Eminently Eve.
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Click on the subheadings below to jump to their contents:
- Introduction
- Booking, contact details & charges
- Directions, road condition & best type of vehicle to use
- Arrival & experience with staff members
- Game drive experience
- Three course lunch
- Other activities
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NB: It is strongly advised to read all the reviews on this site in their entirety to ensure that the destinations really suit all your needs & preferences.
Introduction
What a day, what a trip it was! If you are one of those people who prefer to have everything planned out for you to the dot, then this is definitely the place for you. It was especially a perfect destination for us because it was a girls trip and our first time meeting, so we wanted to optimise the time in getting to know each other better instead of worrying about the programme for the day. Chengeta Safari Lodge turned out to be indeed a great choice as we had a blast of a time. I went on this trip with fellow travel bloggers, the Travel Tribe ladies, Rudo & Chenai whom you can connect with on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
Let’s take it from the top now…
Booking, contact details & charges:
Chengeta Safari Lodge offers different packages which include day trips and overnight trips. We opted for the day trip and Rudo did the booking for us. From my observation, the booking process was quite smooth. It was done via email info@zambezicruisesafaris.com. It can also be done via WhatsApp on +263780105858 or Calls on +263772573022. Soon after making our booking and payment, we received a detailed programme for the day which read, “We expect you to arrive by 0900hrs to begin your day with tea and coffee. From say 1000hrs you go for your morning activity (Game drive, horse riding or Canoeing) then be back by or before 1300hrs for lunch. Time and weather permitting you can have another extra activity in the afternoon and depart Lodge by 1600hrs“. The programme looked perfect for me and I was excited to meet the ladies & just have a good time.
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Please note that their fees seem to vary quite significantly depending on the season and special holidays. At the time of our booking, a day trip was priced at $25 per adult and it included 2 standard activities (game drive, canoeing or horse riding) and 3 course lunch (excluding drinks). There is a swimming pool which is included in all packages. The overnight package was $95 per person sharing and it included bed, 1 standard activity per day and 3 meals (excluding drinks). You can use the above fees to know the general pricing, however, it is important to check first the exact charges at the time you plan your trip via the contact details above to avoid surprises.
Directions, road condition & best type of vehicle to use:
The day for the trip finally came & I was so impressed when Rudo showed up at our meeting place right on time. Being a time sensitive person, I deeply appreciated that. We proceeded to pick up Chenai who was also ready so it was definitely a great start to the day. We left the Harare suburbs and got to Samora Machel/ Bulawayo road right on schedule. There was hardly any traffic as it was the earlier hours of the morning.
From Harare to Chengeta it’s about 82 km. You just follow the Bulawayo road until you get to Selous town. There is one tollgate so do budget for that. Some prominent Chengeta Safari Lodge sign posts can be seen in Selous town which will be directing you to your left at the roundabout. You drive a few kilometres from the roundabout & in no time find the Chengeta Safari Lodge to your left. The road from Harare up to the final turn off to Chengeta is a relatively good condition tar road. Then from there to the Safari Lodge car park (which is just a few metres drive), it is a decent dirt road. A small vehicle can therefore manage with ease and if you wish to hire a well serviced & reliable vehicle from as little as $35 per day, with 200 km free mileage per day, you can contact Presley Car Rental via WhatsApp on +263772546880.
The drive was chilled, relaxed & we experienced what felt like an instant connection. Initially, I was worrying if the girls would be okay with my taste in music but it turned out that we didn’t even need music because we had just so much to talk about. Everyone expressed how short the drive felt, which is always the case when you are having a good time.
Arrival & experience with staff members:
On arrival we were greeted by Anna who gave us a warm welcome and offered us seats on the comfy cushioned seats in the reception area. If there is anything under this sun that screams African safari vibes, it would definitely be the thatch style of roofing, well maintained wooden furniture & African print decor. Chengeta Safari Lodge served us those African Safari vibes in excess and I was here for it. It didn’t come as a surprise though since I had visited the sister lodge, Pamuzinda Safari Lodge – you can find all about my experience there on this link. On that visit, we opted for the overnight package so you can find out more about the night time experience as well.
We proceeded to the bar area where we had our tea. It was not offered so we asked for it. We enjoyed the view of the picturesque garden, while sipping on our tea, relaxing before going on our game drive.
Game drive experience:
As you probably already know by now, I literally live for intimacy with nature and what better way to experience that if not by going on a game drive or nature walk. A game drive was therefore an easy pick for us when it came to choosing the first activity.
We saw Haris while we were just wrapping up our tea & he greeted us so warmly. We thought he was going to be our guide & yup! He confirmed that he was. So we headed to the game drive vehicle together, just having casual chats & I knew from that brief conversation, we were in good hands.
Animals spotted during the game drive at Chengeta Safari Lodge:
Lioness
Before driving anywhere we spotted a very healthy looking lioness which was chilling on a hilly spot, perfect for viewing. We drove closer & she was such a team player. We were there for a while with Haris explaining to us some ecological facts about the species & this lioness did not move an inch. This was perfect as we managed to get a bunch of pictures & just admired her beauty.
Wildebeest
The second species we came across was wildebeest, which was a relatively smaller herd. I was quite excited because there were also some cute young ones in that herd. There is no way you will see young ones of any animal species & not feel some warmth in your heart. Little did I know we were going to come across several other larger herds with even more young ones… That was just so perfect!
Zebras
As you may know by now (if you have been following my other blog posts for a while) Wildebeests & Zebras are always hanging out together. This is because they graze on the same type of grass, however, different parts of it so there is no direct competition. We therefore came across a large herd of the two species and the zebras looked like they had just finished one of their “favourite” activities, which is dust bathing. Many mammal species take part in this and the purpose is to get rid of parasites like ticks from their fur or skin and also to have extra protection from the sun. The zebras were playful as they are most of the time and just witnessing this joy is like a stress reliever, as their excitement in that moment feels contagious.
Giraffe
Interestingly, before spotting the actual giraffe, we came across a huge fig tree. This tree had no leaves around its base. I knew immediately that, if it was not human doing then it could only be the giraffe. This is because of how high the tree stood. It was interesting to learn and witness this phenomenon. We later on came across a number of giraffes, looking stunningly gorgeous as always. Of course they graced us with their elegant walk which I just never get enough of.
Eland
In the midst of all this, we spotted two huge elands, a male and a female. This is one species that is common in most parks & yet so uncommon. They can be secretive if they choose to, unlike zebras & wildebeest. I was quite excited when someone pointed them out. They looked relaxed, lazily browsing on nearby branches. Interestingly, they are one species that has adapted to both browsing and grazing, mostly engaging in the latter during the rainy season when there is a lot of grass and the former during the dry season. The male looked huge, with his fierce spiral horns and the female looked pretty, browsing next to her companion. It was beautiful to witness.
Impala, monkeys, birds, jackal & warthog
Other animal species that we saw during this game drive were impala, monkeys, warthog and one jackal which at some point started leading the way as we were following behind with the vehicle. There were a number of bird species too but one that stood out for me was the Lilac-breasted roller. I know there are so many captivating birds out there but I’m honestly tempted to say this is by far, the most gorgeous bird I have ever seen. The colour variations are out of this world. It is said to have 8 colours and because of these colours, it was chosen to be Kenya’s National Bird. I promise you, these colours in person are mind blowing…
Three course lunch
We came back from our game drive around 11:30 am. We could have opted to take a swim until lunchtime, however, just relaxing in the garden, feeling the breeze and hearing the sounds of birds was more appealing to us. We of course took that time to take some pictures for memories of our first ever trip together and we had so much fun while at it.
Lunch time came very quickly and it was a 3 course buffet braai lunch. They do check with you after your booking if you have any food allergies and so you are guaranteed to have a meal that suits your heath & dietary needs. I loved the presentation, how well cooked the food was and of course how flavourful it was.
Other activities
According to the programme, after having lunch, we could have done another activity such as canoeing or horse riding, however, we decided to call it a trip after lunch because one of us had an event to attend to. Overall, it was definitely a great choice of destination, which gave so much value for the money and so I most definitely recommend it.
Don’t forget to write to me with your feedback when you visit this place and of course if you have already been, please share with me what your experience was like here or on Facebook, Instagram or Linkedin.
Safe travels… Remember to always have a little intimacy in your life & as always I’m talking about intimacy with nature 🙂
