What do you love most about Gonarezhou?
The fact that the majority of Gonarezhou is totally pristine, untramelled wilderness of the purest kind left in Africa.

What makes it a special place for walking safaris - and what makes walking in the bush so special to you?
The fact that it is so vast and has such a variety of habitats and landscapes to explore makes it a very exciting place to explore as one has virtually unlimited walking options. What makes walking in the bush for me so special/enjoyable is the constant feeling of anticipation; one never knows what you’re going to find around the next corner, gorge, gully, ravine, or bush for that matter. The ground underfoot is our daily newspaper on which each animal that has passed has left his/her signature stating when, where, how fast, in which direction etc. he/she has gone and, when one knows just how much is there, makes one aware that it’s possible to bump into any one of them at any time... 

Tell us the story of how you ended up in Gonarezhou. What drew you there? What has made your passion for it so enduring?
It’s a pretty long story of how I ended up choosing Gonarezhou as the focus of our tour operations but, save to say, the catalyst was an exploratory school trip in 1993 when I was a teenager that got me hooked on the place. The size of everything in Gonarezhou just seems bigger than anywhere else – the baobab trees, the sand rivers, the towering cliffs, the elephants, the endless swathes of mopane vineyards, etc. What particularly draws me to the place is the park’s elephants, which I have a very keen interest in. For decades, these animals have endured levels of abuse from human beings that no creature should suffer, so to see them finally starting to settle down is indeed a privilege. To spend time in the company of a wise, old bull in the twilight of his life and for him to peacefully come up to you without any aggression whatsoever is an experience not soon to be forgotten.

And the funniest/quirkiest experience you have had?
I’ve had a couple of interactions with elephant cows where I have tossed an item such as a flip flop towards them and, in several cases, have had them pick it up and throw it right back at me! When spending time with elephants in close proximity, there is very often a two-way interaction/connection.

What wildlife is Gonarezhou known for? Is there anything in particular people travel to see? What do you recommend guests to the area should be on the lookout for?
“Gonarezhou” means “The Place of Elephants” so they are one of the park’s biggest attractions and their presence is impossible to ignore. However, numbers of all other charismatic species are healthy and on the increase year upon year. The majority of wildlife in Gonarezhou is, considering the history of the park and few visitor numbers over the years, inherently skittish/shy and the elephants have a reputation for being very aggressive. Whilst there are indeed some family units that are still very mistrusting/unsettled with people/vehicles, they are becoming a lot more relaxed with people and we are having interactions with elephants that are incredibly peaceful and engaging.

What time of year is best for game-viewing? When is the rainy season? When is it unbearably hot? What is the average summer high and winter low temperatures?
My favourite time of the year in Gonarezhou is mid-April until mid-June. The rainy season is from November to March and, during this time, we do not operate. It can get unpleasantly hot and humid in November just before the rains arrive. I don’t pay much attention to thermometers but, for most of the year, one can wear a t-shirt and shorts and, for a couple of weeks in July and early August, a fleece is needed for a couple of hours in the early morning and after sunset.

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