ONWARDS THROUGH ZAMBIA

Yes we did get our Report Order completed for another month. This we will both have to do every month until our full work permit comes through. Hopefully in Ndola it will be a formality as they have a file on us but at Livingstone it took all morning, as we had to have checks done again.

In Livingstone we spent a relaxing time, visiting a few sights and places for lunch and dinner. We also took the opportunity to visit the Falls once again. What a difference from back at the beginning of March when it was the rainy season. Have a look back at the photos from March to compare the flow. We were there at sunset so managed a few atmospheric shots into the setting sun.

Victoria Falls in the Dry season

Last time we crossed this bridge we were soaked by the spray

Sunset over the Falls

After refuelling the car plus supplies of food, beer, wine, and water it was time to set of again, this time north along the road to Lusaka then of on dusty, sandy tracks into the heart of Kafue National Park. We had visited here back in March but were very limited by the rains on where we could go. This time we would be using tracks seldom travelled and this had consequences on our first day. After passing the control gate in the south we were heading for Nanzhilla Plains and a camp there. It was about 70Kms from the gate to the camp and we were advised to use what is called the Cordon Road as the Plains road was still had 2 bridges washed away. About 50kms in, and no other vehicles had been seen we came across a junction with a small barrel with a hand written sign “Help. We are stranded 500 metres from here, Car broken down”. We didn’t know which track but luckily for them we found them first time. It was 5 people from UK and had burnt the clutch out. They broke down at 11.00 and it was now 3 and we were the first car to come along and may well have been the only one that day. We had a satellite phone so we tried to phone lodges marked in our book but without success until one lodge answered and basically said that they could not help. Not good as we were after them to phone someone. We had the co-ordinates of our sat nav and also the satellite phone but not a lot of use. We were not able to take all five so we took one onto the camp we were going to and found it was where they had come from. The owner at Nanzhilla then went to collect the other four and get them back to the camp. A two truck was arranged next day from Livingstone and again Steve took them the 90 kms to the main road through the deep sand. Must get some more numbers into the satellite phone for emergencies but really pleased we had it and it worked our end.

Nanzhilla Plains Camp was right by a small lake surrounded by reeds and the elephants came to drink each afternoon we were there.

Palm in the sunset

Waterbuck running through the reeds

After Nanzhilla we moved north again to a camp at Konkamoya and this one was on the edge of Lake Itezi Itezi, a man made dam on the River Kafue. This one had lots of birdlife around as well as the usual antelope and other mammals. Lion were heard close by at night but not seen sadly.

Lake Itezi Tezi

Egrets

Fishermen on the lake

More sunsets

We then moved on again and this time to a camp we had stayed at back in March. Then we stayed in the lodge as we could not drive all the way due to flooded roads, this time we are at the camp of Kaingu Safari Lodge, a really fantastic place and that is why we have returned.. I t was really good to meet up again with Gil and Julia as well as a great guide, Caly. Once again we were a little disappointed in the amount of animals seen. One of the problems in Kafue has always been poaching and the animals are very nervous of people. One animal that is plentiful in this area are Hippo. You see them in the river and hear them all night long.. On our last night here lion were heard calling very close to the camp but once again we could not find them.

Getting the early morning warmth

Yellow Billed stories

Elephant

White throated Bee Eater

Openbilled Stork in the low sun

Hippo watching us at a sundowner

Once we had left Kaingu Lodge and Camp we drove up to the middle road and turned east towards Lusaka. Jan and I had discussed the lack of good animal sightings so we decided to take the very long drive over the far east of the country and visit South Luangwa national Park. We made Lusaka after 350 Kms, stopped for supplies and refuelled the car then found a really nice camp on the outskirts of the city. It was very peaceful and away from the dense traffic and noise of the capital…. That was until 5am when a nearby religious retreat started singing and praying with a full sound system blaring out. We could have done without that but it did get us up early and onto The Great East Road towards  Chapata, South Luangwa and the border with Malawi. We had been told it was a long way, 550 kms to Chapata our next stop and that the road was bad for at least half of it. For us bad is not the word, up until about halfway the road was good and reasonably smooth tarmac with just the occasional pothole. After that the road the whole way to Chapata was being renewed so the authorities had put a temporary road alongside in dust and gravel. Normally these are not too bad but this was had huge great road humps every few hundred metres so a maximum speed of about 35 kms was achieved and often down to a lot less. It was a real pleasure the get to Chapata, a town with a real border feel as it is the nearest town to Malawi. Lots of money touts coming up to you and asking if you want to buy Malawi Kwatcha and then when you said no it was well we have Zambian Kwatcha. We never did find the rate but it would be a lot less than we get from banks. Talking of money the Zambian Kwatcha seems to be diving in value, lots of things are priced in US Dollars, especially in camps and lodges as well as official things like national Park entry fees etc so these are going up. When we arrived in June it was 7 Kw to 1 US dollar now it is 8. That doesn’t worry us unduly as it was 10 Kw to £1 and now we are getting over 12Kw. Once through the town it was onto the next camp at “Mama Rula’s.

Next stop was South Luangwa and this was just 150 kms away on a good road but that is for the next blog