Three years ago, a number of us were on a boat in Antarctica and started talking about taking a trip together to Africa. We planned it for 2020, but the pandemic repeatedly delayed it until this year. With the help of our travel agent, Mama Tembo Tours in Zambia, we chose two destinations in Rwanda and three in Zambia. The first location, Magashi Camp, is in Akagera National Park in Rwanda and has cabins right on Lake Rwanyakazinga. All night long we heard hippos from our cabin because they were bellowing right outside which made for quite the experience (we got used to it). We also heard lions roaring from a distance and hyenas as well.
Every morning was fairly similar. Get up at 5-5:30, have a bit of breakfast, and get on a land cruiser looking for birds and animals. Mornings and evenings are typically the best viewing times, so we also had some after-dark drives where we would see completely different animals and even a few birds.
We saw the “big five”: lion, leopard, both black and white rhinoceros (the white ones were recently re-introduced via 747 cargo plane!), elephant, and cape buffalo. It can be hard to find leopards but there was one near the camp that likes to fish for catfish at the lake during the day.
The birds and animals in Akagera were everywhere, and we hardly ever saw any other people.
There were a few fun traditions: in the morning there is a break for tea. And in the afternoon we had “sun-downer” cocktails out in the bush, both prepared by our talented guide Luke, turned bartender.
One afternoon we got word that an extremely rare bird, the African pitta, had been spotted nearby. Dedicated enthusiasts will go to extreme lengths to spot this elusive bird. We went to a nearby cafe where it had been seen and were fortunate enough to spot it in the underbrush.
We also spent some time cruising along the lake, which gave us views of quite a lot of amazing birds.
The camp and staff at Magashi, and our guide Luke were really helpful and knowledgeable (photos courtesy of Christine Simon).
Magashi and Akagera are a special place, and we were so fortunate to visit. Hopefully we will visit again some day!
Beautiful landscapes, great photography. Thanks for sharing!
You’re welcome!
Awesome! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks. Next time I need to try some star photography (need tips from you first though!).
Awesome pictures and descriptions, what a grand adventure! The wildlife in Africa is astonishing, glad you were able to experience this first hand!
Thanks. It’s amazing to experience the wildlife, especially when on foot. So much more real.
Awesome Photography and landscapes, I would love to visit one day!
You should. I’m sure you would enjoy it!
Excellent photos as always. Well worth the delays I think. Welcome back.
Thanks Don. Good to be back for Seattle summer.
What an incredible experience. It was awesome just to see the pictures, I can’t imagine what it was like in person.
Good point. It is quite different when you’re there in person as opposed to seeing it on a documentary, especially the sounds.