Day 153: Royal Gardens Camp (Chiredzi) – Chivilila (Gonarezhou NP)

Gonarezhou National Park is more characterized by beautiful landscapes than by animal sightings. At least at this time of year.

It's 40 degrees Celsius. It's dusty. The wind is warm. The air is hazy. It seems too hot for the animals, and for us too.

Nevertheless, we keep spotting elephants, impalas, kudus, and zebras in the shade of the bushes. The animals are shy, and the elephants quickly go into attack mode. The park has a long history of intensive poaching.

The view of the Chilojo Cliffs and the wide, mostly dry riverbed is magnificent.

Most campsites in the park are booked exclusively, which makes them correspondingly expensive if there are only two of you. However, we had few options, as the park is currently busy and we inquired relatively late ("only" 10 days' notice). So we're happy to be able to stay here for three nights.

The access road to Chivilila Camp is long, steep, and rocky. For this, you're rewarded with a spot that offers a view of the Runde Gorge. Pretty good. A gazebo for some shade, a fire pit, and an outhouse.

Apart from us, there are a few birds and, on the other side, a herd of around 50 baboons. In the hills in the distance, an elephant.

The tracks, however, indicate that there's sometimes more going on here. In the darkness, we once see a shadow and eyes. Smaller than a hyena, it was more likely a jackal. The sounds of hippos help us fall asleep.