ARTICLES SELECTED FROM THE CATEGORY: "Zambia"

June is one of my favourite times of year in this part of Africa. Lovely warms sunny days with temperatures in the mid-twenties are complimented by cool evenings. Colours are still bright and the bush still green following the rains which usually finish around March.

By June, dwindling water supplies are drawing the wildlife closer to Zambia’s beautiful rivers providing excellent and easily accessible game viewing.

On this trip we visited Zambia’s three best known reserves, South Luangwa National Park in the East, Lower Zambezi in the south and Kafue in the centre area.

Compared to other top safari locations, Zambia’s parks are relatively unknown, visitor density is low and there are just a few relatively widely spaced safari camps, particularly outside of the central Mfuwe area of South Luangwa so you really do feel as though you are pioneers in wild Africa.

KAFUE NATIONAL PARK

Kafue is Zambia’s largest and one if the biggest National Parks in Africa. Kafue has a wide range of habitats including woodland, open areas, several wild rivers, the Nanzhila plains in the South and the spectacular Busanga Plains in the North. Safari camps here are widely spread throughout the park and, except for the central area close to the main road that bisects the park, one is unlikely to see many other vehicles.

Activities here are day and night game drives, guided walks, boat safaris and fishing.

This is probably not a park for first timers as wildlife, although plentiful in some areas can be more elusive than in other parks and in certain areas the Tsetse flies are a nuisance.

The biodiversity in Kafue is greater than in the other parks and includes, cheetah, red lechwe,  hartebeest, roan and sable antelope are also common. A first for me here was the bushpig, similar to the European wild boar. Other animals I have rarely seen elsewhere included lesser bushbaby, oribi and Sharps grysbok.

Birders will love it too with unusual birds such as the black cheeked lovebird, Pels fishing owl and the secretive African finfoot among the specials.

Fishing in the pristine Kafue river is also reputed to be extremely good.

As time was limited we concentrated on the Central and Northern Areas of the reserve on this trip starting at the new Ila Safari Lodge close to the main road. The wildlife in this area is more used to vehicles than further north and so unsurprisingly more relaxed. We did see some lions here and heard them roaring throughout the night unfortunately we did not have time for a full game drive or boat trip on the Kafue River. The lodge itself was very comfortable a great value.

We then headed North to Musekese Camp which is run by a couple of highly dedicated and enthusiastic young guides, located in a previously undeveloped section of the reserve known locally as Eden for its profusion of wildlife. Whilst definitely more rustic than the other properties we visited, we think true safari enthusiasts will love it, there is great game viewing in the Eden lagoon opposite the camp and also on the river and no neighbours nearby to spoil the exclusivity of it. Guests usually access the camp by boat. Lions could be heard roaring all night.

Our final destination, the Busanga Plains, holds a special place in the hearts of many real wildlife enthusiasts. It remote location and inaccessibility for most of the year due to seasonal flooding make Busanga a relatively untouched wilderness, teeming with abundant and unusual wildlife.

In June the first safari camps are just opening for the new season which begins in earnest in July. The area is still very much a wetland and access to some camps including those we stayed at is by Mokoro.

Activities in June include limited day and night game drives and boat safaris. Due to water levels at this time of year, the prevalent species are of the water loving variety lechwe, puku, buffalo, elephant, rare sitatunga and of course numerous hippo and crocodile. There also quite a few lions hunting on the plains and we saw them daily and heard them every night. Later in the year many other species migrate to the rich grazing and the full range of Kafue’s wildlife can be easily seen on the treeless plains.

Birding is also very good with one of the highlights being the wattled crane, a large bird known for its extravagant courtship dance.

The highlight for me was watching two large male lions who had killed a buffalo defending there kill from the hundreds of Vultures who were on the scene awaiting their chance.

From a visitors point of view I would suggest visiting Busanga a bit later possibly between August and September when the game viewing is much more diverse and more extensive game drives possible.

A bonus is that there do not appear to be Tsetse flies on the Busanga Plain.

Favourite camp – Musekese for its unusual and varied wildlife and rustic simplicity with the luxury Shumba Camp on the Busanga Plains a close second.

June is one of my favourite times of year in this part of Africa. Lovely warms sunny days with temperatures in the mid-twenties are complimented by cool evenings. Colours are still bright and the bush still green following the rains which usually finish around March.

By June, dwindling water supplies are drawing the wildlife closer to Zambia’s beautiful rivers providing excellent and easily accessible game viewing.

On this trip we visited Zambia’s three best known reserves, South Luangwa National Park in the East, Lower Zambezi in the south and Kafue in the centre area.

Compared to other top safari locations, Zambia’s parks are relatively unknown, visitor density is low and there are just a few relatively widely spaced safari camps, particularly outside of the central Mfuwe area of South Luangwa so you really do feel as though you are pioneers in wild Africa.

LOWER ZAMBEZI NATIONAL PARK

I have always loved this park both for its spectacular scenery and for the exciting range of safari activities on offer. The activities which are available at most lodges include, in addition to day and night game drives, boat safaris, canoe trips, tiger fishing, guided walks and sleep outs.

Unfortunately, you need deep pockets to visit with a night at most of the lodges within or very close to the park costs around US$1000 per night or more in peak season. The only lower budget options are outside the park in the game management area to the west, however in my opinion these are not worthwhile as visiting the park involves a long drive or boat trip.

Lower Zambezi has a huge elephant population which increases as the season goes on peaking at the height of the dry season around October. The sight of a herd of elephants enjoying themselves playing in the river or swimming out to an Island is unforgettable.

In common with other Zambian Parks the bush was thicker than normal for June due to late rains although this did not seem to spoil the game viewing.

We did very much enjoy a gentle canoe trip along one of the channels, a wonderfully relaxing way to see the wildlife and birds, although I suspect that eyeballing at close quarters the hippos and large crocodiles one meets along the way is not for those of a nervous disposition.

We started our visit at Chongwe River Camp, a lovely and very friendly camp in a beautiful location just outside the Western border of the Reserve, if the camp were further into the park where generally the game viewing improves the further East you go this might be my camp of choice, but its location and new higher price tag make it a less attractive proposition.

We gradually headed further east visiting or staying at all the camps in the park, at the top end is Sausage Tree camp which has recently been rebuilt to a very high standard and includes private guided safari activities as standard. Guests who like a lot of luxury and exclusivity on their safari will love it despite the hefty price tag.

Favourite camp – Amanzi Camp due to its high-quality accommodation, a great location in the best game viewing area of the park. Amanzi is a bit less expensive than some, Chiawa Camp is also a lovely choice.

June is one of my favourite times of year in this part of Africa. Lovely warms sunny days with temperatures in the mid-twenties are complimented by cool evenings. Colours are still bright and the bush still green following the rains which usually finish around March.

By June, dwindling water supplies are drawing the wildlife closer to Zambia’s beautiful rivers providing excellent and easily accessible game viewing.

On this trip we visited Zambia’s three best known reserves, South Luangwa National Park in the East, Lower Zambezi in the south and Kafue in the centre area.

Compared to other top safari locations, Zambia’s parks are relatively unknown, visitor density is low and there are just a few relatively widely spaced safari camps, particularly outside of the central Mfuwe area of South Luangwa so you really do feel as though you are pioneers in wild Africa.

SOUTH LUANGWA NATIONAL PARK

This large park is Zambia’s flagship national park and is without doubt one of Africa’s finest containing a huge pool of wildlife.

South Luangwa is also one of Africa’s most scenic parks. Around the floodplain of the Luangwa River and the many oxbow lagoons the wildlife is very dense and the birding spectacular.

The biodiversity here is not as great as in some parks with cheetah, rhino and ostrich notable absentees.

South Luangwa is particularly famous for its leopards and it did not disappoint on this occasion including two excellent daytime sightings. Wild dogs are also doing well and each time I have visited I have seen more of them, on this visit we saw three packs including one pack of three on a hunt at dusk and a large pack on a waterbuck kill one morning.

South Luangwa is also famous for its walking safaris, these can be shorter walks of one or two hours or longer walks of up to 6 hrs, often walking between different camps. We did take a couple of very enjoyable shorter walks. June is a good month for walking as it is not too hot.

We started in the South of the park a three to four hour game transfer from the airport. This area is very remote, and the camps down here are very small, most of them operated by the excellent Bushcamp company. Despite their small size the camps are of a very high quality and the guiding excellent, they are also surprisingly affordable.

The game viewing was good but due to the late finish to the summer rain the bush was quite thick and the grass still quite long, so the best game viewing was on the floodplain of the Luangwa and Kapamba rivers.

Perhaps the highlight was watching a pride of lions jumping over a wide channel whilst a large crocodile who was aware of the wildlife crossing point tried to grab one of the jumping sub adults but without success.

Favourite camp – Chindeni Bush camp for its spectacular location with Bilimungwe  Bushcamp a close second

We then moved North to the Nsefu area where the park extends to both sides of the river. This area is also remote but here there are slightly more camps and lodges some of which are a bit larger.

In addition to traditional day and night drives and guided walks, overnight sleep outs are also a highlight in this area and great fun for a small group.

We stayed at Luwi Bushcamp which is further from the river and also in a couple of camps close to or on the main river whilst also doing a site inspection of most of the other camps in the area.

We did see a new first for me in the Cookson’s wildebeest a rather handsome animal that is endemic to this part of Zambia and more common in North Luangwa National Park.  This was also the only area where we spotted Eland.

In June the grass is still a bit long in the more remote areas deeper into the park and there were more Tsetse flies in evidence, so I would suggest early in the season that the camps close to the river are a better option with the other areas coming into their own by mid-July.

Favourite Camp – Lion Camp due to its recent luxury rebuild, great location and value for money with Tena Tena a close second. I also really liked Mwamba Bushcamp and Kaingo Camp with its photographic hides.

We finished our visit to the park in the central Mfuwe area. This is by far the most touristy area of South Luangwa with accommodation to suit all budgets.

The game viewing in this area, as I have observed on previous visits, is perhaps the best of all as the wildlife is used to safari vehicles and generally quite relaxed. The park is large enough to absorb the greater number of visitors and one does not see that many vehicles on game drives, the downside is that with the bush telegraph very effective, premium sightings such as the successful wild dog hunt we witnessed can attract a bit of a circus in a short time.

The highlight here for me was, when whilst watching the wild dogs, a leopard out patrolling his territory in broad daylight got a bit of a fright when he walked right into the feeding pack and decided that he had better make himself scarce quickly.

Favourite Camp – Nkwali is a nice mid-priced camp on the river, but at the top end Chinzombo is very nice and the more budget orientated Flatdogs camp offers great value for money.

New wildlife documentaries featuring African destinations keep on coming, a sure sign of the interest in this vast and spectacular continent from tourists from around the world.

Luangwa Valley
The spectacular Luangwa Valley in Zambia recently warranted its own three part ITV documentary “Lion Country”, which showcases perfectly the beauty and sense of timeless Africa that you get in this raw and compelling wilderness. Safari Club have sent many guests to this exciting destination and look forward to sending many more. If you would like to visit the Luangwa Valley take a look at our 2017 “Land of the Big Cats” itinerary.

Zambia
Zambia is an increasingly popular wildlife destination and now that the government is taking tourism seriously we have noticed an increased level of interest in areas outside the usual circuit of South Luangwa, Lower Zambezi and Victoria Falls. Other attractions include North Luangwa which is only accessible for four months of the year and is the ultimate walking destination with just two small camps. Liuwa Plain which is getting its first permanent safari camp this year and is one of the best places to see cheetah and hyena in Zambia as well as huge herds of assorted plains game. Perhaps most importantly of all the vast Kafue National Park, real rising star on the safari circuit. Following previous articles on this park we have been asked for an idea of an itinerary and costing so please take a look at “Spirit of the Kafue”.

Ready to visit Serengeti?

Africa’s best known reserve is never a cheap place to visit but remains at the top of many bucket lists. If you are able to travel within six weeks we have a special offer that lets you get right into the heart of the Serengeti at around half the normal price. This is a flexible, flying safari staying in top quality camps on an all-inclusive basis which can be extended to visit other reserves. The final itinerary and price will depend on availability at camps so all you need to do is to provide us with dates and we will prepare a tailor made itinerary to suit. This special remains available throughout 2017 and is priced on a Kilimanjaro to Kilimanjaro basis.
7nts US$3834  per person sharing; 10nts US$5547 per person sharing.

Zimbabwe Magic
Zimbabwe remains one of the finest safari destinations in Africa with some excellent National Parks teeming with wild game not to mention the iconic Victoria Falls. The country is safe and peaceful and the local Zimbabwean people are friendly and very welcoming. In terms of value for money Zimbabwe is very attractive as well. If you fancy visiting, see our “Victoria Falls to Kariba” safari visiting Victoria Falls, Hwange National Park, Lake Kariba and Matusadona or contact us for a detailed itinerary. 
9nts US$3666 pp 12nts from US$5711 pp.

Maasai Mara to Victoria Falls and Zimbabwe?

Yes really! It is now possible to visit these diverse and iconic African destinations using the latest Kenya Airways flights. If you would like to visit these area’s staying in the excellent Governors and Wilderness Safaris camps please take a look at this “Iconic Africa”.
9nts from US$4531 to US$4863 (Excludes International Flights)

Ever seen African Wild Dogs?
For many safari enthusiasts seeing the endangered African wild dog, also known as the painted dog, is the highlight of an African safari. We can arrange a trip for you to the Painted Dog Conservancy adjacent to the Hwange National Park, where tracking these fascinating creatures with the specialist researchers is possible and sightings highly probable. See “Alison Dewar’s recent blog” on her trip to the dogs. Why not add a visit to our “Victoria Falls to Kariba” safari.

Baby Boom – Gorillas
Mountain gorillas have been regularly featuring in TV news bulletins in recent weeks. The reason for this is that buy acyclovir walmart there has been a baby boom, particularly in Uganda where a new baby is being born in most months. This is fantastic news for a species which reproduces slowly and remains highly endangered Much of this success derives from increased conservation efforts largely funded by wildlife tourism. If you can get to Rwanda or Uganda possibly taking advantage of the new direct flights from London Gatwick, then do go! you will enjoy a very special experience whilst helping to conserve one of our closest relatives.

Chimpanzee habitation
If you go to Uganda to meet the gorillas, you could also visit the chimpanzees in Kibale or Budongo and possibly go out with the researchers for a whole day as they go about habituating a group of wild chimpanzees to human presence.

Rwanda Gorilla Permits to double
The Rwanda Development board has announced that the price of a gorilla tracking permit will double from US$750 to US$1500 with immediate effect. Safari Club guests already booked to go to Rwanda have no need to worry as all permits are already secured! Permits for Uganda remain at US$600 at the time of writing making Uganda a very attractive option for guests wanting to see mountain gorillas! Read more

Elephant translocation breeding success
You may have read our blog from last year regarding the translocation of 500 elephants to Nkhotahota National Park from the overcrowded Liwonde and Majete National Parks. Nkhotakota was once home to more than 1,500 elephants. Lack of protection coupled with the insatiable demand for ivory reduced the population to just 100 individuals. Between July and August in 2016, 261 elephants were successfully moved from Liwonde to a sanctuary within Nkhotakota. The new arrivals are thriving! Recently rangers on patrol have sighted some very young elephants that have been born in Nkhotakota in the last six months. While we have yet to confirm numbers, given gestation is 22 months for elephants, these calves were conceived before making the journey to their new home. These elephants will soon be joined by 240 others, coming from Liwonde and Majete Wildlife Reserve between June and August 2017. Would you like to visit Nkhotahota and see some of these animals in their new and very beautiful home? Time it right and you could witness the arrival of the next batch of elephants. A safari here would combine very nicely with a trip to Zambia’s spectacular South Luangwa National Park and a few days relaxing on Lake Malawi.
Contact us if you would like to visit Malawi or read more about the translocation.
9nts from US$4531 to US$4863 (Excludes International Flights)

Botswana summer- Perfect Bargain
Past newsletters have featured “Green Season” safaris in Botswana between December and March. The cost of a safari in Botswana is around half the cost of a visit in the peak season. Green season game viewing remains excellent, with the bush green and fresh, birds in full mating plumage, many animals choosing to have their young in this time of plenty and the light is perfect for photography. Take a look at our “Sightings report” for March 2017 for taste of what could be in store.

Polish up your photography skills in Botswana
Would you like to improve your photography skills whilst enjoying a fabulous safari holiday in Botswana visiting the fabulous Selinda Reserve and the Okavango Delta? Our “Wild Studio” photography tour includes free tuition and advice and is suitable for beginners as well as experienced photographers. Accompanying partners are very welcome and will enjoy normal guided game drives.  The rates offered for the Wild Studio” are the same as normal seasonal lodge rates with no extra expense for specialist wildlife photographer/guide tuition. We recommend starting with three days on the “Wild Studio workshop” and then continuing with a regular safari to other areas of Botswana to practice your new-found skills.

We have been collecting together lots of photographs that have been provided either by some of our clients on safari or by ourselves on our familiarisation trips.

For example Martin Taylor and family did a self-drive holiday in the Western Cape on a trip to South Africa, staying in Knysna, buy aciclovir uk Hermanus, Franschhoek and Cape Town. They then flew to Timbavati Reserve (Kruger area) and stayed at Hamiltons and Chitwa Chitwa Camps.

Links to our photo galleries will appear on the destination pages to which they apply but all the galleries currently available can also be seen here:

All Photo Galleries

Have you ever wanted to visit an African Game Reserve where you will see few if any other vehicles reminiscent of the raw, wild continent seen by the first European visitors and by myself on a first visit to Zambia in 1975?

Kafue National Park, was during the eighties and early nineties neglected, mismanaged and suffered from poaching. Most visitors to Zambia choosing to visit South Luangwa and the Lower Zambezi two other outstanding wilderness reserves but that is now changing.

For most of its length the Kafue River runs along the edge of the park with other major tributaries the Lunga and Lufupa Rivers also providing a lifeline for game. Lion, elephant, buffalo and leopard are found throughout the park and both wild dog and cheetah are also present in healthy numbers.

Following some major investment in the past ten years in anti-poaching and tourist facilities Kafue is now on course to be one of the finest and most varied destinations in Africa. An affordable destination for adventurous self-drivers, mobile camping expeditions and those who prefer to fly in and out.

Boat safaris on the rivers and lakes, canoe trips, night drives, guided walks and fly camping are all possible here meaning a trip to Kafue will be a true adventure.

Here is a brief introduction to a journey through Kafue from south to north.

Nanzilha Plains

The extreme south of the park is easily accessible from Livingstone by road or air but has only one six-tented camp Nanzhila Plains Camp and receives very few visitors. Nanzhila can be a short add on to a Victoria Falls trip or the start of a journey through the reserve.

The plains themselves have plentiful wildlife with a good chance of spotting as many as ten different antelope species in including both roan and sable antelope and are also an excellent place to find cheetah which are absent from Zambia’s other major parks. Birders will love this area with the black cheeked lovebird being a birders specialty.

Lake Itezhi Tezhi

Heading north through the park one comes to Lake Itezhi Tezhi, the lake was created by a dam in the 1970’s and is now reminiscent of Lake Kariba. The lakeshore is teaming with game and birdlife while traditional local fishermen, on the far lake buy aciclovir shore are a fascinating to observe going about their business. Game viewing along the lake shore by boat and road is very productive as wildlife comes down to the lake to drink. Wild dog are often spotted here as well as serval cat. The only accommodation in the vicinity is Konkamoya Lodge with just four very comfortable large guest tents. If you have never seen an aardvark this could be your chance as the lodge offers a special night safari aimed at finding these elusive creatures.

The area is close to the David Shepherd Elephant Orphanage which is an another interesting side trip at Konkamoya.

Central Kafue

Kafue National Park is bisected by the main tarred road from Lusaka heading to the Western Province. Ease of access means this area is the most developed with a several good lodges. This is not a drawback however as the visitor density is miniscule compared to other reserves in Africa but with more vehicles around than other areas of the park, wildlife is more habituated to human presence and as such it is easier to get close.

Heading North

The area north of the main road along the Kafue River and Lufupa River heading towards the Busanga Plains is home to several small, owner managed, safari lodges. The area has good game viewing with a number of game drive loops along the way making for an interesting journey, some very large lion prides are found here. Some of the camps here offer “catch and release” sport fishing in waters that have not been commercially fished since the park was created, making for some great sport. Most visitors spend a day or two here on route to Busanga Plains.

The Busanga Plains

Busanga is the Holy Grail for many safari buffs, fabled for its outstanding game viewing and extreme remoteness. The plains are a wetland area only accessible between June and October reminiscent of Botswana’s Okavango Delta and famous for tree climbing lions, the plains are also home to cheetah and wild dog and are one of the best places to see roan antelope and the secretive and rare, water loving, sitatunga.

Covering a large area, the plains are home to a few small upmarket safari camps which are seasonally open from June to October.

Guests interested in visiting Kafue either as a stand-alone destination or as part of a longer trip should call us to discuss and start planning a trip.

At Safari Club, we regularly send consultants to Africa to seek even further beautiful rural areas for our customers to check out. It’s a seemingly never-ending job, as Africa is probably the best continent in which to uncover ever-greater numbers of visually awe-inspiring animals. Whether you go north, south, east or west, there is natural beauty in abundance. However, we know that you have limited time and money to spend exploring Africa, so we’ve decided to single out 5 of the continent’s most visually pleasing national parks.

Amboseli National Park, Kenya

Though Africa’s highest mountain, Mt Kilimanjaro, is technically just within Tanzania, you can enjoy the most awesome views of its peak from Amboseli National Park, which is in Kenya. Once you’ve took plenty of pictures of that glorious mountain, you might as well stay in the park to check out the flat topped acacia trees and big herds of elephants, for which Amboseli is especially renowned. Click through to learn more about what you can see when you use our safari package for Amboseli National Park.

Kruger National Park, South Africa

South Africa certainly has no shortage of exciting national parks, and among the best of those is Kruger National Park. It’s got a broader range of wildlife than any other of the country’s national parks; you can check out, to reel off just a few examples, crocodiles, cheetahs, hippos, giraffes and gorillas. You can also see the so-called Big Five!

Chobe Game Reserve, Botswana

If one of your biggest reasons to consider a safari is the opportunity of seeing a herd of elephants, you should buy acyclovir online australia make an especially large priority of booking a trip to this national park. It’s located in Botswana’s Okavango Delta and home to over 120,000 elephants. Unsurprisingly given this number, it’d be pretty difficult for you to avoid seeing an elephant here! Overall, the park has four distinct ecosystems, Savuti Marsh being the most popular.

Serengeti National Park, Tanzania

If you like cats, a great place to see big cats, including Cheetah, is Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park. They are certainly bigger than the cute little bundles of fluff you probably have back home – and, when you turn to our company to book a trip to this park, you can also benefit from world class accommodation that, depending on your preferences, can be suited to a romantic getaway or family holiday. The name “Serengeti” actually translates into “endless plains”, and you should soon see why when you go on safari here.

South Luangwa National Park, Zambia

Returning to the earlier mentioned subject of big cats, it’s easy for you to catch sight of large lion prides at Zambia’s South Luangwa National Park. These prides can have up to 30 lions, but they are far from the only mane – ha! – attraction. There’s also, for example, lots of hippos, who are among the over 40 animal species that call this wonderful place home. There are also as many as 400 wild bird species. Now, we’ll leave you to have fun sightseeing!

If you’re planning to get wed, there are many boxes that you will be eager to tick with your honeymoon. You’ll want something that affords both privacy – for those quiet, romantic moments – and more social occasions for letting your hair down. You can enjoy all of this with (an African safari and beach honeymoon) adventure that, at Safari Club, we can prearrange design for you. Below are some examples, view our full range of exotic locations that we can help you to enjoy with your partner here.

Maasai Mara, Kenya

On our flying safari “A Week on the Wild side”, the two of you can see an amazing variety of wildlife at the Maasai Mara game reserve in Kenya. It is particularly advised that you book your stay between late July and October, when the migration crosses the Mara River into Kenya. Elephants, rhinos, zebras, giraffes, crocodiles, and big cats are among the animals that you can expect to see. You can also choose between classic or premium accommodation and extend this with a week on a stunning tropical beach.

Mauritius

The island country of Mauritius, located about 1,200 miles off the African continent’s southeast coast, is – there’s no mistake here – a tropical paradise. As part of our “Safari and Ocean” package, you can fly from the South African city of Johannesburg to the island, where you can enjoy palm-fringed beaches, a warm blue sea, and a first class hotel. Perhaps not surprisingly, water sports are among the activities that you can enjoy during your stay.

Seychelles

A good alternative island location for your romantic getaway is the Seychelles. This archipelago country, located just under 1,000 miles east of mainland East Africa, can be visited when you opt for our “Two Shades of Paradise” package. So, what can you expect to see on the archipelago? To cite buy acyclovir online just a few of the attractions: white sandy beaches, stunning coastal, inland and underwater scenery, and pristine coral reefs. Also covered for in the package is an overnight stay at the well-known “Giraffe Manor” in Nairobi.

Tanzania

Tanzania is a great choice for a honeymoon our Safari and beach Luxury Flying Safari is a wonderful safari and beach holiday visiting Selous game reserve, the largest area of protected wilderness in Africa and the little known but very exotic Pemba Island, the perfect place to relax and maybe enjoy some superb snorkelling and scuba diving.

South Luangwa National Park, Zambia

Are the two of you cat lovers? You can certainly see a lot of cats in this park, though be warned that they are a lot bigger than the cute little bundles of fluff you probably have running and playing in your house! Take advantage of our “Land of the Big Cats” honeymoon offer, and you can enjoy seeing lions, leopards, and other locally residing members of the cat family. Mind, don’t expect to hear any of those lions purring…

The skies of Namibia… yes, really

Does the prospect of spending your honeymoon in Namibia pique your interest? It’s a great idea, not least because there are so many awe-inspiring sights to enjoy there. In fact, you could find that there are too many – how can you get round to enjoying many of them in just one honeymoon? By embarking on our “Namibia Flying Adventure”! Using air transport including a hot air balloon, you can take in numerous contrasting areas, among them deserts, dunes, Atlantic Ocean, plains and wildlife habitats, of this large country. You could see big cats here, too in this incredible, awe inspiring landscape.

In common with most visitors to Victoria Falls I have in the past just spent one or two days in the area at the beginning or end of a safari in Zambia or Botswana.

As I was travelling to Zimbabwe and was arriving from Nairobi on a direct flight into the new Livingstone airport before trying out the recently introduced, single Kaza uni-visa system to cross the Victoria Falls bridge into Zimbabwe, I had decided I would use this opportunity to spend a bit more time in the area and find out more about the hotels, lodges and exciting activities on both sides of the border both up and downstream.

My first stop was at Waterberry Lodge, located upstream of the falls on the banks of the Zambezi River, always a firm favourite with Safari Club clients. The lodge includes many interesting lodge based activities in its rates, these include visits to the falls, village and school visits, birding walks, boat trips, sundowner cruises and fishing. We knew we were back in Africa as Lions could be heard roaring in the Zambezi National park on the opposite riverbank most mornings.

Whilst there I also took a trip downriver to visit the upmarket Tongabezi Lodge and its sister camp Sindabezi Island. These stylish lodges have a stunning riverside location and with plentiful wildlife around are a great option. Tongabezi also have the concession for Livingstone Island where guests can take tea on the rim of the falls and bathe in a pool on the edge of the precipice.

One day I had lunch at the Victoria Falls Hotel, this a five-star property with a great location very close to the falls. The Victoria Falls Hotel is all you would expect of a five-star hotel with comfortable rooms and excellent service. The highlight for me was enjoying a pot of tea whilst purchase acyclovir canada watching the elephants coming down to the water to drink on the opposite bank of the river.

Crossing into Zimbabwe was a doddle with the new uni-visa system and my first stop in Zimbabwe was at the Gorges Lodge located downstream and with a wonderful position on the edge of the Zambezi Gorge. The lodge is heavily involved with the local community and activities here include visits to community projects. The local villagers have formed a dance troupe who perform at the lodge in the evenings to provide some entertainment. The lodge provides usual visits into Victoria Falls town to see the waterfall and enjoy some of the many activities. Black eagles and other raptors nest on ledges on the edge of the gorge and an unusual activity takes place in the evening when meat is put out for the eagles and guests can watch as the eagles soar spectacularly along the edge of the gorge to take the offerings. All the rooms here have unbelievable views and the recent addition of a small satellite lodge called Little Gorges adds to the accommodation choices.

I also visited the new Zambezi Sands Lodge which is located inside the Zambezi National Park upstream of the falls. This lodge has a superb design with large and very comfortable tented rooms, all having river views. As the lodge is inside a national park the activities here include game viewing in open 4×4 vehicles, guided walks, canoe and boat safaris as well as activities at Victoria Falls town. This superb “all inclusive” lodge is a great place to start or finish a safari in Zimbabwe or neighbouring Botswana, a perfect combination of safari activities and relaxation. We would recommend a minimum of two nights as the lodge is too far from Victoria Falls themselves for an overnight stop.

What an experience, my return to Zambia, definitely one of my favourite safari countries, after a three year break. The beautiful South Luangwa National Park, was always going to be a big adventure.

My mission was to sample an exciting exploration safari involving day and night game drives, walking safari and overnight sleep-outs in a mixture of luxury bush camps and lodges. The experience was to provide the basis for Safari Clubs “Luangwa Trail Safari” which is run in partnership with our experienced local partners Messrs Norman Carr safaris who have been operating in Luangwa Valley for over 50 years.

This safari is tremendous fun for those with a spirit of adventure!

South Luangwa teams with game of every kind with lions particularly in evidence, we could hear them roaring not too far away on some of our walks but despite the best efforts of our guide we were unable to locate them on foot although we did find them feasting on a zebra kill the next morning on a game drive.

Most mornings we walked between two small, remote camps with our luggage travelling separately by vehicle. Later in the day we would take an afternoon and evening game drive. Most of the walks are about 12 kilometres and take around three hours at a leisurely pace with our experienced and highly knowledgeable guide. We walked between Luwi, Nsolo and Mchenja camps although shorter walks are possible for those who prefer less walking. June was perfect for walking with clear sunny skies, whilst the morning weather was quite cool, the grass by this time of year was dying back so the elephant trails we used between camps were fairly easy going, at times we walked along the banks of the Luangwa River where hippos snorted and large crocodiles slid into the water at our approach where to buy aciclovir over the counter sometimes elephants could be seen slaking their thirst.

A huge highlight of this trip is the Overnight “Sleep-Out” in the bush, involving a short, late afternoon walk to camp in a dry riverbed. A team of four looked after us superbly, set up our temporary campsite and soon had a roaring campfire on the go. A delicious bush dinner cooked over the open fire and a wonderful evening ensued discussing our adventures whilst listening to the sounds of the African bush and enjoying endless gin and tonics. We slept on bedrolls in the soft sand with just a mosquito net between us and wild Africa but even the whooping of hyena, trumpeting elephants and roaring lions could not prevent a peaceful sleep.

As for the wildlife highlights, well a pride of lions on a hippo kill was interesting and following a pack of wild dogs hunting in our vehicle was also exciting but perhaps seeing a large male leopard walk past the front of our tent at Mchenja Camp in the middle of the day not ten feet from where I was relaxing capped it all. South Luangwa really is a great place for these spotted cats and we were lucky to see seven different leopards during our stay.

We finished our “Luangwa Trail” at Norman Carrs wildly luxurious Chinzombo Camp, a perfect place to chill out at the end of the adventure.

It’s worth noting that there were a couple of mature ladies in their 70’s doing a similar thing whilst I was here and they loved it. Not suitable for those with walking difficulties or a nervous disposition and the cost means although younger guests would love it, most guests are likely to be of a certain age.

My opinion: Superb

Paul Downhill

Travelled June 2016