Zimbabwe: Walking with Lions

A possible, beautiful itinerary for you

1. Explorer's Glamour

   Arrival at Victoria Falls. You join your fellow travellers for drinks at the hotel, the locale is seeped in the history of exploration. The rough glamour strikes a nostalgic note. You are, after all, lodged in the Livingstone room. As you check your gear and make ready for the adventure, you set yourself in the footsteps of explorers, with a mission of your own.

2. Natural Poetry

   An early morning, a preparatory hike so to speak, makes the proper introductions to the challenge. You explore the Falls and learn of their nuances: the mist that catches the light with prismatic pretenses, the ceaseless humming of the precipitating water, and, most importantly, the life that springs hence. It is bursting! You hop on a helicopter for a more general look… which renders the wonder of the Falls perhaps even more impenetrable. They are huge! You get a glimpse of the Zambezi River, which marks your eastward journey into the wild. In the afternoon you take a private flight to Mana Pools National Park. Surrounded by endless wilderness, you set in for a tranquil night of sleep.

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Hiking for Pleasure

Now the adventure begins. After a delicious breakfast, you shoulder your backpack and brace yourself for a very long hike. After all, it’s remoteness you are aiming for, nothing else will do it. Alongside your super-guide and like-minded travel companions, you traverse the Mana Pools and head for a remote spring, a meeting place of sorts… a place with vital magnetism, that lures the animals in droves. In the course of a day you have already seen more wildlife than most people see in their lives.

Walking Safaris

You rise early. A walking safari demands diligence. You catch the wildlife morning rush. You witness the hunting strategies of lions, as they group up to hunt the fearful bison. Strength in numbers… on both sides. You move with wind, you follow the prey, you are aware of the predator. An ancient instinct awakens within. The lions dodge the pounding hooves and avoid the ramming horns. The hunt succeeds, peace is restored. The high sun imprints a lazy haze all over the wilderness. You find recourse in the shade, where a delicious brunch is ready. The lions on one side, you on the other, enjoy the feast.

The Whites of Their Eyes

Walking in the wilderness is challenging but highly rewarding. You have enjoyed close encounters with amazing animals: elephants, impala, antelopes, warthogs, zebras, giraffes… and even a ranging leopard! Your encounters have been genuine, propiciated by the expertise of your guide, and the mobility awarded by travelling on foot.

Sharing by the Fire

There is a great African tradition: the sundowner. As you gather at the center of the camp and chase the evening chill by the fire, you tell stories, you exchange impressions. Tonight, you have moved a little closer to civilisation… you are still in the middle of nowhere. Among adventurers, you feel at home. It will be hard leaving tomorrow.

One Last Encounter

A private flight takes you to Harare, where you are to await for your departure flight. However, a final treat. You gain access to an Animal Sanctuary, where rescued animals are harboured and rehabilitated. This is a different sort of encounter. But because you have walked among lions, you find meaning in it.