Zambia  Exploration Safaris

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ZAMBIA DISCOVERER SAFARIS

Itineraries and rates are subject to change without notice.

Elephant and hippo © Wilderness Safaris

Minimum of 2 guests, maximum of 8. Included is accommodation on a sharing basis, all meals and drinks (except premium brands), national park fees, laundry (except River Club), activities and all internal charters as specified in the detailed itinerary.  Excluded are flights (other than specified in the detailed safari itinerary), visas, compulsory insurance, all relevant entry and departure government taxes, all personal purchases (including curios, spirit liquors, telephone calls etc.), gratuities, optional extra activities, pre and post safari tours and meals or accommodation before or after the safari.  Age Limit: 12. For groups with children under 12, we will create a private tailor-made safari. For guests over the age of 75, a certified medical certificate of full health must be provided. Natural Migrations reserves the right, due to situations beyond our control, to substitute a lodge or location with another of comparable quality. If a guest is willing to share and we can match with another guest of the same gender, the single supplement will not be charged.  However, if there is no suitable match, a single supplement surcharge will apply. No triple accommodations are accepted.  A safari is deemed to be part of a rate year based on the starting date. These rates are valid from 01 January 2007 to 31 December 2007. Tailor-made departures can be arranged, subject to availability.

 KAFUE RIVERS AND PLAINS
7 nights/8 day - $2772 per person ($420 single supplement)

Tour direction: Lusaka to Lusaka.
Combination Wilderness Vintage, Discoverer and Classic camps in the northern part of Kafue National Park. Kafue, combined with the cascading waters of the thundering Victoria Falls (one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World), creates a short, yet diverse itinerary that is perfect for add-on tailored extensions to Cape Town, Botswana, Luangwa and Malawi.

Kafue National Park, Zambia’s largest protected area, is easily accessible from Livingstone and Lusaka. It extends over 22,400 square kilometres and is roughly the size of Wales. This enormous and under-developed pristine wilderness area is home to an impressive variety of big game including lion, leopard, cheetah, elephant, buffalo and hippo. In addition, the Kafue conserves some fascinating species of special interest including Lichtenstein’s hartebeest, sable, roan, puku, the diminutive oribi, and, incredibly, lechwe in their thousands. Boasting almost 500 recorded bird species, Kafue is truly a diverse African National Park and one of its last “wild frontiers”. The spectacular Busanga Plains in the north of the Park is a vast flat expanse and forms one of Zambia’s most significant wetland resources. This enormous watery wilderness, flooded in the wet season (mid-December to end May) by several rivers and tributaries, covers an enormous 750 square kilometres. After the rains the floods reach their height from March to May, and large pods of hippo are to be found in the shallow pools that are left as the water recedes in the dry season.

Experience a nostalgic, old-style luxury serviced camping / lodge safari that recreates the sense of a game-viewing adventure reminiscent of the times of the great African explorers in the vast Kafue National Park. Discoverer-styled camps aim to bring guests closer to nature by means of  lively campfires and hurricane lanterns. Wide-ranging activities complement the comfort and added luxury of the lodges visited. Discoverer camps are specifically outfitted to ensure that traditional camping feel with a clear emphasis on necessary and stylish comforts. The entire safari is guided and hosted by a professional trained guide, who shares in-depth knowledge to present a seamless safari experience. Musanza Tented Camp is private and for the use of Exploration travellers only, while Lufupa Camp and Lunga River Lodge are open to other Wilderness Safaris guests. All activities are private for the group on this safari. To truly enjoy the experience in the Kafue, you will need three nights in the Busanga Plains. Due to the diversity of habitat and associated experiences, from riparian forest, broad-leafed and Miombo woodlands (around the Lunga River Lodge) to the open grassy plains of Busanga and the enormous Kafue river, each area allows for different impressions and highlights, creating a continually changing and interesting safari. To maximise travel time, a variety of travel modes that bring out the best of each area is used: flying in charters and private overland transfers which provide both a bird’s-eye view and an in-depth visual experience of the contrasting landscapes of Zambia. Due to guests combining Kafue with various other destinations, the safari begins and ends at Lusaka Airport, allowing the flexibility to tailor further pre- or post-safari arrangements.

ITINERARY

Days 1, 2 and 3: Lufupa Camp, northern Kafue
On arrival at Lusaka airport you will be met by a Sefofane Air Charters representative who will transfer you by light aircraft to Kafue National Park. Your private guide will meet you at the airstrip in Kafue and transfer you to Lufupa Camp. During this one hour transfer/game drive you may encounter eland, roan and sable to name a few. Lufupa Camp is situated in the center of the northern sector of the 22,500 square km Kafue National Park, at the confluence of the Lufupa and Kafue rivers; these and the Lunga River are all perennial tributaries of the Kafue River. The beauty of the park is evident in its diverse habitats with floodplains, miombo woodland, thick riverine vegetation and open grassy areas called dambos. There are resident prides of lion and wild dogs are occasionally sighted. Hippos are always seen from camp frolicking in the cool waters of the river. There is a wide variety of game ranging from zebra, buffalo, roan, Lichtenstein’s hartebeest, sable, kudu, oribi and impala. Leopard and elephants often roam through the concession. Accommodation is in 6 large meru tents with en-suite facilities. Dining and bar area are under huge Jackalberry trees, overlooking the Kafue River. Dinners served in a traditional-style boma under the stars beside a lively campfire or in the tented dining room overlooking the river.

Days 4, 5 and 6: Musanza Tented Camp, Busanga floodplain, north-western Kafue
Depart Lufupa for an early morning game drive/transfer to Musanza Tented Camp located deep inside the wildlife haven of the Busanga Plains of Kafue National Park. Accommodation consists of 4 well-appointed tents with stunning views of the spectacular wildlife that frequents the grassy plains. The main dining and bar area are tented and situated under a majestic canopy of trees. The simple bush style of this camp creates the perfect atmosphere to enjoy dinner under the stars around a campfire. The Busanga Plains’ most dominant antelope species include red lechwe and puku, while buffalo, bushbuck, kudu, oribi, reedbuck, Lichtenstein’s hartebeest, sable and roan are often viewed. There are also hippo and crocodile; however the main plains predators are lion and cheetah and spotted hyena with wild dogs on seen on occasion. Leopard can also be spotted along the wooded tree lines fringing the plains, as well as elephant. Bird life is fantastic, with large flocks of pelicans, crowned cranes and wattled crane at certain times of the year.

Day 7: Lunga River Lodge, Lunga River, northern Kafue
After an early breakfast, transfer by road to Lunga River Lodge, enjoying the last shortened game drive on the Busanga Plains as you leave the area and re-enter the Miombo woodland. Located on a raised bank of the Lunga River and within lush riparian bush, each of Lunga River Lodge’s 6 thatched-roof chalets share a beautiful vantage point over the river’s meandering channel. Each room is stylishly furnished and includes an en-suite shower, flush toilet and basin. Lighting is by 12v lamps, candles and hurricane lanterns. The deep and clear Lunga River is the largest tributary of the Kafue River and flows north to south through a mosaic of miombo woodland, riverine woodland and grassy dambos in the north-east of the Kafue National Park. Species like puku and impala are abundant while roan and Lichtenstein’s hartebeest occur in lower densities. Viewing of buffalo herds and elephant bulls is good while lion and leopard are regularly encountered. Additional interesting species in the form of yellow baboons and tree hyrax occur in the vicinity of the camp while a high-density hippo population occurs in the Lunga River. Activities include game drives, walking safaris, guided canoe and boating trips as well as fishing. Night drives provide the added excitement of the nocturnal wonders of the area.

Day 8:  Depart Kafue National Park
Early morning light aircraft transfer from Lunga River Lodge to Lusaka Airport, where the safari ends.

SCHEDULED DEPARTURE DATES 2008
JUNE 7, 10, 14, 17, 21, 24, 28
JULY 1, 5, 8, 12, 15, 22, 26, 29
AUGUST 2, 5, 9, 12
SEPTEMBER 2, 6, 9, 13, 16, 20, 23, 27, 30
october 4, 7, 11, 14, 18, 21, 25, 28
NOVEMBER 1, 4, 8

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