Fodor's Expert Review Old Mondoro Camp

The legend of a great white-maned lion that used to call this area its home lives on in the name of this camp, which is Shona for the "king of cats." If you're looking for an African adventure of the original epic variety, then you need to stay at Old Mondoro. The game-viewing sizzles with close-up sightings of elephants and leopards in trees. Old Mondoro is decorated in old-school-safari style with showers and baths, all lit by romantic lanterns. Tents with wide timber verandahs are open (with canvas flaps at night) to maximize views of the surrounding floodplains, woodlands, and a complex maze of waterways and hippo paths. The smell of freshly made bread introduces a back-to-basics bushveld kitchen repertoire that includes generous portions of hearty, flavorful meals. The entire experience manages to be marvelously satisfying without any fuss or complication. Old Mondoro is also a 1-hour motorboat ride from its similarly spectacular sister camp, Chiawa.