5reasons to love ZAMBIA
I sent Tandi Wright from 800 Words into the wild!
My dad lives in Zambia – a landlocked country in southern Africa – and every time I visit, I’m reminded of what an undiscovered gem it truly is.
1 Flatdogs Camp, Mfuwe
Luxurious accommodation combined with robust gamedriving in South Luangwa National Park made for the best safari experience I’ve ever had. We were there at Christmastime, which was perfect because it’s off-peak (cheaper and less crowded) and the beginning of the rainy season, so there’s plenty of food for the animals. We came within metres of elephants, giraffes, leopards, lions, crocs, warthogs, hyenas and all manner of amazing birds. Our guide was a walking encyclopedia, who had an astonishing instinct for where the animals were. The Croc’s Nest, a swanky, tented “house” with private swimming pool, was worth every penny. A once-in-a-lifetime treat.
2 Lilayi Elephant Orphanage, Lusaka
Elephants are heading for extinction in our lifetime – poachers kill 100 of these gentle giants every day for their ivory. This orphanage cares for baby elephants who need their mother’s milk to survive for at least two years. Visitors climb onto a platform and look down on the babies as they are fed (some greedily grab bottles with their trunks). Then they spray themselves with mud and trip over each other in the pond. They are so like human kids messing around, it is unbearably cute and completely heartbreaking.
3Victoria Falls/ Mosi-oa-Tunya
“Scenes so lovely must have been gazed upon by angels in their flight,” said explorer David Livingstone upon first seeing the falls in 1855, and indeed they are utterly mesmerising. Translated as “the smoke that thunders”, Mosi-oa-Tunya is where great sheets of water crash into a gaping chasm with hypnotic ferocity. Huge clouds of spume swirl into the air, soaking everything, and you have to shout above the roar to be heard. Nature at its most raw and, quite rightly, one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the world. Cross over to the Zimbabwean side to get an even more impressive view, but prepare for an extra visa charge by border guards.
4 Project Luangwa
Most Zambians live in extreme poverty, so carefully targeted aid programmes can make a big difference. This organisation in South Luangwa is funded by a group of safari operators who put profits back into education and training opportunities. The hope is locals will eventually be able to provide for their families sustainably. Did you know girls here often miss school because of their period? An example of the project’s work is they fund reusable ufulu (sanitary pads), so the girls can get to class.
5The African Queen Sunset Cruise
Moseying along in a tripledeck catamaran provides an amazing vantage point for watching the animals wallowing (hippo), basking (crocs) or having an evening bath (those precious elephants) in the mighty Zambezi River. Drinks are included with the ticket price – such a peaceful way to have a sun-downer (or three) watching the sky turn gold-salmon-indigo as the sun sets over the water in this stunning part of the world.