(This is part of a trip report to Africa.) Johannesburg, or Joburg, as the natives call it, was just a stopping place for us. We visited friends there before we left for our first safari camp. We spent two nights at the Intercontinental hotel, right next to the airport. Thanks to the Chase IHG credit card, which gives you 60,000 points, we were able to use 40,000 points and $140 for two nights in an upgraded room. I love this credit card because you get one free night each year, a wonderful perk!

The foyer…

Fruit and water are always appreciated, plus some snacks (in the top drawer) along with tea/coffee maker.

 

 

And last, the spacious marble restroom, with a glass enclosed shower! It was an extremely comfortable room and a great place to get over jet lag!

We flew to Victoria Falls airport in Zimbabwe, where we were met by the Wilderness Safari (more on that later) representative for our short flight in this Cessna 206!

A watering hole from the air; it was winter there, which is the dry season.

And here’s our tent! It had no electricity, but lights and hot water via solar power and generator. Little Makalolo only has six tents, plus one family tent, so it was homey and fun to visit with the other guests at meal times.

Every night we had turn down service and a hot water bottle in our bed – VERY much appreciated because it got COLD!

 

 

I loved the copper sinks, shined twice a day by the housekeeping staff. All the staff, including guides, live on the property. They work six weeks on, two weeks off OR four weeks on, one week off. And most live far away. But they were all glad for a good job. The corner area is the indoor shower.

I didn’t get a picture of the toilet area; it was a room to the right, with a screen window and one afternoon we saw elephants at the water hole outside our window!

Our outdoor shower, which we used every afternoon in the heat. It was only cold early morning and late evening.

A day bed…

And a desk…the platform you see outside is where you are supposed to walk to and from the common area. This camp is in the middle of Hwange Park and you aren’t allowed to wonder around because there are wild animals (you are in Africa)! Each night our ARMED guide would escort us to the tent, where we had a horn to blow in case of emergencies!

Our front door, with our porch outside.

The common area, with afternoon tea on the bottom right of the picture. I LOVED the white beaded edged netting that covers the food – I finally found one to purchase in Capetown.

 

It was dark when we got back from our afternoon rides and every night we would sit around the fire pit before we ate, so relaxing!

The food was phenomenal and was included, along with all transportation.

One afternoon, hundreds of cape buffalo were out there! You can’t really see it, but the watering hole is just beyond those two trees.

The swimming pool, which we never used.

Next up, animals and more animals (particularly lions)!