wrinkly.</p>
Ruckomechi Camp, Mana Pools National Park
<p><strong>THE WILDLIFE:</strong> Being located this close to the Zambezi means you can see and hear hippos and crocodiles all day long. Elephants have been known to wander into the camp, too, so you may well get up close and personal with the animals without having to move a muscle. But nature doesn’t get much closer and glamping doesn’t get much more romantic than Parachute Pan – a sleep-out deck a few minutes away from camp. Up a ladder and tucked away among the branches is the ultimate tree house complete with a double bed for sleeping under the stars and a toilet for when you have to answer the call of nature in the night. Fortunately, a guide sleeps below so you can watch the animals wander by without the fear of them joining you in bed!</p>
Ruckomechi Camp, Mana Pools National Park
<p><strong>THE FOOD:</strong> Like Davison’s Camp, mouth-watering meals magically appear every few hours, although the slightly bigger set-up means a wider variety of dishes and more safari stories to share during communal eating times.</p>
Ruckomechi Camp, Mana Pools National Park
<p><strong>THE ACTIVITIES:</strong> Besides game drives, the glampers here can also make use of having the Zambezi right on their doorsteps on a river cruise or by canoeing. We spent one Sunday afternoon gently bobbing down the river, weaving in and out of the way of hippos and crocs before our guide, Chris, set up a table in the river and declared it was time for a sundowner – who were we to argue? On the last night of our stay, we hopped aboard the river cruise. Sightseeing with a drink in hand was on the agenda again but, upon arrival back on dry land, we were surprised with extra nibbles of chipolatas and popcorn cooked on an open fire and a seriously decked out drinks table for the most spectacular sundowner yet.</p>
TRIBE: The thrill-seeking set
<p><strong>THE CAMP:</strong> <a href="http://www.africaalbidatourism.com/safari-lodges/victoria-falls-safari-club" target="_blank" title="victoria falls" rel="nofollow">Africa Albida Victoria Falls Safari Club</a><br /><strong>THE VIBE:</strong> The greeting at this safari club is about as African as you can get - with six warthogs bowing down on bended knee, snuffling around on the lawn. Inside the lodge, <em>The Lion King</em>-style experience continued with traditional wood-panelled interiors leading to spacious lounge areas and plush, light and airy rooms. All rooms come with balconies and are ideal for a bit of wildlife watching from the moment you wake up. The best views, though, are from the Buffalo Bar as the sun sets, or from the game-viewing platform, which overlooks the watering hole.</p>
Africa Albida Victoria Falls Safari Club
<p><strong>THE SCENERY:</strong> At this camp in Zimbabwe, it’s all about enjoying the awesome sight and activities at Victoria Falls, the world’s largest waterfall. We went with an incredibly knowledgeable guide who took us around the park, pointing out the best spots for photo opportunities and producing umbrellas for when things got a bit wet. For adrenaline junkies there’s Devil’s Pool (a natural pool located on the tip of the falls), bungee jumping, river surfing, kayaking or the stomach-turning gorge swings – eek!</p>
Africa Albida Victoria Falls Safari Club
<p><strong>THE FOOD:</strong> The Boma restaurant is African hospitality at its best. We weren’t too sure about the prospect of interactive drumming, but the fun is infectious and we soon got into the rhythm of things. In true thrill-seeker style we tucked into crocodile, impala steaks and warthog fillet (sorry Pumbaa!) before daring to eat a mopane worm – the certificate for this sits proudly on my desk. <br /> If you’re a little hesitant to try the more exotic dishes though, there’s a large selection of food on offer including international dishes and local Zimbabwean cuisine. And don’t even think of leaving before getting your fortune told (he’s scarily good), having your face painted (I was a leopard) and enjoying a drink mixed by the cocktail man (they’re lethal).</p>
Go There
A five-night stay incl one night at Africa Albida Victoria Falls Safari Club on a B&B basis, and two nights at both Davison’s Camp and Ruckomechi Camp on an all-inclusive basis (food, beverages, selected activities and light aircraft transfers) from £3590pp, <a href="http://www.africaandbeyond.co.uk" target="_blank" title="africa and beyond" rel="nofollow">africaandbeyond.co.uk</a>. South African Airways flies daily from London Heathrow to Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe from £960pp.
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