We had a fitful sleep for our last night at Matetsi. We will be sad to leave this place, it has really felt like a home from home. Before we leave the camp, we underwent a PCR test in preparation for our travel home to the UK the day before. This process was incredibly easy to do. Costing $75 USD per person, two nurses come to the camp, and we take the PCR test with a stunning back drop in the main area. It took less than 10 minutes to do and did not hinder any experience at all, in fact, it made it better, knowing we were under professional and fabulous care from the nurses as well as the managers from the camp.

Digressing from the PCR test, I went on one last morning game drive through the Matetsi conservancy before returning to pack my bags and depart. It was a wonderfully peaceful morning, and we came across two very playful female lioness sniffing around and chasing each other in quite thick undergrowth. It was exciting to see, although you may think not having an excellent view of the cats, it was still quite an adrenaline rush to see or anticipate their next move. The cats were located on the other side of the road from the camp, in a large open area, there were two herds of buffalo nearby, one large herd quite skittish and the other seeming to be none the wiser of the danger that was just a stone’s throw away from them. Such is life in the Africa bush!

We knew the males were around too, so we ventured off in search of them but could not locate them. Lion’s camouflage is truly remarkable, you would think you could easily spot them, but they just seem to blend into all their surroundings and thing you must look out for is either a twitch of the tale, or ear then it confirms that there is in fact a lion there.

Driving past troops of baboon and vervet monkeys, giraffes blending into the background looking like another tree, impalas, and their tiny babies, it was a real pleasure to be out on my own taking in all that I could before heading back to a very grey England.

We packed our bags, ate a good breakfast, bid our farewells to all who had looked after us so impeccably within the camp and we set on our way. Before we catch our flight, we planned to stop at Victoria Falls before we leave, we cannot travel all this way to not see one of the natural wonders of the world, it would be criminal! We had a fabulous guide who showed us a whistle stop tour of the falls and what a sight it was. It completely took our breath away the sheer size of the falls, occasionally getting sprayed, was utterly majestic. Its humbling to see something natural with such force right in front of your eyes, really bringing to home how small humankind it.

We then left Victoria Falls and headed straight to the airport, out of the bush and back into civilisation. It was a shock to the system. We were very impressed with how ‘on it’ the Zimbabwean authorities were with checking covid passes and tests. Nearly every single gate we went through, they checked both the PCR test (negative of course!), our double vaccine certificate with QR code as well as our passenger locater form (which can only be filled out online 24 hours before travelling). We felt self in the knowledge that we were being looked after and checked throughout our travels through the airport.