Chronicle Editor
Freeman Machipanda
Checking in at this safari lodge in the Zambezi National Park within walking distance from the banks of the mighty Zambezi River, don’t be surprised if the guest next to you weighs a few tons and is grey or a sour dark grey horned fella — that’s perfectly normal at Mwenyi Safari Lodge and Camp.
Getting there is just as easy for the two legged guest as it is the four-legged giants of the wild — access to Mwenyi Safari Lodge and Camp is off the highway into Zambia past the Chirundu Border Post across the Zambezi River!
This eye catching but wild enclave is home to numerious wildlife including elephants, buffaloes, lions, hyenas, pangolins, butterflies, numerous species of birds as well as faun and flora. Boat cruises up amd down the Zambezi along with tiger fishing are also key attractions in the forgotten tourist attraction that is Chirundu.
Don’t mind the elephant or buffalo in the room (or poolside).
Escape to the beautiful, game rich Zambezi National Park in Chirundu, Zimbabwe and stay at Mwenyi Safari Lodge and Camp. This eco-friendly lodge is situated almost smack in the middle of the Park right beside the majestic Zambezi River and is easily accessible.
The main lodge consists of a group of thatched buildings situated on the slope a mountain is one of the newest in the Zambezi River catchment area having opened its doors in August and is slowly building a reputation of quality service and is inching towards becoming one of the best lodges in Zimbabwe.
It has six thatched chalets that house 24 rooms which are perfectly placed so that guests can enjoy the views of the ragged but eye catching landscape, and watch the antics of the honking truck drivers enroute in and out of Zimbabwe. Each suite is beautifully furnished and is decorated in an African theme and separated from the next by a quaint and subtly decorated short wall. They are furnished with comfortable beds and showers which have panoramic views.
And guests have the luxury of a beautifully built swimming pool to rid themselves of the Mashonaland West heat!
The elephants, buffaloes pass through . . .
Mwenyi Safari Lodge and Camp is unique in that almost every day, several groups of very special guests pass through the reception and sometimes “check in” for a few hours.
These are not your typical guests though but are elephants and buffalos. Moving along what is an animal corridor next to the lodge, elephants and buffaloes wander through the lodge, much to the delight of the guests.
This almost daily event has been widely reported and is now one of lodges biggest draw cards. Why, would these elephants and buffalos wander through a lodge? Has it been constructed on some ancient migration route? Yes and no, as it appears that the elephants and buffalos, both grazers of note, are after the luscious trees and grass in the lodge garden. It is this which draws these gentle giants back day after day. These two behemoths of the Zambezi often wander through daily, and many guests are left humbled by this experience.
The rest of the year . . .
The game viewing is no less spectacular and the lodge is still worth a visit during the rest of the year. Guests may still see the elephants and buffalo herds around the lodge or the mini business district along the road to the Chirundu border post. The Zambezi National Park offers some of the best game viewing in Africa.
Set out on an early morning game drive in an open safari vehicle and Mwenyi Lodge’s guides will look for tracks in the sand and interpret what animals passed by in the night. The morning is when many of the animals are at their most active and game viewing should be at its best.
The Zambezi National Park is often called one of the best wildlife reserves in Africa with prolific populations of plains game, elephant and buffalo. Visitors can also see the Zambezi River as it snakes its way through the valley. Small herds of zebra and other smaller grazers are often seen on the grasslands around the pans, which are called dambos.
Online Reporter