Last week we left Lily about to embark on a walking safari in the South Luangwa National Park in Zambia.
I watched the South Luangwa river come into view from the air ; a meandering serpent of shiny bottle green and its sweeping sandbanks dotted with large burgundy shapes of basking hippos. How many rivers are there left on earth that flow for over 1000 kms and are still as untouched, remote, healthy and scenically beautiful as the Luangwa? There are no dams, commercial agriculture or livestock along its banks. So it was a real treat and a privilege to have four days in the South Luangwa Valley , also known as theValley of the Elephants, on a walking safari with Norman Carr Safaris. This area is famous for its walking safaris, wildlife and beautiful landscape. The Luangwa River, surrounded by flood plains, lagoons and riverine woodlands, is home to herds of buffalo up a thousand strong. The area is also famous for its large number of predators, particularly the elusive leopard.
I received a warm welcome from Nsolo Camp who were waiting for me with braai already set up and the other camp guests were keen to tell me about a lion kill they had seen earlier in the day. The accommodation is based in comfortable, spacious chalets built on raised wooden decks with reed walls and en suite bathrooms, open to the trees and skies. Each chalet is set under the shade of evergreen trees with private verandas overlooking the surrounding bush and the seasonal Luwi River. The late Norman Carr established the South Luangwa Valley’s first safari camp in 1950 and pioneered the idea of a safari where people took photographs of animals rather than shooting them! He recognised, far ahead of his time, how important it was to work with the local communities and established Nsefu Camp in the northern sector of the park in partnership with Paramont Chief Nsefu and his community. Norman then went on to create the walking safari in Zambia and his son, Adrian and daughter in law, Christina, are carrying on the company as Norman would have wished. The following day I moved to Luwi Camp where I had another exciting day walking through the African bush. The day finished with me being kept awake by nearby lions growling in the bush!
I then flew down to Lilongwe in Malawi where I transferred to a light aircraft. The flight from Lilongwe gave us wonderful views over the Malawian countryside and Lake Malawi. Lake Malawi is also known as the Lake of Stars, named so by Doctor David Livingstone, and it is definitely the stunning centre piece of this lovely country. I flew to Likoma Island which is an island covered in mango trees and ancient baobabs about 8 kilometres from the shore. On arrival, I was warmly greeted by James Lightfoot on the short airstrip who transferred me to the beach where we took a speedboat around the bay to his beautiful lodge of Kaya Mawa located on the south west tip of the island in Lake Malawi. The lodge was rated by Conde Nast magazine as one of the planet’s ten most romantic destinations and I have to agree with them! James showed me round all the accommodation: the bar, just metres from the water, offers fantastic sunset views all the way to the south of the lake. Dinners are served on the beach or in a romantic hideaway somewhere around the lodge. Sadly this beautiful lodge was the last part of my epic odyssey and the end of my stay in Malawi. But what a wonderful end! I am already dreaming of returning one day soon.
