Family Safari in Zimbabwe

Back in our heady pre-children days, we travelled whenever and wherever we could. From Russia to Samoa, we took every opportunity to explore the world and, when we ran out of money, we both got jobs in the industry so that we could keep going. Then the children came along and, as I am sure anyone in a similar situation knows, life took over. We still managed the odd getaway, but nothing really as adventurous as my wife and I were really used to.

One thing that had been on the wish list before they all grew up was to take them on safari. The way it works with us is that my wife decides the theme of the trip and I make it happen – a fair distribution of roles given what I do for a living. This was a challenge though – nine people, including our three kids and two nephews, their mum and my mother. That’s a youngest age of seven and an oldest of 84, and the trip had to be in the Easter holidays.

A core part of the challenge was that the only must-see was elephants, which, on one hand, is easy to achieve and, on the other, does not help when narrowing down which country to go to. So how did we end up choosing Zimbabwe when all of Africa lay out before us? South Africa may well have been the obvious choice with malaria-free zones such as Madikwe, direct flights and some incredible cities to explore. Or perhaps Kenya’s Masai Mara, with it’s incredible wildlife and fascinating culture. Neither of these, nor many others, would have been a bad choice at all. What Zimbabwe offered us, however, was the ability to visit three completely different regions: Lake Kariba, Hwange National Park and Victoria Falls. I’ll be honest in that it has always been high on my wish list of destinations, having heard for so many years that the guides here are some of the very best in Africa due to the fact that it takes seven years and many exams and practical tests (including 100 elephant approaches) before they can qualify.

To be strictly accurate, the first stop was Harare, a fabulous introduction to African bureaucracy for everyone as we were taken through immigration by the local team. Visas stamped and luggage collected, it was straight into the Mack Air departure lounge. As there were nine of us, we were to have our very own plane for the domestic flights around the country, something I hoped the children wouldn’t get too used to as we walked through the private terminal and out to the waiting Cessna Grand Caravan.

The flight to Lake Kariba takes around 90 minutes, with beautiful views across the country before the lake itself appears in the distance. Then you start to spot the elephants, alone or in little clusters by the water’s edge. It was at this point that the real joy of travelling with children came to the fore. That pure, unbridled excitement as the anticipation of the trip finally turned into a reality. Soon enough, we were on the ground and being driven the three minutes from the airstrip to Fothergill Island by the ever-smiling Moses who was to be our guide for the next three days.

When you travel with kids, it is always surprising what they notice and get excited about. The cold towels and welcome drinks that greeted us every time we returned to camp seemed to top this list. I was not prepared for that but it’s a long time since I was seven!

There are many reasons to stay at Fothergill Island but one of the instant joys for a family is the fence that surrounds the lodge, which allows the teenagers to share a room away from their parents and everyone to explore on foot with no concerns about coming face to face with the wildlife. This is not to say that the wildlife isn’t right in front of you. We were greeted by a large herd of impala and a family of elephants just 40m from that fence and visible from the pool that the kids were desperate to jump in. A second benefit of the lodge is its size, by which I mean its footprint, as there are only 10 tents, which are so spread out that privacy and noise are genuinely not a problem. So when your son yells at you from your private plunge pool that a waterbuck family is walking past, you don’t have to worry that he has destroyed everyone’s peace.

Of course, the best reason to stay at Fothergill with a family is the location and range of experiences on offer. That first evening, we found ourselves out on the water spotting pods of hippos and watching elephants on the water’s edge, as the sun set in a glorious deep red glow over Lake Kariba.

Those who have been on safari will know this, but for anyone who hasn’t, one of the real joys is that the days seem to last forever. You are up early for a game drive, back at the camp in time for a swim before lunch and then an afternoon of relaxing before heading out for an evening exploration and dinner under the stars. When you’re travelling with your family, that seems to translate into having almost three days in one, with plenty of time to spend time together (and apart if needed).

Following this pattern, our days at Fothergill were spent fishing on the lake, spotting and learning about the wildlife, playing/lounging by the pool, having archery contests back at the camp and, of course, eating. Moses proved to be the incredible guide I had hoped for, adapting his style to suit all ages, going into detail with those who wanted to know and keeping momentum in each excursion. There is such a skill in achieving this with such a large age range and he did it without blinking. Answering in-depth questions from my mother (the biochemist) or patiently teaching Alfie (the seven year old) how to fire an arrow until he hit that precious bullseye (and cheering as loudly as Alfie when he achieved it). The rest of the team at Fothergill matched his ability in understanding us completely, to the point that, when they discovered that Phoebe, my 14-year-old daughter dreams of being a chef, she was invited into the kitchen to help cook.

Landing in Hwange National Park, we were greeted by the ever-smiling Trust, our guide from Verney’s Camp. It should be around a 40-minute drive from the strip to the lodge and we were soon ready to go, with the last warning from Trust to those in the back seats not to leave things like phones in pockets for fear that they may slip out and through the gap onto the road. So it was that an hour later I found myself walking slowing in front of the truck trying to spot an iPhone in the African grass. I mention this because it was this delay that led to one of the most magical moments of the trip – finding a family of around a dozen elephants, including two very young ones, having a huge mud bath. We arrived at camp with huge smiles but rather late for lunch.

Verney’s Camp, while just as comfortable as Fothergill, could not be more different. Here, there are no fences and the wildlife can roam through the camp at will. I’m not sure if it was a look of fear, excitement or hope of an encounter on the faces of the kids as they were told they must be accompanied at all times. In recent days, a large python had been seen in the area so everyone was on the look out.

During the winter months, when water in the park becomes scarce, the pumped waterhole at Verney’s can play host to 300 elephants, countless impala, zebra, waterbuck, warthogs, giraffe and all the predators that come with such a gathering. However, this was the end of the rainy season and the wildlife is spread out around the park, with plenty of food and water on offer. Equally, there are far fewer people meaning that our game drives with Trust were truly ours.

In Trust we had an exceptional guide. This is a man who had lived alone in the bush for six months as an 18 year old working for the water company, during which time he had come face to face with a lion that had managed to get into the enclosure surrounding his lodgings. His next job was no less dangerous as he joined the anti-poaching unit protecting the wildlife in this incredible region. He had spent the past 20 years working and living in the park and his knowledge, love and appreciation for it shone through in everything he did.

Tracking the animals became a game he played with the kids, teaching them what to look for and, by day two, every time the vehicle stopped, there were cries of “baboon”, “lion”, “giraffe”. Trust soon proved his tracking skills were second to none by finding a lioness 200m away in the bush, having spotted one print.

The final stop on this epic journey took us to the incredible Victoria Falls for something completely different. There are so many options for how best to explore the falls and their surroundings but taking the kids up in a helicopter with their grandmother and ziplining across the canyons with their mum will surely be memories that will stay with them forever. Perhaps it was at the Dusty Road café that I was surprised the most on the whole trip. This fabulous enterprise was set up in a township bordering Victoria Falls to showcase local cuisine and support the community. It was here that I witnessed kids who, at home, can be the fussiest of eaters, devour food that they would never touch, including mopane worms! So caught up in the excitement of a new world were they that they were up for anything.

Sometimes, it’s the simple things that you remember, and walking through the immense spray of the falls, taking time to chat with each of them about what we had seen and done will long live in my mind. An epic location to appreciate an epic trip.