Day 7 – The lions do not sleep tonight

I wake up at 5 am due to  the sound of nature. The humming birds have been given a concert for several hours. This morning I do not wake up in some kind of lodge but ... in a tent.

Not a  beautiful gated luxury permanent tented camp but a mobile tented camp that one has started building two days ago and is hidden among the trees. It is the first time a tented camp has been set up on this particular spot. The location was specifically chosen for its spectacular sunrise you can see from here. We all have our own tent with a real bed, a small chest of drawers and an outside bathroom. Our toilet is a pot over a hole in the ground. No flushing toilet…. And our shower is not more than a bag that will be filled with water.

This requires some adjustment from us, but what we get in return .... a unique experience among wild animals. There is no fence, so the animals can walk right between our tents. There are however guards for our safety. Yet this is not without risk. If it is dark, we can not leave our tent by ourselves. We are guided to the tent and back by an armed ranger. There is also a kitchen where the cook takes care of our meals. There is a central tent where the meals are served and there is also a large campfire.

Welcome to the real Africa.

At 6 am at sunrise, we gather in the central tent for a cup of coffee or tea and a biscuit and then we begin our first game drive of the day.

We start early in the hope of spotting a lion. Last night, curious lions were spotted around the camp and we find claw prints immediately. The hunt (figuratively speaking)for the lion can begin.

Of course we are not in a zoo. The animals are not chipped and are in an unfenced environment. The park is about 14,500 km2 and consists mainly of forests and savannah. Our campsite is located in the region where Cecil, the lion has always lived. Cecil came in the news last year when he was shot dead by a trophy hunter. Now that in itself was not illegal. To ensure the balance of the animal population, there are quotas of animals that may be shot. Just like in the hunting season. Over population of a particular species can cause major problems for the survival of other species.

Nature quietly awakens. We make our way out of the forest. Dead trees, curved dead branches, dead uprooted trees and broken down dead stems resemble an artwork of the gods.

The birds are already well awake. Impalas look puzzled at us when they eat their breakfast. The banana birds pose willingly for our lens.

The elephants are present. In Huange  there is a huge population of elephants, including the "President's Herd" the herd that enjoys the protection of the president.

Elephants are moving towards the ponds to drink and refresh themselves with a mud bad. We encounter a herd with a very young elephant. He is not even two weeks old, still pink behind his ears. He needs help from his mother standing up. Lovely to see. He is well guarded by the adults of the herd. After all a lion can kill a small elephant.

Zebras are always curious.

Again, the kudu does not like us very much. We also see a few ostriches who prefer  putting their heads in the sand. We see a complete male rod of iImpalas. They decide who is the strongest and who can become  head of a rod. A bit further we see a normal rod. One male with about 60 females. Yeah man, take it away.

We see many tracks of a lion, but the lion himself keeps in the background.

Around 11 am it is time for a cup of tea and a muffin before driving back to the campsite for our brunch or is it actually English Breakfast? It is already at 1 pm.

In the heat of the day we  take a siesta. Time to test the shower. The men of the camp carry the water and fill the bag. It feels  amazing. It's different to shower outside, with only the branches of the trees to protect you.

At 3 pm tea is served with a piece of cake. We start our second safari of the day. Again, we get to see plenty of elephants. Some in a herd, others alone. Young elephants, from the age of 15 years, will continue by themselves  until they are old enough to mate. For males  that is at the age of 35 years. The impalas run around. Also, zebras, ostriches and ... a cheetah. He startles  us when he unexpectedly jumps right up as we turn around the corner. He tries to hide in the bushes and then climbs into a tree which he sprays to mark his territory.

After this success, with the sun starting to set it is time for our sundowner with  a herd of elephants in the background. The fishcakes and soft drink  are yummy. Just beautiful.

It is time to return to our camp. Elephants treat us on a trumpet concert. But then we get into a traffic jam. Our SUV is only moving at a slow pace due to a pride of ... lions.

Nine young lions are walking on the road in search of a little snack. They do not hurry. I suspect it was less queuing today on the E313. They walk a few meters, take a break, straigthen their ears, peer into the distance, lay themselves down and then continue. Our 4X4 arouses the interest of one of the lions as he walks past us and finally stands still at my position. I can touch him. I stop breathing as we sit in an open jeep. After a few minutes he rejoins the pride. Impalas are called the McDonald's of the bush because they are a tasty dinner for all preditors. Unfortunately for our lions, McDonalds’s is not open yet. Eventually we succeed in passing the pride. We head  to the camp where our dinner is served. First a butternut squash soup, then a curry and finally bananatoffee.

Under a starry sky we remember  the adventures of the day.

Hakuna matata.