THE CLIMB OUT

South Luangwa is a magical place and we had loved every minute, camping overlooking the river, the wildlife in the camp and the amazing wildlife inside the park but it had to come to an end and we had to move on. After 6 days here we packed all away and set off

We had two choices, back the way we came to Chapata then back along the Great East Road, with hours and hours of road works to Lusaka or take a chance and do the “expedition route through the park and climb the escarpment up the side of the rift valley. This is what is says in our Zambia book about this route.

Driving from the south at Chapata is by far the easiest way to reach the park but driving from the north is a totally different story. It requires a small expedition of 2 well equipped 4x4 vehicles, driven by experienced bush drivers with a high degree of self reliance. It can only be done in the dry season.

It goes onto describe the route giving the map co-ordinates for the river crossings and the turn-offs you must take as well as describing the route up the escarpment.

After talking to the park guides and some of the rangers we decided that we would attempt the route to the north through the park. We had a good vehicle, we had got some food and water with us and we had a satellite phone for emergencies, so of we started.

The beginning was just the roads and tracks that we had been driving on in the park already. Fairly soon we started to cross the many dried up rivers. These were not always as easy as they seemed due to very deep sand and steep drop ins and drive outs but all went fine. We saw a few other vehicles, mainly guides looking for wildlife but soon these vehicles stopped and we were on our own. After about 4 hours we came across the first of the water crossings. It didn’t look too bad but we had been told to inspect them. Although it didn’t look that deep you never can tell hope soft the mud and sand are at the bottom are and I didn’t want to wade in as the park is home to many many crocodiles. After filling in a few deep sand holes on the steep entry we started down. We had already been driving in 4 wheel drive but now it called for us to go into low range as well on the gear box so we had the power to pull us in and through whatever we came across. The depth went to about 600 mm but the car pushed straight through and up the opposite bank.

On again through more sand and rockier terrain before we came to crossing number 2. This one was much wider and was told deeper. A first look was of a makeshift wooden bridge of branches onto white bags of sand placed in the river. We could not see the far side properly but we could see a water channel we had to drive through then a really steep exit from the water. We could also see crocodiles so no chance of wading out to look at this one.  Once again low range, 1^st gear and just go for it. The depth in the deepest part came to the top of the bumper and it was a very steep exit over tree branches and soft sand but again the Toyota made it easily.

The route now  was getting rockier and we started climbing. It was now after some 5 hours driving we met our first car coming towards us. We stopped and spoke to the Dutch family and explained the route they had ahead of them. They then said that we were now at the bottom of the escarpment and had about 5 kms of very steep, rocky and twisty track ahead of us. It had taken them about 90 mins to descend it and you are at crawling speed all the way. So this was the start of the climb, the most difficult and dangerous section of the route. A puncture here on the rocks is a big problem but again the trusty Toyota got is up the 1000 metre climb and to the top. It had been fun, probably easier to go up than down but we do aim to go back and will try it going down.

Once at the top and after signing out of the park it was a shortish drive to the main road then on to Kapisha Hot Springs for a couple of nights. This lodge and camp is part of an Estate called “Shiwa Ng’andu” and was the inspiration of Stewart Gore-Brown back in the early part of the 20^th Century. The estate has a lot of mystery and intrigue including the murder of  Sir Stewart’s daughter and husband, the estate falling into hard times and the current situation of it being run by some of the originator’s garandchildren. (look it up on the internet and you will see a lot more than I can put here)

Enjoying a soak in the hot spring after a long walk

Early in the morning the warm spring water gave off an beautiful mist

Thats me, The Head Man

Crossing bridges

It is a beautiful place, full of birds and of course the wonderful hot springs. These were especially welcome after a long walk we took towards the waterfalls and the new dam that has been built.

After Kapisha it was time to get on the road again to our final stop on this holiday. We were now heading back towards Ndola but didn’t have to be back for another couple of days. After a shortish trip of 3 hours or so down the Great North Road we turned of to the Mutinondo Wilderness Area . Here again it is really great for birdlife with lots of foresty and smaller streams and rivers this time of year. It also had a lot of weird “Whaleback” rocks that you could climb and look out over the countryside. This was a really relaxing site with a great lodge that we booked dinner at for our last night. The meal turned out to be more of a private supper party with the lodge owners hosting, Jan and I plus a Polish Missionary called Father Voldermort (well actually his name was something like Voldomore but we preferred our name) then two other guests, one of whom happened to be Kenneth Kaunda’s grand daughter. (name dropping)

Love the thought of this Barber shop

Sundowner on a "whaleback Rock"

A Panorama of the Mutinondo Wilderness area

Whale Back Rocks

Walking along a nearly dry water course

Mutinondo

A Final sundowner for this holiday

We had met many people on our travels and way to many to name but one couple do stand out. Iris and Walther are from Switzerland and we had first noticed them at The Wildlife Camp in South Luangwa. We had not spoken to them at this point but we noticed there Mercedes 4x4 campervan with Swiss Plates and that Walther was in a wheelchair.  They left a couple of days before us but we had not spoken. Whilst staying at Kapisha Hot Springs, they turned up and camped near us so we got talking. They had crated the Mercedes over to Africa a few years ago and it is stored in Namibia. They come over each year and drive around. The Mercedes had been fully kitted out so it was easy for a wheelchair user to occupy and had been adapted to drive with your hands so both could drive it. They then left Kapicha a day after us and joined us at Mutinondo where we chatted again but this time helped Walther and Iris get to the top of one of the huge Whaleback rocks to watch a sunset and join us in a great sundowner. A fantastic couple who are now continuing around Southern African countries before heading back to Europe in October.

Mutinondo was our last stop for this trip and the drive back to Ndola was a shortish, 6 hour and 500 km drive along the Great North Road and then up into the Copperbelt and home to our new house. A total of some 8000 Kilometres had been driven since picking up our car and temporary home in Johannesburg (More of tour new home and returning back to a "working" life in our in Next Blog)