Zambia (1): Day Two : Kapani Lodge to Luwi Bush Camp

We were woken up, politely but firmly, at 5.00 a.m., for breakfast around the campfire, where we were also introduced to the camp cat (‘Baby Yowl’) (camera icon) who was reported as being half African Wild Cat. However we did not claim her as a ‘sighting’ since all the evidence was that this was a very soft domestic pussy indeed.

The morning game drive yielded giraffe, hippo and elephant, together with our first sighting of the dramatically coloured carmine bee eater (camera icon). Next came a waterbuck, with its characteristic thick grey coat, and circular 'toilet seat' target on its rump (camera icon), followed by a tree squirrel, monitor lizard and zebra.

The mid morning tea break gave us the opportunity to examine a buffalo skull in detail (camera icon), and the resumed drive yielded further elephant (rather close) (camera icon), hippo etc. A rare passing vehicle then directed us to a magnificent pride of lions.

After an early lunch we transferred by road from Kapani Lodge to Norman Carr Safaris' Luwi Bush Camp, from where our walking safari was to commence. Only 1 km out of camp, on the main road into the Park, we spotted two lions lying up 50 yards or so away from the edge of the road. The blood around their jaws indicated an encounter, which was subsequently confirmed by seeing a wounded buffalo a short way off. Life (and death) in the bush can involve moments of terrifying speed, interspersed with unbelievable patience and waiting for the inevitable to take place.

Somewhat unnervingly (although not particularly for us) was the fact that, at this time of day, the road in question was occupied by significant numbers of native Zambians, both on foot and on bike, making their way into town. It just goes to show that the perceived danger from predators such as this may be overrated – man just isn’t recognised as being part of the lions’ food chain.

Sightings along the way included crocodile lying on a sandbank, a leopard tortoise (of ‘little five’ fame), a small herd of elephant, a huge herd of buffalo (camera icon), a Liechtenstein Hartebeest (camera icon), a tiny grysbok and several ground hornbills. It isn’t only the game that amazes in this ‘land that time forgot’, and a baobab tree (camera icon) proved worth a short detour. Typically these trees are believed to be 600-1000 years old.

We felt fortunate that in just one day we had managed to clock up so many big game sightings, before heading off for the mainly walking part of our safari experience. The principal omission had of course been the enigmatic leopard, although we weren’t to know just how elusive this would prove to be – and how rewarding it would be once we met with success.

On arrival into Luwi we were welcomed with Malawi shandies (American ginger ale and lemonade with a dash of angostura bitters) and cold towels by the camp hostess, Kerry, and introduced to our guide, Sam, together with Isaac, the armed Park scout who would now accompany us as we took to our feet in the bush. Although never having left the Luangwa Valley in his entire life, Sam proved to have an encyclopaedic knowledge of the minor intricacies of the English football league! The camp itself was extremely rustic in comparison with Kapani, being virtually totally constructed using natural materials.

Late that afternoon we took to our feet for the first time, not without some nervous glances over their shoulder from one or two of the guests, until they realised that being on foot in the bush wasn’t a recipe for instant attack, and they settled down to enjoy the experience. One of the ‘tricks of the trade’ is to keep an eye on the body language of the scout. If he is sauntering along with his rifle slung over one shoulder, then all is well. If he swings his gun into the ready position, then there is potential danger (if he chambers a round then you’re really in for a ‘moment’).

Almost immediately two lions were seen lying up in the distance, about quarter of a mile away. Spotting us they headed off into the bush, and we headed off after them. After tracking them for a while, without success, Sam then backtracked to where they had been lying up, and we were able to see their outline in the sand, complete with impression of a tail.

As evening approached we saw elephant, including a baby (camera icon), hippo (camera icon) crocodile, a bushbuck and – a new sighting this – a reedbuck, together with a very handsome zebra (camera icon). It was also interesting to see a number of dung beetle balls that the guide told us had probably been torn open by a honey badger seeking the larva inside, detecting its presence from the faint noise that it makes inside the ball.

Although Luwi is strictly a bush camp for walking, we had of course arrived by vehicle, and hence took the opportunity for a brief evening game drive. Although sightings weren’t able to rival those of the previous evenings’, we were able to observe elephant, a serval cat extremely close to, for several minutes – a beautiful sight - together with our first mongoose, a genet (camera icon), and the ubiquitous scrub hare.

However the highlight was a rare sighting of a large civet (camera icon), which clearly revealed why this animal should be classified in the same family as the mongoose and genet (the viverridae), rather than as the cat (felidae) that it so often resembles when encountered briefly at night.

Back at the dinner table, and after a few more drinks, we heard the sound of irate elephant trumpeting in the dark in front of us, followed by a lion roaring (one of the most chilling night sounds in the bush). Brian reckoned that the lion was probably located on the far side of a dry river bed about quarter of a mile in front of the camp, and suggested that we take a look. So we all piled into the vehicle and roared off into the bush – minus cameras, binoculars etc. Two elephant were indeed encountered halfway to the river bank, and proved to be as irate as they had sounded earlier, but we just ignored their angry trumpeting and carried on.

Close to the river bank the lion could be seen crouching on the far side, and we encouraged Brian to drive forward as close as possible, despite his misgivings that we could become stuck in the loose sand along the river bank. We then promptly became stuck in the loose sand, and despite all efforts ended up embedded up to the axles. Nothing for it but to walk back to camp (which now looked about 3 miles distant!).

We had just one small torch between us, and of course had left without Isaac (and his rifle). Fortunately the elephant had moved on by then, and we made it back without further incident. The writer then confessed that his impromptu walk in the bush had been accomplished wearing only the carpet slippers referred to earlier – not the ideal footwear if a quick dash through the bush had been required! From then on the trip became known as ‘The Carpet Slipper Safari’, to the writer’s acute embarrassment.

Too late for any 'Camp Fire Tales' on this occasion!

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