Not much has changed along the banks of the Mighty Zambezi since the great hunter-explorer, Frederick Courtenay Selous wrote in his journal about his travels in this wild and beautiful country, “As I travel up this great vein of water, I feel sure that this must be the lifeblood of Southern Africa and its most powerful water mass.”
Our route takes us from Kasane in Botswana to Katima Mulilo in Namibia, where we catch our first glimpse of the Mighty Zambezi. Following the course of the Zambezi past the Sioma Falls we cross the Barotse Flood plains and on to the town of Kalabo in Western Zambia.
From Kalabo, we enter the Liuwa Plains National Park where we will encounter the second biggest wildebeest migration in Africa. At times, wildebeest and their calves can be seen in their hundreds, followed by the predators that stalk them.
Though this off-road safari will be “tough going” at times and will put your sense of adventure to the test, the rewards will far outweigh the hardships you might encounter.
Your tour leader is an experienced nature conservationist and adventure guide. He will be in radio contact with you at all times and impart a wealth of biological, cultural, historic and four-wheel drive knowledge.
Three meals a day will be prepared by our experienced bush chef in his mobile kitchen, with fresh salads, potjiekos, braais and many other surprises appearing on the menu. The good old “koffie pot” will be on the fire from six till late.
Our logistics crew will pitch and take down the camps at all the overnight stops we visit. Tents, tables and chairs are provided.
The route we will be negotiating will be tough at times, our tours are however never designed to be “vehicle breakers”, and should you experience any difficulty, the crew do have the “know how” and recovery equipment to assist with most off-road problems.
Though our bush-camps will be rustic and interesting, you will at all times be safe, the crew will spare no effort to make you comfortable, provide you with good wholesome food and, most importantly, see that you have a good time.
Scridb filterAdventure itinerary
Day 1:
We meet at the TORO Safari Lodge, just outside the town of Kasane in North Eastern Botswana, where believe it or not, you can see warthogs strolling down the main road and elephants browsing on the mopane trees next to the taxi stops.
By the time you arrive, your tents would have been pitched and our bush chef will be preparing the first of the culinary delights you will be enjoying on this safari.
The evening will be spent socialising around the fire and getting to know each other as the sun sets over the Chobe River, with the sound of hippos snorting and grunting in the background.
During the course of the evening, your guide will elaborate on the adventure that lies ahead.
Day 2:
Making an early start after a hearty breakfast, and after you have all been issued with two-way hand held radios, we take to the road and leave Botswana for Katima Mulilo in Namibia. At the Namibian border you have to pay the required Namibian road tax of R120, 00 per vehicle.
After refuelling our vehicles in Katima we cross the border into Zambia. As the border post procedures here can take a while, we will only be travelling a further 50 kilometres to our next overnight stop at Kabula Lodge.
Situated on the banks of the Zambezi, the lodge boasts good clean facilities and, once again, the crew will have set up camp and the pots will be on the stove when we arrive.
The day’s efforts will be rewarded with a sundowner cruise on the Mighty Zambezi before we settle down for a good nights rest.
Day 3:
The real adventure starts today, as we push to Kulabo via the two spoor sandy tracks of the beautiful Barotse Flood plains that, in places, are up to 30 kilometres wide. A picnic lunch will be served at the magnificent but little known Sioma Falls.
As the journey to Kulabo cannot be made in one day, we will be camping “rough” in the bush. The area is sparsely populated and the few locals we are likely to encounter are among the friendliest in all Africa.
Though we use the term “rough” – the crew will set up a basic “long drop” toilet and a “bucket shower” will be provided, though water will be at a premium and your personal water reserve will determine the length of your shower. Our field kitchen will however not be affected in any way so the grub will not be compromised.
With the sounds of the African bush as a backdrop we spend the evening around the campfire reminiscing the day’s events and debating the merits, or lack of them, of the “long drop”.
The tour leader will also make use of these interludes to answer any historic, cultural or biological questions you might have about the area.
Day 4:
Continuing along our two-spoor road that meanders through sub-tropical hardwood forests and sunny floodplains, we “grind” our way to Kulabo, where hopefully by midday we reach the Kulabo Lodge for our overnight stay with the luxury of normal ablution facilities.
Whilst in Kulabo there will be a few formalities to sort out at the Migration Office regarding passport checks and permits to enter the Liuwa Plains National Park.
Day 5:
After a good nights rest and a hearty breakfast, we once again take to the road, heading north we make a ferry crossing of the Luwangina River into the southern plains of the Liuwa National Park where, as we head deeper into the park, we will encounter our first herds of wildebeest.
Once in the park we will be joined by a National Parks Game Scout, who will guide us through the seemingly endless dry floodplains, where without a guide, many a “bobbejaan” has got hopelessly lost.
Our accommodation for the next two days is, once again, a rustic bush camp in the great outdoors with all the “trimmings”, only this time, as there is very little or no surface water, we will all have to chip in and make a contribution to our communal water supply.
Day 6:
Today we will spend enjoying all that Liuwa Plains has to offer, panoramic landscapes, wildebeest in their thousands and, with luck, the predators that prey on them.
After the sun has set, we once more head out into the plains for a night drive, hoping to find some elusive nocturnal animal or even one of those magical African encounters, when we come upon a kill.
Day 7:
Sadly we have to pack up our camp, leave the National Park and head back to the campsite at Kulabo Lodge.
After two nights in the bush we will all, no doubt, enjoy the luxury of flush toilets and hot showers.
Day 8:
Leaving Kulabo and crossing the Zambezi by ferry once more, we will travel to the town of Mongu where we can refuel if necessary.
From Mongu we head south via the town of Senanga and back across the Zambezi to the town of Sitoto. From here we will join the same rode that we turned off on to the Barotse floodplains on Day 3.
We are now about 120 kilometers from the Mutemwa Lodge, which we can reach before nightfall, as the roads are in good condition. Back at the lodge we enjoy another great meal and a good nights rest.
Day 9:
Retracing our steps via Katima Mulilo we make our way back to the Chobe Safari Lodge at Kasane in Botswana.
We spend our last night around the campfire enjoying the unique bond of friendship that can only be made by fellow travelers who, together, have experienced the magic of the African Bush.
Day 10:
After a lavish breakfast, we must sadly say goodbye to our new friends and travel companions as we pack up and head for home.
Scridb filterTour details
Tour date : 01 – 10 November 2009
Duration : 9 nights/10 day adventure (tented accommodation)
Tour price : R9450-00 per person
Rates for children available on request
Included : 3 meals daily, tent, cutlery and crockery, entrance fees, camping fees, guide, radio’s
Excluded : Transport, fuel, mattress, sleeping bag and fold-up chair, things of a personal nature
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