Smoking thunder - sisters are doing it!
Sam's trip to Vic Falls, as continued from the first part of her holiday article - find out about the mighty Mosi-oa-Tunya, falling angels, matriarchs and mbira musicians she encountered on her expedition.
Separated by the mighty Mosi-oa-Tunya, the serene upper Zambezi is transformed into a boiling, seething river raging through the Batoka Gorge. It is a place that is so intermingled with life and death itself, it commands meditation but also lures you to adventure...
On the back of a Marula-crazy elephant
Paul stands by to assist on the platform
One of the ultimate wildlife adventures on the planet just has to be riding through the African bush on an elephant. Regally perched atop the largest land mammal, you feel at one with the earth and her creatures. The elephants tread quietly along the footpaths, other wildlife don't take flight and the ride is unbelievably comfortable (unlike riding a camel). Afterwards you get to interact with these wonderful animals. The whole experience is beautifully coordinated. You’ve got to do this!
After the usual pleasantries and filling in of indemnity forms, our witty guide Paul filled us in on the do’s and dont's of interacting with elephants, what to expect and a bit about their history. As I filled in the form I couldn’t help wondering just how tame the elephants would be. Especially after I heard that the elephants are orphans due to poaching or crippling drought. Usually orphaned calves would be killed but now they are being raised for taking visitors on rides through the bush. Visions of enraged bulls charging other wildlife were swiftly quenched when Paul mentioned that he would be walking ahead with a loaded rifle. If we simply wanted him to get rid of a mosquito buzzing around our head, he would be there to oblige!
Lundi gets ready to bat me with her ear
Like two eager kids, my sister and I rushed up the platform and gleefully mounted up behind the induna who controls the elephant. Noah, our induna, a patient man with a gentle sense of humour, introduced us to our elephant, Lundi. As we set off at a comfortably fast pace rumbling sounds came from her tummy, which Noah informed us was the upper harmonics of a contact call to other elephants. As humans we only hear part of the low frequency rumblings that can be heard by other elephants 2km away. Lundi is the oldest and largest of the group, a dignified matriarch of 26 years who prefers to bring up the rear, she’s also Noah’s favourite.
“Does she like Marula fruit?” we asked naively. “Don’t mention that word, she is crazy for it, but the trees are dead”. We rode past warthog families, giraffe and antelope, all staring at us in wide-eyed curiosity. Lundi didn’t need much instruction from Noah and when he dropped his ankus, she obligingly picked it up without pausing and passed it to him with her trunk. Too soon our jaunty party got back to camp and we dismounted from the platform. We joined Lundi and Noah for a wonderful time of interacting with this amazing animal, feeding her treats which she grasped with her trunk. She even allowed us to perch on her knee. A little tickle on her cheek resulted in a playful bat on the back from her enormous ears – was she trained to do that or is that her playful sense of humour?
Then it was time to say goodbye to the elephants, who went off together to feed in the Mopane woodland.
Need to know Take your binoculars and camera along but leave your daypack behind. There’s no need to carry water and other bits and bobs as the ride is just over an hour. It ends with sundowners and snacks (slake your thirst with good Zambezi beer) where you can view and buy a DVD of your trip.
Digesting Mopane worms to Mbire sounds
Ndebele musicians and dancers get down
We washed off the day’s dust back at the lodge’s pool with a view, keeping an eye on the busy waterhole. Then it was time for a sensory experience at The Boma – a place of eating where you need lots of energy and an empty tummy. Partially open to the African sky, this friendly, vibrant, exotic place is the perfect place to meet people and chill. After the traditional hand washing ceremony, we sampled the local brew chibuku, (friday night medicine) and then tried some of the home-grown staples like sadza, fried kapenta (tiny fish) and mopane worms (big fat caterpillar of the beautiful Emperor moth - eek!).
Carnivores can satiate their nyama cravings with an astonishing variety of game and fish done on the barbeque and vegetarians can feast on an array of colourful vegetarian dishes. As we tucked in Shangaan and Ndebele musicians, singers and dancers got going with some lively African rhythms. It wasn’t long before they roused all of us guests into joining their music making, singing along and rapping on djembe drums. This is a place where you can really let your hair down, or even get it braided for a small fee. You could also have a private consultation with Binge-Binge, the local n’yanga (traditional healer) who will throw the bones for you.
Need to know Take along some cash for these extras.
Gnashing Jaws of Death - not for sissies!
Shaun steers us through yet another hissing wave
Bold letters spell it out loud and clear at the top of the indemnity form. You are about to willingly undertake something dangerous, classified as Grade 5 featuring “extremely difficult, long and violent rapids, steep gradients, big drops and pressure areas”. Rafting through the wild Batoka Gorge is not for sissies and I was starting to feel like one. The walk down was long and steep but it gave us a chance to chat to our guide, Shaun, who made me feel a little less apprehensive. “It’s a great river to run commercially, rapids run into big pool drops with little exposed rock in the rapids, and there are calm stretches between rapids”.
Morning Glory was our first Grade 5, and the name sounded a bit ominous to me. This was our wake up call! We hit the critical section side on and three of us were swept into the churning, frothing water. Wow! All I can remember was seeing endless green and bubbles as I was taken under by successive standing waves. From there on I hung onto the raft for dear life. Those rapids are huuuuge!
Woo hoo - we made it!
In the calm stretches we drifted along and had a chance to gaze up at the magnificent cliffs of the Batoka Gorge. Our raft floated past two wild looking guys who were splashing and chanting in the shallows. Apparently they were smugglers praying to the Zambezi river god, Nyaminyami for safe passage to the other side. We spotted various birds and a family of klipspringer precariously perched on a precipice. Sunning on the black rocks at the waters edge were small crocodiles and legavaans (big monitor lizards).
With Stairway to Heaven and Devils Toilet Bowl behind us, our small crew gained confidence, even when our raft was sucked backwards into a big hole and flipped over. Shaun became our hero, climbing on top of the raft, organising us and righting the raft with lightning speed.
After a fun ride through Gnashing Jaws of Death we pulled off onto a beach where there was a welcome sight – lunch! From there our next challenge was the big walk out of the steep gorge, rewarded by awesome views and icy cold drinks at the top.
Need to know You will need cash to pay for the park fee. Take sunscreen and a hat, wear quick drying shorts and top and take footwear that you don’t mind getting wet. This is a big day so make sure you eat a hearty breakfast even if you have butterflies in your tummy. And hang on!
Now I know why the rafting the Zambezi is considered one of the most thrilling commercial rafting trips on the planet. There were terrifying moments but we all loved it! Our guide was superb in every way, never compromising our safety or losing his sense of humour and helping us get back onto the raft in a flash. If you love adrenaline, you've simply got to do it!
Nyaminyami power?
The Nyaminyami is the spirit-god of the Zambezi, an enormous fanged serpent rising out of a whirlpool. The Tonga believe he controls all life along the Zambezi.
Apparently there were two river gods who became angered by the construction of Lake Kariba so for two years in a row they sent floods of unparalleled power that broke the dam walls. But humans persistance triumphed, and one of the spirit-gods got trapped in Lake Kariba, while the other remained below the falls. Some say that it was Nyaminyami and his wife that got separated - no wonder he is so angry. When you’re slamming into fiendish waves in an inflatable raft, dodging whirlpools and crocodiles at the bottom you need the Nyaminyami on your side!
Under the stars where the wild things are
Later we joined some of our new found rafting buddies for an evening game drive. This was the perfect ending to an adrenaline fuelled day. Simon, our guide, was delightful, pointing out a herd of zebra with a newly born foal, numerous giraffe, bushbuck, kudu, impala, skirmishing buffalo, warthogs and birds, including the stunning lilac breasted roller and a massive hammerkop nest. The elephants that we rode the day before walked past us en route to their boma for the night. A quick stop at the big cat camp brought us face to face with the fuzzy mischievous faces of a litter of young lion cubs.
The sunset blazed across the Mopane woodland landscape. Simon had a surprise up his sleeve and took us to a temporary boma where five captive black rhino live. We fed them by hand through gaps in the fence. It was the most awesome experience having them nuzzle into my palm, grasping the pellets with their dexterous hooked lip. I felt sad that they couldn’t roam free, captives waiting until sophisticated security equipment arrives from the USA. The evening’s finale was a scrumptious three-course dinner under the stars. And we couldn’t have asked for a more charming host. Mmmm, what e perfect day!
Chasing rainbows
The next morning we reluctantly packed our bags, but there was time to squeeze in one more activity. We had to do it! One last look at what explorer Livingston acclaimed as “scenes so lovely, must have been gazed upon by angels in their flight”. And to see it from up high inside a giant dragonfly!
The helicopter flip was a quickie (15 minutes) but it was ample time to ‘ride the rainbow’ of the falls, check out the sharply zigzagging Batoka Gorge and spot groups of hippo and elephant in the expansive river and islands above the cascade. We declared that we would have to come back again soon.
Overall Trip Review:
Gen and I both didn't know what to expect going to the Zimbabwe side but we were knocked out by the friendliness and enthusiasm of everyone. We felt incredibly safe and were treated like cherished guests. Our adventure package was booked in advance and it was fantastic value. In retrospect we crammed in far too many activities, seven in just over two days, but you only live once!
Where can I stay?
Go to the Zimbabwean side now – there are loads of good affordable offers, you'll be far from the madding crowds, it's very safe and the people are as hospitable and charming as ever. We stayed at Vic Falls Safari Lodge and were blown away by the hospitality, friendliness, rustic architecture and awesome views. Check out other lodges in Vic Falls, Zimbabwe.
Keen for a Zambian experience? There are many knock-out lodges and other options to suit your pocket on the Livingston side of Vic Falls.
Photos: Genevieve Behrens, Shearwater Adventures, Vic Falls Safari Lodge & Samantha Black
