Luangwa Valley: Chinzombo Camp, Zambia

From the mouths of babes - 'thrilling, the bed like sleeping on a cloud and the sunrise over the Luangwa - magical!' was the award winning architects and designers, Silvio Rech and Lesley Carstens, review of Chinzombo after aptly being the first to test out Villa One.

Norman Carr Safaris are days away from opening this latest groundbreaking camp in Zambia's Luangwa Valley and in keeping with their ever innovative and pioneering ways are the first to take luxury to another level in this area. They are thrilled to be giving their traditional green season stomping ground a new lease on life, offering as yet unseen levels of comfort, style and elegance with spacious living areas that melt into the site's exquisite surroundings.

An enclave of giant, ancient trees provide a peaceful shaded setting for the six spacious villas, each with its own private plunge pool, cooled sleeping areas, and massive bathroom with exclusive spa amenities. One of the villas is a suite with extra space for families or small groups.

Chinzombo is surrounded by 60 acres of private land with Luangwa River frontage which the camp design has taken full advantage of with views to die for of the riverside and infinite wildlife. It also boasts private, direct access into one of the most game rich areas of the South Luangwa National Park.

The second to none luxury & wildlife experience which Chinzombo offers, allows Norman Carr Safaris to create unique and exclusive adventures for the most discerning of guests. Be the first of such guests to sample Chinzombo's charm when it opens its doors to this wild playground. Contact Norman Carr Safaris direct or one of the Good Safari Guide's experts.

http://www.normancarrsafaris.com

http://www.goodsafariguide.com/

Zambia in all its glory

Zambia is regarded by many as one of the last true wildernesses and this continent's greatest secret. From the mighty Victoria Falls to the world renowned National Parks of the Luangwa and Zambezi Valleys there are incredible opportunities to explore and a vast range of habitats, species, terrain and natural wonders.

Visitor numbers are small - Zambia is not on the main ‘tourist trail’. Her vast areas of pristine wilderness have remained unchanged for millennia and the opportunity to explore these areas and to see the wildlife that inhabits them without having to share the experience with too many others is a privilege hard to find these days.

Norman Carr, the pioneer of the walking safari said that from a vehicle you can see Africa but when on foot you experience and feel Africa. You become part of the landscape, no longer just a spectator.

Conservation and creating opportunities in our local community remain priorities, and guiding is still based on the principles that Norman developed. We are all proud to continue in his footsteps and carry on his legacy.

The guides in Zambia, particularly Luangwa Guides, are renowned as the best in Africa; two guides from the Luangwa Valley have come first or second in Wanderlust’s Guide of the World Awards including our very own Abraham Banda in 2010.

The guiding team at Norman Carr Safaris is widely regarded as one of the most experienced and knowledgeable in Zambia - many were trained by Norman Carr himself. The Company has set up and is committed to a program of guide exchanges allowing us to expand our knowledge by experiencing similar wilderness operations both in other Parks in Zambia and also around the world such as Knight Inlet, Canada.

Every visitor to Zambia will leave with memories of the friendly welcome they received. It’s a big country – bigger that France but with a population of only around 13 million (UN 2010).

There are many different tribes and speak many different languages but the official language is English and the overriding attitude is one of great happiness and friendliness.

http://www.normancarrsafaris.com

Norwegian government injects over K200 billion in South Luangwa

THE Norwegian government has injected over K200 billion to support the South Luangwa National Park which attracts, annually, more than 30, 000 tourists to Zambia’s premier wildlife tourism destination.

Norwegian Ambassador to Zambia Arve Ofstad said the contribution to boost the domestic tourism in the park has been made over a period of 27 years.

“Since 1983, we have been working together with Zambia Wildlife Authority (ZAWA) authorities, local communities and tourism industry to attract more tourists to the park which has diverse fauna and over 100 animals’ species with 450 species of birds,” Mr Ofstad said.

He said this during the handover of earth moving equipment and the South Luangwa Area Management Unit (SLAMU) project to Government last week in Mfuwe.

The SLAMU project has helped to improve the park administration and management, curb illegal hunting of wild animals such as elephants and opened up new tourists’ roads in the park, among others.

The project is a multi-million dollar programme that was established in the Luangwa Valley in 1986. It was initially launched as a pilot project in Lupande game management area with the aim of integrating local communities to strike a balance between conservation of wildlife resources and meeting human needs.

The project has also seen five airfields being constructed at Kapamba, Luamfwa, Lundu, Chamboo and Kauluzi to facilitate tourism.

Mr Ofstad said Norway has invested in the park because of importance it attaches to the tourism sector considering that South Luangwa National Park is one of the largest national game parks in Africa offering tourists a unique experience of the real wild Africa.

And Tourism and Arts deputy minister Keith Mukata said culture is the foundation of tourism which attracts tourists who enjoy sampling local wildlife and the way Zambians live.

Mr Mukata said inadequate funding has been an impediment of the sector not only in Zambia but world over.

He said South Luangwa National Park is rated as one of the premier hunting safaris in southern Africa, hence, the need for concerted efforts from all stakeholders such as the community and other partners like Norway and the local traditional leaders.

He urged the donor community both local and international to find solutions to the challenges being faced in managing national parks.

Original article can be found here:

http://www.daily-mail.co.zm/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=642:norwegian-government-injects-over-k200-billion-in-south-luangwa&Itemid=188

Leopards by the Night — On Safari in South Luangwa National Park

I was told by the host of my camp in Kenya that South Luangwa was one of the best parks in all of Africa and that I was traveling there at the right time. “It’s going to be hot…but it is worth it.” Ralph told me. He was right. Even though we did not see thousands of wildebeest and zebra in migration, the variety of wildlife was more numerous. Especially in the variety of birds.
 
“You know, if Yuki was with us we would not be bypassing all these birds.” I turn my head back to Scott and replied, “I was thinking the same thing.” Yuki, a good friend of both of ours, was on my mind today and I had wished she was with us, sharing this experience. In all my life, our friend Yuki has always loved birds; Whatever the distance, she could tell us what type of bird we were viewing. For Yuki, and any bird lover like her, this place would be paradise. On the other hand, we were looking for big cats so her presence may have gotten in the way of our mission as we did not stop often to see our feathered friends.

We did stop a while to view a fish eagle, which looks much like a bald eagle and the national bird of the United States. We also spent a time observing a large group of bee eaters who were on migration from Tanzania and Kenya. The bee eater is a blue, red and yellow bird which migrates to Zambia each year for mating season. It is one of the most colorful birds I have ever seen. They make their homes in the sides of the dirt cliffs. We watch as the baboons crawl along the dirt attempting to eat the birds and their eggs. Other birds that would be of interest of our friend, and other bird lovers, would be the black and grey heron, various storks ( including the saddle-bill and yellow-bill), Egyptian Geese, Sacred Ibis, Hammer Cop, skippers, starlings, weavers, cuckoo and the pelicans. The various nests of the weavers and other birds I know would have also been an interest to my friend.

In addition to birds there were a greater number of different types of animals in South Luangwa. In fact, on the first morning out, we saw the same three of the five “big five” I saw in Kenya: the cape buffalo, African Elephants, and a pride of lions. The were a greater number of elephants, baboons, vervet monkeys, warthogs and hippos here than in Kenya. In fact, the elephants regularly came through our camp.

“Watch out for the elephants and don’t get within thirty meters of them.” We were told on our first day. Later that night, I had went back to our tent to take a shower before dinner.

It had gotten dark but I told Scott and Gina I would meet them in the self catering kitchen midway through camp. Self catering was a bit more of a challenge because a previous camper did not store fruit properly and a elephant ripped off the door and and destroyed the refrigerator the previous night. Still visible was the crack in the cement wall of the kitchen the elephant had left behind. They had replaced the door but the refrigerator would not be replaced for a few days. So we had to store our food at the main kitchen on the other side of camp.

I followed my guide to the kitchen. We turned the corner and 20 meters away was a elephant just outside the door. I could see Scott and Gina busily working away. “Are my friends aright?” “Yes, the is a guard near. But we need to go this way.” We headed right, away from the kitchen, towards the main lodge. “I don’t really need to eat tonight.” I responded. Thinking I would just go to bed without dinner. “No. It will be just fine. Come this way.” I followed but looking behind the I saw the elephant’s truck reach toward the screen door of the kitchen.

We made a wide circle around the area and came back from behind the elephant who had moved a few meters forward. “Hurry in now and lock the door” the guide told me. I tapped on the door, “Hey, can you guys unlock the door.” “Sure, what’s the rush?” Gina stated as she walked calmly to the door. I was surprised that Scott and Gina had not heard the elephant right outside, not even a foot away from the screen. For such a large animal with big feet I am always surprised how quiet they are in the wild. We did finish dinner and I was grateful to get safely back in our tent that night.

The monkeys and baboons were all over the camp. The are so cute until you realize that you must watch out for those fast moving creatures. Our first run in with a monkey came at the lodge when Scott and I had grabbed a piece of fruit out of storage for a snack. We had Gina’s apple on the table waiting for her and we see this cute little monkey coyly approaching us with big beautiful eyes. “Oh. Look at the monkey.” Then with one leap to the table the beast grabbed the apple and was off so fast we did not know what to think.

“Where’s my apple.” Gina stated later as she arrived to the lodge. “Too late.” Scott replied. “Monkey got it.” Then a couple days later one of the two nuisances destroyed our front porch. It was obvious they had tried to get into the tent but we had it locked. They did however, defecate all over our bathroom which had an open air ceiling. After learning their tricks and knowing when to clap our hands or alert their presence of staff we found that they could be managed.

Ralph was also right about it being hot in the in South Luangwa. Everyday it was between 40 and 49 degrees Celsius; That’s 100 to 120 degrees Fahrenheit. This is the hottest part of the year, before the rains. Most wildlife was huddled near any body of water left. Baby impala and puku had a difficult time surviving due to the heat and lack of water. Drives were scheduled to avoid the hottest part of the day. Morning drives were scheduled between six and ten.

We would have tea at 3:30 in the afternoon and start our night drive promptly by four. Vehicles had to leave the park at eight in the evening. We spent most of the afternoon hours in the pool. Gina and I started wearing our swimsuits to the morning drive so we could hop right in the pool when we returned. The sunsets were glorious and after dark the spotter used a white light to search for the wildlife. Early morning and after dark was the best time to find the cats.  

They, like us, wanted to be in the shade during the day. The night, however, was the best time to view a kill as the cats had an eyesight advantage after dark.

On our drives we also saw crocs, giraffes, zebras, impalas, albino frogs, three genets, a civet, mongoose, porcupines, hyenas, puku antelope, a water monitor, kudus, water bucks and bush bucks. The kudu were wonderful tan colored, deer-like creatures with vertical ivory stripes. The large and rare water buck had a big circle around it’s tail. It was five drives or nearly eighteen hours of searching to find the animal I most wanted to see.

“South Luangwa is your best chance to see the Leopard.” Ralph, from the Asilia Camp, had told me when I was in Kenya. And we found it just when I had almost given up hope.

Just before sunset Alan, our guide, stopped the car and looked to the distance. During the drives, especially in the daylight, I have spotted most of the animals right away. I look out and see nothing. I turn my head to Alan to see what direction he is looking. I turn back and still see nothing. The spotter in the back says something to the guide and we wait and scan the land. Finally Alan says, “Leopard. I am sure of it.”

“Where?” I reply. “It has to be over there. See where the impalas are looking.” He continues, “I first heard the screech in the distance of the baboons. Now, hear the impala’s they are whistling to each other.” I did not notice the call of the baboons to be any different than in the camp when they had gotten excited but I clearly heard a short whistle coming from the impalas. I had not heard that sound before in Africa. “How do you know it is a leopard and not a something else? If it is a leopard why aren’t they running.” Alan replied,

“The leopard is alone and they are faster than the leopard. As long as they know where he is, they can outrun it. The leopard must have the element of surprise to be successful. That is why they usually don’t hunt during the day, they wait for the night to hunt when the impala can’t see as well. The leopard’s advantage at night is in it’s ability to see in the dark.”

We continue to stare off into the direction the impalas are looking; Towards the dry vegetation. “Can we get any closer?” I hear from behind. A minute later I hear Ilya again. “Can we get any closer?” Ilya and Marian have been on all of our drives with Alan. They have meetings in the capitol but came up to South Luangwa for a side trip while they are in the country.

Ilya started taking pictures as a hobby but has had pictures appear in the National Geographic magazine. He had the biggest camera lens I have ever seen in my life. I turned and saw Alan contemplate his question. “You can’t get over there. Can you?” I reply. There is a strict policy of no off-road driving in the game reserve. I could not see a road leading us to where the impalas were looking. Alan replies, “I don’t see a way.”

A moment later, Alan starts the car and turns on the cracked cotton dirt with large splits earth. The Land Rover bumps up and down. I didn’t realize how deep the fissures in the earth were until that moment. Up, down, up, down the vehicle stops in a crevice. Alan restarts the vehicle. I hold on to the handle bar in front of me. And look out the side of the Land Rover where the door would be. Alan had me sit in the spotters seat that trip. The side doors and windshield had been removed to allow for easy viewing of animals and tracks in the dirt.

 Now it gave me a clear view of the earth as the vehicle tipped sideways in another fissure in the earth. I think to myself, “Oh no, we are going to be stuck here.” And I wonder if our guide will get in trouble for going off road. Then I think to myself. “I am a sitting duck to that leopard out there.” I hold my breath. Alan restarts the engine and we are half way to the location the impala’s were watching. We move forward. “There it is.”

I look ahead and finally see a hind leg and tail of the crouching leopard moving quickly to the small thicket of dried brush. I can not believe how his coat blends in with his environment. We are about half way to the brush from where we left the road. I can’t believe that this is the second time in my journey a guide broke the rules for something I really wanted to see.

“I am afraid it’s gone.” Alan says as we drive closer to the thicket. “I didn’t see it leave the thicket. There is a blind spot where we couldn’t see but it could be there.” I reply. We turn gradually left and make our way around the small thicket. The passenger side, my side, of the vehicle is towards the five meter in diameter brush we saw the leopard run toward.

All eyes were on the brush; Cameras ready. Then I hear a deep, long roar which ended in a high pitch and I was eye to eye with the leopard. Faster than a snap of a finger the leopard pivoted and ran in the opposite direction. I didn’t even lift my camera at first as I realized my feet were about three meters from that leopard. There was a split second I had thought I was going to be its meal.

As it pivoted I saw the incredible strength in it’s hind legs. Every muscle worked in perfect unison to go from zero to a full sprint instantaneously. The feet all came together an out so quickly. I stood up, turned and just watched. Then, I remembered my camera. I snapped two pictures and then he was gone. It was a large male and he was so big, so fast. I had seen the leopard and he was beautiful.

Original Post:
http://evonlagrou.com/tag/south-luangwa-national-park/

Norman Carr Safaris’ first “wildly luxurious” lodge in Luangwa Valley

Norman Carr Safaris (NCS) has revealed details of the first “wildly luxurious” sustainable bush camp in Zambia’s game-rich Luangwa. Scheduled to open in March 2013, the Chinzombo camp is being designed by acclaimed architects Silvio Rech and Lesley Carstens, the visionaries behind North Island in the Seychelles and Little Vumbura Camp, an eco-luxe lodge in Botswana’s Okavango Delta. The architects’ signature style is low-impact eco design, using sustainably sourced materials as well as local building methods and craftspeople.

Chinzombo represents another step in the evolution of the Rech and Carsten luxury bush camp design philosophy. For the first time, modernist architectural forms are being combined with the organic geometry and regional materials of indigenous Zambian building methods to create a new, groundbreaking type of bush camp.

Built on the site of one of Norman’s original camps, Chinzombo comprises six WiFi-equipped spacious villas, one with capacity to accommodate a family of five. The villas, which appear to float over the landscape, are nestled within the shade of ancient trees on a ridge which follows a loop in the Luangwa River. Minimalist in design, the villas’ modern steel-framed structures contrast with the natural materials used in the décor and interiors.

The villas contain large, cooled bedrooms, luxurious bathrooms and private plunge pools on shady decks overlooking the Luangwa River. Materials are natural, including locally-produced leather, reed-work and canvas while floors are made of recycled composite timber. There is little concrete or brick, and the décor features raw linen, timber, copper and hand-made crockery. Local weavers, pottery makers and carvers have been commissioned to create many of the interiors.

A winding foot path shaded by mahogany trees connects the accommodation and lounge/dining area. Fitness fanatics will find a yoga and exercise area and spa facilities; nature lovers will appreciate a place where both wildlife and natural vegetation flourish, unhindered by vast tracts of landscaping, game fences, roads or other man-made installations.

Chinzombo honours its history: conservationist Norman Carr promulgated experiencing the African bush while respecting both the natural landscape and local traditions. Today his philosophy is called “sustainable tourism.”


Original post:

Norman Carr Safaris Offers “Elephants Never Forget” Discount

Norman Carr Safaris (NCS) is offering past guests an “Elephants Never Forget” discount of 15 percent on a seven-night safari to Zambia. Accommodations are at NCS’ flagship Kapani Lodge and at Kakuli. From March 1 accommodations will switch from Kapani to Chinzombo, a new, luxurious, sustainable safari accommodation in the Luangwa Valley.

To qualify for the discount, at least one member of the party must have stayed with NCS sometime in the past. Just submit names and dates of prior visit, so NCS can verify. The offer only applies to the seven-night Rivers and Rainbows safari, which runs from Jan. 15 to April 5, 2013, subject to availability. Once new guests have stayed with NCS, they will also qualify for the 15 percent discount on future Rivers and Rainbows safaris.

The green or emerald season of the South Luangwa is known for magnificent sunsets and skies, many migratory birds, clear night skies and occasional dramatic tropical downpours. South Luangwa National Park is considered one of the greatest wildlife sanctuaries in the world, with a tremendous concentration of game around the Luangwa River and its oxbow lagoons.

Original post:
http://www.travelpulse.com/norman-carr-safaris-offers-elephants-never-forget-discount.html

Kapani and history of the company

Kapani and history of the company

Norman Carr established Luangwa's first safari camp in 1950. Back in the days when an African safari was a hunting experience, Norman developed the pioneering idea of taking people to look at animals and photograph them rather than to shoot them.

This first safari camp was set up in partnership with the then Paramount Chief Nsefu and his people. This idea of involving the local people in the management of the wildlife was way ahead of its time. It was almost 50 years later that conservationists started developing the principles of "Community Based Natural Resource Management", in other words encouraging the traditional owners of the natural resource to take responsibility for its usage. Norman Carr's pioneering approach proved to be the forerunner to a cornerstone of modern day conservation policy.

The first 35 years of the company saw Norman set up and establish a number of safari camps across the Luangwa Valley, some of which are still in existence – Nsefu, Lion Camp, Chibembe and Chinzombo to name a few. In 1985 whilst running his safaris out of the old Mfuwe Lodge, Norman started construction on what would be his final safari camp, Kapani Lodge. He selected an elevated site overlooking the Kapani Lagoon. He knew the unpredictability of the Luangwa River well, and that this site would never flood and would never fall into the river.

Everyone associated with Norman Carr Safaris (NCS) is immensely proud of the heritage of the company. The principles of conservation and community responsibility established by Norman over half a century ago still run strongly through the company. We have been leading the way in responsible tourism in Zambia for over 60 years and we intend for that to continue.

In early 2012 we announced our new partners – the Dalais family and Chongwe Safaris in the Lower Zambezi – who along with co-owners and Directors Dave Wilson and Christina & Adrian Carr are pleased to share the next chapter of the Norman Carr Safaris adventure.

Throughout its history, NCS has always innovated; the first community based tourism, the first camps, the first walking safaris, the first community projects, the first luxury bush camps, the first all Zambian expert guiding team, the first Zambian female guide, the first majority Zambian Operations Board - the list of firsts is long!

We’re proud to continue this tradition and will continue to lead the way in innovation, the use of new ‘green’ technology, staff training and development and community involvement.

For Norman Carr Safaris, it has always been and continues to be all about CONSERVATION THROUGH TOURISM.

Original: http://www.normancarrsafaris.com

And a picture gallery: http://www.normancarrsafaris.com/#!/gallery/Camps/Kapani

Norman Carr Safaris receives recognition

Norman Carr Safaris receives recognition at the first SATOA Travel Awards

13 Sep 2012 by Philly Denlegh-Maxwell

Many congratulations to Norman Carr Safaris, whose family friendly Kapani Lodge received recognition at the inaugural SATOA Travel Awards. Kapani received the ‘Best Accommodation in Africa’ award at the event, which took place at the Zimbabwe Embassy on Wednesday 12 September.
Honour Schram de Jong accepted the award on behalf of the team at Norman Carr Safaris.


Kapani Lodge is a comfortable family lodge situated on the banks of one of the Luangwa River’s many ox-bow lagoons. It is located close to the main Mfuwe area of the South Luangwa, one of the finest National Parks in Zambia. Its location ensures an excellent safari experience year-round as well as access to numerous community activities. The lodge can accommodate up to 18 guests across its rooms, suites and ‘Lagoon House’, offers al fresco dining options and has a large, secluded swimming pool.
Norman Carr, the father of Zambian conservation and tourism built Kapani in 1986 and made it his home until his death in 1997. He earned the reputation as a tireless conservationist and was the founding father of photographic walking safaris and the concept of “eco-tourism” in Zambia. His legacy continues to live through his family and dedicated staff – Kapani is still the home of the Carr.
SATOA is a non-profit travel and tourism association which promotes travel to Africa and the Indian Ocean. Members include hotels, game reserves, lodges, tour operators, ground handlers, car hire companies, tourism boards, airlines and representation companies among others. This was the organisation’s inaugural annual Travel Awards.

Read original:

http://www.prco.com/uk/property-pr/norman-carr-safaris-receives-recognition-at-the-first-satoa-travel-awards/

Norman Carr Safaris to Open Luxury Lodge in Zambia’s Luangwa

Norman Carr Safaris is planning a new luxurious and sustainable camp in Zambia’s Luangwa Valley. Christina Carr, director of Norman Carr Safaris, characterized the new property as a “wildly luxurious,” sustainable bush camp in Zambia’s game-rich Luangwa, valley of the leopard. The new camp is called Chinzombo. It is being designed by South African architects Silvio Rech and Lesley Carstens, designers of North Island Resort in the Seychelles and Little Vumbura Camp in Botswana’s Okavango Delta. The architects are known for low-impact eco design incorporating the work of local craftspeople.

Carr said that Chinzombo represents “another step in the evolution of the Rech and Carsten luxury bush camp design philosophy,” with modernist architectural forms combined with organic geometry, regional materials and indigenous Zambian building methods. The property is being built where Norman Carr stayed during Luangwa’s Emerald Season,

Chinzombo will have six villas, one that can accommodate a family of five or more. Villas are Wi-Fi-equipped. The villas stand under shade trees on a ridge over a loop in the Luangwa River. The villas have large, air-conditioned bedrooms, luxurious bathrooms and private plunge pools on shady decks overlooking the Luangwa River. Materials are natural, and includes locally produced leather, reed-work and canvas. Floors are made of recycled composite timber. There is no concrete or brick. Décor utilizes raw linen, timber, copper and hand-made crockery. The property will open for business March 1, 2013.

Original article here

Norman Carr Safaris

Walking holidays in Zambia

Exhilarating to the point of addiction... that’s what walking with big game feels like if you’ve only ever seen animals from a safari vehicle.

Expert Africa offers a safari experience in the South Luangwa - Zambia’s premier park - whereby the second person essentially safaris for free.

Staying in at least two of Norman Carr Safari’s five well-established camps (Kapani, Kakuli and Mchenja, which offer a mixture of driving and walking activities; and Luwi and Nsolo, focusing almost solely on walking safaris), you’ll enjoy top-notch guiding, learn to sniff out elephants and to follow the tracks of hyenas.

You don’t need to be especially fit to walk in Zambia – the walks are about taking time to spot the signs of the wildlife and to learn how the ecosystems work.

And you’ll be accompanied not only by a professional guide, but also an armed game scout, and often a tea-bearer carrying refreshments. Walks cater for a maximum of six guests, but between two and five is the norm.

Originally appeared here

A brand new camp for Norman Carr Safaris!

Norman Carr Safaris 2012 – 2013 – new partners, a new logo, a new camp and all the latest news!

Norman Carr Safaris has been operating wildlife safari in Zambia’s Luangwa valley for over 60 years. The inspiration of visionary conservationist and responsible tourism pioneer Norman Carr – his family and staff continue in his footsteps to this day.

With new partners - namely the Dalais family and Chongwe Safaris in the Lower Zambezi – this ever innovative company is able to announce their plans for the future and share the next chapter of the Norman Carr adventure.

NCS and Chongwe Safaris are now linked in a close “family” partnership. Not only will they be able to share knowledge and skills but they will be able to offer a wide range of exciting new safari experiences.

The creation of a new camp - Chinzombo just upstream of Kapani Lodge on the banks of the Luangwa river starts shortly. Something completely new for the Luangwa Valley, it will be super luxurious with spacious living areas that melt into the exquisite surroundings of the beautiful, tranquil site.

Chinzombo used to be Norman's green season base when he was running Chibembe Camp way back in the 1970’s and the Carr family and staff, together with their new partners are thrilled to be giving this unique place a new life. The gigantic, ancient shade trees, the peace and tranquillity, the views from its riverside location and teeming wildlife that wanders through camp plus the private access direct in to the most game rich area of the National Park make it something really special.

The 6 "villas", one of which is a suite with extra space for families and small groups, will all have private plunge pools, cooled sleeping areas, massive bathrooms with luxurious spa amenities, and most importantly - one of the best guiding teams in Zambia creating unique and exclusive adventures for the most discerning safari guests.

Chinzombo will be the perfect place from which to explore the majestic wilds of the Luangwa Valley in style, luxury and exclusivity. The NCS bush camps Luwi, Nsolo and Kakuli will retain their essence of wild adventure, a few added touches like fans in the rooms, new game viewing vehicles and new bathroom fittings, linens, crystal, crockery and cutlery will just enhance the experience in these, the wildest feeling camps in the area and the only camps along the course of the captivating Luwi River. The focus will still be on pure, wild adventure.

Mchenja Camp will have upgrades throughout. It will also focus on wildlife and adventure but with even more little luxurious touches and indulgences. Kapani Lodge – the NCS base for so many years will remain HQ. The lodge will also be getting a facelift and will be launched as a new type of offering for families, small groups and those who want to experience the Luangwa but are on a lower budget.

From early 2013 Kapani will re-open at unbelievably affordable rates. Dining will be communal and buffet style, game drives won't be private but shared with a few other like minded guests. What guests miss in flexibility and exclusivity - they will gain back in the low rates and affordability of the experience.

Norman Carr Safaris

The perfect classroom: learn photo tricks on Zambian safari

Award-winning photographer David Rogers has spent the last 15 years of his life capturing stunning scenes of the South and East African landscape at hundreds of different locations. Now, he has teamed up with the renowned and extremely exclusive Robin Pope Safaris to offer his expertise on wildlife photography in the world's biggest classroom: the South Luangwa Valley of Zambia.


Read more

Norman Carr Safaris

We refer to another blog post that we found very informative:

Norman Carr Safaris consists of Kapani Lodge , an eight-room luxury lodge adjacent to the South Luangwa National Park, and four seasonal luxurious bush camps, dotted in isolated areas of the park, each with its own personality (some tented, some built with reeds). Even though they are called bush camps, they are completely rebuilt every season, all en-suite with open-air showers and no attention to detail spared.

Read more and see videos at:

Read More

Top 10 safari destinations in Africa

One of the main reasons most travelers choose to visit Africa is her wildlife parks and conservancies. These are certainly the highlight of any African trip, and here is the BootsnAll top ten choice of African wildlife destinations.

10 - Mana Pools Zimbabwe: These days Mana Pools is a little bit of a forgotten backwater on the African eco-travel map. The recent history of Zimbabwe has tended to isolate it from the mainstream which has done very little to help the conservation effort.

Mana is unique because it is different. The park is situated on 2500 square kilometers on the south bank of the Zambezi River. The area is a mix of riverine habitat rich in crocodile and hippo, floodplains supporting large herds of herbivores and a back-country of low lying Mopane woodland interspersed with thousands of mature baobabs.

The diversity of wildlife and scenic interest is just one of the reasons why Mana Pools should be a tick on your map of southern African eco destinations.

9 – Gorongosa Mozambique: This park, situated in north central Mozambique, is one of the region’s oldest and most troubled conservancies. Once the jewel of the colonial Portuguese conservation effort, and denuded almost to extinction during Mozambique’s series of civil wars, it is now one of the most visitable parks in the region.

Also of mixed habitat, the vortex of the park is a wet depression that supports a rich variety of vegetation that in turn provides succor and habitat to a huge diversity of wildlife. To the west lies Mount Gorongosa with its large number of endemics and unusual forest habitat. To the east wooded Miombo hill country offers shaded sanctuary to the more elusive of the African plains species.

Slowly being restocked, Gorongosa is still a work in progress, but is the focus of much international money and interest, and for the moment seems to have an assured future.

8 - South Luangwa Zambia: One of the principal watersheds of this large southern African nation is the Luangwa River which runs north to south along the east of the country, flowing ultimately into the great Zambezi. A significant section of the river frontage is reserved under the protection of two national parks. The North and South Luangwa National Parks are allied but different, and of the two it is South Luangwa that is the more popular.

Covering an area of 4636 square kilometers of the river’s east bank, South Luangwa offers a mix of riverine and floodplain habitat with high cliffs and forested hilltops. The park supports excellent wildlife diversity and offers the option of walking safaris.

This park is fairly new to the circuit, but is easily accessible, well maintained and protected, and served with excellent lodge and camp hospitality options.

7-Kruger National Park South Africa: This is one of Africa’s flagship wildlife destinations and one that sets the bar extremely high in the matter of wildlife conservation, breeding, research and study. As a consequence it can seem a little overdeveloped although the up-side is that all you ever hoped to see of African wildlife and more will be found here.

Kruger is an authentic bushveld destination with wooded savanna and acacia thornveld being the predominant habitats. This is also quintessential big game country where you can be justly disappointed if you do not regularly bump into the Big Five.

Easily accessible, well funded and managed, and exceptionally well and efficiently served with all the necessary amenities. This is a great option for beginners. It is civilized bundu-bashing in a developed-world atmosphere.

6 - Khalaghadi TransFrontier Conservation Area South Africa: This is another of South Africa’s superbly run national parks. Linked under international treaty (the Peace Parks Foundation) with Botswana, the combination of two enormous wilderness preserves in the Central Kalahari has opened up a vast an uninhibited safari area for those equipped for rough travel.

The better traveled region of the park is easily accessible and in a desert and semi-desert environment some of the signature scenery of Africa can be enjoyed from the deck of a luxury camp or lodge. Penetrate deeper into the wilderness and you can park your Landrover under a baobab and neither see or hear another human being for weeks.

A great option for enthusiasts, second timers and expedition junkies. Expect to see the Big Five with many other more localized or endemic species.

5 - Masai Mara Kenya: This is the sister park to the iconic Serengeti National Park and is a continuation of the same broad eco-zone. The annual migration of antelope species in astonishing numbers that define the region usually begins and ends in the Masai Mara. This is one of Kenya’s signature wildlife destinations so it is both heavily visited and carefully controlled.

However the inevitable jostle at certain times of the years is compensated for by one of Africa’s most Eden-like landscapes replete with natural splendor. Masai Mara is large – some 25 000 square kilometers - and is composed mostly of open grasslands and plains. The justly famous East African hospitality industry reaches its zenith in places like the Masai Mara so expect some of the highest standards of luxury on the planet.

This is an all-comers national park with something for everyone. The Big Five are dominated here by lion and cheetah but you can hardly fail to run into the rest too. Altogether an accessible, well managed and protected national park with some of the best photographic potential in Africa.

4 - Etosha Pan Namibia: Namibia is one of the most celebrated safari destinations in Africa. With a sparse population and all the wide open spaces a body can absorb, this is wild Africa with a very civilized underbelly. Etosha Pan is in a dry and unforgiving corner of the continent but despite that it is one of the most rewarding of the regional eco-destinations to visit.

Well managed, isolated and well protected this expanse of bushveld surrounding a seldom flooded pan enjoys unique ecological perspectives as well as all the best of African game safaris. The Namibians are excellent at long range 4×4 adventure, so for a little outlay an authentic African safari adventure is there for the taking.

Very wild and very real, this park is nonetheless easy to get to, easy to see and comfortable in the grand colonial tradition. Practical for all budgets. You can get the best and the most basic here.

3 - W National Park Niger: This park scores the highest points in Africa for interest. Very few eco-travelers ambulating the continent with binoculars in hand ever give much thought to West Africa. This is thanks mainly to the popular perception of teeming populations and very limited surviving natural heritage. Across most of the region this is true, but at the thee corners of Niger, Benin and Burkina Faso a unique configuration of river and land has been preserved as the W-National Park, a responsibility nominally shared between these three countries.

This regional conservancy covers some 10 000 square kilometers of largely uninhabited territory dominated by the delta of the Mekrou River with the Niger River. It is broken by rocky hills and expanses of bushveld. Equally unexpected wildlife encounters are frequent here with one of the last surviving populations of West African elephant and rare West African giraffe. Also expect to see cheetah, Lion and leopard with possible sighting of African painted wild-dog. Besides this there are many antelope species. W-National Park is a sought after birding destination.

So all in all an unusual eco-travel option with a frontier feel since facilities are scarce and access tricky. It is worth the effort though as Africa’s number 3 option.

2 - Okavango Delta Botswana: This is the Eden of the south. One of very few international inland deltas, the Okavango is a product of the Okavango River finding no outlet to the sea but instead spilling into the Kalahari desert and creating a vast and spectacular oasis that is home to some of Africa’s most unusual and prolific wildlife destinations.

The Delta is not wholly protected and is technically an area of mixed usage. Human habitation is present but limited, and on the whole the region is given over to wildlife. The main area of national park is Moremi Game Reserve which links in the north with Chobe National Park. Both are among the most important eco-destinations in the region.

Both parks have a riverine/riparian aspect with access by dugout and other river-craft. With generally superb standards of game management throughout Botswana you can expect to see the best of the Big Five and much more besides.

1 - Northern Circuit Tanzania: This is not one destination but several. The Tanzanian Northern Circuit revolves around the iconic Serengeti National Park, but it also includes the equally iconic Ngorongoro Crater Reserve and a handful of smaller destinations including Tarangire National Park, Lake Manyara National Park, Lake Eyasi, Arusha National Park and of course who could forget Kilimanjaro National Park.

The usual way to get the best of the Northern Circuit is a climb/safari packages that taxes your physical endurance and then soothes it with a relaxing safari among some of the greatest natural treasures in the world, and among some of the most esteemed representatives of the global hospitality industry.

In every respect the eco-travel potential in this region is superb. Although budget travel is not really encouraged, it is possible, but it is only when you dig deep in your pocket and spoil yourself with luxury that you will get the best that this region has to offer.

Features include the annual migration that takes place between the Masai Mara and the Serengeti every year. If you are lucky enough to catch this you will have witnessed one of the world’s greatest natural phenomenon.

http://www.adventurelogue.com/travelnews/top-10-safari-trips-destinations-in-africa.html

Luangwa: Jack Fasari on Zambia and Walking Safaris

Why Jack likes both

It rained in mid June, not just a little rain but an enormous Biblical downpour for a couple of days. Some areas had over 100mm and quite a number of safari operators were caught out ending up getting their vehicles well and truly bogged in places they shouldn’t have. Some even had to get tractors to pull them out.

Not only that, but the flood that hit Maun is the highest for decades. There is water in places where it was only ever seen if the sprinklers were on. So I take my hat off to the old beardies who predicted this year would be a big one, they were right and doesn’t the delta and surrounding areas look fantastic.

Lake Ngami which hasn’t filled for years is not only getting water from the North, near Toteng but also, because at last the dam built by the mining companies to direct water down the Boteti river only, has been bulldozed away and the Nhabe River is once again flowing into the lake from the East.

The Zambezi is pumping like I haven’t seen it in years as well. Paradoxically this makes the white-water rafting a bit tame, due to the sheer volume of water smoothing out all the rapids.

However the jet-boating below the falls is fantastic and if you are going to Livingstone or the town of Victoria Falls then you have to see the actual falls from the air. It is the only way to get a true view of just how magnificent they actually are especially with the billions of gallons going over them at the moment and the best way to do it as far as I am concerned is in a microlight.

Yes this does sort of resemble a lawnmower engine attached to a kite, but it flies low and slow and you really are out there, in the breeze, so you get to see and really get a feel for the full, awesome power of the falls as the water plunges over the edge and it’s not as wet as walking around the falls, which believe me is quite wet at the moment.

Talking of walking. It is all very well sitting on a safari vehicle being driven by a good looking, knowledgeable safari guide, but if you really want to get down and dusty and experience Africa from a prey’s eye point of view you can’t beat a bit of a stroll in the bush. Not many places cater for walking in the wilderness, although there are quite a few places in South Africa, but let’s be honest walking where there is no dangerous game is a bit tame.

To make a walking safari exciting there needs to be at least the hint of a bit of danger, a decent dose of adrenaline when something crashes away unseen, into the bushes, a frisson of excitement as you slowly approach a group of elephant bulls or buffalos, a quickening of the heart and a fluttering of the guts when you see that first, fresh lion track on the path you are walking - otherwise what’s the point.

Zambia has a very well deserved reputation for running probably the best walking safaris in Africa. Pioneered years ago by a guy called Norman Carr and his associates in the Luangwa valley the Zambians have it down to a fine art nowadays.

It takes a lot to beat the sheer pleasure of stretching your legs in the bush of South Luangwa National Park. There are various companies you can go with Norman Carr Safaris obviously, Shenton Safaris and Robin Pope Safaris to name a few. The last time I was there we walked around about 8km (5miles) every morning, arriving hot and not a little sweaty but exhilarated by our experiences at a different camp every lunchtime to be reunited with our bags, cold beers, showers and our tents or grass chalets.

Game driving in the afternoons and some fabulous night drives, where I think the group managed to see leopards (plural) every night was just the right balance for everyone, I am not a big fan of night drives but for some reason they seem to turn up much more stuff in South Luangwa than elsewhere or maybe I have just been lucky, you need a bit of that on a safari.

If you can’t stretch to a full walking safari but are in Livingstone in Zambia one very good option is to go for a walk in the Mosi o Tunya National Park. A morning’s mooch around this great little park is well worth putting aside a few hours for. I took my group with Livingstone Walking Safaris (how did they come up with that name?) who were superb, the pick-up was bang on time we had a great guide who started off the walk with tea, coffee, muffins and a very reassuring safety talk and not only did hairy-chested Jack Fasaris have to hide from elephants much to the groups amusement but we walked so close to giraffe I realise it is the only way guests can actually appreciate how tall they are and just how graceful such a big animal actually is.

There was loads of other stuff to see and our guide seemed to spot it all from the biggest hippo to the smallest insects and he had something to say about everything (it’s what us guides are good at!) We got a good butchers (look) at a herd of buffalo and best of all we got to see a rhino close up, and that was just about the high point, not only for the group but for me as well. On top of all that (apart from the muffins obviously) I felt that I’d walked off a bit of that fat accumulated in the Landcruiser over the last few weeks and therefore thoroughly deserved my enormous chocolate drenched afternoon tea at The Royal Livingstone Hotel.

http://planyoursafari.com/blog/jack-fasari-on-zambia-and-walking-safaris/

KIDS FOR FREE WITH NORMAN CARR SAFARIS

FOR EVERY FULL PAYING ADULT – ONE CHILD STAYS FREE OF CHARGE.

Only flights and National Park fees to pay.

Offer applies from July 1st to October 31st 2009.

No minimum stay, applies to children up to the age of 17.

Children will stay in the same room as full paying adults. All accommodation, meals, drinks and game viewing activities are free of charge for each child traveling with full paying adult. Offer applies to Kapani Lodge but if availability and child’s age allows – bush camps may be included in the safari.

Contact

Kapani@normancarrsafaris.com

for a quote and further details

Luangwa Valley

The Luangwa Valley is famous because of its walking safaris and this is without doubt the most thrilling way of seeing the bush and game.

South Luangwa National Park located at the tail end of the Great Rift Valley covers almost 3500 square miles of Zambia's pristine wilderness. The park consists of large amounts of woodland; miombo interspersed with grass lands in the north of the park and large stands of mature ebony forming deep shade along the banks of the river.

It is the Luangwa River, slowly meandering its way through the park from north to south, which gives the park it's particul+ar character. The soft soil and shallow gradient between the north and south of the park, combine to make ideal conditions for the formation of the oxbow lakes for which South Luangwa is well known. These Oxbows eventually silt up and grass over. This is one of the elements which produce such exceptional game viewing as well as some spectacular scenery; grassy glades, magnificent stands of ebony and tranquil lagoons teaming with birdlife. The Luangwa valley is also criss crossed with sand rivers and some shallow, clear water rivers that flow all year round.

Luangwa is well known for large populations of all the major African mammals (with the exception of Rhino, which were poached to extinction in the 80s - but are being reintroduced into North Luangwa). It has a reputation for some of the best leopard sightings in Africa. This is partly because of the ideal nature of the habitat which includes thick riverine bush with plenty of cover, lots of game and some large shady trees to lie up in and also, unlike many parks in Africa, night game driving is allowed.

There are bush buck, puku, kudu, impala, zebra (although not many in the south) the indigenous Thornicroft giraffe and all the main predators, lion, leopard etc, including wild dog and the smaller predators such as genet, civet, mongoose etc. The bird life is excellent and very vocal with the oxbows and river attracting a vast number of water birds.

The game viewing is outstanding up near Mfuwe (the park entrance) where the animals are very used to vehicles all year round. Mfuwe area is also quite busy, so you have to be prepared for other vehicles which you really notice at night because of the spot lights used on night drives. The lodges around Mfuwe are usually a base from which to go into the park and with the game being so habituated in the area, it is an idea to have a night or two at the beginning of the trip for some game drives and night drives and to then head off into the bush for the walking.

The north park and Nsefu sector which has camps such as Tena Tena, Nsefu, Kaingo, Mchenja and Tafika, is particularly beautiful with some really very impressive ebony groves. These tall and majestic trees give a dreamy dappled shade to almost lawn like grass underneath and are a haven for the game. The area is also generally more open with the huge Mtanda plains and hot springs/salt pans which certainly at the beginning of the season makes for slightly easier game viewing.

Most companies have a main lodge close to Mfuwe and then several bushcamps. These are all very individual and can very easily be combined with each other. There is also the option of doing mobile walking safaris where you walk from camp to camp.

The beauty of the bushcamps is that the day is slightly more relaxed, walking is the main activity, so you feel as though you have earned the huge amounts of delicious food on offer and you really do experience the smaller things of the bush as well as, of course, the thrill of coming across the bigger game on foot.

The main season for the Luangwa is between June and October and as the season goes on, so the Luangwa river dries up leaving vast sandbanks and huge pods of hippo, all jealously guarding their own territories. The Luangwa also boasts one of the largest population of crocodile in Africa and there are some very impressive beasts to be seen basking in the sun. The animals come to the main areas of water to drink, which is obviously the river, but is also some of the oxbow lagoons that lead off the river. The drier it gets the more the animals congregate and you can get herds of over 1000 buffalo. Just after the rains in October the Luangwa bursts into flower and there are areas full of wild jasmine and other flowering shrubs. The impala drop their young and it can be a magical time of year to visit.

The Luangwa is also stunning in the emerald season. The inland areas of the park are impassable because of flooding and much of the park is made up of black cotton soil which is a nightmare in the rains. However around Mfuwe there are some great roads and the animals all concentrate around the area as the rest of the park floods. They breed, so there are lots of babies around and the rivers fill up so you can do boating activities. The bush turns emerald green and it really is a beautiful time to travel. During this season there are a couple of bush camps still open where you area able to walk or do boating safaris.

http://www.naturalhighsafaris.com/zambia/subregion/south_luangwa.html

Trails in the Wilderness – or Wilderness Trails

If you have ever wondered about the origin of walking safaris in Africa, it might interest you to read what the legendary Norman Carr writes in one of his books – when he mentions the “game reserve” he is referring to the Luangwa Valley:

Trails in the Wilderness - Wilderness Trails

Not so many years ago I inaugurated a non-shooting type of safari with a difference, which I called ‘wilderness trail’. (Later known as “Wilderness Trails”.) It is virtually a walking tour in the game reserve, miles away from habitation or man-made tracks, with a trail of porters carrying one’s requirements in the traditional African manner; in fact little changed from the methods of Livingstone and Stanley.

Such a safari always brings back to me nostalgic memories of earlier times when the only means of transportation was on foot. It helps to recall, too, a sense of completeness, of peaceful unity with nature, and to conjure up idyllic scenes of animals grazing undisturbed in peaceful riverine glades, where there is always time to pause and study their uninhibited actions without any feelings of guilt because you are wasting somebody else’s time.

Time nowadays is a commodity that increases in value with each succeeding year. Every hour not spent rushing from one place to another seems to be a debit entry which will have to be accounted for on the Day of Reckoning. Time was invented by man and he has now made himself a slave to it. It is a pity, for it is impossible, traveling at thirty miles an hour, to get to know an area intimately and to reflect on the intricate relationship between the soils, the vegetation and the fauna.

Africa has now been opened up to the four-wheel-drive vehicle and a journey that used to take a month can now be accomplished in a day or so. Very little touring on foot is undertaken any more, even by field officers, who now take Unimogs and Halflingers into areas too much even for Land Rovers – horrible dinky-toy contraptions consisting of a platform on wheels propelled by noisy, smelly engines from which every animal flees.

How peaceful and revealing it is by contrast to sit in camp at the end of a day’s trek and watch, for example, a pair of white-headed plovers sharing their nesting duties. Their nest is a mere depression in the sandy riverbed – I think perhaps a ‘scrape’ is a better description – and they make no attempt to embellish it. The four cryptic buff-colored eggs are cunningly camouflaged and practically impossible to see against the background of sand and stones, which the bird has selected, as its nesting site. If anyone should approach, the plover will cheep and twitter hysterically, sometimes even dive-bomb you and then fly off to a patch of beach some distance off, performing all kinds of peculiar antics in order to divert your attention from the nest. How can you possibly enjoy these little domestic displays from the seat of a motorcar?

Then again, to talk around the campfire to men who have now become individuals rather than a line of porters carrying their burdens is an experience in itself. For any one of them has a lifetime of knowledge and anecdotes, which he is only too ready to impart. How else can you get to know the intriguing customs and traditions of these simple and natural people? How else unravel the apparently inextricable confusion between their own astute observations and their naïve acceptance of folklore? (Norman was deeply respected by the local people – and he had learned to speak the local language.)

It is to these trails that I look back with great pleasure. They are difficult to capture exactly, but I would like to give others an opportunity to savor something of the excitement, the glamour and the atmosphere of Africa as it used to be.

On this sort of safari I like to restrict my guests to four, for it is difficult for one leader to look after more than this number without a party becoming a crowd. Usually we break camp early in the morning, for that is the time when the animals are most active. You might catch sight of some of the night prowlers returning late to their hideout – a honey badger, a hyena, or even a lion before it settles down in the shade to laze away the heat-laden hours until the sun’s slanting rays become cool enough for him once again to pad his haughty way along the forest tracks.

http://www.fundednfree.com/normancarr.html

Luangwa Valley

To anyone who has ever visited the Luangwa Valley, the following blog entry by PH Craig Doria with the headline "Puff Adders, Cobras and Floodwaters" will fascinate. Read the original posting - link at the end of this story.

"There is a huge wild valley in Zambia called the Luangwa Valley that just cannot be tamed. Of course, people have lived there since time immemorial, but they were unable to modify their world to any significant degree because the environment was just too tough for them.

In the 1790s chief Kazembe of the Lunda encouraged the first Europeans, the Portuguese, to open trade routes from Tete into Luangwa. The Portuguese found the place to be inhospitable and dangerous. They were plagued by malaria and troubled by wild animals.

In time, however, the Portuguese government granted estates throughout the Luangwa Valley, called Prazos, to families of mostly mixed Goan and African parentage. The Prazo owners formed their own bands of mercenaries and fought each other in this wild, lawless country. The ‘armies’ became known as the Chikunda, which is what the current inhabitants of the Luangwa Valley are often known as. By the 1890s Jose d’Araujo Lobo was the most powerful Prazo owner with an army of 12,000 men.

The strongest challenge to the Portuguese came from the Ngoni, an offshoot of the Zulu nation who were moving up from the south. The Arab traders from the coast also challenged them. But the British were the ones who finally forced the Portuguese to leave the valley, chased out the Arabs, and conquered the Ngoni.

What is particularly interesting about this rich history is that today one sees very little physical evidence of the Luangwa Valley’s past.

It has all been eaten by termites.

And things have not changed very much. We all built houses there, and lodges, and camps, and every so often the Valley (as it is affectionately known) reminds us that it is its own master. Every rainy season in fact.

I have never seen such active termites as in the Luangwa Valley. During the rains it seems that they go onto steroids and quite literally eat everything. We used to walk up to the bar at the nearby lodge in the evenings, and by the time we returned home the termites would have built a series of small towers coming up out of all the small cracks in the concrete floors. These humble beginnings of termite mounds could be four inches high when we caught them by surprise building away in our lounge. A colleague living nearby had a large personal library and kept each book in its own separate ziplock bag in order to keep them away from the busy jaws of the termites. They ate the back wall of our house and the thatch roof.

Snakes also come out aplenty during the rains. Big ones, small ones, medium-sized ones, up to five of them a day around the house and lodge. We had one particularly large cobra that seemed to live in a huge termite mound outside our house. Several evenings while we were drinking at the bar, our night watchman would come running up to tell us that this large snake was in the house and wreaking havoc. The snake was able to enter through the poorly crafted thatch roof, which was not good when our children were all tucked up sleeping in their beds. We would go down and usually find nothing. On one occasion, though, we found all the bottles on the bathroom shelf knocked to the ground. Then one day I found him in the roof of the outside long-drop and shot him from the inside with a 12-bore shotgun. It wasn’t very good for the roof.

Everyone tried to stay open year round and struggled through each rainy season with a dribble of wet tourists. Some new operators arrived, and one actually said to me in the bar late one night, “I’m going to show you guys how to run a proper safari business here.”

He sold his camp a couple of years later to an unsuspecting romantic.

There are a very small handful of safari operators and professional hunters who have lived in this valley for a long time. Adrian Carr is one of those people. Some readers might know Adrian due to a well-published, but unfortunate, accident with a fine Rigby rifle back in the 1970s. But that story has been documented elsewhere.

We had our small ramshackle collection of huts about 200 yards from Adrian’s house, and I apprenticed under him when I was doing my PH licence. So we got to spend a lot of time together in the bush.

We had a frightening encounter with a snake some years back. A buffalo had been wounded and we were following it. We spooked it twice, and each time we became a little more tense. Finally it entered the thicket along a dry, sand river. In we went and soon realized that its tracks were meandering back and forth and crossing themselves. We became even more tense. Eventually we found ourselves in a large stand of tall hyphereania. The two trackers were ahead of us and bent double, faces almost to the ground following the tiny drops of blood. We were behind, peering for all we were worth into the thick bush for any sign of the buffalo. Safety catches were probably off and fingers were probably curling ever so lightly around triggers. The buffalo just had to be close.

And then the two trackers turned into something molten and flowed back past us with such speed that we were slightly distracted by the sheer grace of it. My first conscious thought was, “OK, here it comes.” But there was no noise. No crashing of undergrowth and no heavy thumping of hooves.

And then Adrian leapt back, one nanosecond behind the trackers. That left me … brave … to face the music, and thinking, “That’s unlike Adrian.” And then I leapt back another nanosecond behind Adrian. And in that instant of us all leaping back we saw in front of us a spectre from every universal nightmare from every age of horror.

A seven-foot-long, two-headed puff adder was striking at us with both its hideous mouths agape and all four hideous fangs dripping with yellow venom. After leaping we staggered backwards, tripping over each other and stumbling to a rest several yards back. The buffalo was forgotten.

It took some time and a lot of confused chattering between all four of us:
“Huge snake!”
“Two heads!”
“Striking!”
“Both heads!”
“Let’s have a cigarette.”
But finally we went back to see the two-headed beast. By now, being a snake, and not very smart, it had settled down to doing what it had been doing before we had stalked so quietly onto it.

There, in an excited state of sexual bliss, and still joined at the vent, were two extremely large mating puff adders. With a long stick we hooked one up and it came with its partner attached. Inseparable they were.

But back to the story at hand.

Everyone with any sense knew that sooner or later the Luangwa River would flood properly. But we all built camps on the river. Of course!

Then in the rains of 2007 the river came up. Then it came up some more. “Oh it’s not too bad,” everyone said, “It’s good to have a proper rainy season for a change. This is just how the river should look at this time of year.”

And then overnight it rose even higher, and all the camps along the river were flooded. Water came up high enough that it flowed through windows and into well-decorated chalets. The lodges were all abandoned while everyone waited for the water to drop. And while everyone felt sorry for the lodge owners who lost a lot, it was really the local villagers who lost everything. These descendents of the Chikunda fighters had houses built of mud mostly along the banks of the Luangwa River’s tributaries. They all disappeared and people were left, standing on the edge of the one raised road that runs to the airport, with pathetic collections of what they had managed to salvage.

After a time the water started to go down, and the safari operators slowly started to move cautiously back in. The buildings were all awash with mud and slush. Adrian came back early and waded through what was normally dry land but was now a flooding Luangwa River, to get to his house that was on a slightly raised piece of land and thus almost dry. The water had receded enough to be lapping at the kitchen step.

Adrian and his partner Christina waded through flowing floodwater to their house and climbed the back step to survey the disaster. The inside of the house was, of course, a muddy mess, as they sloshed disconsolately from one room to the next. And in the main bedroom they found a large, black-necked spitting cobra.

One has to have seen a big black-necked spitting cobra to really know what a powerful presence it has. They are often over six-feet-long, and jet black. So jet black that they shine the deepest blue in sunlight. The scales seem as large as bathroom tiles, and they can be as thick as your wrist. And then they always turn to look at you when you approach. This is the most disconcerting. When a snake turns its head to watch you and fixes those dark eyes on you, you stop to think. The head is thick, rounded, blunt, muscular and … scary. The venom is a powerful cocktail of cytotoxins and neurotoxins and, of course, it not only bites but will also spit this venom into your eyes. I would think that after the black mamba it must be the most awe-inspiring African snake. So, of course, everyone is scared of them.

It is easy to imagine then, the fright they must have got when they walked into their bedroom and encountered the cobra. Adrian had a .22 rifle with him, and so he shot the snake. Then he shot it again, as you do with a large cobra in your bedroom. Then he carried the corpse through the muddy house draped over a muddy broom and left it on the kitchen step. He and Christina continued their house survey.

A few minutes later they returned and the snake had gone. They still had to wade back through the water where the snake had disappeared, so Adrian decided he had to find it. So he stood on the kitchen step, leaning out and hooking into the muddy water with the broom. About three metres away a single black coil of cobra rose slowly out of the water and disappeared in a gentle swirl as the current took it further away.

In every situation like this, there is a moment at which one could have backed off and saved oneself a useful place in the theory which Darwin propounds. But all too often we show that, indeed, we could easily be removed from the gene pool with no detrimental effect to the human race.

So into the water Adrian went to go and hook the snake and remove it from where he and Christina had to wade. And then a little deeper, above the knees fishing with the broom until, “Bugger me if I don’t feel it coiling around my leg … a couple of full, tight coils. So, like a Dinka warrior I lift my leg … slowly … stork-like from the water … and all six feet of shiny black snake is around my leg.” And if that wasn’t bad enough to send one to never-ending therapy, he continues: “The mouth is partially open, right up against my calf.”

Adrian had visions of dying cobras that we have seen bite pieces of wood or even themselves, but he somehow managed “to reach down ever so slowly and grab it just behind the head, all the while expecting a full bite.”

And his story ends thus “… I was shaking like a leaf. We then had a nice cup of tea (with lots of rum).”

http://russelhunter.wordpress.com/2009/03/26/puff-adders-cobras-and-floodwaters/

World Big Cat Safaris

The new sister company of the successful World Primate Safaris has now been launched.

World Primate Safaris is a very successful specialist tour operator that sends people out ot Africa and Asia to track some of the most endangered primates in the world, and at the end of 2008 their sister company World Big Cat Safaris was launched.

Again, World Big Cat Safaris relies on their expert knowledge of the areas they specialise in to
make themselves different to everyone else. The 3 tour consultants in the office are ex tour leaders and guides from the various regions of Africa and so their first hand knowledge is second to none.

World Big Cat Safaris are specialists safaris to track the Big Cats of the world. They tailor adventure or luxury safaris with a selection of mobile camps and luxury lodges in some of the best wildlife areas in the world...Safari Holidays are our speciality whether it be a tiger safari in India or an African Safari to Botswana.
World Big Cat Safaris donates a percentage of each safari sold towards the conservation of endangered Big Cats throughout the world. Holidays can be tailored to meet each specific clients requirements including luxury honeymoon safaris, family African Safaris, walking safaris and much, much, more.

World Big Cat Safaris offers a selection of traditional Kenya Safari Holidays to see the savannah game of the Masai Mara. Kenya is at the forefront of wildlife conservation and community led initiatives and is perfect for a honeymoon safari or family safari and beach relaxation.

Tanzania is a prime wildlife safari destination. Your Tanzania Safari can combine the wonderful Serengeti National Park, the stunning Ngorongoro Crater and the pristine tropical islands of Zanzibar or Pemba. Your Tanzania Safari should make the most of the fantatsic selection of luxury lodges and camps that are now available throughout Tanzania.

Wildlife in Botswana is the highlight. The Okavango Delta and Chobe National Park provide the ultimate locations for your Botswana Safari. An expensive safari destination, Botswana provides luxury safari accommodation with unique access to private concessions providing the ultimate in wildlife safari viewing.
Your South African Safari can consist of a multitude of interesting activities including a wildlife safari in the Kruger National Park or its surrounding private concessions, the winelands of the Cape and some of the most scenic coastal drives in the world. A luxury South African safari is actually very good value for money in comparison to other African Safari destinations.

Zambia Safaris are up and coming as Zambia is new as an African Safari destination. Your Zambia Safari will concentrate primarily on a few areas, including South Luangwa Valley, Lower Zambezi, Kafue National Park and the renowned Victoria Falls. Walking Safaris are also a highlight with some of the best African Safari guides available on the continent.

A Tiger Safari in India is the highlight of any wildlife enthusiast’s career. A typical India safari may consist of the one horned rhinos of Kaziranga, the Asiatic Lions of Sasan Gir National Park and of course the endangered but majestic Bengal Tigers. The best places to visit for your India Tiger Safari include the historic Corbett National Park, Ranthambhore, Bandhavgarh and the tiger park of Kanha.

The large predators are what people want to see when they go on a safari and with World Big Cat safaris they will put you in the best place to maximize your chances of seeing them.

http://www.pr-inside.com/world-big-cat-safaris-which-is-r1137746.htm