Travel and leisure Zambia- Edition 2 by ZAMBIA TRAVEL MAG

Unique by nature KAFUE NATIONAL PARK, ZAMBIA

Mukambi Safari Lodge, overlooking the Kafue River, is surrounded by one of the world始s largest areas of unspoilt wilderness. Mukambi Safaris also operates two 8-bed bush camps deep in the heart of the Kafue National Park, Plains Camp on the Busanga Plains and, from June 2015, Fig Tree Bush Camp. Ask about our attractive multi-camp packages.

+260 (0)974 424013 | reservations@mukambi.com | mukambi.com TRAVEL & LEISURE ZAMBIA

Travel & Leisure ZAMBIA / January - march 2016

CONTENTS

FEATURES

Fruits Bats leaving the nest for the night Kasanka National Park Photograph by Robin Pope

A rivers story 06 By John Coppinger The gathering of Beests 08 By Robin Pope Playing the right game By Andrew Muswala

Fighting to protect By Craig Zytkow

Diary of a volunteer in Zambia By Flora Stratchan

Small is beautiful By Clare Pope

Meet your guide - Moses Mwanza By Andrew Muswala

51 Years 22 By Maxwell Zulu Yaliwe Banda, the first female manager 24 By Andrew Muswala How to build a camp By Edjan Van Der Heidie

All you need is a rifle and a 4x4 By Jake Da Motta

Lunar Calendar 32 Steve and Anna Tolan By Andrew Muswala Nsumbu elephants Lake Tanganyika Nsumbu National Park Photograph by Craig Zytkow

Lake Tanganyika 2

TRAVEL & LEISURE ZAMBIA

Busanga Plains

TRAVEL & LEISURE ZAMBIA

A word from the MD

Travel & Leisure

Zambia Publisher

’ am delighted to welcome you to the second issue of Travel and Leisure Zambia magazine. With today’s traveler exploring ever more destinations around the world, we recognized that there was a growing need for a national voice to champion Zambia’s tourist attractions in a balanced way. We hope these pages will stimulate your love with Zambia’s exciting destinations; Lake Tanganyika, Kasanka National Park, you’ve got some treats in store. If you would like to find out more about Zambia, we will take you beyond the greatest hits and down less trodden trails. It’s our hope that by raising awareness of Zambia’s tourism attractions, we will encourage more visitors. John Coppinger explores the Luangwa River from it’s source and shares with us it’s uniqueness and tourism attractions (p 6). In this edition, Robin Pope shares a rare insight about the beautiful Liuwa National park, being host to the second largest concentration of wildebeest in Africa (p 8), and chats with Zambia’s youngest female safari camp manager (p 38). We caught up with Keyela Phiri, read his fascinating story on (p 12) This issue explores destinations that receive few visitors, such as Kasanka National park (p 18) Zambia is blessed with a lot of natural resources. We all need to support responsible, sustainable tourism: Craig Zytkow (conservation Lake Tanganyika) shares with us how tourism has brought opportunity and development to the area and how the wild life in the park has benefited (p 14). But Zambia’s tourism products is not just it’s wildlife, the Country has a rich history and heritage sites (p 22)

Kwisano Enterprises Editor Diana Mutakafimbo Managing Director Andrew Muswala Layout and Art Director Paula Sachar-Phiri

Email: paulasachar@contentdesignz.net

Subscriptions Email: ads@zambiatravelmag.com Mobile: +260 955 108536 www.zambiatravelmag.com

Contributors National Heritage Conservation Commission, John Coppinger, Robin Pope, Craig Zytkow, Flora Strachan, Adam Pope, Claire Pope, Maxwell Zulu, Norman Carr Safaris, Edjan Van der Heide, Peter Geraerdts, Steve and Anna Tolan, Edward Selfe, Jake da Motta.

Printers Impumelelo Print Solutions (pty) Ltd,Unit 7, Kings Court, 52 Mineral Crescent,Crown Ext. 5, Johannesburg, South Africa TEL: +27 11 839 4414, FAX: +27 11 837 3011

Copyright Copyright © All copyright for material appearing in this magazine belongs to Travel & Leisure Zambia and/or the individual contributors. No part of this magazine may be reproduced either without the written consent of the publishers or with due acknowledgment.

On the cover Giraffes in South Luangwa National Park Photo by Edward Selfe

Travel & Leisure

Zambia JANUARY - MARCH 2016

THE GATHERING OF

BEESTS

Exploring the second largest Wildebeest migration in Africa

YALIWE BANDA Zambia’s youngest safari manager FIGHTING TO PROTECT

CONSERVATION

Andrew Muswala Managing Director 4

TRAVEL & LEISURE ZAMBIA

LAKE TANGANYIKA

A biological wonder under threat

Dramatic lighting strike Kafue National Park Photograph by Mukambi Safari Lodge

TRAVEL & LEISURE ZAMBIA

A rivers

story

The amazing Luangwa River John Coppinger Photograph by John Coppinger

he Luangwa River never ceases to fascinate me. How many rivers are there left on earth that flow for over 1,000km and are still as untouched, remote, healthy and scenically beautiful as the Luangwa? No dams, no commercial agriculture, no livestock. Certainly no other river in Africa can make such claim. The river has a dramatic beginning, rising high in the Mafinga Mountains (over 7,000 ft above sea level) in the far north-east of the country. The source itself is a spring located just to the west of the watershed which forms the international boundary between Malawi and Zambia. It soon forms a beautiful crystal clear stream which runs through tropical forest and cascades down the Mafingas before reaching the valley floor and taking on the unique and unmistakable character of the Luangwa as most people know it. The Upper Luangwa is lined with dense reed beds and offers the stunning backdrop of the Makutu Mountains to the east and Muchingas to the west. The Middle Luangwa supports some of the finest wildlife concentrations in Africa and flows adjacent to and through 3 National Parks: North Luangwa National Park, Luambe National Park and South Luangwa National Park.

Get more information South Luangwa National Park: http://www. zambiatourism.com/accommodation/southluangwa North Luangwa National Park: http://www. zambiatourism.com/accommodation/northluangwa Luambe National Park: http://www. zambiatourism.com/accommodation/luambenational-park 6

TRAVEL & LEISURE ZAMBIA

There are 3 gorges along the river, all along the Lower Luangwa: the first and most spectacular in Chief Luembe’s country, the second just upstream of the confluence with the Lunsemfwa River and lastly where it is constricted between the Nyankongolo Hills, shortly before the confluence where the Luangwa disperses into the Zambezi River. The river flows entirely within Zambia although a small section near the Zambezi confluence forms part of the international boundary with Mozambique. The gorge in Chief Luembe’s country, through the Kampeketa range of hills, produces some of the most beautiful, rugged country along the course of the river. There are a number of rapids in the gorge, commencing with the most impressive, Chipinda cha Nyanga (‘place of bad spirits’), which acquired its name from the capsizing of a cargo of ivory, transported by Portuguese traders in a bygone era. Thankfully, from an environmental and wildlife conservation point of view, none of these gorges are suitable for the development of hydro electrical projects. The Middle Luangwa boasts heavy clay soils, which are fertile and rich in nutrients, but the presence of tsetse flies

(which precludes the existence of domestic stock, vulnerable to nagana – sleeping sickness), and prevalence of malaria combined with an inhospitable environment has resulted in little development and low human population densities. Much of the area is inaccessible during every rainy season as the floodplain becomes a quagmire and impossible to traverse. Consequently the wildlife flourishes and nature reigns supreme. There can be few places where nature is as strong and each rainy season the rivers, dambos and lagoons are replenished and support a wide array of animal and birdlife. Consequently tourism is the only significant industry along the river. The Luangwa Valley has been dubbed ‘The Valley of Elephants’ and great concentrations of these animals can still be seen in all 3 National Parks, despite a very disturbing increase of poaching throughout the range of these magnificent animals in Africa. Leopards are abundant and the Parks provide what are arguably the best places in Africa to see these beautiful animals. Lions, too, are numerous although numbers are reported to be declining and concern has been expressed regarding the management of the hunting of these iconic big cats. The Luangwa River contains the highest density of hippos in Africa and this feature alone justifies the existence of the 3 National Parks. Hippos fertilize the water which feeds the fish which in turn feeds the crocodiles. Some stretches of river contain an incredible concentration of these prehistoric reptiles. It should be noted that fish is a very important source of protein for the people of the Valley and the existence of hippo is key to the abundance of fish. All these animals plus many more can be seen by tourists who are fortunate to have a wide range of accommodation to suit most budgets in South Luangwa National Park. Due to the relative remoteness there is considerably less development and choice in both North Luangwa and Luambe National Parks. TL Z

TRAVEL & LEISURE ZAMBIA

THE GATHERING OF BEESTS The second largest wildebeest concentration in Africa Robin Pope

TRAVEL & LEISURE ZAMBIA

Clouds gather as the Wildebeest arrive in Liuwa Plain Photograph by Robin Pope

TRAVEL & LEISURE ZAMBIA

A successful hunt for the cheetahs Photograph by Robin Pope

ambia is host to the second largest wildebeest concentration in Africa and yet few people have managed to travel to the Liuwa Plains in Western Zambia, where this population roams. The area is remote and hard to access, however, this is very much part of the unquantifiable magic of a safari to Liuwa. The Liuwa Plains National Park is located west of the Zambezi River and north of the perennial and clear waters of theLuanginga River on whose banks the small town of Kalabo lies. This national park is part of the Kalahari sand system and covers 3660 sq kilometres of what is known as the’ western Zambezian grassland’. A few hours’ drive from Kalabo, throughthe Burkea forest, and you are onthe open grassland. These vast grasslands extend breathtakingly to meet the blue sky on the horizon and the curvature of the earth is visible. Soon there are shapes on the horizon and as you continue across the open plain the herds of wildebeest and Zebra herds increase. I have heard that the wildebeest was designed by a committee and made up of spare parts which accounts for their rather extraordinary shape. Face on; a bull could be mistaken for a person wearing a cowboy hat. These wildebeest are termed‘blue’on account of their dark grey coloration with large manes and darker brindling on their necks. Another lighter coloured and larger sub-species ‘Cookson’s’ occurs as a smaller isolated population in the Luangwa Valley. The last aerial survey in 1993 indicated there are close to 43,000 wildebeest in the Liuwa Plains. These herds

TRAVEL & LEISURE ZAMBIA

movethrough a rough ellipticshape and over a range of some 300 kilometres during the year. Most of this movement is within the national park andis in response to availability of suitable grazing. Both rain and fire create fresh grass. There is on-going research into the pressures created by predation and poaching and how this effects the movement. The population has fluctuated in the last 150 years. In the late 1890’s the rinderpest virus outbreak that originated in Ethiopia by cattleintroduced from India. This decease ravaged the ruminant populations the length of Africa, resulting in a dramatic decline in wildebeest numbers throughout their range. From the 1930’s, wildebeest numbers in the Liuwa started a sustained recovery from roughly 10,000 in the 1930’sto 25,000 in the 1990’s. There was then another steep population decline due to increased poaching during the years of conflict in neighbouring Angola. Since 2004 the population has steadily increased again and now is close to 43,000. This increase has been due to the careful and sustained management of the area by the partnership of African Parks, ZAWA and the Barotse Royal Establishment. The park was originally established as a hunting ground for the King of Barotseland in the late 1890s, a visionary who saw the need to protect the area. He allowed settlement around the demarcated area and instructed the villagers to protect the wildlife. In return they were allowed sustainable off take and families to this day own the fishing rights of certain pans. And so the wildebeest continue to migrate across the plains as they have done for millennia. The term migration can be misleading and immediately conjures up’aminds eye impression’ of a maelstrom of wildebeestcrossing river

Resident zebra Photograph by Paula Sachar

or thundering over the horizon in countless columns. This would be the Serengetimigration whichpresently numbers 1.4 million animals or 30 times the size of the Liuwa movement. In October and early November, as the first large thunderstorms reverberate across the plains, herds of wildebeest, many being cows with their newly born gangly calves, move from the north to the south east onto the central southern plain. They come in lines and clusters rather like the ketchup bottle, none will come and then a lot will. At this time of the year these herds will chase thunderstorms, in search of the newly emerging grass and water accumulating in the huge circular pans. These herds, some numbering up to 5000 strong are often in association with zebra. In February, March and April the plains are inundated by the Barotse flood water backing up from the Luambimba, Luanginga and Zambezi rivers. The early rains, the flood and early dry season are very beautiful times to be on the plains with extraordinary flower blooms, large resident and Palaearctic bird concentrations, large herds of red lechwe besides the wildebeest and zebra herds. Towards the middle of June, as the country gets drier, the grass get browner and there is the first hint of smokein the air and mist thickens over the pans in the early mornings, the herds begin to move again â&#x20AC;&#x201C; both west and then north. Only a few territorial bulls will remain. The large herds will remain in the north of the park for the dry season. The main predator in the Liuwa is the hyena. There are cheetahs and wild dogs on the plains. A few lions have survived the depletion period of the 90â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and the hyena is presently the apex predator. Some clans number up to fifty

Hyenas Photograph by Paula Sachar

and have a healthy appetite and certainly have an impact on the wildebeest population. If poachingcan be managed it is not beyond the realms of possibility that in twenty years the 43,000 strong population could possibly reach the 100,000 figure which would make it the largest land mammal population in Zambia. This would take dedicated care and attention, however the rewards would be reaped in the form of massive international recognition for this province, Zambia as a destination, huge kudos in wildlife management terms and increased tourism development in the area which would in turn create jobs. TL Z

TRAVEL & LEISURE ZAMBIA

Playing the game right Up close and personal with Keyela Phiri Senior camp manager at Nkwali Camp

TRAVEL & LEISURE ZAMBIA

Keyela shares a joke with a guest

Keyela Phiri has risen through the ranks, from being a general worker at Nkwali Camp, to senior camp manager. Nkwali Camp is owned by one of Zambia’s leading safari company, Robin Pope Safaris. He shared his experience as a camp manager with our writer, Andrew Muswala.

When and why did you move to the Luangwa Valley? I moved to the valley in 1995. My father used to work for National Parks, which is now called Zambia Wildlife Authority (ZAWA). I also wanted to come and work in the bush What first brought you to Robin Pope Safaris? After I completed school at Serenje Boys in 1995, I met Adam Pope, the older brother of Robin Pope and he recommended me to come and work with Robin Pope Safaris. So how did it all start? I started as a general worker, cleaning offices, responding to the radio. I also worked as a spotter in the bush, helping guides. About four to five months after joining the company, I wrote the safari tour guide exam after Robin Pope encouraged me to do so. This was done so that I would become a professional guide. I did very well and became a guide. Two years later, I wrote another exam to become a walking guide, which we call grade one guide. Simone Cousin, who was the manager at Nkwali, gave me a lot of support when he was gone for mobile safaris, which take five days walking in the north of South Luangwa National Park in an area called Mupamandzi. I used to act in his place and when he became operations manager, I took up the position of camp manager in 2005. What does an average day involve? My day starts at 05:00 hours. I do the planning of vehicles for the game drives and all operations for the Luangwa, coordinating with other managers in the camps. I do go out in the bush, taking clients for game drives and walking safari. What challenges do you encounter? When I meet guests who are unhappy. This can also be among staff; sometimes you never meet everyone’s needs though the challenges are very minimal.

What do you most enjoy about your work? Well, meeting people, making friends. It makes me feel like you have the whole world in one place. How do you see the future of tourism in Zambia? It’s getting better and better as there weren’t as many people when I joined Robin Pope safaris seventeen years ago. Why do Zambians need to know about tourism? We need to play our game right. We need to see for instance what Botswana is doing and we do something different and not copying other people. Government also needs to come on board by making sure they know about what is happening on the ground and be in touch with tour operators. Tell us about your family? Am married to Chalwe Kazembe- Phiri a teacher by profession and we have four children, two boys and two girls. Briefly share with us your education background? I have a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Kent in the UK. It has helped me to learn new skills of managing the Company. I thank Robin Pope safaris for sponsoring me. What next? My dream is to become the director of Robin Pope Safaris or own my own safari company. Any fond memories you would love to share with us? I was doing a walking safari and we came in very close contact with one lioness with three cubs. It was a very nervous moment but it still sticks in my heart. We gave order to our guests not to move. The other is being marketing for Robin Pope safaris, I did a lot of road shows helping out Jo Pope in America and UK. I believe these are fond memories. TL Z

TRAVEL & LEISURE ZAMBIA

Nsumbu Elephants are critical to the wider ecosystem and protecting them provides for many other species benefits

Fighting to protect Conservation Lake Tanganyika Promoting and preserving a biological wonder under threat Craig Zytkow Photograph by Conservation Lake Tanganyika

ake Tanganyika is astounding by any measure; the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s longest lake at over 600kms holding an estimated 15% of all surface freshwater on earth provides daily protein needs through its fish stocks to some 10 million people on a daily basis. Over 300 species of fish and an even greater number of invertebrates are found nowhere else, Lake Tanganyika is one of the most biologically diverse ecosystems known and a window into evolutionary processes due to its great age and stability. Sadly there is very little effort on the ground to address the issues of unsustainable resource use and abuse throughout Lake Tanganyika. Now confirmed overfishing on the lake puts at risk not only the biodiversity of this amazing body of water, but also the lives of the millions of people that rely on it; a collapse of this fishery would be catastrophic.

TRAVEL & LEISURE ZAMBIA

In the southwest corner of Lake Tanganyika lies Nsumbu National Park (NNP) an area that can be considered a representation of many of the problems facing the lake, as well as providing an opportunity to overcome these difficulties. The protected area of Nsumbu encompasses some 100kms of pristine shoreline and is critical in providing breeding areas for fish stocks, and a clean watershed to feed the lake. It is the whole system that needs protection to ensure this complex web of life is maintained in a healthy state. Recognizing the immense importance of Nsumbu and the high level of threats being faced there, CLT was born out of a necessity to ensure this beautiful national park was not lost forever. Conservation Lake Tanganyika (CLT) seeks to promote and preserve the biodiversity of Lake Tanganyika for the sustainable benefit for all, and we focus our efforts on Nsumbu National Park and surrounds. Our approach is to support the government mandated wildlife department in protecting the park, whilst engaging

Nuundo ceremony: Local communities are the natural custodians of the resource and it is vital they remain part of the solutions

An adult emperor cichlid guarding its young fry, emperor cichlids have a hugely complex behavior and are found nowhere else

with the local communities that are the ultimate caretakers and have been for generations. Rangers in Zambia are often men and women dedicated to protecting the natural world but rarely given the tools and support they need to do so. We focus on providing the Rangers of Nsumbu with field equipment, training, adequate rations and medical supplies in the field and logistical support to operate efficiently in the bush and on the waters of Tanganyika. CLT has proudly been a part of building the Nsumbu unit from a paltry 6 officers to an over 20 man unit that is fully equipped, trained, housed and supported. Local representation and understanding in the importance of nature and our role in it is critical for lasting solutions and benefit sharing. CLT considers the people of Nsumbu as our major partner and we actively support the Community Resource Board and their activities by providing for free and fair elections in selecting community

CLT supports the rangers of Nsumbu to ensure they have to tools they need to adequately protect this spectacular national park

representatives to engage with government, logistics and capacity building. Our work over the last 5 years has shown results that many though not possible. The last elephants in Northern Zambia and anywhere on the shores of Tanganyika are now commonly seen in Nsumbu and are breeding well after decades of persecution for their ivory. Antelope herds are increasing exponentially and fish stocks within the protected area are high enough to support a vibrant angling destination, and a vital fishery that feeds thousands of Zambians. Sadly there are still the few that threaten the many, poaching and illegal fishing are a constant threat and ideas fade without progress. CLT relies entirely on donations and grants; we are based in Nsumbu itself and have extremely low overheads that we are proud of. If you would like to support one of our projects please visit www. conservationtanganyika.org for more information. TL Z

TRAVEL & LEISURE ZAMBIA

DIARY OF A VOLUNTEER IN ZAMBIA Flora Stratchan Photograph by Flora Stratchan

After my first experiences of Zambia and Croc Valley Camp, I soon settled into life in the African bush. I began to know my daily duties and learn the lay of the land; to always say “hello, how are you?” and to look out for insects or animals. Daily duties included driving the staff to and from the village, picking up and dropping off the safari guides, client hosting and helping out with the bar/kitchen. I learnt quickly to love this camp. As one of the best value camps in the valley, it welcomes backpackers and camping as well as having the luxury chalets and tents. It is continually bursting with a variety of guests all with different ages and backgrounds. The mix of guests made for an interesting working experience as they all bought their individual ways and stories.The camp always had a relaxed and happy atmosphere – one that I will be sure to miss. The workers in the camp were those who made the camp the place it was. Continually happy and joking, they were willing to turn their hand at anything. Nothing is too much and nothing causes a frown. Having spent three months with this team, I am lucky that we made such good friends and saw everyone’s different personalities. They were all so welcoming to a newcomer in a new 16

TRAVEL & LEISURE ZAMBIA

This is Am y,

and strange place. I will miss those who call a beanie hat a “head sock” or who call you “madam” even if you insist they are allowed to use your name! Not only did I learn my duties, I also got used to the ways of the country. I realised that power cuts were normal and actually used to relish in them. For the day or the brief few moments everything is cut off, all Wi-Fi communication is taken away and you can relax in the pure remoteness. Gone is the hum of the fridges, replaced by the undisturbed sound of birds with no outside world peering in. I love that camp. The owner gave me a chance to have my first experience of Africa, to get to know the African Bush. He allowed me to experience the wild animals, the

my fellow vo

lunteer, dr iving the staff to M fuwe villag e.

40 degree intense heat and the beauty of South Luangwa. The camp sits on the Luangwa River with the bar and tents having a river view which, depending on the season, means they are the silent witness to the changing water levels and the continuously moving cycle of nature. I learnt that Croc Valley Camp is a wonderful place which has everything you need. It may be low cost; butit is huge valley for money. The food is good and the atmosphere is relaxed – a perfect place for everyone. I especially found that with the variety of guests, there never was a boring day. The camp itself is also very wildlife conscious having a hippo proof pool. It was a pleasure to live there and I will be rushing back –if they will have me! TL Z

Leopard with her kill South Luangwa National Park Photograph by Peter Geraerdts

TRAVEL & LEISURE ZAMBIA

Small is beautiful Kasanka National Park Clare Pope Photograph by Robin Pope

TRAVEL & LEISURE ZAMBIA

asanka National Park, although only a short distance from the Great North Road, is a stark contrast to the stream of fuel trucks, and increasingly denuded forests. Kasanka is a place of unspoilt peace and reflection, with its slow moving rivers, lakes, swamp, dambos and miombo and riverine forests. Kasanka National Park is small – 390km2 - and it is beautiful. Not long ago Kasanka was an abandoned and rapidly collapsing national park with devastated animal populations. In 1989, the Kasanka Trust Ltd was formed to manage the Park and its environs and in 1990 it signed Zambia’s first public private conservation partnership with the National Parks and Wildlife Services. The success of the partnership was recognised in 2010 by the Zambian Wildlife Authority when they asked the Kasanka Trust to expand the partnership to manage the neighbouring depleted Lavushi Manda National Park. Conservation activities in Kasanka National Park, the Kafinda game management area surrounding it and the nearby Lavushi Manda National Park are gathering momentum as tourist camps and roads are built and improved, local schools and communities participate in conservation activities and the Zambia Wildlife Authority works with the Trust on anti-poaching activities. Kasanka now provides an economic focus for local communities. Employment is generated, tourism revenue shared, local schools visit the Kasanka conservation education centre, and the Trust helps with education, health, HIV/AIDS, and livelihood support of local populations.

What does the Park offer? Kasanka National Park offers unique variety and some natural specialities not found elsewhere. There 114 mammal species. Hippo, Sable, Roan, Oribi, and Liechtenstein’s Hartebeest are slowly recovering from near depletion. Puku, once reduced to a few hundred, today exceed 1,500. Kasanka is perhaps the best place in Zambia to see large numbers of the rare and threatened swampdwelling Sitatunga. There are also Reedbuck, Waterbuck and Sharpe’s Grysbok, Buffalo and reintroduced Zebra. Elephant numbers are recovering. Kasanka also boasts some special primates – the rare Blue Monkey which is a species of Old World Monkey not commonly found anywhere else in Southern Africa and the Kinda Baboon, a separate subspecies not found anywhere else in Zambia. It is also a birders’ dream. To boast a bird list of nearly 500 species and be described by Ian Sinclair (one of the world’s leading and foremost experts in birding) as “offering some of Africa’s finest birding” is one thing. However, when you consider the size of Kasanka, you realize what a birding treasure this small park really is! The species include rarities such as Pel’s Fishing Owl, the Pygmy Goose, Ross’s Turaco, the Osprey and the Wattled Crane. If you’re lucky you’ll catch a glimpse of the rare Shoebill Stork. Near Luwombwa is the Bufumu Forest and camp site, a known area for Blue Duiker and the African Pitta, and a Mofu Tree that towers some 65m above the forest. There are ample opportunities for fishing for Tigerfish, Bream and Barbel in the beautiful Luwombwa River. Boats are available for hire but you should bring your own fishing tackle. Kasanka is best known for the world’s largest known congregation of fruit bats, Southern Africa’s largest bat. Between the middle of October and the middle of December, around 10 million Straw-coloured Fruit Bats arrive and settle into a tiny piece of swamp forest. This

is one of the world’s largest mammal migrations and it provides nature lovers and photographers the opportunity for dramatic and unforgettable visual spectacles. Millions upon millions of bats take to the skies in the early evening – often against a backdrop of vast and stormy skies or even better, a full moon. At the crack of dawn, they return to the forest to roost, in a stream silhouetted against the rising sun. Crowned, Martial and Fish Eagles take to the skies to hunt the returning bats in the cool of the morning. A number of hides and viewing platforms have been erected in and around the Bat Forest which gives visitors a unique birds’ eye view of the flying bats. . TL Z

Getting there

Visitors can either self-drive or fly in by private charter. By road one travels up the Great North Road from Kapiri Mposhi turning left 40 km after Serenje onto the D 235 Samfya-Mansa Road. After about 70kms, the National Park Gate is on the left. The journey takes about 8 hours from Lusaka.

Staying in Kasanka

There are various accommodation options in the Park. Wasa Lodge, the centre of Kasanka operations, is located on the shores of Lake Wasa with views of Hippo, Sitatunga, Elephant, Puku and extraordinary bird life from the dining room. Visitors staying at Wasa can either selfcater, enjoy full board or have a fully inclusive package. Luwombwa Lodge is a self-catering camp located on the banks of the Luwombwa River and is an ideal venue for keen birders. Luwombwa offers canoeing, boat trips and fishing (in season). There are 3 camping areas where campers provide their own tents and equipment. All the campsites have toilets, showers and shelters with staff to help with water and firewood. The Kasanka Conservation Centre also offers simple accommodation for school groups and teachers. The Park is connected with gravel roads and tracks and is well signposted. TRAVEL & LEISURE ZAMBIA

Meet your safari guide Why are Zambia’s walking safaris so special? From my own experience, Zambian safari guides undergo specialized training. This is what makes guides in Zambia to be more special and, of course, they know the surrounding very well. Which do you prefer: walking or wheels? Walking is always very interesting to me. Why? On a walking safari, you make your guests fill you are really in the bush by interpreting any object you come across. What’s it like being up close to the animals? It’s always very interesting as animals behave differently. What are the risks? We cannot run away from the animals as every animal is dangerous. We just need to understand the way animals behave.

s e s o M wanza M After working for two years as a housekeeper, Moses Mwanza, decided to become a safari guide in the South Luangwa National Park. Mwanza has now beenworking as a tour guide for nine years. He spoke to Travel and Leisure Zambia about his experience as a tour guide

Has guiding changed since you started? Well on guiding skills, nothing has changed. What makes a successful walk? If you are with clients who are more enthusiastic, it makes the guide more interesting. Also as a guide, you always need to smile to your clients. What makes a good client? One who asks a lot of questions and speaks the same language as you do. What is your favourite walk? I prefer walking in an area which is open as it gives me high a chance to spot any danger, thereby reducing the risk of being attacked. Any special tips for clients? It’s easy to understand nature, as what you see is what you can touch. It’s a very good thing to experience wildlife. Have you now seen everything? No, not yet.I am still missing a lot of things despite seeing a lot of interesting animals. I believe there is a lot to come. Any encouragement to Zambians? To every Zambian, it’s very interesting to be a safari guide. It’s a good experience for an individual. TL Z

TRAVEL & LEISURE ZAMBIA

e s o l C Up l a n o s r e P

FORGET U 'L L N E V E R O Y E C N IE AN EXPER

Lower Zambezi, Zambia

For reservations, visit chongwe.com TRAVEL & LEISURE ZAMBIA

51 YEARS

OF ZAMBIA’S INDEPENDENCE HERITAGE CONSERVATION CONTINUES

Maxwell Zulu -Education Officer (NHCC)

MAGINE Zambia without its heritage fifty years on. Surely that would be described as a lost nation. This entails there would be no historic buildings, no museums or archives, no family traditions or photos, no traditional music or dance. What we should remember is that heritage is the core of our identity as Zambians. It is your story, your friend’s story, your neighbour’s story, your community’s story – all the stories from the past that Zambians keep alive and tell others. It is with this realisation that by protecting, preserving and interpreting our heritage we can better understand the present, and make more informed choices for the future. In that light, the government of Zambia with its leadership has by all means and ways emphasised on preserving its heritage through traditional leaders and government organs hence the creation of the National Museums Board and the National Heritage Conservation Commission (NHCC) under the umbrella of the Ministry of Chiefs and Traditional Affairs. The National heritage Conservation Commission, for example, responsible for conserving and protecting Zambia’s rich heritage estate for the benefit of the current and posterity has contributed significantly to espouse its mandate. It has ensured that the country’s heritage is conserved, preserved, maintained and promoted for tourism contributing to the national economy through income generation and employment creation. For instance, the Chinyunyu Hot Spring in Rufunsa District that forms one of the most visited sites in Zambia after the Victoria Falls. In view of that the NHCC has embarked on infrastructure development at the site in order to augument it and attract more visitors. Recently the Chinyunyu Hot Spring was fenced and a new ticket office constructed, while building of toilets is on course. The opening of Chinyunyu Hot Spring has inevitably not only improved NHCC’S public image but also created employment to some members of Bunda Bunda Chiefdom thereby alleviating poverty in rural communities. Similarly, the Presidential Burial Site (Embassy Park) along the Independence Road in Lusaka like Chinyunyu Hot Spring has equally given employment to constructors as well as accredited photographers. The site has been paved and landscaped giving it the status it deserves. This is the site where the remains of Dr Levy Patrick Mwanawasa, SC, Dr Fredrick T.J. Chiluba and Mr Michael Chilufya Sata are buried. Coming to Southern Province a number of preservation, conservation and developmental projects have been accomplished over the fifty years of Zambia’s independence. For example, the Choma Declaration Heritage site, a historic place at which Zambians through their leaders Dr. Kenneth David Kaunda as republican president and leader of the then ruling United National Independence Party (UNIP), and Mr. Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula leader of the

TRAVEL & LEISURE ZAMBIA

opposition political party, African National Congress (ANC) then, signed a declaration agreement that ushered in a ‘One Party Political System of Governance’ for Zambia on 27th June, 1972 was rehabilitated. This has seen the reconstruction of the podium and its associated structures. The entire grounds surrounding the main podium were also landscape thereby giving the place a new lease of life. Consequently, the Choma Declaration Heritage site was chosen by the provincial authorities to host the Golden Jubilee Celebrations for Southern Province, to mark Zambia’s 50 years of Independence. This is a historic and monumental site which marked the end of violent inter-party clashes between UNIP and the ANC and through this declaration, the country entered a phase in which all Zambians united and embraced one another through the motto ‘One Zambia One Nation’. The declaration brought peace, unity and fostered national development. Currently the site has a perimeter fence and one worker looking after the site and its infrastructure and curb vandalism. A look at North-western Province reveals that it has a number of heritage sites with potential for tourism development. Because of that NHCC has not stayed back in its conservation, preservation and developmental projects to put the province in the lime light. Kifubwa Rock Shelter south of Solwezi Town-Centre and past the Solwezi Teacher Training College, for instance, has been has been improved. In order to popularise the site, the Provincial Cultural Village has been built in the site. This is a village which showcases the traditional activities of North-western Province such as curio making, basketry, and traditional dances like the Makishi to mention but a few examples. Sauntering the site is Kifubwa River flowing through a small but picturesque gorge on which is situated on the right bank, a small rock shelter. The site has engravings still showing evidence of having been painted. It is the only known site where painted engravings occur in Zambia. These engravings consist almost entirely of inverted ‘U’ motifs, vertical lines and pock markings. The Kifubwa engravings’ association with the schematic art of the Late Stone Age people are an attraction which, have stirred an interest to both local and foreign visitors. Because of this, the region says Kifubwa National Monument is a popular week-end destination especially among the Solwezi schools that use it for their history and geography educational lessons. Furthermore, NHCC has over the years continued to make developmental strides so as to promote tourism and contribute to the national budget. At Ing’ombe Ilede a diamond wire fence around the site and an ablution block together with water reticulation reservoir have been constructed. The fence has not only added colour but also enhanced security and protection to the site from community encroachment and domestic animal grazing. The ablution block for males and females comprises

Above: Pupils visiting an iconic tree called “Ingombe Ilede” (sleeping cow)which is a heritage site; Left: Choma declaration podium in Choma

modern toilets, shower rooms and urinals. A water reticulation reservoir with three water points has also been put up. The septic tank and socker ways are waterborne. These facilities which were none existent before now serve the tourists to the site in a humane environment. Ing’ombe Ilede falls under East-Central Region following the realignment of Chirundu District now under the jurisdiction of Lusaka Province. This site next to Pambazana Village is situated close to the confluence of the Lusitu and Zambezi Rivers. It is an Iron Age prehistoric site on the highest point of a ridge of the same name. Additionally, the Mulobezi Open Air Railway Museum was rehabilitated which included painting of two steam locomotive engines, five wagons and cranes in the core site area. The storeroom made of timber housing historical metal objects was renovated in full. This goes side by side with routine site clearing and maintenance of the grounds. These works have complimented the Zambia Railways programme of upgrading the railway line from Livingstone to Mulobezi and government policy to promote tourism

besides uplifting the situation and condition in the newly created Mulobezi District of Western Zambia. This is an historic site of industrial revolution in Zambia. The site was a Sawmills Plant which was in operation from 1911 to 1990s and was declared a National Monument in 2009 to preserve and present outstanding rolling stock among the first to reach the African Continent. The rolling stock was used to transport timber from the forest to the Sawmills Plant. The site thus offers a celebrated perspective in the exploitation of one of Zambia’s endowed natural resources – Zambia’s Teak. Along with the Railway Museum in Livingstone, this site and the Railway line give a complete history of the construction of the railways to the commercial and industrial development of Zambia. Finally, the mega development and preservation works have been at the Victoria Falls World Heritage Site. No holds bar, ahead of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation General Assembly the National Heritage Conservation Commission transformed the Victoria Falls to an adorable spectacle. A steel fence was constructed to enclose the falls area; a modern electronic ticket office, new curio market, and state of the art ablution block were constructed. As if that was not enough, overlooking the old ticket office (now verification point) a new coffee shop was as well built. All the walk trails, viewing points in the site were worked on not forgetting the erection of directional signage and disclaimers. In short the rehabilitation of the landscape together with a major new interactive exhibition on site really transformed the Victoria Falls giving our greatest and most famous monument the attention it deserves. TL Z

TRAVEL & LEISURE ZAMBIA

YALIWE BANDA At 28, Yaliwe Banda is Zambia’s youngest safari manager. She is camp manager of a five-star luxury safari camp- Chinzombo in South Luangwa National Park owned by Norman Carr Safaris. She talked to Andrew Muswala

Tell us about your Family? We are five in a family of four girls and one boy. My siblings and I have been raised up by our father, as my mother passed on when I was seven years old.

What impact has your work made? It has magnified me, by this I mean it has shown a lot more of me. My personality is work silently and let the success make the noise.

Had you always wanted to work in the tourism Industry? To start with, I had no idea that I would work in the tourism sector. I studied business administration and worked for a lodge in Livingstone as a receptionist for four years. Whilst working there, I knew that my place is in the tourism industry.

Tell me about Chinzombo? It’s quite special in a way, mainly for us in the Norman Carr Safaris family as it was Norman Carr’s special place. He used it as his holiday camp and later used it as saving the Rhino trust, when we still had Rhino’s in South Luangwa National Park. A few years ago this beautiful structure you are seeing was built to replace the old one.

When did you first become involved with Norman Carr Safaris? I joined Norman Carr Safaris in May 2014. I knew of the advertised position through my friend whom I was working with in Lusaka. After applying for a position of bushcamp assistant manager, they accepted me and was posted to Kakuli Bush Camp for six months. Towards the end of my six months, I was offered a permanent job of camp manager at Chinzombo safari camp. What does your work involve? My main role is to see to the day-to-day running of Chinzombo and catering to the needs of our guests. I also control everything that happens at the camp such as daily food planning and weekly food planning. What were the biggest challenges if any? Being female in a male-dominated environment and also being the first Zambian and youngest was not easy. I’ve settled in very well and worked very hard.

How do you see the future for South Luangwa National Park? We are going to have a lot of people coming through because of the park’s authenticity. There are a lot of places still untouched and have a lot of wildlife. I hope that Zambian’s will take advantage of this. What is your word of advice to every Zambian? They should know there home first, before they explore their neighbours. Any special projects you are doing in the community? Yes, I started a girls’ club atYosefee School. This is a girl-child empowerment with key focus on school girls from grade four to eight. It all started after seeing that when girls enroll for grade one, there is a big enrollment number but as soon as they reach grade four, the number for girls inschools drops quite significantly. We educate them in various topics such as gender and equality, how to read and write and also HIV and AIDS. TL Z

TRAVEL & LEISURE ZAMBIA

HOW TO BUILD A BUSH CAMP

The birth of a Fig Tree Bush Camp in Kafue National Park

Edjan Van Der Heidie

uilding a camp deep in the bush is a dream for many safari operators. Although it may be very attractive, it is a big challenge that needs proper planning and preparations. In this article Mukambi Safaris highlights a brief background on the ‘birth’ of its latest bush camp, ‘The Fig Tree’. Deep in the Kafue National Park lays a beautiful lagoon with permanent water on the Shishamba River. The river flows in the rainy season but dries up after the rainy season, leaving a 1.7-kilometre long lagoon with a big

TRAVEL & LEISURE ZAMBIA

white sandy beach on the Northern part. We discovered the location 12 years ago during long walks while exploring the area. It had everything a bush camp needed, very scenic with a breathtaking beauty, a different eco system than the main lodge, and the main reason for life, water!!!! Although we immediately fell in love with the place, we were not ready for the construction of the bush camp. At that particular time, we were still working on the establishment of the Mukambi Safari Lodge to make it a good tourism destination. We just started our bush camp in the Busanga Plains and the game numbers were still relatively low in that area due to the poaching. Over the years we kept visiting and monitoring the area and the Shishamba loop became the most productive game viewing coil in Kafue National Park. We hoped that the area would one day come back to life and it so happened that hippos came back in the lagoon. In 2013 we decided to go ahead and start the preparation of building our new bush camp. But, of course, not

The permission to build bush camp stats with a procedure which have to be followed. Here is a short version of what we had to do: • •

•

foregoing the procedure outlined before setting up such a setup. The procedure is tedious and not cheap but it just has to be followed precisely if all needed permissions are to be granted (see box). A good location is key for a successful bush camp, but it requires far much more than just a location. It does not start and end on location. Instead of creating a ‘standard’ bush with square green tents on the ground we wanted a unique camp, something different;that which is hidden in the bush but with great views over the surrounding area. We came up with a design where the guest tents were built on three-meter high platforms, under the big trees, overlooking both the lagoon and the surrounding plains. Instead of dark green tents we opted for lighter khaki (Savannah color) under a funky freeform canvas roof. The camp is completely green with all solar generated electricity. We invented a system to run geysers on small elements so even the water was heated by our central solar system. We prepared all the building materials. Poles were bought and soaked in the lagoon (this makes poles much harder and last longer). With heavy rains in the beginning of January we had to rescue the poles from a flooding river, not a simple task in crocodile infested waters…. (See picture). While the access roads were impassible during the rainy season, we walked regularly to the location to inspect the building site.The furniture was home made at Mukambi Safari Lodge and at the end of the rainy season we were ready to start the construction works. The planning was to start in the beginning of April but hit a snag due to heavy rains. We were behind schedule for at least four weeks and only managed to get to the site with a truck of building materials in the beginning of May.

Letter of interest in opening a bush camp at a specific location has to be written to ZAWA. After acceptance of the initial proposal the ZAWA area management has to visit the site and investigate whether it fits within the park management plan and that is does not interfere with other operations. Once the ZAWA area management supports the initial proposal ZAWA headquarters (the research, planning and commercial departments) have to come and visit the proposed area to inspect and give a recommendation to the Director General. After inspection it will be discussed in the ZAWA management meeting and if approved ZAWA gives a provisional letter of permission, pending and EPB (Environmental Project Brief) and ZEMA approval. We hired a consultant (Global Enviromanagement Consulting) who visited the proposed site, to look at the environment, took soil samples to base his EPB on. After the consultant had finished his EPB (a document of over 115 pages) the same EPB was send to ZEMA for approval. Once ZEMA has approved the EPB document they have to do a site visit to see if the document is a true presentation of the reality and if there are others potential environmental issues not mentioned in the EPB. After the ZEMA inspection we received a letter of approval of ZEMA. The same letter was send to ZAWA and based on this a TCA (Tourism Concession Agreement) was negotiated with ZAWA.

After finalization of all the above the construction phase can start!!!!!

Top: Fig Tree Lagoon; Left: Mukambi Lodge; Above: Getting the poles from the crocodile infested fast rising river

We planned to start building four weeks prior to the actual date but experienced challenges due to the heavy downpour that eventually disappeared at the end of April. With the first guests expected in June, a month after we started the actual construction, pressure was on. After toiling for weeks, we managed to put up something beautiful and worth of a bush camp. Building a bush camp is not an easy thing to do but provides a serene environment and a great way to see Africa’s beauty.Remote locations are always the best for such setups, although the route is thorny. TL Z

TRAVEL & LEISURE ZAMBIA

All you need is a rifle and a 4X4 Efforts to save the Luangwa valley from poachers Jake Da Motta Photograph by South Luangwa Conservation Society

outh Luangwa Conservation Society (SLCS) has its origins in a small group of safari guides and lodge owners who before 1997 had applied to be gazetted as Honorary Rangers (HR’s). Under the old National Parks & Wildlife Service anyone who had an interest in wildlife conservation, a rifle and a 4x4 and who was willing to sacrifice a few hours a month could apply. The system carried some perks the biggest of which was a card granting free entry to any NP in the country and the 90 or so gazetted Eastern Province HRs did little but take advantage of this. Under the formation of the Zambia Wildlife Authority in 1997 EPHR’s became Eastern Province Honorary Wildlife Police Officers and those in Mfuwe started to organise anti snaring patrols. Young men from the local community were recruited and soon every week ZAWA would second them a couple of scouts and patrols would comb the park for snares and set up ambushes for poachers and fishermen illegally entering the SLNP. An informal response team grew from this called the Rapid Action Team (Zambia) (RATZ) and this group was put at the disposal of Zambia Wildlife Authority (ZAWA) to circumvent all the logistical obstacles and bureaucratic red tape that lie between ZAWA receiving a poaching report and being able to deploy a response unit. With one ZAWA scout RATZ could put boots on the ground within well under an hour of receiving a report. By 2003 conservation practice

TRAVEL & LEISURE ZAMBIA

had shifted from being all about law enforcement and with a more holistic approach to conservation RATZ was reborn as the South Luangwa Conservation Society, now a fully fledged NGO. Even the great Royal Parks of England employ gamekeepers and wherever natural resources exist someone will seek to take a bite out of the apple for free. This is not a peculiarly African condition. What makes resource conservation in Africa so challenging is that the very natural bounty that developing country tourists will pay big bucks to see conserved and to enjoy on safari are the same resources that growing communities in these remote areas have always depended on and which because of population growth and habitat encroachment can no longer sustainably support them. Law Enforcement will always be the “stick” in conservation but SLCS has from its inception sought to conserve habitat, fauna and flora for the local population and not in spite of it, offering as much “carrot” as possible in highlighting the opportunities and rewards to communities for husbanding their resources. Working in close partnership with ZAWA, SLCS has funded and helped to coordinate the training of over 300 village scouts some of whom are immediately recruited by ZAWA whilst others remain in their communities as Village Wildlife Scouts or are employed full-time by SLCS working on joint patrols with ZAWA Scouts conducting much of the

Left: Delta Unit at work with Working Dogs for Conservation Below:Trained scouts work together to de-snare a lioness

in helping them find a market for chilli as cash crop to contribute towards food security. SLCS has since 1994 sponsored Uyoba School and assists in education outreach programs and events such as a community fun run and mini-marathon alongside partnered organisations such as The Chipembele Wildlife Education Trust. SLCS works hand in hand with the Zambia Carnivore Program and shares costs of an aeroplane and pilot conducting critical aerial surveillance and patrol coordination. SLCS employs a full time veterinarian trained in wildlife capture and able to respond to reports of animals injured by snaring. Every year SLCS saves the lived of dozens of animals including iconic species such as lion, wild dog, elephant, buffalo and giraffe which would otherwise die from their injuries. In addition our veterinary team organises an annual rabies vaccination program and spaying of domestic dogs and cats. With an annual budget approaching $600,000 SLCS has long outgrown the financial reach of the few lodges and individuals who initially funded it. The Danish Embassy kindly kick-started the Society with a 3 year grant and Chief Executive Officer Rachel McRobb has worked tirelessly ever since to build donor confidence to the point where SLCS is annually funded by grants from US Fish and Wildlife, Awely, Tusk, CCG Trust, African Hope Foundation, WWF and many other internationally recognized conservation bodies. In addition the Luangwa Conservation & Community Fund encourages all visitors to the Valley to pay a voluntary levy through their travel agents and this direct safari client funding now represents some 15-20% of our total budget. This substantial amount raised annually is split between Project Luangwa one of the area’s largest Community projects and SLCS as the chosen conservation executive body. Also deserving of special mention is the Paul G Allen Trust which through Mfuwe Lodge and The Bushcamp Company continue to be the SLCS’s other biggest single donor. As pressures on wildlife and habitat continue to grow South Luangwa Conservation Society seeks to forge stronger bonds with ZAWA and the community to evolve into the best funded and most pro-active Call 0211 5111 48 or conservation email lakesafari@gmail.com stakeholder in www.lakesafari.com Zambia’s flagship ecosystem.

Work, Play or Romance!

patrol and investigative work in the South Luangwa and coordinating with North Luangwa Conservation Project and other National Conservation organisations (Game Rangers International, Conservation Lower Zambezi, Conservation Lake Tanganyika, The Kasanka Trust and African Parks) For the last year SLCS has also joined with Working Dogs for Conservation to establish Zambia’s first Delta Unit, a $200,000 investment in training of two dogs and Zambian handlers, and the construction of a state of the art canine unit and field operations team to integrate sniffer dogs into the law enforcement program. These highly trained teams are now being used on targeted searches and road blocks to seize illegal firearms, ivory and bush-meat resulting in the apprehension of poaching gangs operating across the subregion. Training will soon commence to use the same teams for tracking so that poaching gangs can be followed from their illegal camps in the Park or from the site of a kill, back to their villages. Realising that today’s school kids are tomorrow’s conservation policy makers SLCS has been very active in the field of Human Wildlife Conflict (HWC) resolution and pioneered the Chilli Fence project in the communities around SLNP helping farmers protect their traditional staple crops of maize, sorghum and millet using fences made of string soaked in chilli oil, scaring off crop raiders with pungent chilli grenades and irritating blasters. And

TRAVEL & LEISURE ZAMBIA

Male lion with his young cub South Luangwa National Park Photographs by Edward Selfe 30

TRAVEL & LEISURE ZAMBIA

LETS TALK ABOUTLUNAR CALENDAR A visit to the Victoria Falls is a romantic extension to a safari. This is a place where the lunar or moonbow can be witnessed when the moon is full giving you the most adoring sights you can ever experience over the Victoria Falls in the night. A moonbow is created in the same way a rainbow is, water refracting through water droplets, but the effect is completely different. Lunar Calendar for the moonbow over Victoria Falls 2015 2016 Full Jan 4 2015 New Jan 10 2016 New Jan 20 2015 Full Jan 24 2016 Full Feb 3 2015 New Feb 8 2016 New Feb 18 2015 Full Feb 22 2016 Full Mar 5 2015 New Mar 9 2016 New Mar 20 2015 Full Mar 23 2016 Full Apr 4 2015 New Apr 7 2016 New Apr 18 2015 Full Apr 22 2016 Full May 3 2015 New May 6 2016 New May 17 2015 Full May 21 2016 Full Jun 2 2015 New Jun 5 2016 New Jun 16 2015 Full Jun 20 2016 Full Jul 1 2015 New Jul 4 2016 New Jul 15 2015 Full Jul 20 2016 Full Jul 31 2015 New Aug 2 2016 New Aug 14 2015 Full Aug 18 2016 Full Aug 29 2015 New Sep 1 2016 New Sep 13 2015 Full Sept 16 2016 Full Sep 27 2015 New Oct 1 2016 New Oct 12 2015 Full Oct 16 2016 Full Oct 27 2015 New Oct 30 2016 New Nov 11 2015 Full Nov 14 2016 Full Nov 25 2015 New Nov 29 2016 New Dec 11 2015 Full Dec 1 2016 Full Dec 25 2015 New Dec 29 2016

High Water: March, April and May During these months the roar and thunder of the water falls is captivating and invigorating! This is the ideal time to take “The Flight of the Angels” and view the Falls from a couple of hundred feet above. The white-water rafting is at its peak at this time of the year.

Mid-season flow: January February; June, July and August These months are the best viewing months of the Falls because there’s still plenty of water, but the spray doesn’t obliterate the view. These five months are probably the best time to see a moonbow (full moon only). It is important to note January, February and March are rainy season at Victoria Falls: temperatures and humidity rise and tropical downpours are pretty common.

Low flow: September, October, November and December The Zimbabwe side, and Devil’s Cataract in particular, remains good during this season. Note that October is the hottest and driest month of the year (temperatures up to 40°C)

May to September are the best months N.B. Special permission is required to enter Victoria Falls World Heritage Site after sunset. For further details, contact the undersigned. The Director – Southwest Region National Heritage Conservation Commission P.O. Box 60124 Chishimba Falls Road off Mosi-oa-Tunya Road LIVINGSTONE

TRAVEL & LEISURE ZAMBIA

Siavonga

Tel:+260 211 511 249 Cell:+260 97 777 0480 info@kariba inns.com

www.karibainns.com

! k Now

le availab ckages Fly in Pa

frican and A y a D r ou

o ay. Bo om D

Freed

b for La

TRAVEL & LEISURE ZAMBIA

STEVE & ANNA

TOLAN Chipembele Wildlife Education Centre, a remarkable place deep in the bush, is proving to be such an asset to the local community. The centre is run by Steve and Anna Tolan. They shared their story with Andrew Muswala 34

TRAVEL & LEISURE ZAMBIA

When did you come to Africa? It was in 1988 and we first came to Zambia in 1994. We realised that Zambia was a country we loved and finally settled here in 1998. Did it live up to your expectations? Well, more than. We were told a lot of negative things about Zambia. It still has that African feel which we didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t expect. How often did you visit Zambia after your first trip? A few times. We migrated in 1998 when Steve retired. We had fallen in love with wild Africa. We didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to work for a lodge, but wanted to run an organisation that teaches the importance of wildlife. Why did you choose Zambia? We found it had that African feel, no fences, comfortable with local people, politically stable, English-speaking; fell in love with trees. Just felt the right place for us.

Did you have any idea how you would earn a living? We’ve lived off Steve’s pension for the whole seventeen years we have been here, as our work here at the centre is voluntary. We sold our house to build the conservation centre, that’s how we started off. What facilities does the centre have? There is a classroom, library and large interpretive room full of exhibities on wildlife. At Mfuwe Day Secondary School, there is a classroom, offices, student resource room, botanic gardens and nature conservancy. Have you ever run into difficulties with wild animals? Not as many as you might think, but there are the occasional ones. One of our dogs was attacked by lions and survived. Mostly we live very peacefully with the animals.

Are you involved in other local projects? Yes, Chipembele has a seat on the board of trustees for South Luangwa Conservation Society. What would be your word of advice to Zambian’s on the tourism potential? Zambia has an untapped reserve for tourism and Zambians should try and visit as many places as they can, because this is their heritage. It’s important for Zambians to get involved in running some of the tourism outfits. TL Z

TRAVEL & LEISURE ZAMBIA

Travel & Leisure

Zambia JANUARY - MARCH 2016

THE GATHERING OF

BEESTS

Exploring the second largest Wildebeest migration in Africa

YALIWE BANDA Zambiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s youngest safari manager FIGHTING TO PROTECT

CONSERVATION

LAKE TANGANYIKA

A biological wonder under threat

ADVERTISE WITH US TRAVEL AND LEISURE ZAMBIA TOURISM MAGAZINE Enhanced product exposure Business growth through increase in sales and client loyalty Large market reach with potential customers Credibility and prestige High geographic and demographic selectivity Long life and good pass-along readership High quality reproduction

TRAVEL & LEISURE ZAMBIA

Call us now on + (260) 955 108 536 Or e-mail: ads@zambiatravelmag.com