SPRING COLORS IN THE EASTERN HIGHLANDS

September in Zimbabwe has ushered in the start of spring.  The jacarandas and other flowering trees have started to put on their show.  Everything is leafing out.  And in Zimbabwe’s eastern highlands, the fresh spring colors look a lot like fall back home.

We headed to Nyanga near the border of Mozambique for a long weekend getaway a few weeks ago.  We’ve visited the area a couple of times now, but spring is by far the best time to go.  In spring, the newly leafed-out msasa trees put on quite a show of reds and oranges that can’t help but remind you that it is fall back home.  Nyanga is about a 5-hour drive from Harare – a pretty reasonable distance by Zim standards – so a small group of friends and colleagues headed out to hike and enjoy the color show.

Msasa trees in their full splendor.

First stop, a spot called World’s View that afforded 180-degree-plus views of the flatlands we had driven through to get there.  As with almost all days in Zim, we enjoyed a lovely sunny day (if not a bit hazy from the smoke from burning fields that seems to always be hanging around) to take in the vista.

Looking west over Zimbabwe from World's View.

Proof of life!

We also went to Nyanga National Park and hiked out to a viewpoint to see Mutarazi Falls, the highest falls in Zim and second highest in Africa.  Andrew and I had actually done this hike back in July last year, but it was overcast and a bit drizzly.  This time was a different story and the falls were in their full glory.

Not actually Mutarazi Falls, but one of several falls coming off the escarpment.

THAT is (a pretty average photo of) Mutarazi Falls.

The keystone event of the weekend was a hike up Mount Nyangani, the highest peak in Zim at just over 8,500 feet.  We hired a national park guide to show us the way, as that is now required after several hikers lost the trail and went missing.  The local lore is that the mountain’s spirits are responsible for their disappearances.  At any rate, we were quite happy to have our guide Tendai show us the way and offer words of encouragement along the decidedly steep trail.  Good news!  We made it to the top – and back down! – in one piece.  The views at the top were pretty incredible with a big bank of clouds pushed up along the Mozambique side of the mountain ridge, and views over the Zimbabwe plains in the other direction.  We also got to see lots of msasa trees in their full red and orange glory.  And after a full day of hiking, we definitely earned our gin and tonics that evening.

We drove to the trailhead on that road you see in the distance... and this wasn't even the top yet.

Made it to the summit of Mt. Nyangani!

Looking east into Mozambique... and a cloud bank pushed up against the mountain ridge.

Back on the trail.

At over 8,000 feet, definitely had to stop to catch our breath... and take in the views.

Thar she is!  The highest point on that ridgeline is Mt. Nyangani.

A stop at Nyangombe Falls on the way out of the park to rest our tired feet.

We got back to Harare mid-week, but I rounded out the week with a couple extra days off to enjoy some golf and much-needed downtime.  Zim has some really lovely – and cheap! – golf courses, so we’ve been taking full advantage of those.

The 18th fairway and clubhouse at the Royal Harare Golf Club.  This photo may or may not have been taken from where my ball actually landed.  

As much as the days… and weeks… and months this year have seemed to just bleed into each other, the changing colors and warmer days are definitely a signal that time is passing.  Glad we got to see the spring foliage display to have that reminder.            

A SAFARI TO OURSELVES

As September arrives, very little seemingly has changed since March.  Borders are still closed.  Face masks are the norm.  COVID cases continue to rise.  Zimbabwe still has a lockdown in effect, though it has eased greatly since the early days.  Restaurants are now open for takeout.  The curfew has been extended to 8PM.  And the national parks reopened in July.  We jumped at the chance to get out of town and visit Hwange National Park – in the eastern part of Zimbabwe, near the Botswana border.  We recruited a few friends and colleagues from the embassy to come along, rented out a self-catering (pack in / pack out) private camp, loaded up the cooler and all sorts of provisions, and headed out for a 5-night getaway.

 

Why did the zebra cross the road?

Elephants ambling through the landscape.  So Africa!

The trip out to Hwange is an all-day, 12+ hour trek on terrible roads, so we decided to break up the drive and stay the first night at a regular ol’ hotel in Bulawayo.  After spending months in near isolation, only occasionally venturing into the office and seeing no more than a few people ever at any one time, the hotel stay was a bit of a shock to the system.  LOTS of people crowded into the hotel bar, most without masks.  We ordered dinner quickly and headed to our rooms for an early night.  We were up and out by 9AM the next day to make a quick getaway so we could get to camp in time for sundowners (happy hour).

 

We glimpsed a few giraffe strolling by our tent one afternoon.

A couple elephants get a drink from the water hole outside our camp while a herd of buffalo pass by.

The camp was absolutely beautiful.  Five tents (but with full baths and running water – this was glamping for sure) set around a large common-area tent with a kitchen, sitting area, dining area, and huge deck overlooking a small water hole where elephants, water buffalo, and antelope made daily visits.  In the mornings, we would drive a few kilometers to a larger water hole that was visited by just about every safari critter you can imagine.  Look to the left – a herd of elephants, straight ahead – an obstinacy of buffalo (my favorite collective noun ever), over to the right – some kudu, impala, water buck, and other antelope.  Oh, and just over there – a pride of about 15 lions with the huge male presiding over a recent kill.  (A water buffalo, and we didn’t see if happen.  Just got to watch as they enjoyed their feast.)

 

The common area tent and viewing deck at our camp.

Hard to really call it a "camp" when this is a "tent." 

The wildlife diversity at the water hole a few kilometers from our camp was astounding.  Here we have some hippos - with some oxpeckers (birds) hitching a ride on their backs.

And elephants.  Hundreds of elephants.

And water buffalo.  Hundreds of them too.

And a pride of lions enjoying their feast.  (Resulting in one less water buffalo.)

And all manner of antelope.  Here we have kudu (the bigger ones in the foreground) and impala (the smaller ones behind).

Back to the camp for the afternoon, and then off to another water hole or some other viewing spot to watch the progression of animals for their afternoon drink of water – and our afternoon gin and tonics. 

 

Showing us their best side.

All sizes well represented.

This photo has a little bit of everything going on. Buffalo, elephants, a hippo, and even crocs.

We saw one other family a couple of times during our stay.  Otherwise it seemed we had the entire park to ourselves.  The animals seemed particularly happy too.  I'm sure we were the first people they’d seen in at least a couple months since the lockdown began and the parks closed.  I’m sure they appreciated the break from ogling humans.

 

Mom showing the little guy how it's done.

The winner of the "Smallest Elephant" contest.

There are times when this job seems particularly frustrating and difficult.  Human rights abuses.  Corruption.  Food insecurity.  And, of course, COVID.  It seems my work is an endless stream of reporting on these issues with very little progress to show for it.  But being out in the southern African savanna, watching the wildlife go about their routine, taking in the breathtaking vastness, listening to the birdsongs and the elephants’ trumpets and the dear-god-what-was-THAT???  To see it, to be a part of it, to live it (if only for a couple years).  I realize how fortunate I am to experience this, and so I will go on monitoring the day-to-day struggles.  But I will look forward to our next opportunity to get out, recharge, and see more of this beautiful country.