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Brian Goes to Zambia & Tanzania: Full Report

Dear Mango travelers & friends-

The Mango Adventure Team has just returned from another scouting trip. This trip - Zambia & Tanzania! This was a 5 week long trip as we really needed to get some perspective on these new places and also check-in with some of our cherished favorites.

Zambia:
This is one of Africa's most celebrated, but still somewhat obscure safari destinations. Zambia is huge at almost the size of Europe and boasts 19 National Parks & Reserves.

Home to well established safari destinations, like South Luangwa National Park, Lower Zambezi National Park, and Kafue National Park, as well famous sites like Victoria Falls in Livingstone, Zambia offers safari goers lots to choose from.

Direct flights from London, England, or connecting via Johannesburg, South Africa make Zambia easy to reach. Being less mainstream means that prices are value orientated when compared to competing destinations in the region.

Kafue National Park:
Kafue is Zambia's oldest park and by far the largest. It was proclaimed in 1950 and is spread over 22,400 square kilometers - the second largest national park in the world and about the size of Wales.

A seasonal destination (most camps are closed December - April), Kafue offers visitors fantastic birding from May - July as the Busanga Flood Plain is full of water attracting over 450 bird species. Boating activities are the main offering during this time. Later in the season from August - November the plains begin to dry, wildlife viewing becomes even more spectacular. Huge tree climbing prides of lions, cheetah and leopard can be seen as part of 55 mammal species, 20 of which are antelopes all via land based game drives.

Our favorite camps in Kafue are Shumba Camp in the Busanga Flood Plains and Lunga River Lodge further south along the Lunga River.

South Luangwa National Park:
Experts have dubbed South Luangwa as one of the greatest wildlife sanctuaries in the world, and not without reason. The concentration of game around the Luangwa River and its oxbow lagoons is among the most intense in Africa.

This part of Africa is where the walking safari was first introduced and perfected by the like of Norman Carr and Robin Pope. Guests have an opportunity to get out of the Land Rover and see the bush from a new perspective. Offered morning and afternoon, safari walks with a well trained guide and armed game scout give guests chances view large and small animals, as well as learn about flora and animal tracks. Other highlights include night game drives using a spot light to see nocturnal activity as well as special bush meals.

We really enjoyed staying at Mwamba Camp & Kaingo Camp owned and operated by Derek & Jules Shenton. Other highlights include Kakuli Bush Camp, Kapani Lodge, and Nkwali Camp.

Lower Zambezi National Park:
Lower Zambezi is Zambia's newest Park and as such is still relatively undeveloped, but its beauty lies in its absolute wilderness state. The diversity of animals is not as wide as the other big parks, but the opportunities to get close to game wandering in and out of the Zambezi channels are spectacular. The Park lies opposite the famous Mana Pools Reserve in Zimbabwe, so the whole area on both sides of the river is a massive wildlife sanctuary.

Lower Zambezi is also one of the most prolific fishing destinations in Southern Africa. Healthy tigerfish and bream catches are common as well as vundu, a member of the catfish family, weighing up to 50 kilograms. Strangely, cheap strong smelling soap is excellent bait.

While fishing can be a blast, other activities include morning and night game drives, walking safaris and canoe safaris on the Zambezi River and the many channels nearby. The Park covers an area of 4092 square kilometers, but most of the game is concentrated along the valley floor. There is an escarpment along the northern end which acts as a physical barrier to most of the parks animal species. Enormous herds of elephant, some up to 100 strong, are often seen at the rivers edge. Island hopping buffalo and waterbuck are common. The park also hosts good populations of lion and leopard as well as prolific bird numbers.

Fantastic accommodations, food, service, staff and activities can be found at Chongwe River Camp and Sausage Tree Camp.

Livingstone, Zambia (Mosi oa Tunya National Park):
Home to Victoria Falls, one of the largest waterfalls in the world, Livingstone is a great place to start as a warm up or finish your safari. Victoria Falls are a spectacular sight of awe-inspiring beauty and grandeur on the Zambezi River, bordering Zambia and Zimbabwe. During the high water season, 546 million cubic meters of water per minute plummet over the edge of the falls.

Mosi oa Tunya National Park located about 12 kilometers upstream from the falls is another destination worthy of a visit. The smallest National park in Zambia, it affords a wonderfully relaxing drive alongside the river for much of the circular route and the wide variety of species can be easily seen. The Park provides a home for numerous antelope species, zebra, giraffe, warthog, black rhino, buffalo, a variety of birds and smaller animals. Elephants cross the Zambezi and freely walk through the park and the surrounding area.

Beyond game drives in the park and tours of Victoria Falls, Livingstone is home to many other fun activity pitons. This is the adrenaline sports capital of Southern Africa. Visitors can go white water rafting, bungee jumping, repelling, and gorge swing. Visitors can also choose to go on elephant back safaris, sunset boat cruises, helicopter & micro-lite flights over the falls, shopping for curios, museum visits and village cultural visits to name a few.

We really loved staying in the park at Toka Leya Camp as well as the romantic and intimate Tongabezi. Closer to the falls, other accommodations options we love include the Royal Livingstone and Zambezi Sun.

Tanzania:
Always a big favorite of Mango, we just had to go back and see some new places and explore some old favorites. Tanzania is one of the most well known safari destinations in Africa with famous places like Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Crater, Tarangire National Park and Lake Manyara National Park.

Outside of the safari locations, Tanzania boasts some spectacular islands and beach locations. The islands of Zanzibar, just a 20 minute flights off the coast, is the main draw. Picture pristine white sands, enormous varieties of underwater marine life, fresh seafood, fun little beach resorts and lots of interesting local culture and history.

Highlights:
Serengeti National Park is home to one of the world's most special natural phenomenon. The Great Wildebeest Migration, with over a million wildebeest and hundreds of thousands of zebras, flows south from the northern hills to the southern plains for the short rains every October and November, and then swirl west and north after the long rains in April, May and June. So strong is the ancient instinct to move that no drought, gorge or crocodile infested river can hold them back. As this spectacle unfolds, vast numbers of predators stay nearby looking for prey.

This is a year round destination for safari seekers as the flow of wildlife moves throughout the park as the seasons change. Also there are huge numbers or resident wildlife to view no matter the time.

In terms of where to stay, we had a blast at Nomad Safari's Serengeti Safari Camp which moves throughout the year following the migration. Another great option is Grumeti River Camp. This is a permanent camp based along the Grumeti River in the western area of the park. Visit here in May - August to enjoy front row migration viewing seats.

A breathtaking natural wonder, Ngorongoro Crater is the world's largest unbroken caldera. The crater is about 20kms across, 600 meters deep and 300 sq km in area and is home to some of the most concentrated wildlife in Africa. Spending a day exploring the floor means you have the opportunity to see Africa's Big Five as well as large numbers of plains game and other mammals.

Lodges located right on the rim of the crater offer visitors the chance to enjoy some amazing views. We love Ngorongoro Crater Lodge for its luxury amenities and service. While a bit less fancy, Ngorongoro Serena Lodge is in an ideal location to enjoy a couple days. The lodge has great views right out onto the crater floor.

After exploring the safari locations of Northern Tanzania, a great finale is a few days at the beach on the spice islands of Zanzibar. Pristine white sand beaches, lush plantations, an incredible history and fascinating culture make this one of the favorite beach destinations in East Africa.

We really loved Matemwe Bungalows located in the east. With huge open air bungalows, two gorgeous pools, a powder fine white sand beach and a thorough selection of excursions and activities, it's not hard to see why. Don't miss a chance to go snorkeling or scuba diving at the Mnemba Atoll just off the beach from the resort. Another fun resort we visited was Fumba Beach Lodge. Located on the southwest tip of the island, Fumba is a secluded and intimate, perfect for a romantic getaway or unforgettable honeymooner.

No matter what your current travel plans, Zambia & Tanzania are worthy of consideration. We are excited to help you make it a reality when the time is right!

Here's to Africa and all the once-in-a-lifetime safari opportunities!

Cheers ~

Brian Huggins
Mango Safaris