YEAR-ROUND WILDLIFE VIEWING AT NGAMO SAFARIS

Hwange National Park’s grasslands and mopane woods are home to large elephant herds, lions, buffalo and African painted dogs. The Park has one of the densest concentrations of wildlife in Africa, that can be viewed year-round. Within these pristine forests is located one of Zimbabwe’s well-known ecotourism havens.

Ngamo Safaris:

The Safari company operates one photographic lodge (Ganda Lodge) and three hunting camps
(Intundla Camp, Kazuma Camp and Amandundumella Camp). Ganda Lodge is located in Sikumi Forest.

Intundla Hunting Camp is found in the Ngamo-Sikumi Forests that border Hwange National Park, Kazuma Camp overlooks the Kazuma Pan which stretches into north-eastern Botswana and Amandundumella is located in the Gwaai-Bembesi Area.

Ngamo Safaris’ motto is ‘A truly unforgettable experience’, capturing the essence of a destination widely regarded as the best for hunting and photographic safaris in the country. More popular with international tourists are the hunting safaris, with local and regional tourists largely going for photographic safaris. America, Russia, France, Spain, Germany, and Italy are the biggest source markets for hunting safaris.

More than the above, there are several other reasons for tourists to visit Ngamo Safaris. “Our clients at Ngamo Safaris are like family. They take Ngamo Safaris as their second home. As such the person in charge of the camp/lodge has to look after them as family members, in such a way that they interact like in a home set-up. We offer a personal touch,” said Siphathisiwe Moyo, Ngamo Safaris Booking Officer.

Driving the Ngamo Safaris vision is Sipilisiwe Ngwenya, a Director of Ngamo Safaris, with vast hospitality experience. After qualifying as a Professional Chef in 1987, she then worked as a Caterer for 6 years before joining the safari industry, working as a camp manager-cum-lodge manager. “My tasks included welcoming and hosting guests when they were in camp, and planning their activities. Supervising staff in food preparation and cleaning the lodge. l was totally in charge of the day-to-day running of the lodge,” said the Director.
“l then rose to Senior Management as a Safari Director being in charge of the lodges and camps. My tasks involve marketing the establishment locally, regionally and internationally. I am also responsible for budgets, implementing, monitoring and evaluating them to ensure that the establishment is run profitably.”

Affiliation with several local and international organisations such as the Safari Operators Association of Zimbabwe (SOAZ), the Safari Club International (SCI) and Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA), ensures meeting high industry standards as well as networking and collaboration.

Ngamo Safaris aims to step up its marketing efforts to increase revenue generation as well as add to the US$5 billion tourism economy by 2025. Recently, it won the Best Safari Camp Stand at the Sanganayi/Hlanganani World Tourism Expo 2023. The Booking Officer had this to say about the award. “It shows that the Ngamo Safaris brand is still visible in the market and still growing. Winning the award has made us feel we are recognised in the tourism industry”, she said.

Ganda Lodge:

Kelvin Muya Tembo manages Ganda Lodge which overlooks the Ganda Pan, a natural pan where different animal species drink. The lodge is located near Hwange National Park, teeming with wildlife, allows visitors to encounter one of the Big 5. Other plains game as well as different species of birds and plants can be viewed.

“Ganda Lodge offers a complete African bush and unique game viewing experience, like day game drives, night game drives (night eyes), walking safaris, and cultural village tours. Facilities for conference and team building workshops are also available”, said Tembo.

It is accessible by air to and from Victoria Falls Airport and by road. The best time of the year to visit is all year round. Comfortable accommodation makes a safari at Ganda Lodge something to look forward to and want to return for more. The lodge boasts of seven stone under thatch chalets with ensuite facilities.

You can experience the perfect blend of comfort and convenience in our inviting shared Lounge, Bar and Dining area where delightful, local and international dishes are served.

The lodge runs on solar, electricity from the national grid and has a generator for backup. Pathways have been redone, and the lodge is wheelchair friendly as it has wheelchair ramps. Visitors to Ganda Lodge can also visit nearby attractions like the greater Hwange National Park, Victoria Falls (day trips), and the Painted Dog Conservation Centre.

Plans are underway to increase the number of rooms by adding more chalets to Ganda Lodge’s capacity. There is also the construction of an ablution block at the upcoming Ganda campsite, close to Ganda Lodge, which is targeted at some camper enthusiasts. The plan is to finish it by Christmas time.

Text by Martin Chemhere

From DESTINATION ZW EDITION 6