BAREFOOT SAFARIS & Adventure Tours
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ZAMBIA: Zambian Wildlife (Fly in Option) (ZW)
(12 DAYS LAND ONLY)
Revised 1st July 2005
Zambia: “The real Africa". This apt truism is the inadvertent marketing edge of the Zambia National Tourist Board. To travel with a sense of humour in Zambia is essential and will guarantee your welcome.
Zambia is a land of relentless wilderness, ancestral ceremony and smiling faces and beckons to the intrepid, the adventurous and to those who simply want to step off the conveyor belt of mass tourism and marvel at the astounding wildlife of the Luangwa Valley and Lower Zambezi. The first Europeans to arrive in Zambia were Portuguese explorers who reached the African interior from the East Coast. The most famous explorer however to reach this area was David Livingstone, whose exploration heralded the establishment of missions promoting the spread of Christianity, quickly followed by the abolition of slavery.
Our journey will be rich in contrast and full of unforgettable experiences.
Day 1: Arrive in Lusaka
After clearing Immigration and Customs we board our chartered flight to Mfuwe, in Zambia’s South Luangwa National Park. The Luangwa valley is one of Africa’s prime wildlife sanctuaries, with concentrations and varieties of game and bird life that have made it world famous. This is the landscape of the ‘real Africa’, where herds of antelope roam the plains; predators stalk through the shadows, and with primordial flora in every vale. The list of animals that frequent the park is endless. Mammals include zebra, buffalo and lion, as well as endemic species such as Thorneycroft’s giraffe and Cookson’s wildebeest. The park supports one of the largest concentrations of elephant in Africa and also has an expanding population of leopard. For the next night we stay in our Wilderness Camp set in a beautiful location on the banks of the Luangwa River just outside the national park. We have made donations to the anti-poaching unit in this park to assist their good work.
1 Night Lodge (D)
Day 2: South Luangwa National Park
This morning we depart on one of the biggest adventures: a walking safari in the wilderness of South Luangwa. This enables us to get close to the animals, without the confines of a vehicle.
Accompanied by a qualified guide and an armed scout we venture past lagoons, riparian forest and through mopani woodland, seeing, smelling and touching Africa, to our bush camp on the elevated banks of the Luangwa River. After our lunch under huge shady Natal Mahogany trees, we undertake another walking safari along the bank of the slow-moving Luangwa. Tonight while the aroma of our camp meal fills the air, we salute the sun going down over the distant escarpment.
1 Night Bush camp (BLD)
Day 3, 4 & 5: South Luangwa National Park
This morning we undertake another walking safari back to our permanent camp next to the Luangwa River. For the next three days we continue to explore this remote wilderness area. The park encompasses a wide variety of habitats and the Luangwa River describes a torturous course along the valley floor. Near the river the vegetation is lush and dense, and along its many tributaries riparian forest remains emerald green all year round.
This afternoon we take a night game drive in the national park followed by a morning and afternoon game drive the next two days. We will also make a night game drive to catch a glimpse of the nocturnal world within the park illuminated by spotlight. Viewing game at night allows us to see species that would normally be hidden throughout the day, and may include porcupine, hippo grazing on land and honey badger. For scenery and sheer variety of animals, South Luangwa is one of the best wildlife parks in Africa. Multitudes of species thrive in this sanctuary, and the size of the national park allows large herds to develop and live in harmony with each other.
Lodge, 2 nights (Bx3, Lx3 Dx3)
Day 6: Transfer to Lower Zambezi NP After breakfast we board our charter flight to the Lower Zambezi National Park. After we have settled into our scenic lodge overlooking the mighty Zambezi River and a scrumptious lunch we embark on a game viewing boat cruise ending the day with sundowners on one of the islands.
3 Nights Lodge (Bx3, Lx3, Dx3)
Day 7: Lower Zambezi NP
There is an escarpment along the northern end of the park, which acts as a physical barrier to most of the animal species in the park. Enormous herds of elephant, some up to 100 strong, are often seen at the river’s edge. “Island hopping” buffalo and waterbuck are common. The park also hosts good populations of lion and leopard. Listen too for the ubiquitous cry of the fish eagle. Today we conduct a game walk accompanied by a grade 1 safari guide and an armed scout in the morning. We have our lunch in the bush under a shady tree and the afternoon we conduct a game viewing boat cruise. The option exists to overnight in a tent on one of the islands in the Zambezi River.
Day 8: Lower Zambezi NP
Today we have the option to do a full days canoeing trip down the Zambezi with a pick-up that takes us back to our lodge for sundowners and dinner. The other option is to conduct a game drive with lunch in the bush followed by an afternoon boat cruise.
Day 9: To Siavonga; Lake Kariba.
We leave the mighty Zambezi behind ad travel after breakfast to our lodge at Siavonga. This is a travelling day through rural villages and rich farmland. After we settle into our accommodation we have the afternoon free to explore or visit the dam wall, which remains a major attraction. Optional excursions exist to take a cruise at sundown.
1 Night Lodge (BL)
Day 10 & 11: Lake Kariba
Work on the biggest man-made lake of its time started in the 1950/s. It was considered a triumph of mankind and came into existence following the damming of the Zambezi River to provide hydroelectric power to the industries of Zambia and Zimbabwe. The creation of Lake Kariba was not without controversy: the Tonga tribe was uprooted to make way for the dam, not only did they oppose the building, but according to the Tongas, Nyaminyami, the snakelike River God was opposed to the construction. The Batonga believe the wrathful River God sent the biggest storm in 10,000 years that destroyed the cofferdams in 1957. In the morning, after breakfast we settle in on a house boat and for the next two days we cruise around on the Lake, bird watching and game viewing. As the sun sets over the lake, we moor on the Lake shore and listen to the nocturnal sounds of Africa. We have ample opportunity to sunbath, relax and maybe do a spot of tiger fishing.
2 Nights House Boat (1xB, 1xL, 2xD)
Day 12: Travel to Lusaka
After our last breakfast on the house boat we disembark at Siavonga and travel north on our way to Lusaka following in the footsteps of David Livingstone after his 2nd visit to Victoria Falls. We will also visit a museum on the way to Lusaka.
The afternoon is spent lazing around the swimming pool of our up-market hotel or to do some last minute shopping.
1 Night Hotel (B)
Day 13: To Airport
We transfer to the airport after breakfast
End of Safari