Elliot's Journey Through Zambia

There’s no other way to say this. Zambia is one of the most impressive destinations in all of Africa. My recent visit hammered this fact home with an unforgettable safari adventure. Watching a leopard stalk a herd of impala after dark, flocks of carmine bee-eaters darting in and out of their riverbank nests, another leopard feasting on a crocodile, tracking lions on foot and witnessing two juvenile giraffes gracefully playfighting in the form of a neck dance are just a few of the highlights I was fortunate enough to witness during my time here. The guiding expertise is phenomenal. The big cats and wild dog packs are known by name and the dramatic back stories of these predator groups brings a whole other dimension to the safari experience. 

 

After a night in Lusaka I journeyed by light aircraft to South Luangwa and Lower Zambezi National Parks, the jewels in Zambia’s crown, but by no means the whole story. 

It’s an interesting enough little city but I wouldn’t make a special effort to visit unless you want a day to recover from your flight before hitting the safari circuit. If you arrive late and are just there to sleep there’s a good selection of places to stay near the airport. If you arrive early and have a full day and want to relax, then Lilayi Lodge is the perfect choice. Serene, peaceful and set in its own wildlife reserve. The lack of elephants and large predators provides a unique opportunity to enjoy miles of walking and running trails without the need of a guide. Zebra, Kudu, Impala and giraffe are just some of the species you may spot while enjoying the grounds, or even just from the viewing deck while eating dinner. 

Where to begin? At first I thought most of the action took place along the Luangwa River. Shallow and unnavigable by boat in the dry season, it nevertheless provides a habitat for hippos and crocodiles and precious drinking waters to countless others. The steep sides to the dry bank provide dramatic vantage points, as well as nesting grounds to the stunning carmine bee-eater. Giraffe, elephant, and huge herds of buffalo cross regularly, wild dogs use it as a highway when they want to cover ground in a hurry and when the wind is right, lions will lie in wait for prey to come for a drink. 

 

It was only as we managed to tear ourselves away from the action along the river that I realised how much more there was to offer. Open glades and floodplains, leopard friendly gully’s, and even hot springs. We traversed a lot of ground during our stay, largely in the Nsefu sector, which features heavily in the recently released BBC documentary where film crews bedded in to follow the lives of several predator families over the course of four years. With diverse landscapes and dramatic wildlife interactions, it’s easy to see why they chose this area. 

 

A highlight of South Luangwa is the chance to strap up your boots for a walking safari. There’s something about being mere metres away from snoozing lions, towering giraffes and majestic elephants without the separation of a vehicle. We saw all of the above, plus wild dogs, hippos and multiple antelope and bird species. As the home of the walking safari, nowhere does it better. 

I arrived in Lower Zambezi ready to not like it. My favourite animal, the Giraffe, is absent from the reserve and I thought that would hamper my enjoyment and leave something missing. I couldn’t have been more wrong. Between the winterthorn glades, the water channels filled with purple hyacinth and the Zambezi River itself, dotted with small islands, this is without doubt one of the most beautiful national parks in all of Africa. The wildlife sightings were phenomenal, with leopard and lion featuring heavily but not so much as the elephant. Seeing them swim across the river to the islands using their trunks as snorkels, and the youngsters play and splash around in the shallows, or wade through a glade filled with purple hyacinth, surrounded by waterbuck and with the golden afternoon light streaking through the winterthorn trees. I am sure I’ve seen thousands of elephants in my lifetime but never like this. 

 

A unique experience in the Lower Zambezi is the chance to get out on the water. Cruising around the islands for wildlife sightings and jaw-dropping sunsets makes a fantastic change after a few days of land based safari, and canoeing down the smaller channels is nothing short of magical. As well as elephants crossing, and crocs, buffalo and waterbuck on the banks, the birds are in their element here. Bee eaters catch insects straight out the air and Kingfishers dart into the water around you as you glide effortlessly through the wilderness, all under the watchful eye of the odd goliath stalk and fish eagle. This mix between land and water based activities makes Lower Zambezi very special. 

South Luangwa and Lower Zambezi complement each other so well in that they are so different. In my opinion combining them both is a must. I didn’t miss the giraffe in Lower Zambezi, as I had seen several in South Luangwa just days before. And the low water level on the Luangwa River wasn’t an issue as I knew we’d be canoeing and boating down the Zambezi before long. There’s always more to see though. Here are a few other standout locations that are worthy of a mention, and to seriously consider including in your itinerary. 

 

Livingstone and Mosi-ou-Tunya. On the Zambia side of Victoria Falls you’ll find excellent game viewing, luxury riverfront camps, and all the interesting and adventurous activities on offer around the falls. Cruise the Zambezi River for some unbelievable sunsets, walk with rhinos in the national park, take a dip in the Devils Pools on the edge of the falls or take a luxury vintage train to the falls for a fine dining experience you’ll never forget. 

 

Busanga Plains. In the north of Kafue National Park this seasonal wetland forms a very unique habitat. In the dry season it’s a cat lovers dream (Lion and Cheetah more so, as leopards prefer habitats with more trees) and is also great for wild dog, all hunting various antelope species and buffalo super herds. In the wet season the plains flood turning it into a paradise for bird enthusiasts with up to 500 species documented here. 

 

Liuwa Plains is home to it’s own wildebeest migration. When compared to the more famous great migration in Kenya and Tanzania, what’s missing here are the crowds. With a grand total of one permanent lodge in the whole reserve you’ll wonder how it’s possible to have access to so much open space and diverse wildlife with no one around for miles in any direction. 

 

Bangweulu Wetlands & Kasanka are a bit more niche. Bangweulu is one of the few remaining homes of the weird and wonderful prehistoric Shoebill Stork whereas Kasanka hosts the largest mammal migration in the world, with as many as 10 million fruit bats descending on the reserve for a short time each year. 

When all you do is plan Africa holidays, it’s easy to spot the patterns. Most of my enquiries are for South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania and Botswana. To find out why Zambia isn’t further up people’s list we have to dig a little deeper, where we discover two main factors at play. 

 

First, is a glaring omission in the wildlife lineup. The elephant in the room here is the highly coveted Rhino, which is still struggling to recover from historic poaching. White Rhinos can still be seen around Livingstone and black rhinos at the lesser visited North Luangwa National Park, but both are currently absent from the main circuit of South Luangwa and Lower Zambezi. Maybe this is part of the reason Zambia is commonly thought of as a repeat safari destination. First time safari goers often place a great emphasis on the Big 5. First timers may also lack the confidence to partake in the more adventurous walking safaris for which Zambia is famous. 

 

So once you’ve visited the great plains of the Serengeti or watched giraffe and elephants amble majestically in front of Mount Kilimanjaro, and you’ve ticked off the Big 5, your sights will likely turn to Southern Africa for your next safari adventure. 

 

The second, and potentially more important reason, is that Zambia’s tourist board doesn’t put anything like the same resources or funding into promoting their country as some of the other destinations such as Kenya and South Africa. This has an effect on everything from what may appear in your media feed, what comes up on your safari internet searches and how well your chosen Africa specialist is trained on the destination. 

 

In my opinion this represents a fantastic opportunity to have an absolute top tier safari experience which is more exclusive than Kenya and less expensive than Botswana. And if you can push the over marketed notion of the Big 5 out of your mind it’s as suitable for a first time safari goer as it is for a seasoned repeat visitor. There are camps and lodges for every budget and taste, fantastic honeymoon offers, and such an amazing variety of landscapes and wildlife. 

 

Contact us today to tailor make your unique holiday to Zambia and you can do this by filling out the enquiry form below, sending us an email at: enquiries@tailoredjourneys.co.uk or by calling us on 01442617777 / 02081039000