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  1. #341
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    FORUM ZAMBIAN TRIP OCT 2012:


    DAY 22: WEDNESDAY 17/10/2012.
    BUSANGA PLAINS CAMP.

    This was the Las Vegas, the Moulin Rouge and the Mardi Gras of game viewing days. As a group we have some cumulative game viewing hours behind us and the consensus was that this day exceeded everything we had ever experienced. Ferrison has been at BPC since its inception and also volunteered that this day produced a quality of game viewing that he had not previously equalled. Towards the end of the evening he was just giggling away in the driver’s seat. And this was after the top quality birding of the previous day!

    Arose at 5H30 and after a quick breakfast of fruit salad and yoghurt, toast and coffee we were ready to set off for our game drive. We were with Tyrone and the other half of the group went with Ferrison. Before we left a spotted hyena was seen nearby sniffing around in front of camp. I think this is the drive when we spotted my first ever side-striped jackal. There had been lions roaring during the night and Tyrone headed unerringly to them, not far from the camp. There were 3 lions, the collared mother and her fully grown son and daughter. The young male was beginning to develop a mane and apparently had been attacked by the dominant male coalition and his days in the area appeared to be numbered. They had obviously eaten, judging by their full bellies and were not very active and we moved on. This group is known as the papyrus group and there were also the plains group and the treeline group, all part of the greater pride falling under the male coalition.

    A short while later we found a female cheetah panting over a fresh kill, an oribi. Tyrone was excited as this was a new cheetah to the area and he felt she must have moved in from one of the adjoining areas of the plain. Because of water obstacles there are large areas of the plain inaccessible to vehicles, with no game tracks. After quickly devouring her kill she moved off into the surrounding woodland where the other group had a view of her. We had great fun watching the vultures descend and within 30min the carcass was stripped clean. At Busanga one is allowed to venture off-road to get a closer view of a sighting. Tyrone is a knowledgeable guide and made our sightings of the large numbers of the more common plains game interesting. The lechwe rams were in rutting mode and it was interesting watching them rooting in the vegetation with their horns and purposely leaving their horns adorned with bits of vegetation to appear more attractive to the ewes. The ewes in season were being relentlessly pursued. Seeing a herd of lechwe take flight in the marsh with their lunging running style, followed by majestic leaps across the streams, was something worth watching. The running style of the males with their horns laid back was also a characteristic. The plentiful puku were very relaxed as well and allowed the game vehicle to approach closely with no signs of distress. There were healthy herds of zebra and blue wildebeest and we saw a couple of herds of roan antelope.

    A good lunch of lasagne and salads, a cold shower and a bit of a lie down and we were ready for our afternoon game drive. I had whispered into Tyrone’s and Ferrison’s ears that Mike had been searching for wild dog for many a year now without success and perhaps this contributed to the decision to go for broke and head for the woodland area, where a large pack had repeatedly been sighted recently. This meant a return trip of 40 to 60km but we were all keen. Mike certainly deserved the effort after all his hard work. It could not have happened to a nicer guy!

    A quick cup of tea and a slice of freshly baked Victoria sponge cake (Anne could not believe her eyes) and we set off earlier than usual for the game drive of our lives. Please remember that I am not detailing all the lechwe, puku, impala, zebra, oribi, wildebeest, hippos, blue duiker and even Lichtenstein’s hartebeest we would see. We were with Ferrison. It was a good thing that as an exception, both vehicles went out together, so we could all share the exciting sightings.

    Allow me to list the sightings numerically.

    1.Elephants: Early during the drive we saw a large breeding herd of elephants. They had emerged from the Kapinga Forest, coming across the plain to drink from the small streams that constitute the Lufupa River in this area. Tyrone was impressed that elephants are leaving the shelter of the woodlands more frequently during the day to drink. During the years of heavy poaching they had only emerged to drink under cover of darkness. These elephant herds remain very irritable and can become aggressive and we maintained a fairly respectful distance from them. They largely ignored us. This was a large herd, we managed to count 42, including many offspring and 6 young bulls. It was comical to see how especially the youngsters lost patience on approaching the water and broke into an inelegant run in their haste. We spent a good while watching them drinking, spraying themselves and cavorting in the water. Very good to see in a park almost devoid of elephants some years ago!
    A little further on we saw another herd of 9 bulls drinking from a dambo.

    2.Lions: We briefly visited the 3 lions seen that morning. They were still sleeping in the same spot and we quickly moved on.

    3.Sable antelope: We passed a decent herd of more than 10 sable but were on a mission and continued on our way.

    4.Serval: To my mind this was an excellent sighting, in and close to the road. Our 2 vehicles did not disturb this fairly large spotted cat as it began pouncing on prey in the long grass. I had only experienced one previous close-up sighting of this graceful predator before and for many in our group it was a first.

    5.Leopards: A large female in prime condition was reclining on a low acacia branch when she was spotted by hawk-eyed Terry. A superb sighting and she was totally unperturbed as our vehicles manoeuvred for the photographers, first side lighting and then the sun from behind. I look forward to seeing the photographs from the pros.
    Not 400m away her sub-adult cub was found reclining in a dry gully for all to see. Another game drive vehicle alerted us to the presence of the second cub about 100m further away, lying under the cover of a thick bush. What superb luck!

    6.Wild dogs: This was momentous for Mike especially. More than 15 years of African travel and many near-misses. I could see that he was choking up at the fulfilment of a long standing dream. Although he will deny it, Tony and I both witnessed the muddy tracks of a few tears down the dust of his cheeks. I felt quite privileged to share this seminal moment with him. We had travelled for 2 hours searching for the dogs and had experienced great viewing on the way, delaying this moment which must have tantalised Mike in particular. Unfortunately he had forgotten to load a charged camera battery before leaving. Don’t worry Mike the encounter will be all the sweeter for having to rely on your memory. Tony promised to forward photographs to him. The pack was 14 strong with 6 adults and 8 well grown pups. The playful interaction between the pups kept us all spellbound. As all who know them will confirm, watching an alert and active pack of wild dogs is an experience to treasure. The light was now starting to fade and we tore ourselves away for the long journey home. Spotlights were deployed, looking for the more nocturnal animals.

    7.White tailed mongoose: Not much eludes the sharp eyes of the guides and I think this was my first sighting of this surprisingly large mongoose as it hurried about looking for something to eat.

    8.Civet: Our lucky streak continued with a good prolonged sighting right next to the road, a first for some in the group. This low slung, fairly large, beautifully marked creature is an old favourite of mine. These are not all that common and we were really being indulged that night.

    9.Cheetah: To add icing to the cake 2 males were picked up by the spotlight about 20m from the road. These 2 brothers were well known to Ferrison, unlike the new female seen that morning.

    When we arrived back at camp still exhilarated but tired, as it was 21H00, it was to find that the other vehicle had seen a genet and a spotted hyena on the way in. In the words of the song- “Oh what a night”.

    The beers had no bones in them and we climbed into another great supper: French onion soup; Pork fillet in a tasty sauce on mashed potatoes, with green veggies; Tarte tetan as pudding. The lodge has the quaint custom of having their chef earnestly announce the menu before it is served. I had to exert all my willpower to avoid smiling at his pronunciation of the pudding. I would have hated hurting his feelings after all the effort and pride he put into his meals, with the most rudimentary of facilities.
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    Last edited by Stan Weakley; 2012/11/22 at 05:51 PM.
    Stanley Weakley.
    Toyota Landcruiser 76SW 4,2L diesel.

    “Great journeys are memorable not so much for what you saw, but for where you camped”.

    Trans East Africa 2015/2016 Trip report https://www.4x4community.co.za/forum...-6-SLOW-DONKEY
    OR
    http://www.4x4community.co.za/forum/...e16?highlight= from post 315.

  2. #342
    Join Date
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    FORUM IN ZAMBIA OCTOBER 2012:

    DAY 23: THURSDAY 18/10/2012.
    BUSANGA PLAINS CAMP.


    Today we bid farewell to Dave and Judy Pretorious. They had been part of the group of 4 vehicles that had done the full trip. If it is any consolation to them, nothing startling happened on our final day. It was sad to part ways. Both had been full value.

    We came upon the papyrus group of 3 lions only 8min out of camp. They were moving north to their more usual territory around the papyrus swamps. They regularly call on the camp and in fact their spoor was seen in camp the following morning, although we experienced neither hide or hair from them. In the background, coming across the plain towards them was another large herd of elephants making for a marvellous photographic opportunity. We stayed to watch for any interaction but the lions quietly moved out of the elephant’s path. Seeing another large breeding elephant herd likes this was confirmation of all the good anti-poaching work achieved over the years. Apparently the local human population living on the northern boundary have entrenched rights to fish in the swamps and the LufupaRiver. They were unfortunately still regularly being locked up for setting snares for bush meat.

    The elephant herd were very relaxed in our presence, feeding as they slowly worked their way to the water. However the huge old matriarch pushed the pulse rate up a bit with an impressive mock charge as she passed. The herd were joined by more elephants coming out of the bush and eventually there may have been up to a hundred drinking together, real food for the soul! Then back to camp for a refreshing cold shower, the days were becoming progressively more hot and humid. A lunch of beautifully prepared fried bream was enjoyed.

    The rain clouds were building up each day and there had been some showers. The big rains were not far off. Although hot during the day the weather had seldom been overly oppressive and the nights in Kafue had been remarkably cool, needing to pull up the duvet during the night. I had needlessly been concerned about hot and sweaty sleepless nights. It must be the relatively high altitude.

    I spent the rest of the morning quietly watching the surrounding flood plains. The activity of the lechwe herds on our doorstep never failed to entertain. Large flocks of a few hundred openbills were dotted around and squadrons of pelicans were wheeling in the sky. Fish eagles and coucals were constantly in ones awareness, both visual and audible. A solitary secretary bird stalking the flats also entertained. The constant coming and going of birds for the fruit of the central sycamore fig and the insects attracted by the ripe fruit, also kept me busy for some time. Featured were green pigeons, spectacled weavers, dark-capped greenbulls, Hartlaub’s babblers and tropical bou-bous.

    With our game viewing appetites sated it was a very laid back game drive that afternoon. Ferrison decided to show us the eastern section near the camp. This had recently been opened to game drives due to a dryer season that year and the addition of a few temporary wooden pole bridges over the many streams that constitute the Lufupa in this area. We headed for a large hippo pool about 800m due east of the camp, but having to drive quite a circuitous route to get there because of the intervening swamps. A number of the photographs show the camp and our tent in the background. It was good to see where our evening chorus hung out during the day. The large pod of perhaps 30 hippos were restless and the constant dominance displays provided good entertainment and photographs.

    The 2 dominant male lions were located on this area of the plains. They were magnificent mature males of about 10 years old, one of which was collared. They had really full stomachs and even though evening was approaching they hardly budged. We were all lioned out by now and it was not long before we were back in camp.

    It was with more than a tinge of sadness that I realised that we were soon to leave this truly unique area of KNP. I suspect the others felt much the same as we were a relatively subdued group at dinner that night. The 3 days we spent here were absolutely unforgettable. Do not miss out on a visit here if at all possible!

    CONTACT: As for Mukambi.

    COST: 310 US$ pppn at the special forum discount. All inclusive.
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    Last edited by Stan Weakley; 2012/11/22 at 06:51 PM.
    Stanley Weakley.
    Toyota Landcruiser 76SW 4,2L diesel.

    “Great journeys are memorable not so much for what you saw, but for where you camped”.

    Trans East Africa 2015/2016 Trip report https://www.4x4community.co.za/forum...-6-SLOW-DONKEY
    OR
    http://www.4x4community.co.za/forum/...e16?highlight= from post 315.

  3. #343
    Join Date
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    FORUM ZAMBIA OCT 2012: Anne and Stan Weakley.

    DAY 24: FRIDAY 19/10/2012.
    BUSANGA PLAINS CAMPBACK TO MUKAMBI.


    Distance travelled:154km Time taken:9hr (Including break-down).

    Reasonably early start at 7H30, the lions had visited during the night with spoor through the camp. We heard not a sound. We drove at a reasonably slow game-viewing pace hoping to see the wild dogs again, no such luck. About 5hr after leaving, about 20km from the exit gate in the tsetse rich woodland, Mike’s trusty old Toyota Hilux bakkie suffered a major setback. The passenger rear leaf-spring broke right through all the blades and the whole rear axle shifted onto the rear tyre. There was no chance of it moving an inch further in this condition. To be fair to the vehicle it was 15 years old and had many km of rough bush roads behind it. We all stayed behind to offer moral if not technical support. I watched with interest as a temporary repair was slowly but surely devised by Mike and the ever capable Terry. It was a case of “’n Engelsman maak ‘n plan”. The working conditions were not easy in the midday sun with the tsetses making hay. Three vehicle jacks were used. The first to raise the vehicle to remove the tyre, the second to raise the chassis and the third was used at an angle to reduce the gap in the broken leaf spring and move the axle back in position. Finally a tyre lever was used to completely close the gap. The leaf spring, axle and chassis were then fixed in this position using a length of chain and some metal cabling. This was further secured using some ratchet straps and then some duct tape to secure it all together. This virtuoso performance from Mike and Terry impressed me no end. I would travel with them to the ends of the earth! Tony’s contribution was to pass me an umbrella to hold over the hard working duo for some shade and he also laid some fresh green branches a little distance fore and aft of the stranded vehicle in true Zambian tradition, to warn approaching traffic.

    We limped back to Mukambi 4hr later than the lodge vehicles apparently normally take. Mike in fact was very fortunate that this had occurred so close to Mukambi and also at the end of the trip. In fact his trusty friend Jaques at Mukambi has probably already replaced the leaf-spring. Fortunately this is where Mike was planning to store his vehicle before the next Forum Zambian trip. At the Hook Bridge Gate they tried to charge us for an extra day as we were so late. Fortunately the ladies had stayed in the vehicles and were spared Mike’s verbal response. He must have picked up this vocabulary during the part of his youth spent in Australia. Yes, made and delivered in South Africa, corrupted in Australia and mollycoddled in England, that’s our Mike!

    That evening at Mukambi after confirming with Jaques that the fruit bats were at Kasanka, I made the final decision to head north. Jaques also confirmed that if we left early and did not mess around, there was no reason that we could not make it in 1 day. T4A suggested that the shorter route would be quicker, bypassing Lusaka on the dirt road via Malambanyama and Sendwe to the great north road at Landless Corner. Jaques firmly advised against this as the dirt road was in a poor condition. Thus we decided that we would proceed via Lusaka. Thanks also to Bertie Brink, mfuwefarmer of this forum, who originally planted the Kasanka seed. Anne and I are used to travelling solo so did not hesitate to grasp this opportunity. I must also thank Anne for agreeing on this extension to our already long trip. Her dislike of bats verges on a phobia. I am not sure what she told the rest of the group but there was clearly some amusement to be detected. This meant we would miss out on a visit to Nanzhila plains camp but this last leg of the trip was busy fizzling out. Mike had broken his vehicle, Dave had already left and Andre did not want to visit the south. When next would I be in Zambia during the 3 months of the year that the bats are in Kasanka?

    I retrieved my vehicle freezer from Linda’s office. I had been concerned about our residual meat going off at BPC, where the auxiliary battery was sure to run dry, as our vehicles would not be used for 3 days. Freezer space at Mukambi was at a premium and Linda kindly suggested leaving the entire freezer and contents behind, plugged in and running in her office. Dave and Judy Pretorious had decided to start their long journey south earlier that day, leaving before our belated arrival.
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    Last edited by Stan Weakley; 2012/11/22 at 07:06 PM.
    Stanley Weakley.
    Toyota Landcruiser 76SW 4,2L diesel.

    “Great journeys are memorable not so much for what you saw, but for where you camped”.

    Trans East Africa 2015/2016 Trip report https://www.4x4community.co.za/forum...-6-SLOW-DONKEY
    OR
    http://www.4x4community.co.za/forum/...e16?highlight= from post 315.

  4. #344
    Join Date
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    ZAMBIA: OCT 2012. KASANKA EXTENSION. Anne and Stan Weakley.

    DAY 25: SATURDAY 20/10/2012.
    MUKAMBI TO KASANKA NATIONAL PARK.


    Distance travelled: 775km Time taken: 11hr.

    Up at 5H00 and on our way by 6H20, after heartfelt thanks and sad good byes to everyone. What a fantastic group of individuals, moulded together by our shared experiences. Kudos to them all for the roles they played in making this a unique experience. I have not been able to resist a little bit of leg pulling in this report, but I was raised to accept that being teased is far better than being ignored!

    Once again I am going to describe the route in some detail as it may prove to be of some benefit to others contemplating a visit to Kasanka. For those of you bored by the spoonfeeding, apologies again and skip the italics.

    We turned right on the M9 to Lusaka. Be careful of the series of speed humps whilst still in the KNP. Later the speed limit is 100km/hr. The condition of this road is great, the few potholes present filled with a hard durable clay. The road was remarkably devoid of traffic. We bypassed the turnoff to Mumbwa after about 12km and stopped at Nguchi fuel station 41km further on to fill up. (Mentioned earlier in the report as an alternative to Mumbwa Total garage, should it be out of fuel). On this road we were waved through 3 police check points.

    At about 260km from Mukambi on the outskirts of Lusaka, we turned left off the M9 towards the T2 (Great North Road). This section of the trip took about 3hr 20min. Here we entered fairly heavy traffic. There are also regular speed humps as one passes through the industrial area. There are many fuel stations, most with shops, selling fresh bread, cold drinks, chips etc. For the last km before turning left at the first traffic lights, the traffic was moving slowly bumper to bumper. We made sure that all the vehicle doors were locked as we moved past crowds of pedestrians. This is always a good idea when passing through larger centres. We entered Lusaka central area at about 10H00, obviously the traffic is much heavier during rush hours. Further directions to bypass the central business district are well directed by T4A. In summary, after 400m turn right at the traffic lights and then 500m up this road take the first exit from the roundabout and you are on the T2. This route is not signposted at all so keep your wits about you. Towards the outskirts of town there is a large Spar shop on the left at S15 21,430 E28 16,604. It took us about 30min to pass through Lusaka and it was really rather painless.

    I was now a little upset to see parrots for sale on the side of the road. They looked like Meyer’s parrots. There were again regular police checks but we were just waved through. We passed the turnoff to the well known Fringilla Lodge 220km and 4hr 40min after leaving Mukambi. Forest Inn, another potential overnight stop, was passed 520km and 7hr 40min from Mukambi. We had passed through Kabwe and Kapiri Mposhi, both fairly large towns with fuel stations, ATM’S and shops to buy supplies.


    Remember to keep right on the T2, where the road forks to the left to the Copper Belt (the T3, at S13 55,582 E28 39,974). We did not see a single speed trap.

    The T2 was in excellent condition and the only problem was the large numbers of long-haulage trucks. Overtaking them was not a major problem on this mainly straight road. After Mkushi (another substantial town with all the amenities), the terrain became more hilly. In this area there were impressive farmlands with large central pivot irrigation systems. All along the way there were makeshift stalls selling self grown produce such as tomatoes, potatoes, onions, cabbages, corn on the cob and arms of small bananas. There were also plenty of live chickens. These Zambians are an industrious bunch. Of concern to me were the bags of charcoal being sold all along the main routes. Not good for tree conservation!

    There was fuel at Serenje and we filled up as this was the last before we returned from Kasanka. Apparently the fuel situation here and at Mkushi is not always reliable, information which I find somewhat surprising. We reached Serenje about 9hr 20min and 680km after leaning Mukambi. The left turn to Kasanka was reached 35km north of Serenje and is signposted: Kasanka National Park, Wasa Lodge, Nsobe, Kasanga Conservation Centre, Sitatunga Experience. (S13 1.161 E30 27,652). Another sign reads Samfya and Mansa. This good tarred road to the west is fairly new and is referred to locally as the Chinese Road (D235). The signposted turnoff to Kasanka is just over 55km down the D235 (S12 33,053 E30 23,468). By now the rain was pouring down.

    At the manned entrance office to Kasanka National Park (Mulembo Scout Post) we paid the following Park fees: Entrance fee K35,000 (R55) pppn and vehicle fee K75,000 (R120) per day. We had not booked, probably should have, even if at the last minute. The HQ at Wasa Lodge was radioed. There was room for 2 nights in a self-catering chalet at Wasa. Only one of the old style rondavels was available, the newer chalets were all occupied. Pontoon campsite was full. Fibwe campsite is not available for the public to camp any more (this is where the researchers stay). Kabwa campsite was empty but too far to reach in the gathering stormy darkness. We booked our third night at Luwombwo Fishing Lodge. The dirt road into the park was in good condition even in the downpour, confirming that this was a good all-weather road. We passed the turnoff to the Conservation Centre to the right after 1km and reached Wasa Lodge after 12km. Apparently basic self-catering accommodation is available at the Conservation Centre and one does not have to pay park fees unless entering Kasanka. Our arrival time at Wasa was 17H45, 9hr 25min after leaving Mukambi, a marathon trek but worth it! The Lodge Fees for a self catering rondavel at Wasa are K600,000 (R940) for 2 people per night and the same at Luwombwo. For up to date fees for Kasanka visit their website at http://www.kasanka.com/

    Whilst checking in at the office at Wasa, we met the manager of Shoebill Island Lodge, who was overnighting. He was very friendly and pointed out that although it was not the best time for shoebills at his lodge, his guides had been able to find 2 shoebills for guests the previous day.

    Had a lovely hot shower after asking one of the lodge attendants to load the drum on the thatch roof with hot water. They do this by climbing the ladder present at each chalet. As we were self catering, the chef cooked some of our rice for us and heated up the pre-cooked and frozen chicken curry. This was served up for us in the lodge dining room using the lodges crockery and cutlery, no washing up! This is all part of the self catering deal. We met and spoke to the general manager of Kasanka, Ernst Jacobs, a youngish man from Richards Bay with a background of guiding in North Luangwa. We were impressed with him. He was very professional, friendly and helpful. He was also pleased to see South African self-drivers visiting Kasanka and expressed the wish that more would follow. He was more than happy for us to explore the park in our own vehicle without a guide and even to leave the vehicle for short walks. For longer walks he advised an armed scout because of the presence of elephants, which could be aggressive and also hippos and crocs. We obtained from him more information about the alternatives for bat viewing. On his advice I booked a guided bat excursion for very early the next morning. He strongly advised a guided canoe trip at Luwombwa Fishing Lodge on the morning of the day when we planned to stay there. At this time the river was too low to exercise the alternative choice of a river trip in a motor boat.

    Our rondavel was very simply furnished, basically mainly a double bed with a couple of small tables. But clean, functional and comfortable enough. We slept the sleep of the dead as we wanted an early start to explore this promising park. Fell asleep to the grunting of hippos and the chorus of frogs from the nearby lake.



    KASANKA NATIONAL PARK:

    Our visit here was an unqualified success and I would strongly recommend that this destination be added to every central and northern Zambia trip at any time of the year. It is my ambition to revisit this area at a more opportune time of the year when the Bangweulu Swamps have relatively more water. Including a trip to Shoebill Island to view the shoebill storks. A visit to Kasanka does not begin and end with the bats for me.

    For more than 3 weeks we had been travelling as part of a progressively cohesive group and many was the occasion that I felt that I would have liked to have shared this inspiring Kasanka experience with them. Anne and I are experienced solo travellers and being on your own has its own compensations.

    This relatively isolated park is seldom visited, receiving only about 1,500 visitors in 2011, although numbers are increasing, especially in the bat season from the end of October to the end of December. Wasa lodge was virtually full during our stay (all of 8 people!) as was Pontoon campsite. We were the only people at Luwombwo Fishing Lodge and Kabwe camp was empty. I would estimate less than 20 visitors on any given day whilst we were there. I would suspect that this might double as the peak bat season arrived in mid November. Therefore it is probably best to book during this short peak period, especially if seeking to stay at Wasa Lodge or Pontoon campsite with their convenient location to the bats. Isolation and exclusivity is Kasanka’s first big plus. The next most obvious attraction is the bats, but do not pooh-pooh the fact that this is rated as the world’s best location to view the secretive sitatunga antelope. The birding is deservedly very highly rated by experts and the natural environment is as good as anything else in the neighbouring Bangweulu swamps. The staff from the Kasanka Trust are as dedicated and friendly as you could possibly imagine.

    It is a very small park at only 420km2 and cannot compete with larger parks for sheer animal numbers and variety and lacks the magnetism of the presence of any of the large predators. It is suited to nature enthusiasts who are seeking the unusual and unique. It lies on the southern edge of the Bangweulu swamps and is only about 30km from the borders of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It has varied vegetation zones, ranging from mature miombo woodland, evergreen equatorial type forest and permanent papyrus and phragmites swamps. The flatness of the land and the many smallish rivers result in the formation of the main Kapabi swamp. There are 8 lakes, the largest being the Wasa lakes.

    This park is run by the Kasanka Trust the first NGO to be entrusted in this manner by ZAWA. At first it depended on overseas donations, especially from the UK, but is now largely self financing. Any profits are ploughed back into the park or used to benefit the local communities. ZAWA retains responsibility for anti-poaching measures. The trust also operates Shoebill Island Camp and more land is being passed onto them in this area to manage. Since 1990 when the trust took over management of the park, it has been transformed from a poacher’s haven to one of the best kept secrets in African safari destinations.

    FACILITIES:

    Guided game drives in your own or the park’s vehicles are available, as are guided walks. If the staff are confident that you are self-sufficient, they are happy for you to drive yourself around in the park. The roads are signposted but you might become temporarily lost in the maze of roads. There are no telephones in Kasanka and no cell phone reception. Radio communication is available at both lodges.


    Wasa Lodge:
    This is situated on the edge of Lake Wasa and the verandas of the newer chalets have an excellent view of the hippos, puku, impala and birdlife in and around the lake. The big attraction is the fact that at any time of the day sitatunga are usually within view, something that very few if any other game reserves can offer. There are 3 upgraded chalets with front verandas with an excellent view of the lake. These are much smarter than the older rondavel type chalets, which I gather are also going to be upgraded. If I remember correctly there are 3 older rondavels and also a family cottage. All of these have en-suite flush toilets and showers. The hot water arrangement is a very large bin on the roof that the staff fill via a ladder with hot water, on request. This then feeds via quaint piping and a tap into the shower in the chalet. There is an attractive central building complex which has the reception, admin offices, pub, dining area, kitchen and a large veranda with chairs and tables looking over the lake. All visitors are welcome to use these facilities. Booking can either be for fully catered services, where the food is provided by the lodge and served from the kitchen, or self catering where the chef will prepare meals for you using your own ingredients. This will then also be served to you in the dining area using their crockery and cutlery. A bit like the old Natal Parks Board used to be. There is also a braai area for all to use.

    Luwombwa Fishing Lodge: S12 30,111 E30 7,875
    This lodge situated in the west of the park about 24km from Wasa and is certainly not only for fishermen. It used to be considered too far if your prime interest is viewing the bats, but an excellent contrast is to combine it with Wasa to add depth to your Kasanka experience. It could only be reached by crossing the Kasanka river in the pontoon, but the long awaited bridge is now being constructed. It is situated in a very quiet area of the park and the general facilities, although more than adequate, are a little more basic than at Wasa. The borehole water (as at Wasa) is good quality. There are 3 new double bedded en suite chalets on the bank of the Luwombwa river similar in design to the upgraded ones at Wasa. The catering arrangement is the same as at Wasa and there is an attendant chef, 2 dining areas and a braai area. The view over the river from the front verandas is stunning. This river is the largest in Kasanka but is still relatively small. This placid river winds it way through a very appealing setting. The evergreen forest lining the banks is dense and exceptionally attractive. Birding is top class and with a fishing licence from Wasa Lodge, the bream, catfish and occasional tiger fish attract keen fishermen. There are motor boats and canoes for guided trips up the river and these are especially popular with birders. The nearby Chifukwe Plain, near the airstrip, is apparently a good game viewing area with sable, Lichtenstein’s hartebeest and reedbuck being seen regularly.


    Pontoon Campsite: S12 34,385 E30 14,080
    This is situated near the pontoon over the Kasanka River, on the edge of Kapabi Swamp and close to Fibwe hide. It is situated under the huge trees of the evergreen (mushitu) forest. The trees are mainly red mahogany and water berries. There appeared to be 3 large campsites, but the facilities at one were a little derelict and I do not think it is functioning. Each site is big enough for 4/5 tents and has a long drop toilet that the staff keep exceptionally clean. There is also a bucket shower for each site that the staff will load with hot water for you. Wood is also provided. There is also a boma for shelter. Although these sites are very basic, the luxury is provided by their stunning natural surroundings. This campsite is very popular at peak times and I think it would be wise to contact Kasanka before you arrive, to check on availability and to book. No matter, if full there is nothing wrong with Kabwe campsite.

    Fibwe Campsite:
    This site is no longer available to the public.

    Kabwe Campsite:
    This isolated and peaceful campsite lies on the west side of the Kasanka river and will soon be more easily accessible. The trees here as not as luxuriant as the other 2 camps and it is a little dusty at the height of the dry season. The facilities are much the same as the other sites but it is a much smaller site. The camp attendants felt that it is at its most attractive when there is water in the adjacent Kasanka River flood plain, with the consequent herds of game around the dambo. If one wanted to camp in two places at Kasanka, this would be my second choice, as the other two campsites are so similar.


    Fibwe tree hide: S12 35,442 E30 15,156.
    Also known as the Machan Sitatunga hide. This 18m high platform has been constructed high in a red mahogany tree and you have to climb up a roughly but solidly constructed series of ladders, made from logs and wood from the trees. Some people with a fear of heights may not enjoy it here. This is rated as the world’s best site for viewing sitatunga. They should be easy to spot here in the Kapabi Swamp below, at any time of the day, but best in the early mornings. If you spend some time up here it would not be unusual to spot more than 10 of these shy antelope, so difficult to view in other areas where they occur. This is a prime site to station yourself during the bat season.

    BBC Hide:
    This was constructed by the BBC to film their documentary on the fruit bats. I am not sure if you can access this on your own, I only went there on the early morning guided “Bat experience”. It does not appear to be sign posted. It is very similar to the other hide at Fibwe but is 20m high. The big advantage here is that the forest area where the bats roost is within view. Thus it is best visited in the very early morning when the nocturnally feeding bats return to their roost.
    Last edited by Stan Weakley; 2012/11/23 at 05:43 AM.
    Stanley Weakley.
    Toyota Landcruiser 76SW 4,2L diesel.

    “Great journeys are memorable not so much for what you saw, but for where you camped”.

    Trans East Africa 2015/2016 Trip report https://www.4x4community.co.za/forum...-6-SLOW-DONKEY
    OR
    http://www.4x4community.co.za/forum/...e16?highlight= from post 315.

  5. #345
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    ZAMBIA: OCT 2012, KASANKA Contd.

    DAY 26: SUNDAY 21/10/2012.
    KASANKA NATIONAL PARK (Wasa Lodge).

    We were up by 5H30 and made some coffee using the flask of hot water brought across by the lodge staff. In the early morning light I was able to explore the lodge surroundings and have a decent look at the lake. Took some photographs of the early morning mist over Lake Wasa. The lake is fairly empty at this time of year measuring perhaps 100 X 300m in size. The water birds were present as can be expected and we watched a fish eagle devour a freshly captured catfish. We were watching the fair numbers of puku and impala on the shore flood plain nearby, when I spotted the obvious stoop-shouldered appearance of a sitatunga grazing in the open on the other side of the lake about 300m away. Our great excitement increased when we realised there were in fact 5 of them within easy viewing distance. As well as the ewe above there was another with a small foal and also a spiral-horned ram and accompanying ewe. These could suddenly vanish from view by simply lying down in the long floodplain vegetation. Seeing these became commonplace on the shores of the lake. Kasanka’s billing of being the best place anywhere to see sitatunga had been confirmed within an hour of rising from our beds. This experience contrasted sharply with previous experiences elsewhere of a vague movement in the reeds or a fast disappearing, briefly seen rump of a reputed sitatunga. There was also a healthy pod of more than 10 hippo in the lake just in front of the lodge.

    We set off early in our vehicle for Fibwe Tree Hide, about 8km from Wasa. It was easy to find our way by following the signs and checking with T4A. The main dirt tracks are in good condition and certainly bear out the claim that much of Kasanka is accessible during the height of the rains. We drove through magnificent mature miombo woodlands for most of the way, the trees were larger than in the woodlands further south because of the higher rainfall. As expected there were plenty of tsetse flies, but the camps and hides were free of them. The only animal seen in the miombo were some troops of yellow baboons.

    Anne took one look at the height and flimsy looking ladder, climbing up 18m to the platform of the tree hide was not for her and left me to climb up on my own. It has a stunning view over the reed and papyrus beds of the Kapabi swamp with the Kasanka stream flowing through it. There were a number of birds flitting around in the surrounding evergreen forest trees but my attention was immediately caught by a sitatunga ewe browsing in clear view just beneath the hide. Excellent photo opportunity! In the relatively short time I spent up there I was able to spot 5 other of these elusive antelope without even trying. We had a quick look at the ex-Fibwe campsite before driving on to Pontoon campsite.

    At the site of the old pontoon and where the new bridge across the Kasanka River is in the process of being constructed, we were able to ford the river towards the west of the park. The river flows fairly strongly at this point and before the rains was about 20m wide and half a metre deep. This crossing was made possible by the bed of crushed rocks laid down as a base for the bridge. After winding through some high reed beds we were able to reach the road to Luwombwa Fishing Lodge which itself was about 14km away from the pont. We drove past the turnoff to the left for Chifukwe Plain and arrived at Luwombwo. Here we were greeted by Boas Mwape the camp manager, tour guide and chef who was most excited to hear we would be coming to stay on the morrow and confirmed that he would be ready for a canoe trip the next morning. They do not receive all that many visitors. On the way back we turned left (north) to have a look at Kabwe campsite. We decided that there would be nothing wrong with staying here. In fact it is only about 8km from Fibwe hide and when the new bridge is functioning I see no reason why it cannot also be used as a base from which to visit the bats. It is certainly no further than Wasa.

    We had a nap that afternoon and later spent some time on the lodge front veranda observing the birds, hippos, antelope and again a few sitatunga around the lake. I was quite excited to see a large solitary sable antelope with the distinctive black coloration and huge sweeping horns of a dominant bull, come down to the lake to drink. We set off for Fibwe Tree Hide a little early at 16H30, such was my impatience to view the evening flight of the fruit bats. I initially spent about 30min up Fibwe Hide viewing more sitatunga, before joining Anne at the nearby public viewing area to await the bats. This is a fairly large grassy clearing on the edge of the swamp which provides an unobstructed view of the fruit bats as they pass overhead in their millions. Some prefer the more eye level view from the nearby Fibwe hide, but I was going to experience this sort of view in the morning from the BBC hide. We were joined here by 1 other couple. We had neglected to apply any anti-bug spray and were almost eaten alive as evening approached by small midges or biting flies. The itchy bumps from their bites only became apparent that night and were troublesome for a number of days thereafter.

    The straw coloured fruit bats usually leave their roosting trees in the swamp en masse at between 17H50 and 18H30. This mind-numbing spectacle lasts about 40min and so it came to pass. It is very difficult to describe this phenomenon in words and it is just as difficult to capture it in photographs that would do it justice. Just try and imagine a swarm of locusts, each the size of a Hadeda, absolutely filling the sky from one end to the other. To try and obtain an idea of the scale of this natural extravaganza have a look at the following video clips from the internet. Words fail me.

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/life/Straw-coloured_Fruit_Bat#p004vb0b

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZMCwboCctx8

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PtmwLA8-RjE

    This bat migration is featured in films such as David Attenborough’s BBC Life series (see video clip), CNN’s Must See list and Mark Carwardine’s book “Ultimate Wildlife Experiences”


    But let me attempt to put this experience into words. We were waiting next to the swamp and were somewhat bored as we had arrived an hour too early. Suddenly I noticed a few of these mega-bats flying overhead, quickly followed by more and more until the sky was absolutely filled with them. The sun had just set and the light was good so we were having an excellent view of them. Some were flying about 10m above our heads but most a lot higher. They were all flying over from a little further north, where they roost. Their flight was silent and they uttered not a sound as they headed out in all directions after some initial circling. The amazing thing is that the multitudes kept on coming for longer than 30min, until the numbers began dwindling as it grew darker. I am not sure if I found the view better from the raised tree hide the next morning or from ground level. Obviously the sheer numbers were amazing but 2 other things struck me. How absolutely quiet they were and their large size and wingspan. It is estimated by the bat researcher, who I met the following morning, that we were seeing numbers of about 2 million, I cannot picture what the peak number, at least 8 million, must look like! Perhaps you should go and see for yourself.

    That night the chef prepared our precooked and then frozen lamb knuckle stew. We were still a little overawed by our experience when we hit the sack early, as I had an exceptionally early start the next morning.
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    Last edited by Stan Weakley; 2012/11/22 at 08:24 PM.
    Stanley Weakley.
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    “Great journeys are memorable not so much for what you saw, but for where you camped”.

    Trans East Africa 2015/2016 Trip report https://www.4x4community.co.za/forum...-6-SLOW-DONKEY
    OR
    http://www.4x4community.co.za/forum/...e16?highlight= from post 315.

  6. #346
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    Zambian Kaleidoscope...

    http://youtu.be/CNqNouVY5TI

  7. #347
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    ZAMBIA 2012: KASANKA Contd.


    DAY 27: MONDAY 22/10/2012.
    KASANKA NATIONAL PARK (Luwombwa Lodge).

    Alarm set for 3H30 for a 4H00 departure with a guide, Webby Mwewa, for the so-called “Bat Experience” to see the straw-coloured fruit bats coming home to roost after their night out foraging. We drove in my vehicle in the dark to the BBC Tree Hide which was constructed by the BBC for the filming of the bats as mentioned above. Joined in the parking lot by an armed game scout and the bat researcher whose name escapes me. It is compulsory to take an armed scout because of the 400m walk in the dark to the hide. Cost is a rather steep at K270,000 (R430) pp in own vehicle.

    It was difficult to be sure in the dark but BBC Tree Hide is a little way north of Fibwe Hide and a lot closer to the area where the bats roost, about 100 to 200m away. This means that you can see them flying down into the roosting area from this hide and also through binoculars make out individuals on the bare roosting trees. Their shear weight of numbers breaks branches and slowly kills the trees. This tree hide is also in a red mahogany tree but the platform is a little higher at 20m. It was not a lot of fun climbing the slightly rickety ladder up there in the dark. I am not sure if BBC Hide is open for the public, but being closer to the bat roosting sites is a great advantage. I am also not sure if guided walks through the roosting site are still offered, but think not, as there was some talk of these disturbing the fruit bats. The guide had a fair amount of info about the bats that he shares but most of the interesting facts came from the researcher. We sat quietly on this platform and the first fruit bats started returning home at about 05H00. Tony Weaver had left his night viewing scope with me. In the near darkness it was amazing to see how luminescent the heads of the bats were. As it became lighter more and more fruit bats streamed in towards the roost. This was probably a more interesting viewing than that we experienced at Fibwe. Firstly the bats are on a downwind trajectory and many more of them fly past at eye level. There is also more chaos as the bats wheel about looking for a free spot to roost amongst the millions. It is amazing to think that up to 8 million bats squeeze into this 10 acres (1 hectare) of roosting area. Once again photographically challenging because of the light, but later from this hide, as the day dawns, you can photograph the bats roosting. The last of the bats had returned by 06H00. An absolutely astounding and compelling experience that will always live with me! It is the sheer scale of this that overwhelmed one.

    We were lucky to see a solitary bull elephant make his way across a nearby dambo.


    THE STRAW-COLOURED FRUIT BATS:
    This is the second largest species of bat in Africa, with wing spans of almost a metre and weighing up to 340g. Straw-coloured fruit bats look like all the other fruit bats or flying foxes, with dog-like facial features, but this species is characterised by pale light brown fur and an almost orange coloured neck. It is fairly common in savannah areas south of the Sahara. More locally it ranges throughout Mozambique and into the northern and eastern parts of South Africa. It is the most widely distributed fruit bat in Africa, just nowhere else does it occur in such dense concentrations. They are known to mass within roosts in other areas, but usually only 100,000 individuals or so. At Kasanka they roost in the evergreen Mushitu forest of the Kapabi Swamp near the confluence of the Musola and Kasanka rivers. This concentration of over 8 million bats is the largest gathering of mammals in the world. It outnumbers the Serengeti wildebeest migration 5 times.

    This natural phenomenon remains the target of extensive research and radio-tagging has revealed that most of the bats migrate from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. They gather in such concentrations at this time of the year at Kasanka because of fruiting trees in the local fertile miombo woodlands. The fruits ripen on the wild loquat, water berry, mpundu and mango trees, with the onset of the rains. These bats are nocturnal feeders and their feeding range is usually about 30km, but some individuals have been shown to range up to 100km. The first bats begin arriving in mid October, peaking in mid November, with the last leaving in mid December.

    By 07H00 we were ready to leave Wasa and head for Luwombwo Lodge. Here we were delighted with our chalet with a front veranda overlooking a slightly wider section of the Luwombwo river. Boas was waiting for us and we set off in the 3-man canoe (K40,000, R60 pp) These trips usually set out at about 06H00 to take advantage of the early morning birds and last about 3hr. Although we started 2hr later we were certainly not disappointed. The first half of the trip was downstream and we felt positively colonial as Boas, standing in the stern, gently steered and paddled us down the river. Most of this was a gentle drift to take maximal advantage of the view. On the way back against the flow Boas had to work a lot harder. Although there was a spare paddle he insisted that this was for emergencies only and absolutely refused to allow me to assist with the paddling. The motorboats (K120,000, R200 pp) could not operate due to the shallowness of the river at this time.

    This is a relatively small river about 10-20m wide in the dry season and fairly shallow in parts. The water is crystal clear and we would catch glimpses of bream and large catfish intermittently. There are no hippos fortunately but we did see some crocs. I had hoped to see the local long-snouted crocodiles, usually only found in the equatorial rivers, but had to be content with the remarkable bird life. The river slowly meanders along a series of gentle bends and the banks are generously covered with dense evergreen forest, giving it a real tropical feel. Yes, yet another ride on a river, but unquestionably the most beautiful of them all. I missed my recent travel mates, their cameras and video recorders would have been overheating!

    Just downstream from the lodge we had a sighting of a narina trogon and the two local turacos, Shalow’s and Ross’s. We saw 4 separate finfoot, so sought after by birders. Later in fact there were a pair to be seen roosting on a low branch just below our chalet. We saw many species, the most common of which were the kingfishers. We saw the giant, pied, brown-hooded, half-collared and malachite. Other notable sightings were western banded snake eagle, Bohms bee-eater and olive woodpecker.

    Here I also had my first ever sighting of a green monkey, pretty black in fact. We also saw sitatunga, a crocodile, yellow baboons and puku. Boas certainly knew his oats and was very peeved that he was not able to find a Pel’s fishing owl. This river presents a stunning package and I would go so far as to say that it would be a great pity to leave Kasanka without experiencing it. Birding amongst the many trees in camp is rewarding in itself. In the afternoon I took the opportunity to catch up on some lost sleep. What an eventful day!

    When Boas asked us what we had for him to cook for our supper, we told him that we would like to braai for a change. He was a little taken aback when informed that I preferred to braai my own meat. By evening there was firewood waiting to be lighted at the fire pit, a braai grid and 2 chairs with a small table and table cloth set out for us. All too colonial.
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    Last edited by Stan Weakley; 2012/11/22 at 08:38 PM.
    Stanley Weakley.
    Toyota Landcruiser 76SW 4,2L diesel.

    “Great journeys are memorable not so much for what you saw, but for where you camped”.

    Trans East Africa 2015/2016 Trip report https://www.4x4community.co.za/forum...-6-SLOW-DONKEY
    OR
    http://www.4x4community.co.za/forum/...e16?highlight= from post 315.

  8. #348
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    ZAMBIA OCT 2012: The long journey home.


    DAY 28: TUESDAY 23/10/2012.
    Luwombwa Lodge to Moorings Campsite (Monze).

    Distance travelled: 717km Time taken: 11hr 20min

    Today was the start of our long journey home. Possibly for the first time ever on such a trip, I was actually looking forward to reaching home comforts, family and our beloved two bulldogs. We had intermittently been in touch with home via sms’s and a couple of brief cell phone calls. The cell phone network coverage in Zambia is surprisingly wide. This was the first occasion since my student days in the 1970’s that I had been able to take a full month’s holiday.

    As was normal for us we set off with no fixed plan of where to stop and how far to travel each day. We both felt that the holiday was now over and that we should aim to be home early during the coming weekend. On the way past we stopped at the park HQ office at Wasa Lodge to pay our outstanding bill. Here we met the Wasa Lodge manager, an Englishman by the name of Sam Philips. He had been in Lusaka on business during our stay. His partner Heather does the marketing and the office administration. Sam was once again, as were almost all in Zambia, most friendly and was aware of the 4X4community forum and was very interested in our trip. He wanted to know all about the forum and I would not be surprised if Kasanka joined as commercial members as they are very interested in promoting self-drive tourists. Sam gave me his card and he can be contacted at [email protected] or phone +260973977624. We had a long chat and he explained that they had a lot of personnel successfully doing anti-poaching patrols and even had their own holding cell for arrested poachers. He explained that they are busy improving access to the western half of the park and with a crossing of the Luwombwo river in the pipeline (as well as the Kasanka River at the pontoon), hope to add this unvisited half of the park to their tourist facilities. He then took us to see a pair of Bohm’s flycatchers nesting in a red-headed weavers nest in the staff village. Another bird for the life list.

    For much of that day’s journey we retraced our footsteps down the T2 and through Lusaka, with no problems. About 5km south of Lusaka the police check was a little officious with a brief check of lights, flickers etc.

    Throughout Zambia there is a strong religious slant and their charmingly naive usage of English signs for various business outlets continued to amuse: “Only God Knows Shop”, “Sweet 16 Barbershop”, “Drive For The Lord Taxis”. Most schools have a concrete slab at their turnoff next to the road, with their name and ”motto”. The well meant mottos often brought a smile for their idealism: “Education sweeps away ignorance and poverty”, ”Education builds a nation”, “Train a child today for a better tomorrow”, “Enter to learn, depart to serve”.

    Fortunately Anne is an excellent driver and is able to take over the driving when I need a break. We were making excellent time and by mid afternoon decided to spend the night at the well known Moorings Campsite 11km before Monze or 50km south of Mazabuka. The turnoff is to the east (left) at S16 11,399 E27 31,416, about 170km and 3hr from central Lusaka. We arrived there in the late afternoon to find the campsite deserted but soon were spotted and checked into a chalet. Usual friendly and helpful staff. We hired a chalet to allow an early and convenient start for the long journey the next day. Later a solitary German self-driver checked into the campsite. Apparently it can be very full in peak season. This is rated as the best place to stay between Lusaka and Livingstone and we have no reason to dispute this.

    This is a very well appointed campsite with 2 very comfortable thatched chalets adjacent to the campsite. One is 2 bedded and the other will accommodate 2 children in a double bunk as well. The shower and toilet are en suite and there is mains electricity and air conditioning. There is a central kitchen, bar and open lounge area which we utilised for supper that night. The kitchen is well equipped and is for communal use including campers. There is also a simple catered menu as well. It is well away from the traffic noise of the T2 and is on a working farm with an excellent reputation for its community projects. The camping area is well grassed with plenty of large shady trees. This is a large campsite with 3 lapas with work surfaces and plenty of braai stands. Three large groups, or even more smaller groups can be comfortably accommodated. The large communal ablutions are in good shape and spotless. Security guards patrol at night. There are plenty of birds and the owner is a bird enthusiast and apparently is happy to give expert advice to anyone planning to visit LochinvarNational Park and the Kafue Flats, just 60km away.

    The chalet cost K250,000 (R400) for 2 per night.

    CONTACT:
    Kim Lawrence or Thea Savory
    Cell +260 (0) 979869087 or +260 (0) 977521352
    Tel. +260 (0) 213255403.
    Email [email protected]
    Website www.mooringscampsite.com
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    Last edited by Stan Weakley; 2012/11/22 at 08:48 PM.
    Stanley Weakley.
    Toyota Landcruiser 76SW 4,2L diesel.

    “Great journeys are memorable not so much for what you saw, but for where you camped”.

    Trans East Africa 2015/2016 Trip report https://www.4x4community.co.za/forum...-6-SLOW-DONKEY
    OR
    http://www.4x4community.co.za/forum/...e16?highlight= from post 315.

  9. #349
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    ZAMBIA TRIP REPORT: OCT 2012. Stan and Anne Weakley.

    Last few legs of the trip.

    DAY 29: WEDNESDAY 24/10/2012.
    Moorings Campsite to Nata Lodge (via Kazangula Ferry).


    Distance travelled: 708km Time taken: 10hr 10min.

    Another early start leaving at 6H30. On the way I stopped and bought 1 mobola plum (I think) from one of the large bowls offered for sale along the road. They are rather floury and have a tart sweet/sour taste, I was pleased that I did not buy a whole bowl. We stopped at the Spar in Choma and bought some lovely fresh rolls and cheese for lunch. From Kalomo to Livingstone there is an excellent newly surfaced road. Our vehicle insurance receipt was checked 5km before Livingstone. Livingstone was reached 600km and 6hr after leaving Moorings. T4A took us through the rapidly expanding city, but the road to Kazangula Border Post and the ferry appeared to be reasonably signposted. After about 8km, near the sign indicating that one is entering Moise e Tunya National Park, we had to pay a Kazangula District Council levy of K30,000 (R50). Along this road we saw our first giraffe of the trip.

    Clearing the Zambian and Botswana border posts and crossing the Zambezi on the Kazangula ferry seemed much easier than what I could recall from previous visits. Always remember that you do not have to join the very long queue of long haul trucks. Drive past them and you will be directed into a parking area of sorts. It seems that the Zambian authorities have cleaned up their act here as promised and there was much less hassle from the runners. I suggest that one be hired for an agreed small fee to watch your vehicle whilst 2 runners take you through the Zambian customs and immigration. These runners insisted that they did not want any payment. The second runner takes your forms through to buy the ferry ticket whilst you fetch your vehicle and drive through to join the short ferry queue. He uses his own money and you pay him the exact amount as indicated on the receipt for the ferry trip. The ferry cost K134,000 (R210). Two ferries were running and there was only 1 vehicle in front of us in the queue. Now the reason for the runner’s insistence on non-payment emerged. The Zambian Kwacha is not easily exchanged in monetary markets and a new currency was due in about 2 months. Nobody wants to be left with any Zambian currency and this is where your runners cash in. After negotiating and asking around, I changed my last remaining Kwacha to Pula with them at 540 to 1, about a 15% premium, not too bad. I added a small tip for their valuable service. Each ferry takes 1 large truck and 2 normal vehicles and it was not long and we were back in Botswana.

    On the Botswana side we had a multi-entry permit so had nothing to pay. At the immigration counter avoid the long queue for Botswana citizens and go to the counter labelled Tourists and VIPs. The entire process including the ferry crossing took only about 1 hour. Based on this experience I cannot see the justification for entering Botswana from Livingstone via Seshe and Katima just to avoid the ferry. It was interesting that Ernst Jacobs of Kasanka who does the trip to SA all the time, finds it quicker and easier to travel home via Livingstone, Vic. Falls Border Post, through Bulawayo and into Botswana at Plumtree. I did not have an Interpol police clearance certificate for my vehicle (at times asked for at the Zimbabwian side of VicFalls), otherwise I would definitely have taken this route.

    We calculated that we could make Nata that afternoon and not wanting to be caught short again we nipped off to Chobe Safari Lodge who kindly phoned their sister lodge at Nata and booked us a luxury tent for that night. At 2 foot and mouth stops our freezer was searched for the red meat one is not allowed to transport from north to south.

    At about 100km from Nata we saw a few herds of elephant and even a giraffe. We were not able to continue our lucky streak and did not see the pack of wild dogs again, but 60km from Nata we came upon a gruesome sight. A crowd of the locals were gathered like human vultures around the carcass of an elephant cow on the side of the road. They were hacking at it with a variety of sharp instruments and were carrying off large hunks of meat. The trunk, a delicacy, had long disappeared and they were chopping at the tusks. Apparently it had been struck and killed by one of the large trucks during the early hours of the morning. The truck was hardly damaged except for some headlight glass lying in the road and continued on its way after hitching up the carcass and dragging it to the side of the road. My disgust increased when the crowd pointed out the body of its small calf lying a little distance away with attendant drag marks. I wondered what sense of decency had prompted the mob not to hack up the body of the calf-yet. It was with a sense of profound sadness that we saw the herd of elephants still standing quietly hours later, about 200m away, amongst the trees on the other side of the road, all facing in the direction of their dead sister. What is it about elephants that touches one like this?

    An excellent dinner at the restaurant (beef curry, oxtail at P90, R100, each) and a good night’s sleep was in order for the long push home. The lovely luxury tent cost P655 (R720) for the 2 of us.



    DAY 31: THURSDAY 25/10/2012.
    Nata Lodge to Bloemfontein.


    Distance travelled: 1210km Time taken: 14hr.

    A bit silly really to cover this distance in 1 day but Anne and I were driving in tandem and we were keen on only a short push on the last morning.

    At about 48km from Nata again a search for red meat of our freezer only. We passed through Francistown after about 2hr. We took the bypass around Gaberone to Tlokweng. It took only about 30min to pass through both border posts and we were on the road again 7hr 30min after leaving Nata Lodge. Quick take-away lunch in Zeerust and then we took the same route as on the way up. As it became dark we hit some stormy weather at Bultfontein and by the time this tired couple arrived in Bloemfontein it was freezing cold and we wore our first sweaters of the trip. We checked in at the City Lodge as they have secure parking with a night watchman.



    DAY 32: FRIDAY 26/10/2012.
    Bloemfontein to East London.


    Distance travelled: 570km Time taken: 7hr. 15min.

    Left very early again, there were still some irritating stop/go’s on the Free State roads. It was good to be home by 13H00 on a Friday, giving me plenty of time over the weekend to unpack the vehicle and store all the equipment ready for our next trip, which is to Kgaligadi in February 2013, including Rooiputs and Polentswa.


    STATS:

    #TOTAL DISTANCE: 8,880KM

    #TOTAL HOURS ON THE ROAD (TRAVELLING BETWEEN DESTINATIONS ONLY): 165HR. (Astounding).

    #TOTAL VOLUME DIESEL USED: 2510 Litres

    #TOTAL COST OF DIESEL: R15,460

    #FUEL CONSUMPTION: km/l=3.5
    l/100km=2,8
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    Last edited by Stan Weakley; 2012/11/22 at 09:08 PM.
    Stanley Weakley.
    Toyota Landcruiser 76SW 4,2L diesel.

    “Great journeys are memorable not so much for what you saw, but for where you camped”.

    Trans East Africa 2015/2016 Trip report https://www.4x4community.co.za/forum...-6-SLOW-DONKEY
    OR
    http://www.4x4community.co.za/forum/...e16?highlight= from post 315.

  10. #350
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    Thanks Stan. I am so enjoying reading all this. The added information is fantastic and many gaps are being filled in. I also so enjoy your pics.

    Judy

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    .

    Judy
    Last edited by PretJudy; 2012/11/23 at 06:38 AM. Reason: Repeat post

  12. #352
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    Quote Originally Posted by Stan Weakley View Post
    All the wives other than Tony Weaver contributed.
    Quote Originally Posted by Stan Weakley View Post
    FIRST OF MANY MIKE GARNHAM ZAMBIAN FORUM TRIPS 2012:
    Oi, Weakley, behave! I'm watching you..........

    Mike
    "A poxy, feral, Brit architect who drinks bad beer and supports the wrong rugby team." Tony Weaver

    "Mike for President" Freeflyd

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    Friday's Cape Times column, also posted separately in the Zambia section (posted here to be part of the historical record!)

    Friday's column:

    A praise poem for the humble tsetse fly


    I AM often asked why I have such a love affair with Central and East Africa, and Zambia in particular. My recent trip through Zambia cemented that love affair, and I am now seriously thinking of leaving a vehicle permanently in Lusaka to save me the eight to 10 days of driving there and back that it takes from Cape Town.

    The bigger answer really is that it is wonderful travelling through a country where the people are universally welcoming and overwhelmingly friendly, where life is lived at a much simpler level than in South Africa, and I can indulge my inner Luddite, forgetting about the existence of cellphones, laptops, the internet, email and television. Twitter and tweet is what birds do, and you poke your fire.

    But above all, it is the sense of peace, and of the unexpected, that you get when you are in the great wild places of Africa. And it makes for good stories.

    We were sitting around the fire on the deck at Mukambi Plains Camp on the Busanga Plains in the Kafue National Park, and the lodge manager, conservation biologist Tyrone McKeith, was bemoaning the destruction of his computer. “These lion cubs came into my office and starting eating my computer cables, they destroyed my CDs, it was a case of a mega bite and a terror bite.”

    A couple of weeks earlier, Tyrone heard a commotion late at night. A lioness had killed a red lechwe next to the deck and when he shone a torch on her, she charged, leaping onto the deck. He managed to dive behind a big, solid Morris chair, and took cover there until she buggered off.

    Strangely, one of the things that we have to thank for preserving these wilderness areas is the humble tsetse fly. I love them and hate them. If you’ve never been bitten by a tsetse fly, you won’t know what I’m talking about here. Their bite is as bad as any insect that I have ever encountered, and they always manage to bite in the worst possible places - earlobes, knuckles, the web between your toes or fingers. And it hurts like hell, and then they itch worse than any mosquito bite. Some in our party simply started to swell up and had to take cortisone.

    Avon Skin-So-Soft, if applied in generous enough proportions supposedly stops them biting you, and this worked for my buddy, Mike Garnham, but I couldn’t stand the feel of it on my skin, so tried Tabard, which only worked if you sprayed the tsetse while it was biting you. A burning tin of elephant dung suspended from the back of the vehicle stops them swarming there (they swoop down out of the miombo woodlands and hitch a lift on the back of your vehicle, then when you slow down or stop, they swarm in through any open window and blitzkrieg you).

    But here’s the thing: if it wasn’t for tsetse flies, there would probably be precious few wildlife and wilderness areas left in Zambia and elsewhere because they keep the cattle out by infecting the domestic animals with nagana, trypanosomiasis. In what was then Southern Rhodesia, and today Zimbabwe, a massive programme of game extermination was undertaken in the 1950s to get rid of tsetse flies and open up the bushveld for cattle ranching. Hundreds of thousands of heads of game were slaughtered.

    I came across this snippet from Hansard from the House of Lords of January 21, 1953, when I googled the subject:

    The Marquess of Willingdon asked the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department, Lord Lloyd, what was being done to counter the slaughter of game in Northern Rhodesia (Zambia) and “to preserve the wild life, which is of inestimable value, both practically and aesthetically, to future generations?”

    Lord Lloyd replied: “Measures include the creation of the Kafue National Park, the establishment of game reserves covering 6½ percent of the territory's land area, the strict control of the purchase of firearms by Africans and the revision of the fauna conservation laws,” to which Lord Winster retorted “is it not the case that five-eighths of the territory in question is under tsetse fly, so that the only meat upon which the native can rely is game meat? If the game is exterminated in this manner, what will the native do for food?”

    To which Lord Lloyd replied in part: “Of course, as the noble Lord has mentioned, the tsetse fly comes into this matter, and a certain amount of destruction is necessary, in the interests of the human population, to protect crops and grazing and to control the tsetse fly.”

    So bless the tsetse fly, and bring on the Skin-So-Soft and the burning elephant dung.

    [email protected]

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    Stan,

    that is a fantastic report, beautifully written. Many thanks for capturing all the things the rest of us omitted, and particularly for the human side of the tale. Just excellent.

    Kasanka looked great, too. I hope that mangy sitatunga died quickly.......

    Mike

    Mike
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    "Mike for President" Freeflyd

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    Stan and Anne, bloody magnificent report. My apologies for posting my tsetse fly requiem in the middle, I hadn't updated to see where you guys were. Salaams. Tony

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    Can only echo the words of Tony "bloody magnificent", Stan!!

    Glad you enjoyed Kasanka and the bats. I might be going this December maybe between Christmas & New Year, will see.

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    Quote Originally Posted by mfuwefarmer View Post
    Can only echo the words of Tony "bloody magnificent", Stan!!

    Glad you enjoyed Kasanka and the bats. I might be going this December maybe between Christmas & New Year, will see.
    I'll post a couple of pix to go with the tsetse fly column on the tsetse column thread.

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    Wheres the list for the next trip?

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    Quote Originally Posted by Stan Weakley View Post
    Although he will deny it, Tony and I both witnessed the muddy tracks of a few tears down the dust of his cheeks.
    Jeez you make up some stuff Stan...... Either that, or it's the fevered imagination of a mind battling with large doses of oral cortizone.

    Mike
    "A poxy, feral, Brit architect who drinks bad beer and supports the wrong rugby team." Tony Weaver

    "Mike for President" Freeflyd

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    "Jeez you make up some stuff Stan......" Tony?
    Stanley Weakley.
    Toyota Landcruiser 76SW 4,2L diesel.

    “Great journeys are memorable not so much for what you saw, but for where you camped”.

    Trans East Africa 2015/2016 Trip report https://www.4x4community.co.za/forum...-6-SLOW-DONKEY
    OR
    http://www.4x4community.co.za/forum/...e16?highlight= from post 315.

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