Our Zambia experience
Read below about my wonderful trip to Zambia, the 'real Africa'.
In June 2009 I was lucky enough to visit Zambia. This has been a long awaited visit for me, particularly as this had been the land of my father’s birth. I had heard so many wonderful things about the ‘true Africa’ and I was not disappointed.
After an easy overnight British Airways flight into Lusaka, we were smoothly assisted through customs by our hosts Robin Pope Safaris. From here we were treated to a 20 min light aircraft flight to the Lower Zambezi National Park. As we approached the river, the scenery below us was unexpectedly green and mountainous and when we finally caught a glimpse of the might Zambezi River, were astounded by its magnitude and incredible beauty.
My first night was spent at Chongwe River Camp which has an enviable position on the convergence of the Chongwe and Zambezi Rivers, just on the outskirts of the National Park. The water is the focal point of a stay in the area and our first afternoon was spent fishing for tiger and brine. With rod in hand we floated down river as the afternoon sun reflected beautifully on the water. We gazed out over Zimbabwe’s Mana Pools on the other side of the river bank and were treated to fabulous sightings of hippo, crocodiles, elephants and an abundance of bird life. While no fish were caught on this occasion, watching the sunset with a gin and tonic in hand was exactly how I had imagined my first afternoon in Zambia. That night I fell asleep to the sounds of the grunting hippos, metres from my bed and the following morning I was woken by the call of the fish eagle – it never fails to thrill me.
In addition to boat trips, fishing and canoeing, the Lower Zambezi National Park also offers traditional game drives and walks. Depending on what camp you stay at, these will either be within the boundaries of the National Park, in the boarding Game Controlled Area or both. While game viewing in the park is great all year round, as the dry season progresses, certainly the chances of seeing larger numbers of game increases. The best time to visit is between August and October when the animals are gathered around the river in large numbers. Be aware, however that September and October can be very hot. Most of the camps are closed during the rains from November to about mid March or April. The scenery of the Lower Zambezi is contrasting, ranging from flat plains to areas of high Winter Thorn, Mahogany and Fever Trees, which give the park a feeling of a European forest.
On our first game drive we had the excitement of being charged by an elephant! On a subsequent drive we had a great sighting of 5 lionesses. Notably absent in the park are giraffe and unfortunately rhino have been poached to extinction here, but there are wild dog and leopard if you are after those special treats and of course your typical plains game.
I spent two further nights in the Lower Zambezi staying at two contrasting camps, Sausage Tree and Old Mondoro Bush Camp, both of which are within the boundaries of the National Park. Sausage Tree is simply stunning. In my option, its setting, amongst the reeds in a secluded section of the river, is the best of all of the camps. A feeling of total relaxation absorbs you as you step off of the jetty. Everything about the camps is exclusive and luxurious.
Old Mondoro Bush Camp was my personal favourite. With only 4 tents, this rustic bush camp has no electricity and bucket showers, just my type of camp! You can choose to stay here independently or in conjunction with one of the other camps. It is an exciting experience and made even more enjoyable by the lovely couple who manage the camp. John, who was also our guide for our morning walk was, just like other guides across Zambia, excellent. I will never forget his imitation of the sound male baboons make while mating!!
In addition to the above mentioned camps I also visited Chongwe River House, Royal Zambezi, Kasaka River Lodge and Chiawa Camp. The standard of accommodation is high throughout and I would have no hesitation in recommending any of these camps. Each camp has a distinctive feel and will suit particular tastes. A stay in the Lower Zambezi National Park, while there is plenty to keep you occupied, is thoroughly relaxing. Many argue that it is better to stay here after a trip to the South Luangwa, especially if you have done a walking safari and many game drives. This is because the water based activities can be less strenuous.
Following three fabulous nights at the Lower Zambezi it was time to move onto what many consider to be one of THE best game viewing areas on the continent – the unspoilt South Luangwa. We took off from Jeka Airstrip and flew directly north for approximately 1 ½ hours before we landed at Mfuwe Airport. Here our Robin Pope representative met us for our short road transfer to Nkwali Camp. Nkwali is beautifully situated on the Luangwa River just bordering the National Park. It is the not only the base of operations for Robin Pope Safaris but also the main camp from which guests normally begin their South Luangwa experience, including one or more of the bush camps. In addition to the rooms on offer at Nkwali, for families or small groups there is Robin’s House and the superb Luangwa House, both of which offer a private chef and guide.
Our first game drive revealed the park in all its glory – breathtaking scenery of a meandering river, oxbow lagoons and unending plains. The game numbers are staggering and on any given day you can expect to see puku antelope in their hundreds, impala, Thornicroft’s giraffe, elephant, lion and huge numbers of hippo – the largest in Africa. As night descends, sightings of hyena and leopard are common and the park is also host to the rare wild dog. For birders the South Luangwa offers 400 different bird species including the prolific fish eagle, pelicans, marabou stork and Heuglin’s robin. One of the most exciting elements to that first game drive was taking our vehicle across the river on a pontoon!
Most will say that the best time to visit the South Luangwa is during the dry season from April to the end of October. As the months of the dry season progress the lagoons separate from the river, slowly drying up and disappearing. Large herds of animals gather at the river’s edge to take advantage of the permanent supply of water making for great game viewing. The wet or green season starts in November and last until the end of March. This is generally known as the most spectacular time for bird watching.
The South Luangwa is most well known for being the home of the walking safari. Walking safaris were pioneered back in the 1960’s by Zambia’s own Norman Carr. He is now deceased by his family continue his legacy in camps around the park.
Guests can either enjoy game drives and walks (around 3 – 4 hours) from one of their chosen camps or they can enjoy the adventure of Luangwa Bush Camping or mobile walking safaris offered by Robin Pope Safaris.
The Luangwa Bush Camping is normally undertaken with a night at the start and finish in one of Robin Pope Safari’s safari camps Tena Tena or Nsefu. This camping and walking experience caters for 2 – 4 guests who ‘camp out’ for 2 – 3 nights in the Nsefu sector of the park.
After staying 2 nights in the incredible Tena Tena Camp, 3 of us set off on the Luangwa Bush Camp experience with our guide Deb. This was definitely the highlight of my whole trip to Zambia. Our first walk was around 4 hours through some incredible scenery. It was so thrilling to encounter 3 elephants within a few metres of us. There is something so special about being on foot and appreciating not only the big game but also those smaller things which are so often missed on game drives.
While initially there may have been a little apprehension on our part about being so ‘exposed’, all our fears were eliminated when we realised how experienced Debs and her guides were. At the end of the walk I was convinced that Debs was a female Dr Doolittle! Such an incredible affinity with the bush is enviable and it was her intimate knowledge and obvious love of her surroundings that made the experience so much more memorable and exciting. What stories she had to tell!
Just before lunch time, we arrived at our campsite all set up for us ahead of time. It was the ultimate adventure with a bucket shower and comfortable tents. We
were treated to a sumptuous lunch overlooking the river and following an afternoon walk, enjoyed dinner and drinks around the camp fire while enjoying one of the
incredible South Luangwa sunsets. After dark the stars lit up the sky and Debs entertained us with exciting stories of her wildlife encounters. What a thrill it
was lying in my tent looking through the mosquito nets trying to glimpse wildlife in the moonlight.
After ending my trip to Zambia on a high, I continued on to Malawi
for a couple of days. With direct flights from Mfuwe to Lilongwe and light aircraft connections to Lake Malawi
this combination of Zambia and Malawi is a fantastic safari
and beach holiday. Arriving into Pumulani Lodge on
Lake Malawi was such a pleasure with its incredible lake views and relaxed atmosphere. My safari had tired me out and I was more than happy to lie on the
beach curled up with a book and when the heat got too much, dive into the refreshing waters with a snorkel. A highlight of our stay was an afternoon cruise on the
lodge Dhow. As the sun set over the lake we dove over the side of the boat into the crystal clear waters and then toasted our last night in Africa with yet another
gin and tonic. Aaah it’s a hard job...