Diving with Crocodiles in Zimbabwe

One of the activities which you can do exclusively in Zimbabwe when stayin at the Victoria Falls, is to dive with Crocodiles.
Crocodiles are my favorite animals since I been a kid. This was just something I really wanted to do, to have a close underwater encounter with these beasts. The only way to get this close face to face with the Crocs was getting into a cage that gets lowered into the pool with two of these predators.

the cage

ready to enter the cage

the crocodile is waiting

I’m ready

ready to get down

up close with two of these giants

In the cage you can observe the animal and even touch the animal, hi5 him or scratch his belly when he’s swimming on top of the cage.
In Darwin Australia you can have a similar experience, but you are not in a cage, but in a cylinderform glass tank. I prefer the experience in Zimbabwe as you are in a real cage like an animal and not behind glass, so you really can touch the animal., but only when the crocodile is on top of the cage, don’t stick your hand out when he’s in front of you or it won’t be a great experience at all 🙂

Hi5

belly scratch

the eye of the tiger, I mean Crocodile ! 🙂

I also got some cow liver on a stick and fed them, in no time it was gone, hold on very tight to the stick when feeding them cause when they snap the bait of your stick, you will feel the power of their jaws.
One of the crocodiles was a very rare one, albino crocodile, more white than green.
Not many albino crocodiles you can find on our planet so this is also one more reason to go and check this place out. Croc cage diving is located at the Elephant shopping centre in the centre of Victoria Falls Town. If you are familiar with diving and don’t have problems breathing under water than definitely you got to try this and don’t be afraid they can not bite you when you are in the cage and you don’t put your hands out.

The Albino Croc

 

Zambia the most peacefull nation

When I arrived at the airport in Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe, I bought myself the Kaza Univisa, which allows you to cross the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia as many times as you want during a period of 30 days, also daytrips to Botswana are covered by that visa. So that was my plan to not only visit Zimbabwe side of the Vic Falls but also the Zambian side. I stayed at the Livingstone hostel in Livingstone.

Botswana stuck in the middle of Chobe River

BOTSWANA CHOBE NATIONAL PARK

Botswana Flag standing in the middle of the swamp – Chobe NP

First view of Chobe NP

During my stay at the Vic Falls in Zimbabwe, I planned on doing some activities and one of them is doing a game drive or safari in one of Africa’s greatest wildlife park Chobe NP in Botswana. It would become the highlight of my African trip, thank you Botswana ! The trip to Botswana was a bless, I saw more animals than I expected.
They say you got to be lucky well, if I get to see lions I consider myself lucky.
The day trip to Botswana famous wildlife park started with an early morning pick up at the hostel and then it went straight to the Kasane border. It went really fast and smoothly. After a short drive in through Kasane town, we entered the park.

Kasane Border Botswana

Consider yourself lucky when you see Lions

 

This trip includes the game drive which is off course in a safari jeep and afterwards you embark a small boat on the Chobe river to see the wildlife that lives in the water like Crocodiles and Hippo’s but also Elephants who like to cool off in the water. All of that I saw in Chobe and I could easily do it again, it was worthed.
While cruising for about an hour on the river looking for wildlife, it was time to have a lunch break, at the raft a floating restaurant in the middle of the river. great food, barbecue, vegetables, dessert and a variety of drinks to choose from.

the Raft floating restaurant

The staff welcomed us with a very catchy song that was in my head for the rest of my African stay. Stomach filled and back to the boat again to continue to spot some more wildlife and the best was yet to come :

Getting stuck in the middle of Chobe river

boat ride on the Chobe river

We were with 8 people in the boat and our guide, when suddenly the motor of our boat broke down, the connection cable was broke, unable to make contact and to steer the wheel in a proper way. There we were stuck in the middle of the Chobe river surrounded by Hippo’s, but they don’t eat meat so we didn’t worry, the Croc’s however do, but they were hiding under the water or maybe watching us disguised between the high grass plants in the water.

Hippo’s opening their mouth

huge Hippo’s

Thank God smartphones can save your ass one day, so after a call some other boat came to the rescue, we had to jump from one boat to the other and try not to fall in the water.
It just adds up to the great day it has been and another story to tell.
Ending my post about Chobe with the list of animals I’ve seen :
Buffalo,Elephants, Giraffes,Lions,Crocodiles,Hippo’s,Monitor Lizard,Fish Eagle,Marabou Storks and a lot of Impalas.

Buffalo in the shade

Buffalo staring from the bushes (try to find)

the longnecks 🙂

giraffes observing the lions walking in the distance

Giraf and Impala

more impalas

impalas crossing the road

Lions with Impala bone in mouth

Mother Lion in the shade, just before she got disturbed by the tourists and their camera’s

2 lion cubs

Marabou stork

 

Fish Eagle

Monitor lizard

Elephants taking a bath

The Elephant family

My all time favorite the Crocodile

Another Croc