Traveller's Tales: Matthew's Zambian Adventures

Zambia is an amazing country that is just starting to hit its groove from a tourism perspective. Travelling with a group, I was fortunate enough to have spent two weeks getting to see what makes this country special and why so many people see it as the new hot spot of Africa. My adventure took me to Livingstone and the Victoria Falls, on to Lake Kariba, the largest man made lake in the world, and finally onto the safari spectacle that is the Lower Zambezi. Along the way there were tigerfish, football matches, leopards and lots of white water!

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Zambia

Zambia is a country in Southern Africa that is the same size as France and yet only has a population of 11 million, to this end, it has turned a vast proportion of its land mass into protected areas with 20 national parks and 36 game management areas in the country. These take up around 30% of Zambia (165,700 km2). They all offer something completely different which is what makes it such a special place to visit, from South Luangwa, which the Far & Wild team checked out last year, to Kafue National Park, and the Zambezi River. Despite this, Zambia has remained relatively off the radar until recent years. While destinations like the Mara and Serengeti in East Africa, the Kruger in South Africa, and Okavango in Botswana have been getting most of the attention, Zambia has been steadily doing its same amazing thing, with more people slowly becoming aware.

I decided it was about time that I finally went and saw what everyone was talking about, so joined a trip with some friends that followed the Zambezi river from the mighty Victoria Falls through to the famed Lower Zambezi National Park. These were two areas that Livingstone himself travelled along as he explored the Zambezi and discovered those same falls.

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Livingstone and the Victoria Falls

The Victoria Falls, or Mosi-oa-Tunya (The Smoke that Thunders), has been captivating humans for centuries. It was first documented by the Kololo tribe, who lived in the area in the 1800s. However, it wasn't until David Livingstone's expedition in 1855 that the Falls became known to the Western world. Livingstone was so taken by the beauty and power of the Falls that he wrote, "No one can imagine the beauty of the view from anything witnessed in England”. The Victoria Falls straddles the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe, spanning a width of over a mile.

The falls certainly did not disappoint. While in Livingstone the thing that really jumped out me was the sheer number of activities on offer, there is something for everyone to do, and we certainly made the most of it. First up was Angel’s pools, an incredible natural rock pool right on the edge of the falls, it is used at different times of the year from its more famous neighbour, devil’s pool, but both offer the same up close moment with the waterfall’s edge. This certainly was an amazing introduction to Victoria Falls, its hard to appreciate the size and amount of water crashing past. We then spent the afternoon walking on the other side and getting soaked from the mist as we enjoyed the view of the falls.

Visitors to Livingstone can also enjoy seeing the falls from micro-light or helicopter, which a few members of the party did, with rave reviews of the views. During one evening we took a sunset cruise up the river which was a stunning way to explore this part of the Zambezi, with crocodiles and hippos on the banks and incredible bird life throughout. For those looking for something a little more adrenaline fuelled, there is bungy jumping from the bridge as well as white water rafting through the gorge below. We opted for the white water rafting in the end and had a magical day exploring the gorge below the falls in and out of the boat (not always by choice!).

While I was in Livingstone, between the activities, I also checked out a few of the great accommodation options in the area. All were located on the river and provided amazing bases to explore the area. Sussi and Chuma (named after two of Dr. Livingstone’s closest followers) is located in the Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park, home to a small population of white rhino. It offers beautiful tree house style rooms overlooking the river. Tongabezi is one of the oldest lodges in the area and has stunning views along a river meander. I also got the chance to visit its smaller, sister lodge, Sindabezi, which offers a special exclusivity nestled on its own island in the river. From here guests can watch animals come to the banks of the Livingstone National Park on the Zimbabwe side of the river. Each offers a range of activities form walking with rhinos in the National Park to excursions along the river, and are perfect spots to take a break from the activities on offer and enjoy the serene aspect of the upper Zambezi.

Livingstone and the falls are an amazing part of any trip to this area of Africa and are a truly unique spectacle. Livingstone is also home to one of the amazing charities that we support, and my colleague Anna was there just after me checking out the amazing stuff they do which you can read about here.

If you are interested in visiting Livingstone and Vic Falls yourself, consider one of our trip ideas or enquire to design your own trip.

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Lake Kariba

Next on the trip was Lake Kariba, the largest man-made lake in the world. Lake Kariba was formed in the late 1950s with the construction of the Kariba Dam across the Zambezi River. The dam was built to generate hydroelectric power and control the flow of the Zambezi River, but it also created one of the largest man-made lakes in the world, spanning over 5,000 square kilometres and stretches over 200 miles along and up to 50 miles wide.

This was more of a sedate, relaxed part of the trip, where we enjoyed the beautiful lake with its fossilised trees and stunning sunsets, and we got the chance to learn more about the history of this lake. One particular aspect was “Operation Noah”. When the dam was created and over 5,000 km2 was flooded along the Gwembe Valley, it was home to a rich diversity of wildlife. The local authorities launched a huge rescue operation to capture and relocate as many animals as possible to safer areas, with over 6,000 large animals being successfully relocated. It remains a testament to the dedication of the teams involved but also is a reminder of the impact of large-scale development projects on wildlife and the importance of preserving and protecting the natural heritage of the region.

While here, we also had the chance to get involved with local schools and communities, including an epic football match involving a 90^th minute equaliser and penalties. The chance to give back to places like this and get to know the locals and spend time with them is part of what makes travel such an eye-opening and life-changing thing. Projects like this and Play it Forward are great ways to spend part of your time in the country and help to make one really appreciate things.

Speak to us to plan your own visit to Play it Forward or other Zambian charities

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Lower Zambezi

It was now time to head further downstream from Lake Kariba, and into the Lower Zambezi. An area that offers a true wilderness experience, with vast stretches of untamed African bush and diverse wildlife. The Lower Zambezi National Park boasts stunning landscapes ranging from towering escarpments to lush floodplains. The park is home to a wide variety of wildlife, including elephants, lions, leopards, buffalo, and over 370 bird species.

We packed up and headed off early morning to catch our next transfer onwards. This was in the form of a boat that took us along the Kafue River and then into the Zambezi. We followed the river downstream towards the Lower Zambezi National Park and our camp for the next three nights. It was not quite as easy going as we had anticipated though, as the current drought in Zambia has seen water levels in the dam seriously reduced so less water is being let through to the river. This meant this stretch of the river was the lowest for that time of year on memory. Because of this, at various times during the journey we had to jump out and help push the boat over the sand and get it towards a deeper channel, attempting to avoid hippos and crocodiles as we did so.

Finally we made it down, having enjoyed seeing more hippos than I can remember ever having seen, elephants on the banks, and basking crocodiles. Home was Kutali Camp, a seasonal camp on the banks of the Lower Zambezi it is a stunning spot with simple yet luxurious tents lined up looking over the water, resting under the winterthorn trees of the area. We were quickly made at home and introduced to the amazing team before a relaxed afternoon, avoiding the heat of the day before the safari began.

One of the amazing things about the Lower Zambezi is the amount of different ways that you can explore this incredible ecosystem. The key one for us, with a number of first-timers to Africa, was seeing as much wildlife as possible. To this end we started with a game drive with our brilliant local guides, and within 15 minutes we had found a leopard! I have since been trying to explain to the others on the trip that this does not normally happen, but it seems that in the Lower Zambezi it does. We followed her up a dry channel as she attempted to stalk some impala, before losing her in the darkness. We continued our search with a night drive where we got a great introduction to the nocturnal wildlife of Zambia, from genets to porcupines, and another leopard!

The next morning we switched the car for our walking boots as we woke early for breakfast around the campfire before heading for a walk among the winterthorn forest. Zambia is known as the home of the walking safari and the guides were brilliant as we took a moment to concentrate on some of the smaller things. The incredible inner workings of a termite mound being a particular highlight for the group. Then it was back to camp to relax and enjoy a delicious lunch before heading fishing in the evening. Catching a tigerfish has long been on my bucket list and although it wasn’t really the right season, we thought we had to have a go and see what we could find. Even for those not into fishing, being out on the water as the sun sets and watching elephants along the bank is truly worth the experience. Thankfully it was not just a sight-seeing trip and with the help of our brilliant guide we managed to catch two tigerfish during the evening, a bucket list item ticked off!

During my stay I was able to check out two other beautiful camps along the Zambezi River, the first was Kutali's sister camp, Chula Island Camp. Despite being located just upriver, you feel as though you are in a completely different place with it beautifully situated in a mahogany grove. The views over the floodplains onto the river are gorgeous and it has that same classic Africa feeling as Kutali, of totally immersing yourself in the nature around you. I was also able to check out Anabezi, which is slightly further downriver, and for those looking for something more permanent this stunning lodge offers pure luxury while staying true to its local roots. Nestled within the Winterthorn forest it is another magical place to explore the Lower Zambezi from.

At this stage, we still hadn’t seen any lions, so we made this the key aim for the next day or so. On the morning drive, despite an amazing time with elephants and a bush breakfast next to a beautiful flowing channel there was still no luck. That afternoon we were out in canoes, floating down towards camp. The silence and the flow of the water is incredible and the hippos popping up alongside make this a very special activity. The guides knowledge of the bird life and the animals we saw along the way really made the difference. When we finished it, we had one more go looking for the lions, and although no luck there, our efforts were rewarded with a beautiful young female leopard. We had her all to ourselves as she walked past our vehicle and into the bush. That night was finished with a special bush dinner under the stars, where we looked back on what had been the most incredible two weeks.

With our flight back to Lusaka and then home happening in the early afternoon of the final day we decided to have one last search and see what we could find in the Lower Zambezi. Sure enough, the gods were on our side, and just after the sun had risen over the horizon we found two beautiful male lions relaxing in the morning son. Big smiles all around! After some time spent watching, we decided to see what else that morning had in store and the Lower Zambezi delivered when we suddenly spotted a gorgeous young leopard waiting for prey in a drainage line two feet from the road! After morning tea by the river with elephants crossing in front of us, we found a martial eagle with a monitor lizard gripped in its talons, just to put the cherry on top. An incredibly successful end to an amazing trip.

Thinking about your own Zambian adventure like mine? Check out our Zambia trip ideas.

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End of an epic trip

We set off late that morning to drive to the airport to catch our plane out of the Lower Zambezi and onwards back to the UK. Fortunately for us, the country had one last treat in store as we spotted one final leopard crossing the road to the airstrip. It seems that this wasn’t just a lucky group but Zambia really does deliver time and time again from conversations I have had with other visitors. It’s an amazing location and I would say go, go quickly before everyone else does and be ready for a magical time in a magical country.