TRIP REPORTS

The country below is Tanzania, and the Cessna is an elaborate form of taxi. For thousands of miles the land is wild and strange, ranging dramatically from the icy peaks of Mount Kilimanjaro
There is nothing in the world like soaring over the plains of Africa in a 4-seater Cessna 172. The aeroplane is so tiny that it seems to have been made from a packet with instructions labelled 1-2-3 Airfix. There is a large proportion of window to fibreglass, so that each small seat has a view.

The country below is Tanzania, and the Cessna is an elaborate form of taxi. For thousands of miles the land is wild and strange, ranging dramatically from the icy peaks of Mount Kilimanjaro, over lush hilltop fields of the Rift Valley and vast savannah plains of the Serengeti. To the east, mile upon mile of white beaches and coral islands are washed by the waves of the Indian Ocean, and here, in the south, swathing paths of sand rivers cut through tropical woodland. From the precarious vantage point of the Cessna it is possible to make out the lumbering bulk of elephants breaking their way through dense bush and palm tree forests, and sandy coloured shapes in the clearing, probably antelope or gazelle.

Some pilots inspire more faith than others. Flying with the helplessly sexy Pascal at the controls, we were thrown into a downward swoop towards a lone rogue elephant taking an enthusiastic morning river bath, while our pilot grinned round at his cargo to boast, “I could have taken zee ‘airs off izz back!”.

Below is Ruaha National Park, 12,950 square km of high plains and forests, where deep terracotta and flame colours of the earth reflect the heat of the African sun. Massive rock kopjes sweep majestically upwards to form a fine line against the sky, poised above wide expanses of rolling land where distances dissolve in a wash of turning colours, marked with gigantic silhouettes of thousand year old baobab trees.

In all this wilderness there are just a few choices for tourist accommodation; and just one camp on the Mwagusi Sand River, owned and run by a man who camped here as a boy, when there was nowhere to stay at all. Such was the seed for perhaps the most passionately loved safari camp in East Africa, the distant, tiny, sand-pathed and makuti-thatched dream of Chris Fox, the bleached bronzed, skinny-limbed proprietor of Mwagusi Luxury Tented Camp. His barefoot passion for the place is contagious. His charm may be lost on the huge herds of elephants that roam at large, (although at least one many-ton female that he calls Constantine will eat palm seeds from his hands), but those who conquer the distances to come here cannot help but fall in love.

It is six am. and the camp is alive with excited cries. The cook has spotted a pack of African Hunting Dog in the bush. They are on the move, and he has trailed them through the gathering light of dawn. Guests are roused, forsaking their trays of morning tea and biscuits to scramble into vehicles, and in moments we are lurching through the bush, testing the speed of these specially modified machines against the drivers’ knowledge of the bumps.

Now the atmosphere changes. The vehicles slow to a grumbling crawl, the passengers are silent, and alert. They wend through the trees following hushed radio instructions from Chris, and, finally are faced by the pack. Twelve barrel-bellied panting bodies are arrayed in a circle on the sandy earth, each marked with fine khaki camouflage. It is breakfast time. The dogs begin to stand, each moving a few yards forward, then settling back in the dust. Chris is ahead of them, predicting their direction into an open clearing, and sure enough they began to assemble in that sunlit arena, watching for possible prey.

Before long the dogs’ attention is diverted by a scuffling in the trees and two blissfully fat, short-legged, helplessly unaware warthog saunter into view. Never has a plump pig run so fast as the one that got away, disappearing in the distance followed by a cloud of dust and half a pack of hunting dog, one chasing, one flanking, one following up the rear. The dogs were running lazily, teasingly, seemingly just stretching their legs, before wheeling back to torment the fatter warthog mate who stayed. Surrounded by dogs, the betusked piggy in the middle puffed up his shoulders, feigning formidable bravado. He tottered to and fro, the dogs edged forward, until one made the run and the warthog floundered, he darted a yard, and, in a puff of dust, vanished down a hole. Occasionally his snout would poke skywards, only to be sharply withdrawn. But the watchers didn’t wait to witness the denouement. It was breakfast time in the cool shade of camp and the hunting dogs, so rarely outwitted, sank back into a heat-sodden torpor.
So starts the day in the wild distances of Ruaha, where each day the diverse wildlife forms and follows its own pattern of life. Safaris here are superbly rewarding, far from the crowds and the minibuses of the northern parks, with a very special camp atmosphere that make each stay your own.

We met a car from Mdonya at the Airstrip on our last day at Kwihala. Chombo and Naiti took us on a nice game drive to Mdonya. They were extremely pleasant and friendly, and knowledgeable.

The tsetse seem much better – maybe it is partly the season – also Micol is using tins filled with burning elephant dung on the back of the vehicle, and this really helps and is a good eco friendly solution.
I did not get bitten once!

We drove to camp and were greeted at the car park by Micol, Alex and Sarah, with cold juice as usual. (Micol Farinha was manager last year, Italian. Alex Stewart was there last year too, she is Australian and is now the manager – Micol will be roving maager of both Manze and Mdonya.  Sara Ilum, Danish, is a new assistant who speaks Danish, Swedish, English, Arabic, German and Swahili).
We felt very welcomed, and the whole atmosphere of the camp, with three nice ladies, is very good. The site is as always very shady and beautiful, and the chief asset of Mdonya is the lovely situation, on an old sand river used by game as a corridor.

We had lunch, in the dining tent, very nice and cool – and really the food is the best in Adventure Camps, except Mbweni (which is very good, because of the huge range of fish, fruit and veg there as well as the good chefs) – at Mdonya the food was light, very varied, beautifully presented. Lots of fresh fruit and vegetables stylishly used. Perfect cakes and bread and puddings. Wow!

The tents are well equipped, when my zip broke, it was immediately fixed perfectly – I think the whole section was replaced, as the panels are zipped in. The feminine touch is obvious – many nice little details.

An afternoon game drive was offered, so we went for a sunset sundowner which was extremely pleasant and nicely arranged.
Dinner under the stars was superb, after a campfire meeting of guests with drinks; some guests were dining apart in nice situations, Micol is very good at arranging this and making people feel special.

Morning tea was not offered, but Micol told me it can be done on request, you only have to ask.
Breakfast was very pleasant, in the dining tent, and the lounge is nearby offering a shady location with books etc and comfortable chairs.

We arrived at Msembe airstrip around mid-day – Pietro was there with a car to greet us. He had guests in camp, they were out on a game drive with Festo, the other guide. This camp has only two cars, which is fine for now, as there are only 6 tents, and the policy is that the guests go out with either Pietro or Festo, up to 6 to a car.
The cars are very comfortable, with bucket seats instead of benches as at the other three camps. We drove back to tent, stopping only to view a lion kill just outside the camp.

The camp is very attractive, being on a ridge above the Mwagusi, with cooling breezes. The Lounge and dining tents are spacious, and easily reached from the car park. We were taken to our tents – these are set on either side of the lodge tents, which is good as the view is not spoiled.

All tents are white, which is very pleasant as inside is light and airy. They are bigger than the other camps, with a special design, very attractive. The decoration and finishing is very tasteful, utilising natural materials, weavings, seeds and fibres, pots, and very nice wrought iron work stands for clothes etc. My tent was very well equipped, with two chests of drawers for clothes, bedside lights and standard lights – all EL is provided for these (from solar panels and a central inverter which you don’t hear).  And also for sockets for charging machines. Bottled water was provided in the tents.
I would highly recommend a standing fan in each tent if possible. The tents are very hot, as there is no shade at all for them. Alternative would be to have a higher gap between the ceiling and the top of the tent.

The lounge and dining tents are much cooler, with some shade of trees, but also the gap between tent roof and the canvas top roof is quite wide, almost a metre.
At the tents, the gap seems to be only about 20 cms , and they are very warm in the middle of the day, though pleasant at night.
There are gauze sections on all sides, these can be unzipped to the floor on two sides, so according to where the breeze comes from the tents can be adapted to allow a breeze.
the bathrooms are separated from the bedroom only by a curtain, as at Impala – at Manze and Mdonya there is a zip between these sections, which is difficult to negotiate at night – because of the skylight showers.
The bathrooms have bucket showers, which I’m not sure I really liked – there was never hot water in the evening, though there would have been if I had asked. It did not come automatically then though, I think it was filled at lunchtime, when you don’t really need hot water. Also the water being from the big river, was not very clear.
This will change next season, when a new camp is being built nearby in a beautiful position on a rocky hill above the Mwagusi. It will have its own borehole.
There was a very good Maglite torch for use at night, and guides came to collect the guests for dinner as at the other camps.
Laundry is complimentary, as at Impala.
Early morning tea/coffee is available.

The food was very good, dinner under the stars – this is changed to different locations every night, for variety. There is also  a nice campfire area. Dining is communal, Pietro makes a wonderful host, joined by Festo who is extremely personable and knowledgeable.
Re the menus, I would suggest that maybe a little more fresh produce might be used, as at Mdonya – Micol has two good sources of supply from Iringa and from the nearby village.

Kwihala is all about the guiding, which is always done by the managers themselves. The standard is so far above anything offered at other camps I’ve been to.
There are two game drives per day and cars return to camp for lunch. There is not much point in all day game drives here, as the camp is so nicely located in the best game area of Ruaha, and not too far from the Great Ruaha, and it is easy to return and relax in the tents during the heat of the day. If guests would like an all day drive however, the managers are flexible and arrange this, with picnic lunch.

Most morning game drives depart around 6.30 and a very nice “bonnet breakfast” was provided at a picturesque spot. This involved laying out the food and utensils on the bonnet of the car – no safari chairs and tables. People help themselves, it’s a little less “colonial” and people do enjoy it, and also to be able to stretch the legs a little is nice. Pietro picked a beautiful location by a granite kopje with lovely views.
A  cool box with drinks and bottled water was provided in the car. Drinks are all complimentary.
Each time we arrived back at camp there were  cold towels and juice waiting at the car park.

Before leaving next day we saw the new site for the replacement camp – Carlo will start to build this in Sept-Oct – he already has the building permit, as well as the permit to do walking from camp, which will also begin soon, done by Pietro or the other two managers, Steve and Mario, all of whom have licences, and are Fgasa level 3 trained.
The new site is amazing – a beautiful kopje above the Mwagusi, just west of the current camp. There will be a borehole (water is currently trucked in to the camp from the headquarters).
The reception, lounge and dining will be in the Kopje area, and will evolve as Carlo decides where to place things.
I would suggest the tents be placed 4 on either side of the lodge kopje, to avoid spoiling the view from the top, which is stunning.
Total tents is 8 or 9, I understand. Possibly 2-3 larger tents, with double/twin beds plus two sofas that can be made into extra beds, for families.
It is possible these could be more expensive, i.e. priced by the size of the tent, so honeymooners for example can have a bigger tent if they want it, and will pay for it.

Obviously more cars will be needed as the camp grows. Pietro is already training guides.
I understand the object is to be ready to open the new camp in June 2012.