17/06/2021
Imvelo's camps offer a wildlife enthusiasts dreamscape
Nehimba is a true wildlife enthusiasts dreamscape
The magnificent Vin, recently photographed here at last light by Nehimba guide Brendan Judge on a recent game drive with guests, is one of the resident males in the Nehimba area with his coalition partner Diesel. They took over the Nehimba pride led by the well-known lioness Horse in early 2019 (The Horse being a lioness so-called because of her size). “Vin is a very relaxed cat but jury is still out on who is the better looking male - but Vin does have an exquisite blonder mane" says Brendan. The sightings of this pride, which is now 16 strong is frequent as their territory is around our camp - so our guests have been enjoying plenty predator action and beautiful photographic opportunities like these and as you will read below - this is likely to increase in the coming months!
Dramatic night scenes in camp
With Vin on the prowl recently around camp, guests enjoying nightcaps around the lodge campfire were treated to a show when Vin was spotted with one of The Horse’s daughters. Says guide, Brendan Judge; “We heard a commotion and growling and then just after dinner the two were spotted near the lodge waterhole mating, which carried on through the night, next to tent 9. We always say Nehimba provides the perfect arm chair safari experiences, as the action often comes to us due to our location and setting and our guests really loved the thrill of this sighting a few metres away. All being well, cubs will be born in about three months’ time so lots to look forward to if you are visiting us soon!
Recent rare and thrilling sightings too!
The predator action around camp has been a plenty but Nehimba also offers the opportunity to spot other rare diverse species too - and our guests in camp have been spoilt with some wonderful sightings recently and have been able to sit and enjoy time with our abundant wildlife in very tranquil settings, no other vehicles around, as we are on the largest private concession in Hwange National Park. The Imvelo camps also offer a lot of flexibility on game viewing times, “These dogs were seen at about mid-day, lying half in the water. They seemed to have full bellies so possibly they were cooling off after a long morning of hunting. There are thought to be part of a larger pack, which split up during the hunt. The male had a collar and probably is the alpha – or breeding - male of the pack, and the female seemed to be heavily pregnant with teats showing. Mid-year, in our winter, is when the dogs den to have their puppies, using an old antbear or warthog hole, and moving location several times before the youngsters are old enough to follow the pack. Hopefully we will get more chances to photograph and share these awesome sightings of the pack soon” says our guide Brendan Judge who was on this sighting. So the even better news is we may have Wild Dog pups as well as lion cubs around camp in the coming months. We expect the wildlife will likely be teeming in and around camp and at the waterholes as we move deeper into the dry season. Exciting times to come on safari with us!
Another rare sighting recently was the Brown Hyena right in camp at the Nehimba waterhole. "The species is so secretive that sometimes their presence is only discovered from their unique scent markings!" says Brendan Judge “The brown hyena has a long, shaggy brown coat and smaller body build than the spotted hyena. This was my first sighting ever in seven years of being in the bush – what may be called a very lucky sighting!” The brown hyena is omnivorous – eating just about anything it can catch or find, including insects, rodents and even fruits, as well as scavenging larger predator kills. It is known to enjoy wild melons even when other sources of water are available in the dry season. In the Kalahari desert, clans can have territories of 300 square kilometres, and individuals will range up to 30 kms a night to forage. The individual was photographed by Brendan at first light while his guests watched on, delighted, enjoying their steaming cups of coffee in the main lodge - what a perfect start to the safari day.
Nehimba offers incredible opportunities for unusual sightings like the above – as well as Roan, Leopard and of course the very big herds of tuskers right in camp which is an unforgettable experience in the dry season! Nehimba should be on the bucket list if an action packed safari adventure is what you looking for!
Bomani Tented Lodge wins 2021 Travellers choice award 8 years in a row
Thank you to everyone that chose Bomani Tented Lodge for their safari adventure last year and then took the time to review us on Tripadvisor – Bomani has for 8 years running been chosen among the top 10% of lodges and camps worldwide and has just been honoured again with a 2021 Travelers Choice award. The hallmark of winners of this award continues to be remarkable service and quality experiences for travellers and we are proud to recognised for offering this to all our valued guests.
Bomani offers so many unique safari experiences in a game rich, spectacular location on the famed Ngamo Plains. Some of our experiential activities’ guests can enjoy include – rail car safaris, toe-nail photography moments in our underground blind and immersive community activities all nestled in a true bush lovers paradise!
We are running some fantastic local and SADC specials ( at Bomani and Nehimba which is an excellent combo through to the end of the year) for those looking for a quick getaway into nature and for those travelling to see us from a far this year, you are in for a very memorable experience. The Ngamo plains are also heaving with wildlife, our camp staff are vaccinated and after the impressive rains we had earlier this year, the plains are flourishing and as recent guests commented “I was so impressed by the beauty of the area, I came back home regenerated - If you are looking for an exciting safari destination – in a remote and exclusive area and one that actually makes a difference to the local communities and wildlife, then you need look no further than Bomani.” We cannot wait to welcome you all!
Sunset cruises on the Elephant Express
“Cruising” along at a leisurely pace, refreshing drink in hand, pausing for photographs of the game lined up en route – it’s the Zambezi River, right? Wrong; it’s Hwange National Park and you are on board the Elephant Express for Imvelo’s latest innovative experience! The Sunset Cruise on the Elephant Express runs through the Ngamo Plains, offering stunning vistas of grasslands well stocked with wildlife. Herds of elephant, wildebeest, zebra and eland are frequently found on the Plains, while warthog, baboon and jackal are also common, and lion and cheetah have both been sighted.
The raised rail line and the Express itself provide a good elevation for sightings and photography - a chance to get that brochure-quality shot of giraffe silhouetted against a reddening sunset sky. This is a late afternoon activity that would depart about 16h30 for the short run up the line viewing the open grasslands, returning the same route and ending near the popular waterhole nicknamed ‘Little Kariba.’ Your guide will share his knowledge and experiences of the magnificent Hwange National Park in a relaxing and convivial atmosphere, amongst scenery worthy of a Hollywood film set! This one-of-a-kind experience is being enjoyed by many of our local guests this year and is a potential forthcoming attraction for Internationals especially in the green season. To find out more, our reservations team is on hand to help with any enquiries!
Imvelo continue on with our mission to help the most vulnerable
Most of us take our eyesight for granted, but for someone living in a remote village in Africa, with limited access to any medical care, slowly fading sight can bring unimaginable trauma. Imvelo have recently successfully arranged eye surgery for 41 patients, despite delays and complications created by the pandemic. Together with funding from the D3 Foundation, Imvelo teamed up with the Council for the Blind and Ministry of Health and Child Care, to embark on the optometry procedures at Tsholotsho District Hospital.
Candidates for surgery were initially identified during Imvelo’s 2019 Smile & See Safari. Unfortunately, Covid 19 disrupted planning and the surgeries were delayed until this year. A total of 233 patients were rescreened, out of whom 41 proceeded to surgery, 10 received medication for various eye ailments and 32 patients’ eyesight was refracted for guidance on appropriate spectacles.
With support from the D3 Foundation, Imvelo Safari Lodges arranged accommodation for the surgery team, food for patients and surgery team, allowances to surgery team, and fuel for vehicles and generator to power the surgical equipment. Council for the Blind provided surgical kits, microscopes, the generator, a mini bus for transporting doctors and support staff and a twin cab vehicle for transporting the generator. Ministry of Health and Child Care provided surgeons, support staff, venue for the surgeries and accommodation for patients.
All the operations were for cataracts, involving three types of procedures, with the age of patients ranging from 32 to 93 years old. One case was referred to a hospital in Bulawayo where the patient can be treated once he has finished a course of medication, which was provided.
Lack of funds for patients to come back to Tsholotsho for their reviews was identified as one final challenge, and a budget has been set aside for the district optometry team to visit patients at their nearest clinics.
Grateful thanks go to the D3 Foundation for partnering with Imvelo to make these surgeries possible – and to our partners on the ground for their further aid too– Council for the Blind, and the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare. Together we can get so much done! To find out more on our community upliftment projects or to get involved please visit Hwange needs you.
On a final note some further positive announcements
In other good news from Zimbabwe, the CDC now lists Zimbabwe as "Low Risk, Level 1" for COVID-19! . The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has eased travel recommendations for more than 110 countries and territories, which is a positive step forward for everyone in the US wanting to take that long awaited safari holiday to Zimbabwe!
Additionally, more flights have begun from JNB as well as the addition of a first ever daily flight from Kasane to Vic Falls on Mack Air! The 20-minute hop will help alleviate land border closures between Zimbabwe and Botswana. Finally and very excitingly, Eurowings Discover ( a subsidiary of the Lufthansa Group) will begin three weekly flights Frankfurt - Windhoek - Victoria Falls as of 30th March 2022. The announcement comes following the recently launched new Air Services Department Programme.
We are delighted by this good news and to have more safaris on the go over the last month and as one recent guest said, "I can only encourage people to travel to Zim now. It was amazing!" We couldn't have said it better ourselves! Imvelo guarantees a personalized and life enriching experience and we are eagerly waiting to help make even more of those safari dreams a reality.
Thank you to Brendan Judge and Karen Lowe for some of the imagery and filming.
