South Luangwa...As It Was

Writer: Nicky Dunnington-Jefferson Photography: Nicky Dunnington-Jefferson

Our sub-editor remembers South Luangwa National Park over 30 years ago

The Luangwa River was heaving with hippopotamuses. In its turbid waters it was not unusual to see 80 at a time—and that’s above the surface—to say nothing of the subaqueous giants disporting themselves in its muddy depths. This staggering concentration of mobile monoliths is one of the many lasting memories treasured not only by me, but also by many visitors to Zambia’s remarkable Luangwa Valley.

In 1986 I visited South Luangwa National Park, without doubt one of Africa’s finest game sanctuaries, where wildlife abounds in diversity and unspoilt freedom within its 9,050 square-kilometre boundaries. The Luangwa River is responsible for the density of the game population in the area. Rising in the north-eastern hills, it flows southwards into the Valley, as it is affectionately known, where it weaves a torpid, tortuous course before bequeathing its waters to the mighty Zambezi.

As the river cuts its course through the Valley it is constantly carving out a new path through erosion, thus forming a series of oxbow lakes. The Luangwa floods its banks during the rainy season from December to May, but during the latter months of the dry season the water level drops dramatically and animals and birds congregate nearer to river and lagoons for sustenance when bush and bough are bare and barren.

A safari in the Luangwa Valley is a unique wildlife experience and boasts, among others, one outstanding asset: versatility. It offers visitors the opportunity to choose their own special brand of game viewing. The Valley caters to all tastes; there’s game viewing in open vehicles, walking safaris, night drives with spotlights, or just sitting by the river or perhaps soaking up the sun by the swimming pool.

A short flight transports the visitor from the hubbub of the capital, Lusaka, to the tiny airport at Mfuwe, on the outskirts of South Luangwa National Park. Reassuring safari-clad representatives of the various lodges are there to greet disorientated guests and with friendly mien take charge, spiriting them away in vehicles to their respective lodges and the new world of sublime Africa.

It would be a crime not to spend at least a week in the Valley— longer if possible. The lodges are very good, by any African game lodge standard. Each lodge and surrounding habitat area has something different to offer and a stay of less than two or three nights at any one of them would defeat a true appreciation of the environment and its wonderful wildlife. In the infant hours of the morning a hippo grazes not ten yards from my window. The eerie woo-whoop of a visiting hyena sends tingles down the spine and the shrieks and screams of treetop bush babies may ban sleep that first night— wild Africa has already tightened the drawstring of her inextricable web.

When I visited South Luangwa I stayed at two safari camps, Chinzombo and Nsefu. And I am very pleased to say that they are both still operating today. I recall that at Chinzombo, Natal mahogany trees and African ebonies shaded the camp, providing respite during the heat of the day. I also remember that the food was outstanding, and I even recall what I ate: crème caramel, home-made rhubarb crumble, the lightest of pancakes and roast lamb with all the trimmings…In those days Phil Berry was the resident ranger, and it would be hard to find a more knowledgeable wildlife fundi than Phil. He was, and still is, the quintessential bush master. It was Phil who introduced

me properly to the Viverridae, the family of mammals to which genets and African civets belong. These small to medium-sized mammals have fascinated me ever since I learnt about them all those years ago in the Valley.

Memories flood back…a drumbeat sounding at 5.30 am; the huge sun hoisting itself over the horizon; the calls of a laughing dove, its mate answering; and starlings chattering, along with babblers doing justice to their name. And hippos, now back in the river after their nightly feasting, grunting and grumbling contentedly. As guests, we had a choice of daily activities and the same is true now. If you didn’t fancy an early start, you were not obliged to join the dawn patrol. Some visitors might prefer a relaxing morning around the camp, followed by an afternoon game drive and maybe a night excursion. However, if you want to catch a glimpse of the night hunters before they hole up for the day, it is better to go out early before the sun gets too hot.

Throughout South Luangwa elephant, giraffe, hippo, plains zebra, warthog, impala, Cape buffalo and kudu are readily seen. The giraffe found here is a subspecies known as Thornicroft’s giraffe. The kudu is the greater kudu, a magnificent antelope, the bulls possessing superb spiral horns. A buck unfamiliar to many is the puku, found only in the area drained by the Zambezi and its tributaries. Grazers not browsers, they are very common on the flood plains near a permanent water source.

A special feature of South Luangwa is an opportunity to take a walking safari. These safaris may vary in length from a few hours to trips lasting a few days. Plenty has been written in this magazine about walking safaris so I will not describe them here in any detail.

When I visited Nsefu, constructed close to the river in another part of the park, I remember it as a beautiful, small and exclusive camp. I also remember that it had a reputation for serving the best breakfast in the Valley! In the area around Nsefu, one may come across Livingstone’s eland, a subspecies of the common eland, largest of the antelope, though not common in the Valley. Also in this sector of the park, at the Luangwa Wafwa Lagoon, large concentrations of hippo, crocodile and a fascinating variety of birds may be observed.

Birdlife in the Luangwa Valley is outstanding, with over 400 recorded species. Memories tumble over each other of hornbills and hoopoes, doves and ducks, a tiny exquisite malachite kingfisher, the distinctive voice of the hadeda ibis and the unforgettable colours of the bee-eaters. Majestic eagles soared high in a cerulean heaven; huge lappet-faced vultures picked a carcase clean, and ‘go-away’ called a grey lourie. Stately saddlebill storks strode out purposefully, while an ugly relative, the marabou stork, joined the vultures at a kill…the list is endless.

I have been on various night drives in the years following my visit to South Luangwa, but can in truth say that the one I experienced in the Valley has stayed with me all these years. In the darkening twilight a giant eagle owl prepared for a night’s hunting. Night was fast approaching, and a crescent moon beamed clear in a deep lilac sky. The sounds of the day were hushed and the night noises took over. Birds, so rich in song during daylight hours, became suddenly silent, and the haunting cry of the fish eagle, surely one of Africa’s most iconic sounds, was muted. Baboons barked in alarm— maybe a leopard was near; in the distance a lion roared. Night was falling, enveloping you in her dark embrace.

As we drove along, the spotlight weaved back and forth and our heads turned from side to side, seeking the sudden glow of eyes in its beam. The night creatures were abroad— the Viverridae that I had learnt about from Phil Berry. The little bustling genet, an arboreal cat-like animal, was going about its business of searching for its favourite diet of birds, mice, snakes and fruits. Civets, which can weigh up to 44 kilograms, are much bigger, with semiretractable claws unlike the genet, whose claws totally retract in feline fashion. Also abroad was the striking white-tailed mongoose, a magnificent large creature with a conspicuous white bushy tail.

Sometimes one’s luck is in: a nocturnal kill. A lioness had just killed a female puku, its body still warm and twitching. Crouching beside her prey, the big cat looked about her, and fixed our vehicle and its inhabitants with a glare from her yellow eyes before deciding that this intrusion would not interfere with her and proceeded to commence her meal, tearing at the flesh, now oblivious of her audience. To some this might appear a bloody and brutal scene, but it is an integral part of the art of survival.

Leopard…spotted cat with stealthy tread, epitome of feline grace, arsenal of suppressed, explosive deadly energy, and perhaps the most exciting creature to see in the Valley. This most elusive animal is rarely seen during the day but the Valley is well known for its nocturnal sightings of this magnificent cat. Leopards are still fairly plentiful in South Luangwa and the chances of seeing one probably better here than in any other game park in Africa.

My visit to South Luangwa was acutely memorable. Little did I know then that all these years later I would become so involved with Zambia and maybe soon I might return to this outstanding park. I certainly hope so.