Walking Safaris in North Luangwa

There are only three camps in the North Luangwa National Park, which is a huge area. This makes it ideal for those who want to get off the tourist track and find a remote and exclusive place. Kutandala Camp is a wonderful semi-permanent jungle camp on the banks of the Mwaleshi River. It is managed by the owner and hosts a maximum of only six people. Every rainy season, the site is swept away by flooding and is rebuilt from scratch for each new season, from June 1 to October 31. Kutandala’s owners are Rod and Guz Tether, a laid-back, welcoming yet dynamic duo. In addition to vehicle-based game drives, they also offer walking safaris, where you walk quietly and keep voices to a whisper to get up close to game. Rod wowed us with his knowledge of birding and wildlife. Guz is an excellent hostess, famous throughout the country for her cooking. The smallest members of the Kutandala team are the two toddlers from Tethers who charmed us with their unbelievably realistic animal imitations. North Luangwa is also a major refuge for the relocated black rhino, with a 77 km long fence protecting 15 of these endangered animals.

South Luangwa National Park

South Luangwa is where the walking safari started and has a series of small rustic camps in the heart of the park. From here, in addition to vehicle-based game drives, you can venture on foot with a guide and armed ranger. I stayed with Robin Pope Safaris and went fly camping, which involves spending a night (or two) in a simple but comfortable camp, set up before you arrive and broken down afterwards. The camp moves daily and is always in a spectacularly beautiful remote location. The walk between the camps was fascinating; Being so close to the game without the security of being in a vehicle was exhilarating. We did see a large herd of buffalo, 60+ from very close, and the good thing was that we didn’t cause any alarm for them, but we could see them interact. At the same time, I was relieved to have an armed ranger from the National Parks Authority nearby. The camp is a simple A-frame safari tent with mattress. There is a separate long loo and shower tent a short distance from your own tent. It was a wonderful experience after our day of hiking to arrive at camp and find a hot shower waiting before a night by the campfire under the stars. After a hearty breakfast the entire camp was broken up, packed up and moved. The team prides itself on taking great care not to leave any traces of damage to bushes or wildlife once the camp has been packed up.

Our guide was Debs Tittle, one of Zambia’s most experienced trekking guides, who was especially adept at highlighting the less obvious things (insects, plants, trees, etc.) that are often overlooked in favor of the big stuff. . The hike was smooth and the group size was kept to a maximum of four.

Rafting on the Zambezi River

Canoeing down a calm, quiet and peaceful river is a beautiful and intimate way to discover Africa’s game. In an afternoon exploring the backwaters and waterways of the Zambezi, I saw a variety of lusciously colored bee-eaters, kingfishers, egrets, herons and African jacanas. We paddled close to the hippos as they looked at us with bright eyes, watched an old male buffalo swim by and had to wait while a herd of over fifty elephants crossed the river, frolicking in the water completely oblivious to our silent presence. You don’t need to worry about his canoeing skills as the guide does all the hard work and knows where to go and more importantly where to avoid.

Shiwa House

In northern Zambia, Sir Stewart Gore-Brown’s famous mansion has recently been restored by his grandson and makes a very interesting addition to a Zambian itinerary, with the opportunity to combine game viewing with a cultural experience. Recently portrayed in Christina Lamb’s book ‘The Africa House,’ Shiwa House epitomizes the boundless optimism of 1920s colonial settlers. of art and trophy heads, with activities including guided walks, horseback riding and boating on the lake where David Livingstone’s dog is said to have been eaten by crocodiles.

[http://www.aardvarksafaris.com/articles-zambia-revisited]