Northern Zambia to Western Tanzania

It has not been easy to post anything whilst in Northern Zambia due to poor or non-existent cell coverage, so apologies for the silence!

Luamba National Park
Luamba National Park

We left South Luangwa not really knowing if we were going to be able to cross the rivers that lay ahead. We had met up with some conservation trainers at South Luangwa, Annalise and Malcolm who also wanted to cut across to the great North Road. They had inside information so after discussing it we decided to go for it. The alternative was a 4 or 5 day detour via Lusaka. The area we were heading into is wild and although there’s a road marked at times it is little more than a track. It was hard driving but beautiful and meant that we crossed the Luambe National park as well as passing through numerous villages. Whenever we took a wrong turning the friendly villagers were there to point us in the right direction. We discovered cotton fields along the way planted between mealie fields and the penny dropped. In Zambia the women wear a colorful sarong called a chitembe- which is made out of 100% cotton. The common mode of transport in this area is bicycles! After the first 20 kms or so we didn’t see another car until we reached Chifunda community campsite. The bush is beautiful and on the way we passed through a mature Mopani wood forest- so peaceful! Once again we were camping along a different part of the Luangwa River. We got there at around 5 pm after 240kms which took us about 9 hours! The people who look after the campsite built us a fire and then ran off to get “the fire” which turned out to be two smoldering pieces of wood- who needs fire lighter after that! Annalise and Malcolm arrived at the same camp site sometime after 7pm and presented us with our rear number plate which had literally been torn off during one of the dry river bed crossings. Some villagers retrieved it and Malcom recognized it as they passed through. At some point we also discovered that we had lost our fire extinguisher. It was mounted in a clip-on bracket under the roof rack and it must have been dislodged by one of the countless dongas (ditches) that paved our way. We remember when it happened as at one point we heard a loud bang followed by hordes of village kids shouting and running after us. We should have stopped!

Road 2 Road 3

The "good" road
The “good” road
Cotton field Zambia
Cotton field Zambia
Sunset Chifundu camp
Sunset Chifundu camp

Next morning there were park fees to be paid and we crossed the river on a pontoon into North Luangwa. It’s a wild park and at this time of the year the bush is very dense. Very different from the South. The drive through took us around 3 hours (100km’s) and it was superb. You can stay in the park but there is no camping allowed. The escarpment road had just been graded after the rains and was good. Eventually we came to the tar road – the Great North Road – …Alan jumped out the car and kissed the tarmac. We’d been on gravel roads and tracks for a week, it was lovely to be on tar again!

Pontoon into North Luangwa
Pontoon into North Luangwa
Sani and Al on Pontoon
Sani and Al on Pontoon

Another 35km’s of gravel brought us to Kapishya Hot Springs, a haven of tranquility! We were once again the only people in the camp site which was separated from the lodge by the hot spring. Its natural beauty surrounded by dense vegetation has been maintained and it results in a sandy and rocky pool that varies in depth from a few cm’s to about half a meter, all the while the warm water bubbles up randomly from the bottom. It is estimated that the water source is some 17km below ground. Needless to say we spent time both morning and evening wallowing like the hippo’s we have seen so many of! We treated ourselves to supper at the lodge for the 3 nights we were there as we met some lovely people and shared many interesting and varied conversations. We found ourselves ‘drawn’ into the water on our way back to our tent each evening with the steam rising around us in the starlight, crawling into bed thoroughly warmed through.

Kapishya Springs
Kapishya Springs
Denise in Kapishya springs
Denise in Kapishya springs

On the road to Kapishya we discovered that we had broken our front right shock absorber mounting – the mounting bracket had parted company from the bottom suspension wishbone. Fortunately there was a handy mechanic at the lodge who welded up a new bracket, re-attached our number plate and strengthened one of the running boards on the side of the vehicle which was on its way to being our next casualty!
Armed with various bits of information about the road and accommodation options ahead, we left for Mbala, a ‘border town’ in the far north very near Lake Tanganyika. We were told to enquire about accommodation options at a town called Kasama on our way through. It seemed that all lake side options were only accessible by boat, requiring us to unpack our gear and leave the vehicle for a couple of days – not very practical. We ended up at Lake Chila in Mbala, a very simple and cheap lodge. There we met a Dutch family who were booked to camp at Isanga Bay on the Lake and who had just seen the manager who had confirmed that the road to the lodge was ‘passible’. We got the phone number and Lynne confirmed we could go through and camp. The next morning after taking 2 hours to complete the 35km’s we arrived on the shores of Lake Tanganyika – how amazing is that?! What a privilege! The scene could have been from the Maldives! Lake Tanganyika is the world’s longest (675 km’s) the second deepest (at 1435m) fresh water lake. Lynne and Grant who are ‘caretaking’ the lodge on a part time basis while the real managers are in Cape Town are Baptist Missionaries out of a small church in Simonstown in the Cape. Sam and Hannah, an expat family with small children had been camping there for a few days already and for the next 24 hours we were the only people around! Lynne and Grant and their family arrived the next day as did the Dutch family. We have had some lovely long chats with Lynne and Grant who have been here for 17 years running what is essentially a roving Bible College. Many churches have been planted in this area around the lake but there has been nothing to nurture and grow them. Grant has a discipleship program that takes him around all these areas on a regular basis with people travelling distances to attend each session. They are almost self-sufficient in that they manage a farm on which they produce almost everything they eat whilst Lynne home schools their 5 kids. We had a baked sweet potato from their garden done in our Cobb (charcoal oven) and savory mince the other night – a meal Therina and Kim would approve of! The sweet potatoes were an unusual deep orange and amazingly creamy and sweet. We joined them for lunch today (Sunday) and shared Nshima (the Zambian equivalent of pap/ sadza/ mealie meal) and home grown pork. Denise has had some amazing DMC’s (deep meaningful conversations) with everyone in the camp site (as is to be expected) but many of them have been lovely faith conversations as well which has been special. It turns out that two kids and an adult amongst our number have been talking about wanting to be baptized. Grant (who is a Pastor) offered to perform the sacrament for them and so at Sunset yesterday we were privileged to be invited to be a part of the ‘great crowd of witnesses’ as the three were baptized in the lake. Amazingly (and eerily) as this started a boat load (30+) of local church people just floated into the bay singing hymns and just bobbed around very close to us whilst the baptism took place. It was like being on the Sea of Galilee! Very moving indeed.

Dedicated to Mark Groves- mid winter 21 June
Dedicated to Mark Groves- mid winter 21 June
Isango Bay
Isango Bay
Fishing Village Lake Tanganyika
Fishing Village Lake Tanganyika
Fisherman Lake Tanganyika
Fisherman Lake Tanganyika
Sunset Isango bay
Sunset Isango bay

One of the reasons we chose to come this route was to see the Kalambo Falls – the second highest water fall in Africa, next to the Tugela. The falls drop over the escarpment into the East African Rift Valley of which the Lake is a part – a drop of over 200m. The lodge arranged a guide and after a 20min boat ride plus a strenuous 2 and a bit hour walk/ climb (about 800m) through villages, cassava fields and rocky grassland, we arrived at the top of the falls – magnificent. The Kalambo River marks the Border between Zambia and Tanzania and as we looked across the river we found ourselves wondering whether we should find a way across and say we’d been there. Also we discovered that we could have driven to the falls and camped nearby however we were glad that we hadn’t! Once back in the village the children were fascinated by us and gathered around us as we waited for the boat. They laughed, mimicked us and my case held my hands, some of them hesitant to touch white skin! Then they waved us goodbye- a good day in Africa.

Kalambo Falls
Kalambo Falls
Top of Kalambo Falls
Top of Kalambo Falls
Us at Kalambo Falls
Us at Kalambo Falls
Village children
Village children

The time came to leave this beautiful place (Tuesday). Grant offered to fill our tank with filtered water and we in turn used our winch to help them erect a large solar panel pedestal following which we left to head for a little border post into Tanzania from Mbala. After 2 hours driving 35kms, it was only an hour for the next 35kms, we were speeding. It was such an easy border crossing as we were the only ones there, and the border officials were very welcoming however it still took an hour as everything has to be painstakingly written by hand. Electricity not being very reliable. Once through we were again on remote dirt roads, this time taking us to the Tanzanian town of Sumbawanga. We were 7kms of out the town when our GPS told us that we still had over an hour to go. This was very confusing until we realized that there is a time difference of an hour here.

Sumbawanga
Sumbawanga

Nothing prepared us for this little town, with its bright vibrace, full of tuk-tuks called “dala-dala” and full of noise and people with a distinctly eastern flavor. We stayed overnight at the Monrovian Church Conference center- where we bumped into a New Zealand lady we had met in South Luangwa. She has been traveling on her own by public transport and had been offered a lift by Erik- a Frenchman travelling on his own. We were also joined by some South Africans and a little Portuguese/dutch lady who came through Namibia and Angola. So super that night was quite festive as we ate together. We have spent the last few days travelling together loosely as there are few camping options along this route. We met up with them at Katavi National park and again here in Kigomo where we are at the moment. We found Olivier in ‘town’ this morning having a leaf spring replaced on his vehicle. He broke a blade and holed his aluminum fuel tank on the drive from Katavi yesterday. (So it is not just our bad driving!). (The fuel tank is leaking again by the way!). Tomorrow (27 June) one of the group has organized a boat to Gombe National Park to see the chimpanzees so we will all go together and share costs.

Streets Kigoma
Streets Kigoma
Bush mechanic Kigoma
Bush mechanic Kigoma

The last few days travel has been challenging on the dirt roads and after being on the road for over a month Al and I checked into a hotel for some R&R once we reached Kigoma. It turns out the manager here used to own Sani Top Chalets and we recognized him when we met him! A small world. You can get most things in town and at the markets but it’s a very different type of shopping. The shops are small, dark and filled to the brim, and crammed together. The markets have just grown up from ground so the floors vary from dirt, stones, wooden planks to cover ditches and the odd piece of concrete. In some places you have to pass through the passages sideways, they are so narrow… and the food market is very different from Pick n Pay! The butcher uses a panga (machete) to ‘carve’ the meat and lays it out on a concrete retaining wall in one of the passages. It has been interesting.
The one thing that has struck us is that we have met interesting and varied people along the way so far and because we are all travelling so far from home most are only too willing to help where they can. It is a far cry from being self-reliant and self-sufficient that living in a big city creates.

South Luangwa

Bridge camp Luangwa rivereAfter 4 nights in Lusaka we were finally able to move on. The city is crazy, and full of life however still a city so it was good to move back into the bush. Our destination this time South Luangwa Park. There’s a convenient stop over at Changa Changa Bridge camp, situated on the Luangwa River. Interesting place run by a chap called Will who tends to be quite morose but he livened up in the evening. During rainy season it seems to be quite green, however when we were there everything was dry and dusty. The campsite is right next to the road that leads to Luangwa town. We had heard that Kinsley Holgate was in the area, and here we met up with some of his support team. Kingsley is boating down the Zambezi River from its’ source in Northern Zambia on a boat made from pontoons and aluminum square tubing. Each time they hit an obstacle like Victoria Falls or a Dam wall, they dismantle it and drive around, put it back together and carry on.

Holgate support team
So we took a drive down to Luangwa town about 90kms away mainly through rural villages and passed a very smart Girls High School which we discovered later is where the elite from Lusaka send their girls to school to keep them out of trouble! The town is the meeting point of three countries, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Mozambique all by water and very casual as there doesn’t seem to be any Customs set up.

Three countries Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Zambia
Three countries Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Zambia

Next morning we set off early for Chipata on the Malawi border. The rainy season has just finished here so some of the back routes are still impassable therefore we had to stick to the main road. This road is undergoing major renovation and some parts were lovely and others dusty detours, which were not bad but slow going. I have officially mastered the peeing on the side of the road which to quote a friend “Is my African heritage and right!” Brought back many, many memories of my childhood! Chipata is a lively, friendly town and was fun to pass through on the way to South Luangwa. It used to be called Fort Jameson.

New and old Chipata Chipata
Finally South Luangwa was in sight and we arrived at a campsite set on another part of the Luangwa River overlooking the park- Wildlife Camp. Bliss. 9 hours of driving and no fuel leaks! Once again we have been serenaded to the sound of hippos in the river, elephants strolling casually around and the campsite monkeys who sneak around trying to steal what they can. There are no park fences here only natural boundaries like the river, mountains etc so the game move around quite freely. The local village is very close and the people very respectful of the wildlife. One of the night watchmen is a chap called Overt- who checks up on us at night. He told us that the locals have been educated as to the value of the game, hopefully this means limited poaching! Yesterday we had another fellow come to sell vegetables at the campsite – eggplant, onions, herbs and lemons. So lovely!!!
In the park we have had some great sightings, lion at a kill, a leopard just waking up at dusk, porcupines, elephant family groups, giraffes etc… A baby elephant stood in the road and mock charged us while crossing, looked just like Dumbo – all gangly – we were watching mom too and she was not perturbed so we were not too close. It’s the first time we’ve seen Puku, a buck that looks like an impala but is much more fluffy and sturdy. We saw the lions both during the day and on a night drive. There were six in the group, and they had killed a buffalo. When we saw them in the evening they were lying around looking too full to move, rather like Al after a good meal!

in the evening lion 2m from the car Lion2ZebraMock charge baby elephant Curious giraffe
The other campers are an interesting mix. Two Germans on our right hand side who have been travelling camping for about 6/7 years. Very interesting to chat to with lovely senses of humor. On our left a British couple from Malawi have been very helpful in planning our Malawi trip and also very friendly. We had decided to go back to Lusaka as due to the rains some of the roads to North Luangwa we’ve been told are not yet passable. Then this morning we met a couple of South Africans who are here to do conservation training. They are also going from here to North Luangwa, and think it’s doable. We’ll catch up with them later and see.
Frogs in showers are a feature of camp life. However yesterday I had to laugh. First there was the spider hiding in the toilet roll, one of those flat big spiders, then as I flushed the loo, I saw this thing hanging on for dear life! There was a frog under the toilet seat!! Needless to say I now check both.

Hangin in Lusaka

Well the fuel tank repair didn’t hold! By the time we had covered the few km’s from Gwabi back into Chirundu, the tank was leaking again. It seems that fiber glass doesn’t bond too well with polyprop or polyethylene or whatever the plastic is. The leak was worse under pressure so we headed for Lusaka without the petrol cap fitted. We  had been told to avoid Lusaka between 12 and 14H00. We arrived just after 12 on Friday afternoon.  Lusaka traffic is BAD but well mannered and quite civilised.

Traffic
Traffic

The Internet provided us with a starting point in search of the next solution. None of the Nissan branches will even look a a vehicle they have not sold. They are very friendly and helpful in making suggestions but will not touch the vehicle. After 4 or 5 different stops we were directed to Henry at Hensons Car Hire (and any thing else to do with cars). He was confident that he would be able to solve the problem. We checked into the City Lodge which was just round the corner from Henry and got the car to him at 8H30 on Saturday.  By 14H00 it was done. The tank is non-standard (the Sani is a South African variant of the old Nissan Patrol) so the second hand tank he had sourced would not fit. He found a company that manufactures tanks from the same material. They stripped the fiber glass and used the right goo to re-apply the patch. However….by the time we got back to the Hotel is was seeping again. Small spot but too much to ignore. Not wanting to endure another night is the City Lodge we moved to Pioneer Camp some 20km’s out of town,

Pioneer Camp1

We contacted Henry and arranged to get the vehicle back on Monday. It is now 17H12 on Monday. We are back at Pioneer and… so far so good! We will leave for South Luangwa NP tomorrow, stopping over at Luangwa Bridge for the night. We have been warned that the roads are not great so we need to take it slow. I am a lot more confident in the repair now (although the fuel level sensor seems to have become a casualty of the main times the tank has been remove. We therefore now have now fuel gauge.

So far, we have been very impressed with Zambia in general and the Zambian’s in particular – very friendly, very helpful, very cheerful. Lovely experience.  At the City Lodge they reserved a parking for us outside our room and removed the screws from the mosquito netting on the windows so that we could plug our vehicle in to the the power mains. Each time we drove in the security guard would rush forward and remove the no parking sign for us. One sad thing (to our minds anyway) is that shopping malls are springing up everywhere built by the Chinese (who are all of this place like a bad rash) and manned by South African brands – Shoprite, OK, Foschini, M&B, Mica……). Prices are horrendous. The Mugg and Bean menu shows prices that are identical to SA but in Kwatcha – 0.6 to R1.

Mugg & Bean Menu
Mugg & Bean Menu

Having had two mornings to ‘waste’ without transport we have walked Lusaka out of our system and are ready to move on.

Sights and Sounds 3 Sights and Sounds1 Sights and Sounds2 Sights and Sounds4 Sights and sounds5 Sights and Sounds6

Gwabi Lodge

Our last night at Mana pools was very quiet. We woke to a glorious sunrise, the sunrises here have been more spectacular than the sunsets with vivid reds and pinks glowing over the Zambezi River. Mana Pools is a magical place, so whilst we didn’t see all there was to see we didn’t feel cheated. It is so special just to experience bush like it!

The road out of Mana
The road out of Mana
Leaving Mana Pools
Leaving Mana Pools

Al coped with the drive out well, those 32kms of corrugations on the dirt road out are not easy. We found the Zimbabwean people warm and friendly and in our talking to them, we heard a recurring theme. All have suffered and continue to suffer under bad economic times, which is why South Africa beckons as the land of hope. Our game guide was explaining that he usually only gets paid 8 out of the 12 months’ salary due to him, as payments get later and later in the month until they skip one and so on. Having just experienced the stress ourselves of never knowing when Al was going to be paid, it gave us an appreciation of what life for them must be like.

Bridge across the Zambezi into Zambia at Chirundu
Bridge across the Zambezi into Zambia at Chirundu

Before we knew it we were in Chirundu at the Zambian border. We discovered that the petrol tank repair had not worked, so stopped to have a look in Chirundu. There was no place to help us there so across the border we went. The border post was not busy- but they did give us a runaround! They were not happy with the police clearance that we were given for the Sani, but eventually let us though. Then we had to find Zambian Kwacha- to pay certain things, but also needed US dollars for others. Having figured that out, certain officials went to lunch and we waited….
Once through the border there were a few things I needed to restock. In the one shop when I was getting milk there was a man there who commented on the price of the milk, “In Nairobi you would pay US$ 0.5 for that.” So I said, “But we’re not in Nairobi so have to pay the price we pay!” We laughed together over that.

Fortunately we had planned to stop over at Gwabi lodge 11kms from Chirundu. Arriving here we decided to stay in a chalet which has proved to be a very good decision.

Gwabi Lodge
Gwabi Lodge

Al asked the receptionist Merle where he could take the car to have a look at the petrol tank, she pointed the lodge’s workshop, and offered their help. The mechanic, a Zimbo by the name of Precious has been amazing. He and Al and Al have been working on and off now to try to plug the leak since we got here. Whilst to keep myself busy I’ve been in the pool! So we’ve had an extended stay here. Lovely view, great food and staff.

Lounging at the pool
Lounging at the pool
Sunset on the Kafue river
Sunset on the Kafue river

The fuel tank has been a saga and half with a small crack deep in a recess. That was repaired with a fiberglass patch last night. The tank was installed and refilled this morning only to find it was still leaking but was not clear where from. Tank drained again (90l) and removed. Several rounds of repair followed – we tried a compressed air pressure test but I think we may have overdone the pressure as it lifted the patch from the tank. We filled half the recess with resin type of putty. Then tank being in the sun expanded away from the ‘plug’ leaving a gap down the side of the recess. This we filled with plastic steel and a layer of prattley’s putty. The rest of the recess was then filled with resin mixed with fiberglass, topped with a few sheets of fiberglass for good measure. If that doesn’t work then I don’t know what is next! Neither does the mechanic!

1st repair attempt
1st repair attempt
Final repair (hopefully)
Final repair (hopefully)

We plan to head for Lusaka first thing tomorrow heading for South Luangwa. Here’s hoping!

In the fullness of time, God….Galatians 4:4

Kafue

This verse that is found in Galatians is one that I love. Another version of the verse says “At just the right time, God…”It speaks to me of how amazing God is and how He works everything out and leaves nothing to chance. It has always given me a sense that He is in control. I’ve realized though that I have always looked at this verse from the other side- the one that can see how the “Fullness of Time” was so perfectly worked out in Jesus.

When I look at it from how this truth is worked out in my own life, how just at the right time God… it hasn’t been so easy. The boot is now on the other foot, I’m the one waiting for “just the right time, God.” The past few years have been testing ones for a number or reasons. In particular we’d both reached a crossroads in our lives. What to do next? Not uncommon at our stage of life. There were many, many times that I have just wished something would happen that would make the future more clear. In wading through (that’s what it felt like) the various stresses it seemed that there was no end in sight. However that began to change once Al and I decided that the next step would be our African overland adventure. It has become clear that whilst we thought the heavens were silent and that God was ignoring us, He was in fact very busy working in us to bring us to the point where we could decide on our next step.

This reminds me that we’re not the ones making things happen. There are two parts to this verse, the right time and God. God is the one who brings it all together and I am being reminded to trust Him and wait for the rest. There were many people who trusted God and never saw Jesus and I think that, trusting, knowing the one you trust was the key to how they never lost hope. He was their focus and not circumstances. My confidence had been in our own ability, how I would “fix” things and that when the next step was revealed we would do it. However I’m discovering for myself that at this time, my trust is growing in the one who knows it all. The focus not on what I must do, but rather on the one who will enable me, who will bring it all together at JUST THE RIGHT TIME!

This African trip has been a dream of ours for about 15 years. We have watched others go and come back, but never been the ones going until now. It feels now that “in the fullness of time, God” has enabled us to go.

Sights and sounds of Mana Pools

 

Campsite view
One of the first sights that greeted us here was a column of Matebele ants on the move. They marched out of our campsite that first afternoon and have returned most afternoons around 3 o’clock. They march in, round up what they want and form up a column and leave. This evokes a few memories. One is of singing on a schools bus when going to and from a sports fixture, “the ants go marching one by one hoorah, hoorah etc…” I’m sure that many of you remember different versions of that song. The other is of my mother, who was a teacher who loved to tell us when we were little that the thunder during a thunder storm was caused by Matebele chief Mzilikazi roaring because a matebele ant had bitten his toe! Well the latter happened here as they bit Alan twice and he roared !!! They have a very painful bite. The ants can be almost a 1cm long with very large a prominent pincers in the front. They put them to good use!


One if the things that make your heart glad as a camper is when you arrive at a campsite and you see a donkey. The African donkey that is not a donkey but rather a wood fired geyser. That means that there will definitely be hot water for showers, and if not can be available in a very short time. I love these donkeys and Mana Pools campsite have them!

We were able to go on a guided game walk yesterday – 1 June in the morning with Charles. We spent around 90 mins tracking the lions that we have heard roaring every night whilst here. However they eluded us and we have yet to see them. It was a great experience despite our failure to find the lions. Charles told us that soon there would be no vegetation left- apparently the ants move in and eat everything. This is collaborated by the fact that we have never seen so many large anthills in one place. During this period before the rains, the animals are sustained by the Anna tree which loses its leaves in summer and turns green in winter. They produce long coiling pods which are very nutritious. Elephants, monkeys and baboons help to ensure that there are sufficient pods on the ground for the browsers. In the campsite for most of the day we have had the company of some starlings, we discovered that they are called Mavis Starlings- a fitting tribute to a Mavis we know!

Mavis Starling
Mavis Starling
One of the many anthills we encountered
One of the many anthills we encountered
Brunch after game walk
Brunch after game walk

We have had many nocturnal visitors. Last night at the camp fire a hippo simply appeared about 5m from us and strolled off into the bush behind us and we returned to our supper. A little while later there was a huge commotion behind us and two running hippos appeared out the bush frantic to get back into the water. We don’t know what spooked them but they didn’t come back after that. Then just as we were going to bed, a shape loomed at the water’s edge not far from the front of our tent and voila – there was a spotted hyena. The bush comes alive at night! Al saw the hyena again around 1am as there was another hullabaloo that woke him. All in all we have had the following animals through our camp site (that we know of) whilst we have been here – the obligatory monkeys and baboons, elephant, hippo, hyena, crocodile, 1.5m ligavaan (sp?) and warthog.
We have spent many hours here just listening to and watching the river life. A couple of different groups of hippo’s snorting and moving in and out the water, clumps a water hyacinth (an endemic water weed) floating past, a resident croc – must be 2.5m long spends his time floating down river and then coasting back up again, amazing bird life – dominated by three types of hornbills, that starlings and a good number of beautiful Fish Eagles.

 

ElephantBuffalo Hippo
Supper last night was savory mince and baked potatoes with chilled white wine. Lunch today consisted of incredibly delicious scones baked in the Cobb (a portable charcoal oven) with cheese marmite and jam. Left overs have just been enjoyed with the local Tanganda tea.

There’s lots of water in the park so no need for the animals to come down to the river. However we have seen some lovely game, and particularly enjoyed the changing beauty of the place. There’s lush woodlands followed by open plains, ponds covered in water lilies, and an abundance of birds.

Terrain Terrain 2

Tomorrow we head north into Zambia and face the daunting border crossing again.