Africa | Josette King

African Diaries — The Remote Parks of Tanzania’s Southern Circuit

12 March 2021 | Africa, Journeys, Places, Tanzania | 5 comments

The Republic of Tanzania is the largest country in East Africa. Of its landmass of 885,800 square kilometers (or 342,000 square miles – approximately twice the size of California), over 25 percent consists of 21 national parks and other wildlife management areas, home to two world-famous safari destinations: the Serengeti plain and the Ngorongoro crater. Yet, together these two legendary Northern Tanzania national parks account for less than ten percent of the total preservation land in the country. What of the remainder?

The Other Tanzania

Game is exceptionally abundant in the remote wilderness of the Southern Circuit.

As I began to plan my visit to Tanzania, it became obvious that in the southern and western parts of the country, an off the beaten track complex of parks and reserves whose combined area covered more than 77,000 square kilometers (20,020 square miles), remained mostly overlooked by international visitors. These great swaths of remote wilderness, home to prolific wildlife and mainly unscathed by human interaction, became an irresistible draw for me.

Safari Air Link brings visitors to the Ruaha River Lodge airstrip.

Of the handful of upscale bush camp operators that service the area, one immediately caught my attention: Foxes Safaris. Owned and managed for three generations by the Fox family, the organization is a recognized pioneer in establishing camps in prime game-viewing locations within the southern parks.

Stanley’s Kopje is perched on a rocky knoll.

To ensure the transfer of visitors across the vast distances between these parks, they have also implemented Safari Air Link, a sister company with a small fleet of Cessnas offering daily flights between Dar es Salam and the various destinations of the Southern Circuit. Their regular scheduling and friendly bush pilots put the pleasure back into flying as I made my way across the raw immensity of Southern and Western Tanzania.

Mikumi National Park

Shady trees are favorite lounging stops for Mikumi lions.

After an endless international journey to Dar es Salaam, the first stop on my month-long itinerary around Tanzania and the start of my Southern Circuit adventure, was Mikumi, the fourth largest national park in the country. It was home to multiple prides of lions as well as a variety of smaller predators, large herds of buffalos, zebras, and everything that made for gratifying game drives. A short 90- minute flight from Dar es Salaam, or half a day’s drive away, it was also the only national park readily accessible from the metropolis on the Red Sea, making it an attractive destination from the city. Yet visitors were few, and international tourists notably rare.

Mikumi abounds with varied wildlife.

My home in Mikumi was Stanley’s Kopje, the only camp in the entire park to be perched on a high rocky knoll (or kopje – Stanley’s being a nod to the famed 19th century explorer Morton Stanley, who led an expedition through the area). Historic anecdote aside, the site was spectacular, with the camp’s dining area and lounge enjoying a circular view of the vast Mkata flood plain and overlooking one of the best game-viewing area of the park: the Mwanamboga waterhole. The guest tents were spaced lower down the hill, around the perimeter of the kopje, and raised on high wooden platforms under thatch roofs that also shaded their oversized deck.

The fiery sunset dips behind the Udzungwa Mountains.

It was an ideal place to relax and reacquaint myself with the thrill of the African bush. From the serenity of my private veranda, I whiled away the lazy post-game drive hours watching herds of buffalos lumber their way across the plain, and elephants converging toward their favorite watering hole. Meanwhile on the horizon, a fiery sunset outlined the Udzungwa Mountains, and the heady sounds of the bush filled the air, complete with the vibrating roar of a lion coming from somewhere at the base of the knoll.

By the Ruaha Riverside

The Ruaha National is famous for its ancient baobabs. This one has become a scratching post for elephants.

It was a one-hour flight from Mikumi to Ruaha, due west over a landscape of increasingly high, craggy ridges and agricultural plains. Then the farmland subsided, replaced by forest and rock. We were approaching a rippling plateau bordered by a steep escarpment, and a dusty airstrip with a welcoming committee of parading giraffes. This was Ruaha, the second largest national park it Tanzania, known for its exceptionally large population of elephants, giraffes and greater kudus, and for the outstanding diversity of its wildlife. But when I think of Ruaha, what first comes to mind are the baobabs, hundreds of the ancient giants in colossal groves across the plain, and clinging to the rock all the way up the escarpment.

Elephants come to drink in the rock pools of the Ruaha River.

Then there was the Ruaha River Lodge itself, stretched along the bank of the river that gave it and the park their name, where game-viewing was a never-ending feast. It started at breakfast in the riverside dining room, with a Goliath heron coming to preen on the bank right in front of us, and baboons bouncing from rock to rock across the water. It continued with lunch at the hilltop dining room, and panoramic view of a herd of elephants coming to drink in the rock pool below. And evenings on the veranda of my banda (Swahili for cottage) were equally exciting, with hippos stopping by, just a few feet away from my banister, to chomp on the landscape on their way to the river.

The Ultimate Wilderness

Bull giraffes struggle for supremacy.

It was another two hours westward to Katavi, the third-largest park in Tanzania, and a place so far beyond remote that it receives barely one thousand visitors per year. What enchanted me there was Africa at its primeval best, the rich and varied wildlife going about the rhythm of its existence as it had for millennia in a pristine environment of reed-filled floodplains and dense woodlands. On my first morning, I woke up to find a herd of elusive elands emerging from the misty silence of the plain to graze beneath my deck. Later on, I was treated to a neck joust by bull giraffes, each determined to assert his supremacy over the herd.

Katavi Wilderness Camp was nestled in a grove of soaring marula and tamarind trees.

Nestled under the canopy of soaring marula and tamarind trees, the Katavi Wilderness Camp was an intimate enclave of luxury overlooking the Katisunga Plain as it stretched to the Lyamba-lya-Mfipa escarpment on the horizon. Beyond the pleasure of finding contemporary comforts in such an improbable place, what made the camp truly special was its attentive staff and guide who welcomed me to a level of gracious hospitality worthy of the East African safari tradition of a bygone era.

According to the park authorities records, I was one of only three tourists in the park at the time of my visit, and I never came across the other two. Katavi gave me the intoxicating experience that I had, for a few days, Africa all to myself.

Large herds of buffalos roam the remote parks of the Southern Circuit.

Good to Know

Getting there — Tanzania’s main airport is Julius Nyerere International Airport, located 13 kilometers(8 miles) southwest of Dar es Salaam, which is the entry-point for visitors to the southern parks. There are no direct flights from North American to Tanzania, and only one direct route from Europe: KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, which offers a daily flight from Amsterdam to Dar es Salaam. Another option is to fly to Nairobi, Kenya, where there are a number of daily connection possibilities to Dar es Salaam.

Getting around — My entire itinerary from Dar es Salaam throughout the Southern Circuit, including all air transfers via Safari Air Link, was seamlessly managed by Foxes Safaris.

A Few Souvenirs

Location, location, location!

Katavi

Mikumi

Ruaha

African Diaries – Kenya’s Magical Mara

8 January 2021 | Africa, Journeys, Kenya, Places | 6 comments

I was into the second week of my journey around Kenya, a country I had approached with some trepidation because of its established reputation as one of the premiere safari destinations in Africa. This popularity had long attracted hordes of tourists, a situation at odds with my predilection for off the beaten track places. Fortunately, in the early stages of planning my trip, I had come across Gamewatchers Safaris and their four, intimate Porini (Swahili for “in the wild”) Camps. Now, after memorable stays at the Amboseli and Rhino camps, I was headed for the legendary Maasai Mara.

A Mara welcome – Topi female with calfs..

Named for its ancestral inhabitants, the Maasai Mara National Reserve is surrounded by a number of conservancies. The total area under conservation covers 1,500 square kilometers (580 square miles) to form the Greater Mara ecosystem, locally known simply as The Mara. It was deep into one of these conservancies, just northeast of the Reserve, that I was now landing.

Mara Porini Camp

Giraffes were a frequent sight in the Ol Kinyei Conservancy..

The Safarilink Cessna made a quick stop for me at the tiny Siana Springs airstrip, where my guide and spotter awaited. Within minutes, the three of us were rocking along a rough dirt trail and across streams swollen by the early onset of autumn rains. This was iconic Maasai country, dotted with bomas, the distinctive hamlets of squat, flat-roofed mud huts within their protective circle of thorny fences.Tall men draped in flowing crimson shúkàs went about daily activities. Children waved as our Land Rover drove by, before returning their attention to the cattle they were minding. Soon signs of human activity faded away and the prairie morphed into wooded rolling hills. Cattle was replaced by antelopes, giraffes and zebras.The short ride to the camp was stretching into a game drive.

A harem of impalas were often seen near the camp.

Nestled within a grove of soaring yellow-barked acacia, in a vast area set aside by the local Maasai landowners of the Ol Kinyei Conservancy for the exclusive use of the guests, the intimate Masa Porini Camp had the charm of a timeless well-kept secret. While my spacious, eco-friendly tent featured solar electricity, a private bathroom with hot showers and flush toilets – the norm in all Porini Camps – everything blended seamlessly into the rough hewn decor. My large veranda overlooked a permanent brook where a large harem of impalas, its dominant buck in the lead, visited frequently during my stay.

A Resident Pride

The resident pride.- roused from their nap.

Games viewing opportunities were many, both within the conservancy as a destination onto itself or as a drive through on the way to day-long drives into the Maasai Mara National Reserve a mere 17 kilometers (10 miles) away. In addition to the constant sightings of a wide variety of grazing animals and smaller predators, the most remarkable moment of my stay at Mara Porini was and encounter with a large resident pride of lions. We came across a dozen of them, lazily rousing from their afternoon siesta in the high savanna grass.

Resident pride lionesses – getting into stalking formation.

Suddenly they began rising to attention in a slow, intently coordinated move, as they sensed an approaching herd of zebra. It was fascinating to observed them stealthy come into a stalking formation, until some indiscernible alert sent the herd fleeing at a gallop. The zebras managed a narrow escape and the lions returned with feign nonchalance to their grassy lounging spot.

Porini Lion Camp

The stylish dining tent and lounge overlooked the bush.

My next destination, and the last stop of my trip, was Porini Lion Camp, some 15 kilometers (10 miles) further west in the Olare Orok Conservancy, on the immediate northern border of the National Reserve, an area reputed for its abundance of “big cats.”

Strung along the bank of the Ntiakatiak River, a seasonal river with some permanent hippo pools, Porini Lion featured oversized tents of the latest design. All outer walls were floor to ceiling zippered panels that could be completely open from inside the tent to reveal mesh panels for outstanding light and air circulation. The clean-lined pale wood furniture in a contemporary Italian design style enhanced the serene atmosphere of the camp.

A cheetah family – feeding on mother’s fresh impala kill.

The frequent sightings here included not only lions but also and most notably a cheetah and her three tiny cubs, and the occasional leopard on the prowl. We also came across a mating pair of black rhinos, an especially exciting encounter as the population of rhino had been poached to near extinction by the early 1980, having dropped as low as 18 individuals. A effective rhino surveillance unit was subsequently established and the Mara had then become the only protected area in Kenya with an indigenous population of black rhinos. Numbers had been slowly increasing to an estimated 35 at the time of my visit (n.b. today’s estimate is around 50).

Newborn Elephants

Newborn elephant calf – learning to suckle.

However, the most unforgettable moments of my visit to Porini Lion came from an encounter with a breeding herd of elephants. I had the amazing privilege to witness a newborn calf, barely one-hour old, take its first unsteady steps, and its efforts to figure what to do with its unwieldy nasal appendage before it finally began suckling. A few feet away, a sturdier week-old cousin was trying to uproot a twig, before loosing interest and taking off, puppy-like, in hot pursuit of a bird.

With its exceptional game viewing, excellent accommodations, and as with all Porini properties, superior guiding and service, Porini Lion was the ideal grand finale to my Kenya adventure. One that I yearn to repeat once the current global health emergency has abated.

Mara giraffes and friends.

Good to Know

Getting there – Porini Mara Camp is located the Ol Kinyei Conservancy, northeast of the Masai Mara reserve in southwestern Kenya. The nearest airstrip, Siana Springs, was nine miles (15 kilometers) away. The Ol Kinyei Conservancy was 155 miles (250 kilometers) from Nairobi by road, a journey that was estimated to take four to five hours. Porini Lion Camp In the Olare Orok Conservancy on the northern border of the Masai Mara National Reserve in southwestern Kenya. The nearest airstrip, Ol Kiombo, was eight miles (13 kilometers) away. Olare Orok Conservancy was 155 miles (250 kilometers) from Nairobi by road, a journey that was estimated to take four to five hours.
Both camps and their host conservancies were cooperative ventures between Gamewatchers Safaris (Porini’s parent company) and local Maasai landowners. The majority of the camps’ staff were native tribesmen.
One of the longest established safari outfitters based in East Africa, Gamewatchers Safaris also own and manage the intimate, eco-friendly Porini Camps in Kenya. For well over a decade they have been and remain frequent recipients of “Best Green Tour Operator” and “Best Social Impact” awards at the annual Eco Warrior Award event held by Ecotourism Kenya. They are also internationally recognized, with many awards such as National Geographic “Top Ten Safari Outfitters”, and “Africa’s Responsible Tourism Award 2019 and 2018” in the World Travel Awards.
WTTC Safety Stamp and WHO Covid-19 Safety Standards — The Porini Safari Camps were among the first in Kenya to be checked and certified to re-open with new Covid-19 safety standards in line with the World Health Organization (WHO) and Kenya Ministry of Health requirements. They also have the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) Safety Stamp and their teams have completed “Covid-19 Sensitization” training with the Kenya Red Cross Training Institute.

A Few Souvenirs

Location, location, location!

Mara Porini Camp

Porini Lion Camp

African Diaries – Along the Zambezi River

7 November 2020 | Africa, Journeys, Places, Zambia | 4 comments

Having returned from the remote South Luangwa National Park irrevocably enthralled by my first experience in the African wilderness, I was yearning to get back to Zambia. When there is a will… I was off again the following June, to discover the national parks along the Zambezi River, right at the start of the ideal “dry season.”

Lower Zambezi National Park

Byy the end of the rainy season, the Lower Zambezi flood plain turns into a broad expanse of lagoons.

Located on the northern bank of the Zambezi, downstream from Lake Kariba, the Lower Zambezi National Park remains an area of primeval wilderness. This 75-mile (120-kilometer) stretch of land between the Chongwe River and the confluence of the Luangwa River extends 20 miles (32 kilometers) inland to the Zambezi Escarpment. Although the park covers an area of 1,580 square miles (4,092 square kilometers), the escarpment acts as a natural barrier to many species, concentrating most of the game’s activity near the edge of the river.

Hippos rush to the Chongwe River.

The valley was home to many mammal species including hippopotamus, elephant, buffalo, zebra, lion, leopard, genet, civet, and a large number of gazelles. It also offered some of the most abundant and colorful birdlife I had come across anywhere. The river bank was scalloped with channels that created lush islands along the main river. This idyllic environment had led a few of the most reputed safari operators in the country to develop a number of luxury camps along the river. My favorites had managed to retain a laidback bush camp vibe.

Chongwe River Camp

The view extended across the Zambezi to the Zimbabwe.

Stretched along the bank of the Chongwe, at the point where it met the Zambezi, the Chongwe River Camp offered a sweeping view of the western boundary of the Lower Zambezi National Park and Zimbabwe’s famed Mana Pools on the far bank of the river. The inspired architecture of the lounge with its curving concrete platforms lined with thick pads and toss pillows, showcased the exuberant wilderness that surrounded the camp. Throughout the day, elephants and buffalos came to the water for a drink or a bath, while pods of hippos filled the river like so many moving islands.

A Goliath Heron takes flight. With a wingspan of 185–230 cm (73–90.5 in), it is the world largest living heron.

Drives across the Chongwe River into the park were always exciting, but my favorite way to explore this unique environment was from the water. Canoeing down the quiet, shady channels was as blissful a safari experience as I have ever come across, enhanced by the expertise of my guide, Wedmore Kumbani. He could unobtrusively stir our canoe to find a leopard stealthily quenching its thirst or a fifteen-foot long Nile crocodile sunning on the bank. I also credit him for introducing me to the joys of birding by allowing me observe close-up the rich birdlife on the river, from the giant Goliath Heron to the jewel-like Malachite Kingfisher.

Memorable first sighting of a Malachite Kingfisher.

My first sighting of the latter remains an adrenalin-charged memory to this day. Wedmore spotted one of the tiny birds clinging to a reed and maneuvered us to it. I single-mindedly began shooting while he was nudging the canoe to get me ever closer. Suddenly, from beneath us, a submerged hippo decided to make its presence known. It abruptly surfaced, its flank scraping the side the canoe, sending it spinning. Wedmore skillfully steadied it while I clung frantically to my camera. The bird was long gone by now, but I had memorable images of my eventful first sighting of a Malachite Kingfisher, and after calm had returned, of my closest encounter ever with a hippo.

Chiawa Camp

My tented suite featured an open deck with an irresistible claw-footed Victorian bathtub with a view.

Chiawa Camp was my idea of what Eden should be: spectacular views, abondant game activity, and outstanding creature comforts. Nestled under a lush canopy of riverine forest in the heart of the Park, Chiawa blended so unobtrusively into its surroundings that elephants and buffalos routinely paraded within feet of my tent on their way to the river. More than once, the short walk from the lounge to my tent was delayed while a pachyderm ambled down the path, claiming its incontestable right of way.

An unexpected visitor shows up for lunch at Chiawa.

The two-story open-front lounge sat a short walk up a gentle slope from the edge of the water. The upper deck offered a panoramic view of the river. A telescope made for close up observation of the game hiding in the high undulating grass that covered the small islands nearby. With so many enticements to an armchair safari, the hardest thing about Chiawa was to select from the variety of daily game watching activities, on land and water, available at the camp.

Connecting with a young lion with along the Chilanga channel.

My visit to Chiawa was rich in exceptional moments, such as canoeing along the secluded Chilanga channel. As my guide smoothly navigated the canoe in the dappled shade of overhanging winter thorn acacias, we came upon a pair of lions enjoying a drink a few feet away on the riverbank. I experienced a prolonged spine-tingling eye contact with one the gorgeous felines before we all carried on with our own pursuits. Another moment forever imprinted on my mind, while star-gazing in the warm night echoing with bird calls and hippo snorts, was to discover the Southern Cross, perfectly outlined among the millions of stars in the black velvet of the African sky. Safari doesn’t get any better than this.

Victoria Falls

Mosi-oa-Tunya is the largest sheet of falling water on the planet.

One of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World, the Mosi-oa-Tunya (“Smoke that Thunders” in the Kalolo-Lozi tribe’s dialect) plunge 108 meters (355 feet) down in a stunning 1.7- kilometer (1.05- mile) wide waterfall across the Zambezi River. Columns of spray can be seen from miles away from the estimated 500 millions cubic meters (150 million gallons) of water per minute that plumet over the edge. British explorer David Livingston is thought to have been the first European to set eyes on the falls (on November 16, 1855), which he named after his queen.

My Tongabezi guide took took me to the edge of the chasm for a close up rainbow experience.

The Falls are within the Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park, a 66 square kilometer (25 square mile) stretch of land that goes from the Songwe Gorge below the Falls in a north-west arc along about 20 kilometers (12.5 miles) of the Zambian river bank. Roughly one million people visit the Falls each year, which has prompted the development a large tourism infrastructure, especially around the town of Livingston, just upstream from the park, where lodges now crowd the river-frontage and hotel buildings lurk on the horizon. Fortunately further up-river, a few prestigious, long established river lodges have retained their timeless elegance and pristine riverfront environment.

Tongabezi

A magical Tongabezi sunset.

While exchanging experiences with kindred adventurers traveling through the game parks of Zambia, conversation would often drift to favorite lodges and camps. Invariably, someone would bring up Tongabezi. Those who had visited where enthusiastic; those who had not were wistful. Guides and staff always spoke of “Tonga” with respect. As soon as I arrived at Tongabezi, I understood how it had come to be a standard by which Zambian luxury properties were measured.

Al fresco dining at Tongabezi.

Some 20 kilometers (12 miles) upstream from Victoria Falls and Livingstone, across from the Victoria Falls National Park on the Zimbabwe side of the river, Tongabezi was nestled in a meticulously tended grove of ebony trees overlooking a magnificent bend of the Zambezi River. With its superb service, exquisite cuisine, and the mighty Zambezi shimmering under the midday sun or reflecting the rising moon, it was a serene haven for a gentle re-entry into the outside world after two weeks weeks in the bush. And the perfect venue from which to explore the Falls.

Pied Kingfisher were a constant sight along the river.

My first visit to Mosi-oa-Tunya was at ground level in the company of my guide, who took me along trails that allowed me to get dizzyingly close to the abyss, where I could feel and breathe the spray, and capture perfect rainbows. After this exhilaratingly visceral experience, I went to gaze upon the Falls just as Livingston first did. Tongabezi held the concession for what is now known as Livingston Island, at the head of the Falls. Here, after a short boat ride, I enjoyed a gourmet picnic lunch at the edge of the chasm. David Livingston never had it so good!

Areal view of the geological evolution of the falls and gorges.

I returned the next day for a bird’s eye view of the Falls, in a small bubble-canopy helicopter that flew me all around the area. In addition to taking in the thunderous natural wonder, this areal perspective gave me a fascinating view of its geological evolution. Since its original formation in the Upper Paleolithic age (20,000 b.c.), six individual gorges have formed, and the Falls have recessed eight times, all previous positions clearly visible from up high.

The Lower The Zambezi National Park stretches between the Zambezi River and the Escarpment.

Good to Know

Lower Zambezi — Because of its remote location and limited infrastructure, the Lower Zambezi National Park is not easily accessible. It is best reached via small (loosely) scheduled prop planes to air strips barely larger than a dirt road. However, its pristine isolation and the outstanding density and variety of game congregating along the river, coupled with the luxury of the camps along the river make it superb destination well worth the effort.
Chongwe—Chongwe River Camp has nine classic tents under thatch and two private tented ‘suites’, the Albida (two-bedroomed) and the Cassia (one bedroom honeymoon).
Chiawa— The camp is a property of Chiawa Safaris https://www.chiawa.com . It has nine luxury tents that can accommodate up to 16 guests, each raised on wooden decks with river views.
Tongabezi—The awards-winning Tongabezi Lodge https://tongabezi.com offers six private Houses and five River Cottages nestled on the banks of the Zambezi River, accommodating two to five guests each.

A Few Souvenirs

Location, location, location!

Victoria Falls, Zambia

South Luangwa National Park,

African Diaries—Into Zambia

25 October 2020 | Africa, Journeys, Places, Zambia | 4 comments

First, travel plans for this year ground to a halt in early March. Then came the realization that it could be well into next year before it may be reasonable to begin dusting off my passport. That’s when Africa started calling me – again. But memories will have to do for now.

South Luangwa National Park

On approach for landing in Mfuwe.

My love affair with Africa began well over a decade ago in the South Luangwa National Park, a 3,500 square-mile (9,050 square-kilometer) stretch of pristine wilderness hidden away in the north-eastern corner of Zambia. After years of yearning, months of planning and a mind-numbing 48-hour succession of flights that had taken me from Houston to the tiny airport of Mfuwe, I was bouncing in an open-top land-cruiser, on a rocky dirt trail heading deep into the park.

The valley draws a rich concentration of game.

Its eastern border follows the Luangwa River as it makes its convoluted way toward the Zambezi River, leaving behind a patchwork of oxbow lakes and lagoons. This remote valley, with its ruggedly varied landscape of savanna and forest, is considered by experts to hosts one of the richest concentration of game in Africa.

Comfortable bush camps are nestled along the banks of the Luangwa River.

Unsurprisingly, this has led a few of the most reputed safari operators in the country to develop a number of small seasonal bush camps in close proximity to the river. Over the next couple of weeks, I was to visit several of them. Each had a unique character, influenced by its location and the wildlife it attracted. I credit the exhilaration of this first experience for my a lifelong passion for the African bush.

The demise of the giraffe is a bounty for a hyena.

Into the Wild

The hyena’s cub intently takes in the scene.

The two-hour drive to Kuyenda, the camp where I was to spend the next two nights, might be long forgotten by now if not for a couple of images forever imprinted on my mind. First came the breathtaking blood-orange sunset that briefly set ablaze the endless African sky before the entire landscape faded to black.

Then sometime later, a dead giraffe. My driver detoured off-road into the brush, lights muted, explaining that the carcass of an old male had been reported here earlier in the day, and would I mind if we checked it out? I wouldn’t. The still relatively intact giraffe was sprawled across a small clearing, and a hyena had beat us to it.

Behind her, her cub was peering tentatively out of the shadows. “This is the circle of life in the bush,” my companion commented philosophically. “Within a week the scavengers will have it all cleaned up,” he added, doubtless to assuage my tourist’s sensibilities.

Kuyenda

Phil has been active in the valley for over half a century in various wildlife preservation capacities. He is considered one of Zambia’s most respected naturalists.

Kuyenda was a classic African bush camp: four cozy wood and reed private guest rondavels (circular huts) under thatch, with open-air en-suite bathrooms and overhead drum showers, clustered around a spacious open-walled dining and lounge area. This is where we congregated at dawn over a hearty cooked breakfast, four guests from various parts of the world and our host, the resident camp manager and guide, Phil Berry.

Open top land-cruisers are the limousines of the bush.

Game watching meant adapting to the rhythm of the sun and the moon, as the wildlife has since the beginning of time. But the wonder of a pristine new day was well worth the ruthlessly early wakeup call. We settled into the land-cruiser, with Phil stopping to point out every new animal or bird sighting. A herd of skittish impalas snapped to attention as went approached, while baby baboons roughhousing in a tree didn’t even grant us a look.

My very first elephant sighting ever!

Then we came upon a venerable bull elephant, standing within twenty feet of our truck, apparently still half asleep himself. My very first elephant in the wild! I’d see many more in the days to come, but that first sighting remains unforgettable, even though he gave us only a perfunctory glance before turning his attention to the foliage of a nearby Mopane tree (an elephant favorite treat) for his breakfast.

The magic of a Kuyenda dusk.

The instant that sealed my fate as a hardcore safari enthusiast came that evening, as we were sipping our Sundowner – alcoholic (or not) beverage of your choice (make mine Gin and Tonic, thank you), usually enjoyed while watching the sun set over an especially scenic vista. We were stopped in the dry, sandy bed of the Manzi River, taking in the the perfect stillness of dusk, when we spotted a pair adult male lions unhurriedly making their silent way across our line of vision.

Chamilandu

A family of pukus drops by for a morning drink near the camp.

Chamilandu was the most intimate of the camps I visited on this trip: three spacious tree-houses with outdoor showers, perched on ten-foot high platforms. Each was fully open onto its private deck with a startling 180 degree view of the Luangwa River and the distant the Nchendeni Hills. This privileged riverfront location ensured outstanding game viewing at camp as well as on walks and drives nearby.

An hippo mother and young calf emerge from the river at sunset.

A pleasant morning walk offered an excellent close-up view of the abundant water-fowl population. A sundowner drive took us to a nearby cliff to observe a large pod of hippos as they emerged from the river to browse, and afforded us the treated of a colony of Carmine bee-eaters nesting into the cliff. On the way back we got the added excitement of sighting a leopard stealthily on its way to its nightly errands.

Kudu bulls sport impressive spiraling horns.

Other favorite memories of Chamilandu? The ready access to water repeatedly brought herds of elephants to the river, and a varied population of antelopes, among them the majestic spiral-horned kudus. This abundance of antelopes meant predators weren’t far behind. We came across an especially regal male one night, who seemed quite offended by our intrusion.

Chindeni

Dawn over the Chindeni lagoon.

Tucked in the shade of ancient ebony trees at the apex of a permanent oxbow lagoon, Chindeni was a verdant oasis in the parched immensity of the park when I visited in the final weeks of the dry season. The four tented guest accommodations were raised on wooden platforms at the edge of a bluff overlooking the lagoon. As was the panoramic lounge, cleverly arranged around the trunk of a giant ebony tree that contributed both a sculptural quality and cooling shade to the structure. It was the perfect spot to enjoy an early pre-drive breakfast while contemplating the dramatic sunrise over the hills.

Lionesses are settling in for their siesta.

While the overall variety of game viewing in and around the camp was impressive, my Chindeni experience is forever associated with lions – a major pride of them! We first spotted them at the end of a morning drive, several females of various ages and a couple of adolescent males, all looking sated and ready to settle down in a shady glade for their afternoon siesta.

Tree-climbing lions are an extremely rare sight.

We returned to the area to look for them at the start of our late afternoon drive, and were rewarded with a startling sight: a tree full of lions! The entire pride was draped high in the branches of a huge winter thorn tree, having climbed there, doubtless in search of a cooling breeze to relieve them from the heavy afternoon heat. Now they were gingerly starting to stir, contemplating the challenge of every treed cat in the world: how to get down?

The Mfuwe Lodge

Elephants are a constant sight at the Mfuwe Lodge.

Although time seemed to stand still during my enchanted stay in in the park, sadly, it hadn’t. With a morning flight out of Mfuwe to start the long journey home, I spent the last two nights of my visit at the Mfuwe lodge. With 18 guest chalets and all the amenities expected from a luxury full service hotel, the Lodge was a good way to ease myself back into the “real world.” Although located within the park, it was a mere five-minute drive from the main gate and 45 minutes away from the airport. As in the camps I was still able to enjoy a day’s worth of game drives.

Elephant and hippo are having a territorial disagreement.

A tiny elephant calf is learning to manage a mud hole.

But the highpoint of my stay unfolded right in front of my chalet. From my balcony overlooking the lagoon, at the time reduced to a series of puddles, I spent an entertaining afternoon watching a mud fight between a hippo and a breeding herd of elephants. The hippo had laid claim to the patch, and in spite of all the persuasion the matriarch elephant could muster, it wouldn’t be dislodged.

The two contestants ultimately pretended to ignore each other, and the pachyderms made the best of whatever slime they could appropriate.

I reluctantly left Zambia, promising myself to return. And so I did, the following year. My main destination was the Zambezi River this time, but I couldn’t resist starting my visit with detour via the South Luangwa National Park.

Nkwali

Nkwali offers a spectacular view of the park and the river.

I opted to stay in the Game Management Area this time, immediately across the river from the South Luangwa National Park. Discretely tucked into a grove of soaring ebony trees on a prime vantage point of the eastern bank of the Luangwa River, Nkwali coupled the casual atmosphere and intimate proximity to wildlife that only a bush camp can offer with the indulgent amenities of a boutique safari lodge. Its six guest chalets and lounge area offered a spectacular view of the steep far bank of the river and the acacia forest that constituted the boundary of the park.

The private pontoon is an picturesque way to access the park.

For all its superb isolation, Nkwali was less than an hour away from Mfuwe Airport. Access to the park was either via a colorful hand-cranked pontoon near the camp or across the Mfuwe Bridge, 10 kilometers away. Game activity was intense in the Game Management Area as in the park itself, and the the pontoon crossing gave us the unique opportunity to witness at close range the sudden eruption of a domestic argument within a pod of hippos floating nearby.

First close range sighting of a leopard!

The splendid cat indulged me with a photo opportunity.

It was exciting to reconnect with all the familiar wildlife of the bush but the most exhilarating moment came when we began tracking a leopard. I had casually mentioned to my guide, Joseph, that on my previous visit I had only managed a night-time glance at one, and I that I was hoping to get a proper look this time. He made it a matter of professional pride to grant me my wish. Locating the elusive feline took cooperative efforts of Joseph and one of his colleagues. They engaged in an extensive radio dialog to direct us to the appropriate location. They were assisted by the terrorized screeches of a troop of baboons who had apparently just lost one of their own to the feline.

Then suddenly there he was, glaring defiantly at us through a jumble of grass, a magnificent adult male, his spotted coat still showing tell-tale red shadows. He seemed to weigh its options for a while, before strutting nonchalantly out of the brush and across the clearing, and fading once again into the high grass. Definitely the ultimate memory of my visit to Nkwali!

From my chalet at Nkwali, I spent a blissful siesta time watching a herd of elephants wade their way out of the park, across the Luangwa River.

Good to Know

Getting there—Because of its remote location, the South Luangwa National Par is not as readily accessible from North America and Europe as other better known southern Africa safari destinations. This isolation naturally limits the number of visitors, which enhances the authentic bush experience.
Staying there—Chamilandu, Chindeni, Kuyenda and the Mfuwe Lodge are properties of The Bushcamp Company. Kuyenda and Chamilandu are open June to November, Chindeni is open May to December and the Mfuwe Lodge is open year-round. Nkwali is a Robin Pope Safaris property. It is opened year-round

A view from the pontoon – A bloat of hippos sunning themselves on the bank of the river.

A Few Souvenirs

Location, location, location!

Mfuwe, Zambia

Journey to the Edge of Africa – The Damaraland Experience

9 June 2017 | Africa, Journeys, Namibia, Places | 3 comments

After the featureless desolation of the Skeleton Coast, entering Damaraland feels like emerging onto another planet. Under an improbably vivid sky, a prehistoric landscape of massive conical granite kopjies and mountaintops flattened by an eternity of erosion rises from barren gravel plains to an endless horizon.

Life in the Desert

Kudus manage to exist on the sparse vegetation.

Yet occasional patches of dusty vegetation hint at water somewhere below the parched ground. In a land that receives less than 150 millimeters (5.9 inches) of annual rainfall, and sometime none at all, camel thorn acacias outline the bed of an ephemeral river quickly absorbed into underground aquifers for storage. Beneath the trees, a family of kudus methodically munches on the sparse shrubbery. Further on, we come across clumps of euphorbia, their spindly grey stems toxic to all living things except oryx and rhinos. Then Jimmy Limbo, our outstanding Wilderness Safaris guide, points to something that has to be one of the most bizarre plants on the planet.

The welwitschia plant traces back to Jurassic times.

At first glance, it looks like an old tire blown to shreds, with rubbery red berries growing out of it. It’s the welwitschia, two strap-shaped leaves growing from a woody center (or caudex) to reach up to two meters (6.5 feet) in length. Like blades of grass, the leaves grow from the base, so that they can keep going even when their tip gets worn off. The oldest living specimens are estimated to be between 1,500 and 2,000 years old. Long before the plant, which traces back to the Jurassic period and is endemic to Damaraland, was “discovered” in 1859 by Friedrich Welwitsch, it was known as onvanga (desert onion) to the Herero people.

Mountains of Burnished Gold

The colossal sandstone ridges are ablaze in the setting sun.

We have been driving for a couple of hours, Jimmy unerringly stirring our custom-built land cruiser through the unchartered immensity of a scenery that keeps getting ever more dramatic. The setting sun is turning the mountains into a colossal backdrop of burnished gold by the time we reach our small, semi-permanent private camp of domed tents tucked within the spectacular boulders of a sandstone ridge. After dinner, a braai (southern African barbecue) under a canopy of stars, a spectacular full moon rises, as if on cue, over the ridge.

Angola giraffes have adapated to the arid rockly terrain.

Morning comes early, and most of the day is spent bouncing on the back of the land cruiser, tracking rare desert-adapted elephants through an ever-changing scenery of rock and sand. Incredibly, this sun-baked land is able to sustain small populations of creatures who have adapted their life-style to survive in these almost waterless conditions. We sight small herds of springboks, oryx, ostriches and even the occasional zebra and giraffe, as well as desert squirrels and birds.

The desert squirrel uses its bushy tail for shade.

The elephants, although they have left a number of clues of their recent passage, keep eluding us. These pachyderms, who can travel up to 70 kilometers (over 40 miles) per day in their quest for food and water, seem to have headed for the hills. But Jimmy will not be stymied. We follow their uphill tracks onto a rocky terrain that lends a whole new meaning to off-road driving, to the base of a ridge where we abandon the car. It’s on foot from here on. I stumble my way to the top in his wake.

Desert elephants are constantly on the move in seach of water.

By the time I have caught my breath, a small line of elephants are moving toward us on the path below, three adults and three calves in various stages of maturity, bronzed with desert dust. Even from up here, they appear visibly leaner that their brethrens of the savannah, and with longer, thinner legs that enable them to travel long distances to reach a water source. They browse sparingly, without tearing off the trees like elephants living in higher rainfall areas. From our perch, we observe them for some time in detail, until they continue on their ponderous way up and vanish over the opposite ridge.

An Uncertain Spring

The sandstone valley of Twyfelfontein holds one of the largest concentration of petroglyphs in Africa.

The next day, we visit Twyfelfontein (or Uncertain Spring in Afrikaans), so named by a settler, David Levine, who bough land there in 1948 in hope that the spring on the property would provide sufficient water for his family and livestock. Today, the name, along with a couple of crumbling walls from his tiny homestead, are all that remain from his twelve-year experiment.

The engravings include a diversity of animals and foot prints.

However, the Twyfelfontein valley, has been inhabited by Stone-age hunter-gatherers, the first Damara people, since approximately 6,000 years ago. Then 2,000 to 2,500 years ago came the Khoikhoi herders, an ethnic group related to the San (Bushmen). Both groups used the valley, then known under its Damara name of |Ui-||Aes (or jumping waterhole in Bushmen click language), as a place of worship to conduct their chamanist rituals. On the slopes of the sandstone table mountain that flanks the valley, these early Damara left us one of the largest concentration of petroglyphs (rock engravings) in Africa. All are chiseled in exposed locations on the massive rock face of free-standing boulders. The Khoikhoi also produced some rock engravings that can be clearly differentiated from the earlier ones. In all, over 2500 engravings have been identified so far, making the valley one of the oldest and most important open-air art galleries in Africa. UNESCO declared Twyfelfontein a World Heritage Site in 2007.

Twyfelfontein’s most intriguing figure is known as the Lion Man.

The images depict an astonishing diversity of animals, elephants, rhinos, giraffes, oryx , kudus, zebras and more, as well as foot prints. There are also a few instances of animals that do not occur in the area, such as seals and flamingos. Did some of these hunter-gatherers come from the coastal area more than 100 kilometers of arid desert away? Some graphics are also believed to be maps showing the location of waterholes. Originally, the theory was that people simply depicted what they saw around them and the game they hunted. Could they have also served an educational purpose? Today these engraving are thought to represent the transformation of humans into animals, an important aspect of the belief system and shamanist rituals of their authors.

One of the most notable is the Lion Man. This lion is represented with a prey in his mouth, five toes on each foot (whereas lions only have four), and a very tall tail that ends with a six-toed footprint. Could this deliberate combination of human and animal features indicate that this shaman has transform into a lion? All these unanswered questions only add to the magic of Twyfelfontein.

Prehistoric Damaraland vista.

Good to Know

Twyfelfontein is easily accessible by road. From the main (paved) road C39 betweem Sesfontein and Khorixas, take the secondary (gravel) road D3214 for approximately 20 kilometers (12 miles) to the site. The visitor Center is open from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm daily, with last admission at 3:30 pm. The engravings can only be visited with a local guide following a predetermined itinerary. Admission is N$ 50, or approximately $ 4 US, guided tour included.
Wilderness Safaris is a major ecotourism tour operator with a significant presence throughout eastern and southern Africa over the past three decades. They offer private access to some 2.5 million hectares (six million acres) of Africa’s finest wildlife and wilderness areas. While they do not take direct bookings, they work with a global network of destination specialists, including Wild about Africa, who I selected to arrange this journey around Namibia.
Wild about Africa is an established destination specialist focusing on moderately-priced, solo traveler-friendly small group safaris (maximum 7 participants) in Bostwana, Namibia and Zambia. Wild about Africa, 10 & 11 Upper Square, Old Isleworth, Middlesex, TW7 7BJ, U.K. Contact: e-mail enquiries @ wildaboutafrica.com, +1-800-242-2434 (U.S.), +44 (0) 20 8758 4717 (U.K.).