Hello there! I hope that you are well and have had a fabulous weekend. Here in the Luangwa it’s pretty warm and dry so as we desperately look up to the skies in hopes of rain lets hear from Rebecca Jones who stayed at Luangwa Safari House when it was still lovely and rainy. Her Dad, Steve also sent in a birding bonanza Its Monday earlier in the month which I know you thoroughly enjoyed! This week, over to you Rebecca:
“This was my second trip to Zambia, and luckily a second time staying at Luangwa Safari House with Robin Pope Safaris. My first visit was May last year with a group of girlfriends on a weekend trip from our home in Malawi. I knew instantly then it wouldn’t be my only visit so as soon as I got back, I suggested a family Christmas split between Malawi and Zambia. My parents and husband were flying out from the UK and I could think of no better place to take them, as the house is such a special place looking over the lush lagoon system; not to mention the luxurious rooms and fabulous staff.
South Luangwa is somewhere I find hard to describe in words, it has become one of my favourite parks out of the various I have been lucky enough to visit over my years visiting Southern African countries. Why … because the landscape is a photographer’s dream. As keen photographers myself and my dad spend all our time hoping for the next unique or new shot, one which is different to our last, while my mum and husband look on at the beauty around us, we are consumed by the Zambian light, the lush green surroundings, the flat plains, the river curving through the sand banks, the baobab trees and the hope of seeing the wildlife in the perfect pose for our next shots.
This 5-day trip was special. Having met our guide Yona on my first visit I spent the whole time hoping he would be there to guide us again; his years and knowledge of the park is beyond anything you could wish for as a guest. Our interest in the small; unique birds (of which we hit 100 species in just 2 days. Some rare and even Yona was pleased to see) to the wild dogs, leopard and elephants which always keep the trip focused and with purpose.
Each day we knew he had a plan of what the aim to try and see was and where we were off to, some days across the river from camp, others through the main gate which in itself is a unique and wonderful drive from the house, normally seeing as much as when in the depths of the park itself.
We had some incredible encounters, even though we have travelled in Africa for a while and I have lived in Malawi for now 18 months I had never seen wild dogs and was desperate for an encounter. Yona had heard where they may be so off, we went one morning in hope. Just as we were about to head home after a hot morning drive and most other guests in the park seemed to have headed off for their morning rest and lunch, we turned a corner and found the pack of 7 cooling off in a puddle. Like a child on Christmas Day the levels of excitement rose in the car, and we got the cameras out and there we sat for at least an hour taking in the scene and watching them rest, drink and then play. Then later on our second drive we managed to see them again but this time on a hunt, but the rains soon hit, and we headed back to the house, happy and my dream for the trip fulfilled.
Another highlight was an encounter with Lucy the leopard and her cub, it was wonderful to watch as the young cub looked longingly over to his mum hoping for some food and then she called him down from a tree and he came out of the bush to meet his mum.
Elephants … who doesn’t love them, but the Zambian experience will be with me for a lifetime. In one day from the house alone we must have seen 60 -80 different elephant wandering past. Some so close when sat on the desk you can see your own reflection in their eyes, the playfulness of the babies, the conversations between the herds, the playful mud baths and washes. It is all priceless, sat at the house as a family thinking this is what life is like being in Africa, every moment almost knocks the previous out of the park.
A special place, with special staff and memories that will be with us for a long time to come.”
Wonderful, thank you so much for sharing this with us Rebecca. The house is not quite as you remember it as it is closed at the moment for what we had hoped would be the rains so we are all systems go getting through some jobs and maintenance and the team will be in next week to start adding all the finishing touches ready for us to reopen for the new season.
So let me not delay you any further and I should also think about scampering over to the house to make sure that everything that is supposed to be happening is. So on that note I shall bid you a very fond farewell and have a fantastic week ahead with plenty of smiles and laughter and don’t forget to look after one another.
