A proud WINNER of the Zimbabwe Achievers Tourism Award!
NEWS: SEPTEMBER 2014
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We promote travel opportunities to the wild areas of the Zambezi Valley
WILD ZAMBEZI invites you to a world of nature where the pace is slow, the sun is warm, the sky is huge and the people are friendly. Our travel promotion focus is the Zambezi River and its iconic wildernesses, including the Victoria Falls & Zambezi National Park, Lake Kariba, Matusadona National Park and Mana Pools World Heritage Site. We provide web-based, up-to-date information on operators, activities, accommodation choices, tours and services in this magnificent area, and offer a reliable, independent travel advisory service.
EMERGING SAFARI TRENDS FOR 2015
As the safari season is now in full swing, Wild Zambezi enjoyed a recent article by Southern African Tourism Update which outlines 6 emerging trends for safaris in 2015.
We summarise them here, in relation to travel to the Zambezi's safari areas:-
1. The impact of Ebola: While the outbreak of the Ebola virus in West Africa is having some impact on safari bookings in Southern Africa, and may continue to do so for some time, cancellations are mostly coming from first-time visitors. Most people who have visited Africa before are determined to return and realise that the continent is so large that Europe is actually closer to the threat than is southern Africa.
2. Green Season travel: Discounted rates during the Low Safari Season (known as the Green season because it is when the rains occur in Southern Africa) are increasingly attractive to visitors who are affected by budget constraints in 2015 and are looking for value-for-money travel. The Zambezi Valley is a wonderful destination for adventurous visitors in the green season. Although wildlife numbers are lower during this period, there is fantastic birding, the bush is lush and green and there are lots of baby animals. There are also thunderstorms, muddy roads and a great variety of fascinating insect-life.
3. Group travel: this is a growing niche for the safari industry, especially within emerging markets like Brazil, India, Russia and Asia.
4. Multi-generational travel: it is becoming more and more popular for families with three or more generations to travel together. People in the modern world are busier than ever and are now seeking "time-out" adventures which offer quality time with their children and close family members.
5. Hands-on, authentic travel: many travellers are looking beyond the traditional game-drive for their safari experience. In remote wilderness areas, people are enjoying "experiential travel" - guided walks, tracking animals on foot, sleeping under the stars etc. – offering more adventure, better photographic opportunities and a more personalised safari experience. Again, the Zambezi Valley is the place for all of this!
6. Conservation safaris: travellers are increasingly requesting safaris that include some education or experience with endangered or threatened species e.g. rhinos and elephants. People are more aware of the poaching scenario and want to help in some way by using their travel experience as a way of "giving back to nature". There is already evidence of this in the Zambezi valley areas, and a great deal of interest is being generated by the activities carried out by the Victoria Falls Anti-Poaching Unit (VFAPU); the Matusadona Anti-Poaching Project (MAPP); Bumi Hills Anti-Poaching Unit (BHAPU), the Gache Gache Wildlife and Environment Protection Unit (WEPU), the Kariba Animal Welfare Fund Trust (KAWFT) and others.
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT: NEW REGULATIONS FOR CHILDREN TRAVELLING TO AND FROM SOUTH AFRICA
POSTPONED – NEW DATE ANNOUNCED
The South African Department of Home Affairs has delayed implementation of the controversial requirement for children under the age of 18 to present an unabridged birth certificate upon entry to or exit from South Africa.
A new date has been set for 1st June 2015. This was announced recently by the South African Minister of Home Affairs, Malusi Gigaba, at a media briefing, following a meeting with travel industry associations who had been actively lobbying for the postponement of the new regulations.
For further updates, visit the website of the South Africa Department of Home Affairs
ZIMBABWE TRAVEL AGENTS VOTE FOR THE BEST
The Association of Zimbabwe Travel Agents (AZTA) has just announced its annual awards for the country's best in tourism for 2014.
Wild Zambezi is proud of its network partners who are highlighted with links in the following list:-
BEST SELF CATERING: Lokuthula Lodges (Victoria Falls) – (pictured top left)
BEST MOBILE SAFARI OPERATOR: Gonarezhou Bushcamp
BEST SAFARI ESTABLISHMENT – NON TENTED: Chilo Gorge Lodge
BEST SAFARI CAMP – TENTED: The Hide
BEST BED & BREAKFAST/GUESTHOUSE: Amanzi Lodge
BEST BOUTIQUE HOTEL: Victoria Falls Safari Club (pictured centre-left)
BEST RESORT HOTEL: Victoria Falls Safari Lodge (pictured centre-right)
BEST CITY HOTEL: Meikles Hotel
BEST SERVICE PROVIDER: Travelport
BEST TRAVEL AGENCY: Premier Travel & Tours (pictured top right)
BEST GROUND HANDLER: Wild Horizons
BEST CAR HIRE: Avis
BEST TOUR OPERATOR: Shuttle Tours
BEST OFFLINE CARRIER: Qatar Airways
BEST REGIONAL AIRLINE: Air Zimbabwe
BEST INTERNATIONAL AIRLINE: Emirates
KARIBA
IT'S TIGER TIME!
KARIBA TIGER TOURNAMENT – 22nd – 24th OCTOBER 2014
Competition and temperatures are hotting up for the 23rd annual Kariba Invitation Tigerfish Tournament (KITFT) to be held 22nd – 24th October at the National Anglers Union of Zimbabwe (NAUZ) in Charara, Kariba!
Registration will open at 14.00hrs on Sunday 19th October.
This year's vehicle prize for the catch of the largest Tiger Fish over 10Kgs is a brand new Chevrolet Utility 1.4 Pick-Up.
Please contact the KITFT organisers for more information on kitft@mweb.co.zw
REMEMBER THAT AIR ZIMBABWE NOW FLIES INTO KARIBA FROM HARARE AND VIC FALLS
The quickest and easiest way to get to Kariba is now by the 3-day-a-week scheduled air service run by Air Zimbabwe.
UM226
Depart Harare at 0930 arrive Kariba at 1020
Depart Kariba at 1050 arrive Victoria Falls at 1210
UM227
Depart Victora Falls at 1400 arrive Kariba at 1520
Depart Kariba at 1550 arrive Harare at 1640
There are also direct flights linking Victoria Falls with Harare (one hour flight) every day of the week except Saturday, when the flight goes via Bulawayo and takes two hours.
Contact Air Zimbabwe or your nearest travel agent. Premier Travel & Tours in Harare are Wild Zambezi network partners and offer a booking service for these flights.
KARIBA TOWN – WHAT TO SEE AND DO IF YOU VISIT, BUT AREN'T FISHING….
The annual Kariba Tigerfishing Tournament attracts thousands of visitors to the lakeside resort.
Most of these are focused on fishing, but for those who might like to do something else other than watch the teams weigh in their catch, there are some interesting things to see and do in and around Kariba Town.
Here are a few of them:-
1a. The Kariba Dam Wall viewed from the Observation Point built into the hill above the Kariba Gorge. Here you will find a beautifully carved stone statue of Nyaminyami – the traditional river spirit of the Zambezi – overlooking the wall. At the Observation Point, the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority and the Kariba Publicity Association run a small information centre which has archival pictures of the building of the dam in the 1950s and tells the story of the 57 000-or-so Tonga people who were forced to abandon their homes in the Zambezi Valley when Lake Kariba filled behind the dam. They were moved to less fertile lands and have struggled to pursue their agricultural livelihoods ever since. It is possible to walk onto the dam wall itself, but this takes a little time, as all visitors have to drive to the Zimbabwe Customs & Immigration post and leave passports or other ID documentation at the post before driving or walking down to the wall. If you have the time and energy, this is very worthwhile, especially if the dam's floodgates are open, resulting in a spectacular plume of spray as the water shoots out into the Kariba Gorge far below.
1b. The Observation Point has a small Craft Market in its car park where some of the talented women of Kariba sell attractive tablecloths, crocheted garments, hats, trinkets and carved walking sticks.
2a. A steep drive up to the very top of Kariba's highest hill, known as The Heights, is worth the effort, especially if the air is clear. At 600 m above the lake, the view over Kariba's Eastern Basin from here over a series of islands towards the distant range of the Matusadona Mountains 35 kms away is quite magnificent. You can stop off for a refreshing drink (or lunch) at the nearby Kariba Country Club, which enjoys the same wonderful view over the lake from its verandah terrace. It has a bar & restaurant with a large DSTV TV screen for watching sports events, a swimming pool and tennis courts,
2b. The Craft Market at The Heights is well worth a visit in support of the local handicraft industry. Look out for unusual items such as necklaces made from the seeds of local trees including the baobab, and marvel at the intricate and skilled wood-carving required to produce the now famous "Nyaminyami walking sticks". These come in all shapes and sizes and depict the traditions and beliefs of the Tonga people of the Zambezi Valley, including their close relationship with the River Spirit, Nyaminyami, which has the head of a serpent and the body of a fish.
3a & 3b. Don't miss the extraordinarily beautiful little Chapel of Santa Barbara, also situated at the top of The Heights. Built by Italian construction workers in memory of fellow workers who died during construction of the dam, this architectural gem has a modern, open-air design uniquely appropriate to the hot Kariba climate, with a contrasting classicism typical of catholic churches in Italy – stained glass windows, marble statues etc. A custodian will happily unlock the church for those wishing to take a closer look at the beautiful interior, which includes a stone plinth carved with the names of all those who lost their lives during the construction. Leave a small donation in aid of the church's upkeep in the box at the door. The church's bell has an interesting tale to tell – read it HERE.
These Kariba highlights are interesting to see, even if you are only staying in the town for a night or two prior to boarding a houseboat for a trip out onto the lake.
Getting around without a car can be tricky because Kariba town is so spread-out. But for those who are not self-drivers, minibus tours can be arranged from Caribbea Bay Resort and the Cutty Sark Hotel.
Alternatively, contact the following Kariba-based agents/operators who will organise transfers & tours:-
UK ZAMBEZI FEST 2014 PRIZE-WINNERS HAVE A GREAT TIME AT RHINO SAFARI CAMP
Several Wild Zambezi network partners were generous in donating prizes for this year's Zambezi Fest held in Northampton, in the UK, in July.
One of these was Rhino Safari Camp, which is a luxury, rustic bushcamp set on the shores of Lake Kariba in the Matusadona National Park.
Lindsey Dodds was the lucky winner of the prize to Rhino Camp and posted this on Facebook:-
"Big THANK YOU ... I won the Rhino Safari Camp 2 x night stay prize at the Zambezi Fest ... With no plan to visit Zim in the next few months I gave it to my aunt/uncle and cousin (Jacquie, Frank & Graham Veasey – pictured above) who were going to Zim on holiday, as a gift. They have just come back from their trip and I wanted to pass on that they had the most fantastic stay at Rhino Camp - saw lots of animals, including lion and elephant literally upon arrival .. they said that the camp is stunning and well run with lovely decor and really felt like you were in the wild – s'pose bit like 'wild glamping'.. So a huge heads-up to the Rhino Camp people. My family will be back, as will a few more of us when we visit! Thank you x
Jacquie Veasey: loved loved loved every moment, holiday of a lifetime seeing lions close and personal.....thanks Rhino Camp, will pass the word on to all our friends, see you again soon
Graham Veasey: What a fantastic place!! Will definitely have to go there again sometime.
For more information and contact details, see this link: Rhino Safari Camp.
MATUSADONA ANTI-POACHING PROJECT (MAPP) –
INFORMATION HOT-LINE PRODUCING RESULTS
The Matusadona Anti-poaching Project (MAPP) which focuses its attention on protecting wildlife and fish resources of the Matusadona National Park, in collaboration with the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Authority, reports good work on the part of the anti-poaching teams recently.
A 24-hour hotline has been set up (see picture) and rewards offered for information leading to arrest, recovery or conviction of land or water-based poachers.
Information gathered led to a successful contact with elephant ivory poachers in the National Park at the end of August and investigations work in the communal lands bordering the Park has been extremely fruitful. Illegal firearms and fishing nets have been recovered, ivory has been discovered and numerous arrests have been made.
It is becoming clear that many poaching syndicates are involved, operating along the Zambezi escarpment areas, and that they are very well organised.
Since March this year, the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority, assisted by MAPP, can take credit for the following successes in their water-based operations on Lake Kariba:-
205 arrests and fines (including 83 people from Zambia)
162 boats impounded and/or destroyed
118 km of illegal fishing nets recovered
22 kapenta rigs arrested out of their jurisdiction.
The Project is a collaborative effort between tourism operators in the Matusadona area, conservation organisations, Zimbabwe Parks & Wildlife Authority and the Zimbabwe Police.
Funding is constantly needed to sustain these operations.
If you can assist, please contact MAPP
ZAMBEZI VALLEY
WILD ZAMBEZI WELCOMES BUSHLIFE SAFARIS IN MANA POOLS
This month we are proud to welcome Bushlife Safaris to our tourism network.
Owned by Professional Guides Nick and Des Murray, the Bushlife portfolio includes a wide range of wilderness-based operations in Mana Pools National Park including:-
Vundu Camp & Little Vundu Tented Camp
Ruwezi Canoe Trails and Chitake Mobile Tented Camp
Vundu Camp (above left) offers lodge-style accommodation in 8 spacious, tented chalets-under-thatch with en-suite bathrooms and a large, central lounge/dining area raised on wooden stilts with a magnificent view onto the Zambezi River.
Little Vundu (above right) is a smaller, more traditional, tented camp option situated 3kms upstream of Vundu. There are five tents with en-suite open-air thatch-walled bathrooms containing bucket showers and flush toilets.
Activities on offer at both camps include game-drives, nature walks with a professional guide, fishing and canoe trips on the Zambezi River.
The wildlife is wonderful in this area, especially at the height of the dry season (August – October) and Bushlife Safaris' professional guides are experts at providing the best opportunities for wildlife sightings of species such as wild dog, lion, elephant and leopard.
In addition to Vundu and Little Vundu camps, Bushlife Safaris offer mobile canoe safaris of 3-4 nights along the Zambezi River, between April and November, with Ruwesi Canoe Trails (above left). A tented camp is set up in advance for every nights' stop along the way and inland walks and game-drives can be conducted when guests are not canoeing.
Chitake Mobile Tented Camp uses the same tents for on-request wilderness camping excursions at Chitake Spring. This water source attracts large herds of buffalo (and their predators) in the dry season months (July – November), and is situated inland at the southern end of Mana Pools. Walking with a professional guide is the only option at Chitake – so this is a true wilderness experience with incredible photographic opportunities.
For more information about the variety of Mana Pools experiences offered by Bushlife Safaris, and for contact details, see these links:-
Bushlife Safaris - Vundu Camp & Little Vundu
Bushlife Safaris - Ruwesi Canoe Trails & Chitake Camp
SELF-DRIVERS TO MANA POOLS
PLEASE DISPOSE OF YOUR "CARRY-OUT" LITTER RESPONSIBLY
USE AN URBAN DISPOSAL SYSTEM,
DO NOT DUMP YOUR RUBBISH AT THE ROADSIDE (even if there is a bin)
THIS IS THE RESULT!
Thank you to Jonathan Ellway of Africa With Style for sending Wild Zambezi photographs of the appalling state of a roadside "layby" (pull-off) on the Harare-Chirundu highway where the road descends the Zambezi Escarpment hills into the Zambezi Valley. This place is a favourite viewpoint for visitors to overlook the magnificent view of the valley, but it is spoiled by the ugly accumulation of litter (mostly glass bottles and aluminium drinks cans) that have spilled out of a litter bin and down the steep escarpment slopes.
The roadside litter bin was originally provided for the convenience of picnickers at the viewpoint. It was not designed as a dumping point for large garbage bags carried by self-drive visitors coming out of Mana Pools National Park. The Park recently introduced a "Carry-in Carry-Out" litter policy, encouraging visitors to burn their combustible wastes on a campfire, but to take out all their non-combustible garbage for safe disposal outside a wilderness area. It seems that some visitors, forced to exit the Park with a large bag of garbage, simply find the nearest roadside litter-bin (which happens to be the one at the viewpoint on the way up the steep Zambezi escarpment hills) and dump its contents there. Since these bins are seldom (if ever) emptied by the authorities, this being a wildlife area, baboons and other scavengers are quick to raid the contents, discarding anything non-edible onto the ground. The result – a dreadful mess.
Wild Zambezi appeals to all self-drive visitors to Mana Pools to who have to carry-out their cans & bottles in garbage bags to be environmentally responsible and delay the disposal of these bags until they are within an URBAN system e.g. Kariba, Karoi, Chinhoyi, Harare or other towns where there are proper garbage-disposal and re-cycling facilities.
Please share this message widely via e-mail and Social/other Media.
Motorists must stop this irresponsible practice. It is not only unsightly but potentially harmful to wild animals in the Zambezi escarpment area.
SUPERMOONS & BABY BABOONS
SEPTEMBER NEWS FROM GOLIATH SAFARIS
Wild Zambezi always looks forward to a lyrical and descriptive newsletter with beautiful images from tour operator Goliath Safaris who run a wonderful luxury tented camp on the banks of the Zambezi River at Mana Pools.
Their September news doesn't disappoint. Here's a snippet.....:-
"As the sun set swiftly in early August, the see-saw of astrology flung the full moon up over the opposite horizon with nearly a third more illusory size and luminance than is normal. Beaming through the boughs it didn't disappoint and indeed appeared super. Scientifically known as a perigee moon and casually as a super, the predators and prey of Mana must surely view it paradoxically though. The moon as a balloon certainly makes it easier to feed but also easier to be fed upon, and so the antelopes, ungulates and primates are wary and vigilant; the bigger cats know this and hence also don't bother with what comes naturally to them under the cover of darkness. The result is a loss of feeding for both hunter and hunted. Add to this a loss of sleep for the quarry and it's obvious why the big moon days are filled with sightings of impala, waterbuck and zebra resting in the shade. It's been a hard day's night for them !
Long nights however will soon give way to long days as summer-time infuses the floodplain. Spring in Mana is a mere transitional phase but it does bring with it the first flush of colour to an ever-increasingly arid vista. The cassias, with their bright yellow flowers, always herald the end of winter. Their visual display may be the brightest and earliest but it won't be long before the maroon flowers of the kigelias carpet the bare earth. Harshly scented to attract bats for pollination, they are luckily overshadowed in this department by the sweet fragrance of the mahoganys and capparis. In addition the shaving brush and flame combretems, the lone gardenias and the pink jacarandas are coming into flower and the acorn diospyros are venturing into new leaf, all of this a welcome respite from the barren palette that is to come. Soon, the carmine bee-eaters resplendent in their crimson plumage, will be the only bright colour about as everything on land, including Stretch, becomes coated with a thin layer of dust. Any scratchiness on his part is always attributed to this! According to him, it's responsible for his brakes binding and his teeth grinding, for his brain frying and his humour drying, and by far, the worst of all, for the disappearance of his beloved tracks. However, with his photographer's hat on he knows that this is the very essence of the great moments that are to be captured by camera at this time of the year. Mixed together with the smoke in the atmosphere, the dust particles create the haze that is indigo blue by day and deep yellow or red at dawn and dusk when the sun rays filter through at a lower angle. This all helps create the magic that is Mana"
You can read the whole newsletter on Wild Zambezi.com at this link: Supermoons & Baby Baboons
For more information and contact details, see Goliath Safaris
ZIM4X4 VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS WILDERNESS AREAS
Self-drive wilderness tour operators, Zim4x4 have created an attractive and enticing video highlighting the beautiful landscapes and wildlife of several areas visited during one of their trips in the Zambezi Valley this safari season.
The video starts with a boat-trip from Nyamoumba Camp up the 25-km-long, steep-sided and rocky Kariba Gorge as far as the point where the Kariba Dam Wall spans the fast-flowing Zambezi River across the Gorge, generating hydro-electricity for the region. This is a spectacular journey not often experienced, except by intrepid canoeists paddling down the Gorge, or avid tiger-fishermen speedboating up it! The scenery is magnificent, with fine examples of beautiful "Splendid Acacia" trees at the river's edge and unusual bird species like the Rock Pratincole in evidence.
The video then moves on to the contrasting tranquillity of Mana Pools, with its majestic old elephant bulls and buffalo herds moving through the peaceful "Winterthorn" woodlands. Dramatic footage of a very large crocodile snatching its baby elephant prey reminds us that life is precarious for young or old in these wilderness areas.
The final scenes underline the diversity of landscapes, animals and extraordinary birdlife in the Gache Gache river estuary at the south-east corner of Lake Kariba and how this is being protected by community conservation efforts led by Gache Gache Lodge.
Watch the video HERE
For more information and contact details, see this link: Zim4x4
.VICTORIA FALLS
GOLF DAY RAISES NEARLY US$15 000 FOR VIC FALLS ANTI-POACHING!
The war on poaching has been given a record $14,750 boost by a fundraising golf tournament, coordinated by Africa Albida Tourism, in which an all female team took out the top prize for the first time.
The 14th annual fundraising Golf Day for the Victoria Falls Anti Poaching Unit (VFAPU), was won by Fi Ranby and Linda O'Toole (pictured left), who narrowly beat runners-up Ian De Grandehomme and Sally-Anne McDonald.
A total of 136 players, making up 34 teams, teed off for charity at the Borrowdale Brooke Golf Club on September 5, before taking part in a prize-giving function and auction. Teams included the Zimbabwe Special Olympics Golf team, and the African Belles, who took the best dressed team prize in matching leopard print outfits (pictured right).
"The positive difference that Charles Brightman and his dedicated VHAPU scouts make 365 days of the year are invaluable and should be recognised by all involved in tourism around Victoria Falls," said Ross Kennedy CEO of Africa Albida Tourism. "We will continue to support their efforts. All proceeds from the Golf Day will go directly to VFAPU, with the costs of more than $5,000 to be covered by Africa Albida Tourism. In our 14th year, in a tough economic environment for most Zimbabweans, just short of $15,000 was raised, which is a record and we applaud all supporters for this magnificent effort."
Mr Brightman said the funds would go towards the operational costs of the VHAPU unit, which included salaries, fuel and vehicle maintenance.
For more information, see these links:
Victoria Falls Anti-Poaching Unit (VFAPU)
Victoria Falls Safari Lodge (Africa Albida Tourism)
VIC FALLS AIRPORT OFFERS COLD WATER TO NEW ARRIVALS!
International visitors arriving at Victoria Falls airport during the peak tourism season (Sept-Nov) are being offered a cold bottle of water as a warm welcome to the resort town!
This initiative, a world first, is aimed at making visitors, who sometimes face long queues at immigration, more comfortable in the high summer temperatures at this time of year.
Hospitality assistants wearing t-shirts branded with the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority slogan "Zimbabwe A World of Wonders" are on hand to welcome visitors with a complimentary bottle of water, point them in the right direction, ensure they are in the correct line, assist the elderly, those with disabilities and young families, and carry spare pens for filling out forms.
"We are going to make queueing as comfortable as possible and make it a great welcome into our country," said Tour operator Blessing Munyenyiwa MD of Love for Africa, who has spearheaded this joint initiative between private-sector tourism, the Department of Immigration, the Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe, the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority and the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority.
A new and considerably expanded $150 million international airport at Victoria Falls is currently under construction and expected to be complete and operational from end July 2015.
SPECIAL RATE FOR 2015 AT ZAMBEZI SANDS RIVER CAMP– Zambezi National Park
Imvelo Safari Lodges are offering a special rate throughout 2015 for their newly opened Zambezi Sands River Camp in the Zambezi National Park upstream of Victoria Falls.
The deal is "Stay for 3 nights & only pay for 2" They are offering the same special at their Camelthorn Lodge in Hwange National Park. These can be used individually or combined to offer a stay for 6 and only pay 4.
For more information and contact details for rates, terms and conditions, see this link:- Zambezi Sands River Camp
GORGES LODGE BRINGS ITS CLIFF-TOP LOCATION ALIVE WITH VIDEO
Check out this awesome new promotional video "Living on the Edge" showing the truly incredible location of Gorges Lodge perched on the edge of the Batoka Gorge overlooking the Zambezi River.
Gorges Lodge is also part of the Imvelo Safari Lodges portfolio.
For more info and contact details, see this Wild Zambezi link: Gorges Lodge
VICTORIA FALLS RIVER LODGE – SPECIAL FOR OCT-NOV-DEC
Stay at THE Victoria Falls River Lodge during the months of October, November and December and pay 2013 rates! This special is applicable to all new bookings from 1st October – 20th December 2014 only.
Minimum 2 night stay. Terms & Conditions applicable
For more information and contact details, see this Wild Zambezi link: Victoria Falls River Lodge
A TALE OF TWO TREES....
THE GHOST TREE (left) & THE TICK TREE (right)
If you are lucky enough to drive through the dry, leafless lowveld bush of the Zambezi Valley in August-September, you might notice these two rather spectacular trees of the "Sterculia" family, which have unusual common names.
The "Ghost Tree" (left) is so named because of the extraordinary, bright "whiteness" of its beautiful silvery-grey bark which stands out in stark contrast against the dull hues of seasonally-leafless woodland on rocky hillsides at this time of the year. It is also known as the Large-leaved Star Chestnut because of its large, roughly star-shaped leaves which turn beautiful yellow-golden colours in the autumn and fall early, leaving the tree standing leafless and "ghost-like" for the winter months.
The "Tick Tree" (right) is a close relative of the same family, known also as the African Star-Chestnut. You will find it on rocky slopes and also on the flat areas of valley floor, in mixed Mopane woodland, sometimes looking confusingly like a Baobab, but without the bulbous trunk. Its bark is silvery–grey with purple, pink and brown mottling which often peels, and it has large, round, groups of hairy seed-pods which hang in the leafless tree like decorations. It derives its common name from the appearance of its seeds which are smooth and blue-black and are aligned along the edges of the split-open seed-pods, like bloated ticks feeding on an animal's ear! (see lower image)
The large pods of both these trees are covered with intensely irritating hairs, so it's advisable to avoid picking them up with bare hands.
THERE'S SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE ON THE BANKS OF THE ZAMBEZI!
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