Zambezi River Safari
| Safari Location: |
Zambia:
Lower Zambezi National Park, Botswana: Chobe National Park |
|
Company
Used: |
Chachacha
Backpackers |
| Duration: |
1 week, August
2006 |
|
Traveller
Details: |
Hélène
Pinaud, France |
| Zambezi River Safari
Questions
|
Hélène
visited Africa for the fourth time in 2006. She sent her feedback to my
questions via e-mail to share the experience...
|
Which safari
company did you travel with? |
 I visited Botswana for one
day only on the 20th, and travelled by minibus
and local transport which was good to meet a lot of people (big part of
the journey!).
From 23rd-28th,
I went on safari with Chachacha Backpackers (located in Lusaka, Zambia)
on a pre-designed safari itinerary.
I was in a group of 7 people and we drove
around in 4-wheel drive land cruisers/Land Rovers and also went in
canoes on the Zambezi River.
And how did you get to hear about
them? Did you book over the internet or once you got there?
I used Lonely
Planet and the internet. I also heard about Chachacha from
friend who is living in Zambia.
I booked my entire safari over the internet.
Was there anything you didn't you
like about them?
No, they were really great. The guide was
great - professional, thoughtful, patient, helpful.........
Would you recommend somebody else
use them for their safari?
Yes. In Zambia you don't have so many
alternatives for backpackers except in Livingstone where most of the
backpackers, campsites and companies for safaris and activities around
the Zambezi River are located. So Chachacha is a quite a unique choice
but good choice!!
Chachacha Backpackers' campsite
(near Chongwe river camp): really nice campsite just near the river
with beautiful view and all facilities (wonderful hot shower under the
sky).
| How about food… what did a typical
breakfast, lunch and dinner consist of? Did you eat any local or
traditional food? |
Back
to the Questions
|
The food was good ... we ate too much!
Breakfast
would be bread, cornflakes, juice, coffee/tea, marmalade, fruits,
yoghurt and sometimes English breakfast (but I don't like it
so…)
Lunch was
normally sandwiches, chips, cheese…
Dinners were
barbecue, European and local food! Excellent.
Not too hot because it was in the
winter. We had clear days and cold nights (sometimes really cold!).
Wildlife common in Zambia and Botswana were elephant (a lot), lion,
zebra, hippo, warthog, kudu, eland, bushbuck, buffalo, waterbuck,
antelope, dik-dik, impala, gazelle, wild dog, hyena, mongoose, vervet
monkey, olive baboon, guinea fowls.
Particular
wildlife I enjoyed to see was giraffe (Botswana), 1 leopard (Zambia)
and crocodiles (a lot in the Zambezi River).
What would you say was your
wildlife spotting highlight?
At night when the animals went to drink at
the Zambezi River.
I have a really good memory in Lower Zambezi
NP canoeing on the Zambezi River with hippos and crocodiles: ouah!!
Also during a walking safari in the same
park. At one point we were surrounded by elephants. I realised human
beings are nothing compared to nature. We are so small!
Were you satisfied with the amount
of wildlife you saw?
Yes, particularly in Zambia. Zambia is still
not so touristy compared to Tanzania (visited in 2003),
so you feel closer to animals and nature!
|
Describe a typical
day of your safari from the moment you woke up until you went to bed. |
Back
to the Questions
|
We'd wake up,
have breakfast and then go on a canoeing or walking safari in the
morning. After that was lunch, 1 or 2 game drives in the afternoon or 1
game drive in the afternoon and 1 night game drive.
Then
it's time for a shower, dinner and lot of discussion around the fire!!
Lot of stories and fun!
In
Zambia in the campsite: we spent all night sleeping with an elephant
eating a tree just 2 meters beside a tent. I didn't sleep really well
because I was scared by this huge animal but I was really excited at
the same time!
| Can you offer any
tips and advice to others planning a similar safari? |
Practical advice: It's better to spend a
minimum of 5 days on safari, because 2 or 3 days is too short to enjoy
wildlife.
"Heart
advice": Enjoy everything with no prejudice. Open your eyes, listen the
nature! Be a child!
What
was the most useful item in your luggage?
- Torch or flashlight
- Mosquito repellent
| How would you rate
your safari, on a scale of 1 to 10? |
Zambia: 9
Botswana: 8 (too short)
I just lived
day by day and tried to enjoy everything I have done; everything I have
seen.
|
