Trip to Victoria Falls
I was fortunate enough to be able to plan a last minute trip to Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe for myself and my two children. Being an avid bird watcher and wildlife photographer I was looking for accommodation that was close to key venues and the game reserve. It also needed to have open areas where we could relax and sit outside and Braai (BBQ), when we were not on Safari or experiencing the local venues.
The Mahogany Haven ticked all the boxes, from location, venue setup and outdoor facilities.
The layout of the accommodation is stunning, with a spacious living room area with beautiful teak floors that opens up to an outdoor undercover entertainment area next to a beautiful swimming pool. The sleeping areas consist of a main bedroom that has a double bed, a walk-in closet and outside shower. Also on the ground floor there is a large bedroom on the opposite side of the house with a double bed. The second level has two smaller rooms with two single beds in each room and outside showers.
There is a fully equipped kitchen that will cater for all cooking requirements.
Outside there is a fire pit and Braai area, it's the perfect place to sit around after a long day in the bush and crack open a beer, relax and reminisce about the day's adventures.
There over 10 bird species that frequent the garden area, in the time I was at the house I spotted Brown Crowned Tchagra, Yellow-bellied Greenbul, black-backed Puffback, Hadada Ibis, Gray Headed Kingfisher, Fork-tailed Drongo,Red-billed Fire finch (nesting), Ring-necked Dove, Laughing Dove, Grey-headed Bush Shrike and flying over head White Backed Vulture, Hooded Vulture and Marabou Stork.
For the 6 days I was in VC I ended on 79 species, considering I was not birding more than 6 hours a day, my talley would have been much higher.
Victoria Falls has stunning restaurants and venues where you can experience the local culture and cuisine.
When it comes to local knowledge the Jams and Nicola are definitely the right people to have a chat too. They have first hand experience in guiding on the Zambezi for many years and have invaluable contacts and relationships with one of the best tour operators in Victoria Falls.
Eddie is the local Zimbabean who runs the guest relations at Mahogany Haven, he is an absolute legend and goes out of his way to meet your every need.
Find the link to Mahogany Haven below: