Our hotel, 
the Ilala, was recommended to us by our first choice, the Safari lodge, but had the benefit of being in town, and thus within walking distance of the falls and the craft market. Not as atmospheric as the Safari, it nonetheless has the charming thatched roof and stucco style that Marnie and I enjoy so much about southern African architecture. The staff is ridiculously friendly, and the PR manager Michelle was great in recommending stuff to do in the area.
Dinner menus in the area tend to include wild game, and for dinner at the hotel I had crocodile terrine and warthog steak. The bacon it was wrapped in somewhat masked the flavour of the croc, but it seemed very mild. Of its texture I can say that it is flakier than chicken yet firmer than fish (not much help, I know). Warthog proved to be the culinary revelation of the trip, with even Marnie giving it a thumbs up. It’s a bit tougher than standard pork, but infinitely more flavourful without being too gamey. Baconlishous.
The signs off the patio behind our room warn visitors not to approach wild animals, but after the first day I thought they were mainly for show. The next three mornings proved otherwise, as warthogs and baboons wandered through the yard. In fact, baboons tend to wander through town with the same frequency as squirrels back home. One walked up to an ATM like he was going to do a bit of business before being chased up a tree by some dogs in the neighbouring park.
Though we stood outside our back door safely enough, the baboons must pose a liability risk to the hotel, as the staff scattered them with pebbles shot from slingshots. Poor guys already walk around with big red asses and then they get rocks slung at them…
the Ilala, was recommended to us by our first choice, the Safari lodge, but had the benefit of being in town, and thus within walking distance of the falls and the craft market. Not as atmospheric as the Safari, it nonetheless has the charming thatched roof and stucco style that Marnie and I enjoy so much about southern African architecture. The staff is ridiculously friendly, and the PR manager Michelle was great in recommending stuff to do in the area.Dinner menus in the area tend to include wild game, and for dinner at the hotel I had crocodile terrine and warthog steak. The bacon it was wrapped in somewhat masked the flavour of the croc, but it seemed very mild. Of its texture I can say that it is flakier than chicken yet firmer than fish (not much help, I know). Warthog proved to be the culinary revelation of the trip, with even Marnie giving it a thumbs up. It’s a bit tougher than standard pork, but infinitely more flavourful without being too gamey. Baconlishous.
The signs off the patio behind our room warn visitors not to approach wild animals, but after the first day I thought they were mainly for show. The next three mornings proved otherwise, as warthogs and baboons wandered through the yard. In fact, baboons tend to wander through town with the same frequency as squirrels back home. One walked up to an ATM like he was going to do a bit of business before being chased up a tree by some dogs in the neighbouring park.
Though we stood outside our back door safely enough, the baboons must pose a liability risk to the hotel, as the staff scattered them with pebbles shot from slingshots. Poor guys already walk around with big red asses and then they get rocks slung at them…
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