Due to the ruggedness and remoteness of the Mavuradonhas, there is only one road into the Wilderness, which terminates at Kopje Tops Lodge - the only way to get around is on horse back or foot. No electricity and throbbing generators to disturb the peace, you will feel you are truly away from it all and may never want to leave.
Primarily focusing on horse riding safaris there are a multitude of safari options to take depending on your riding ability. All safaris are lead by fully licensed professional guides with many years experience in the area and they will help you make the most of the safari.
Option One - Tingwa Valley Safari (maximum 6 guests)
Good food, comfort, not too much hard riding (suitable for novice riders) and the opportunity to learn about the unique flora and fauna of the mountains from your professional guide are highlights of this safari.
The Tingwa Valley Safari is more a concept than a fixed itinerary. It means you stay at Kopje Tops Lodge or Bat Caves Camp and do not camp out in the wilds of the bush as on an Explorer Safari. The riding also tends to be a bit easier than on the Explorer. All our safaris are extremely flexible and we try to make the daily itinerary fit around guests preferences. So instead of a fixed itinerary we like to list the Tingwa, Mavare, Rwazi, Dateema, Mashonjeri, Buro, Musengezi, Mananuku, Fundumwe Rivers, just to name a few, to explore. There is also the McGrath, Rusty and Schellenberger waterfalls, Dead Elephant Gorge, Incognito, Bat Caves, The Roof of the World, Makura spilling tables and ancient fortresses of the Monomatapa Empire and a thousand other as yet unexplored places.
Even a week's safari is too short to explore all of the above. You will return to Kopje Tops Lodge amazed by the diversity and magnificence of the Mavuradonha. You will have stepped back into the past, experiencing the thrill of exploring a virgin wilderness area far from the maddening crowd.
Option Two - Explorer Safari (maximum 6 guests)
Experienced riders only
If you want to experience what it was like for the early explorers sleeping on a mountaintop or on the sandy floor of a cave, this safari is a must for you. You will feel the wind in your face, the proximity of the bush and the calls of the wild all around. On the Explorer safari we travel deeper in the heart of the Wilderness and so for one or two nights we sleep out rough carrying our own food, water (wine for dinner), washing in rivers, a spade for a loo and sleeping on the ground with a mat or grass bed and sleeping bag.
This safari starts the same as the Tingwa Valley but we carry on from Bat Caves and the riding becomes progressively harder, the elephant paths narrower and more precipitous as we climb higher into the mountains. We always end up somewhere spectacular to spend the evening: a cave, an ancient Monomatapa fortress, or perched above the world on a mountaintop to watch the moon set on one side and the sunrise on the other.
No set daily itinerary on this safari other than to say that the first and last nights will be spent back at Kopje Tops Lodge, two nights at Bat Caves and the remaining nights out rough deep into the Wilderness. Depending on guests we can either spend two consecutive nights out rough (or more) or head back to the comfort of Bat Caves for hot showers after one night rough. We can then proceed on in another direction the next day for another night out rough.
Covering many kilometres of challenging riding in 4/5 days this Explorer Safari is only for experienced, confident riders. The terrain is extremely rugged.
Fact File
Type of Horses: Ex-Polo ponies, Arabs, Quarter horse-cross and Thoroughbreds. All sure footed, experienced and very well schooled by our talented grooms. The horses are all conditioned to seeing game. Between 14 and 16 hh in size.
Weight Limit: Maximum weight 210 lbs if experienced riders, 180 lbs if novice.
Tack: Mostly English style leather and Wintecs, some stock/McClennon saddles.
Other Activities: We welcome non-riders at Kopje Tops. Both the Tingwa Valley and Explorer Safaris can be done on foot. We also specialise in fully guided birding safaris. With over 300 species in the area it's a birders paradise. We can arrange walks and rides out of the Wilderness into the adjacent communal lands to learn about rural African farming techniques and experience the local culture. The famous Tengenenge sculpture community is only a 40 minute drive away from Kopje Tops - home to many sculptors including several internationally famous artists. Not to mention exploring on foot the many rock cave paintings that surround Kopje Tops combined with refreshing swims in the nearby waterfalls, returning to Kopje Tops to experience the wonderful food produced by our experienced chefs - enough to keep any non-rider busy for days!
Conservation: The Mavuradonha Wilderness is part of Zimbabwe's successful CAMPFIRE project set up to ensure that the local community derive direct benefit from tourism in their area and therefore recognise the value of wildlife. We pay an annual lease fee to the rural district council and employ locally as the land we are on is State land that is set aside for the protection of wildlife and local heritage.
Includes: Airfare Johannesburg-Harare-Johannesburg on South African Airways, road transfer to/from the Mavuradonhas, charter flight Mavuradonha-Mana Pools-Harare, accommodation including all meals throughout, all safari activities including riding, walking, birding and canoeing, services of a fully-licensed professional guide and experienced groom, all local drinks (soft & alcohol), conservation fees for Mavuradonha Wilderness.
Excludes: Departure tax from Zimbabwe (USD 20 per person), park fees for Mana Pools (currently USD 10 per person for the 4 day canoe trip), visas (if required), health requirements, travel insurance, gratuities, all items of a personal nature and any service not specified.
Please
Note:
There is a maximum luggage limit of 10kgs per person on the canoe safari and on the charter flights. Soft bags only.
Prices are subject to change without notice due to airfare increases or any other unforeseen circumstance.
ITINERARY:
Day 1 - (FRIDAYS ONLY) Depart Johannesburg on South African Airways to Harare. On arrival you will be met and transferred by road to the Mavuradonha Mountains, a 3 hour drive. Relax in the comfort of Kopje Tops Lodge or get to know your horse with an afternoon ride before dinner.
Day 2 - 4 - As per Tinga Valley Safari itinerary i.e. Bat Caves Camp on nights 2 and 3 and then Kopje Tops Lodge on the 4th night.
Day 5 - An early breakfast before the 45 minute drive to Siya Lima airstrip. It's then a short air charter flight (approx 1 hour) to Mana Pools National Park. After being collected by your guide you are driven to the first night's camp, a distance of approx 30 km. This is a leisurely game drive through the spectacular Mana Pools floodplain. On arrival at 'Vundu', your first camp, you will enjoy a lunch of cold meats, salads and freshly baked breads. Then it's a short drive to the launch spot near the confluence of the Ruckomechi and Zambezi Rivers. Your guide will give a full safety briefing and will also run through the basic ideas of steering and controlling the Canadian style 18ft canoes. A slow paddle gives you time to get used to the canoes. You should start to see some of the multitude of animals and birds that are attracted to the water's edge. Hippo, buffalo, elephant and crocodile as well as a variety of antelope species may be seen. Your arrival at camp is around sunset. The camp is fully prepared and you will be able to sit back and relax with sundowners, snacks and hot showers all waiting for you. Dinner and overnight in spacious, walk-in tents with en-suite chemical loo. Off-suite bush shower. Beds are comfortable camp beds with mattresses, sheets and duvets.
Day 6 - You are woken just as the dawn breaks. Hot water is placed in raised basins outside each tent, while tea, coffee and biscuits are already waiting by the campfire. While everyone gets their personal kit together the support staff loads the canoes with everything that will be needed for the day. Guests need only worry about a small daypack carrying the essentials such as sunblock, camera and spare film, hat and binoculars. We try to be in the canoes and on the water in time to watch the sunrise - one of the most magical times of the day. You paddle for a further one or two hours before stopping to breakfast under a grove of acacia trees. After breakfast you will be taken on a walk into the floodplains and surrounding woodlands. This is a great time to try and catch some of the predators before they hide up for the day. You will spot a variety of animal spoors and may even find yourself engrossed in tracking down a particular species. Returning to the canoes you head downstream to an area renowned for its huge, old elephant bulls. We try to time our trip to catch them swimming or wading out to the grass islands. Our break for lunch coincides with the heat of the day. After you've refreshed yourself with a great lunch and ice cold drinks you have the choice to either take another short walk or just to relax and enjoy an afternoon siesta. The late afternoon and evening is spent drifting down to camp, arriving at sunset. Overnight at camp 'Chessa' in comfortable tents.
Day 7 - Today you continue drifting down the Zambezi and enter the 'Wilderness Area' of Mana Pools National Park, where there is limited access to people and vehicles. Paddle through a maze of small channels before once again joining the main Zambezi River. Lunch is on one of the shallow sandbanks in the middle of the river. This afternoon is your last of canoeing. There may be time (depending on water levels) to explore on foot Chikwenya Island, a unique island which is host to a prolific bird population and a number of interesting mammal species. In the afternoon you will paddle into Illala camp to spend your last night on the river.
Day 8 - On your last day relax in camp and have a late breakfast before transferring to Mana Pools Main airstrip and your light aircraft charter to Harare. Connect onto South African Airways to Johannesburg.
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