Boundless Bangweulu

CANOE TRIP Guided boat trips are an excellent way to explore Bangweulu and get up close with nature

Break away from the rush and immerse yourself in the sights and sounds of Bangweulu Wetlands - a world of wide open spaces where nature still follows her timeless rhythms. Listen to the grass sighing as the canoe glides along the channel, expertly poled along by your guide with skill developed over a lifetime navigating the maze of waterways of this vast ecosystem at the head of Africa’s mighty Congo River. With each stroke of the paddle, you’ll feel the worries of everyday life diminishing as you become more attuned to your surroundings. A flock of egrets flies up as the canoe passes, and you spot a jacana chick trotting over the lily leaves after its parent. A friendly fisherman waves, waist deep in the clear water emptying the contents of his basket trap into his dugout canoe. Your guide exchanges greetings and news with him in Bisa, the local language, never once interrupting the rhythm of his paddling. The voices carry across the water, blending in with the birds and splash of the pole, and in no time the warm sunshine and gentle gliding of the boat has you drifting off, the adventures of the long journey getting to this remote area already feeling like a distant memory. After a well earned rest, a new day dawns with almost deafening bird choruses, but today there’s only one bird that matters: shoebill. The Bangweulu swamp holds the second largest and most southerly population of these birds. Besides their northern stronghold in the Sudd Swamps on the Nile in South Sudan, shoebills are also found in a few isolated pockets wherever there is expansive, permanent swamp in Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya. These birds are naturally very rare, and this combined with their strange looks, large size and inaccessible habitat makes them one of the most sought-after species by birding - and wildlife enthusiasts. Bangweulu’s shoebills are seen by a combination of boating and trekking, depending on the season. Sightings of birds are best in the flooded season, from March to May, when they come to inflowing river deltas at the edge of the plains to forage. A morning’s game of ‘hide and seek’ around the papyrus and reedbeds inevitably results in a sighting, and if the bird is near a water channel they allow a very close approach by boat. There are also hundreds of water birds of every description to see along the way. In the dry season, from August to November, the shoebills retreat to deeper swamps to construct their nests. Once the chicks are a few weeks old, nest visits are permitted. Only one or two nests are opened for tourism visits, and these are kept short to minimise disturbance to the chicks and parents. It is generally quite a long trek to get to the nest, and visitors need a moderate degree of fitness. The trek plus the drive to and from camp takes the better part of a full day. Fortunately the drive to the nesting area offers a chance of spotting the athletic-looking Bangweulu tsessebe antelope running across the plains, or small groups of dainty oribi among the termite mounds. Bangweulu Wetlands is not only known for its

Author: Carl Huchzermeyer Photos: Megan Loftie – Eaton; John Lucas

LECHWE

In the flooded season (March–May) the plains are teeming with birdlife & the Lechwe mating season is in full swing.

shoebills: it is also home to 50,000 black lechwe antelopes. This species is endemic to the area and is well adapted to life in and around water. They occur in huge herds, and there are few places left in the world where one can still see herds of animals stretching all the way to the horizon. Black lechwe are photogenic and active animals; you can try take some really winning shots of them jumping or swimming across channels, walking in lines across the plains silhouetted by the setting sun, or maybe you’ll be lucky to witness a battle as two males lock horns while a choosy female stands by. The area is managed by the Bangweulu Wetlands Management Board, a partnership between the Zambian government’s Department of National Parks and Wildlife, the local communities, and the conservation management organisation, African Parks. The communities live in and around the conservation area, and have since the beginning of time depended on the ecosystem’s resources, especially the rich fishery. This makes Bangweulu Wetlands a unique and interesting place where you can see people and wildlife sharing the same spaces in relative harmony. The area is very safe, and being located on the Zambian plateau ensures pleasant weather year-round. A range of accommodation from self-drive camping to a fully-inclusive bush camp is available. Activities include birding, shoebill trekking, boat trips, game drives, bush walks and even a proposed multi-day cycling tour following the ancient paths walked by Dr David Livingstone, which are still in use today.

So pack your binoculars, camera and insect repellent, and come see one of Africa’s hidden gems! TL Z

SHOEBILL

The prehistoric looking Shoebill is the undisputed king of the swamp.