Unusual Destinations Blog

 05  -  11 December 2009

Firstly I wish to express my sincere thanks to Wilderness Safaris for being afforded the opportunity to experience some of your exquisite camps in Botswana and Zambia and to witness some of the spectacular wildlife and cultural sights. It is indeed obvious that conservation is the most important aspect of your ethos and paramount that you protect the fauna and flora. It is also commendable that you include the local community wherever possible. Your slogan is just so apt. You do indeed change people’s lives.

To follow please find the necessary feedback on the individual lodges that were visited during our stay.

Zambia:

Arrived at Livingstone Airport. Impressive airport but just one cubicle open to clear immigration for a relatively full flight. This was quite a lengthy procedure as this counter serviced the people with and without visas and numerous people were having visas issued on arrival. It would also be advisable for arrival forms to be handed out on board to avoid having to complete the forms once inside the airport building and everybody clamming for limited counter space. Met on arrival by your friendly representative who took immediate care of us. Transferred to Toya Leya in a very comfortable vehicle and given some interesting information about the town of Livingstone along the way. We had experienced a huge storm just after landing so the normal entrance to Toya Leya was flooded to had to arrive through the back entrance.

05 December:

Toka Leya

Arrived to a very friendly welcome and detailed briefing regarding the lodge and activities available during our stay. We were shown to our rooms and a quick visit to see the family room. The layout is very cleverly designed and allows for ample space for 4 people sharing. The family room as well as the room I was in are situated amongst quite thick foliage whereas most of the other rooms as situated with open views onto the river which I think would be preferable for hippo sightings from your veranda. We were then treated to our first high tea which was so enjoyable and then onto the river cruise which was just so relaxing and well organised apart from the boat breaking down but another one coming to our rescue in no time at all.

Back to the camp where we all sat around the campfire and treated to the most scrumptious snacks and drinks prior to dinner.  Met up with Martin and a Wilderness client who joined us for dinner. My special dietary requirements (no red meat) were well adhered to and excellent alternatives offered. Wines were also superb and service good.

On the second day we were once again greeted by the warm hospitality of the staff. Always a broad, friendly smile and nothing was ever too much for them. Breakfast was most enjoyable with a wide variety for choice. Well oiled lodge regarding management and staff.

06 December:

River Club   

After breakfast we headed for River Club where we were met by the charming Peter Jones. He is just so proud of his establishment which is wonderful to see. Sat done and had a detailed briefing on the lodge and then did a sight inspection. The main area and pool area/ gardens are very beautiful with gorgeous views of the river and nearby island. It is awfully colonial and would appeal to the older generation in my opinion. It is however conducive to the history and ambience of this area.

The location of the rooms are good but do feel that they require a bit of sprucing up.

The bathrooms are looking rather tired and are in need of a renovation.

Then set off for Victoria Falls which was a treat. Afternoon boat cruise which was very pleasant and conducted by a very competent guide.

Once again had a delicious dinner.

07 December:

Botswana:

Dumatau

Road/ boat transfer to Kasane for flight to Dumatau. Met by our delightful guide who I found to be the most pleasant of all our guides on the trip. Starting pouring with rain en route to the camp but we were handed out the ponchos which kept us relatively dry. Some did however get drenched and maybe something can be implemented to ensure that the ponchos allow for completed protection from the rain. Room/bathroom very comfortable but perhaps the bathroom could be slightly upgraded and toilet area made more private in the case of it not being a couple sharing the room. Other than this a well maintained lodge with extremely friendly and helpful staff. The stand in manager was doing a sterling job. Treated to traditional dancing in the evening prior to dinner.

Savuti

Did a sight inspection of Savuti which is a beautiful lodge. This I would highly recommend to clients. The rooms are stunning and bathrooms out of this world. Family unit also perfect for families. The communal area is very well laid out and nicely decorated. Lovely view onto the Savuti Channel which is now flowing again.

It would appear that the manger is very hands on. Came to our assistance en route when our vehicle broke down a short distance from the lodge.

08 December:

Very good game drive where we saw more wildlife than anywhere else on the trip.

Flight to Vumbara.

Little Vumbura

Met by our guide who was very humorous and kept us entertained for 24 hours.

Lovely entering the camp by boat. Very interesting and detailed briefing by management and shown to our rooms.

This was my favourite lodge and very spoilt to have  had the honeymoon suite. Cannot fault any detail about Little Vumbura. Everything was superb. The attention to detail was very evident. Late afternoon boat trip which was excellent. Got back to camp just before an almighty storm. Food outstanding.

09 December:

A mokoro trip was planned for early morning but once again it was raining so this did not happen. A huge pity as this I would imagine to be very special. Drove to Vumbura Plains.

Vumbura Plains

Very impressive and could certainly determine why it is classified as a premier lodge. The communal area and rooms are just so much larger and definitely have a more opulent feel about them. Met the manageress at south camp and had a general brief of the lodge whilst looking over the magnificent plains where I am sure many a client spends an enormous amount of time doing just that. Visited the family unit at north camp. The layout of the enormous room is gorgeous and having your own splash pool a bonus.

Kwetsani

 

Flight to Kwetsani. Met by our guide and transferred to the lodge. I did somehow feel that he was lacking knowledge concerning the area. Arrived and met by the most amazing husband and wife managers. They treat you as though they were welcoming you to their own home and their hospitality was commendable.

More traditional décor but the tree houses are beautiful. Thourourly enjoyed my 2 day stay here. Delicious wholesome meals were served.

Went on a short game drive but not much was seen and then proceeded to the mokoro station to have a quick ride through the narrow channels. It was however so peaceful and enjoyable with a little daunting hearing the hippos close by. The lack of wildlife during the green season could present a problem if someone was expecting to see more. This will have to be highlighted if sending clients during this period.

However Lechwe’s abound.

10 December:

Jacana Camp

Sight inspection of Jacana. This camp is somewhat more rustic than any other we had seen but just so cute. Communal area and rooms/bathrooms rather small. The upstairs dining room area allows for beautiful views. I am sure during the high season when the water levels are high, this must be an amazing place to be. Once again the managers ( husband & wife team)  are so funky and just seem to suit the lodge and clientele that it will attract.  Did see a considerable amount of bird life along the way as well as some water inhabited creatures.

Jao Camp

Continued onto Jao Camp which is simply outstanding and once again very visibly understandable why it is a premier camp. Met by the newly appointed husband and wife managers who appear to be hell bend on ensuring that the clients experience the ‘wow factor’.  Just everything about this camp is just mind blowing anyway so not much effort needs to be put in. The 2 pool areas are magnificent as well as the split level communal area and spa. The décor in the elongated rooms does certainly not lack beautiful detail and would be fit for a queen. The outside veranda area and sala is also fantastic for whiling away your time either relaxing or game viewing.

Returned to Kwetsani. Afternoon game drive where not much was seen.

11 December:

Morning at leisure before transferring to the airport for our flight to Maun and return flight to Johannesburg. Wilderness staff at Maun airport were very efficient and took good care of us. All the Sefofane flights between the camps were on time and flown by very experienced and capable pilots.

In summary this was a very enjoyable and highly enlightening experience and did indeed allow me to understand the Delta and realise that it is very important to establish which are water and land based camps and which would be preferable for clients. In general there is very little room for improvement from Wilderness Safaris and just keep doing what you are doing as it really works. The clients we have sent to date, come back raving about your properties and service.  Now I know why.

I will therefore continue to sell your properties with the utmost confidence with my newfound knowledge.

Once again many thanks to Zania Claassen and Wilderness Safaris for a wonderful trip!

Janet

Thursday, 22^nd of October

Departed J’burg’s O.R. Tambo International airport on the SA Airlink flight to Lusaka which departed at 06h50, a nice quick flight of 1h55 mins aboard one of their Embraer jet planes (from Brazil) which takes approximately 37 passengers.  On arrival I was met by two representatives from Sefofane Air Charters who allowed me to join the Zambian residents queue for customs and immigration.  I was the only one at this counter so I felt very lucky.  I flew from Lusaka to Lufupa Tented Camp, aboard a Cessna 210 (5 seater) light aircraft, with a very funny and likable guy named Nick who has his own flying school based at Lusaka airport –  I knew I was in excellent hands!  Happy sailing all the way (approx 1 hr) to Lufupa airstrip and then I was met by John D, from Lafupa Lagoon Camp, who drove me by open Land Rover to the lodge, only five minutes away. After hearing the full rundown of the camp and that I was not allowed to blow the horn, unless there was a lion inside my tent, I signed the indemnity form and made my way to the tea/coffee area where I knew a yummy cake of some kind would be waiting.  I was right, some delicious banana bread was waiting to be devoured, along with ice tea or coffee.

Tips

1. If you are booking clients to Zambia and they have passed through a yellow fever or cholera area, be sure they have an International Certificate of Vaccinations handy, in case they are asked to present it.
2. Luggage: 20 kg in soft bags (NO HARD SUITCASES) and preferably no luggage with wheels) when travelling to Zambia and Botswana.  Maximum dimensions of the soft bags: 25cm wide x 30cmhigh and 62cm long.  Notify Wilderness if passengers weigh more than 100kg’s – they will have to pay for an extra seat!  If they are travelling on a private charter everything has to be taken into account and it may mean clients can take more luggage.
3. This is Tsetse fly country but the camps are equipped with a special spray that you can use and they often spray it on the outside of the vehicle to deter them.  As for mosquitoes, all camps have Peaceful Sleep spray in the tents and mosquito coils are also often found.

This afternoon was spent on the river and I thoroughly enjoyed seeing all the superb birds, hippos, crocs and of course plains game which were seen in the distance.  I especially liked seeing a Malachite kingfisher, even though it was near impossible to photograph him, he somehow knows when you are about to push the button to take a photo.  The afternoon activities at Lufupa Camp usually last between 3 – 4 hours and a sundowner drink with snacks is always on the itinerary.  So there I was cruising down the river with a glass of red in one hand and some moorish nuts in the other, nobody in site and the sunset going down in the distance – so relaxing and what a contrast compared to living in J’burg.

Back at camp there was just enough time to shower and throw on a clean shirt before dinner which was served at 8pm.  Kawanga, a trainee manager, and I had dinner together which was very enjoyable, under the stars on a deck near the water.  We started with a delicious cold soup and then had marinated beef (possibly game) with veggies and for desert we had Crème Brulee. So difficult not to put weight on at these camps!  The nice thing is that all drinks except imported liqueurs are included at all camps in Zambia unless otherwise specified.

+/- 930pm After a good eat a good sleep as they say, so I was escorted back to my room (a custom when visiting an unfenced game lodge) and that was the end of my first day in Zambia.  I must add that the feather down duvets and crisp Percale cotton sheets definitely enables one to have a deep sleep!  Even though Lufupa Lagoon is apart of the Safari & Adventure category of camps it definitely felt luxurious enough for me, the only thing missing was a fan, but apparently they are on their way.  Although you aren’t given tea and coffee in your room and they don’t stock Charlotte Rhys products, it didn’t really matter to me, but for Mrs Swartz I think the next camp I visited would be a better alternative, Shumba Camp.

 

Friday, 23^rd of October

5am wake up and I was ready for my coffee which was brewing when I got to the main area.  I wasn’t up to eating the Continental breakfast on offer, but I wrapped up one of their sweet corn fritters and jumped in the front of the Land Rover for my first morning game-drive in ages.  We saw lots including lion and John D. went out of his way to make me and the other couple happy, they were from England and lived in the Bahamas, their third trip to Africa and this wasn’t about to be their last.

Back at camp we enjoyed brunch and then I managed to get a few winks despite the searing heat, around 30 Degrees C.

 

Instead of flying to Busanga, due to a shortage in fuel, I was lucky enough to be driven there, by Shumba’s camp manager Ben, as part of an afternoon drive. We headed off after the heat of the day at 16h00 and arrived at Shumba (a Premier camp – see description below) in time for dinner, taking us approximately 4-5 hours through Miombo woodland (see description of Miombo woodland below).  En route we saw serval, lion, elephants, sable and all in all it was a rewarding drive.  We also saw trees filled with Pelicans which all flew off at the sound of the vehicle, what a sight!   On arrival in camp, Ben introduced me to his wife Ingrid who did the camp rundown and showed me to my room.  The room was gorgeous, similar to the other Premier camps that Wilderness Safaris run in Botswana with indoor and outdoor showers, two single beds that can be converted into a king and mosquito nets draped over and around the beds; a separate toilet and a lovely sitting area to enjoy the view over the Busanga Plains.  The camp is surrounded by Sycamore Fig trees which made it interesting as the figs drop off and keep some the guests awake. Went to sleep with the calling of a lone male lion in the distance.  Some said he had lost the females and was hungry, but others said he was marking his territory, more likely to be the latter I think.

 

Shumba Camp (Premier)

Shumba Camp comprises six spacious luxury safari tents on raised platforms and falls into the category of Premier safari camp.  Premiers camps have nice extras such as a sala area, additional space in the actual bedroom with a lounge, an indoor and outdoor shower and some have plunge pools.  Shumba doesn’t have tents with individual plunge pools but they have a pool near the main area.  A few other extras are Charlotte Rhys bath products, a decanter with your choice of port, sherry or brandy and coffee or tea is brought to your room each morning.  If you preference is coffee you get a mini Bodum and some delicious home made biscuits.  Spa and massage treatments can also be offered at some Premier camps, including Shumba Camp and white robes are provided in your tent.

Saturday, 24^th of October

5am wake up call and to a Conti. Brekky with muffins and flapjacks at 6am.  You learn how to jump out of bed and throw on your clothes by day two.  Had a great drive with Sam our guide and we saw plenty – no leopard but lion nearby and other mammals to make up for it. 

Brunch was served at around 11h00, a selection of cold meats, pasta and of course the full English breakfast thing with flapjacks and a selection of cereals.  I on the other hand had a packed picnic lunch as was departing by helicopter to Busanga airstrip, a ten minute flight. (In some instances clients may experience a delay when doing this transfer – this is due to the limited numbers of seats available on the helicopter).  I had no delay and on arrival at the airstrip I boarded an awaiting Cessna 206 (five seater – single piston engine) bound for Kalamu airstrip.  A two hour transfer by light aircraft isn’t my ideal but the pilot was super and I must add that Bruce from United Air Charters who flew the helicopter was very professional.  The helicopter transfer was incredible as we flew low across the grass green plains – wow!  

Kalamu Lagoon Camp is situated in the Luamfwa Concession in the southern sector of the South Luangwa National Park and the camp falls into Wilderness’s Classic range of camps.  As before, I had the camp rundown and signed the indemnity form before being shown to my tent.  This time my tent was near to the main area and the view was overlooking a permanent lagoon, just off the Luangwa River.  This is where I saw Thornicroft’s giraffe which are endemic to the valley.

This afternoon was enjoyed relaxing in the main area which is where the bar, lounge, dining and pool area is located.  It was wonderful looking over the deck as there was lots of game and birds to be seen.  A herd of about 10 elephant with calves were in the far distance, waiting for a good time to come to drink.  I felt like I was seeing more just sitting and watching from above their waterhole, as the lagoon was quite dry, than being on a game drive. 

There were yellow baboons, waterbuck, puku, grey herons, yellow billed storks and guinea fowl. As I was travelling in October the rains had not yet come but it was just a matter of time until the lagoon would be full again. 

Had dinner with one of the assistant camp managers Frank.  I must add that the chef at Kalamu is brilliant and everyone at the table commented on how nice his food was.

It was hot this evening and I was happy to put the fan on, without it I wouldn’t have slept.

Sunday, 25^th of October

 

Had a super walk despite it being really hot.  Petrus, the camp manager, also came for the walk, so we had Lucson our guide in front with the park ranger (rifle in hand) and we all walked single file along the route with Petrus at the back.  We saw Thornicroft’s giraffe, hippos, lots of plains game and had a talk on the various dung samples we found along the way – this is interesting I promise! We also talked about various trees and saw a few baobabs and another favourite, the sausage tree. 

 

After returning back at camp for brunch and a quick snooze, we all headed off to a nearby village to meet the locals. This was interesting and I enjoyed seeing their school and their cute thatched huts.  It was a bit sad to see what little they had but I am hoping that they will benefit from the increase in tourism.

On the way back to camp we enjoyed a night drive and were lucky enough to see hyena.  At camp, at approximately 8pm, we were spoilt again with a delicious three course dinner before retiring.  We were all exhausted!

Monday, 26 October

This morning is my last morning and so I was allowed to sleep in a bit.  Wake up was at 6am and then breakfast at 7h00 for the 7h50 departure to Mfuwe with Sefofane charters, luckily on twenty minutes away.  On arrival I checked in for the Proflight flight which departed for Lusaka at 9h40, so arrival was at 10h50.   On arrival in Lusaka I was met by Dave a local Tour Operator and headed off for a city tour. It was very interesting to see some of the buildings covered in copper which was and probably still is their biggest export, although now they really have to drill deep down to reach any.  We weren’t able to see the Government buildings as they were closed to the public, so we headed off to a lovely restaurant and craft market.  They also have the Soweto Market which houses some 4000 stalls.  The markets are a hive of activity, the thousands of stalls are filled and cleared every day. A myriad of motor spares dealers, restaurants, hairdressers, fishmongers, fruit sellers and rows and rows of “salaula” – discarded clothing from the West sold to Africa by the bale. I also found that Lusaka had a lot of familiar shops – Pep, Shoprite, Mr Price etc. so if clients have time to kill and they want to do some general shopping they can.  Please just advise clients not to take valuables into the market.

At approx. 230pm I flew out with Air Zambezi which was pleasant enough, aboard an Air Namibia plane, and they served a light snack before landing in Johannesburg.

A wonderful experience and a sincere thank you to Wilderness Safaris, SA Airlink, Sefofane Air Charters, the camp staff and of course Unusual Destinations.

My bird sightings in Zambia:

Cattle Egret, Slaty Egret, Yellow-billed Egret, African Darter,Hamerkop,  Saddle-billed Stork, Marabou Stork, Yellow-billed Stork, Hadeda Ibis (like we have at home), Egyptian Goose, Bateleur, African Fish-eagle, Wattle Crane, African Jacana, Helmeted Guinea-Fowl, Copper-tailed Coucal (also known as crash landers), Meyer’s Parrot, Great White Egret, Red-necked Francolin, Cattle Egret, Goliath Heron, Brown-snake Eagle, Dickensons Kestrel, European Bee eater, Yellow-billed Kite, Pied Kingfisher, Malachite Kingfisher, Lilac-breasted Roller, different Hornbill, Red-capped Lark, Lessor-Stripped Swallow, White-backed Vulture and I think we say the White-headed as well. Unfortunately, I didn’t see Chaplin’s Barbet which is endemic to this area.

Mammal sightings:

Elephant, Thornicroft’s Giraffe (South Luangwa), Roan Antelope, Sable Antelope, Bushbuck, Oribi, Impala (not in the Busanga Plains area as they would get hoof rot), Greater Kudu, Puku, Common Reedbuck, Common Waterbuck, Hartebeest,  Plains (Burchell’s Zebra, Warthog, Hippos, Crocodiles, Peter’s Epauletted Fruit Bat, Side-stripped Jackal, Lion, Serval (saw two on the way from Lafupa to Shumba), Yellow baboons, Vervet monkeys and more…

ZAMBIA – GENERAL INFORMATION

-          Heavy rains in the Kafue from December to March – average of 1200 mm received in four months.

-          The backflow from the Lufupa river pushing north into the plains, makes it a watery Wilderness.  Busanga Plains is an internationally protected wetland area.

-          Lufupa river is the largest tributary within the Kafue National Park.

-          Kafue NP is Zambia’s largest national park, but its wildlife has not always proved so easy to see.  Rampant poaching during the ’70 and ’80 drastically depleted game populations.

-          Lufupa is in the central northern sector of Kafue National Park

-          Kalamu Lagoon Camp (previously known as Kwena Lagoon) is situated on the Luamfwa Lagoon.  This lagoon is the largest source of water away from the nearby Luangwa River and a magnet to local wildlife.

-          Zambia has a total surface area of 752,618 km square and total population of 11,668,460

-          Dollars to Kwacha use approx 4.5 as rate of exchange (subject to change of course)

-          Departure taxes US$25 per person when leaving Zambia. Sometimes this is included in the ticket – not when flying with Air Zambezi and some others.  South African Airways and Airlink include this amount in their tickets.

-          Domestic departure taxes US$8 per person – payable direct when departing internally on a flight out of Lusaka, Livingstone and Mfuwe airports.

-          When paying departure taxes please take exact amount of US Dollars as change is not usually provided.  Large denominations such as US$50 or US$100 bills are not accepted. Travellers cheques and credit cards are also not accepted for these taxes.

-          International Visa and MasterCard are generally accepted but American Express and Diners Club are not.  Wilderness Safaris’ camps are unable to accept American Express cards.  Some camps in remote areas do not accept credit cards at all.  Advisable to take small denominations of cash or travelers cheques.

-          Nationals of all Commonwealth countries do not require visas to enter Zambia except for countries that need visas on a reciprocal basis such as: Australia, Britain, Canada, India, New Zealand and Sri-Lanka.  Of those nationals that do require a visa, some countries are required to apply in advance in Zambia and others can apply on arrival at the port of entry. Costs vary depending on nationality.  Please refer to my little book on visas if you have any questions.  Multiple entry visas are required when entering Zimbabwe etc. etc. 

-          Luggage: 20 kg in soft bags (NO HARD SUITCASES) and preferably no luggage with wheels) when travelling to Zambia and Botswana.  Maximum dimensions of the soft bags: 25cm wide x 30cmhigh and 62cm long.  Notify Wilderness if passengers weigh more than 100kg’s – they will have to pay for an extra seat!  If they are travelling on a private charter everything has to be taken into account and it may mean clients can take more luggage.

-          All goods in Zambia are priced to include value added tax (VAT) of 17.5%

 

KAFUE NATIONAL PARK – helpful info

Habitats                                                                                                                                      

Miombo woodland dominates the Kafue National Park.

The Busanga Swamps in the far northwest  are a permanent wetland, surrounded by the open Busanga Plains.  In the very south the woodland thins out towards the Nanzhila Plains and mopane replaces the miombo.  Riverine forests lines the banks of the Kafue, and there are isolated pockets of teak forests. 

So what exactly is Miombo woodland? 

Miombo woodlands form a broad belt across south-central Africa, running from Angola in the west to Tanzania to the east. These woodlands are dominated by trees of subfamily Caesalpinioideae, particularly Miombo (Brachystegia), Julbernardia and Isoberlinia, which are rarely found outside Miombo woodlands. There are four ecoregions :

• Angolan Miombo woodlands (Angola)
• Central Zambezian Miombo woodlands (Angola, Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Malawi, Tanzania, Zambia)
• Eastern Miombo woodlands (Mozambique, Tanzania)
• Southern Miombo woodlands (Malawi, Mozambique, southern Zambia, Zimbabwe)

Despite the relatively nutrient-poor soil, long dry season (and low rainfall in some areas) the woodland is home to many species, including several miombo specialist endemic bird species. The predominant tree is miombo (Brachystegia spp.). It also provides food and cover for mammals such as the African Elephant, African Wild Dog, Sable Antelope and Lichtenstein’s Hartebeest.

Rivers

The Kafue River enters the park in the northeast and exits in the southeast.  It was dammed in the 70s .  Its major tributaries include the Lunga and Lufupa (northern sector) and the Nanzhila (southern sector).

Wildlife

Antelope species: roan, sable, sitatunga, red lechwe and Lichtenstein’s hartebeest.  Predators include lion, leopard, wild dog and notably cheetah.  Ele, buffalo and zebra are widespread, but there are no giraffe in Kafue, lots in South Luangwa – subspecies Thornicrofts Giraffe.  Hippo and crocs are numerous in the rivers.  Approximately 495 species of bird: wattled crane, Denham’s bustard on the grasslands, Pel’s fishing owl and African finfoot along the rivers, and black-cheeked lovebirds in the far south.