Traveller's Tales: Laura's Unforgettable Zambia Experience

Introduction

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Our Operations and Communications Director, Laura, recently visited Zambia and shared highlights from her incredible week exploring the country’s luxurious lodges, stunning landscapes, and diverse wildlife. Her journey took her from Lilayi Lodge near Lusaka to the remote beauty of Kaingu Lodge in Kafue National Park, the opulence of Royal Zambezi Lodge, and the tranquil Time + Tide Chongwe Camp. Along the way, Laura experienced everything from thrilling game drives and river safaris to cultural visits and indulgent spa treatments, all while enjoying Zambia’s warm hospitality and breathtaking natural wonders.

Lilayi Lodge

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Our week in Zambia began at Lilayi, a family-owned lodge set in a game park on the outskirts of Lusaka. We were greeted with tropical soft drinks and beautifully scented facecloths to help us feel refreshed after our long journey and toasted the start of our adventure with cocktails by the pool before being taken to our luxury chalets.

Once we unpacked, we set out on a gentle bush walk with our guide, Sonart, who shared his insight about the nature surrounding us. We marvelled at little antlions, learnt what giraffes will and won’t eat and sipped sundowners served by Peter. We then headed back to the lodge to enjoy Lilayi's signature wine-tasting experience while warthogs grazed around us, and mischievous monkeys chased guineafowl. This was followed by the main meal where I had my first taste of crocodile!

I woke up early for our five-hour drive to Kafue National Park feeling well-rested after a relaxing evening and a great night's sleep in a fabulously comfortable bed.

Our route to Kafue took us past stretches of farmland and savannah-like landscapes, little villages dotted with traditional huts, and small markets where we observed the daily life of locals going about their business. As we got closer to our destination, we started to spot lots of wildlife, including families of warthogs and clusters of wiry maribu stalks.

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Kaingu Lodge

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It was the rustic charm and remote location of Kaingu Lodge in Kafue National Park that made the next two days a trip highlight.

On arriving, we were met by our charismatic guides, Kebby and Isreal, and taken to the lodge by boat under the arc of a huge rainbow that span across the stunning Kafue River, where tall, statuesque birds rested on Jurassic-looking boulders exposed by the drought.

The personality of Kaingu shone through from the moment we stepped foot on the jetty, and I felt immediately at home. My beautiful, tented chalet had its own private wooden deck overlooking the Kafue and an indoor and outdoor shower. It was beautifully furnished and full of thoughtful touches; a locally made throw to wet and keep cool, handmade soaps, and a personalised welcome note alongside a drawing of a Lion by Giveness, aged 12, that said ‘Welcome to Kafue’. It was attached to a decorative ring of dried seeds that had been collected nearby.

That evening, we hopped back on the boats and headed a little further down the river for sundowners, encountering some grumpy hippos along the way. We then cruised back to the lodge for dinner, where good wine accompanied a delicious menu that included many locally grown and farmed ingredients. Relaxed conversation flowed over candlelight and continued around the fire pit, long after the dishes were done.

After a gentle 5 am wake-up call, we headed out on a game drive where we spotted an array of wildlife, including two deadly black mamba snakes! We also ran into a wake of vultures, feasting on a dead hippo.

On returning to the lodge, our host Julia suggested we go rock hopping to the rapids and cool off in the natural plunge pools. It was only a very short walk to the part of the river where low water levels had revealed a maze of stone.

We scrambled along the natural obstacle course, using our hands as much as our feet, until we reached an oasis. Taking off our shoes and socks we felt the cool water rush past our hot skin. Safe from the dangers of the river’s residents, a couple of us gave in to the temptation to go even further, and submerged ourselves fully clothed, in the rejuvenating pools. This spontaneous outing turned out to be one of the most fun and memorable activities of the trip and we returned to camp, soggy, happy and ready for a nap.

Later that day, Kebby took us on a nature walk accompanied by wildlife ranger, Daniel, where he taught us, with great passion and humour, about the importance of elephant dung in the ecosystem, the fruit of the ‘sausage tree’, the poisonous ‘pencil cactus’ and how to make rope from the Prince of Wales feather tree.

The walk concluded at the summit of Mpamba Rock where Isreal was waiting for us with gin and tonics. We chatted with our guides while watching the sunset over Kafue, before racing back to the lodge in the back of a vintage Series 1 Land Rover - just in time for dinner.

Before departing, we had time for a final breakfast of Baobab wellness shots, fresh coffee, and homemade jam made from locally gathered wild fruits which we spread onto freshly baked sourdough, toasted over the firepit. It was difficult to leave, but before we did, we made sure to visit the little curio shop, full of gorgeous, handcrafted souvenirs and homewares, made by local people.

After a fond farewell, we started the journey back to Lusaka airport to catch a ProFlight to the Lower Zambezi, spotting plenty more Kafue wildlife along the way, including a herd of buffalo, in no rush to get off the road.

Royal Zambezi

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Our flight from Lusaka to Royal was significantly delayed, rumoured to be because President Hakainde Hichilema was in the airport. However, once in the sky, all platitudes about enjoying the journey as well as the destination rang true, as we took in the astonishing views of the Zambezi Escarpment from above. I have never seen a landscape like it.

As we prepared for landing, elephants scattered from the runway and stood in a receiving line along the side of the airstrip. We disembarked and were taken by safari vehicle to Royal Zambezi Lodge, situated right on the banks of the mighty Zambezi River.

I was taken aback by the spectacular, waterside location of the lodge, and was just as taken aback by the outrageous opulence of the presidential suite which was to be my resting place for the next two nights.

After dropping our bags, we headed out for sundowners on the Zambezi. The sun was low, resting just above the water which reflected the apricot skyline like a mirror as we motored along it, passing hippos and elephants on the way.

We piled onto the bank, where crisp white wine and tasty nibbles awaited us. Any lingering Kafue blues were soon washed away as we watched the sun disappear behind the silhouette of the river valley, and baby hippos peeped out at us above the waterline. It’s quite impossible to describe the feeling, harder still to capture it on a mobile phone.

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Later that evening we joined a large, all-female group of Australians for a candlelit bush dinner. They had been out fishing during the day and were recalling, with giddy excitement, how one of them had caught an enormous 80lb vundu fish, which sounded like an exaggeration until I saw the photo!

The next day we drove into the Game Management Area for a morning game drive with our guide, Mainza. Minutes after we set off, we spotted a committee of vultures high up in the tree, alongside an African Fish Eagle – the national bird of Zambia. Just around the corner, many more vultures squabbled in a feeding frenzy upon the carcass of a small elephant.

Rattling along a bone-dry river basin in the Toyota Land Cruiser, we spied a huge array of African wildlife, including a red-billed hornbill (Zazu from The Lion King), a couple of rock hyraxes, a mongoose, a large herd of buffalo and zebras dosing in the sun. We watched an elephant stripping the bark from a towering Baobab tree with alarming strength, as Mainza found a scenic spot to stop for coffee and biscuits, before taking us back to the lodge for lunch.

The afternoon activity should have been a canoeing safari, which I had been looking forward to, albeit with some trepidation. Unfortunately, the weather had other ideas, and extremely high winds put a stop to it. It was no great shame, however, to spend the afternoon in camp and I was more than pleased about the change of plan when I was able to get a last-minute back and shoulder massage from Nandy at the camps ‘bush spa’ – one of the best massages I’ve ever had.

Feeling restored, I headed back to my presidential suite to relax some more. Although, with an extremely spacious and luxurious living area, as well as an outside copper bath and shady daybed, it was difficult to know exactly where I should recline. After a dip in the private plunge pool, I settled on a sun lounger with my book, while a lone hippo and his warthog friends grazed close by. I fell into a blissful sleep, waking just in time for an impromptu evening game drive which we had been able to arrange after the winds had died down. Thankfully, there was still enough of a breeze to keep the dreaded tsetse flies at bay.

Our second morning game drive at Royal Zambezi took place in the Lower Zambezi National Park. Almost as soon as we entered the park, we encountered a small herd of elephants. I would be lying if I said I didn’t feel nervous as one large female started walking towards us and got very close, but I had absolute trust in Mainza, who knew instinctively when it was safe to stay and when we needed to move on. Guiding was in his blood; his father had been a guide, he could easily read his surroundings and, like all the guides, well understood the complex relationship between people and animals, conservation and livelihoods.

As we drove further into the National Park, we came across several more elephant herds, many with babies just days or weeks old. The vehicle was filled with "awws" and "ahhs" as we watched them wobble around, trying to coordinate four awkward feet and little trunks, which looked as if they were unfamiliar instruments handed to them for the first time, rather than a natural extension of their own bodies.

Further on, we came across a lion lying on the side of the track. We initially thought he was dead, but quickly realised he was actually just dozing. He looked at us then turned away, burying his face in a bush as if someone had turned the light on in the middle of the night and disturbed him.

However, what was most special about this particular game drive was our encounter with wild dogs – one of only two packs in the Lower Zambezi. There was a lot of excitement in the safari vehicle as we raced to find the pack which we followed for a while, quietly observing their playfulness and fascinating social interactions. It was a privilege to see.

Our last evening at Royal Zambezi was spent sitting around the firepit with glasses of wine, reflecting on our incredible week, before gathering at the table for a delicious three-course meal that sent us into that post-dinner lull, ready to collapse into our beds.

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Time + Tide Chongwe River Camp

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We rose early for breakfast before bidding farewell to the team at Royal and taking the short boat ride to our final stop at Time + Tide Chongwe Camp, set on the confluence of the Chongwe and Zambezi Rivers.

As we stepped onto the jetty at Chongwe River Camp, were astounded to be met by an elephant idling beneath the tented roof of the main lodge - a very memorable welcome.

Elephants and the rest of the local wildlife continued to entertain us throughout our stay; a beautiful spotted bush snake in mesmerising emerald-green joined us for coffee and we had a thrilling night-time encounter with a hungry lion, as we returned from a community excursion to Mugurameno Village.

During our excursion, we spent time with the amazing young people from Time + Tide Foundation's "Girls Club" and their mentors, Patrick and Sarah, who were running the Female Empowerment Programme. The program focuses on helping these young women believe in their own worth, boosting their self-esteem and academic skills. Even in the short time we were there, it was clear that Patrick and Sarah were having a huge impact on the girls' confidence and personal growth, which was wonderful to see.

On our final morning, after our last 5am wake-up call, we set out on a walking safari of the Lower Zambezi National Park with our guide, Hastings and his trainee. Hastings was from Mugurameno, where he ran the girls football team the ‘Mugurameno Queens’. “He’s a legend around here” the lodge Manager would later tell us. He was also a great conversationalist and part-time farmer and had infinite knowledge of agriculture and ecology, wildlife and history.

As we meandered around the arid landscape, Hastings told us interesting things about footprints and dung, weather events, animal bones and termite mounds, birds and insects, and plants and trees, including the beautiful, native Baobab, and the awkward, alien palm tree.

We returned to the lodge for breakfast, which was rudely interrupted by a brazen baboon leaping onto the breakfast bar next to us and shovelling as much as he could, as fast as he could, into his mouth before he could be chased away, in what I suspect was a regular game of ‘breakfast chicken’.

Afterwards, there was some time for relaxing in our lodges, a dip in the pool and an incredible leg and foot massage. As we stepped out of the safari tent that housed the camps ‘spa’ to make our way over to the main lodge, we were recalled back, as a single male elephant was making his way down to the river for his own spa treatment.

We watched in awe as he splashed in the shallows of the Chongwe. A crocodile floated close by.

With the coast clear, we began to cross over to the main lodge again, only to have to retreat a second time as a boisterous bachelor group headed first towards us, then towards the water’s edge.

The other male, seemingly unsettled by their arrival, waded further into the river where he submerged himself, knocking into safari boats as he rolled around, before taking refuge below the deck of the main lodge.

The dominant bull of the bachelor group looked on from the bank, splashing the water with his trunk. As he did, his friend behind him gave him a playful shove causing the dominant bull to chase him up the bank in retaliation, trumpeting as he did.

While the other three males busied themselves elsewhere in camp, the solo male hung around for a couple of hours, unbothered by my lingering presence on the deck above, or that of other guests who came to admire this magnificent animal at such astonishing proximity.

We spent our last hour in camp lounging around with good books, filling in journals and writing in the guestbook, soaking up our surroundings.

As we gazed out, crocodiles, hippos, warthogs, baboons, kudu, and elephants basked in the sunshine, all sharing the banks of the Chongwe in relative harmony and leaving us with an unforgettable reminder of Zambia's wild beauty.

The memories of this trip, its wildlife and the people I shared it with, will stay with me forever, and Zambia has now cemented itself as one of my favourite places in the world. I urge you to see it for yourself.