Kalahari Skies Okavango and Chobe Green Season Special

Kalahari Skies – Okavango and Chobe – Green season special – 10% discount on all trips

Cheetah (Image credit: Kalahari Skies)

 

Take up this opportunity of a 10% discount on all trips with Kalahari Skies from December 2013 to end of March 2014 - a time when nature is at it’s most beautful, the parks are almost empty and all the top campsites are available. Contact us and quote 'Zambezi Traveller 10% discount offer'.

 

Wild dog (Image credit: Kalahari Skies)

 

Zambezi Traveller Directory:
Kalahari Skies

Read more from the Zambezi Traveller eNewsletter:
Zambezi Traveller eNewsletter (No5, Aug 2013)

Read more about the region in our destination guide:
Chobe
Okavango

Wilderness Safaris Offers Free Hot-Air Balloon Safaris In Zambia

Wilderness Safaris has reintroduced its seasonal offer for guests visiting Busanga Plains in Zambia’s diverse Kafue National Park. Free hot-air ballooning during August, September and October is being offered to all guests staying for three nights or more at the charming Shumba or Busanga Bush Camps. Guests will also receive a 50% discount on flights to and from Kafue from either Livingstone or Lusaka.

 

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Wilderness Safaris Busanga Plains Hot-Air Balloon Safari (Image credit: Mike Myers for Wilderness Safaris)

 

All guests will also receive a complimentary copy of Swamp Lions – the compelling documentary on the Busanga Pride. Lions are the dominant carnivore and prime attraction for many on the Busanga Plains which is renowned as one of Africa’s hidden gems.

Shumba and Busanga Bush Camps are perfectly located to provide safari-goers with unbeatable wildlife sightings, either from the unique vantage point of a hot-air balloon or on an interpretive game drive led by an experienced guide. In addition to excellent lion sightings, guests may see cheetah, wild dog, spotted hyaena and various plains game such as red lechwe and puku, as well as large herds of buffalo.

Hippo are also abundant and can be viewed on boating safaris during the months of May through to June. Specially adapted motor boats which are able to operate in very low water levels offer excellent birding opportunities and great sightings of hippo, lechwe and puku.

Wilderness Safaris’ Shumba Camp has six luxurious safari tents raised on platforms under shady trees overlooking the surrounding plains. The large en-suite tents are served by a central raised dining and lounge area. Busanga Bush Camp provides an intimate and authentic experience in Kafue consisting of four well-appointed Meru tents.

In addition to exciting wildlife experiences, guests will be spoilt with delicious sunrise breakfasts and evening meals often cooked over an open fire. Meals may be served in the elegant dining areas or in the traditional boma where elements of local Zambian culture come to the fore. An experience not to be missed.

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Wilderness Safaris Busanga Plains Hot-Air Balloon Safari Sundowners (Image credit: Mike Myers for Wilderness Safaris)

 

Read more from the Zambezi Traveller eNewsletter:
Zambezi Traveller eNewsletter (No5, Aug 2013)

Read more about the region in our destination guide:
Kafue

Website:
Wilderness Safaris Busanga Plains

Zambezi Traveller eNewsletter No.5 August 2013

The latest Zambezi Traveller eNewsletter is available to view online here. Check out the latest safari news and special offers from across the region.

Somalisa Safari Highlights from Hwange

 

Bat-eared fox, Hwange (Image credit: African Bush Camps)

 2013 has been a positive year at Somalisa Camp so far with excellent and unusual wildlife sightings. Bat-eared foxes, African wild cats, cheetah, leopard, serval and caracal have all been regular Hwange highlights for our guests.

The male lions around Somalisa have been playing out the challenge of who is the dominant male in the area – with three particular males involved in the Drama: Cecil, Kakori and Jericho. Regularly seen with the females and cubs in the area, guests have encountered the lions on several kills including giraffe and a buffalo kill which took place on the outskirts of Somalisa Acacia.

Lion, Hwange (Image credit: African Bush Camps)

Read the full update from African Bush Camps on the Zambezi Traveller website here.

Read more from the Zambezi Traveller eNewsletter:
Zambezi Traveller eNewsletter (No5, Aug 2013)

Zambezi Traveller Directory:
African Bush Camps

Read more about the region in our destination guide:
Hwange Destination Profile

Robin Pope Safaris News

Latest safari news from Robin Pope Safaris, South Luangwa

We have had some exceptional game sightings recently at Robin Pope Safaris in Luangwa and beyond.

Fred one of the guides at Nkwali came across a caracal – a very rare cat down in South Luangwa, hardly ever seen!

It seems to be all about the leopards at the moment with many sightings this month including:

 

Leopard and kill (Image credit: Simon Cousins for Robin Pope Safaris)

 

A leopard guarding its fresh kill up on top of a sausage tree while a pesky hyena waited below, for any opportunity that could arise out of it...

 

Hyeana (Image credit: Simon Cousins for Robin Pope Safaris)

 

Read more safari news from Robin Pope Safaris here, including the story behind the following stunning image.

Martial Eagle (Image credit: Paul Waldron for Robin Pope Safaris)

 

Zambezi Traveller Directory: Robin Pope Safaris

Read more from the Zambezi Traveller eNewsletter:
Zambezi Traveller eNewsletter (No5, Aug 2013)

Read more about the region in our destination guide: Luangwa Destination Profile

Download the latest issue of the Zambezi Traveller

Livingstone Bicentennial Postcard

A Bicentennial postcard to commemorate the 200 years since the birth of David Livingstone has been published and is on sale at the Livingstone Post Office at the stamp counter.

 

Read more online:
Livingstone Bicentennial

Read more from the Zambezi Traveller eNewsletter:
Zambezi Traveller eNewsletter (No5, Aug 2013)

Read more about the region in our destination guide:
Livingstone Destination Profile

The Msuna Walk

Chikamba Village School

Roof needed for Village school... Enthusiastic walkers stride out to help... The Msuna Walk, started three years ago by Larry and Judy Cumming, Victoria Falls residents, is now an annual event that raises money and supplies for needy schools between Victoria Falls and Msuna a resort Island on the shores of Lake Kariba. The Chikamba Village Project is close to their hearts and further fundraising efforts are being made to roof their school. Judy Cumming reports Chikamba Village in the Gavu Dip area has never had a school. The closest schools are too far for the very young children to walk to daily.

Permission was granted in January 2013 by the Ministry of Education for a school to be built in this area. Parents, who were never educated themselves, were delighted. They got together and built 'classrooms' for Grade 0,1,2 and 3 children.

The school buildings.

In the middle of winter, these young children were prepared to sit on rocks and broken planks in the dirt because they wanted to learn.

The parents also built three pole and daga huts for the teachers. When I visited the site in June they were busy constructing basic squat toilets for the children.

Very close to the school is a half built church which could be used to accommodate the pupils when the rainy season arrives.

This is a photo of Faith sitting at her 'desk'. She is one of the orphans. I gave her a copy of this image, she was awestruck and when we spotted her walking home later in the day, she was still clutching her photo and really did not want anyone else to touch it!

The village needs some money to put a roof up over the structure. The quote they were given by a hardware company in Hwange in November 2012 was for $1,476 which I am sure we can raise.

The small church which is close to the school and needs to be completed so the children can use it in the rainy season.

The headmaster, Mr James Siambare, told me that there are 54 children attending the new school. Of special need are the 20 orphans whom are being cared for by their grandparents and other family members.

Each year we organise a walk from Victoria Falls to Msuna which is 126km. Walkers donate money to buy stationery which is handed out to pupils along the route. This year a very special sponsor, Mrs Norwin Bhasera, gave us 20 khaki uniforms, 18 T shirts, 11 jackets and a bag full of sunglasses. All the uniforms were given to the children of the Chikamba School project. They were delighted. The sunglasses caused much hilarity along the route. The kids loved them and seemed to be more of a hit than the stationery!

If you would like to donate in cash or kind to this project, please contact Judy Cumming at judybee@iwayafrica.com

Read more from the Zambezi Traveller eNewsletter:
Zambezi Traveller eNewsletter (No5, Aug 2013)

Annual SLCS Conservation Fun Run and Sports Day a great success

The 2013 annual South Luangwa Conservation Society Fun Run and Sports Day held on 6th July was the best so far!! It continues to grow every year and proof of this is that we ran out of t-shirts for the runners this year. Close to 300 people ran the race and nearly 3000 people attended during the day.

Runners get ready to start the race

The event was spiced up with Zambian footballer, Chintu Kampamba who not only gave a speech and entertained everyone with his presence but he also ran the 10km’s. This year we were also privileged to have the Mambwe District Commissioner, the District Education Board Secretary, Chief Mkhanya’s representatives and many other heads of department attending and taking part in the events.

Mid race refreshments - and T-shirts!

The Fun Run has become a fixed calendar event which people look forward to throughout the year. It is a day of fun, sports and entertainment in a community where there aren’t many opportunities for such activities. The theme was wildlife conservation as usual and specific emphasis was made by the DC and sports celebrities how essential it is for each one of us to take part in caring for our environment.

Given Phiri, from Kakumbi wins the mens in 29 minutes.

The race kicked off at 8am and less than 30 minutes later the men’s winner, Given Phiri was back at the finish line in an unbelievable time of 29 minutes. The men’s runners up followed not too far behind in second and third place.

Margaret Phiri (centre) from Jumbe wins the ladies 10kms.

The rest of the day was taken up with volley ball, football, netball matches, relays and most entertaining of all tug of war.

The SLCS team beat Zambia Air Force in tug of war much to the delight of the crowds.

In a competitive tug between the Zambia Air Force and SLCS supported scouts, SLCS won much to the delight on spectators especially considering our scouts are half the size of ZAF officers!

Visit the SLCS website or follow them on Facebook.

Read more from the Zambezi Traveller eNewsletter:
Zambezi Traveller eNewsletter (No5, Aug 2013)

Zambezi Traveller - your complete guide to the region.

African View last minute safari specials

African View Tours and Safaris have some great packages on offer in Zambia this month.

ADVENTURE EXPEDITION: KAFUE - VICTORIA FALLS - CHOBE
Dates: AUGUST 5th - 15th
Duration: 11 Days
Seats available: 3

ADVENTURE EXPEDITION: LET'S EXPLORE (SOUTH LUANGWA NATIONAL PARK - LOWER ZAMBEZI NATIONAL PARK - LAKE KARIBA - VICTORIA FALLS)
Dates: AUGUST 18th - September 1st
Duration: 15 Days
Seats available: 3

CULTURAL EXPEDITION: 'LIKUMBI LYA MIZE' (VICTORIA FALLS, MOSI-OA-TUNYA NATIONAL PARK, NGONYE FALLS, KAFUE NATIONAL PARK)
Dates: AUGUST 31st - September 12th
Duration: 13 Days
Seats available: ALL

And remember that, as usual, in November we will have an Expedition for the wildebeest migration in the Liuwa Plains.

Visit the Zambezi Traveller website for more information here.

Read more from the Zambezi Traveller eNewsletter:
Zambezi Traveller eNewsletter (No5, Aug 2013)