Come and enjoy endless memories with the thundering Victoria Falls less than 10 minutes walk. The Victoria Falls Hotel offers a classic honeymoon experience like no other, whilst enjoying pure luxury in the heart of Africa.
For more than a century, The Victoria Falls Hotel has been the address of choice for Royal Families, statesmen, celebrities and discerning travellers as it occupies a fine location from which to explore the magical wonders of untamed Africa. Steeped in history and evoking a sense of a bygone era, the hotel continues to offer guests true luxury and excellent service.
www.victoriafallshotel.com
TV F H
[T] (+263-213) 2844751 / 9 or 2844203 / 5 [M] (+263-772) 132 174 or (+263-772) 132 175 [F] (+263-213) 2842354 / 2844762 [E] reservations@victoriafallshotel.com [skype] resmgr.tvfh
May - Aug 2021 | TRAVEL & LEISURE
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CONTRIBUTIONS
CONTENTS
COVER Leopard with a Puku kill. South Luangwa National Park. Photo credit: Shenton Safaris. Photographer: Francois d’Elbee
ISSUE 18 | MAY - AUGUST 2021
A Walk on the Wildside
Loving Lusaka
35
Interview with Leslie Nevison
38
Publisher Safari Magazine
6
Easing the Burden of COVID-19 10
Editor & Managing Director Andrew Muswala kwisanoent@gmail.com
Kariba Town: What’s on Offer
40
Nottingham Estate Resorts
44
Layout & Art Director Lyn Grandemange grandemangelyn@gmail.com Website www.zambiatravelmagazine.com Subscriptions kwisanoent@gmail.com +260 977 308 711
The importance of The Kaza TFCA
13
The Grey Crowned Cranes of
A Water Wonderland
17
Kasanka - a Hidden Gem
20
Paradise Found
22
Isolating on the Busanga Plains
24
Hwange National Park
46
Helping Hands in Snake Safety
49
Submissions We welcome editorial and photographic submissions to the magazine. Accompanying images should be sent in high-res jpg and minimum 3MB in size. Please send a synopsis of the proposed article to kwisanoent@gmail. com for consideration.
We are Victoria Falls
50
Getting Behind the Label
52
Artist Interview: Tichaona Ncube Destination Livingstone
30
Countdown to Extinction:
Seasons on the Zambezi
32
The African Elephant
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TRAVEL & LEISURE | May - Aug 2021
Contributors Brooke Berlin, Johann Vanzyl, Leslie Nevison, Mama Tembo Tours, Jeffery & McKeith Safaris, Sarah Kingdom, Chris Meyer, Christopher Walti, Stephanie Naidoo, Robin Pope safaris, Linde Meintjes, Alison Orr, Chundukwa River Lodge, Homer, Sally Wynn, Wild Zambezi, African Sun Hotels, Executive Air, Zambezi River Authority, Baobab Bookings, Rachel McRobb, Conservation South Luangwa, Freepix.com, Tich the Watchman, Kaingu Safari Lodge, Rosie Mercer, Shelley Cox, Africa Conservation Travel, Lute Maekaeka Kazembe, Safari Magazine, Tony Barnett, Angela Mason Ex Esterhuizen, Nottingham Estate Resorts, Livingstone Film Makers, Sean Hind, Victoria Falls Wildlife Trust, Wild Horizons, Bhejane Trust, Marcel van Driel, Mike Perry, Ngosa Chungu, Le Elementos Hotel, Makhosi Ncube.
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Printers New Horizon Printing Press Plot # LUS/9815/H Kafue Road, Lusaka, Zambia Copyright Copyright © All rights for material appearing in this magazine belong to Safari Magazine and/or the individual contributors. No part of this magazine may be reproduced either without the written consent of the publishers or without due acknowledgement.
www.zambiatravelmagazine.com
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May - Aug 2021 | TRAVEL & LEISURE
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A WORD FROM THE MD
A WORD
from the MD
[
ANDREW MUSWALA
WELCOME TO ISSUE 18 OF TRAVEL & LEISURE ZAMBIA & ZIMBABWE MAGAZINE.
]
The magazine’s essence is getting the Zambia and Zimbabwe brands in front of people, so that both domestic and international tourists can have first-hand knowledge on various tourism destinations found in these two countries. A walk on the wild side by Stephanie Naidoo (p6). Walking safaris allows you to experience the little things which are completely missed when in a vehicle, from investigating ancient termite mounds or interesting bird’s nest. The Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area, with its natural diversity of landscapes and wide open spaces therefore sits as an ideal post-COVID destination for travellers (p13). Northern Zambia is one of nature’s best kept secrets. Sacred, mysterious and beautiful, the rivers cascade in fabulous displays of falling water: remote, uncommercialised, yet truly spectacular. Sarah Kingdom takes us through ‘A Water Wonderland’ (p17). Kariba town offers holidaymakers a variety of choices to suit different pockets. Sally Wynn explores Kariba Town: what’s on offer (p40).
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TRAVEL & LEISURE | May - Aug 2021
[ PHOTO: Chiawa Safaris ]
Elsewhere, we look at Loving Lusaka (p35), We are Victoria Falls (p50), Artist interview (p54). Makhosi Ncube writes about Countdown to Extinction: The African Elephant (p58). Also we would like to welcome Lyn Grandemange to our team as our new layout director. We believe you will enjoy reading this publication and that hopefully it will help you plan your next visit to Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Happy Reading!
May - Aug 2021 | TRAVEL & LEISURE
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ZAMBIA | A WALK ON THE WILDSIDE
A Walk
ON THE WILD SIDE [ WRITER: Stephanie Naidoo ]
[ PHOTO: Robin Pope Safaris ] For those wanting to get closer to nature, a walking safari has got to be one of the most authentic and exhilarating ways to appreciate the African wilderness. There is nothing quite so liberating as exploring on foot, not being confined to a vehicle and thus able to go off the beaten track. How did walking safaris come about? South Luangwa National Park in Zambia is the home of the walking safari, however African safaris had to evolve quite a bit to get to where they are today. Norman Carr is widely recognized as one of the early pioneers of the photographic safari experience in Zambia and particularly for spearheading the concept of walking safaris. Prior to him, a typical safari to Africa was for trophy hunting only but through his love for wildlife, he managed to shift the paradigm and promoted the idea of people coming on safari purely to look and observe the wildlife and the surroundings. Today many of the original photographic camps that pioneered walking safaris are still accessible, like Nsefu Camp which was set up in the 1950’s and has gained notable popularity within the safari world! But what makes South Luangwa National Park so special? Many places profess to be “among the last untouched wilderness areas” or “wildlife sanctuaries”; South Luangwa National Park
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TRAVEL & LEISURE | May - Aug 2021
lives up to both these accolades and more. The South Luangwa National Park is 9,050 square kilometres; with the river, its tributaries and the riverine strips being the focus of the wildlife viewing. There are diverse habitats, from huge ox bow lagoons of varying stages of maturity, woodlands, ebony groves, grassland and thickets, that host a great variety of wildlife. Tracking Wildlife Aside from taking in the sights and sounds of the bushveld, walking safaris are to a larger extent focused on tracking wildlife, such as cats as well as the larger game including elephants, kudu, elands and giraffe. You are forced to use all your senses, giving you a chance to touch, smell, feel and hear everything around you, analysing different animal tracks, dung, broken foliage nearby with the help of the experienced guide. Although tracking requires patience and perseverance it is so very rewarding sensory and social experience! Jason Alfonsi has been