June
29
2010
By Dan Achber
So much of what makes a safari camp great is the setting, and it’s not always a strict checklist of things that must be present for the camp to make the list. It’s more ineffable than that. Generally though, the backdrop for the overall experience plays a big part.
With that in mind, here’s the set up at Little Makololo in Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe. I landed at the airstrip at pretty much the perfect time of day. The sky was clear and the sun low in the sky, casting a lovely golden light over the grassland surrounding the airstrip. My guide met me and as the noise of the departing plane disappeared, I reveled in the total peace and quiet of the bush. On the drive into camp, we came across a several hundred strong herd of buffalo heading to the water. Once we arrived, we went straight out again to stand with the elephants having a drink at the waterhole in front of camp, as the sun slipped below the horizon.
Had the service been bad or the food tasteless or the game drives uneventful this initial experience would have earned them my forgiveness. Fortunately the opposite was true; the set up was merely a prelude to a great safari experience.
A nod to eco-friendliness increasingly helps a safari camp make my list. Sure enough, at Little Makalolo the electricity in the tents is provided by solar panels, as is the hot water. Always a sucker for a greywater recycling system, I’m pretty sure I bored the manager to death with questions on my inspection (despite her cheery smile and assurances to the contrary). The movement toward sustainability means that safari companies have put your money where their mouths are regarding conservation, and that puts some of the expense for this kind of trip into context.
If I had one complaint it's that I wish the water hole was slightly closer to camp. That’s just me though, as some people prefer their elephants at arms length. I’ll leave you with a video walkthrough of my room. The last part doesn’t do the front porch view justice, but perhaps it will give you some idea of the surroundings at Little Makalolo.
Dan Achber promises not to speak only about water recycling systems if you contact him to plan a trip to Africa. Visit our trip planning site if you want to learn more about who we are and what we do.