The Spell of the Lower Zambezi

How do you describe a place that makes you feel an ancient connection and at the same time gives you comfort and thrill.

A connection to the land, to the animals, to the people. An intimate atmosphere, an incredible experience. A place where like-minded individuals share truly magical moments in what I can only describe as a fairytale forest wonderland. This is the Lower Zambezi. And in my mind one particular camp stands out. A place I fell in love with named Old Mondoro.

A Safari That Stays With You

When you think of the perfect safari there are so many things that need to align. Everyone wants extraordinary sightings and unforgettable encounters. Yet there are very few places that leave you in a state of awe for the entire time you are there. Old Mondoro does exactly that. It connects you to an ancient way of life and a rhythm of being that feels unmatched.

The Camp: Simple, Soulful, Immersive

Let me start with the camp. I was fortunate enough to stay in what they call the guides accommodation. It is a simple but wonderful canvas room with a covered space that opens out during the day. There is a small patio that overlooks the river. From there you watch elephants walking past and hippos moving constantly through the channels. There is always something happening. You could sit there for five days straight without moving and feel completely immersed in this wonderland.

Hospitality with a Heartbeat

Then you have the staff. That is vitally important when you are visiting a place like this. They make you feel welcome and cared for without ever being overbearing. The balance is just right. A clean environment, friendly faces, warm smiles, good conversation. You can feel an incredible sense of pride in the camp and in the service that is being provided. Considering how remote this corner of Africa is, what they deliver is remarkable. The staff are incredible at what they do. The hospitality, the food, and the service are truly outstanding.

In the Hands of a Master Guide

And then comes the guide. I was lucky to spend time with our friend Mark who runs the camp with his wife Madelein. They are truly wonderful people, kind and hospitable. Mark knows the land in a way that few do. He understands what you want as a safari goer and delivers it with skill and passion. His enthusiasm cannot be faked. It is a deep pride in the land and in what he shares with others. He has put in years of work to habituate leopards and to understand the area intimately, and it shows in every decision he makes. Being with him was a wonderful experience.

Into the Winterthorn Cathedral

Even before the sightings begin, simply driving out from camp into a small clearing of winter thorn forest and then deeper into the heart of it is an experience on its own. Even if you saw nothing along the way, which is almost impossible, the drive itself is something ancient and beautiful. The trees tower above you. You move under the canopy as light shifts through at different times of day. Sometimes there is almost a blue haze hanging in the air. At dawn the chorus rises all around you, and if you stop for a moment and just listen there are no cars to be heard. Only birds calling, the chatter of the forest, and the occasional alarm call of antelope that hints at which way to go. Streams cut through the ground, small clearings open up, fallen logs rest where you can dream of what might appear. And always there are elephants feeding somewhere. If you look long enough a shadow moves and you notice a bull at first light, pulling down winter thorn branches. There is constant life everywhere you turn. For someone who loves nature it is heaven even without a sighting.

Five Days, a Thousand Moments

We hosted one guest and spent five days exploring. It was heaven in every sense. Moments with elephants in the winter thorn forest felt almost sacred. The light, the dust, the atmosphere, the animals. And then the leopards. Magnificent anywhere in Africa, but here they felt even more special. We watched them walk through the forest, sit on fallen logs, perch on termite mounds. Everything we wished for came true and more.