10-28th August 2017
Introduction
It was time
to revisit Africa. After trips to Asia and Central America, the call of the ‘Dark
Continent’ had become too insistent. Three years ago we had driven ourselves
through Namibia and we glimpsed new opportunities of discovery just over the
horizon. I had recently re-read the Van der Post book ‘The Lost World of the
Kalahari’ and then I was dumbstruck by Simon Barnes’ latest offering ‘Sacred
Combe’. Could we combine a trip to the Kalahari, the Okavango Delta and to the
Luangwa Valley?
Botswana
We flew with
Emirates (we always seem to fly with Emirates) via Dubai to Johannesburg and,
after a 5-hour wait, took the Air Botswana flight up to Maun in Botswana. Here
we were met and driven to Meno A Kwena Camp on the Boteti River. Our tent was
marvellous, the view over the river was mind-blowing after our long flights and
our stay was wonderful. If only it had been for an extra night, it would have
been perfect. But we had a wonderful game drive in Makgadikgadi National Park
and saw enough zebra to last us a lifetime. It was annoying to have to miss the
walk to the Kalahari tribes-people’s temporary home but we had met them the
night before as they danced for us around the camp fire.
marvellous, the view over the river was mind-blowing after our long flights and
our stay was wonderful. If only it had been for an extra night, it would have
been perfect. But we had a wonderful game drive in Makgadikgadi National Park
and saw enough zebra to last us a lifetime. It was annoying to have to miss the
walk to the Kalahari tribes-people’s temporary home but we had met them the
night before as they danced for us around the camp fire.
Then we
returned to Maun airport for the Mack Air flight into the Okavango Delta. The
landing strip was a very long drive from the boat station, over two hours of
bone shaking tracks through the Moremi Game Reserve and then a boat trip out to
Xobega Island Camp. Here the facilities were very basic although we did have
solar powered electricity and intermittent wi-fi. Here we had our longest
stopover, our only three night stay. This was a day too long, not because the
delta is not a fascinating place but because the lack of boats and guides meant
that each day was an exact repeat, the early morning boat trip back to the boat
station having to double as the departure trip and the morning game activity.
The only 
variation was the afternoon boat and sundowner voyage which gave us
some great birding memories. Our guide did give us a walk around the back of
the camp during the heat of the siesta period to alleviate some of the
repetition.
solar powered electricity and intermittent wi-fi. Here we had our longest
stopover, our only three night stay. This was a day too long, not because the
delta is not a fascinating place but because the lack of boats and guides meant
that each day was an exact repeat, the early morning boat trip back to the boat
station having to double as the departure trip and the morning game activity.
The only 
variation was the afternoon boat and sundowner voyage which gave us
some great birding memories. Our guide did give us a walk around the back of
the camp during the heat of the siesta period to alleviate some of the
repetition.
But it was
great to be on our way again via the all too familiar trip to the boat station
and the long drive back across the Moremi. It was fascinating watching the
small planes land and take off from the landing strip, seeing how the pilot
looped over the strip before attempting to land to ensure there were no
elephants around and that the safari vehicles were lining up to signal the ‘all
clear’. It was a lovely flight to Kasane
over the waters of the delta and the forests of the north. Kasane has a modern
airport and we were soon in the splendid Elephant Valley Lodge at the edge of
Chobe National Park. After nearly a week of travel and bush camps, this seemed
the lap of luxury: a spacious tent/chalet and electric 
blankets. We had some
fabulous game drives in the park, seeing reams of wildlife on the flood plan of
the Chobe River and finding lions and a leopard in the surround bush. The
highlight was an evening boat trip on the river, nearly scuppered by having the
wrong keys to unlock the padlocked boat.
blankets. We had some
fabulous game drives in the park, seeing reams of wildlife on the flood plan of
the Chobe River and finding lions and a leopard in the surround bush. The
highlight was an evening boat trip on the river, nearly scuppered by having the
wrong keys to unlock the padlocked boat.
Zimbabwe,
Victoria Falls
We did not have
time to do the morning game drive on the last day at Elephant Valley. We had a mid-morning
departure scheduled to take us to the Zimbabwe border where we were handed over
to a Zimbabwean guide and instructed to join a long queue in the mid-day sun to
get our visas. Other guides were barging in and jumping the queue and we had to
fight to get to the immigration hatch. Our guide offer no help but we fought
off queue jumpers and, 90 minutes later, were sitting on a coach to Victoria
Falls. After dropping everyone off at their posh hotels by the river, we were
driven to the edge of town to Bayete Guest Lodge, a delightful spot in the
quiet suburbs. This was a most relaxing part of our trip, just what we needed
after a hectic week in Botswana.
We got a
taxi down to the Falls in the morning, arriving before the tourist groups. We
wore our waterproofs for the only time as we stood in the spray watching the
main falls; much reduced we were told in this the dry season. But it was still
a wonderful sight and an atmospheric place to walk in. We withdrew back to town
for a late lunch and then retreated back to the lodge for our rest. And I was
able to catch up with the football on television. A taxi in the evening took us
down to the river for a meal in a new restaurant, the Zambezi House, not classy
food but fun.
Zambia
There is
always going to be a hiccup on every trip and the next morning was to be ours.
We had been given specific instructions to rise early, before the official
breakfast hours (although the staff provided us with everything we wanted), so
we could be ready for a 7am pick up. Well, by 7.30am we were panicking. We had
a flight in two hours’ time on the other side of the border. Our hotel was
getting no answer to any phone calls to the travel agents. Eventually they got
through and an hour late, a car arrived to take us to the bridge and border
point. Here we were handed over to a Zambian guide and driver who checked us through
immigration in seconds and raced into Livingstone and their new airport
terminal. Proflight flew us to Lusaka and then on to Mfuwe, all without
incident. Here we were met by a member of the Kafunta staff and we drove the
hour or so to Kafunta River Lodge for a late lunch. Then we resumed our drive
along rough tracks beside the river to Three Rivers Camp. Thus began six
magical nights in the South Luangwa National Park.
The two
nights we had at Three Rivers was as perfect as we have ever had in Africa,
listening to the animals around the chalet and 
waiting for elephants to make
their way through camp. The drives were fabulous and we had our first
experience of a walking safari out in the bush. On day three we were introduced
to Martin, the senior guide, and he led us on the four-hour walk to Island Bush
Camp for our next two nights. Here we had amazing experiences including a
Martial Eagle with its kill and a herd of the rare Roan Antelopes. We slept on
an open platform whilst hippos grazed 
beneath or called to each other in the
river. The last two nights were back at Kafunta River Lodge, the most luxurious
of the three venues. The game drives from here were over a floating pontoon
across the river and we came across African wild dogs and leopards hunting by
day and by night. At the end of our stay we were asked which had been our
favourite of the three camps. After careful thought we chose Three Rivers as a 
combination of all that we were looking for in a remote and well managed camp.
We felt privileged to have experienced this quiet corner of the South Luangwa
National Park at such an early stage in its tourist development.
waiting for elephants to make
their way through camp. The drives were fabulous and we had our first
experience of a walking safari out in the bush. On day three we were introduced
to Martin, the senior guide, and he led us on the four-hour walk to Island Bush
Camp for our next two nights. Here we had amazing experiences including a
Martial Eagle with its kill and a herd of the rare Roan Antelopes. We slept on
an open platform whilst hippos grazed 
beneath or called to each other in the
river. The last two nights were back at Kafunta River Lodge, the most luxurious
of the three venues. The game drives from here were over a floating pontoon
across the river and we came across African wild dogs and leopards hunting by
day and by night. At the end of our stay we were asked which had been our
favourite of the three camps. After careful thought we chose Three Rivers as a 
combination of all that we were looking for in a remote and well managed camp.
We felt privileged to have experienced this quiet corner of the South Luangwa
National Park at such an early stage in its tourist development.
Dubai and
Conclusion
tallest building and near
the Dubai Mall. It was far too hot to walk outside so we spent the day relaxing
and eating in the Mall and the nearby Souk. We were thus fully reinvigorated
for our flight back to Blighty and were able to get straight back into our home
routine and prepare for visiting the grandchildren. Our photos contain
treasured memories of the trip.
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