Vumbura Plains – Buffalo, Elephant
Vumbura Plains provides very spacious accommodation both inside and out. The huge private terrace with views over a swampy area even sports its own pool. The solid wooden wall was however no barrier to a substantial baboon which, despite being shooed away twice over the thatched roof, still came to drink at the pool when I went inside. It even peered through the net wall at me sitting at my laptop. As at Kalahari Plains dinner was served one evening in a corral just outside the main lodge area and there was music and dancing by the staff round a camp fire.
The drive from the landing-strip was again eventful first seeing sable antelope, then elephants and the first buffalo in large numbers at a watering hole. Early the next morning the buffalo were still in the same area as the mists rose from the heavy dew on the long grasses. There were occasional skirmishes between the bulls to establish the hierarchy.
Although elephants are seen frequently it is difficult to obtain a clear view of the young calves because the mothers always position themselves between their calf and the vehicle. Whereas lions and other predators take practically no notice of the jeeps, the elephants often react with threatening behavior, trumpeting and flapping their ears. One calf shown here decided to take a rest in the middle of the road, but soon had to move on with the rest of the heard.