AAC Sales and Marketing Coordinator Brooke traveled to South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe this spring. She joins us on the blog to share stories and photos from her safari.
I started my travels in South Africa, where I spent some magical days in the Kapama Game Reserve. From an incredibly luxurious stay at Kapama Karula to seeing the Big Five in under 24 hours, it was an experience I’ll never forget. My days were a mix of exciting game drives which included sightings of lion, leopard, rhino (including a nursing calf), Cape buffalo, giraffe and more; relaxing in my private plunge pool; amazing food; and making full use of their incredible spa, especially the cold plunge and sauna, which became part of my daily routine.
From Kapama, I headed to Cape Town, and wow, what a place! I spent one morning hiking up Lion’s Head, which was well worth the early morning wake up. The views at the top are iconic with the ocean on one side, the city stretching out on the other and Table Mountain sitting perfectly in the background. Another morning, I went on a sunrise yacht cruise where I watched dolphins jumping through the water as the sun slowly made its way above the horizon. The whole ocean was calm and everything felt still and golden. I had to take a beat to sit and take it in because it felt too good to be real.
From Cape Town I made my way to Zambia, where I stayed at Thorntree River Lodge situated on the banks of the Zambezi River. The next day I experienced Victoria Falls, one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World. Nothing prepares you for the sound and power of the falls in person. You can feel the mist before you fully see it, and standing next to its expanse took my breath away.
After Zambia, I continued on to Zimbabwe. I started in Bumi Hills, where the views over Lake Kariba are unreal. It has endless water, large volumes of wildlife in the area and sunsets so beautiful they almost look like a painting. I had so many amazing experiences during my stay. One of the highlights was a sunset boat cruise on Lake Kariba, the largest man-made lake in the world created in the 1950s when they built a dam on the Zambezi River. Seeing elephants and hippos along the shoreline while cruising across the water was a special experience. Everything felt so peaceful but also simultaneously wild.
A highlight for me at Bumi Hills was visiting Mola Village, where we helped build a boma, which is essentially a corral made from natural materials. These structures help reduce human-wildlife conflict by protecting livestock from predators like lions and hyenas, which in turn helps protect both the animals and the communities living alongside them. Being able to contribute, even in a small way, felt really meaningful.
After our stay at Bumi Hills, we headed to Nyamatusi Camp in Mana Pools National Park. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the park is known for its remoteness, elephants and lions. It also offers canoeing on the Zambezi River, which was a highlight of my stay. It’s hard to capture in words what it feels like being so close to hippos and crocodiles while quietly floating down the river. Similar to my time on the water at Lake Kariba, it was equal parts calm and thrilling.
We also had some incredible close encounters with elephants. There’s something so grounding about sitting quietly and watching them move through the landscape. We had a few moments where they were surprisingly close, and instead of feeling nervous, I was overcome by an overwhelming sense of awe.
Visiting three countries in two weeks felt like a dream from start to finish. Every place had its own unique personality, every lodge offered something different and every moment felt so special and unforgettable.
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Photos courtesy of AAC Sales & Marketing Coordinator Brooke Dare