ZAMBIA | 4X4 CHALLENGE
Fuchs Elephant Charge 2020 4x4 Off-Road Challenge Raises ZMW2.9M for Conservation WRITER: SARAH DAVIES PHOTOGRAPHY: ELEPHANT CHARGE
mongst the tribulations and challenges of this year, we weren’t even sure that the Fuchs Elephant Charge 2020 would take place. Darkest of depressions for the Elephant Charge committee who have looked forward to the annual event since 2008. Could it be that this year would be cancelled? Luckily the Covid-19 pandemic in Zambia has started to ease off over the past few months, and our movement and
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gathering restrictions have been lifted to the point that a socially distanced Elephant Charge looked as if it might be possible. The Elephant Charge was keen to go ahead in any workable way, adhering to all protocols, most importantly to continue to support our conservation beneficiaries in Zambia, such as the Chongololo Conservation School Clubs. Many of the projects that the Elephant Charge supports rely on significant funding from the tourism industry whose income has
TRAVEL & LEISURE | ISSUE 17 | NOVEMBER 2020–APRIL 2021
reduced immensely. So somewhere in mid-August 2020 the final decision to put our foot on the pedal was made. This year’s off-road 4x4 challenge event was met with huge enthusiasm from teams. Although understandably we did have a few less vehicles than in 2019, the 2020 event saw 23 teams enter from all over Zambia. The course set by the committee this year was in the valley of the Kawanga River, off Chifwema Road and approximately two hours from