A Review of Ingwe Pan Camp
By Angus Begg, Travel Specialist
We love sharing the incredible reviews sent to us by our guests. Read what travel specialist Angus Begg had to say about his recent stay at Ingwe Pan:
Today’s lodge review is an 80-minute flight from Harare, Zimbabwe, to the first of Machaba Safaris’ twin Mana Pools offerings – the inland Ingwe Camp and Mana River Camp. The latter is situated in what many locals regard as one of the best locations on the river.
Ingwe Camp is a 40-minute drive inland, unless you stop for sightings, like we did for the wild dog pack in a riverbed on Ingwe Pan. The camp is set in a cathedral of mopane trees, with all eight tents on decks fringing the pan in a semi-circle. It’s a magnificent setting.
Elephants, kudu, hippos and a variety of birdlife are present most of the day. Lions and leopards drink here often, with the former occasionally chasing hyenas through camp. While writing this, I heard the elephants trumpeting loudly in the type of fashion that suggests it wasn’t scolding a youngster.
At dinner last night, a hyena came to drink from the birdbath about 10 metres away from us, then made its way to the kitchen, where it met two friends. The chef didn’t blink an eye when he opened the door – he kept walking, and they followed. He was around to make brunch this morning.
Machaba Safaris’ trademark service, which I first encountered at Hwange’s Deteema Springs in 2021, is also found here. It's hospitable and relaxed, yet professional, with the lodge's design and fittings ticking all the boxes.
Yesterday’s lunch of quinoa, bean and mango salad with beef koftes in a light tomato sauce speaks to the great meals Machaba puts out at both camps. I found these delicious meals necessary after a long day of shooting, propped up on elbows, waiting and occasionally eating dust – especially with the wild dog pack (adults and 11 pups) on the Chiruwe riverbed.
Predators are fairly prolific, with hyenas seeking safety and returning almost nightly to drink from the bird bath, as they did tonight. Then, popping past the kitchen on their way out again, the chef didn’t blink when he saw them as he opened the door and walked out. They followed.
Mopane woodland has a lower carrying capacity (of general game), but the mopane cathedrals are magnificent, home to bird specials and, with a lot of action in camp…that’s what game drives are for. To explore, breathe it in, and maybe drive down to the floodplain and the Zambezi River, which is another landscape altogether (to be explored in my next post).
Or, as we did, you could choose to visit the wild dog (aka painted dog) den we spent time at today.
