Game watching - Part 2. Gorongosa

4 years after our return from Angola we were back in Africa again, this time in Mozambique, living on a remote sugar estate on the banks of the Zambezi River. My sister and I both then started at boarding schools in Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe, and our trip to school was by plane, taxi and train, and took almost a day to complete!

Shortly after our arrival we made our first trip by road, to Rhodesia, to visit the schools and get our school uniforms in Salisbury, the capital now called Harare. We flew to Beira, the closest city to us and picked up our car - I am not sure if it was a rental, or belonged to someone my father knew - a VW Beetle! Not the biggest car for a road trip for a family of four, but certainly up to the job - except it regularly got punctures, which we became expert at changing! On the way back from Rhodesia we were stopping off at a game reserve in Mozambique called Gorongosa (we actually used to fly over part of the reserve on our way from Beira to our home on the sugar estate), which was only accessible during the "dry season" because of the dirt roads.
We were somehow delayed on the way so were pushing on a bit on the dirt access road to arrive at the gates before they closed them - around 30 minutes before sundown, to allow vehicles back to the safety of the main camp in daylight - when we got another puncture! After a moment's hesitation to swear we all leapt out of the car and were back on the way in around 5 minutes, arriving at the main gate with minutes to spare! We were able to get the flat fixed overnight in the camp, and at first light were queuing at the inner gate, eager to get out into the reserve.
We were not to be disappointed! Back then Gorongosa was little visited, certainly not as internationally famous as Kruger Park in South Africa, but was well known for a large lion population

Sleeping lion near the old main camp - now known as "casa dos leões", "(lions' house)

Close up of sleeping lion

as well as large numbers of elephant, though it was almost the end of the first day before we came across any of these elusive giants. We had heard them in the thick forest, and come across fresh "sign", droppings and recently broken branches, but getting a clear sight of them proved extremely hard at first.

Our first elephant

My Dad had upgraded his camera to a Minolta, which had interchangeable lenses, but still used 35mm slide film, and had a 135mm telefoto lens, and later bought a longer zoom lens, and had also bought a mount so he could fix the camera on the car door for stability when using the zoom. The problem was he was the only driver, and through the viewfinder using a long lens the animals appeared much further away so an elephant about to charge was much closer for the rest of us, and we often shouted at Dad to move the car!

This one first pulled up a small bush to threaten us with

Late that first day we came across a pride of over 30 lions, and realised they would have to hunt daily to feed such numbers, so stuck with them for a while - but eventually had to head back to camp before nightfall. In those days you had to stick to the marked (dirt) roads, and there were no mobile phones or radios keeping you in contact with other park visitors, or the rangers, so finding anything of interest like this pride was hit and miss, or by instinct. We decided to return to the same spot at first light and see what, if anything, had happened.

Lion on the kill

We were right - the lion had killed overnight, and were finishing off the feast.

Even the young lions were enjoying the bounty

It was an amazing experience being so close to these magnificent beasts.

The big boss was centre stage

We sat for several hours, absolutely mesmerised by the sight of the "King of the Jungle" and his family feasting.

With full belly, looking for somewhere to sleep it off - the waiting vultures could now have their turn

It was hard to tell what had been on the menu, but could have been one of the numerous Gnu, Wildebeest, found on the Gorongosa plains 

Gnu, or Wildebeest

We were fortunate to see more elephant that day also ..

Elephant family on  the move

.. and had a wonderful stay in Gorongosa, which we all wished could have lasted longer!

Some of Gorongosa's buffalo, taken from the air while flying home over the plains (this part of the reserve is inaccessible to vehicles) from school!