So, our days at Somalisa camp started with a wake-up
call at 5.30am, this also wasn’t just a wake-up call, it
was also a call to let you know it is now safe to
venture out your tent alone! And yes this is necessary!
The nights are filled with the sounds of the vibrant
bush community. From the distant baritone roar of a
lion coalition on a hunt to the baboons screeching
warnings from the treetops. The tents are no more
than a luxurious tent. So the whole one side is mesh
which means you are fully exposed to whatever
nature intends (we were assured this mesh was an
adequate deterrent for predators!) . The shadows of
certain wild neighbours can be seen as they make
their way though camp whilst you are safely tucked
up in bed, which in itself is mind-blowing. So once it
was safe to leave, we made our way to the main camp
for breakfast. The food was delicious. In fact when I
wasn't day dreaming about our Safari adventure I was
dreaming about what would be on the menu for lunch
or dinner! The first game drive starts at 6am so we
were forever chasing the sunrise and sunset (this is
also when the animals all come to life, so the action
really starts!). We were appointed a guide at the start
of the trip, ours was called Albert. Our trip was made
all the more extraordinary merely by Albert's
knowledge and wisdom. He had previously served as
a park ranger for over twenty years so the skills he
had acquired and the tales he told us blew our minds.
He taught us to track animals via their footprints and
to identify different species by their waste. We learnt
how to navigate our way through the stars and how
to survive in the wild. Albert's stories of hunting
poachers and the tales of dedicating his life to
conservation was beyond inspiring. There was no
question he couldn’t answer or didn’t have a story
about. After experiencing our safari the way we did, it
soon became apparent the importance of having such
a remarkable guide. I think without Albert we would
have still had an incredible time Zimbabwe however,
we wouldn’t have felt so connected and engaged in
all our encounters. He presented the wildlife to us
fully through his own eyes and wisdom which is why
the experience became so special.
We were in Africa for a total of ten days and in that
short time we made sure we maximised every second
of it in order to really absorb everything it had to
offer. After experiencing every aspect from Cape
Town to Somalisa bush life we have wholeheartedly
fallen in love with the country. Having travelled far
and wide I never expected for one second the power
a place can have over a person but Africa exposed me
to so much raw emotions that I couldn’t ignore. It has
to be by far the most life-changing trip I have ever
encountered personally. The magic and purity
bewitched me to a point where we are already
planning our trip back, but next time we are going to
take it one step further and strip back to the bare
basics of bush living.
UNTIL NEXT TIME...
Written by: Samantha Wilson
Follow me on Instagram @samanthajoannewilson