Zambia offers an alluring range of attractions, from the spectacular Victoria Falls to prolific wildlife amidst some of Africa’s best national parks. Away from these, much of Zambia remains relatively undiscovered. From the enigmatic Busanga Swamps to the vast Liuwa Plain, Zambia is deepest, darkest Africa at its most enticing!
Our adventure will start on the banks of the Okavango River in the Caprivi region of Namibia and will end on the western bank of the Zambezi River just north of Katima Mulilo. Highlights of this epic adventure include a camp on the Kwando River, tiger fishing on the Zambezi, crossing the Barotse Floodplains, witnessing the gathering of thousands of thousands of Blue Wildebeest on the vast Liuwa plains and crossing the Zambezi River by ferry...We’ll follow a less travelled road through the Sioma Ngwezi National Park on the Angolan/Zambian border and visit places not frequented by the masses ensuring an enriching experience made special by the remoteness and sheer beauty of Zambia’s less known western corner...
Over the years Mondjila Adventures developed a tour that will linger in the memories for years to come. Our itinerary has improved with every tour and we are now proud to offer you an itinerary that caters for every interest. From game viewing to birding, from fishing to exceptional cultural encounters, our tour won’t disappoint.
Day 0 (1 Nov): Nunda Safari Lodge, Caprivi, Namibia
The adventure starts at Nunda Safari Lodge where the group will meet their tour leader and guide.
Nunda Safari Lodge is a newly constructed and fully operational safari lodge situated in Namibia’s wildlife paradise on the banks of the Okavango River - Western Caprivi. It is only a stone’s throw downstream of the Popa Falls and in close proximity to Mahango and Bwabwata (previously Caprivi National Park) Game Reserves. (Nunda is approximately 26km from the Namibia/Botswana border post on the C48.) The main complex consists of a thatched and furnished restaurant, bar, lounge, pool and reception area - all boasting a truly magnificent wooden deck overlooking the river. It is here where one can view exquisite African sunsets over the Okavango River with its abundant birdlife and resident hippo. The lodge also offers fishing trips on the river. (GPS S 18 07 032; E 21 25 905)
After a short briefing dinner will be served and the group will have the opportunity to meet their fellow adventurers.
Pease note:
- Camping fees are included in your tour price but should you wish to book one of the luxury tents please let us know and we will make the necessary arrangements on your behalf.
Day 1 (2 Nov): Nunda Safari Lodge to Nambwa Community Camp, Kwando River
Leaving the Okavango River behind we east through the Caprivi Strip for the Susuwe Triangle Nature Reserve where we will make camp on the banks of the Kwando River. There will be enough time to take and afternoon drive to the Horse Shoe area.
Day 2 (3 Nov): Nambwa Community Camp – Kabula Lodge, Zambia
On day 2 we’ll cross the Namibia/Zambian border at Sesheke. As with all African border posts, patience is required...Once through the border the “road” turns into a track slowing progress considerably. The track follows the Zambezi in a northerly direction, reaching Kabula Lodge 50km north of the border.
Day 3 (4 Nov): Kabula Lodge – Sinjembela area, Sioma Ngwezi National Park
This 5000 square kilometre park in the south western corner of the country has been completely undeveloped and rarely visited until recently. It is surrounded by a 35 000 square kilometre Game Management Area. The Park is unfenced allowing free movement of the animals between the park and the GMA and allowing access to the Zambezi River. The Park and surrounding GMA form an important link in the migratory route of elephants from the bordering national parks of Botswana and Namibia. Although heavily poached, the park does offer a better refuge for elephants migrating from Angola where poaching and illegal hunting is rampant.
The park is home to over 3000 elephants, and several endangered species including roan, sable, wild dog and cheetah. Several antelope species are present, but quite shy - mostly puku, impala, roan, sable, zebra and kudu.
Due to the park’s proximity to Angola, it has suffered substantially from poaching during the civil war. However, plans are afoot to open the park to private management and hopefully the park’s wildlife will recover.
Day 4 (5 Nov): Sinjembela Bush Camp – Ngonye Falls
From our bush camp we’ll travel east towards the Zambezi River. Our destination for the day is the Sioma Camp, near the Ngonye Falls. Also known as Sioma Falls, being just outside the village of Sioma, these beautiful falls mark the transition point of the Zambezi Rivers’ flow from Kalahari sand floodplain to basalt dyke - the latter eventually contributing to the magnificent gorges of the Victoria Falls.
The horseshoe-shaped Ngonye Falls are mostly impressive because of the sheer volume of water that cascades over the staggered twenty meter drop. An interesting aspect is that the river flows underneath the rock on either side of the falls. It’s quite remarkable to stand upon them, feeling and hearing the underground flow…
Continuing northwards we head for the Barotse Floodplains. These vast plains are home to the Lozi people. Lozi culture is strongly influenced by the flood cycle of the Zambezi river, with annual migrations taking place from the flood plain to higher ground at the start of the wet season. The most important of these festivals is the Kuomboka, in which the Litunga moves from Lealui in the flood plain to Limulunga on higher ground. The Kuomboka usually takes place in February or March...We’ll make a bush camp on the floodplains as close to Kalabo as we can get.
Day 6 (7 Nov): Barotse Floodplains – Liuwa Plains National Park
Next up is the ZAWA park offices in Kalabo where we will pay our park entrance fees before crossing the Luanginga River on our way to one of the camps inside the Liuwa National Park.
Day 7 & 8 (8 & 9 Nov): Enjoy the Liuwa Plains
Liuwa Plains is a wild and remote park compared to other African Parks. The cliché “best kept secret” is applied with frequency to many places in Africa by copywriters who can’t think of anything original; this is perhaps one of the few places which would deserve it!
Liuwa boasts a total number of 319 bird species: crowned cranes, wattled cranes, so endangered in many places, thrive here. During November the birding is probably at its best, the pans fill up with water and pelicans, open-billed, yellow-billed, marabou and saddle-billed storks arrive, with spoonbills, grey herons, egrets, plovers, geese and many other water birds gathering around the many water holes that dot the plains. The plains are also a great area for raptors from kestrel to bateleur and martial eagles, to fish eagles and palmnut vultures.
With regard to larger mammals, the largest herds currently seen in the park are the blue wildebeest which mass here in their thousands during the rains. Amongst them you will find zebra and tsessebe. Then there is the diminutive oribi which is a common sight on the plains.
Last year they introduced eland and ZAWA is currently in the process of introducing buffalo and other rare species into the park. Predators are well represented with lion, leopard, cheetah, hyena and wild dog occurring on the plains.
Day 9 (10 Nov): Liuwa via Mongu – Barotse Bush Camp
Leaving Liuwa behind we head south for the town of Mongu which is the provincial centre of Western Zambia – and the only large town this side of Livingstone or Lusaka. In Mongu we’ll do some shopping at the Shoprite (in local currency) and we will also be able to get some fuel before continuing south on the eastern side of the Zambezi, heading in the direction of Sitoti. Our last bush camp should be somewhere close to Senanga...
Day 10 (11 Nov): Barotse Bush Camp – Kabula Lodge
Kabula offers tiger fishing trips on the Zambezi as well as sun-downer cruises, both of which are recommendable.
Day 11 (12 Nov): A Day on the Zambezi
Day 11 is our last rest day before crossing the border back into Namibia. The day can be spent at leisure...
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