Hello there. I hope that you are super well and have had a fabulous weekend. Here in the Luangwa despite the weather we are determined to get to Nsefu Camp and Tena Tena Camp, so this morning the truck left armed with a boat, timber, poles, bamboos and a lot of shovels to head up to the Kawaluzi and get going on putting the bridge in. However, as we talk about getting up there by road, let us hear from Penny. She recently led a group of guests for the last trip of the season to Nsefu Camp by boat, so for this week Penny over to you:
“At the end of Emerald Season, RPS’s UK marketing team, Penny and Sorcha, accompanied two top tour operators to experience our River Journeys expedition! Our first concern was that the Luangwa River was so low this year, and there was concern that we’d not be able to make it up to Nsefu by boat, but luckily the river level rose just in time.
We started with two nights at Nkwali Camp, where we were dazzled by the sights and scent of the bush in Emerald season! The variety of sweet, lush scents of the bush, the variety of clear, green colours, in contrast to the pinging orange-brown of the puku and impala, of which we saw some huge herds of well-fed animals looking relaxed. Our sightings came in thick and fast, under the watchful eye of expert guide John, with giraffe, zebra, and naughty baboon families looking stunning against the contrasting bush. Our first night drive brought a magical porcupine sighting (a mother and adolescent) and although we were visiting other camps for site inspections, we still managed to spend some quality time with the Big Pride of lion (17 animals) and witness a beautiful male leopard crossing the road just in front of the vehicle.
Another highlight was a very cross baby elephant, trumpeting and mock charging us, while his mum carried on munching, ignoring the testy toddler (Watch here)!
Leaving Nkwali Camp for the River part of our journey, the hippos soon came to centre stage. Luangwa Valley is known for not only the largest hippo population in the world, but the densest too, and their honking calls would be the soundtrack of our next few days. Pleasingly, the South Luangwa hippos were intimidated by the size of our boat, so rather than aggressively defending territory, they gracefully give way. One made us all laugh, by mistiming his return to the surface, and popping up right next to our hull, within Sorcha’s touching distance! We’re not sure who was more surprised, Sorcha or the hippo! It’s well known that Emerald Season brings some of the best birding in Zambia, but not only were sightings of our avian friends in abundance from the water, but the backdrop of wide African skies dazzled us with dramatic cloud formations.
Arrival at Nsefu Camp was met by Daudi’s enormous smile, and the welcoming team, and Bertram swapped his Captain’s hat for his walking boots. Not only does Nsefu’s charming setting and rondavels speak for themselves, but the wildlife was keen to impress, with two huge tuskers having a skirmish next to camp. After the most sizeable asserted his dominance, he proceeded to give us a real treat, by crossing the river just in front of camp. We followed him across the river, to begin what was the first ever walking safari for two of our team. Greeted by a huge herd of skittish impala, Bertram and our scout Mishek were just getting us comfortably into our quiet single file, when they led us straight to a pack of excitable wild dog! The Alpha male was quick to inform the pack of our presence, so we quietly sneaked up for a closer look, realising from the discarded leg of an ex-impala that they had just finished feasting on a kill! (Watch here) Not bad for your first walking safari! We followed the yaps and yelps and wagging tails for a while, before continuing on our way, all grinning from ear to ear! Who said the game isn’t good in Emerald season?! Our sundowner drinks (on the boat) were a special celebration that evening.
Our second walking safari began with Bertram’s expert navigation of a rather dry tributary, and the mud clinging to our boots made it abundantly clear why vehicles wouldn’t manage this area in the rains. After last night’s drama, we had a more conventional walk, with some nice sightings, and the highlight was finding a dung beetle larvae still intact in its ball, just ready to emerge on the world! Back on the boat, some impressive clouds were forming (a photographer’s dream!) yet despite Bertram distributing the comedy kagouls, he brought us back to camp just as the first drops fell (Watch here). There is something special in watching a dramatic downpour from the safety of camp, bombarded by the smells of the earth and the African bush, knowing how the land and the animals so desperately need every drop.
Our journey back downriver wasn’t without entertainment, as a lone male hippo, recently defeated by a stronger rival, decided that we should be witnesses to his strength and prowess, so gave us a great show of yawning, jumping and some aggressive honking! Not wanting to be outdone, we saw a precarious elephant by the steep riverbank, negotiating the mud, and a croc which had somehow made its way to the top of the bank decided to return to the water, in a most ungainly tumble/slide/scrabble manoeuvre, belying the usual grace and style of this prehistoric creature. An enormous troop of baboons accompanied us for a while, running and scrabbling with their babies along the muddy pathways by the water, and throughout the journey we had a variety of Goliath and Grey Herons, Sacred Ibis, Egyptian and Spur-winged geese, Whistling Ducks, and of course majestic Fish Eagles watching us glide by.
Perhaps knowing we’d be sad to leave the river, Nkwali’s hostess Tisi and her team were secretly preparing a surprise, and turning a corner back on land, we were met by not only the most lavish champagne fry-up brunch we’ve ever seen, but it was set up overlooking a breeding herd of eles, complete with little ones frolicking, and even the adults having a little argument! What a reception.
Thinking nothing could top that, we were soon proved wrong with our arrival at the utterly stunning Luangwa Safari House, where again an elephant family had gathered to receive us! Walking through that swinging, wooden door to see that view unfold is something we will never forget.
What a way to end our incredible River Journeys! In conclusion, Emerald Season is an extraordinary time to visit South Luangwa, when you have the park pretty much to yourself, and the game-viewing is nothing short of incredible. Many thanks to RPS!”
Wow – wonderful – what a trip thank you so much for sharing, Penny. After such a fabulous account of your time spent with us, I am left with little else to say except to say have a wonderful week ahead with plenty of smiles and laughter and don’t forget to look after one another.
