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NEWS UPDATE – AUGUST 2023

THE HODI HODI ELEPHANT STORY

How we became friends with the Elephants. 

Since we started our community partnership patrolling and reporting within the 20,000 square kilometres around the Hodi Hodi Ruaha Bush Camp - which borders the Wildlife Management Area on the Ruaha National Park Boundary - we have noticed a significant change in wildlife behaviour.

Five years ago we found the secret valley that was to become the heart of the HODI HODI conservation area, and we arrived to build a dream camp.

We pitched 6 little temporary tents in a Marula grove that provided us with a home, office and construction headquarters for the first two years - through bushfire, massive floods, drought, financial struggles, and finally pandemic!

The game was initially skittish and elusive, and the elephants were very wary of us. The area is adjacent to a hunting block, and there were incidences of bushmeat poaching.  Working with community village rangers and wildlife authorities, our presence and efforts gradually reduced all incursions, and developed the wildlife sanctuary we intended.

Three bull elephants began making frequent visits to the little campsite, and when we designed their own waterhole, topped up with delicious clean water from our solar powered borehole, they were regular visitors during the build, even when there was a lot of noisy construction activity.
  

Drinking at their HODi HODI Elliebar saves them the long hard walk around the mountain ridge to the nearest river and village, with the temptation to raid crops while there.. and that keeps our community happy too.
We knew we had gained the full trust of our new friends when the camp was finally open and the breeding herds started to visit.  Our first baby elephant was born in 2021 just under one of the guest tents which hang over the ridge, and there were two more born on site last year.

So now in the dry season from July to December, when travellers come to stay with us to explore the beauty of our conservation area and the Ruaha National Park, they will probably meet the elephants of HODI HODI strolling up the path to their waterhole...

In Kiswahili, Hodi Hodi means "May I enter?"

The answer, to elephants, all wildlife - and everyone else who takes only photos and memories away - is Karibuni, "Welcome all".



 




NEWS UPDATE – JANUARY 2022

HODI HODI RUAHA BUSH CAMP & ZANZIBAR

The beginning of a New Year.


It was nice to end the year with some great guests in the Bush Camp and they got to see some wonderful wildlife too.

In December 2021 we had our first baby elephant born - right under the director's room. We are delighted that the elephants feel safe around camp and are happy to give birth around us.

Our sustainable rooms at Hodi Hodi Bush Camp are made from Canvas, Brick, Grass and Teak, all locally sourced materials. They are also fully powered by the sun for electricity and hot water.

The rooms are named after the tree growing closest to them. Winterthorn, Clusterleaf, Jackalberry, African Chestnut, Bushwillow, Mahogany and Marula. Each one has breath-taking views down the valley and into the park. Spectacular in both the dry and wet seasons. Our water hole has fresh water pumped to it every day too.


Down in Zanzibar, the comings and goings over Christmas and New Year were 'festive' to say the least. Guests were relaxed and happy to enjoy our long white beaches, cold drinks, and dips into the Indian Oean.

Hodi Hodi Beach Houses are the perfect place to wash-off the Safari dust, relax and prepare for your return trip back home.

Hodi-Hodi - the perfect bush to beach combination for 2022.



 




NEWS UPDATE – OCTOBER 2021

HODI HODI RUAHA BUSH CAMP

The dry season is upon us again.


Dry grass, crackling seed pods, bare branches, humming heat.. Classic Africa.

It is a necessary cycle in the annual seasonality of southern Tanzania.
Like summer or fall, it has its own unique characteristics and beauty.

As the landscape dries out and the water sources dry up, the game starts to congregate around remaining rivers.

But here at Hodi Hodi we have our own spring.
So we are currently welcoming Elephant, Warthog, Impala, Klipspringer and Baboon, daily.. with occasional visits from Greater and Lesser Kudu, Leopard, Zebra and Buffalo.

Dry season is August to December.

Wet season of flowers, insects, birds and fun muddy roads from January to May!  

Green - drying season from May to August.

All have their own unique beauty.


 




NEWS UPDATE – OCTOBER 2020

HODI HODI RUAHA BUSH CAMP

The Hodi Hodi Bushcamp Filmshoot!

A picture speaks a thousand words - and words can't really describe the magical place we have here at Ruaha National park in Tanzania. So it was with great pleasure that we opened HODI HODI at the end of September for just a week, for a group of friends and family - and a wonderful film crew from Zanzibar.



Charlie Smith Photography (csmithpictures.com) and Ash Gallery (ashgallery.africa) spent 5 days here capturing our bushcamp on film - photographs and movies. And not just images - what these guys do so well is to capture the ethos, the essence and the soul of a camp that has been a dream for 20 years, a building site for 3 years and now a wonderful reality.



Watch this space for their story about our story - our relationship with our community, our challenges with protecting a vast whildlife area, the East African family history that inspired us to continue the adventure, and the values that drive us onwards.

Thanks to Charlie, Ash, Abdul and Hamed - and our team of trainee staff who supported the shoot.

Coming soon to a laptop or device near you!




 




NEWS UPDATE – JULY 2020

HODI HODI ZANZIBAR AND RUAHA

We are OPEN from October 2020

As the world starts to feel comfortable traveling again, the wide horizons and broad smiles of East Africa will call.
Our two little properties are designed to showcase and contrast the best of the bush and the beach in Tanzania. 
We welcome independent couples, groups of friends or multi-generational parties of up to 18 people.
We will do our best to ensure our guests feel confident, safe and healthy from the moment you arrive.

We follow responsible and sustainable tourism guidelines, have adopted new globally advised sanitary measures, 
and offer carefully selected, authentic and interesting experiences of this wonderful country of Tanzania.


ASK US ABOUT OUR SPECIAL 2020 DEAL :  8 nights for the price of 7!



 




NEWS UPDATE – APRIL 2020

HODI HODI ZANZIBAR AND RUAHA

Hodi Hodi Covid-19 Virus Statement

Mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar has cases of the virus, as it has everywhere else.

The Tanzanian authorities have introduced a number of measures to limit the spread of the virus.  International travel is cancelled except for certain cargo planes. Internal travel is limited, strengthened screening measures exist at airports for all passengers arriving into Tanzania’s three international airports (Dar es Salaam, Kilimanjaro and Zanzibar), and all regional airstrips, requiring personal details and a temperature check.  There was mandatory quarantine for anyone arriving from high risk countries, even for those without symptoms until mid-April, and now there are no more international arrivals until further notification.  Hygiene standards and social distancing are encouraged and practiced nationwide.

Mid-April to mid-June is the annual low season for tourism in Zanzibar, due to the monsoon rains, and many hotels close for renovations at this time, including Hodi Hodi.
Hodi Hodi has closed as usual and will stay closed until we have information from the international and local sources in the meantime.
We still have reservations for the summer and are keeping in contact to update as we all know more.  Many of our guests have simply changed the date to 2021.

At Hodi Hodi Zanzibar we employ 15 people and take our corporate social responsibility very seriously. All staff have been paid for March and April, plus all taxes, and we will continue to provide for our staff throughout the closure, and Ramadan, as usual. Hygiene training has taken place and our village staff are reasonably isolated from any risk of infection.

Meantime, we are completing some maintenance on site in Zanzibar, preparing a new marketing promotional film, and had our usual end of season staff party before staff went on annual paid leave, keeping just local security to keep the hotel safe.  This is our normal procedure at this time of year anyway.

The new HODI HODI bushcamp in Ruaha is still on track to complete the build in June 2020, but that will now be delayed until we can open.  Everything will be finished and ready, and then we will mothball.  As soon as we get the 'all-clear' on the international virus situation, we are ready to "JUST ADD PEOPLE".

We would like to thank all our loyal guests and agents for a wonderful 2019 / 2020 season and hope that normal business will return once we return to normal travel globally.

PLEASE POSTPONE, DON’T CANCEL – WE WILL BE BACK!
Thank you from the whole team at Hodi Hodi.


 




NEWS UPDATE – FEBRUARY 2020

HODI HODI BUSHCAMP

Building progresses amid torrential rains!

The heavy rains that that affected all of East Africa during January hit us hard, with several bridges collapsing, rivers breaking their banks, villages flooded and some camps and roads in the park cut off and inaccessible.
The Ruaha rainy season is usually from December to April – so the timing was right.  The volume of rain however was unprecedented.
The camp had all supply lines cut off for several days, but the resourceful villagers managed somehow to keep us in building and food supplies.  Lucky we are perched 100m metres up on a ridge.. What a view for our sundowners!
The tents are now all erected, the roofs are all done.  We are finishing plumbing and lighting, and starting to put the icing on the cake – including our swimming pool.  Hard to imagine now, in our ‘winter’, when temperatures can drop as low as 15 degrees, that they will be up towards the 40’s in a few months, and a cool dip in the pool after a hot sweaty game drive will be very welcome!
We are still on track for June 1st opening, although it could get a little nail-biting towards the end - more rain is forecast!
Enjoy the following selection of latest snaps of the rooms, showing the area in its beautiful green season glory.



 




JUNE 2019 UPDATES from HODI HODI

 

HODI HODI RUAHA

 

Progression of the build, and some welcome guests:

 

The rooms have roofs thatched and looking beautiful.  We are now working on the teak decking and flooring. 

The final design for the bar / restaurant / lounge has been decided.

With the rains over, the display of flowers is fading and as the green season is drying off, the landscape is turning from emerald to autumnal.  It's a beautiful time of year in Ruaha and we can't wait to be hosting guests here by this time in 2020.

Our exciting news is the 5 bull elephants that appear to have taken up residence despite all the construction going on - and breeding heard that has followed them into our private valley - cows, youngsters and calves, numbering almost 100.  One bull (named Barbar) feels very much at home in our construction site cap, often hindering the way to the camp long drop or bucket shower..

We hope they become permanent residents at Hodi Hodi bushcamp, despite their passion for rather rough landscape gardening. Furthermore, a pack of wild dogs have made a kudu kill by house No.7, our resident 2 leopards continue to harass the baboons and the birds fill our trees.
 



 

HODI HODI ZANZIBAR

 

Open for the new season, and some conventional guests:

 

The monsoon rains in Zanzibar are now over, and so after a period of renovation we have re-opened our doors to guests again.  So far we have had English, Norwegian, Swedish and Dutch, with Tanzanian and German arriving next week.

Our full moon rise in June was as usual spectacular - appearing straight out of the sea, casting its silver path and throwing a luminous glow all along our 10 kilometres of beach.

Temperatures are cool with soft southerly trade winds - mid 20's centigrade - from June to November, so it's a perfect climate for people who prefer to avoid our more humid months from December to March. 

We still have some last-minute availability for certain dates in July, and toward the end of August, and also September and October are the perfect months to be here.

 

So please email info@hodihodizanzibar.com if you want to transport yourselves to our tropical paradise!





 




JANUARY 2019

Green Season in Ruaha.

We have had what they call the 'planting rains' in the southern highlands of Tanzania.

They start early December for a couple of weeks and green up the whole landscape!

Compare these shots with the last ones posted from July. The whole area comes alive and the colours change from grey to 50 shades of green.

 

The Hodi Hodi Bush Camp build.

Four rooms are thatched, one has decking in, and the other three will be roofed next month. Between January and April we hope to complete all the structures. This is a busy site! 

Opening date will be second half of 2018, starting with a soft opening, to practice on 'friends, residents and family'.


 

 

Meanwhile, back in Zanzibar..

It's full house for Christmas and New Year - the weather is fantastic, we had a fabulous full moon rise, and everything is looking beautiful! Our guests are from all over the world, with ages ranging from 7 to 70.

We still have availability from late January to mid April if you hurry and book.. 



Hodi Hodi Corporate Social Responsability.

Hodi Hodi Zanzibar has always worked closely with the fishing village community of Kilima Juu which is just 500m along our beach, by using only local village staff and supplies. We have also over the last 4 years built a madrassa nursery school completely, plus providing annual school supplies, building 2 classrooms for the junior school, and we also bought all the plumbing equipment for the senior school.
 

 

Now Hodi Hodi Ruaha, even though it is not yet itself built, is doing the same for the farming village community of Makifu, the village 10kms away behind our mountain backdrop.

We have raised money in the UK and Tanzania to build a house for the village doctor. That project is ongoing as we continue to assist to fit out the clinic and provide a motorscooter for the midwife.


 

Meantime, Makifu village has asked us to help to build their new secondary school.

Two classrooms will be ready for the first intake of First Formers in January 2019 thanks to donations from the Hodi Hodi directors.

 

And there's more to come : once we are open we will be supporting Makifu in many other ways.. so we'll keep you updated.