Forum trip, October 2012

**MikeAG** · 2012/07/16, 05:31 PM

I thought it wise to start a new thread, to save people the trouble of having to trawl through 1001 posts (literally!!) on the old thread., which I have locked.

So here is the list of people heading to Zambia in just 10 weeks or so:

Deposits Paid

TerryC (X2)
Pretdave (x2)
Peter1949 (x2)
Andre (x2)
Stan Weakley (x2)
Heinz Stegen (x2)

Awaiting decision from:
All-in-One

Can everyone on that trip please "subscribe" to this new thread. Thanks.

Mike

**Heinz Stegen** · 2012/07/16, 05:36 PM

Hi Mike thanks for the new thread, can't wait fo get going, allmost everything ready now.

**Alan Eveleigh** · 2012/07/16, 06:23 PM

Mike, totally happy with the new thread. When do you think we will have the pricing for accomodation finalised?
Pumba is apparently fixed so Sue has the nice task of going to assess the repairs, will let you know the outcome.

**MikeAG** · 2012/07/16, 07:28 PM

We should have a good idea by next week, Alan. There's quite a lot of work to do now to put this programme back together again......

**MikeAG** · 2012/07/17, 09:17 AM

OK people, some important questions.

1/ I have Andre down for chalets, the rest camping at least most of the time. Is this correct?

2/How many of you are wanting to go to Liuwa? We talked about Liuwa Plains on the old thread, and there is a thread here which discusses getting there and back, and the plain itself. I don't think we'll all be able to go.

3/How many will be towing?

Mike

**Alan Eveleigh** · 2012/07/17, 09:40 AM

I would love to be able to afford the chalet option but think it will stretch the budget too far.

As for Liuwa, how does it affect the rest of the trip, or is this additional time? How much extra mileage would I need to budget for? I am quite happy with just accomplishing the initial planning.

**MikeAG** · 2012/07/17, 09:50 AM

Liuwa will be 3 days, I think, and will be during the trip. Those who don't go will stay on the Zambezi, fishing, exploring by boat, game viewing, having sundowners watching the river. They will then meet us in Mongu to go on to the next stop.

Getting to and from Liuwa with a trailer will be a bit of a schlep.

Mike

**pretdave** · 2012/07/17, 10:15 AM

Originally Posted by MikeAG

OK people, some important questions.

1/ I have Andre down for chalets, the rest camping at least most of the time. Is this correct? Will be camping

2/How many of you are wanting to go to Liuwa? We talked about Liuwa Plains on the old thread, and there is a thread here which discusses getting there and back, and the plain itself. I don't think we'll all be able to go. Would like to do Liuwa

3/How many will be towing? No towing

Mike

Cheers
Dave

**Pumba Pilot** · 2012/07/17, 11:03 AM

Mike, I will be going this afternoon to test drive pumba then we should be able to give you a firm answer by the end of the week.

**MikeAG** · 2012/07/17, 12:02 PM

Thanks Sue. You know you'll be saying yes!!!!

Mike

**Andre** · 2012/07/17, 12:38 PM

1. Correct

2. Will stay behind

3. No towing.

**Spook** · 2012/07/17, 12:53 PM

Originally Posted by MikeAG

Liuwa will be 3 days, I think, and will be during the trip. Those who don't go will stay on the Zambezi, fishing, exploring by boat, game viewing, having sundowners watching the river. They will then meet us in Mongu to go on to the next stop.

Getting to and from Liuwa with a trailer will be a bit of a schlep.

Mike

Mike, please pardon my for interrupting, but I have a question. We plan to redo our Kafue trip next year September and want to include Liuwa. The question I have (if we take out the schlep), can we take our trailer and is 3 days for Liuwa enough? Thanks

**MikeAG** · 2012/07/17, 02:16 PM

With your big beast of a car, Tina, then yes, you can take a proper off-road trailer. But it will be a slog. There is some deep soft sand on the Liuwa side, and the floodplain crossing is a bit of a test.

September? Maybe 3 days will be enough. It depends if the wildebeeste have started gathering, and they usually only do this a bit later (Oct/ Nov). If there is nothing out there, then 3 days sitting in the middle of a huge plain could seem a long time!

Mike

**MikeAG** · 2012/07/17, 05:38 PM

Distance calculation.

I have just worked out a basic mileage of 1950 km for those who do the Liuwa extension. This excludes everything other than direct camp to camp distances, so with food shopping and game viewing, it would be sensible to allow for 2500 km within Zambia.

I am putting together the itinerary at the moment, but the basic plan is to go up the Zambezi to Mongu, Liuwa and back to Mongu, then East to the Kafue, down the west side of the Kafue River ("Spinal Route") to Konkamayu, Itezhi Tezhi, then NE to the tar road, Mumbwa, McBride's, Mushingashi, then back along the tar to Mukambi and down the river road via Kaingu to Nanzhila Plains Camp then via Kalomo to Livingstone.

I'll post a map when I have the itinerary a bit further on.

Mike

**Tony Weaver** · 2012/07/17, 06:13 PM

Originally Posted by MikeAG

I am putting together the itinerary at the moment, but the basic plan is to go up the Zambezi to Mongu, Liuwa and back to Mongu, then East to the Kafue, down the west side of the Kafue River ("Spinal Route") to Konkamayu, Itezhi Tezhi, then NE to the tar road, Mumbwa, McBride's, Mushingashi, then back along the tar to Mukambi and down the river road via Kaingu to Nanzhila Plains Camp then via Kalomo to Livingstone.

For those who haven't been to Zambia, this is an extraordinary route, and is going to be a trip of a lifetime.

**Stan Weakley** · 2012/07/17, 06:22 PM

Mike, we definately want to go to Liuwa if at all possible.
It would be really good if we can all do the Spinal Route.

Will want to camp most of the trip but chalets, where available, would be an attraction on one night stops such as Kabula, Sioma (if available) etc.
Await your final intinerary.

We will not be towing.

We only need to be back home by the 28/10 so will be looking at extensions to our trip.

Thanks again for all your diligent work. Good to see it all coming together.

**MikeAG** · 2012/07/17, 06:31 PM

You'll be finishing a bit later than the majority because of Busanga, Stan, but you've plenty of time to head over to South Luangwa NP after that. Anyway.......there's lots of time to chat about that.

We'll all be doing the Spinal Route.

Tony, you're dead right. The only problem is that we only have 18 days (plus Busanga), whereas we could easily use up another week doing the same route.

Mike

**Peter1949** · 2012/07/18, 03:55 PM

1/ I have Andre down for chalets, the rest camping at least most of the time. Is this correct? Camping only

2/How many of you are wanting to go to Liuwa? We talked about Liuwa Plains on the old thread, and there is a thread here which discusses getting there and back, and the plain itself. I don't think we'll all be able to go. [COLOR="rgb(65, 105, 225)"]Will stay behind[/COLOR]

3/How many will be towing? [COLOR="rgb(65, 105, 225)"]Towing a trailer[/COLOR]

**Heinz Stegen** · 2012/07/18, 04:43 PM

Hi Mike, I am planning to do Liuwa and am not towing. Will be tenting all the way

**MikeAG** · 2012/07/18, 05:09 PM

Name....................Liuwa........................Accom ....................Towing
All-in-One.....................?......................... ........?..........................?
Andre ........................ No ..........................Chalets................. ....No
Heinz Stegen ...............Yes..........................Campin g....................No
Peter1949.....................No.................. .........Camping....................Trailer
Pretdave......................Yes................. .........Camping....................No
Stan Weakley................Yes........................ .Mainly Camping............No
TerryC..........................?................. ..............?.............................?