Wild Places Of Zambia

Writer: John Coppinger Photography: Scott Ramsay, Remote Africa Safaris, Dr. Bruce Ellender

In February 1994, a small group of us sat on the banks of the Lubonga River in the North Luangwa National Park, pondering our ambitious plan—to paddle to the Luangwa-Zambezi confluence, a distance of almost 1,000 river kilometres down the Lubonga, Mwaleshi and Luangwa rivers. To our knowledge nobody had attempted this before. Our primary motivation was not to be the first to achieve this but merely to immerse ourselves in one of the most amazing wild places in Africa.

Zambia is blessed with many far-flung wild places and this, for me and many others, is what is so alluring about this country which encompasses over 750,000 square kilometres with a population of around 17 million—almost six times larger than England and with less than a third of the population.

After waiting for two days there was a big downpour which brought the Lubonga to life, providing sufficient water and a swift current allowing us to launch our Canadian canoes and paddle into the wilderness. Within an hour we reached the Mwaleshi River confluence where we immediately attracted the attention of several large crocodiles. One of them crashed its jaws into my canoe, and our expedition—not to mention my life—almost came to an abrupt halt. However, we had brought a fibreglass repair kit and by the next day were able to proceed on our way.

The entire length of the Mwaleshi proved to be something of a crocodile gauntlet but fortunately, once we reached the wide Luangwa River, the crocodiles left us in peace and we were able to relax and enjoy our surroundings. Almost the entire length of the Luangwa is undeveloped and inaccessible during the rains when nature reigns supreme. It is this very seasonality that protects the integrity and wild nature of the flood plain of the Valley and enabled us to enjoy and appreciate pure wilderness. Such was the quality of this experience that I and my whole family repeated similar canoe expeditions over the following years. Whilst the Valley may not be quite as wild and remote during the dry season, a visit at this time doesn’t require braving hungry crocodiles and is a very rewarding and special experience.

The North Luangwa National Park remains my favourite wild place in the country and is probably the best managed park in Zambia. There’s certainly nowhere else one can walk in the midst of rhinos!

In contrast, the Liuwa plains region in the far west of the country is another wonderful, albeit very different, wild place. Wide open plains are host to huge herds of wildebeest which form the second largest migration on the continent. Liuwa Plain National Park differs from most parks in that there are over 12,000 inhabitants living within the park. African Parks and the Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DNPW) are jointly overseeing an ambitious and forward-thinking project whereby the wildlife and local communities co-exist and benefit from a shared landscape; it is a modern day success story.

The West Lunga National Park is another success story in the making. The Trident Foundation, in partnership with DNPW, WWF and local communities, is working to restore this once game-rich reserve. Bordered by the stunningly beautiful Kabompo and West Lunga rivers, this remote and forgotten park contains a unique and intact habitat. The mavunda (Cryptosepalum) forest provides sanctuary for the surviving wildlife, including some very special bird species. With good management now in place I have no doubt that given a little time the park will regain its former glory.

Further to the north, and beyond the well-known town of Mwinilunga, another little-known jewel exists—Nchila Reserve, just a stone’s throw from both the Democratic Republic of Congo and Angola. This reserve, containing some stunning equatorial forest, is owned and managed by the Fisher family, who have been there for several generations.

Zambia is blessed with an abundance of rivers and water bodies and there are many little known but spectacular waterfalls

dotted about the country. If it weren’t for the remote nature of the Lumangwe Falls on the Kalungwishi River in Luapula Province, it would undoubtedly be overrun with sightseers. The nearby Kabwelume Falls is equally impressive.

Wonder Gorge is a far more accessible attraction...yet still wonderfully wild. This is where two spectacular gorges, carved through the sedimentary rock in the Muchinga Escarpment, converge before dispersing into the Luano valley. Beware the tempting 300-metre descent into the gorges—it is possible to negotiate but is very steep andcan be treacherous in places. There are no defined paths...sliding down is relatively easy, whilst the hike out is strenuous. My personal experience involved having to carry my wife up and out!

These are just a few of my favourite wild places in the country. I have no doubt that there are many more wonderful spots tucked away in remote corners of the bush and I hope to continue exploring and seeking them out.

Forests and wilderness areas are receding globally and Zambia is no exception to this rule. The UN forecast that our population will increase threefold by 2050 and without careful management and protection many of our wonderful wild places could be endangered. Special care needs to be taken to ensure that these remote and irreplaceable gems continue to flourish.