Up and down the majestic Majete

July 30 2012 was the first day I visited Majete Wildlife Reserve. It was history in the making, as four lions were expected to be translocated from South Africa to make the Chikwawa tourist attraction the only one in Malawi where you could find the Big Five.

Only two lions and a lioness from Robin Pope Safaris made it to the reserve, as a lion died 45 minutes into the four-hour flight. As the pacified lions lay in a ‘boma’—a quarantined of the park, where they would stay to acclimatize before being released into the wild—we could only marvel that, at last, there is a chance to spot lions, elephants, rhinos, leopards and hippos in the 700 square kilometre reserve.

A visit to the reserve last week, which African Parks has been managing since 2003 when animal populations were dwindling, brought better news. There are now eight lions.

An able guide, who knows the reserve as the back of his arm, Jimmy Chikombe says the lions Chimwala and Sapitwa and the lioness Shire now have cubs Michael, Elizabeth and another one yet to be christened, born between ten and six months ago.

But, as Chikombe drives the nine of us through the dusty roads sprawling through the predominantly mixed savannah vegetation, he tells you that is not the best news. Majete, he says, also spots the Small Five and the Ugly Five, which the curious tourist, animal behaviour researcher and others can see.

“We have the ant-lion, elephant shrew, rhino beetle, leopard tortoise and the buffalo weevil as the Small Five. The ugly five you can see are the hyena, warthog, crocodile, wildebeest and the aardvark,” says Chikombe.

We took a two-hour drive through the riverine vegetation close to the Shire River, where you spot majestic zebras, over-enthusiastic and muddy warthogs, graceful nyalas, bushbucks, sables and impalas, giant hippos and, of course, crazy monkeys.

The climax of the tour was when a giant African elephant stops a metre or two in front of the open Toyota Landcruiser. In the distance, a herd of about ten elephants are enjoying a bath in the Shire, which forms the eastern border of the reserve.

The elephant seems ready to charge. Chikombe tells us to stop using flashes for the camera. Its darting eyes look fiery and as the heart leaps into your throat, you remember Chikombe’s advice at the onset of the tour: Don’t get out of the car! Don’t scream! Don’t startle the animals!

Slowly, the elephant pacifies and a few moments later, it walks towards the Shire, to join the other elephants.

“You can tell a left or right-handed elephant by looking at the tusks. Right-handed elephants have a shorter right tusk because they are broken as the elephants tear through tree trunks to get food,” explains Chikombe.

Driving through such roads as Nyala Loop, Hall Martin, Namitsempha and Mkulumadzi, you learn a lot about game. That, for instance, the male elephant has a rounded forehead, while a female’s is protruded. You also learn that bachelor impala’s plan how to grab about ten female impala’s from their ‘husband’ when their mating season comes between May and June.

As you drive through such rivers as Matope and Nakama, you learn that each zebra has black-and-white stripes, like your fingerprints. “A young zebra recognizes its mother by the stripes. And when they are darting up and down, the stripes dazzle that even a lion does not recognize which is the weakest of the herd,” Chikombe would tell you.

It is not just about the animals. He also points at a sausage tree, locally known as mvunguti. Although commonly known as a ‘manhood enlarging fruit’, Chikombe says a pound fruit is used to treat skin cancer. He also shows you the star chesnut—nsetanyani—one of the few trees monkeys can never climb.

The peak period is from July to November, when grass is drying up and the heat becoming more intense. “That is the time we get more tourist. I conduct up to five tours a day. Not only is the grass more brown and making game more visible; it is extremely cold in some countries and tourists want warmer experiences,” says Chikombe.

Apart from the riverine and mized savannah vegetation, the reserve also boasts of a miombo woodlands.

Chikombe, a member of the Field Guides Association of Southern Africa, says to spot lions in the late afternoon, one would have to go as far as the Mvuu Hide while leopards are further up the 450-kilometre road stretch and bufalloes can be spotted around the Nakamba Hide.

Currently, Sunbird Hotels and Resorts is managing Thawale Lodge, which is found some three kilometres from the reserve entrance.

According to manager Gershom Chirwa nights at the lodge, which boasts of a family chalet and seven tented chalets, is ideal, as enthusiasts can view game at any time, as it is close to one of the numerous man-made waterholes where game flock for a drink.

“Animals are attracted to the waterhole near the lodge with a floodlight. From an open bath, guests can see animals at the waterhole. They also have a chance for game drive, boat cruise and a walking safari,” says Chirwa.

He said the reserve is not just about wildlife, it is also about cultural tourism, as tourists can also experience daily life in the villages around .

“As a matter of fact, we engage the communities in bee-keeping within the reserve. We also have a shop at the entrance which stocks artefacts created by community artisans. All proceeds go back to the community,” he said.

Over lunch in the Mwembezi Restaurant, overlooking a sparkling swimming pool in the wild, Chirwa said working with the communities has helped ease poaching which was rampant in previous years.

When he toured the reserve the then Minister of Trade, Industry and Tourism Joseph Mwanamvekha hailed the public-private-partnership between government and African Parks, which has transformed the reserve into a Big Five destination. He hailed the coming of Sunbird to provide beef up the accommodation.

“It is a success story in Malawi’s wildlife conservation history, which

Up and down the majestic Majete

July 30 2012 was the first day I visited Majete Wildlife Reserve. It was history in the making, as four lions were expected to be translocated from South Africa to make the Chikwawa tourist attraction the only one in Malawi where you could find the Big Five.

Only two lions and a lioness from Robin Pope Safaris made it to the reserve, as a lion died 45 minutes into the four-hour flight. As the pacified lions lay in a ‘boma’—a quarantined of the park, where they would stay to acclimatize before being released into the wild—we could only marvel that, at last, there is a chance to spot lions, elephants, rhinos, leopards and hippos in the 700 square kilometre reserve.

A visit to the reserve recently, which African Parks has been managing since 2003 when animal populations were dwindling, brought better news. There are now eight lions.

An able guide, who knows the reserve as the back of his arm, Jimmy Chikombe says the lions Chimwala and Sapitwa and the lioness Shire now have cubs Michael, Elizabeth and another one yet to be christened, born between ten and six months ago.

But, as Chikombe drives the nine of us through the dusty roads sprawling through the predominantly mixed savannah vegetation, he tells you that is not the best news. Majete, he says, also spots the Small Five and the Ugly Five, which the curious tourist, animal behaviour researcher and others can see.

“We have the ant-lion, elephant shrew, rhino beetle, leopard tortoise and the buffalo weevil as the Small Five. The ugly five you can see are the hyena, warthog, crocodile, wildebeest and the aardvark,” says Chikombe.

We took a two-hour drive through the riverine vegetation close to the Shire River, where you spot majestic zebras, over-enthusiastic and muddy warthogs, graceful nyalas, bushbucks, sables and impalas, giant hippos and, of course, crazy monkeys.

The climax of the tour was when a giant African elephant stops a metre or two in front of the open Toyota Landcruiser. In the distance, a herd of about ten elephants are enjoying a bath in the Shire, which forms the eastern border of the reserve.

The elephant seems ready to charge. Chikombe tells us to stop using flashes for the camera. Its darting eyes look fiery and as the heart leaps into your throat, you remember Chikombe’s advice at the onset of the tour: Don’t get out of the car! Don’t scream! Don’t startle the animals!

Slowly, the elephant pacifies and a few moments later, it walks towards the Shire, to join the other elephants.

“You can tell a left or right-handed elephant by looking at the tusks. Right-handed elephants have a shorter right tusk because they are broken as the elephants tear through tree trunks to get food,” explains Chikombe.

Driving through such roads as Nyala Loop, Hall Martin, Namitsempha and Mkulumadzi, you learn a lot about game. That, for instance, the male elephant has a rounded forehead, while a female’s is protruded. You also learn that bachelor impala’s plan how to grab about ten female impala’s from their ‘husband’ when their mating season comes between May and June.

As you drive through such rivers as Matope and Nakama, you learn that each zebra has black-and-white stripes, like your fingerprints. “A young zebra recognizes its mother by the stripes. And when they are darting up and down, the stripes dazzle that even a lion does not recognize which is the weakest of the herd,” Chikombe would tell you.

It is not just about the animals. He also points at a sausage tree, locally known as mvunguti. Although commonly known as a ‘manhood enlarging fruit’, Chikombe says a pound fruit is used to treat skin cancer. He also shows you the star chesnut—nsetanyani—one of the few trees monkeys can never climb.

The peak period is from July to November, when grass is drying up and the heat becoming more intense. “That is the time we get more tourist. I conduct up to five tours a day. Not only is the grass more brown and making game more visible; it is extremely cold in some countries and tourists want warmer experiences,” says Chikombe.

Apart from the riverine and mized savannah vegetation, the reserve also boasts of a miombo woodlands.

Chikombe, a member of the Field Guides Association of Southern Africa, says to spot lions in the late afternoon, one would have to go as far as the Mvuu Hide while leopards are further up the 450-kilometre road stretch and bufalloes can be spotted around the Nakamba Hide.

Currently, Sunbird Hotels and Resorts is managing Thawale Lodge, which is found some three kilometres from the reserve entrance.

According to manager Gershom Chirwa nights at the lodge, which boasts of a family chalet and seven tented chalets, is ideal, as enthusiasts can view game at any time, as it is close to one of the numerous man-made waterholes where game flock for a drink.

“Animals are attracted to the waterhole near the lodge with a floodlight. From an open bath, guests can see animals at the waterhole. They also have a chance for game drive, boat cruise and a walking safari,” says Chirwa.

He said the reserve is not just about wildlife, it is also about cultural tourism, as tourists can also experience daily life in the villages around .

“As a matter of fact, we engage the communities in bee-keeping within the reserve. We also have a shop at the entrance which stocks artefacts created by community artisans. All proceeds go back to the community,” he said.

Over lunch in the Mwembezi Restaurant, overlooking a sparkling swimming pool in the wild, Chirwa said working with the communities has helped ease poaching which was rampant in previous years.

When he toured the reserve the then Minister of Trade, Industry and Tourism Joseph Mwanamvekha hailed the public-private-partnership between government and African Parks, which has transformed the reserve into a Big Five destination. He hailed the coming of Sunbird to provide beef up the accommodation.

“It is a success story in Malawi’s wildlife conservation history, which has attracted investment in up-market tourist accommodation facilities due to its prolific wildlife and good road infrastructure,” he said.

For African Parks Majete director, Patrizio Ndadzera, the reserve, which will soon translocate 500 elephants to Nkhotakota Wildlife Reserve and Liwonde National Park, the future can only look brighter.

“We are working hard to attract more and more tourists. We want to maintain the standards, being the only site to offer tourists the Big Five,” said Ndadzera.