ISSUE 14 - MAY - AUG 2019

TRAVEL & LEISURE

ZAMBIA

& ZIMBABWE MAY–AUGUST 2019 | EDITION 14

Destination Asia

THE PANGOLIN CRISIS

WILDEBEEST MIGRATION Liuwa Plain National Park

TRIBUTES

Benjamin Parker & Aubrey Njobvu

MANA POOLS...

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TRAVEL & LEISURE ZAMBIA / MAY–AUGUST 2019

CONTENTS Features Wood & Feather Designs: Jenny Chapple 06 Esnala Banda

Highlights from Photo Safaris with Edward Selfe 30

Destination Asia: The Pangolin Crisis Wisdom Muzoka

The Courageous Mulberry Mongoose Ladies 33 Kate Wilson

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Liuwa Plain's Wildebeest Migration in a Land of Hidden Gems

Kelsea Lee

12

Tributes: Benjamin Parker & Aubrey Njobvu Natasha Parker & Mindy Roberts

14

A Conversation with Chris & Charlotte McBride 16 Leelee Ngwenya The Lower Zambezi: Nature's Playground 20 Sarah Kingdom

Walking with Lions and Leopards Sarah Kingdom

34

Living My Wildlife Dream 38 Makhosi ‘Mak’ Ncube Poaching Steals From Us All Shelley Cox

Why Mana Pools Should Be on Your Bucket List 42 Sarah Kerr

Celebrating 25 Years of Wildlife Conservation Nikita Lyengar

22

A Very Close Encounter Nicky Dunnington-Jefferson

Living The Life of Luxury...Luangwa Style Sarah Kingdom

28

Green Tourism 47 Makhosi ‘Mak’ Ncube

Advertisers’ Index IFC 01 02 03 03 05 09 18

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40

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TRAVEL & LEISURE ZAMBIA

19 24 & 25 31 32 35 48 IBC BC

ProCharter Ltd Chiawa Safaris Edward Selfe Photo Safaris Tribal Textiles Remote Africa Safaris People & Places Machaba Safaris Zambian Ground Handlers

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A WORD FROM THE MD

TRAVEL & LEISURE

ZAMBIA Publisher Safari Magazine

Editor & Managing Director Andrew Muswala kwisanoent@gmail.com Sub-Editor Nicky Dunnington-Jefferson nicky.dj@sky.com Layout & Art Director Gemma Beardsall gemmakb@hotmail.co.uk Consultant Jo Pope popejo@gmail.com

Website www.zambiatravelmagazine.com

Welcome to the 14th edition of Travel & Leisure Zambia & Zimbabwe magazine.

The magazine continues to extend its footprint into the international market potential as Safari Magazine has recently entered into a partnership agreement with Aviation, Travel & Conservation News (ATC News). The agreement was made during this year’s World Travel Market Africa (WTM Africa) in Cape Town, South Africa from 10th to 12th April, 2019. ATC News has a subscriber base of 15,300 and 1,860,671 registered readers.

This now gives the magazine an extended reach into hard-to-reach international markets, thus greatly increasing circulation for the magazine.

At this year’s WTM Africa, it was our second year running exhibiting as a gold media partner. This magazine was the only magazine from Zambia and Zimbabwe at the travel show among other 20 publications from South Africa and across Africa. 300 copies were distributed at this year’s show to hosted buyers, travel professionals, tour operators and walk-in visitors.

In this issue we feature the wildebeest migration in Liuwa Plain National Park, Africa’s second largest migration, and writer Kelsea Lee explores more (p12). In Why Mana Pools Should Be On Your Bucket List, travel writer Sarah Kerr steps into this ancient landscape (p42), and pangolins have attracted a lot of attention for various reasons (p10). And we read about Sarah Kingdom’s experience of walking with big cats in South Luangwa (p34).

Also in this edition, enjoy a conversation with Chris and Charlotte McBride (p16). And we pay tribute to two men who contributed so immensely to tourism in Zambia, Benjamin Parker (p15) and Aubrey Njobvu (p14).

The Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority launched a public awareness campaign ‘Poaching Steals From Us All’ (p40) and travel writer Shelley Cox tells us more about this. We meet safari guide Makhosi ‘Mak’ Ncube (p38) and he writes about green tourism (p47). Kate Wilson tells us about the inspirational Mulberry Mongoose ladies (p33) and Nicky Dunnington-Jefferson warns us about getting too close to buffalo (p45). Jenny Chapple uses feathers in her designs (p6) and we can almost smell the products produced from African botanicals and essential oils (p26).

HAPPY READING!

advertise with us to be seen!

TRAVEL & LEISURE

ZAMBIA kwisanoent@gmail.com / +260 977 308 711 www.zambiatravelmagazine.com

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TRAVEL & LEISURE ZAMBIA

Subscriptions kwisanoent@gmail.com +260 977 308 711

Contributors Makhosi ‘Mak’ Ncube, Nicky DunningtonJefferson, Sarah Kerr, Shelley Cox, WildAid, The Zambezi Society, Flo Coughlan, Leelee Ngwenya, McBrides’ Camp, Joahim Dausch, Esnala Banda, Easthood Entertainment, Kelsea Lee, Andrew McDonald, Time + Tide, Nikita Lyengar, Francois D’Elbee, Scott Ramsay, Chiawa Camp, Sarah Kingdom, Royal Zambezi Lodge, Wisdom Muzoka, Kate Wilson, Mulberry Mongoose, Zillah Voss, Azimai, Chikunto Safaris, Edward Selfe, Karen Beattie, Project Luangwa, Jane Addey, Mindy Roberts, Natasha Parker, Tongabezi Lodge, Machaba Safaris 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.

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 Travel & Leisure Zambia 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.

On the cover

Boswell, the biggest elephant in Mana Pools National Park Photo credit: Flo Coughlan

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Wood and Feather Designs

by Jenny Chapple were born out of a vision to bring a piece of the wild and beautiful nature of Africa into the home.

'M

Jenny Chapple 6

TRAVEL & LEISURE ZAMBIA

y feather art was created in Zambia purely by chance in 2017. It started with a collection of guineafowl feathers collected while walking the dogs and riding the horses around the farm. Unable to walk past one of these beautiful feathers without picking it up, I sat at home in the arts and crafts room and turned them into an elephant for my friend’s birthday gift.

It was inspired by other silhouette art I’d seen,’ Jenny reveals.

The trademark of the collection is the depiction of African animals or country-

Writer: Esnala Banda Photography: Easthood Entertainment

style silhouettes made entirely from feathers; this collection is still growing and developing through self-teaching and trial and error.

‘My love for art has developed different ways to cut the silhouettes to give more definition and the use of different feathers to bring a more life-like appeal. I have always had a love for wild and wacky taxidermy, fur and feather, and this is my way to give that real-life aspect in a different form. All images are based on photos taken by me, or from customers for bespoke personal designs.’

She continues, ‘Each piece is hand drawn, cut and created whilst also using the occasional watercolour or acrylic. The original and most striking feather used (in my opinion) is guineafowl, a groundnesting bird found throughout Africa.

Other feathers used for my work include francolin, ostrich, marabou stork, dove and ibis, to name a few.’

Jenny discloses that she has plans to print some of the artworks digitally so as to transfer them to everyday household items such as fabrics, mugs and crockery and is very eager to work with local pottery or fabric producers.

One of her most sought-after pieces is her depiction of wild dogs, which uses a mixture of francolin, guineafowl and chicken feathers. Using a mix of feathers brings the image to life, as the brown chicken feathers used together with the black and white speckled guineafowl feathers call to mind the irregularly patterned fur of the wild dogs.

After numerous expressions of growing interest from friends and family, Jenny applied for the Zambia Art and Designs Show (ZADS) in 2018.

ZADS is the biggest showcasing event in the art and design industry in Zambia.

Each year Zambian artists and high-end

craft producers exhibit under canvas everything from T-shirts to handmade glassware, furniture, jewellery and fashion, as well as hand-painted textiles, leather luggage and pottery. ZADS is the single best opportunity to see and buy the very best of Zambia’s quality products. And at ZADS, Jenny won Most Innovative New Product prize in a competition sponsored by Private Enterprise Programme Zambia (PEPZ).

The prize consisted of a trophy designed and crafted in Zambia, a cash prize of ZMW 10,000, as well as a professional photo shoot of the collection with a double-page spread in a leading Zambian magazine.

PEPZ works with, and through, the private sector to design and implement sustainable business solutions to the big and complex issues that hold back economic development. PEPZ invests in the craft sector as there is a large global market in handicrafts, with routes to markets that have worked for other African countries such as Mali, Senegal, Kenya and Morocco.

TRAVEL & LEISURE ZAMBIA

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Jenny details that she tailored her stand in such a way that customers could visualise where the art could go in their homes.

‘Some of the benefits of going to ZADS are that I got more interest in my art from local people.

It also helped me gain more confidence and I’m using the platform to get more people involved.’

Jenny explains that she relies mostly on word of mouth to market her work, and that there are a lot of repeated interest orders as people often come back for bespoke presents which she can create to suit every occasion.

Currently, Wood and Feather Designs are a one-woman show although Jenny is looking to expand, and she teaches local helpers on the farm how to ‘prep’ feathers as they are eager to learn.

Depending on the size and intricacy of the design, a piece of artwork can take about three to four hours. She first prepares the feathers to make sure they’re clean. Then the feathers are cut to the right size as bulky, stalky feathers don’t stick well on paper. Jenny then draws the desired picture in pencil on paper then uses a sandwich effect to layer the feathers down into that shape with card.

Jenny also experiments with up-cycling objects that are especially local to Zambia such as mbaulas (braziers), turning them into tripod lamps as she nurtures her interest in interior design.

‘Every year I am proud to contribute my art towards the Conservation Lower Zambezi charity for local artists, and money raised goes towards the poacher prevention and wildlife protection units of the Lower Zambezi,’ she adds.

Jenny Chapple is a graduate of Harper Adams University with a degree in Animal Health and Welfare and has over five years’ experience in the veterinary pharmaceutical industry.

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TRAVEL & LEISURE ZAMBIA

The trademark of the collection is the depiction of African animals or countrystyle silhouettes made entirely from feathers

DESTINATION ASIA

THE PANGOLIN CRISIS

Writer: Wisdom Muzoka Photography: Nikita Lyengar, Wisdom Muzoka

P

angolins have attracted attention in recent years and the reasons are troubling.

It is estimated that nearly 300 pangolins are trafficked globally on the black market each day, making the pangolin the most trafficked mammal in the world.

Pangolins use their body and scales to protect themselves from predators by rolling into a ball, covering vulnerable body parts and exposing razor-sharp scales that can easily cut intruders. This keeps predators like lions and leopards at a distance. It is, however, useless against their greatest predator—poachers— who just pick them up.

It is estimated that more than a million pangolins were illegally taken from the wild in the decade preceding the year 2014 to feed the Asian black-market demand for their scales.

The demand for pangolins and their scales is fuelled by misinformed beliefs about their healing and magical powers, making pangolins highly prized in traditional Asian medicines, especially in China and Vietnam. Pangolin scales are believed to treat a range of illnesses including asthma, arthritis, malarial fever and deafness, among others. Pangolin scales are also thought to have mystical powers and are thus used to treat women supposedly possessed by devils, among other mystical applications.

However, these claims are speculative and unfounded. Pangolin scales are made of keratin, the same material found in human hair and fingernails, and science hasn’t found either to have healing medicinal use.

Due to the largely unrestrained poaching of wild Asian pangolins, populations of these mammals left in the wild have greatly reduced, shifting traffickers’ attention to African pangolins. One report estimated that 80 per

cent of pangolin scales confiscated in recent years are from African species (Dr. Challender, Dan. Saving Pangolins from Extinction. BBC Two: Natural World. 20th February, 2019). The article is supported by the fact that there were shipments of pangolin scales seized in China and Malaysia, involving an estimated 100,000 African pangolins in 2017 alone.

While their razor-sharp scales and elusive nature cannot protect pangolins from poachers and traffickers, the law can. On a global scale, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) listed all eight species of pangolins in Appendix 1 in 2016, prohibiting international commercial trade in pangolins and their products. In addition, countries affected by poaching have set up local authorities and legal provisions aimed at protecting pangolins and other wildlife.

Zambia is one of the African countries that has seen a rise in pangolin poaching in recent years; the country is used as a source and transit route for poached pangolins. Pangolins have thus been granted the status of Protected Animal, under Section 130 (1) of the Zambia Wildlife Act No. 14 of 2015. Illegal possession of pangolins or their products carries a minimum sentence of five years’ imprisonment with hard labour and the government seems committed to enforcing this, showing no tolerance to pangolin poachers.

In 2018, authorities arrested two Chinese nationals who attempted to leave the country with pangolin scales in their luggage. Court records further indicate that more than 10 locals were sent to prison for pangolin-related offences in Eastern Province alone last year.

While law enforcers and conservationists are making great strides in protecting the world’s most trafficked mammal, poaching of pangolins is still a serious issue that needs immediate attention.

TRAVEL & LEISURE ZAMBIA

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Liuwa Plain’s Wildebeest Writer: Kelsea Lee Photography: Andrew McDonald, Time + Tide

A

bout the Liuwa Plain As you take off over the vast Liuwa plains, helicopter blades whirring overhead, the orderly roads and buildings of Kalabo gently give way to a smattering of villages tucked within the forest below. Thatched roofs cluster around a campfire, fringed by rows of cassava, corn, and banana trees. As you pass by, small children smile brightly and wave their ‘Hellos’. Abruptly, the forest and villages fall away, and savannah fills your vision, rolling out to the farthest reaches of the horizon.

One of the most spectacular ecosystems in Zambia, both in diversity and abundance of species, sprawls before you: Liuwa Plain National Park. Home to Africa’s second biggest wildebeest migration, a flourishing cheetah population, prolific hyenas, magnificent birdlife and the famed Lady Liuwa lion pride, this remote and little-visited park offers one of the best and most authentic natural and cultural experiences in all of Africa.

Why choose Liuwa Plain for your migration experience?

A journey to the Liuwa Plain reveals a destination that offers vistas stretching to the ends of the Earth, utter tranquillity away from crowds, and wildlife displays on a scale that only Africa can stage—there is magnificence in seeing a thousand animals moving in unison, sweeping gracefully across a landscape. You can watch a flock of crowned cranes flying low, their wingtips brushing the feathery grass, gaze up at a chiliad of pratincoles swirling skyward...and most exciting of all, thrill to a huge herd of wildebeest thundering past, their silvery-blue hides lustrous in the beautiful light of sunset.

As a destination still largely off the radar for most tourists, you will enjoy Liuwa’s migration experience without any of the crowds typical of East Africa. With Time + Tide King Lewanika as the only permanent lodge in the park, there is never more than a handful of vehicles exploring the entire 3,660 square kilometres of wilderness. A stay at the lodge promises exclusive access to the diverse safari activities on offer in the region, blended with a stunning and luxurious in-camp experience that will inspire even the most seasoned travellers.

When to see the migration At the end of the dry winter months, when the scent of rain laces the air and the promise of tender shoots is irresistible, thousands of wildebeest and zebra begin their southward migration into the plains surrounding Time + Tide King Lewanika. The season typically lasts from November to April, bringing with it towering thunderclouds, a vibrant tapestry of wildflowers and lagoons, and the best chance to witness the wildebeest rutting and birthing seasons. This is also the time when the migratory birds arrive in

droves, drawn to the plentiful food and breeding habitat provided by the flood plains.

Experiencing the migration While out with Time + Tide’s award-winning guides, you can discover the theatre of life that centres around the migratory herds. A diverse selection of activities spanning land, water and air gives a well-rounded and incredibly memorable safari. As a bonus, without any crowds, photographers can always get the best angle to capture the magic.

By land…

Game drives offer the advantage of covering more ground, and therefore more potential wildlife sightings. You can immerse yourself in the middle of the large herds, until there are endless wildebeest in every direction and their calls echo all around you as in an amphitheatre. Liuwa’s lions, cheetahs and hyenas also follow the herds, providing plenty of unfolding action for you to watch.

A walking safari reveals the nuances of a landscape characterised by boundless grandeur. By slowing down and experiencing the land at its own pace, you gain a better understanding of how every part works together in perfect harmony. You’re not just admiring wildebeest in a field of wildflowers...you’re smelling the flowers, noticing the fine details of their petals, observing the bumblebees buzzing from bloom to bloom...

By water…

Canoeing through the Liuwa flood plains offers the same quietude of a walking safari, but with a whole new perspective. You begin upstream from the lodge and drift peacefully down with the gentle flow. And without any crocodiles or hippos, the experience is very safe and relaxing. From your canoe, you can see hyenas cooling off in the shallows and watch wildebeest and lechwe cross right in front of you as a hundred cranes and egrets take flight in unison.

By air…

To appreciate fully the grandeur of the plains, take to the air for a scenic helicopter flight. Departing directly from the lodge, you will be treated to awe-inspiring views of the large herds as they meander across the savannah, and be captivated by the earth below, where azure lagoons dot a landscape painted with broad brushstrokes of ochre, gold and chartreuse.

Join the road less travelled If you are looking for an experience on the road less travelled that will leave you feeling fully alive and inspired by the wonders of the natural world, a safari in Liuwa Plain is perfect. Offering exclusive access to an iconic migration experience, dazzling wildlife displays, breath-taking scenery and an activity-rich safari with Time + Tide, it is ideal for modern-day explorers. Come, let us show you how the wildest places can offer the greatest luxury, pure and simple.

Migration in a Land of Hidden Gems

TRAVEL & LEISURE ZAMBIA

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Tributes

vu Tide b jo e + N rey e Tim b Au Guid ior

Sen

Writer: Mindy Roberts Photography: Time + Tide

I

t is with a heavy heart I write this tribute after our family recently lost a beloved friend— longtime guide and mentor in the South Luangwa, Aubrey Njobvu.

A member of our family since 1999, Aubrey was a gentle man with a poetic soul and a dry sense of humour. His deep-felt passion for the bush spilled over to his immediate family, his team and all those of you lucky enough to explore the South Luangwa Valley with him.

Many of our lives were touched by him and his passing leaves our Zambian homes quieter and less colourful places. I was incredibly moved, after sending out the news of Aubrey’s death, when I received dozens and dozens of emails from past guests and our own team, sharing their stories, photos and memories of Aubrey. Email after email described a legendary storyteller and a gentleman, who was wise and patient, with a wonderful sense of humour and a deep affinity for the bush and wildlife. These quotes are taken from some of the emails...

‘He made us search through the dust to find a black and white zebra hair; he loved sharing all that was big or small’.

‘Aubrey encapsulated the spirit of the Valley and the permanent legacies of Norman Carr’.

‘I write to you and my eyes are brimming with tears, for this man was a king in his kingdom. In my opinion he was the best guide, the best teacher and indeed a kind friend. With a sparkle in his eyes, he left you feeling you were his most important guest’.

Aubrey’s words were poetry, spoken calmly and softly: ‘Life is like a spider’s web. We are all spun into the same web; if you cut one strand, you just end up destroying yourself...life is precious’.

‘The African bush is written in pencil, not pen. There is always an eraser close by to change it at any second’.

‘The thing is, a game drive is like looking at the pictures in a beautiful book; a bush walk is when you read the words’.

‘He guided us on all six of our safaris with you and it was always a highlight of our trips to meet up with him’.

Abraham, a long-time friend of Aubrey’s and current Time + Tide senior guide/manager, shared this memory from Aubrey’s final weeks, ‘Though in pain, he was joking as always. He knew he was dying and openly talked about it in such a hilarious way, “My days to the fig tree are closing in.”’ Abraham explains, ‘He was referring to the sycamore fig tree which is a landmark at the graveyard in his village.

He likened his situation to that of an old male lion ousted from his pride and being mocked and teased by prey grazing a few feet from him. I laughed and shed tears at the same time.’

I was lucky enough to work alongside Aubrey for almost 10 years and one of my favourite memories is a walk between the Sleepout and Time + Tide Kakuli. On the walk I asked Aubrey, ‘How likely is it to see porcupine on foot?’ to which he replied with his cheeky smile, ‘How else do you think you’ll see them, Mindy?’

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Kind, compassionate and wise, Aubrey leaves a lasting legacy and an absence that will be sorely felt.

TRAVEL & LEISURE ZAMBIA

We miss you, Aubrey.

B

enjamin Parker arrived in Zambia in 1986, making a powerful impression on the Livingstone locals by flying in on a microlight with floats. He had an adventurous streak which led him to drop out of university to hitchhike around Africa, and it was this trait which enabled Ben to change Zambian tourism forever.

Tributes AT Ben rib jam ute t in Par o ker

Ben in his element: driving a boat on the Zambezi

Ben’s Zambian journey began with giving microlight flight instruction. He had a tendency to fly high above the spray of Victoria Falls as the sun was setting, then turn off the engine and float towards the ground, hardly bothering to let his passenger know that he had done it on purpose. Whilst this was ‘great fun’, Ben and a friend, Will Ruck Keene, hatched plans to run safaris in Zambia. They fell in love with a stretch along the Zambezi River and, inspired by the local people and by the river itself, they named their project Tongabezi and started to build a camp.

Tongabezi opened in 1990 as five tented chalets and a bunch of bucket showers. It grew to encompass Sindabezi Island Camp and the Livingstone Island Tours. Despite the tragic loss of Will in a car accident in 1997, Ben stayed committed to their dream and worked to bring Zambia to the world. In 2018 Tongabezi was one of Condé Nast’s Top 20 Hotels in the World.

Ben and Will planning Tongabezi’s next adventure

Ben’s personal life also grew. Vanessa Saunders initially came to Zambia as a volunteer mathematics teacher, but Ben put in a lot of effort (as well as romantic camping trips along the river and many, many sunset flights) into convincing her to stay in the capacity of his wife. The two were married on Sindabezi Island under a sausage tree. Vanessa arrived in a banana boat strewn with bougainvillea and Ben in a canoe with his brother, Stephen; Ben and Stephen even stopped to catch a fish on the way to the wedding.

With Vanessa on board, Ben and Tongabezi turned towards promoting sustainability, especially for the Tongabezi staff and local community. Vanessa opened a trust school and before long she and Ben had three girls of their own: Natasha, Acacia and Tamara. The girls grew and so did Tongabezi and the Tongabezi School, which now supports over 250 local children.

It became clear that the Parkers were only a small, vital part of a very large and happy family.

Tragically, Ben lost a furious fight against cancer earlier this year. Hundreds of people poured in from around Zambia in order to pay their respects to a man who had changed their lives, and ‘the face of Zambia’, forever. Chief Mukuni spoke, and it was said of Benjamin Parker that, ‘He had a British passport, but an African heart’.

Tongabezi has passed into the very capable hands of Vanessa Parker who understands the heart of this special place. It will continue to be managed by Rudy Boribon, as it has for the last 12 years. Ben’s daughter, Natasha, is Tongabezi’s marketing manager.

Please contact her with any messages for the Tongabezi Family.

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Ben and Stephen arriving at Ben’s wedding

Writer: Natasha Parker Photography: Tongabezi Lodge

Interview

A CONVERSATION

WITH CHRIS &

CHARLOTTE

MCBRIDE

Writer: Leelee Ngwenya Photography: McBrides’ Camp, Joahim Dausch

businessman man originally from Durban.

During Chris’s childhood, his father fought the Germans in the desert in World War Two. Chris says, ‘I saw him for the first time after about two or three years when he came back from the war. He and his brother bought a property adjoining the Kruger National Park.

They were both keen on wild animals and so I grew up visiting about 10,000 acres of what later became known as the Timbavati Private Nature Reserve.’

to her cubs. I often wonder how many charging lions have been shot unnecessarily.’

As an adult, Chris went on to study lions. ‘I did my Master’s thesis (in Wildlife Management/ Natural Resources at Humboldt State University in California) and learned very hen you meet Chris and quickly that lions don’t worry about vehicles.

Charlotte McBride you immediately feel Konrad Lorenz, the Austrian founder of the welcome in their home. I visited them at their study of animal behaviour—ethology— very beautiful and serene Lusaka residence theorised that animals work on genetic and was greeted enthusiastically by their programming and learning and that humans rescue dogs. Chris then led me to what can be While enjoying his time in the wilderness, are in the programme and animals fear us. described as an outside tea room where I was Chris became friendly with tracker Jack (There are exceptions, such as man-eating and introduced to his delightful wife, Charlotte.

Mathebula. ‘Jack was a brilliant tracker and my imprinting. Imprinting is where a very young We sat and drank coffee while we spoke about sport when I was a teenager was to go with animal, removed from its parents, “imprints” Chris’s native South Africa, and Zimbabwe, on a human as the parent.) him and track lions. He would say to me, where Charlotte is from.

“Listen, we are getting close now, don’t look on 'For lions, a human is an upright shape with a the ground, look in front.” We would observe Chris and Charlotte together part-own and run the sleeping lions which we then left alone. certain scent. Vehicles are not threatening to McBrides’ Camp in Kafue National Park and an animal but if you stand up, even in a vehicle, What I learned from him was amazing.

Chris’s eyes light up as he speaks about his you are a threat because then you are recoglife and wildlife in particular. Chris is also well ‘On one particular walk we found fresh lion nised as human. You can get as close as you known worldwide for his books about lions like in a vehicle as it’s not in the programme. spoor and there was a lioness that had gone and I was here to delve into the subject of lions through that area. I was with my friend who However, if you chase them in a vehicle, they and writing about them. When Chris speaks will learn instantly that it is a threat, but treat wanted to throw stones to see if the lioness about lions he does so with passion, something was there. He proceeded to throw stones and them gently and they will be fine.’ he shares with his late father, Cyril, explaining, on the third attempt the lioness charged out, ‘My father was fascinated by lions for some We return to the subject of Timbavati. growling thunderously. Jack shouted, “Yima reason and I suppose I got keen on them ungadubuli!” meaning, “Stay still, don’t shoot”. Charlotte remembers their time there with the because he was centred on them.’

The lioness had stopped 25 metres away; she white lions so fondly, telling me, ‘They were a wonderful part of our lives and the book, had charged out of fear for her cubs! We Chris McBride was born in Johannesburg The White Lions of Timbavati, was translated managed to make our escape by quietly where he grew up with his late father, a walking off into the distance and she returned into eight languages and eventually made it to

W

number four on the best seller list in the UK’s prestigious Sunday Times newspaper. Because these animals were unique, the success of the book was special for us in as much as it got people from all over the world interested and involved with lions and conservation…it was a great conservation tool.’

the lions, provided that a link between that sound and meat had been made,’ he told me.

had guests at the time and you cannot focus solely on lions when you have guests. This book explores other wildlife and is not the same formula as working on a scientific study.’

Charlotte remembers, ‘You can imagine the strains of this amazing music floating through the starlit bush…then, slowly appearing like I turn to Charlotte and ask her about the ghosts through the darkness, two white lions…’ future. ‘Chris has continued with his passion for lions, and now, today, new memories are One white lion story unfolds like this… An When it comes to his differing styles of storymade daily at McBrides’ Camp…lions roaring unscrupulous hunter was offered a telling in his writing, Chris explains, ‘I don’t throughout the night at the camp, our guests considerable sum of money for a white lion choose…I just think of what I want to say and huddled safely under their blankets…Lone trophy. Now, one way to attract lions is to play start writing. LIONTIDE is my best work. That Ranger—our huge resident hippo—lying fast sounds of hyenas cackling, as lions know this was full-time research and there was a lot asleep next to the dining area, snoring gently… indicates that the hyenas have found meat. more data there as we were with the lions all and five beautiful lionesses strolling through Chris explains, ‘The danger fence was where the time. If you are studying lions, you cannot the camp, deciding to rest in front of the dining the hunter was and a carcass was nearby. just study them in isolation; they are at the top room while guests were having brunch. These The white lions had to be kept away from the of the food pyramid. You have to look at the lovely, relaxed golden girls greatly outstayed danger fence, where they would have been entire ecosystem. If you see a stable pride of their welcome and no one could go to their shot. We had to find another sound they would lions you know that everything underneath rooms until the lionesses moved on, in their come to.’ them is thriving in that ecosystem…from the own good time.’ antelope, kudu and wild boars to the birds Chris’s solution was to adapt the Pavlovian and insects. I like to compare the ecosystem’s Chris adds, ‘I hope to accomplish part two of theory of conditioning dogs to associate food thriving to the miner’s canary in a cage; if it LIVING WITH LIONS with my wife and I would with a particular sound (in Pavlov’s case, a died he knew there was poisonous gas in the love to do a lot more writing now. Charlotte bell), but Chris chose another sound… mine. Similarly, if there are no stable prides in can write really beautifully, her mother Beethoven’s Triple Concerto, to entice the lions that ecosystem, something is wrong.’ influenced her to read, and she just has a away from danger! natural instinct with wildlife.’

A stark contrast to the storytelling of ‘We conditioned the white lions to associate LIONTIDE is that of LIVING WITH LIONS: The magic of lions continues to enthrall and another sound with meat, by playing this (the McBrides’ Diaries–Part 1 which is written captivate…so say the McBrides— and I agree. concerto) when the lions were eating, and so more in a diary style and incorporates letters after a while they would come to the sound between his wife, Charlotte, and her mother as and a carcass. It would have made no well as journal entries. That book was written difference what sound was chosen to attract under different circumstances he explains, ‘We

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The Lower Zambezi

THE LOWER ZAMBEZI…

Nature's Playground Writer: Sarah Kingdom Photography: Royal Zambezi Lodge

T

he Lower Zambezi National Park

is located in southern Zambia, with the Zambezi River forming the boundary between Zambia and Zimbabwe. This is an area known for its abundant wildlife, with everything from herds of elephant to fish eagles and everything in between. The river itself is home to hippos and crocodiles and the coveted tiger fish. To the north of the 4092 square-kilometre park is the steep and rugged Zambezi Escarpment.

Most visitors arrive by boat or light aircraft.

However, not having either of those means of transport at our disposal, we decided to drive. Five hours after leaving Lusaka, three of which were spent on dirt road, we reached Baines’ River Camp. A slight ‘issue’ with dirty fuel and a clogged fuel filter had slowed us down just long enough for me to, single-handedly, eat all the ‘snacks’ I had packed for our road trip…something I was to regret deeply when we arrived at camp to be greeted with a bountiful and delicious lunch!

Baines’ River Camp is located just upstream of the national park boundary, inside the

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Game Management Area (GMA), with spectacular views over the Zambezi. Named after Thomas Baines, the famous 19thcentury artist and explorer, this small and intimate lodge really captures the feel of a bygone era with its classic colonial-style buildings and casual elegance.

Just as the sun was setting, we heard the hum of an aeroplane approaching, and were perfectly positioned to see the regular patrol flight of the Conservation Lower Zambezi (CLZ) ‘plane passing directly over our heads. The park is home to lion, hippo and wild dog, who are all listed as ‘Vulnerable’ or ‘Endangered’ under the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as a result of poaching and the illegal trade in wildlife products. To counteract this, CLZ, a non-profit NGO (non-governmental organisation), was set up in 1994 to work to preserve the wildlife in the national park and GMA (a total area of approximately 9,000 square kilometres). CLZ provides technical advice and support to the Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DNPW), administers an environmental education programme targeting over 2,500 young scholars a year, and runs a community support programme focusing on human/wildlife conflict mitigation in the neighbouring GMA. After 20 years of working with local wildlife authorities in the Lower Zambezi valley, CLZ is now one of the oldest, most well-established and well-recognised conservation organisations in Zambia.

Straight after lunch we were off onto the river and it was wonderful to reconnect with all the sights, sounds and smells of the bush around us. Our boat ride took us downstream into the national park, past elephants with babies and pods of hippos, to the spot where our canoes were ready and waiting on the river bank. Leaving the main river, we headed off down a channel fringed with overhanging jackalberry and Natal mahogany trees. We would re-join the main river after seven kilometres. This was some of the easiest canoeing I’ve ever done.

I had paddled for all of five minutes when our guide, Luke, informed me that I could put down my paddle, as he would steer and the current would carry us through the channel…so much for getting in any exercise to burn off all those ‘car snacks’ and enormous lunch! We spent a tranquil afternoon drifting downriver, past banks teeming with birdlife, stopping briefly on an island for a drink and to watch the sun go In the morning we awoke to a river as down on our first evening in this beautiful smooth and shimmering as shot silk, park. stretching out in front of us across to the

The Lower Zambezi opposite bank. Mist was rising off the water and the air was crisp as we set off in the boat, rugged up in blankets. 20 minutes and 30 kilometres later we reached the park boundary, stopping briefly while our driver went to sort out entry formalities. A little while later we disembarked from the boat and into our waiting vehicle, setting off for an early morning game drive.

Within minutes we heard the roar of a lion and saw its footprints on the sandy road.

Around the bend we heard baboons raising an alarm call, warning the rest of the troop of a leopard in the thicket. Carrying on we found, in quick succession, the spoor of hyena and then wild dog… we knew we were really back in the bush.

A myriad of birds surrounded us; 378 species have been recorded in the park.

Red-billed and yellow-billed hornbills swooped through the trees like clowns with their oversized beaks, black crakes flitted on the river bank, a woolly-necked stork preened itself in the shallows, and one of my personal favourites, ground hornbills, strode across the landscape as if heading to an important meeting. Luke pointed out what was new to me, but apparently not uncommon locally, a pair of collared palm thrushes.

Rounding the bend in a dry riverbed, we stumbled upon a lioness sleeping in the deep wheel ruts left behind in the sand by previous vehicles. The guides knew her and said she had two young cubs that she must have hidden out of sight nearby. We watched and waited for some time, but aside from some tiny lion footprints in the sand, we didn’t see a trace of the babies; clearly they were obeying mum’s orders to stay out of sight.

Spotting some vultures swirling high in the sky we headed in their direction, eventually reaching the spot on which they seemed to be concentrating. The trees were weighed down by lappet-faced and white-backed vultures, but we could find

no trace of any fresh kill. We did however find the ripe-smelling, month-old carcass of an elephant, rather curiously alongside an equally desiccated crocodile carcass.

Luke filled us in on the story. Apparently, a month earlier, the elephant had died of natural causes. The crocodile, attracted by the promise of a feed, had walked from the river to feast on the elephant meat, only to meet his own fate in the jaws of a leopard.

The rest of our morning was a journey through the picturesque riverine landscape of ebonies, leadwoods, acacias and fig trees, past Natal mahoganies, ilala palms, winterthorns and battle-scarred baobabs, until we reached an oxbow lake, luminously green with water hyacinth, where we stopped for a bush breakfast.

We were watched by a pod of bobbing hippos and we, in turn, watched an old, lone buffalo chomping his way morosely through mouthfuls of the unappetising water hyacinth.

Saying goodbye to Baines’ River Lodge we shifted a little downstream, closer to the park gate, and took up residence at Royal Zambezi Lodge, a picturesque, thatched lodge situated at one of the broadest points of the river. Setting out from the lodge, a sedate afternoon boat cruise soon turned into an unexpected game-viewing opportunity: we found seven lions resting on the river bank; five sub-adult males and two young females lazing on the banks of the Zambezi. Two of the young males lay right on the edge of the overhanging river bank, watching us intently, not remotely shy or timid. These were a group, the guides told us, who had swum across the river from Zimbabwe, looking to claim new territory.

Worn out by the ‘rigours’ of safari life, I decided to take the next day off from boats, vehicles and early morning wake-up calls.

Waking at 5.30am, just long enough to push my husband out of the door and off on a fishing expedition, I allowed myself a sleep-in, a cup of tea in bed and a leisurely

breakfast alone while all the other lodge guests were out on ‘activities’.

But a day of relaxing did not mean a day devoid of wildlife. Whilst I may have decided not to go to the animals, that did not stop them coming to me! A precocious young vervet monkey staged an ambush, helping itself to my unattended bread roll while I was distracted at lunch. After lunch, I retired for a nap on the daybed located on our private verandah that jutted out over the wide river bank. An enormous monitor lizard surprised me by suddenly appearing from underneath the verandah. Not remotely intimidated by me, it took its time thoroughly investigating the area before ambling off. Once ensconced on the daybed I had a rather pleasant nap, only stirring to check what was making the rustling noises beneath the deck. This turned out to be two huge extended families of warthogs, with three large elephants close by. As the sun went down I watched three malevolent-looking crocodiles ‘fishing’ in the river in front of our room, lying motionless in the water with their mouths slightly open, waiting for a snack to simply swim into their welcoming jaws.

Our last night in the Lower Zambezi was definitely one to remember. Driving a short distance downstream from the lodge, we arrived in a clearing where a long, lanternlit table was set up for a bush dinner under a full moon, the sky above us like a blanket of shimmering stars. Lions roared across the water and we were serenaded by an ‘African choir’ of lodge staff. Half way through dinner we heard splashing behind us in the water and turning saw a lone elephant wading across the river, heading our way, a silvery stream of reflected moonlight in its wake— I had visions of diners scattering in all directions. But the elephant reached a deep channel in the river and disappeared under water. Resurfacing, he changed direction, heading downstream and leaving our dinner undisturbed. It was a magical end to a magical trip.

TRAVEL & LEISURE ZAMBIA

21

The Lower Zambezi

Celebrating 25 Years of Wildlife Conservation in the Lower Zambezi

O

n the cusp of the confluence near a territorial hippo pod, where the Chongwe River flows into the mighty Zambezi, lies the entrance to a wild, thriving and sublime 4,000 square kilometres of Zambian heritage—the Lower Zambezi National Park. The park once sustained black rhino and today is home to iconic megafauna including elephant, lion, leopard, wild dog, pangolin and more…Through its versatile landscapes and plentiful species, there is no question that this magnificent ecosystem must be protected.

Working closely with the Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DNPW), Conservation Lower Zambezi (CLZ) is an NGO with an aim to conserve the pristine wilderness of the park and its surrounding Game Management Areas and open areas (18,500 square kilometres). Since its humble beginnings in 1994, CLZ has significantly grown and developed into the sophisticated, advanced and holistic organisation it is today.

25 years ago, a few concerned stakeholders and the local wildlife authority noticed the dwindling elephant population and the rise in poaching, plus increasing human/ wildlife conflicts, and so decided to take action for wildlife protection. With just one second-hand Land Rover and a tarpaulin as an office shelter, the conservation journey began.

Through engaging an influential donor base and adapting approaches to counteract the ever-changing complexities of wildlife criminals, today CLZ and DNPW are tackling wildlife protection from all angles.

In collaboration with nation-wide partners, officers have weaved intricate informer and intelligence networks, both regionally and across borders, leading to increased success, apprehensions and confiscations of illegal products. Through the development of specialised teams such as K9 and Rapid Response Units, plus increased aerial, river

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TRAVEL & LEISURE ZAMBIA

Writer: Nikita Lyengar Photography: Francois D’Elbee, Scott Ramsay

and foot patrols, and as well as improved technologies that enable GPS tracking, law enforcement walls are pushing strong against poachers and syndicates and showcasing remarkable results.

Simultaneously, CLZ has also grown to incorporate an extensive environmental education programme that reaches 65 schools and over 3,000 learners annually, inspiring them to value their surroundings.

The programme has a track record of successes, as dedicated adults have graduated from it to become wildlife police officers, educators and even CLZ’s very own operations manager. CLZ also works hard to support communities with human/

wildlife conflict incidences, and where possible, engages them in the value of keeping wildlife alive and how they can benefit from it in a sustainable manner.

The dedication and commitment shown by DNPW and CLZ are inspiring; particularly the brave men and women who put their lives on the line for the protection of wildlife. CLZ is committed to encourage, support and provide resources to these brave officers for as long as necessary.

CLZ’s success would not be possible without the generous support of tourism and local stakeholders, as well as our donors and members, who all combine to enable us to continue our fight.

The Lower Zambezi

JULIET MUSESA ZULU Hospitality Personified Writer: Leelee Ngwenya Photography: Chiawa Camp

J

uliet Musesa Zulu is the hospitality manager at Chiawa Camp,

general manager for Mosi-oa-Tunya InterContinental Hotel at the time.

Speaking about her training, she explains, ‘I was solely trained by where she also works with its neighbouring camp Old Mondoro on the group which no doubt up to now has one of the best training the Lower Zambezi. She explains her role as, ‘My role begins before modules worldwide in hospitality. I worked as a hostess and after the guests actually arrive with us in camp. This is to ensure that the winning the Miss Tourism beauty pageant the following year, my marketing skills for our country’s tourism earned me a spot as a bookings are in and to know the numbers of guests that are going to be staying with us. I am responsible for ensuring that the guests sales and marketing representative for the hotel. This opened up horizons as I got to learn about how the industry operates. I was have a fabulous time.’ exposed to general sales calls to travel agents, and the public and Her journey in hospitality began as a child, and she explains, ‘I was private sector, and I was later promoted to restaurant supervisor born in Lusaka at UTH (University Teaching Hospital) and I went to during the recession of the early 1990s. At the time business was Lusaka Girls and Kabulonga Girls Secondary School. My father was tough but we had amazing incentives that made work worthwhile training manager at the InterContinental Hotel where he served the amidst a crumbling economy.’ two InterContinental Hotels, Lusaka and Mosi-oa-Tunya. After his One industry difficulty is balancing her family and work life and passing when I was in grade 11, he became my role model. Mum was transferred to Livingstone just when I completed high school in she comments, ‘The safari business means you are away from 1991 and I fell in love with the Victoria Falls back in 1990, during a home for long periods of time; I am only home full time from national arts and theatre festival held in the tourist capital that year. November to April. But when you are doing something that you At seeing the Falls, I shed tears at God’s awesome creation. Nothing love that puts food on the table, your family will understand.’ in my entire life moved me so much emotionally and I understood why David Livingstone once described it as, ‘’Scenes so lovely must With 28 years of experience in hospitality Juliet enthuses, ‘I love the work that I do and 2019 marks my third season with Chiawa have been gazed upon by angels in their flight.’’’

Camp as hospitality manager. Welcoming back our repeat guests After completing school, Juliet went straight into the hotel industry and having new guests is something I cherish and that I look forward to all the time.’ and got her first job as a hostess after being motivated by one of Zambia’s acclaimed hoteliers, Emmanuel Chileshe, who was

South Luangwa

OUR JOURNEY THROUGH

AFRICA’S WORLD OF BOTANICALS AND ESSENTIAL OILS

Writer: Zillah Voss Photography: Azimai

O

ur story starts with Africa...and plants and trees.

Along the way it involves two 30-somethings—one who had always wanted to make soap and candles and the other with a passion for African culture and tradition—a fascination for the benefits of natural oils, a fabulous team, and a lot of laughter.

We began by burying our heads in second-hand books and scrolling through ‘how to make natural soap’ online forums, feeding our thirst for knowledge on this intriguing subject. With soap-making and chandler courses eventually under our belt, we invested in a few key ingredients we knew we needed and set to work experimenting with our own recipes. Our kitchen was taken over with waxes and oils, wicks and soap moulds, and eventually our soap and candles were ready for the market. Big moment... even bigger was discovering people who believed in what we were doing and were coming back for more of our Azimai creations! We were now gripped, and excited to spread our wings with our newly-found passion. We made the move from our kitchen to a nearby workshop space...Azimai finally had its very own home.

It was obvious to both of us from the start what our values were for the backbone of Azimai—we made a promise to ourselves, and to our customers: ‘All Azimai products are to be made with ethically sourced, natural and indigenous ingredients, all of which are harmless to the environment. No palm oil. No parabens. No animal testing. No paraffin wax. We make everything by hand, and we make everything with care.’

The goal of Azimai is to share all that African botanicals and essential oils have to offer by bringing the spirit of this ancient continent into your home, at the same time benefiting your health, your wellbeing and your happiness. Azimai celebrates Africa’s rich heritage of medicinal plants and trees, and we pride ourselves on our unique combinations of oils from the pods of the rejuvenating baobab and the nourishing marula fruit; the purifying moringa seeds and the protective mongongo nuts; the spicy bark of the cinnamon tree and the intoxicating aromas of jasmine and lemongrass. There are so many beautifully scented oils to work with— the world of African botanicals is endless.

Having started out focusing solely on mastering the recipes for soap and scented candles, we became curious to see what else Azimai could offer when it came to expanding our products. More research, more experimenting, and we came up with moisturising lip balms using natural Zambian beeswax and African butters, a super seductive African botanical hair oil, scented candles poured into recycled, hand-cut and hand-painted bottles, and one of our new best sellers is the Azimen beard oil and beard balm range.

It’s been important to us to share what we have discovered and learnt on our Azimai journey, and we’ve been lucky enough to find three remarkable members of our extraordinary Mfuwe community to do just that. Together we’ve created a little family in the corner of the Luangwa—sharing ideas and skills, always developing and improving, and laughing along the way. The company wouldn’t be where it is today without this camaraderie, and the workshop definitely wouldn’t be filled with so much joyful singing either, that’s for sure!

If you’re passing through South Luangwa, you’ll be able to smell the scents of these mesmerising oils yourself, learn all about them and take some home with you, too.

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TRAVEL & LEISURE ZAMBIA

Visit www.azimai.com / Email home@azimai.com Call +260 964410585 / Follow @azimaizambia

WHAT ABOUT THE BOYS?

Writer: Karen Beattie Photography: Project Luangwa

G

rowing up in Zambia can be challenging for both sexes, with the transition from childhood to adulthood presenting many hurdles. Girls, particularly in rural areas, may face many issues that not only prevent them reaching their potential, but also put their health at risk: abuse; low self-esteem; pressure for sexual favours; poor self-confidence; less access to education than their brothers; little or no access to menstrual pads; early marriages and pregnancies and so on.

The cycle of poverty starts early, and girls are most vulnerable during adolescence.

Born into poor families, many girls fail to stay in school, particularly after primary level, and there is a general attitude that girls will never achieve parity with boys regarding academic exam results. Their poor self-esteem and resulting reduced expectations, often exacerbates this.

Project Luangwa (PL) believes that it is necessary for every young person to be equipped with the right information to make informed choices, as these key periods in young adulthood determine much of a child’s later life, including their health and their degree of poverty. Good preparation and good decisions will provide more choice, more freedom, better health and a better chance of the child reaching his or her potential.

That is why, in 2013, Project Luangwa started a girls’ club for twenty-five girls at Mfuwe Day Secondary School. Today we have four girls’ clubs, with another ten opening at other schools coming under our umbrella. Now run by Fwilane Banda, a qualified social worker and PL’s gender support manager, the clubs provide a safe place where girls can learn about caring for themselves, keeping themselves safe, and coping with whatever life throws their way.

It is a place where they can support each other, ask those embarrassing questions and receive confidential counselling.

However, by concentrating on girls, we felt that we were missing something vital, and

South Luangwa

it became obvious that true gender equality can only be achieved by engaging boys as well as girls. Boys need to learn about girls, and girls about boys. They both need to understand one another, recognise each other’s qualities and gain mutual respect before gender equality can be reached. In short, Project Luangwa believes that by empowering girls, but leaving out the boys, the gender gap is only widened.

So ‘Auntie’ Fwilane started a boys’ club, and it was soon very obvious that boys need support, too. Just like the girls, the boys needed a safe place to ask questions, to seek support and to learn about girls.

Whilst most girls’ and boys’ clubs meet separately, they sometimes come together for some very interesting group discussions and activities. They debate such topics as early marriage, together write drama on many ‘taboo’ subjects which they take out to villages, and always celebrate international events such as the Day of the Girl or Menstrual Hygiene Day, together.

In fact the boys will now talk comfortably about menstruation and go out of their way to support the girls. It’s a small step, but one in the right direction.

TRAVEL & LEISURE ZAMBIA

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South Luangwa

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South Luangwa

LIVING THE LIFE OF LUXURY… Writer: Sarah Kingdom Photography: Chikunto Safaris

Luangwa Style

H

aving spent three fabulous days on a walking safari at the remote Mapazi Camp in South Luangwa National Park, we were ready for some pampering and luxury. Our days spent walking were some of the best days we had ever spent in the bush in Zambia. We had walked with lions and leopards; we had seen giraffe, bushbuck, eland, kudu, hippo and a myriad of other animals whilst on foot. But South Luangwa in October is HOT, and walking for six hours a day, albeit in the relative ‘cool’ of early morning and late afternoon, combined with the adrenalin of some of our close encounters, was still quite draining. So it was with great anticipation that we arrived at Chikunto Safari Lodge, an hour’s drive from the park’s main gate…and we were not disappointed.

Along the way we passed a waterhole which, surprisingly, and given the time of year, still held some water. Four large male kudu browsed in the bushes, their impressive spiral horns entwined in the foliage. A warthog family with three tea-cup-sized piglets trotted off as we passed. Two adult saddle-billed storks dipped their beaks in the muddy water, whilst their two offspring did the same close by. Not yet possessing the distinctively striking plumage of their parents, the youngsters looked like gawky adolescents with their rather drab greyish-black feathers. Various other water birds splashed and waded, watched by a bachelor herd of puku and a lone, regal giraffe, who stood tall with his deeply scarred knobbly knees and missing the tuft on the end of his tail.

Chikunto is a stunning lodge, sporting stylish, sophisticated décor with beautifully appointed spacious rooms and connected to a state-of-the-art solar system that runs the entire lodge. Cool, crisp white sheets and a fan overhead made a welcome place for a siesta after a swim in the lodge’s very inviting salt water swimming pool. As the

afternoon cooled slightly we headed out on a game drive. It felt strange to be back at this vantage point and travelling at such ‘speed’ after our days spent walking at Mapazi. On a walking safari you need to exercise caution when approaching wildlife on foot; here, in a vehicle, we could get a lot closer. This afternoon found us very close indeed to a pair of lions. Clearly tired out from earlier romantic activities, they now lay almost motionless in the sand, with only the occasional flick of a tail swishing away flies indicating they were alive.

On our way to Mapazi a few days earlier we had stopped on the river bank and witnessed first-hand the savagery of the

bush. A large herd of buffalo had come to the river to drink but the water was full of crocodiles. As they drank, one of the young calves was grabbed by a croc and dragged into the water. En masse, the herd swung away from the water in alarm, and in the ensuing mêlée, as they stamped up the embankment, a female had tripped and tumbled down the bank, breaking her foreleg. Now she lay in the baking hot sun, wedged in a gully, unable to extricate herself. Her fate was inevitable, but how long it would take her to die we didn’t know. Three days later we came back to see what had happened. She had lain, immobile, for over 36 hours, before a pride of eight lions had killed and consumed her. They had stripped her body of skin, flesh and sinew, until all that remained was an intact skeleton, still wedged in the gully. This was no sugarcoated ‘Disney’ movie— this was the African bush in all its reality—the real ‘circle of life’.

Another scene that we came across further exemplified the way life in the bush is played out. A fairly well-camouflaged leopard was up in a tree, chewing on a bushbuck carcass. We noticed though that a fair-sized portion of her kill had tumbled from the branch on which she lay, some becoming entangled in the branches on the way down. As we watched, the leopard stood up, stretched and descended gracefully to the ground. It was then that we realised just how much had slipped from her grasp. She settled on the forest floor to eat again, working first on the leg and then the jawbone of her prey; we could hear the violent crunches of bones breaking in her mouth.

For me, the highlight of our drive was a young spotted hyena, sitting up alertly, looking rather like the sort of domestic dog that would be referred to affectionately as ‘a bit of a mongrel’. Clearly more bothered by the flies than our presence, we had a good sighting of this, my personal favourite African animal, and once again I thought it rather unfair how much maligned these creatures are.

Dinner at Chikunto is a special experience. Arriving back at the lodge after our afternoon game drive, complete with sundowners, we were greeted with a tray of cool, damp washcloths to wipe away the afternoon’s dust. After freshening up and changing for dinner, we came back to enjoy a pre-dinner drink by the fire. Even in the heat of October in the Valley, an open fire is still mesmerising…though we didn’t draw our chairs as close to the flames as we would have in winter! The main lodge area is as beautiful as the rooms, once again with stylish décor and furnishings and a beautiful lounge and bar area all opening out onto decking over the river bank, and it was here we ate our dinner...a perfectly prepared and presented gourmet three-course meal, served under the stars. Courses were described and explained, and suitable wines were offered. It was an evening of extravagance in the bush.

Mapazi Camp: www.surefootsafaris.com Chikunto Safaris: www.chikunto.com TRAVEL & LEISURE ZAMBIA

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HIGHLIGHTS FROM PHOTO SAFARIS WITH EDWARD SELFE

South Luangwa

30

I

Writer: Edward Selfe Photography: Edward Selfe

n this series, we publish extracts from trip reports of photo safaris led by Edward Selfe in the South Luangwa. The full reports, with many more photos, can be found at www.edwardselfephotosafaris.com

TRAVEL & LEISURE ZAMBIA

The following is taken from the middle of a long report of a 14-night trip in South Luangwa in July, 2018, while guiding at Robin Pope Safaris’ superb Nsefu Camp…

Once you’ve lived in the bush a long time, you learn that you really never know what is around the next corner.

On our third morning, which was a particularly cloudy one, we stopped for a ‘nature break’ and I commented about the unseasonal cloud cover. As is often the way when we stop and listen, almost immediately I heard an impala snort in alarm at the stork colony about a kilometre away, so we jumped back in the vehicle and headed over.

What followed was an hour of the most heart-racing action that I’ve known on safari. And to add to it all, the cloudy weather was actually on our side, as the action occurred quite late in the morning when the light would have been very harsh…it was all meant to be!

Knowing that a well-known leopard— which we call Olimba—likes to hunt in the gully below the stork colony, I could feel my heart racing as I drove my guests into the area. We looked around and were just in time to see a spotted rump disappearing around a bend in the channel and heading towards a herd of impalas either side of the rim. I explained that if we followed, we would spook the antelope and reduce the leopard’s chances of a successful hunt, so we remained where we were, about 200 metres from the edge of the channel. We waited, with our cameras trained on the impalas, unable to see the leopard but knowing that she was in the gully below the antelope; to say this was exciting is an understatement.

Leopards get into this situation regularly, and I’ve seen it countless times. But there are a hundred ways in which such a hunt can fail. I was just beginning to hope that this one might be successful when an impala snorted his warning. My heart fell. I suspected that the game was up, so I began to look around and assess how best to get some photos of the leopard as she retreated back down the gully to try her luck elsewhere.

South Luangwa But Olimba is a pro, and as the antelope on the right of the gully looked towards the sentinel who was snorting, she exploded from the channel and caught one of the impalas on the left! One of my guests, Don, captured an incredible series of the moment of impact. [The full sequence can be found on Edward’s website.]

With the leopard on top of the impala, I moved forward cautiously and we arrived just 10 seconds after the ambush. The suffocation was still in process and I advised some simple camera adjustments and encouraged everyone to fire away! I knew that the leopard would want to bring the kill back into the channel so I parked opposite her—rather than on the same side— and waited. And true enough, she dragged it towards us. The other antelope were standing and staring, so I advised that everyone should zoom out and include the wider scene which turned out to give some of the best shots of the event.

With the antelope in the channel once more she could rest, hoping that the hyenas had not heard the commotion.

But her work was only just beginning.

Over the next half hour, she dragged it along the channel, up across the plain and into some thickets nearby. We left her to rest while we went for restorative coffee to settle our nerves.

The last thing we wanted to do was to draw attention to her, knowing that she has a cub to feed and the hyenas would make light work of her hard-earned prize.

We talked about how she would have to lift the carcass into a tree to avoid the hyenas stealing it, and we hoped that she would bring the cub to feed.

Preferring not to draw any more attention to the scene, we left her and decided to return only in the after-

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South Luangwa noon. The life of her cub hangs in the balance at its young age, and we wanted to ensure that we caused as little disturbance as possible. We also considered the incredible sighting we had been privileged to observe. None of us enjoy watching the demise of any animal but witnessing the way a supreme predator pits itself against an agile and athletic prey is something incredible and entirely natural.

We returned in the afternoon and found Olimba and her cub in a nearby tree, and the carcass under a different bush. Why had she not dragged it into a tree? We were dismayed as there were hyenas all around and very quickly one picked up the smell and dragged away her prize…

She left the cub in the tree and followed the hyena, watching as it devoured the whole carcass. Occasionally it would move a few yards and she would clear up the scraps. She can’t challenge the hyena, which is twice her size, for fear of injury that would prevent her hunting for herself and the cub. It was tough to watch her getting only the scraps of the kill she had worked so hard to procure.

As a final insult, the sun came out that afternoon and bathed the disgruntled leopard in golden light. After some beautiful photos we left the scene, wanting to make sure that we minimised disturbance in the night when the hyenas would be most active and she would need to move her cub away from the area.

South Luangwa

THE COURAGEOUS MULBERRY MONGOOSE LADIES Writer: Kate Wilson Photography: Mulberry Mongoose

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t’s hard to know where to begin when describing our courageous team of ladies at Mulberry Mongoose. I could not be more proud to work amongst such warm, generous and hardworking people, and I could share so many stories of their kindness to one another as they face real hardship in their lives. We have cried together at family funerals, we have come together to support each other when the children are sick, and we have also laughed together at any given opportunity.

To walk into Our Shop Less Ordinary in Mfuwe is to be greeted by eight warm and beautiful smiles. It’s to be amongst women who work tirelessly to transform brutal snare wire into beautiful jewellery, which in turn enables them to support their families.

Each of our team supports over five people on her one salary, and they proudly put their children through school, determined to give them what they missed out on. They hold their heads up high in their villages; having a job earns them respect that was in short supply when they were single mothers with no income. They also know that their work has raised over US$90,000 for conservation efforts in their community. They are helping to protect their children’s heritage every day they go to work.

They have given me so much. By working side by side with these extraordinary Zambian women I have seen my own flaws in the

harsh light of day. The way they greet me each morning, with real concern for every member of my family, has taught me to take the time to really check in each day rather than rushing to start my lengthy ‘to do’ list. Sharing the heartache of their sick children and learning the challenges they face to find the right medical care in rural Africa is humbling, but watching them navigate this with resourcefulness, lack of complaint and an ability to smile is enriching.

And then there is their pure joy. The laughter at lunch break over Edina’s love of cake, or the boy who fancies Mirriam or the baboon that has just stolen Naomi’s lunch…The laughter is full, real and in the moment, and it has taught me to live in the now and appreciate life not for what I can work towards in the future, but for what I have been given right now... the chance to create meaningful jewellery in the African bush with eight of the most courageous ladies I have had the privilege to know.

The Mulberry Mongoose team creates jewellery in a workshop and retail outlet situated next to a well-trodden elephant path 15 minutes from the South Luangwa National Park. The friendly nature of these ladies means they love visitors, and Sarah, our shop manager, is always over the moon to share our story and give tours to visiting tourists. kate@mulberrymongoose.com & www.mulberrymongoose.com TRAVEL & LEISURE ZAMBIA

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South Luangwa

WALKING WITH LIONS AND LEOPARDS Writer: Sarah Kingdom Photography: Jane Addey

Z

ambia’s South Luangwa National Park is at the end of the Great Rift Valley and it is through this 9050 square-kilometre national park that the meandering Luangwa River flows. The river, with its oxbow lagoons, tributaries, riverine woodlands and open plains, plays host to huge concentrations of wildlife including elephant, buffalo, leopard, lion, giraffe, hippo...in fact 60 species of mammal and over 450 species of bird. Portuguese sea captain, Antonio Gamitto, when writing of the Luangwa in around 1832 said…’Game of all kinds is very abundant…great numbers of wild animals collect here…we can only say that this district appears to be the richest in animal life of any we have seen.’ In 1866, Scottish missionary, David Livingstone, upon

crossing the Luangwa River, said…’I will make this land better known to men that it may become one of their haunts. It is impossible to describe its luxuriance.’

We were in South Luangwa for a three-day walking safari with one of the most expert safari guides to be found in Zambia, Deb Tittle. With over 2,500 safari walks under her belt, Deb has been guiding in South Luangwa since the 1990s and is experienced at both interpreting the sights and sounds of the bush and at understanding, anticipating and explaining animal behaviour. Deb’s new camp, Mapazi, is one of the northern-most camps in the park, far beyond the busy game drive loops found further south. This is an undisturbed part of the park where there are few roads and even fewer people… perfect for walking safaris. Mapazi roughly translates from the local language, Chichewa, to mean feet or footstep, a fitting name for the experience we were to have here.

There is something unique about a safari on foot—no noise of vehicles—just the crunch of dry grass underfoot. Senses are heightened, you see and hear things that you have never noticed before and become very conscious of how loud your own breath sounds in your ears as you try hard to walk silently through the bush.

Nothing makes your heart beat faster than coming face to face with a leopard. We had startled a young, female leopard as she descended from an enormous tree. Deb knew the leopard had stashed a part of her kill in the tree a few days earlier and thought there was a chance we may still find her in the area. We approached the tree quietly and surprised the leopard as she was coming down. She didn’t spot us until she had all four feet on the ground, and it was only then that she looked up and saw us, just a few metres away. Motionless, she stared at us for a moment, before coming to her senses and disappearing into the undergrowth. That feeling of locking eyes with a leopard, when we were both on foot, was a magical moment.

Continuing our walk, we came to an open plain, dotted with acacia and sausage trees.

A group of 10 or so giraffe came into sight, sauntering in their graceful way across the plain. Eland, waterbuck and impala grazed in the background. The giraffe, clearly deciding we presented no threat, continued their slow amble, stopping occasionally to nibble the flowers on the sausage trees and wild gardenias. As we returned to camp, we found three male lions relaxing in the shade of a tree. Unfazed by our intrusion on their morning nap, after giving us a cursory glance, they resumed their siesta.

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In camp, waking from our own post-lunch siesta, we discovered the camp’s resident bushbuck practically in our tent. Somewhat

South Luangwa

drained by South Luangwa’s October midday heat, we lay listlessly on the bed, marvelling at how close he was and pondering the likelihood of him jumping right up onto the bed. A giraffe peering over a nearby ‘hedge’ however spooked the bushbuck and he retreated to a safe distance, leaving us to watch some impressive aerial aerobatics as a pair of fish eagles swooped, soared and summersaulted overhead…ultimately culminating in some rather ‘R’ rated, romantic fish eagle activity.

Located on a bend of the Luangwa River, Mapazi Camp is perfectly situated to catch the constant and welcome breeze as it comes off the water, cooling things down in the intense October heat. Once the temperatures of the day had somewhat subsided, we set out on foot again and found the three lions of the morning’s encounter.

Two slipped away, the third tolerated us for a while, before he too moved off with a mildly menacing growl. As dark started to descend, we turned and headed for ‘home’.

Walking along the raised edge of the river bank, we found we were following a badly battle-scarred hippo, limping through the shallows. Hundreds of huge welts, scratches and bite marks were visible on his skin and his hip bones and ribs showed clearly through his hide. It made a sombre sight and as the sun set we wondered if he would be alive the following day.

After dinner under the stars, and tired out from a day of excitement, heat and six hours walking, we were tucked up in bed by 9.30pm and sound asleep by 9.35pm.

Hours later, somewhere around 2.00am, we were woken from deep sleep by the bellows of a lion. The air trembled (and so did I) with every roar; even the ground seemed to vibrate...he was close by and in the dark it sounded as though he was mere metres away. At regular intervals throughout the night we heard him call to his companions, and one or two lions would always roar in response. We followed their progress throughout the night…they were never too

far away, but never as close as that first spine-tingling roar. During dinner we had heard the plaintive calls of a lost buffalo calf across the river; the calls continued from time to time, but before the sun had come up all was silent. We could only assume that the lions had made him part of their midnight feast.

Having been so abruptly awoken, my heart rate took quite a while to slow and I lay awake in the tent listening to the sounds of the night. Hippos and elephants splashed and waded in the river, a hippo munched on fallen sausage tree fruit just outside our tent, a hyena called across the water and the various other rustles and plods of unknown night creatures continued until dawn. The lions were still roaring as the sun came up.

I sat up in bed watching a lone male puku who stood on the river bank, silhouetted by the rising sun. It was a privilege to feel so completely surrounded by nature.

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South Luangwa

ANNOUNCING THE NEW PUKU RIDGE TENTED

T

he new and spectacular Puku Ridge is the safari camp that Zambia has been waiting for, promising the very best in safari and luxury, when it reopens on 10th August, 2019.

ubiquitous puku, Puku Ridge claims to be ideal for those guests who value excellent guiding, location and wildlife but who do not wish to forego creature comforts. Each room boasts a star bed tower, private plunge pool, complimentary Wi-Fi and a custom-built air-conditioning system thanks to having ample 220v hydro-supplied mains power.

Located well within the incredible South Luangwa National Park, in the heart of big game country, and overlooking a wildlife-rich lagoon where there is seemingly always something to see including the

Most of the staff are from the surrounding communities, many having worked their entire lives in the safari tourism industry and they are ready to welcome you. On offer will not only be Zambia’s world-renowned

Chichele Safaris, who purchased Puku Ridge and Chichele Presidential Lodge from Abercrombie & Kent’s (A&K’s) Sanctuary Retreats in 2018, is sparing no expense and is collaborating with the multi-awardwinning Chiawa Camp & Old Mondoro in the Lower Zambezi National Park, to ensure that this camp becomes the pride of Zambia.

The camp takes its inspiration from bush camps of old and also from the clay huts and grain stores of the local villages, blending natural textures with modern elements to make for a sanctuary of comfort, convenience and wonder whilst being respectful to the location and safari tradition.

friendly hospitality, but game drives in a fleet of brand new, custom-built safari vehicles that photographers will rave about, and bush walks led by an armed scout, to explore and enjoy the amazing wildlife that the South Luangwa ‘Valley of the Leopard’ has to offer.

However, one does not have far to travel to see these creatures as many are seen from the comfort of camp—even the wild dog, a ‘bucket-list’ sighting for any avid safari adventurer. Other notable species to look out for are the endemic Thornicroft’s giraffe and Cookson’s wildebeest, prides of lion, one of Africa’s largest hippopotamus populations and more than 400 species of birdlife.

Accommodating a maximum of 16 guests in eight luxury tents, Puku Ridge combines perfectly with any quality South Luangwa camp or lodge—a stay of three nights minimum at any one camp is recommended. Guests will be pampered

South Luangwa

SAFARI CAMP—SOUTH LUANGWA NATIONAL PARK with their choice of pace and safari activities, will enjoy delicious meals prepared by our talented chefs using fresh ingredients—mostly sourced locally—and will have nothing to worry about other than deciding what to indulge themselves in next.

No Zambian safari is complete without a visit to the stunning Lower Zambezi National Park.

Here, there are no better places from which to explore this wilderness than the muchacclaimed Chiawa Camp & Old Mondoro which brought safari tourism to the Lower Zambezi and from where their ‘Best in Africa’ guiding team will take guests out on safari by canoe, motorboat, on foot and in safari vehicles.

For the ultimate Zambian safari adventure, with that perfect blend of luxury and wilderness, please get in touch with your favourite Africa safari travel specialist, or contact Chiawa Safaris.

res@chiawa.com www.chiawa.com +260 211 261588

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Across the border—Zimbabwe Writer: Makhosi ‘Mak’ Ncube Photography: Makhosi 'Mak' Ncube

B

eing a guide is not a job at all; if you approach it as such you will never get any joy from it. Being a guide is a calling…it’s something that’s in you; it’s your love for animals, nature and, most importantly, our love of humans as well. Patience too is key, and most of all, a great sense of humour. As a guide you wear many hats: you’re a teacher, a friend, an advisor and a comedian.

One of the most common questions I am asked as a guide is, ‘Why guiding’? What made you choose this path’? For me, it has always been in the cards I guess; it’s always been my passion and love even from an early age. Come to think of it, my earliest childhood memories revolve around visiting one of our amazing parks on weekends: Matopos (now known as Matobo) National Park, world renowned for Cecil John Rhodes’ grave and of course its great work in the conservation of rhinos.

These visits made me love and appreciate wildlife so much that it got me into trouble at school. It’s a regular occurrence when in primary school to get asked what one wants to be when one grows up. For me it’s safe to say l knew exactly what I wanted to be…I just didn’t use the proper term.

My elderly teacher, a lovely lady really when we were not pushing her buttons, conducted a frequent survey to make sure none of us was finding the thought of being a criminal alluring. It was all going well with the usual replies of ‘pilot, doctor, nurse’, and if you said ‘teacher’ it’s safe to say you found yourself in her good books.

When my turn came, I still had thoughts of my weekend at the park and all those amazing animals. ‘Mak, stop day-dreaming in my class and tell me what you want to be,’ she said. I stood up and with a bright, confident smile replied, ‘I want to be wildlife.’

You should have seen her expression…shock, irritation, anger and disbelief all rolled into a nice package on her face. ‘What did you say young man?’ ‘Wildlife,’ I replied.

‘No, no, no, no, there is no such job’ she insisted, but she chose the wrong day and the wrong 10-year-old to correct. This went on and on back and forth, and she went from calm to hysterical when I started schooling her on how, when you work with wild animals, your job is called ‘wildlife’. Things took a turn for the worse when I told her she was a poacher because she hated wildlife, and it’s safe to say after calling her that my day did not end well at all…but let’s leave it at that.

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While my days consist of early mornings, my favourite part is watching the beautiful sunrise. You can never put into words how majestic it is to watch the dawning of a new day, to feel the gentle warmth of the sun as it comes up, with a cup of coffee in hand and the smell of fresh air… you can never appreciate it until you have experienced it.

Across the border—Zimbabwe

Then you have the simply breathtaking sunsets, and to watch the different colours of the sun, from the bright orange, to pink and then red, is an experience that changes you and makes you appreciate nature more.

You wrap up the day after dinner, sitting by the fireside under a canopy of stars, and even those who don’t know a single star can’t help but gaze in awe, as you laugh, tell stories and get to know each other. It is without doubt the most exquisite and humbling experience.

I know better now and most of all I’m a ‘safari guide’ and thankfully l did not become ‘wildlife’. I love my job and I love the people l meet. Not only do l have the world’s biggest office, but I’m fortunate enough to do what I truly love.

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Across the border—Zimbabwe

POACHING S T E A LS

FROM US ALL

I

n November, 2018, the Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority launched the start of a three-year ‘Poaching Steals From Us All’ public awareness campaign, in collaboration with the Zambezi Society and the well-known international conservation organisation, WildAid.

The campaign will use an array of locally and internationally celebrated Zimbabwean artists, sportsmen and women and entrepreneurs, who, as ambassadors for their country and the campaign, will aim to elevate the profile of wildlife conservation. They will emphasise its cultural and economic importance, promoting Zimbabwe’s national parks and raising awareness of the illegal wildlife trade and the need to protect the country’s biodiversity.

focus on scientific studies and anti-poaching efforts, WildAid works to reduce global consumption of wildlife products and climate change impacts, while increasing local support for conservation efforts.

Zimbabwean-born film star, Danai Gurira (famous for her role in the movie Black Panther), is one of a number of the ‘ambassador celebrities’ who will feature in the Zimbabwe anti-poaching awareness campaign. At the event to mark the start of the campaign, held in Harare on 17th November, 2018, Danai echoed the theme of the campaign ‘Poaching Steals From Us All’, speaking passionately about the wildlife of her home, urging Zimbabweans to cherish their unique and valuable natural heritage and to visit their own national parks and wild spaces to appreciate the value Zimbabwe holds as a world class tourism destination.

Danai was filmed in a television interview at the event, by well-known Zimbabwean news personality Rumbidzai Takawira, who will also feature as an ambassador for the campaign. Also in attendance was Tariro Mnangagwa (the daughter of Zimbabwe’s president and a member of the all-women ‘Akashinga’ anti-poaching unit, ‘The Brave Ones’).

Buying Stops, The Killing Can Too’, features among others, film star Jackie Chan, while their Africa campaign includes Zimbabwean-born Springbok rugby legend Tendai Mtarawira. The ‘Poaching Steals From Us All’ campaigns have already been successfully rolled out in other countries across Africa including Kenya, South Africa, Tanzania and Uganda.

According to Tinashe Farawo, head of PR for Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority, ‘Poaching across the country has decreased thanks to the combined efforts of our partners. We have also increased joint patrols, radio communications, education and awareness to our judiciary, and our poaching cases as a result are expeditiously being dealt with in record times. The campaign in collaboration with the Zambezi Society and WildAid is another collaborative effort to further the decline of poaching, through public awareness’.

Zimbabwe over the course of the last year has embarked on a number of campaigns to boost local pride in the landscape of the country. In December, 2018, President Mnangagwa declared that the first Friday of each calendar month would be a National Environment Cleaning Day, a move to ensure that the country has Well-known names and celebrities who will sustainable environment management feature as ambassadors include Jah Prayzah and waste disposal systems. In addition, and Selmor Mutukudzi (the daughter of the Forestry Commission of Zimbabwe The campaign will incorporate television, veteran Zimbabwean musician and has enhanced its efforts to generate public radio and billboard content with the international star, Oliver Mutukudzi), awareness of the effects of deforestation intention of instilling a strong sense of pride among others. and is conducting training workshops to in Zimbabwe’s natural wildlife heritage and encourage tree-planting, as well as the fuel the desire internally to protect it.

WildAid’s extremely successful film media development of sustainable production campaign in Asia with the theme ‘When The projects such as beekeeping and honey Whereas most wildlife conservation groups production.

Writer: Shelley Cox Photography: WildAid, The Zambezi Society

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Across the border—Zimbabwe

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Across the border—Zimbabwe

WHY MANA POOLS SHOULD BE ON YOUR

Writer: Sarah Kerr Photography: Sarah Kerr

t s i L t Bucke the dry season, and the habitat is perfect for walking safaris because of the good visibility.

M

ana Pools National Park has been memorialised in many iconic images of an adult African bull elephant standing on his hind legs, trunk extended towards the branches of a majestic ana tree (Faidherbia albida). In these images the backdrop is tantalising…warm light fading into the blue tones of the Zambezi with the distant hills of Zambia painted in shades of indigo and lavender.

Despite their impressiveness, the numbers simply cannot do justice to what you experience when you actually visit Mana Pools. Taking a guided walk alongside wild elephants in these forests has to rank among one of my most sacred experiences.

Mornings begin with a chorus of birdsong, at midday the cries of a fish eagle echo through the valley, and in the evenings amber rays of light pierce through the trees as animals kick up clouds of backlit dust. The natural rhythms transport you to a calmer time and you feel as if you are witnessing Eden.

however, because a particular feature of the valley is that it hosts no wildebeest or giraffe. We believe this is because they never navigated the steep terrain of the valley’s edge.

Back from the river towards the escarpment is a thick scrubland known as ‘jesse bush’, an inhospitable region to most but beloved by the notorious tsetse fly. While their bite is a nuisance, these flies were actually instrumental in preventing the development of the area. Previously they harboured a disease called ‘sleeping sickness’ (trypanosomiasis) which prevented the area from being used for livestock. This disease, coupled with the natural barriers formed by the Zambezi and the steep escarpments, prevented any environmental damage through development or alternative land uses.

'Mana's magic will leave you forever changed, and forever longing to return'

Stepping into this ancient landscape is truly a special experience, in which you feel at one with nature in a way not possible in most of the modern world. At Mana Pools the Zambezi widens and slows to flow languidly through the flood plains of a rift valley bordered by steep escarpments. This geography has led to the area’s unique ecology and beauty, and as a result Mana Pools National Park and the surrounding conservation areas are a designated World Heritage site.

Mana Pools National Park is a little less than 2,200 square kilometers in size and part of a greater unfenced conservation area that measures an incredible 10,500 square kilometres. Animals can move freely throughout this area and some even venture across the river to the Lower Zambezi National Park and other conservation areas in Zambia. Alongside the Zambezi lie ancient river terraces covered by magnificent albida and mahogany trees with little undergrowth.

These fertile flood plains attract high numbers of grazing animals, especially in

The flood plains’ high numbers of grazing animals create a veritable theatre and those who are present will surely be rewarded by one of nature’s finest shows.

The area is known for its magnificent male elephants, and they are accompanied by large concentrations of buffalo, eland, impala, waterbuck, baboons, monkeys, zebra and warthog, plus basking crocodiles and hippos in a veritable parade along the river’s edge. Predators such as lion, spotted hyena, cheetah and leopard are often seen.

A significant highlight is that Mana boasts one of Africa’s highest concentrations of endangered African wild dogs. These beautiful animals are also known as Cape hunting dogs or painted dogs, and this area has recently featured in David Attenborough’s acclaimed TV series Dynasties on the BBC network. A few animals are missing from the daily show,

Beyond the ‘jesse’ lie forests of cathedral mopane interspersed with giant gnarled baobabs. These areas have their own special beauty and many animals retreat here in the rainy season when the flood plains become boggy. These habitats range from riverine to arid and scrub to forest, making Mana Pools a very special place for the avid birdwatcher.

Some notable birding specials are the Livingstone’s flycatcher, black-throated wattle-eye, Nyasa lovebird, red-necked falcon and eastern nicator. Over 380 species have been recorded in the area.

Whether you visit for the birding, the incredible landscape or to bear witness to one of Africa’s highest concentrations of game animals during the dry season, Mana’s magic will leave you forever changed, and forever longing to return.

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Across the border—Zimbabwe

QUICK FACTS • • • • • • •

Mana Pools is one of Africa’s least utilised national parks, a remote wonderland of wilderness that will leave you in awe of nature.

The park gets its name from four large shallow pools created by the meanderings of the river (‘mana’ means ‘four’ in Shona).

Due to the rugged terrain of the escarpment, the poor quality of the roads and the park’s isolation, it is easiest to fly into the area.

It is possible for the intrepid and well-equipped traveller to self-drive.

The clay base of the flood plains makes road access near-impossible in the rainy season and many camps and lodges in the region are only open between April and November. I find the best time to visit is from May to early September. Late September to the end of October offers the best game-viewing season but temperatures will be very high.

Mana Pools is known for walking safaris in the flood plain forests where a lack of undergrowth allows unobstructed views of wildlife and a safe environment.

The area is also perfect for canoeing safaris, as the Zambezi is broad and slow flowing here and many camps offer a flexible choice of land- and water-based activities.

WHERE TO STAY •

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Wilderness Safaris operate the beautifully appointed Ruckomechi Camp and Little Ruckomechi to the west of Mana Pools National Park as well as the newly opened and equally luxurious Chikwenya Camp to the east. www.wilderness-safaris.com

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Across the border—Zimbabwe

A VERY CLOSE ENCOUNTER

Writer: Nicky Dunnington-Jefferson Photography: Flo Coughlan TRAVEL & LEISURE ZAMBIA

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Across the border—Zimbabwe

O

ne warm, calm African evening, before the sun had set, I almost wished that time would pause until I was ready to restart it. I was standing at the border at Chirundu, in the middle of the bridge spanning the mighty Zambezi, one foot in Zambia and the other in Zimbabwe, quietly reflecting on how lucky I was to be at the start of another safari to Mana Pools.

In the infant hours of the morning I was forced to leave the tent to answer an urgent call of nature. I had no intention of using ‘the facilities’ as it would have meant a walk and I did not want to ‘wake up’ more than necessary. As usual, though, I had a good look around. To my horror, and clearly identifiable in the moonlight, I saw three dark shapes looming large from the direction of the river and approaching our tent with ponderous but purposeful tread... buffalo!

Any thought of further sleep immediately evaporated and I shot back into the tent with the speed of a cheetah to wake my happily Mana for me was already special: it was the setting of a former sleeping companion, who groggily mumbled that he too needed to crazy, amazing wildlife encounter...But that’s another story, and pop outside. ‘No way,’ I ordered, telling him to move to the centre of little did I think on this late August day in 1993 that Mana Pools the tent and to keep very still. I too moved away from the sides of would once more provide me with an experience on which I would the tent and froze. We remained thus for what seemed an dine out many times. eternity—motionless, rooted to the spot. I knew why the buffalo had targeted our tent. Inadvertently, I had chosen the worst I was travelling with four friends: three Zimbabweans and an location possible in which to pitch it, as not only elephants enjoy Australian. As the only Pommie (Australian slang for someone from acacia pods...buffalo do, too. the UK), I came in for much good-natured ribbing, but we were a very jolly party. As we had driven down the escarpment into the By now we had both realised the gravity of the situation. The beautiful Zambezi Valley, the blue mountains of Zambia shimmerbuffalo were inches away from us, only the thin fabric of the tent ing in the distant heat haze across the river, I was already gripped separating us from a trio of one of the most dangerous animals in in a frisson of excitement—that familiar quickening of the pulse Africa. We could sense them moving slowly outside, hoovering up and a heightened anticipation and awareness of raw nature in all the acacia pods, chewing, munching, snorting, grunting...We heard its glorious unpredictability. their heavy breathing, and could even smell their exhalations rippling the sides of the tent. I tried not to think of those huge We reached Mana about midday and immediately set up camp. I horns six inches from my back, or what might happen if they chose what I thought was a good spot in the shade of a big acacia became entangled in the guy ropes. tree and up went our borrowed tent. The Zimbabweans elected to camp nearer to the ‘facilities’ block. All around the campsite There was no time to close the tent flaps and once inside neither there was much evidence of a considerable elephant presence, and of us dared to move. Eventually, after hours of silent tension and to this was verified later in the day when two big bulls came into the our great relief, through the open flaps we saw one buffalo ambling camp. We watched as they very gently picked up the fallen acacia off towards the river. As it became lighter we could clearly make pods with their trunks and then carefully transferred them into out the remaining two, and finally they too had filled their big their mouths. Elephants are very fond of acacia pods, and when the bellies and moved off in the same direction as their companion. trees are shedding their pods there is usually a concentration of these animals in the region.

Our horrendous ordeal was over. A few minutes later my brave companion, an erstwhile crocodile hunter, could be seen heading We camped at Nyamepi for three nights. The first two were for the Gents at a fast pace, clutching a roll of loo paper. Needless to comparatively incident-free, apart from honey badgers around the say, we suffered much teasing as the Zimbabweans had witnessed rubbish, always a welcome sighting as they are nocturnal. However, the latter part of the event from the safety of their sensibly chosen it was our third night that I will remember until my dying day—the site. pun is intentional. We had all enjoyed a wonderful evening game drive to Long Pool, followed by a few drinks and dinner. After a My advice to any would-be camper: never pitch your tent under a nightcap, my Australian companion and I headed for our exception- Faidherbia albida, or under any tree that might attract animals to ally flimsy tent under the Faidherbia albida. enjoy a midnight feast around you. However, should you for some reason find yourselves in a similar situation to ours, for God’s sake close your tent, keep still and shut up!

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TRAVEL & LEISURE ZAMBIA

Across the border—Zimbabwe

Green Tourism

Writer: Makhosi ‘Mak’ Ncube Photography: Machaba Safaris

‘W

remarkable idea of diesel engines to pump water to the surface, would be swelling with pride at the way things have turned out.

In a park with virtually no running rivers this was the only sustainable way to keep the animals alive and provided with water throughout the year, but alas, times change and we cannot intentionally continue using diesel generators non-stop while calling ourselves conservationists. With plenty of sunshine throughout the year, it was therefore a no-brainer to introduce solar power. This is a much cleaner source of energy as well as a quieter one. While we might have one or two occasional times when the generators are used, it’s safe to say that 90 per cent of the operations now run on solar. Even Ted Davies, the first warden of the park and the gentleman responsible for the

When I think of Zimbabwe as a destination, I think of one of the greenest places in the world, not because of the vegetation, but because of the various measures safari camps, donors and park authorities are taking to ‘go green’. Take for example Verney’s Camp, part of Machaba Safaris. The whole camp, which includes lighting, freezers, geysers and Wi-Fi, are all run by without doubt one of the biggest solar farms in Zimbabwe, with a staggering nearly 300 solar panels responsible for powering the camp. This is not because the law mandates it, but rather because of everyone playing their part in being eco-friendly and selflessly doing what is right for the animals and the environment.

ow, beautiful! Look at those elephants play, Mak. But what is that?’ asks one of my guests, pointing at a shiny-looking platform in the distance. ‘That,’ I reply with a smile on my face, ‘is a solar panel, responsible for pumping water to the surface so that animals can drink from one of the many underground rivers all over the park.’ Gone are the days when we used to pump the water using Lester diesel generators, whose droning sound was known throughout the park as the heartbeat of Hwange, and the animals knew that the sound meant water.

It’s no surprise therefore that tourism’s new favourite colour is green. Why green though? What is it about this colour that’s stolen the hearts and minds of both conservationists and travellers alike? For the scholars and the educated, when you say ‘green tourism’ they think of the peak season when it’s at its busiest, but for those of us who love the great bush when you say ‘green tourism’ we think ‘sustainable tourism’, leaving little or no carbon imprint, and when we think ‘conservation’ we think about how to have the most amazing time with as little negative impact as possible.

Across the border—Zimbabwe

People and Places is an owner-run, Zambian-based tour operator specialising in tailor-made itineraries throughout Zambia, Zimbabwe and Malawi.

It is the people and places of Africa that we love and our team are dedicated to ensuring that all clients that travel with us have the optimal African experience.

We focus on efficiency, flexibility, generosity and consistency. We thrive on offering a very personal service. +260 966740362 / emma@peopleandplacesconsult.com www.peopleandplacesconsult.com

ZIM SPORTS Calendar

2019 17- 19 May

MATOPOS HERITAGE TRAIL RUN

20 - 24 March MATOPOS HERITAGE MTB CHALLENGE 3 day bike adventure through the Matopos. matobo.org/heritageride/

11 August KARIBA HALF MARATHON

7 July ECONET VICTORIA FALLS MARATHON Amazing scenery, full & 1/2 marathon & fun run. vicfallsmarathon.com

A seriously tough 1/2 Marathon! www.kariba.run

2 day run covering 50km of beautiful Matopos. matobo.org/heritagetrail-run/

7 April

7 December

VICTORIA FALLS TRIATHLON & SOCIAL

K-WAY SKY RUN ZIMBABWE

Swim, cycle & run in a world heritage area. secretary@ vicfallsprimary.com

62 km through Nyanga National Park. skyrunzim.com

Zimbabwe has a fantastic sporting history due to its wonderful climate and beautiful outdoor areas. Above are a few exciting sporting challenges taking advantage of the natural environment. Why not take part in one on your next visit? *Please note all dates and details were accurate at the time of publication. Contact the organisers for further details.

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TRAVEL & LEISURE ZAMBIA

Come alive again.

MACHABA SAFARIS welcomes you to experience 8 superb luxury safari camps in prime locations in Hwange National Park, Mana Pools and the Okavango Delta

V I S I T W W W. M A C H A B A S A FA R I S .C O M F O R F U R T H E R I N F O E M A I L E N Q U I R I E S @ M A C H A B A S A FA R I S.C O M

Zambia’s Original Independent Destination Management Company zambiangroundhandlers.com

Time + Tide image by Will Burrard-Lucas