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  • It's raining upon Africa

    Many of our game drive roads (less traveled due to Covid) have become overgrown. So, we’ll spend the next several weeks rediscovering, finding and clearing the roads overrun with prolific vegetation on the Gwango Estate.

  • A piece of pizza for Husky

    Husky was also more than happy to watch in anticipation as our Chefs made pizza in the staff cafeteria's new wood fire oven for the very first time.

  • Our day with a pangolin

    A pangolin emerged and was rescued from the riverbank where local villagers had been burning and clearing the vegetation to make way for crops.

  • An endangered bird is born

    Most days, we awaken to the soothing call of ground hornbills. An instrumental melody signaling the start of a new day in the wild. It's a regular occurrence here!

  • Everyone knows Husky

    If you don’t already know Husky, then you don’t know Gwango! He is one of the 5 resident German Shepherds who help to keep the elephants and other wildlife safe here at Gwango.

  • My long visit with this Matriarch

    She came so close I could have touched her. And for a very long while we watched each other. There are no words to describe these moments.

  • Wild days out here!

    Danny’s mom (visiting us from the States) just woke up to the sound of baboons on the roof of her Forest Chalet.

  • Sanganai/Hlanganani World Tourism Expo

    I really didn’t know what to expect, after all, this was a locally organized event which had not been hosted in Bulawayo for several years... but my excitement grew as we started planning.

  • Bulawayo, a city of beauty

    I stopped for a few moments to catch my breath at the top of a flight of stairs in an office building where the elevator isn’t working. When I looked out at the cityscape, the view took my breath away.

  • 2018 GSI STEM Teacher Professional Development

    Gwango hosted the first of several planned 2018 STEM Teacher Professional Development Workshops. The first Workshop of the year, held in January included 8 teachers. We selected (from different schools) two teachers for each STEM subject; namely Biology, Chemistry, Math and Physics. The 8 are known as GSI STEM Experts.

  • Gwango Peri Peri sauces... Any takers?

    The scientist in me is ever restless (and driving Danny nuts)! Lately, I’ve been harvesting loads of delicious red and green peri peri from our tiny garden in the sand.

  • Here comes the rain again...

    If ever you’ll see an elephant smile it’s this time of year, when the rain clouds are bloated and the sky is angry and grumbling. It’s now that the heavens are kind and shed their weight unabated, filling our water troughs and our trunks with thirst quenching rainwater. The grass, shrubs and trees flourish with green – for a brief period, elephant has relief..

  • Victor, the first to be married at Gwango

    When Victor came to me with this “idea” that he wanted to have a court wedding (versus a traditional African ceremony), of course, the best gift we could offer him was the most spectacular wedding venue in Hwange... one which he helped to construct.

  • New Kennels for Canine APU

    More and more Gwango guests ask to visit our Canine Anti-Poaching Unit - and if you’ve dropped in lately, you’ll have seen the new kennels going up. We’re constructing 6 dog kennels at Gwango Empuli Village, which will eventually be accessible from Gwango Heritage Resort.

  • Bush Chalets get privacy doors

    You asked for it - and... and now all of our Bush Chalets have privacy doors between the bedroom and the bathroom.

  • Mugabe Resigns

    I wish mom could have lived to see this day. This change is very personal.

  • Ranger leaves Gwango K9 Anti-Poaching

    Danny tends to want to open all the dog kennels so we can see all the dogs at once, rather than one at a time. What follows is a frenzy as each dog rushes out to say hello.

  • Rabbit feed and hydroponic fodder

    Having rabbits, you’ve got to worry about feeding them constantly. In Zimbabwe, rabbits are typically fed with greens similar to kale, or grains. We can also easily find commercially pelleted rabbit foods.

  • Grey crown cranes are back at Gwango

    Birds flourish this time of year, and in particular, we look forward to seeing the return of certain birds we’ve grown accustomed to seeing.

  • Free to Smile visit and Brave Tom

    This month, the Gwango team got really excited about a second visit from the “Free to Smile” volunteers. The team came to Hwange for a short break after spending a week at Mpilo Hospital in Bulawayo where they performed free cleft lip surgeries for 28 Zimbabwean patients.

  • Infrastructure at Dampa has expanded

    How happy I was during an unscheduled visit to Dampa Secondary School today! I found that the school had not wasted any time in constructing a building for flushing toilets.

  • Drilling again at Gwango Heritage Resort

    Vimpy’s battered old drilling rig is back to drill yet another borehole for the elephants and wildlife at Gwango. This time, it’s at Gwango Heritage Resort near Gobelo Bar & Grill.

  • Tree down, but James didn’t share with Victor

    Last night a huge rainstorm came through, and with it a strong wind. We found this morning, a massive teak tree had been yanked from its roots. It now lay spread across the Kalahari sand near our volleyball court - as if in defeat.

  • Baboons and our thatched roofs

    Tiresome! That is the only word I can come up with when I think of the baboons here. I remember our first few weeks at Gwango. We had nothing but the bush to watch all day, and I’d spend hours observing these hairy beasts – fascinated by their human like social structure.

  • A scorpion stings Husky

    He pranced ahead excitedly, glad to be outside. Suddenly, Husky leaps 2 meters in the air yelping! He’s been bitten by a scorpion on his left back foot.

  • The fat sisters

    Grumpiest of all the beautiful bunnies so far are two fat sisters, Molly and Mandy. We are getting to know the personalities of our rabbits as they grow larger (and heavier).

  • Deluxe Chalets thatching complete

    Our newest room type at Gwango Heritage Resort is the Deluxe Chalet which includes two double beds, en suite bathroom and private verandas with a forest view.

  • Flamboyant tree outside Dete Post office

    Interestingly, among some Christians, there is a belief that a flamboyant tree was near the place where Jesus was crucified. The blood of Jesus was shed over the flowers of the tree and this is how the flowers got such a scarlet red colour.

  • Building nesting boxes

    After the fatal failure of our first kits, we are learning the rabbit breeding cycle. Mate in the hutch of the buck, palpate at 10-14 days and then place the nesting boxes in the doe’s cage at 28 days after mating.

  • Thatch grass from women in Dete

    The women of our community go into the forest to cut grass at the National Parks, Forestry areas and on private concessions. The agreement they make is that they’ll work (provide labour), in exchange for half of the bundles of grass that they cut.

  • Fig trees and rabbit manure

    The big dilemma is how I’ll grow fig trees in an environment where elephants pluck literally every bit of vegetation that I plant.

  • A hutch for a pregnant doe

    In expectation of her litter, we have built Misty a rabbit hutch. We’ve placed some straw in the nesting box. We are not absolutely certain when to expect the litter since the mating took place on different days and were not properly documented – but we’re ready. Misty is settled in and seems happy with her new home.

  • Bob is a shy guy

    Cleaning rabbit hutches, feeding and petting the rabbits is quickly becoming my favourite passtime.

  • Red the buck

    Red has quite the personality. I’m able to pet him and he seems to enjoy the attention.

  • Longing for a break in the African Bush?

    There are so many ways to visit Africa! Start by thinking about the activities that interest you most. Some folks are eager to see specific species of wildlife, like the big cats, but for others it may be a bird species.

  • Insects galore

    It's almost the rainy season here, so I decided to dig up some of the fascinating insect photos I've taken at Gwango over the years.

  • Shortage of cooking oil

    Our staff uses far too much cooking oil! This has been a topic of many conversations. We have tried to emphasize to them that too much oil is rather unhealthy - artery clogging, etc. etc.

  • A python on our balcony

    A python had made himself quite at home near the bird cages and rabbit hutches. Not your ordinary welcome home!

  • Dragon has a new home

    Our German Shepherd puppies are growing quickly! As they get older, we’re getting to know their personalities. This beautiful day, just before sunset, we took young Rhys (my 5 year-old friend) to meet the pack of anti-poaching dogs.

  • Chef Rhys cracks some eggs

    On this occasion, Gwango Elephant Lodge hosted an exceptionally young guest. Let’s be honest, a 5 year old is not what you expect to see in the kitchen, but we were in for a treat with this kid!

  • Pachyderm gets a new look

    Remember Pachyderm - the old Unimog Danny and I discovered in Victoria Falls last May? Well – this week Danny got to working on the old military truck.

  • Bitter sweet kindling

    There are several rustic wire cages set up against the back wall of the loft. On this morning, one of the rabbits has dropped a litter on the wire. We had not prepared a nesting box for her!

  • The time we spend together

    We know that planning a holiday can be overwhelming! When traveling to Zimbabwe, the more you know before you travel – the more you’ll get out of your trip.

  • When we are not on Safari with you...

    If you've been to Gwango, you know that we are all about earth friendly "outside-the-box" ideas - which is why we are excited to invite you to help us challenge the kids in our area to innovate!

  • Moments Enjoyed from a Tree Top Villa

    With elephants nearby, we watch the sun fade in astonishment as a massive buffalo herd makes a surprise arrival. Later in the night, we are woken by the impatient roar of lions.. then the piercing howl of a black backed jackal.

  • Prosciutto and Red Wine Pairing

    For years, Danny has been telling me stories of his grandfather's proscuitto. Tonight, a surprise of proscuitto and red wine from our Spanish guests. This is one of the most delightful, delicious, and delectable culinary creations ever.

  • An Unexpected Responsibility

    On this day my Danny spent the evening negotiating lobola for a young man who works for us here at Gwango.

  • One of Africa's finest new wildlife destinations

    It's really quite simple - Zimbabwe should be at the top of everyone's list of holiday destinations. This is a magnificent, vibrant country with impressive national parks and welcoming people. And, if you're yearning for a departure from the ordinary - Gwango is just for you!

  • Mngane, a surprising new friend at Gwango

    While we are enjoying many priceless moments on safari with friends from across the globe, our most memorable experience so far this year was a surprise visit at the lodge by an elephant who we have now named "Mngane', which means "friend" in the Ndebele language.

  • Celebrate our Grand Opening, visit Gwango

    To celebrate our grand opening, visit Gwango, one of the most astonishing destinations in all of Africa, where you'll enjoy a wide array of accommodations - from our exclusive high-end lodge, to an old fashioned self-catering campsite.

  • Why your next safari should be in Hwange

    Zimbabwe is still the jewel of Africa! The country offers safari experiences second to none with a vast array of affordable and unique destinations. Here are some of the reasons why your next safari should be in Hwange.

  • We're building Gwango Elephant Lodge

    May has been a busy month for us at Gwango. Our team in the bush has grown to almost 30 builders, a plumber, a carpenter and several new lodge staff, mostly hired from communities surrounding Gwango.

  • Large crowds turn up for Gwango job interviews

    Large crowds turned up at Dampa Secondary School to interview for jobs at Gwango. We expected to spend four hours interviewing candidates, but instead stayed until well into the evening hours until everyone had met with our hiring committee.

  • Five lions ambush a kudu bull at Gwango

    Easter was no ordinary holiday at Gwango! Five lions ambushed a large kudu bull, right near one of our new Tree Top Villas. This sort of wild commotion is not unusual at Gwango, the big cats and other predators are always in an around our area.

  • Thirsty elephants in Hwange

    One of Gwango's top priorities is safeguarding and increasing water access for the wildlife in Hwange. Zimbabwe's Presidential Elephant herds visit our waterholes often and elephants are among the many wildlife species commonly seen in our area. They also require the most water.

  • Meeting our neighbours in the Hwange bush

    With so much wilderness around, who wants to work all day? We spent some time exploring the bush and meeting some of our neighbours in the wilderness surrounding Gwango Elephant Lodge in Hwange, Zimbabwe.

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