Explorer Tour | Shoebill Stork | Zambia

"During this relaxed-pace 19-night expedition you will discover some of the region’s excellent wildlife and birding areas, and enjoy an exciting mix of activities and driving conditions. An authentic African safari and wilderness self-drive experience!"

Zambia Explorer Tour

Tour highlights:

• Explore some of the more remote game parks and wildlife areas in northern Zambia
• Spectacular miombo woodland, cathedral mopane and other vegetation types typical of the region
• Great scenic and wildlife photographic opportunities throughout the tour
• Included activities: Kundalila Falls, guided nature walk, Shoebill expedition, tour of Shiwa estate
• Excellent chance to see antelope such as sitatunga, sable, roan, tssessebe, black lechwe
• Opportunity to see a variety of predators including lion, hyena, leopard and wild dog
• Excellent birding includes many species of water birds, plus specials like the Shoebill Stork, Bohms Bee-eater, Ross' Turaco and Lilian's Lovebird

Launched with Getaway Magazine in August 2008, this tour focuses on some of the more remote wildlife regions in north-central Zambia, including Kasanka National Park, Shoebill Island on the southern periphery of the Bangweulu Wetlands, and North Luangwa National Park. Areas such as Lake Waka Waka, Lavushi Manda, Kapishya Hot Springs, Shiwa Ng’andu and Luambe National Park are included along our route, with short detours also being made to include attractions such as Kundalila Falls and the Livingstone Memorial en route. This is a relaxed-pace expedition with a number of nights spent in designated areas, with the opportunity to rest and explore.

Our tour starts at a campsite in Kasane - join us here on the first evening to meet the rest of the group, and for a pre-departure briefing. Next morning we leave camp early, crossing into Zambia at Kazungula and travelling to a secluded campsite near Mazabuka. The following day we continue to Lusaka, with the afternoon set aside for final shopping, re-fuelling, foreign currency exchange, etc. We head to the Mkushi area, our springboard to Kasanka.

Kasanka is a 390 km² wildlife conservation area encompassing a wide range of habitats including miombo woodland, riparian fringe- and swamp forest, dambos, plains, lakes and rivers. The birdlife is always rewarding, with rare species such as the Wattled Crane and Ross’s Turaco being seen, plus other specials including Pel’s Fishing Owl, African Fish Eagle, Osprey, Herons, Kingfishers, Sunbirds, Hornbills, Bee-eaters. Sitatunga are often seen from the Fibwe Hide, virtually guaranteeing sightings of this seldom-seen semi-aquatic antelope. Other rewarding antelope sightings include Puku, the Park’s dominant species, and Sable, Roan and Tssesebe. Hippos, crocodiles, otters and monitor lizards frequent the rivers and lakes, while rare Blue Monkeys can be found in the evergreen thickets, also a popular habitat for leopard.

En route from Kasanka we visit the Livingstone Memorial, continuing to Lake Waka Waka, a secluded and tranquil place surrounded by mature miombo woodland. Bangweulu, lying to the north of Kasanka, is a wetland area of open water (in the north-west), huge swamps (centre), and seasonally-flooded grass plains (southern and eastern fringes). Water-birds and plains-birds are attracted to Bangweulu including Wattled Crane, Spur-winged Goose, Black-crowned Night Heron, White-cheeked Bee-eater, Pink-throated Longclaw… but the opportunity to see the rare and unusual Shoebill Stork is a strong attraction for visiting this region. Huge herds of Black Lechwe can also be seen here, plus Elephant, Buffalo, Tsessebe, Reedbuck, Oribi and Sitatunga which also frequent the area.

From here we travel through Lavushi Manda on our way to Kapishya Hot Springs. Visit Shiwa Ng’andu nearby, an impressive estate and English manor house built by eccentric Englishman, Sir Stuart Gore-Brown, during the 1920’s. Until recently, North Luangwa was off limits until a route through the northern zone of the park was opened in 2002 for travellers with fully-equipped 4WD vehicles (and a high degree of self-sufficiency). Wildlife here includes Lion, Buffalo, a re-introduction of Black Rhino in 2003, Elephant, Hyena and Eland, as well as a variety of birdlife that includes the Chestnut-mantled Sparrow Weaver and Yellow-throated Longclaw.

Luambe is a small park (247km²) situated between North and South Luangwa, usually only accessible between May and October, and reaching here can be slow and challenging. Luambe is mostly tall cathedral Mopane woodland, and often rewards visitors with excellent birding and game-viewing. We spend time camped alongside the Luangwa River, before continuing south to the Mfuwe area, end-point of our tour.

Please note that this tour takes place in a malaria risk area, and anti-malaria prophylaxis are therefore strongly advised. There are limited shops and facilities along the route, and you therefore need to be completely self-sufficient for extended periods of the tour. This is an expedition-style tour with varied driving challenges, and is therefore best suited to experienced Africa travellers who enjoy the journey as much as the destination!

Important notes:

• Passports and vehicle papers required for entry to Botswana and Zambia.
• Malaria area, therefore anti-malarial prophylaxis strongly advised.
• Tour cost includes guiding fee, camping costs, all park entry fees, various activities and four dinners provided by us.
• If using a rooftop tent, also pack a canvas ground tent for use as a 'base' from which to explore the parks, especially when spending a few days in camp.
• Fuel, water and provisions required for up to eight days at a time away from shops and supplies.

Check our tour schedule for available tour dates.

Contact us for further information.

It was an incredible experience to travel into a remote part of Southern Africa, and visit some of the most beautiful and lesser-known National Parks and other venues. What made this tour even more memorable was that Chris and Karen accompanied us as our personal guides. They are an exceptional couple who enhanced the trip to another level. To do this (or any of their other tours) under their guidance adds another dimension to the experience. One is always, to a degree, wary of embarking on such a trip, not knowing the organisers or your fellow ‘explorers’, but any possible concerns were immediately dispelled upon meeting and travelling with them. The trip was extremely well organised and their personalised itinerary, together with the comfort-zone of the reassuring hand of Chris, made for a very special experience.

John & Gill Rosmarin

Tour Information

Tour cost includes:

• Tour bookings
• Professional tour leader / guide
• Detailed information pack with GPS points
• Camping costs (19 nights)
• Park & reserve entrance & conservation fees
• Four dinners provided by us

Off-road driving conditions:

Gravel, corrugations, potholes, sand, possible water / mud in places

Experience level:

Fairly basic. Where required, advice and assistance will be given by your tour leader

Minimum fuel range:

1,000 km

Vehicle requirements:

Good ground clearance, transfer gearbox (hi / lo range), lockable differential/s, strong recovery points front and rear, good set of tyres, spare wheel

Important equipment:

Long-range fuel and water tanks, dual battery system with deep-cycle battery, fridge / freezer

Optional / recommended:

29 MHz radio, vehicle snorkel, 2nd spare

Recovery gear:

Advanced set-up including Hi-lift jack, jacking plate, spade, tow strap, tree protector, snatch strap, bow- and D-shackles, compressor, tyre guage, tyre repair kit, tyre levers, tyre tube, radiator seed net, spare V-belts, spare oils & fluids, assorted nuts & bolts, etc.

Tour distance:

3,600 km Kasane to Kasanka to Bangweulu, then to Kapishya and North Luangwa, ending near Mfuwe (Zambia)