My first TR - a return to South Luangwa and Lower Zambezi National Parks

[Tdgraves]

Day 1 first evening in Nkwali

 

Food and lodgings excellent as always. It has already been mentioned on ST that the front of the rooms at Nkwali are open. There are thin curtains and at night they pull across some wrought iron gate, which are only solid to knee level. There were lots of bush noises as expected, but quite a lot of leaf noise by our room, we found out why the next morning...

Edited November 3, 2013 by Tdgraves

[Tdgraves]

Day 2 morning drive

 

The first morning drive from Nkwali. As the other guests wanted to walk, we got a PV for free – what a bonus!

 

 

As you can seen from the above photo, we forded the river to enter the park again. There is a carmine bee-eater colony on the far bank, but the water levels were still quite high to get near enough in a vehicle to get any photos, but it was nice to see and hear them. We also saw some more Puku.

 

 

As you will know from previous TRs, South Luangwa is known for its leopard and this drive again did not disappoint. Our guide knew his whereabouts as there had been some radio traffic. We found him in a tree, guarding what was left of his kill. However, no sooner had I moaned about the difficulty focussing through the leaves, than he had leapt down to give us a show!

 

 

 

We then drove up towards Chichele Presidential lodge, where we had to queue for a few minutes to see a mating pair of lion. And I really will have to learn how to upload video so that I can add this into my next installment. They were fast asleep under what little sahe they could manage with the remains of a zebra kill, as it was getting very hot. This shot also cunningly disguises her collar!

 

 

We then saw the first of many Southern ground hornbills – anyone visiting here would assume that they are common.

 

 

I then had a go at getting some quelea in flight (a very small flock mind)

 

 

So that we could explore more of the park and not double back on ourselves, we got a boat back to the lodge. Just before we got to the waters’ edge, this guy circled over us, giving us a chance of practising bird in flight photography. Unfortunately the sun was getting high and he kept flying in front of us – temporarily blinding Chris (don’t look at the sun though a view finder....)

 

 

 

The boat crossing was rather close to a pod of hippos, but they seemed happy enough.

 

Not bad for half a days' work. Now time for a well-deserved brunch!

[TonyQ]

Great to see the park through someone else's eyes (and camera lens)

keep it coming!

Good to see the leopard on both drives!

And a clever bit of kit to get the night hippo shot - I remember the noise they made on the dry leaves

[Tdgraves]

Great to see the park through someone else's eyes (and camera lens)

keep it coming!

Good to see the leopard on both drives!

And a clever bit of kit to get the night hippo shot - I remember the noise they made on the dry leaves

 

Thanks @@TonyQ it is a motion-sensitive camera. It was a birthday present for Chris. We didn't capture much on it, but it is interesting what appears in our garden...

[Soukous]

Keep em coming @@Tdgraves

 

i always find other people's trip reports and photos far more interesting than my own.

[Tdgraves]

thanks @@Soukous probably will be a few days until the next installment as I have the brother-in-law coming to stay......

[Safari Cal]

Great stuff, love that hippo shot and great to get the Leopard as well. Looks like that hippo came close eh? Never been to Zambia, might have to talk to Laura

 

Great TR, looking forward to the next instalment @@Tdgraves

 

 

For anyone in the UK, Simon King and Kate Humble are doing a 3 part wildlife show from the Luangwa River, Zambia on Monday nights. It's called Africa 2013: Countdown to the Rains, episode 2 is next Monday at 11:50pm... or on iPlayer to suit yourself.

[Tdgraves]

Great stuff, love that hippo shot and great to get the Leopard as well. Looks like that hippo came close eh? Never been to Zambia, might have to talk to Laura

 

Great TR, looking forward to the next instalment @@Tdgraves

 

 

For anyone in the UK, Simon King and Kate Humble are doing a 3 part wildlife show from the Luangwa River, Zambia on Monday nights. It's called Africa 2013: Countdown to the Rains, episode 2 is next Monday at 11:50pm... or on iPlayer to suit yourself.

 

@@Safari Cal Get her to watch the show - I'm sure she will be hooked

[Tdgraves]

The brother-in-law has gone now, so I have no more excuses (for now...)

 

Day 2 evening drive (Nkwali)

 

The "drive" began by boat as we crossed back over to where we left the vehicle. We were joined by a new couple in our vehicle and the couple who were walking in the morning were ahead of us in another. It was very hot.

 

We hadn't been going very long before we found this female leopard at the side of the road. The vehicle in front of us (also from Nkwali) drove straight past her and had to turn around to join the sighting...

 

 

 

We also revisited the mating lions, who, being lions, weren't doing very much and the light was fading, but I managed to get an extreme close-up.

 

 

The mating was obviously over as the female got up and moved off. We followed her to a waterhole and we stopped for sundowners on the top of the hill and took in the view. As you can see, it was exceedingly dry.

 

 

After drinks, we caught up with her again in front of Puku ridge. She walked right in front of us to where a hyaena was waiting. There was a bit of a stand off, but the hyaena mock wandered off, before following her along the path. It was too dark to anyting other than take in the moment (and anticipate a fight, which never happened!)

 

The rest of the night drive rather paled into comparison after that, but we did see a grysbok and a genet quite close.

 

Now time for a shower and dinner.

Edited November 12, 2013 by Tdgraves

[Tdgraves]

i don't know, 9 days off and I forget how to add photos into the text doh! now i need chocolate

[Maki]

@@Tdgraves - love the leopards... those beautiful green eyes.

How dissappointing, just grysbok ....

[Tdgraves]

what I should have mentioned though is what a surreal experience it is fording the Luangwa at nicht with only the spotlight in the dark...

[SafariChick]

Don't give up - more please! And if you put a video on youtube, I think you just copy and paste the link into a post and we will at least be able to click the link but @@Game Warden can embed it for you too

[TonyQ]

Beautiful leopard photo - those eyes!

And very close to the lion

Keep it coming

[Soukous]

ditto, keep it coming, I'm hungry for more

[Tdgraves]

@@TonyQ and @@Soukous gosh you guys are impatient! It's been less than 24 hours since my last update!! Voracious TR appetites

[Soukous]

Indeed, that's what it is like on safari, we expect game drives twice a day.

[Tdgraves]

Dinner that night was interesting - a hippo tried to join us! Unfortunately no-one had a camera to hand. the guides and night watchmen managed to persuade it to go somewhere more appropriate (as it wasn't wearing a tie)

[Tdgraves]

Day 3 morning drive transfer to Tena Tena

 

As we were transferring, we had a private drive again, which was longer than usual. It was the only time we entered through the Mfuwe gate and we didn’t see much in the way of traffic. In terms of game, it was also pretty quiet as well (no leopard....hard to believe, I know), although we saw a huge herd of buffalo.

 

 

 

 

 

 

We spent a long time looking over a drying lagoon as the various birds were taking advantage of the rapidly dwindling hiding places for the fish and frogs to hide in. Unfortunately the sun was directly in front of us and we were looking downhill, but interesting nonetheless.

 

 

 

 

 

 

We then got up close and personal with some very obliging eles

 

 

 

We then crossed the river into the Nsefu sector, by driving across....it was very shallow! We had our coffee break under a tree overlooking the river and spent ages trying to get the quintessential hippo fighting shots

 

 

 

 

 

Then it was time to get into camp as it was getting very hot – even the Hammerkops were resting

 

 

 

Just before we got into Tena Tena, a flock of pelicans flew over – I have never seen them in the wild before

 

 

Time for a cold drink and a cold shower

[TonyQ]

@@Tdgraves

Great pictures -love the birds fishing + the close up elephant

[Soukous]

@@Tdgraves more please pretty please

[Tdgraves]

You lot are insatiable!

 

Day 3 Tena Tena: Evening drive

 

We were paired up with a honeymoon couple from the UK. It was their first day and the bride was particularly tired after the wedding and travelling. They had both been to Zambia years ago with family and were excited to be back.

 

We were near a drying lagoon when the guide stopped. I saw a Bataleur sitting in a tree, so assumed that was why he had stopped, but, oh no, you guessed it, a leopard!! Not only that, but she was going the classic legs dangling over the branch pose (we have waited five years for that). However, it was getting close to sunset, but you can’t have everything!

 

 

There was a heron posing in front of the sunset behind us, so what more could we want?

 

 

We decided to have sundowners nearby and to go back to her after sunset. We had a lovely elephant "drive by", where a whole herd walked slowly passed the vehicle – magical.

 

We returned to her tree and she rewarded us by activating. She had a look at her kill, sat down again and then decided to leave the tree for a drink. So I decided to attempt spotlight/night drive photography. I usually leave this to the other half as the 7D has a better sensor, but I was quite pleased with my first attempts.

 

 

OK, maybe not the first one...

 

 

 

 

We then proceeded to have the most epic night drive ever. I think the honeymooners thought we were joking when we kept telling them how amazing it was. A pair of porcupine, bushbabies (the guide NEVER sees these....), honeybadger, mongoose, another porcupine, elephant shrew, etc. etc.

 

We returned to camp most satisfied

[twaffle]

Wonderful trip report, love the photo of the heron and the sunset especially.

[TonyQ]

Second vote for the heron sunset - and the leopard!

The photos at night did come out well (The first night one suggests a new thread on photos that didn't quite come out as we wished? - reminds me of the experience!)

[Game Warden]

Haha, the b&w leopard's bum needs to go here as well...