When I was working with Chifuti Safaris to book our 2008 trip into the Zambezi Valley, I was convinced by the folks in Dallas to schedule an additional day at the beginning of the hunt to allow us to spend a decompression day after the 40 hour journey into Zimbabwe. I am so delighted that I took their advice, and only wish I had booked an additional day at the dedicated Tafika fishing camp on the Zambezi River
A Harare overnight at Gecko Gardens
I always like to say, with only the slightest degree of sarcasm, "fishing is for people who can't hunt." In accordance with that mantra, I concluded I would approach the fishing portion of the trip as truly a chance to relax - and relax I did.
We landed at Harare International Airport from Johannesburg, South Africa late in the evening, and were met by a representative from Gecko Gardens resort to spend the night in a private chalet at that resort in Harare. The following morning we were taken to a private airstrip and were chartered into the Tafika fishing camp by means of an enjoyable hour and a half in a 206 Cessna (Kory, an aspiring private pilot flew most of the way).
Coming into Tafika in the Cessna (camp in lagoon on river)
The accommodations at the camp were amazing. Kory and I each had individual chalets which were open on the front and looked onto the Zambezi River. We had hippos feeding on the lawn between our chalets during the night, and crocs in the river below the chalets.
Chalet at Tafika
We fished the afternoon we arrived and for a time the next morning before taking a 65 km boat trip down the Zambezi to the Masau river camp, where we were met by my PH, Henry Prinsloo, and where I was ultimately to spend 8 nights of the trip while hunting hippo and croc.
I was determined to take it easy
The game on the river was unbelievable. While fishing we saw hippo, croc, elephant, waterbuck, warthog, baboon, bushbuck, impala and many non-game species. We saw more of the same all the way down the river to Masau.
Elephant on Zambian side of river
Trip down the Zambezi to Masau
What an incredible experience this was. I MUST return and repeat this trip at some point in the future.
2 comments:
Yeh, but did you catch your limit? I think I could get into the fishing part and just photograph the animals. Sounds so nice and fun.
Ryan This is great stuff. You make it feel like we are right there with you. Thank you. Darrel
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