GreenDrake

This report covers my recent trip to both the North Luangwa and South Luangwa National Parks in Zambia. I will post my photos as the conclusion of this report. This was my second trip to Zambia, but my first trip to the North Luangwa National Park. My thoughts as soon as I departed were centered on how and when I will return as I already miss the sounds, sights and smells.

My trip itinerary was:
10/7-8/06 Kafunta Island Bush Camp - South Luangwa National Park

10/9/06 Kafunta River Lodge – South Luangwa National Park

10/10/06 Wilderness Camp – Luambe National Park

10/11-13/06 Buffalo Camp – North Luangwa National Park

10/14-17/06 Kafunta River Lodge – South Luangwa National Park

10/18/06 Lusaka – Holiday Inn

I arrived in Mfuwe early Saturday morning and seeing smiling waving children is an instant cure for jet lag. The smiles on these kids can light up the universe. I stopped briefly at the Kafunta River Lodge main camp for lunch before heading on to Kafunta’s bush camp where I would spend the next two nights. Photos don’t do justice to the panorama surrounding the main camp. The chalets overlook a field that is a flood plain that only contains scattered puddles of water in the peak of the dry season. This field serves as the local “pub” for numerous puku, baboons, wart hogs and a few majestic crowned cranes. These were the first crowned cranes I had ever seen and I could not take my eyes off of them.

The drive to the bush camp takes about 2 ½ hours and our driver is Greg Poole a native of Zimbabwe and he will be our guide for the next two nights. Along the way we view giraffes, elles and a couple of large male waterbucks with impressive racks and Greg comments that these are his favorite antelopes. When we arrive at the river crossing to the Island Bush Camp I realize we will not need a boat as the South Luangwa River bed at this time of year in some places is totally dry and in most places only about an 1/8 of its full capacity. We drive across with water coming up to about the top of the tires.

We are met by Ellen the manager of the Island Bush Camp. Ellen is a bright energetic British woman who has lived in the Luangwa River Valley for 6 years and has trained to be a guide and although not qualified to lead walks can lead game drives. I really enjoy her company and she makes everyone feel right at home. Ellen informs us of the camp precautions and informs us that a big bull elephant commonly visits the camp at night and that he taken a liking to “nibbling” on the sausage tree fruit hanging in the main dining area. I will soon get to meet this big guy up close and personal the next day.

We drive to a pod of hippos on the South Luangwa for sundowners on the way we see Ellen’s bull elephant friend about 200 yards out from the camp on the dry yellow sand river bed heading in the direction of the camp. We reach our sundowner spot and I down my Mosi by the riverbank and I am serenaded by hippos splashing, grunting, spraying and producing that distinctive power lawn motor sound. Fairly similar to the sounds of colleagues at home after a few rounds of beer and nachos –

I end up crashing for the night at about 8:30p.m. as I don’t sleep well on planes and had not slept the last 48 hours of the journey. Its still about 90 degrees at that time of night but my small battery operated fan keeps me cool and by the middle of the night the temperature drops to the low 70’s and I am actually reaching for covers before the night is through. I am awakened several times in the night by the sounds of the bush – it never felt so good to be awakened in the middle night.

Next – A big bull elle decides to join me for a Mosi in camp.

matnikstym

a GREAT start! How exciting, would like to go to N. Luangwa someday, S. Luangwa is my favorite place in the world (so far) Looking forward to reading more!

atravelynn

You are so right about being awakened in the night by the bush sounds. If it were a car alarm or a barking dog I'd be ticked but screaming baboons or loudly grunting hippos are like a lullaby! Good start and awaiting the rest.

santharamhari

Nice reading your report. Cant wait for your next segment and later get a chance to see the pics......

When you get a moment, even after your report....would like to know if you discussed Zimbabwe with your guide from that country and his thoughts...thanks

Hari

santharamhari

I normally dont get much sleep on safari.....those "Lullaby" sounds described by Lynn......keeps me excieted thru the nite- especially the distant roars of lions and the hyenas giggling away.....

I dont do siestas in the afternoons, either.....as a result, i sleep better at home.

Hari

GreenDrake

Lynn - well put. I need to find a way to capture those hyena, baboon sounds of the night and get them into my alarm clock.

Hari - I had a very long talk one evening with Greg - the guide from Zim about his life in Zim and his feelings about the country now. Greg's family lived in Harare and finally left the county when they would hear frequent gun-fire near their home and they felt that crime had become too rampant and moved to England. Greg tried England for awhile,but his heart was in Africa.

I can only imagine how difficult it must be to have to leave your homeland. My parents had to flee war torn Europe and I am a first generation American so I have a bit of insight into the trauma.

The recent Zambian elections re-triggered the fear for Greg that he may once again some day have to flee a country that was his home because of political events.

The opposition candidate in the elections was praising Mugabe and saying how happy the people of Zim were with him in power. He was also proposing to kick out foreign investors in Zambia - specifially stating the Chinese and Indians. This guy was leading in the initial returns, but did lose while receiving 30% of the vote.

As to tourism to Zim, Greg felt o.k with tourism to Zim and did not think that $$ going to wildlife tourism would be propping up the Mugabe regime, but did realize that economic pain will be one driving force that hopefully will lead to regime change one day.

santharamhari

Greendrake,

Appreciate the info......thanks

Hari

thit_cho

Thanks, I'm looking forward to the rest of your report. I have only been to South Luangwa (also at Kafunta River Lodge), but I would like to revisit Zambia and North Luangwa (plus Kasanka for the bats and Kafue).

GreenDrake

Day 2 – Sunday October 8, 2006

We awoke for the early morning walk at 5:15 a.m. and we were on the trail by 5:45 a.m. and back in camp by 9:30 a.m. We encounter large numbers of elephants during this walk. Greg points out that at this time of year because of the lack of quality forage the bones on their backs will be visible, but once the rains commence they will quickly fatten up.

Greg points out buffalo dung scattered across the ground and says he rarely sees them in this part of the park. They will bed down at night and by morning will be gone. He points out that in this part of the park the buffalo still equate people with hunting. During the wet season this part of the park is inaccessible which makes it much easier for poachers from the local villages to target the buffalo. We, however, are very fortunate on the next day’s morning walk and come across a large herd of some 80 buffalo.

We encounter several warthogs and because of their poor sight we are able to get fairly close before they catch our scent and take off into the brush with their distinctive rapid-fire waddle. The puku for the most part seem very relaxed around us, but on occasion do issue a warning call after spotting us. I love the enormous variety and number of birds of prey found in Africa and on this walk we have some excellent sightings of snake eagles and African Fish eagles.

During the walk we stumble upon a full ivory tusk and Greg explains that the tusk must be turned into ZAWA (Zambian Wildlife Authority). All ivory is kept in storage and Zambia does not sell this ivory as is done in some other African countries.

We arrive back in camp and two new guests have arrived. An American woman from Minnesota- Julie -with her daughter Kelly. Kelly is in the Peace Corps and they will be spending a few days at the Kafunta and the bush camp and then Kelly will be taking her mother to spend 3 days in the village where she is volunteering. Unfortunately, Mom is without her luggage as Air Zambia did not load any of the luggage for all the passengers from Lusaka to Mfuwe and she would not get her luggage until 2 days later. That is bad luck, as you would expect that this is the leg of the flights where you would be safe from lost luggage woes.

After lunch I am reclining in a canvas lounge chair outside in front of the main dining area/bar and its about 2 p.m. and everyone else is napping. One of the staff approaches me and tells me there is an elephant in camp. I ask him how do you say elephant in nyanja and as the word “N-jump-doo” comes out of his mouth I spot a big bull about 20 meters away. The staff member moves inside behind the bar and I sit frozen realizing this elephant is too close now for me to get up and move. He is feeding peacefully on the leaves of a tree and he slowly start to move closer towards me. He is now within about 10 meters of me and he is continuing to nibble away indifferent to my presence. Yes sirree – this is some “N-jump-doo” and I am instantly taken by how small I am in comparison to him. My head in my semi-reclining position barely comes up to his knee and I can see he could use some dental floss.

The staff, Greg and the 2 American woman now are about 20 meters away from me and I slowly turn my head in Greg’s direction to confirm I am doing the correct thing by staying frozen in my spot and he nods his head and I stay frozen in position. Behind me in the main dining area sausage tree fruits are hung from the ceiling and I remember the camp manager Ellen telling me that this bull likes to go inside and pick them off the ceiling. I am hoping that is not his goal this afternoon as I am sitting directly between him and those sausage tree fruits. He now stops feeding on the leaves and moves to within 5 meters of me and I don’t think I have exhaled for the last 5 minutes. At this point he has two routes he can go. He can turn left towards the river or right towards me and the dining area. He now looks up and spots Greg and the 2 American guests standing 20-30 meters away. His steps back and his ears start to flap and he gives a loud snort. He then turns to the left and slowly walks into the South Luangwa. I can now exhale as the adrenaline surges through my veins.

At the time I was wondering if when he snorted and flapped his ears had he possibly just noticed me for the first time. Greg, however, afterwards would tell me that when the elephant started to cross in front of me that would naturally be a nervous time for him. He would want to check me out and make sure I was not doing anything threatening. It was at that same instant that he noticed Greg and the combination of these 2 events caused him to react as he did. During the event I never had any fear that he would attack me with malice, but just because of his sheer size I was worried that he would by accident turn or move awkwardly in matter that would cause me to become 9 inches tall instead of 5 feet 9 inches tall and I can’t afford to become that short.

Shortly afterwards we embarked on our afternoon walk at about 4 p.m. and we would have another elephant encounter. We came across an old tuskless elephant around 30 years old that Greg knew well. We were walking in the same direction as the elephant and we were separated by thick brush some 20-40 meters apart. The elephant was feeding as he walked and Greg thought he was aware with our presence. When our group of about 8 and the elephant came to the end of the brush the elephant looked to his left and spotted us for the first time. He was not overjoyed to see us and evidently he had not been aware of our presence until this moment. Greg ordered us all to form a group and the elephant gave us a small mock charge before moving off in the opposite direction. Greg would comment that the “elephant must have blind not to have seen us initially.” Afterwards I asked Greg his reasoning in huddling us up to form one group and he gave 3 reasons:

1)He would then be easily be able to account for all of us
2)People will generally feel safer when grouped together
3)The elephant will not be confused/threatened by having observing different people in various locations.

I can only think what the American woman was thinking, as in her first 2 hours in Zambia she had witnessed 2 close elephant encounters.

Next – One last walk in the bush and then off for one night at the main Kafunta River Lodge before the journey up to the North Luangwa National Park.

atravelynn

I was holding my breath along with you!

GreenDrake

Part 3 - On To Kafunta Main Lodge Before the Journey to North Luangwa

There is nothing like sitting around a campfire in the bush and listening to the sounds, watching the stars and hearing good campfire tales. Ellen the bush camp managers on our final evening at the bush camp relates a spine tingling true story that leaves me just shaking my head.

I will do my best to recount her tale…..

Ellen tells us often when she goes into the local pubs in the area towns she will encounter some oddly behaving characters. It seems that in the villages, unlike in western societies, those afflicted with mental illness are not sent off for confinement or therapy. They remain part of the village and the villagers try their best to take of them and feed them and often protect themfrom themselves. With thought in mind Ellen switches settings to a story about a macabre game drive.

A guide at a South Luangwa camp that Ellen knows well has two guests in his vehicle. They are a couple on their first game drive. They come upon a lion kill and are very excited to witness this scene. After only about a minute at the kill, the driver starts the engine and takes off and returns to camp. He does not give any explanation to the couple and they are furious. They go to the manager of the camp and relay to him they have never been on a game drive and wanted to take photographs of the kill, but instead the driver just takes off and refuses to communicate any reason to them for this behavior.

The manager is confused as this guide is an excellent, experienced guide and this behavior just does not seem to fit his personality. She apologizes profusely to the angry couple and tells them she will find out what happened.

She tracks down the guide and starts to angrily interrogate him as to why he would act in this manner. His bowed head slowly turns up and his solemn eyes meet hers. “I came upon the kill and was about to position the vehicle in a good position to take photos. At this moment I saw the leg of the kill and then a profile of the head. It was one of the “village madmen” who apparently had wandered off into the bush at night and I instantly started up the engine and I drove off.”

We have one more morning walk before we drive to the main Kafunta Lodge for one day before heading off to North Luangwa. We see a large herd of about 80 buffalo and our presence spooks them. We hear the thunder of their hoofs and the air is full of dust as they stampede away from us.

At the end of the walk we come upon a pod of hippos and witness a lone hippo about 40 yards away from the pod go into a full sprint in the water and he stops just as he reaches the pod. I think his 40 yard dash time would have left National Football League scouts drooling. This was a visual lesson why you would never try to out run a hippo. I could not believe how fast this big beefy guy could move.

We arrive at Kafunta River Lodge and the night drive at Kafunta yields my first leopard sighting on this trip. We briefly spot him moving across a ridge above a field of pukus and the air is full of the puku’s whistle like alarm calls. We position the vehicle in the middle of the field and shut off the engine and turn off the spotlight and wait and see if the leopard is about to hunt. Two other vehicles arrive at the scene and do the same. These are one of my favorite moments on the night drives. You move up to the edge of your seat as if that will increase your hearing acuity and you squint and scan the darkness for activity while gazing up at the star-filled sky. The silence is broken by the distinctive call of the leopard – a sound similar to sawing wood. Instantly all 3 vehicles start their engines and commence to drive away. Greg, our guide, explains that the leopard is just marking his territory and would not be announcing his presence if he was on a hunt.

Next – Drive to Luambe National Park and North Luangwa National Park

atravelynn

And I was hearing your leopard.

That was quite a campfire tale about the lion kill.

Interesting account of the hippo dash that explains why they kill more people each year than any other animal.

Must have been thrilling to witness the buffalo running.

GreenDrake

Part 4 – Drive Up North & Arrival In North Luangwa

10/10/06

I set off for the drive to North Luangwa. Joining me on the trip are 3 Swedish travelers who will become “my family” for the trip. The Swedish group consists of a married couple - Lennart and Mariana and Mariana’s brother Johan. Mariana and Lennart speak fluent English and Johan speaks English fairly well and they have traveled extensively in Africa having lived in South Africa for 3 years. Also joining us in the vehicle are a German couple Martina who speaks English very well and her husband Peter who does not speak English at all. We are traveling “East African” style in that we bringing our own guide and cook from Kafunta. Martin our guide speaks fluent Bemba – the dialect spoken in the North Luangwa area – and he tells us he truly enjoys these excursions up North. We all truly enjoyed traveling with Martin and he is an excellent guide who has been with Kafunta for many years.

The 10- hour journey to North Luangwa is split in half. We drive 5 hours to Luambe National Park and spend the night and then drive another 5 hours the next day and arrive at Buffalo Camp in the North Luangwa National Park.

We pass through numerous villages on the way and smiling and waving small children come racing full speed to greet us as we pass through each village. We ignore the cries for “sweeties” but not the cries for “books, as we do have paper notebooks and pencils and we donate these to a school along the way and to small groups of children along the way. The extreme poverty of the villages is readily apparent as we pass through with closed modern steel built water pumps that some of the villages have being the only sign of prosperity. Images of women carrying firewood, hoeing cotton and vegetable fields, and small children carrying babies fill my senses. Western conveniences we take for granted such as shoes or eyeglasses are just not seen and I am sure ample food and clean water in many of these villages is also not a reality.

One scene clearly remains fixed in my memory. A small girl about 5 years old runs up to the vehicle carrying two brightly colored yellow and red empty plastic pails used to transport water. We reach to give her a notebook and a pencil but when she gets to within about 20 feet of our vehicle – fear takes over and she drops her buckets and runs off as fast as she can until she reaches a “safe” distance away from and looks back at us with a big smile. We wonder if she has suddenly remembered the village lore used by parents to control their young children-“you better behave or the white man will come and kidnap you and eat you.”

We arrive at Wilderness Lodge in Luambe National Park at about 3:30 p.m. The lodge sits directly on the Luangwa River and we are greeted by the sounds of large pod of the hippos that take up residence right in front of the tents. The camp is nice resting spot to break up the journey, but we do not see a lot of game on the evening drive and it would not otherwise be a place I would drive 5 hours to from the South Luangwa park to visit.

We depart early in the morning and easily cross the almost dry river basin of the Luangwa River and arrive at the gate of the North Luangwa Park in about 5 hours. The next half hour drive to Buffalo Camp turns out to be an intense game-drive with many animal sighting including lions, cockson’s wildebeest, kudu, waterbucks, bushbucks, elles, zebras, hippos and crocks. We pull up fairly close to two lions resting in the brush – a male and female. Martin mentions these lions seem much more nervous than the typical lions he encounters in the South. I don’t notice it, but he points out they are hunched up a bit more on their paws and this makes Martin uneasy as he says he that position they can spring up and either mock charge or run off. He decides its best to move on and we continue our drive to Buffalo Camp.

We arrive at Buffalo Camp, which is in a beautiful setting and is adjacent to the Mwaleshi River. The riverbed is wider than I had imagined it but only about 15-20% full and the clear water is only ankle deep in most places. The camp has 3 simple raised chalets and one ground level hut. I get the ground level hut and I immediately open up the reed shade covering the front window so I could have some light within the hut. Martin warns me to make sure that I lower the shade at night and to close my reed door as lions frequently pass through camp. Martin has a great sense of humor and is always pulling our leg, but in this case I realize he is deadly serious. It’s been a hectic schedule to date I look forward to spending the tonight and the next 3 days in one place. I climb up to the balcony above the dining area and pull out one of favorite cigars and open up a cold Mosi. I am truly on “Holiday” now and it feels to just kick back and enjoy the wild pristine view.

Africa

I'm really enjoying your report and I hope you will tell us more about Kafunta River Lodge and the area around the lodge.

cybor

I as well, am really enjoying your insightful report. You have a wonderful way of making me feel like I was there. Wild story about the body. I wonder if those people were ever told about the situation. Also wonder what they do with the stored tusks.
Look forward to more and seeing your pictures.
Sherry

GreenDrake

Lynn - I have a very healthy respect for hippos and never want to run into one at camp at night.

Sound of the buffalos fleeing was like an old western movie where the cattle stampede

Africa - the end of my report will describe Kafunta in greater detail as I spent the last 4 days of my trip there. I also will posting a quite a few photos of the Kafunta accomodations as well as the field and wildlife you view from the chalet front porches.

Cybor - Thank you for your kind words. Writing this allows me to extend my journey to Zambia as the sounds, smells and sights flow through my mind as type my journal notes.

I asked that exact ivory question to Greg our guide and he said they just keep all the ivory in storage. He made a point of quickly turning the tusk into ZAWA as there are stiff penalties for posessing ivory and an excuse of "we found it in the bush" won't be viewed favorably. Unfortunately other countries have helped maintain an ivory market by selling "found" ivory from their ivory coffers.

atravelynn

Nice description of your 10-hour drive from South to North Luangwa. Since flying between the two is common, it's nice to get a perspective from the ground.

Martin's observations about the lions were interesting. They must not see as many vehicles as lions in the more trafficked parks. Good thing he mentioned to close the shades!

I feel like I'm with you on all of your safari experiences but I'll decline the cigar.

Great report and looking forward to your days in N. Luangwa.

santharamhari

Greendrake,

Was busy last night, so didnt get a chance to read your new installments until now....but, i'm enjoying every word of your report. Your enthusiasm for the bush is the essence the entire trip report.......

Thanks
Hari

GreenDrake

Part 5 – Buffalo Camp – North Luangwa

Accommodations at Buffalo Camp are simple and if you are looking for chocolate mints on your pillow this is not the camp for you. The raised chalets are open in the front and face the Mwaleshi River and include attached bathrooms with showers fed by large steel barrels and flush toilets. I will be posting photos of the accommodations of the camp. We had brought our food and cook from Kafunta and as in Kafunta it was excellent. It’s true allure is Location, Location, Location.

Martin our guide tells us we are fortunate that our part of six are the only ones in camp as he relates that often times earlier in the year there may be quite a few campers and that he will often have to sleep in a small pup tent and that even the owner Mark Harvey will give up his accommodations and sleep outside on the observatory platform. I am very glad I did not come upon a crowded camp as I imagined a small peaceful remote un-crowded camp and that is what exactly what I experienced. Martin also told me the three camps on the Mwaleshi keep close communications with each other to ensure that their walking parties do not meet and are in different sections of the park and that they will share their nearby walking areas with each other.

Unfortunately, Mark Harvey the owner of Buffalo Camp and the grandson of Stewart-Gore-Brown, the Englishman who built the massive estate Shiwa Ng’andu in the North Luangwa area was not at the camp. The man who served as the host of the camp had passed away and Mark was in S.Africa attending his funeral. I had looked forward to meeting Mark and listening to his stories around the campfire.

Our first morning walk was outstanding. The best walk I had ever done. (On my previous trip I had spent a week walking with the Bushcamp Co. in the western part of the S. Luangwa). Martin says he finds the walks here much more productive and enjoyable than those around the Kafunta Island Bush Camp because the Mwaleshi River really serves as a magnet for the wildlife and within minutes you are in great game viewing areas. In contrast he says the direction you can walk at the Kafunta bush camp is somewhat limited. A nearby plain does contain good game density, but he says its about a 2 hour walk to get there and by that time you are reach it you will encounter the searing mid-day.

We walked along the Mwaleshi and at one point took off our shoes and crossed it. It was ankle deep with the water being cool and refreshing. As we walked along the river our porter Maxwell pointed to a small mud hole filled with water adjacent to the river. Maxwell had eagle eyes and would often spot game on the walks. We looked in and small bubbles rising from the center of the pool and after awhile we could see the outline of a large crock – just sitting and waiting for some poor unsuspecting impala to come for a drink. We also spotted kudu, wart hogs, buffalo, zebras, wildebeest, saddle bill storks and a bataleur eagle.

Martina the German woman in our group really loves hyenas and really wants to come across some on our walk and I shared this desire. Martin our guide tells us the hyenas will often sit in the Mwaleshi River to stay cool and sip water and that they will just appear like a strewn log in the river from a distance. He says once they spot you, however, they usually will take off and run. Shortly afterwards we come around a bend and the river widens and there is a wide yellow sandy beach. Martin brings his binoculars to his eyes and smiles and we all look in the direction he points to. Some one hundred yards away sitting a few yards from the sand bank I see the “log” Martin has found, and as I steady my gaze and focus my binoculars the tip of the log clearly turns into the head of the hyena.

We approach carefully and we are able to get within 30 yards of him. He looks up at us and is oblivious to us and puts his head back down into the cool water. Maxwell our porter at one point rolls up his pants and goes into the river towards him to “stir” him up. I think he was trying to get him provide action for us and all we could do is shake our heads in amazement. The hyena, even with Maxwell waving his hands and splashing in the water, just continued to lay there with his paws extended like an old basset bound. Martin was not thrilled with Maxwell’s actions and comments – “you never know this hyena could have charged Maxwell.” Eventually the hyena slowly gets up and decides to move away from these intruders disturbing his mid-day nap and “slinks” away.

When we return to camp I am thinking I still have not seen buffalo, but as we arrive at the edge of camp we see 7-8 kukule (old male water buffaloes) lined up on the opposite shore of camp about 40 yards away. They would bed present for most of the next few days and it was easy to see how Buffalo Camp got its name. A friend whose literary skills exceed mine aptly describes the scene as: “kukule strung along the beach like glistening black rocks.”

GreenDrake

Part – 6 North Luangwa – Elles Close on Foot / Sundowners With Lions

I was aware of the history of the North Luangwa area before visiting. I knew of the courageous efforts of Mark & Delia Owens to battle the poachers and preserve the park’s elephants had been successful, but I also aware the many years of poaching had left a traumatic scar on the social structure of the park’s elephant population. I had not expected to see lots of elephants and surely did not expect to see them up close. We however, would be blessed with a truly unexpected gift this on this evening’s walk.

Just prior to sunset we sat on a bluff above the Mwaleshi River and spotted a herd of 8 female elephants and 4 baby elephants approaching the river from the opposite bank for their evening “sundowners”. We all sit silently as the elephants enter the river and walk slowly in our direction and they continue onward until they reach our bank. They are now about 30 yards away and we are about 20 yards above them and the elephants begin to lap up the cool water with their trunks. We were just high enough above them that they never caught our scent. What a magical moment as they quench their thirst oblivious to our presence and we all sit perfectly still and are mesmerized by the scene in front of us. After about 20 minutes they turn and retreat across the river from the same direction they had come from and disappear. Martin’s face is beaming as he tells us this is the first time he has seen a healthy herd this large and this close on foot. He says in the past almost all of his encounters have been with groups of 2 or 3 elephants.

I was able to capture this moment on video and sent the 1-2 minute clip to the Mark and
Delia Owen’s Foundation as I thought they would enjoy seeing the fruits of their work.

Elephants crossing the Mwaleshi River - North Luangwa National Park
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92KZnVvBI2o

The Foundation’s director (whose brother is Delia Owen’s twin brother) replied back:

Fred,

Oh thanks for the image of the safari to North Luangwa. I drank in every single image -
scenes from homes. Delia and Mark will greatly enjoy them as
well - reconnecting with old friends. You have me dreaming of the ‘work harder’ birds and the baby warthogs playing in the hot sand beside the river. Ahhhhh!

The videos brought tears to my eyes. I wonder if anyone can appreciate what
a spectacular thing you saw - a beautiful elephant family drinking from the
river so calmly in daylight - and with PEOPLE standing just meters away! It
would have been impossible just 15 years ago and had Delia and Mark not worked so very hard - risked their lives - none of that would have been possible. Really - it brings tears to my eyes and lump to my throat! The elephant family you say (and they had tusks!) is the hope for Luangwa and the realization of a dream that we couldn’t hope would come true during those dark times when the poachers had the upper hand. It is just rewarding beyond anything I can describe! Thank you so much for sharing.

Cheers, Mary
Mary Dykes, Administrative Director
Owens Foundation for Wildlife Conservation, Inc.
P.O. Box 870530, Stone Mtn, GA 30087 USA
PHONE: 770-270-0729 FAX:770-934-8337

www.owens-foundation.org


We had about a ½ hour of daylight left after the elephant encounter and we were heading down the river for sundowners when Maxwell our porter spots 2 lions. This guy could spot a flee at a 1,000 yards. We move to within about 250 yards of two lions lying on riverbank and then we notice there were 4 more in some brush about 40 yards from the riverbank. The distance and low light makes for difficult photographic conditions, but we can clearly see them well with our binoculars. The jeep then appears with sundowner provisions and we pull up our canvas-backed chairs and sip cold drinks while watching the lions. Our guide and scout are totally relaxed as was I until it reached a point where darkness was almost upon us. At that point I can barely make out two black dots where the lions were lying down and I wondered how would we know if the pride had moved and circled behind us. Just as this thought entered my mind Martin gets up and tells us its time to hop in the land rover and head back to camp less we get surprised with an “ambush.”