Zambia - 6 times and counting

By Amanda De Simone

28 November 2013

Dave and Jeanette Bax recently travelled with Wildlife Worldwide to South Luangwa National Park in Zambia. This was their sixth trip to the area, and it certainly hadn’t lost its magic.

Kafue was outstanding, such a huge and fantastic area. We were looked after very well and thoroughly enjoyed our 10 days there on the mobile safari. The river trips were a bonus, providing such a contrast with the dried river beds in Luangwa. We saw some different wildlife here, thanks to Tyrone and Phil, who were great guides and very good company. We both agree that we would like to return to Kafue again and to explore Basanga Plains a bit more.

Old friends

The two weeks on the second part of our trip to South Luangwa and Norman Carr Safari Camps was again just brilliant. This being our sixth adventure with them says it all, we think. It was so good to meet everyone again including our guides Aubrey, Innocent, Brian, Julius and Simon, as well as all the scouts, including Batwell.

We arrived late to the first camp at Nsolo, but were given a very warm greeting by Innocent who showed us to our room and then presented us with a champagne dinner for two, which was a big surprise, but a fantastic way to begin our stay in the valley. We enjoyed the sleep out with Mindy and Mario who were great company. It was our second sleep out that we have done and the BBQ was brilliant , but the full English breakfast the next morning cooked in the river bed was a delight.

It was during a dinner at Kakuli that it came to light that Aubrey was with us back in 1994 on a mobile safari, so we have known each other for twenty years would you believe, such a lovely man.

Wild dogs, leopards & lions

Luwi was great and to meet the ever smiling Enoch the camp manager, after missing him the last time, was a joy. It near Luwi that we found the wild dogs and to have a sundowner on the bank gazing at them in the river bed was just marvellous – hard to describe to friends and relations how special that was.

Mchenja again was special. During our stay in the valley we only had very brief sightings of leopard until our guide Simon came up trumps on our very last morning game drive and we got some brilliant photos. On the way out of the bush the next morning we found a lion pride of 22 individuals, including two fine males. After a while one lioness came towards the vehicle, glanced at us then flopped down against the front wheel next to the driver with Jeanette sitting behind him. Well that was absolutely thrilling to say the least. Got all our hearts pumping, that's for sure.