THE LODGE
Hwange National Park
Chokamella Lodge is located just outside the Hwange National Park gates.
In December, the off-season, Keith and I were sometimes the only guests:
pampered and privately guided. We had our own bungalow in the bush which,
like the main lodge, was mostly open to the elements. We were provided
with all meals and game drives, congenial company, fresh water, and an
emergency whistle.
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| Chokamella Lodge |
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| Our
bungalow, one of only 10 on the estate. |
The plunge pool was located just
outside our door. It wasn't quite hot enough for plunging: in fact we
encountered some very wet weather! Perfect weather though for
comfortable game viewing.
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Our
first ever encounter with mosquito netting, above.
It took some getting used to, especially as we were
jet-lagged and had to extricate ourselves several times a night to visit
the bathroom. |
The nights were cool, and we
were invariably awakened in the morning by the bird alarm clock.
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| This is the viewing platform at the main lodge building,
where we would often gather before and after dinner. It was mostly quiet,
though we did spot a giant eagle owl one evening. |
Above, you
can see the position of the viewing platform, over the lodge watering
hole. One night a nearby baboon troop was so noisy and active our hosts
suspected a cat in the area. |
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Sure enough, while Keith and I were
enjoying after-dinner drinks in the lounge, a few yards away a leopard
was drinking from the water hole. The guides found the tracks the next
morning.
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