Uploaded September 2024 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
We started today’s safari with a sighting of a pair of black-backed jackals from a distance. They were alert to our presence but didn’t seem to mind us being there.
We then drove through a series of termite mounds sprinkled around the savanna. Our guide informed us that termites play a significant role in shaping the land and providing nutrients to the soil in this region.
Next, we came upon a small herd of sable, a large majestic antelope with long, slightly curved horns. The females have a medium brown coat with white bellies and stripes on their faces while the male’s coat is a darker brown to almost black. Notably, we were located in the area called Sable Valley.
Our guide then took us to a large open area in the savanna which turned out to be a very long landing strip. He stated the strip was built back in the 1980s to serve as an emergency landing site for the Space Shuttle. He said it was never used by the Shuttle but it has been used by other aircraft.
I later checked into the landing strip (labeled Hwange National Park Airport or HWN) and found it is 15,092 feet, nearly 3 miles in length. So it is sufficiently long to support a shuttle landing and rollout. However, the strip never was equipped with the TACAN/NAVIDS equipment required to support a safe Shuttle landing. So it appears Shuttle emergency landing capability was never fully completed for this site.
Next, we viewed some zebra and impala antelope grazing. There were only a few zebras grazing but the impala were plentiful. Throughout our safaris, impala were by far the most numerous animals we sighted.
We also saw a small herd of tsessebe antelope grazing in the distance. Tsessebe are large with chestnut brown bodies. They are the fastest antelope on the savanna and can run at speeds up to 90 kph or 56 mph.
This experience was part of The Great Southern African Safari organized by G Adventures working in partnership with National Geographic Expeditions.
You can read about the technical aspects of this trip in the 'Tech on Travel - The Africa Edition' blog post by Allison Sheridan at
podfeet.com/blog/2024/09/tech-on-travel-africa
We started today’s safari with a sighting of a pair of black-backed jackals from a distance. They were alert to our presence but didn’t seem to mind us being there.
We then drove through a series of termite mounds sprinkled around the savanna. Our guide informed us that termites play a significant role in shaping the land and providing nutrients to the soil in this region.
Next, we came upon a small herd of sable, a large majestic antelope with long, slightly curved horns. The females have a medium brown coat with white bellies and stripes on their faces while the male’s coat is a darker brown to almost black. Notably, we were located in the area called Sable Valley.
Our guide then took us to a large open area in the savanna which turned out to be a very long landing strip. He stated the strip was built back in the 1980s to serve as an emergency landing site for the Space Shuttle. He said it was never used by the Shuttle but it has been used by other aircraft.
I later checked into the landing strip (labeled Hwange National Park Airport or HWN) and found it is 15,092 feet, nearly 3 miles in length. So it is sufficiently long to support a shuttle landing and rollout. However, the strip never was equipped with the TACAN/NAVIDS equipment required to support a safe Shuttle landing. So it appears Shuttle emergency landing capability was never fully completed for this site.
Next, we viewed some zebra and impala antelope grazing. There were only a few zebras grazing but the impala were plentiful. Throughout our safaris, impala were by far the most numerous animals we sighted.
We also saw a small herd of tsessebe antelope grazing in the distance. Tsessebe are large with chestnut brown bodies. They are the fastest antelope on the savanna and can run at speeds up to 90 kph or 56 mph.
This experience was part of The Great Southern African Safari organized by G Adventures working in partnership with National Geographic Expeditions.
You can read about the technical aspects of this trip in the 'Tech on Travel - The Africa Edition' blog post by Allison Sheridan at
podfeet.com/blog/2024/09/tech-on-travel-africa
