Zambezi Wild

Just about every journey through Zambia starts and ends in Lusaka. This burgeoning city is the capital of Africa’s ‘Sleeping Giant’ (as the 3^rd largest country on the continent, a well-deserved moniker). On our journey, we were about to find out how vast and diverse Zambia really was …

We had dust-lined southwards along 4×4 trails and rarely used backroads from Lusaka, tracing the edge of the latte-brown Luangwa River to its confluence with the Zambezi. Soon, the shimmer of never-ending miombo woodland made way for mopane plains, and finally, gargantuan baobabs.

Snatches of mokoro dugouts, herds of long-horned Nguni cattle, and exuberant kids shuttered in and out of sight through dappled shadows, until we dog-legged south to where the wide sweep of the green-brown Zambezi finally revealed itself …

Our journey was part of a media trip arranged through ‘Boundless Southern Africa’, a Southern African Development Community initiative striving to promote Transfrontier Conservation Areas (TFCAs) on the sub-continent. They are intrinsically involved in assisting in marketing, logistical planning, and providing support for protected cross-border spaces.  

Nicholas Tucker, the lead project consultant at BOUNDLESS, explains their mission. “We’re the only regional initiative encouraging cross-border tourism in these TFCAs, specifically utilising this to develop multi-country destinations, fund conservation projects, and create socio-economic opportunities for local communities”.

Much of their funding comes from Germany and the European Union, and – during our 10-day journey – we hoped to see how this capital was assisting local communities and African wildlife. Self-drive tourism has not really taken off in Zambia, so our journey in two off-road vehicles would also serve as both a test-run and a catalyst to promote solo adventuring.

Our key destination was the Lower Zambezi-Mana Pools Transfrontier Conservation Area, unfolding along an untamed swathe of the eponymous river. The TFCA linked established protected areas, including the Lower Zambezi National Park in Zambia, as well as the iconic Mana Pools National Park in neighbouring Zimbabwe. 

A River Runs Through It …

The legendary Zambezi may divide these two countries, but also serves as an intrinsic waterway, linking key tourism destinations dotted along the opposing banks of southern Africa’s mightiest river. This shapes a seamless wilderness area brimming with free-roaming wildlife, and ecosystems ranging from rocky escarpments and river floodplains, to miombo woodlands and mopane forests.

Our journey traced the languid waterway, passing via Hell’s Gate and the dramatic Mpata Gorge, in places broad and sluggish, and consistently interspersed with deep channels, shifting sandbanks, and a dense riverine canopy crowding onto the waterline.

This is arguably as wild as the sub-continent gets. The landscape brims with mega-mammals and primal forests, where untold adventures awaited us. We knew it would be exhilarating, but nothing could prepare us for what was to come …

Our first stop was at the Mpanshya Community Camp Site, situated within a hidden gorge at the end of a winding, grinding, gritty gravel road. Endless ridges stacked up towards the skyline, all blanketed by a misty swathe of deciduous Miombo woodland. 

This is arguably my favourite forest ecosystem, creating a fantastical feng shui between ochre earth and gun-metal cliffs and gnarled red mahogany trunks, all overlayed by a verdant feathering of foliage.

We hiked forever into the burley hills, following a communal herd of Nguni cattle free-ranging within this dappled paradise. The trail tripped along ridgelines past giant ant hills, then dipped into marshy glade. All around, happy, shiny cattle flocked like a school of multi-hued bovine carp. 

The call of the Zambezi was insistent, though, and we continued southwards to our next stop at Kingfisher Lodge, dropping from 750m to around 300m ASL in a few hours. Big-ass baobabs boomed up from super-heated mopane plains, until we finally grinded to a halt on the edge of the river. 

We met up with owners, Nick and his wife, Fran, and their Jack Russell, Dozer, a sturdy pooch who never moves around without his favourite soft toy. And with crocs, hippos and elephants frequenting his lawn, who could really blame him? Over an ice-cold Mosi Lager, Nick briefed us on the schedule for the afternoon.

“Right, this river is full of giant tigerfish, and the boat will be leaving in ten. Just saying, my record is 21lbs, so see if you can beat that”, he laughed. Sneaky bugger, though, he did not tell us that tiger season is four months away, but who cares …

We piled into the boat and zoomed into a narrowing gorge, with towering sausage trees, leadwood and mahogany lining the banks. Fishing for tigers is simple, really: you pop a fish – dead or alive – on the line and cast it towards some structure. 

Rocks or a sandspit will do, and then you wait for a bite. This usually starts with a nibble or six, followed by a long, slow pull, before the fish decides to let loose. Our guide didn’t look very confident, but I soon had a tiger tail-walking off the stern.

It wasn’t a big fish by any stretch of the imagination, but this experience really wasn’t about the fishing, was it? All around nature unfolded in total technicolour splendour, with a sublime backing track provided by Mama Africa …

The iconic cry of fish eagle echoed against the blue bowl of the sky; eastern nicator launched from the grassy banks to ambush butterflies; hippos gruntle-groaned as they lounged like fat-ass Sumos in the Zambezi shallows; and the hyena joined in the natural symphony as the sun began to set. Just bloody beautiful. 

We transferred further down-river the following day, venturing into the national park’s ‘Conservation Lower Zambezi’ zone. This was to be our ‘day of dogs’; we spent a few hours with CLZ’s top-notch K9 unit, and learned how they spearhead a range of anti-poaching operations and conservation education programs throughout Lower Zambezi NP and its game management areas.

Wild, Wild Life …

A yellow sign – ‘Beware of Wild Dogs’ – popped up amidst the thorny undergrowth as we drove out, and we all had a little laugh in the vehicle. I mean, what were the chances of bumping into one of Africa’s most endangered canine species?

Just then, somebody squeaked from the back seat, gibbering: “Dogs! Wild dogs!” And there they were, a pack of fourteen of the most gorgeous painted hounds, sprawled in spotty abandon amidst the brittle winter grass.

They, in turn, ignored us utterly and did what dogs do. Licking their unmentionables, sniffing each other’s butts, nipping at unruly pups … Every now and then, one would disappear into the dense bush; there was a kill in there somewhere, because they slunk back out with their muzzles dripping with blood.

Everyone went into paparazzi mode, but we eventually tore ourselves away from the pack to continue eastwards to Kiambi Safaris, our next destination. This rambling lodge is set on the magnificent confluence of the Kafue and Zambezi, overlooking a sweeping bend on a waterway stretching nearly a kilometre wide here.

A thatched pub and restaurant dispensed the necessary cold Mosi beers, with outside seats overlooking the mesmerising flow. Swirling eddies and whirlpools danced upon the surface, and you could easily believe that the mythical Nyami-nyami river serpent lurked below the roiling glint …

We went on a fantastic boat cruise with Anderson, a solid and knowledgeable guide that afternoon. Snapshots include a white-fronted bee-eater colony; a 100-plus year-old croc giving us the death stare from an unblinking onyx eye; a sinuous monitor lizard slinking through riverine reeds; and large pods of hippos pluming spray against a sunset fading from amber to cerise as the sun imploded in the east.

The days seamlessly flowed from one into the next, as they do on these wilderness trips. There’s so much to see and do that you lose track of time, so it came as a bit of surprise when Paula – our coordinator from Tulukani Safaris – announced that we had to get ready for the border crossing into Zimbabwe. 

Fortunately, none of the horror stories one often hears concerning African immigration came to be, and within a couple of hours, we were on the southern bank of the Zambezi. I’ll fast-forward past our crossing of Lake Kariba and our two days with the black rhino in * Matusadona National Park, as these are stories for another day. 

* NOTE: Matusadona does not form part of the Lower Zambezi TFCA, so instead we’ll time-jump to an exhilaratingly wild camp site in Mana Pools.

Into Magical Mana …

So it came to be that, on the seventh day, we hunkered down for a choppy boat ride across Kariba (at 223km long, the largest man-made lake in the world). Within hours, we had set up a wild camp in the mythical Mana Pools section of the Lower Zambezi-Mana Pools TFCA, with a view to Zambia across the expansive flood plains of the river. 

Hippo and elephant paths meandered through our camp site, with hyena, lion, crocodile and all manner of big game spoor dotted in the dust. The Zambezi roiled a few metres in front of the tents, while at our backs, the hauntingly beautiful albida forests unfolded.

These ancient woods – colloquially known as ana-apple, and formerly part of the acacia species – rate as the stand-out ecosystem in this breathtaking transfrontier park. Great gnarled trees rise like petrified limbs from the earth, tapering from contorted roots and bulbous trunks into an interlaced canopy, perfectly cropped by the herds of herbivores.

The colours are surreal – reminiscent of a scene from the Avatar movies – layered in a glorious natural spectrum of earthy tones. The dun foreground feathers with bleached yellow winter grass, interspersed by the cocoa brown-and-grey gnarl of a veritable forest shafted with asymmetrical trunks.

A dozen shades of green – from the neon shine of sausage tree leaves to the muted jade of the albida – stop down into a blue haze of infinity. This preternatural space unfolds like an extraterrestrial landscape, mind-shifting to reveal the basis of one of Africa’s truly iconic conservation spaces.

This is a space that truly brims with adventure, and one of my stand-out experiences on our trip was a guided walk amidst these Faidherbia albida winter-thorns. Elephant, kudu, Livingstone’s eland, baboon – in fact all animals – love the protein- and carbohydrate-rich pods of these trees, and during winter, they offer up food stores when many other trees have lost their leaves.

Steve Bolnick, a local legend, guide and conservationist, offer both walking and canoe safaris from their wholly sustainable and authentic Camp Mana. He’s become an integral part of Mana Pools’ natural landscape, and a dawn walk with the imposing pachyderms who ghost through this unique woodland is unforgettable.

I can write 10 000 words just on that walk, and on the elephant that stared me down from a few metres away. Or I can lose myself in reliving the dawn canoe safari, where Pierre and I got bumped twice by a garrulous hippo bull. And, of course, those spotted hyenas who played scratch-and-sniff with our tents at nights …

But I won’t, because some of these experiences are best had in person, on African soil, with the musky aroma of miombo dust on the breeze, and the bass-line grunt of hippo in the background.

Go. Visit Lower Zambezi and Mana Pools; this incomparable TFCA hosts some of Africa’s greatest spectacles, and you want to be there when the magic unfolds. It will immerse you in Africa’s wild heart, and I guarantee you will carry that feeling inside you 

Visit www.boundless-southernafrica.org for information on the Lower Zambezi-Mana Pools TFCA 

FACT PANEL: A DIY Guide to the Lower Zambezi – Mana Pools TFCA

FLIGHTS:  The LOWER ZAMBEZI is best accessed via Lusaka, with daily international connections. From Lusaka, and charter flights run to bush airstrips such as Royal, Jeki, and Kulefu, located inside or near the national park. Flight time is around 30–40 minutes, and most lodges arrange onward transfers. For MANA POOLS, travellers typically fly into Harare or Vic Falls, then take a scheduled

charter flight to Mana Pools Airstrips. Charter connections also operate between Kariba, Mana Pools, and Lower Zambezi, linking the two sides for cross-border itineraries.

ROAD: The Lower Zambezi–Mana Pools TFCA is easily reached from both Zimbabwe and Zambia. From Zimbabwe, follow the Harare–Chirundu Highway (A1) north to the Marongora Parks Office, around five hours, where you’ll obtain your park entry permits. From there, the road winds down the escarpment into the Zambezi Valley, taking just over two hours to reach Mana Pools National Park. Travellers crossing from Zambia into Zimbabwe at the Chirundu Border Post can obtain their permits from the ZIMParks Office there before continuing to Mana Pools. 

From the Zambian side, visitors to Lower Zambezi National Park can travel from Lusaka for around five hours, south along the Great North Road (T2) towards Chirundu, turning left onto RD491 for the descent into the river valley and onward to Chongwe Gate. Alternatively, those travelling from Zimbabwe can cross the Chirundu Bridge, clear customs, and follow the same route along the valley into the park. Conditions vary with the season, dry-season travel and a rugged 4×4 vehicle is recommended.

BORDER CROSSING INFO: The Chirundu Bridge is the main border crossing between Zambia and Zimbabwe, open daily from 06:00 to 18:00. Alternatively use the Kariba Dam Wall, a more scenic crossing via Kariba town and not as busy. Visitors can cross with a valid passport and visa (most obtained on arrival), vehicles require additional documentation. A regular boat transfer operates between Chirundu and Nyamepi (Mana Pools National Park) on the Zimbabwean side of the Zambezi, run by the Mana Pools Transfer Company. The journey takes around 1.5–2 hours and offers a scenic, wildlife-rich introduction to Mana Pools.

THE WEATHER: The Zambezi Valley has key seasons shaping safari experiences here …

DRY SEASON: (May to October) Warm, clear days and cool nights. Wildlife gathers along the river, and roads are accessible.

HOT SEASON: (October to November) The buildup to the rains brings intense heat and dramatic skies; wildlife viewing remains excellent.

WET SEASON: (November to April) Lush and green, alive with birdlife and newborn animals. Some areas become inaccessible, and some camps close seasonally. Average daytime temperatures range from 25°C–35°C, but can exceed 40°C in Oct / Nov.

MONEY MATTERS:

Zambia – The currency is the Zambian Kwacha (ZMW). Credit cards are accepted at most lodges, but remote camps may prefer cash. ATMs are available in Lusaka and Chirundu. USD is widely accepted for tips and park fees.

Zimbabwe – The economy is multi-currency, but US dollars are standard for tourism. Credit cards work at most lodges, though it’s advisable to carry small-denomination USD cash for park fees and local purchases. ATMs can be unreliable.

SAFETY & CONNECTIVITY:

Health & Safety – The area is malaria-prone; travellers should consult their travel clinic or doctor before departure. Tap water outside major towns is not considered safe for drinking, use bottled or purified water.

Electricity – Power in lodges is usually 220–240V, British-style three-pin plugs. Remote camps often use solar power or generators.

Connectivity – Wi-Fi is available in some lodges and camps, but coverage is limited.

ACCOMMODATION:

ZAMBIA:

Pioneer Camp, Lusaka – www.pioneercampzambia.com

Mpanshya Camp and Trails – www.mpanshya.com 

Kingfisher Lodge – www. zambezikingfisherlodge.com

Galamuka Lodge – www.galamuka.com

Conservation Lower Zambia – www.zambeziwildlifetrust.org 

Kiambi Safaris – www.kiambi.com

Kanyemba Lodge – www.kanyemba.com

ZIMBABWE:

Gwaya Camp Site, Mana Pools – www.zimparks.org 

Camp Mana – www.campmana.com