The Good,The Remote and the Rustic, a return to the Luangwa Valley

[Towlersonsafari]

One  problem that i had not thought about when planning the trip was getting into and out of the vehicles! with 2 artficialknees and one artificial elbow, and increasing old age(!) it proved to be a comic highlight of every excursion.At luambe they took a plastic milk-crate to allow me to get down and magic wooden steps appeared to help me get in and out of the vehciles at the start and end of each trip at all the camps.At one point I took-at the guide's request- to clambering obver to the front seat.

there was one more "panic" this time entirely of my own making.-as we left nkonzi to go to the airport, after about 10 minutes i realised  my phone was no longer in my trousers. -we turned back to find all the camp engaged in seraching-i was very emaberres- as time ticked by and with helpful comments of "where did you last see it"  we had to set off phoneless-only to see it on the track about 5 minutes out of camp! Phew!

We had enjoyed a wonderful holiday, and the jouney back from then on was without incident-save that mike was waiting for us at lusaka to see us on to the right plane!

Jane is now trying to plan atrip involving fly drive's in South africa and zambia.

I will leave you with some fungi we saw on a walk, and thanks evryone for following along.It was a splendid 25th anniversary!!

[TonyQ]

A splendid trip indeed for your special occasion - and a splendid report for us.

Your Leaopard photos are really beautiful and I really enjoyed your other photos and your writing. Thank you!

[Whyone?]

3 hours ago, Towlersonsafari said:

In the afternoon we came across what i think must be @Whyone? and @Biko's mother and sone leopards-

That's him!
 

He has 2 quite distinctive marks at 9 o'clock and 12 o'clock on the iris of his left eye - you can certainly see the '9 o'clock' mark in your pictures.

 

Unhelpfully he's upside down, but you can see both marks quite clearly in this picture, taken September 2022.

Edited October 7, 2023 by Whyone?

[Towlersonsafari]

Thanks @TonyQand very happy it was the same leopards @Whyone?

[michael-ibk]

Glad you enjoyed your trip, and I certainly did enjoy the report very much - thank you for sharing!

[Towlersonsafari]

Ta very much @michael-ibk

[Treepol]

Congratulations on your silver wedding anniversary and thanks for sharing your safari celebration.

[BRACQUENE]

Sorry @Towlersonsafarinot to have seen your great TR earlier but I was busy with my own  which is no excuse and of course congrats with your wedding anniversary  ! The lost luggage is something that happened to us on our first safari to the Luangwa Remote Camps in 2014 and I still remember it like yesterday : as I had never been to Africa before ( my wife Anne  is a different story as she was born there and lived for eighteen years in Kinshasa ) this was horror for me even if the day after we got them back with the help of Tafika Camp  ; at the time we had still had a direct flight from Amsterdam to Lusaka with KLM  but with a one hour stop at Harare where the luggage was mistakenly left behind ... 

I have also the impression that the last few years cancellations and delays in flights  are happening all the time especially in high season as we experienced with Lufthansa when visiting  Kenya last August  ; hopefully when we go to Rwanda in December the direct flight with Brussels Airlines will be on time !!

We have been twice to the Luangwa Valley but definitely want to return in the future 

[Towlersonsafari]

sounds very stressful @BRACQUENEand thanks for your kind words.

In case it is of interest jane took some video with her Panasonic travel compact camera- and here is a link to the elephants we saw in Flatdogs camp, and a bit of footage about the camp- there is an old befuddled fool that gets n the way every now and then but it does give a feel of things and of how relaxed the elephants were.Here is the link

 

[marg]

@Towlersonsafarivery much enjoyed your trip report and the videos.

Happy Anniversary too!

[Hads]

Firstly thanks again @Towlersonsafarifor a sharing your trip report, many wonderful photo's. and sightings.

Congratulations on your wedding anniversary.

I stayed at a camp next to Flat dogs back in 1999 when I was backpacking around Southern Africa, I can not remember the camp name it was basic but nice. I was very impressed with your Flat dog report.

[Towlersonsafari]

thanks @Hads  @marg BS @TreepolJane did do a video of some of the game drive 2highlights2 with some nice leopard and of course ele footage in case it is of any interest

 

 

Edited October 12, 2023 by Towlersonsafari

[ricmiles]

Thanks for sharing this trip report. You really had some special leopard sightings.

 

How was the traffic of vehicles in the area shared with the Shenton camps?