ZAMBIA | A WALK ON THE WILDSIDE
A Walk
ON THE WILD SIDE [ WRITER: Stephanie Naidoo ]
[ PHOTO: Robin Pope Safaris ] For those wanting to get closer to nature, a walking safari has got to be one of the most authentic and exhilarating ways to appreciate the African wilderness. There is nothing quite so liberating as exploring on foot, not being confined to a vehicle and thus able to go off the beaten track. How did walking safaris come about? South Luangwa National Park in Zambia is the home of the walking safari, however African safaris had to evolve quite a bit to get to where they are today. Norman Carr is widely recognized as one of the early pioneers of the photographic safari experience in Zambia and particularly for spearheading the concept of walking safaris. Prior to him, a typical safari to Africa was for trophy hunting only but through his love for wildlife he managed to shift the paradigm and promoted the idea of people coming on safari purely to look and observe the wildlife and the surroundings. Today many of the original photographic camps that pioneered walking safaris are still accessible, like Nsefu Camp which was set up in the 1950’s and has gained notable popularity within the safari world! But what makes South Luangwa National Park so special?
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Many places profess to be “among the last untouched wilderness areas” or “wildlife sanctuaries”; South Luangwa National Park TRAVEL & LEISURE | May - Aug 2021
lives up to both these accolades and more. The South Luangwa National Park is 9,050 square kilometre; with the river, its tributaries and the riverine strips being the focus of the wildlife viewing. There are diverse habitats, from huge ox bow lagoons of varying stages of maturity, woodlands, ebony groves, grassland and thickets, that host a great variety of wildlife. Tracking Wildlife Aside from taking in the sights and sounds of the bushveld, walking safaris are to a larger extent focused on tracking wildlife, such as cats as well as the larger game including elephants, kudu, elands and giraffe. You are forced to use all your senses, giving you a chance to touch, smell, feel and hear everything around you, analyzing different animal tracks, dung, broken foliage nearby with the help of the experienced guide. Although tracking requires patience and perseverance it is so very rewarding sensory and social experience! Jason Alfonsi has been
