Journeys with Purpose (JWP11) Zambia North East

Zambia
5th to 14th October 2021
9 nights / 10 days

Fly in Lusaka International Airport, 5th October 2021
Fly out: Livingstone International Airport, 14th October 2021
Group size: 4 – 8 PEOPLE

Rate: TOTAL: US$ 7455 + $700 Fundraising) =  US$8155 pp 
(*US$600 non-refundable deposit required to book a seat)
*Single supplement on request

Summary

Combining ethical adventure travel with making a difference, African adventurer and humanitarian, Carla Geyser, delivers an exhilarating, once-in-a-lifetime experience 10 day expedition in the heart of Mama Africa. Carla leads an exclusive group of intrepid travellers seeking an authentic African experience in Zambia. Africa is truly the one place on Earth where you’re guaranteed to fall in love with raw, magnetic natural beauty. It is an intoxicating mix of sights and sounds, wildlife and natural splendour that enthrals, captivates and will literally take your breath away.

Our JWP Expedition  is a unique once-off bespoke adventure spanning into the magnificent South Luangwa  area in Zambia, in search of wildlife. We will be working and meeting with the experienced conservation teams from Zambian Carnivore Programme (ZCP) and Conservation South Luangwa(CSL) who are working every day to promote biodiversity and wildlife education. Funds raised will benefit ZCP and CSL in the important work they do.

 

Do YOU have any questions? We would love to hear from you.

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Highlights

Some of the extraordinary experiences you can look forward to as part of this group of eco-travellers includes:

    • 9 nights/10 days in Zambia
    • An authentic unique wilderness experience with conservation project(s) that we are raising funds for
    • Meeting leading conservationists and hearing about their work and projects
    • Game Drive(s)/ Game Walks through the unbelievable South Luangwa (Zambia) in search of the Big Five in their untouched magnificent habitat
    • Sunset cruise on the almighty Zambezi river in Livingstone
    • Visiting one of the 7 Natural Wonders of the World, Victoria Falls, known locally as Mosi-Oa-Tunya or “the smoke that thunders” (we will visit from the Zambian side)
    • Lunch at the Elephant café – to meet the orphaned herd and have a world class meal.
    • Making lifelong friendships with other people from around the world who are just as passionate about making a difference in Africa as you are
    • Enjoying an exceptionally organised once-in-a-lifetime African experience where all logistical details are taken care of for you.
    • Raising money for ZCP and CSL for their conservation projects.
  • Frequency: Bespoke once-off expedition
  • Fitness Ratings: Moderate
  • Tour Features: Wildlife Conservation, English-spoken, Fundraising for Wildlife Conservation Groups, Male/Female
  • Beneficiary: Zambian Carnivore Programme (ZCP) and Conservation South Luangwa (CSL)
  • Accommodation: Rooms / Chalets / Safari Tents – Sharing (*Single Supplement can be arranged)
  • Min: 4 eco-adventurers
  • Max: 8 eco-adventurers

Do YOU have any questions? We would love to hear from you.

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Includes

  • Expedition leader(s) – Carla Geyser 
  • Day one – Air Transfer from Luska to Mfuwe (**PLEASE NOTE Baggage limit of 23kg pp) 
  • Day eight – Air Transfer from Mfuwe to Livingstone 
  • Accommodation (**Sharing accommodation – safari tents; chalets/Rooms; rondavels)
  • All meals & water in itinerary
  • All National Park Fees & bed levies
  • US$700pp fundraising fee for our beneficiaries Conservation South Luangwa (CSL) and Zambian Carnivore Programme (ZCP) **This is already included in the rate you pay. You are welcome to chat to Carla about fundraising this portion if need be
  • All activities detailed in the itinerary
  • Transfers to and from Livingstone airport to get to accommodation 

Excludes

  • Any flights & any necessary transfers to get to the start/finish of the expedition (Lusaka International Airport/Livingstone airport)
  • Gratuities (We recommend US$ 5 to 10 per guide or activity)
  • Any visas & border costs
  • Alcoholic drinks & snacks
  • Any personal expenses
  • Comprehensive travel insurance (*This is compulsory*)
  • Extra nights’ accommodation at Lusaka and Livingstone (pre/post expedition)
  • Any additional activities not covered in the itinerary

Itinerary

DAYS DATE DAY DETAILS ACTIVITES / COMMENTS
1 05-Oct Tuesday Lusaka to Mfuwe Transfer from Lusaka to Mfuwe by plane
Airport transfer to camp. Welcome dinner and brief
2 06-Oct Wednesday South Luangwa AM – Game Drive / Walk
**Visit to Chipembele Wildlife Education Trust
3 07-Oct Thursday South Luangwa AM – Game Drive / Walk
**Visit to Conservation South Luangwa HQ
PM – Game Drive
4 08-Oct Friday South Luangwa **Day spent with ZCP trekking wild dog/lions/cheetah
5 09-Oct Saturday South Luangwa AM – Game Drive / Walk
Transfer to Kuyenda Bush camp
6 10-Oct Sunday South Luangwa AM – Game Drive / Walk
PM – Game Drive
7 11-Oct Monday South Luangwa AM – Walk
PM – Game Drive
8 12-Oct Tuesday South Luangwa Transfer to Mfuwe airport
Transfer flight to Livingstone via Lusaka
PM – Zambezi River sunset cruise
9 13-Oct Wednesday Livingstone AM – Guided tour of Victoria Falls (Zambian Side)
Lunch at Elephant Café
10 14-Oct Thursday Livingstone Transfer to Airport & Departure

*Please note this itinerary may change slightly but the expedition leader will keep you posted and updated. Terms and conditions apply due to availability.

DAY ONE – Lusaka to Mfuwe

After arriving early in Lusaka you will need catch a connecting flight to Mfuwe with Proflight Zambia. On arrival at Mfuwe you will be collected by one of our accommodation guides and taken to camp. Depending on your time of arrival, you will arrive in camp in time for dinner and brief.

The Luangwa Valley is home to an astonishing diversity of life, including around 100 species of mammals, more than 400 bird species and over 2000 types of plants! Added to this, there’s an amazing density of game, particularly along the riverine strip and our guests often comment that ‘there’s something around every corner!’

There are several “big 5” destinations in Africa. But few of them can offer the true wilderness feel, professional guiding and diverse habitats that the South Luangwa National Park offers.

Flatdogs Camp is on the border of the South Luangwa National Park, one of the last great wildlife wonders of the world. It is nine thousand square kilometers (3,475 square miles) of pristine wilderness and Flatdogs offers the perfect gateway. The South Luangwa NP has been visited by wildlife enthusiasts from all over the world since its creation in 1972.

At Flatdogs they pride themselves on offering accommodation to rival the up-market lodges, at a fraction of the cost. The luxury ensuite safari tents offer you a back to nature taste of the wild, with large windows all around the tent so you can see and hear the animals feeding in camp as well as the hippopotamus honking to each other in the river in front of you! The tents are spacious with a king bed or two single beds, large mosquito net, electric lights and plug sockets for re-charging batteries (UK style plug sockets). There is also a room safe and tea and coffee-making facilities. The luxury tents have semi-open air en-suite bathrooms with solar heated hot shower, WC and basin

Accommodation: Flat Dogs – Safari Tents
Meals: Dinner, B&B
Activities:
Extra: Transfer flight Lusaka – Mfuwe @ 16h30 /17h40
Lusaka – Mfuwe 1040/1150 and 1630/1740 sat, tues,
Lusaka – Mfuwe 0715/0825 and 1630/1740 sun, mon, wed, thurs, fri
Transfer to Accommodation.
** Need to fly into Lusaka on the morning of Day one to get the connecting flight to Mfuwe in the afternoon

DAY TWO  – South Luangwa

It’s an early start in the mornings; we offer you an early breakfast of toast and cereal, tea and coffee from 5.30am before you head out at 6.00am on a morning game drive, further exploring the park, taking the sightings as they come, with your guide detailing all you are seeing and adding interesting observations drawn from his years of experience in the Park. You will head back to camp at around 10.00am, in time for breakfast or a brunch/lunch type meal – whichever you would prefer is fine in our a la carte restaurant. Then there is time to relax during the heat of the day, enjoying a dip in the pool perhaps or a siesta after your early start?

You will usually head off into the Park at 4pm, to start exploring this magnificent wilderness. Our guides take huge pride in their work, being able to identify numerous alarm calls and to track animals and try to anticipate their next move so as to position you for the best sightings. As the sun starts to dip towards the horizon, your guide will find a good spot to stop so you can stretch your legs and watch the sun set with a cold drink in hand… Then, once it’s nearly dark, you will carry on game-viewing with a spotlight, searching for some of our interesting nocturnal residents, like the leopard, lion, porcupine, civet, genet, owls and hyaena. You will return to camp at around 20h00 in time for dinner and to relive your sightings with us!

 Accommodation: Flat Dogs – Safari Tents
Meals: Fully Catered
Activities:
AM – Morning Game Drive / Game Walk  – Special Bush Breakfast
**DAY – visit to Visit to Chipembele Wildlife Education Trust

DAY THREE – South Luangwa

Today we continue with our activities BUT we also get to visit one of our projects we are raising funds for. Conservation South Luangwa (CSL) – Their mission is to work with community and conservation partners in the protection of the wildlife and habitats of the South Luangwa ecosystem. Their vision is the long term survival of wildlife and habitats in South Luangwa under the custodianship of the Zambian people. We will meet the K9 unit and anti-poaching teams and also the wildlife vet.

The South Luangwa Canine Unit, as part of the CSL, was implemented in October 2014 in partnership with the Zambia Wildlife Authority (ZAWA). The purpose of the Canine Unit is to provide additional wildlife contraband, illegal firearm and ammunition detection capabilities to SLCS, local police and ZAWA law enforcement teams. Dogs have proven themselves irreplaceable across conservation and law enforcement disciplines numerous countries. The South Luangwa Canine Unit dogs are typically deployed for roadblock, village and camp searches where information suggests illegal wildlife products or firearms have been hidden. Currently the dogs are trained on the scents of gunpowder (all types of firearm parts and ammunition), ivory and elephant meat.

Since the middle of November 2014, dogs have been deployed on operations including national park gate-checks, snap roadblocks, multiple day roadblocks, monitoring fishing camps, and night operations based on intelligence gathering. During all night operations multiple suspects were apprehended and illegal firearms confiscated which would have gone undetected if not for the dogs. Elephant products are extremely easy for the dogs to detect and they have had great successes in this area. Over the next few years, the aim is to train the dogs to detect a wider matrix of other wildlife species including leopard, lion and other cat species parts.

Accommodation: Flat Dogs – Safari Tents
Meals: Fully Catered
Activities:
AM – Morning Game Drive/ Walk
**DAY – Visit to CSL Head Quarters – to meet the K9 unit, wildlife vet and anti-poaching teams. Talk by Rachel McRobb (or similar)
PM – Game Drive

DAY FOUR – South Luangwa

Today we get to spend time with the team from Zambian Carnivore Programme (ZCP). The Zambian Carnivore Programme (ZCP) is a Zambian-registered non-profit organization dedicated to conserving large carnivores and the ecosystems they reside in through a combination of conservation science, conservation actions, and a comprehensive education and capacity-building effort.  They work in close collaboration with the Department of National Parks and Wildlife to accomplish the following goals:

  • To safeguard large carnivores, their prey and habitat through research, conservation and education
  • To utilize large carnivores and their prey as flagship species for large landscape conservation
  • To provide information and recommendations to the DNPW and support efforts to conserve wildlife and ecosystems
  • To increase knowledge and understanding of large carnivore and large herbivore dynamics and interrelationships and contribute to conservation of these species as a whole
  • To build capacity with Zambian organizations and governmental agencies for conservation of large carnivores and herbivores, their ecological functions and habitats.

The Zambian Carnivore Programme follows a three-pronged interdisciplinary approach to fulfill its goals, and the success of this work fundamentally rests on their diverse and effective collaborations with local, national and international partners, agencies, organizations and institutions that collectively provide the expertise, resources and energy to address the myriad conservation challenges facing Zambia and the region.

Accommodation: Flat Dogs – Safari Tents
Meals: Fully Catered
Activities:
**Day spent with ZCP team in the field. Trekking lions or wild dog. Talk by Matt Becker or similar

DAY FIVE/SIX/SEVEN – South Luangwa

Today we transfer to Kuyenda Bush Camp. Kuyenda is the simplest of bushcamps, yet undeniably charming and it epitomizes the old charm of bygone safaris in Africa. There are only four simple, grass thatched rondavels which are set on the edge of a grassy plain, surrounded by seemingly out of place palm trees. The camp site was chosen by Phil Berry who lived in the Luangwa for more than 30 years, for the diverse landscapes found within walking distance of camp. Here you will concentrate on walking safaris, although game drives and night drives are also possible, but the highlight is to walk in this unspoilt area, exploring the nearby salt pans where game come for the mineral rich grazing, the dry river bed of the Manzi river where elephant dig for water, the mopane woodland, the riverine habitat along the Luangwa river and the open plains just behind camp.

Each excursion brings different highlights and new beauty to witness. Activities at camp are taken on a similar time scale to at Flatdogs, taking advantage of the coolness of the early mornings and late afternoons when game is most active and hopefully there will be the most to see.

The thatched rooms in a “hut” style have open air ensuite bathrooms made from local reeds and mats but with some more modern comforts as well – flush toilets and basins and a lovely hot shower will be provided on request by the wonderful camp team. The main area of the camp is set in a simple bush style as well, an open-walled thatched dining room with comfortable reading area as well as camp chairs set around the fire under the trees where you can enjoy your early morning breakfast as well as the evenings once the sun has set before your delicious dinner is served.

Kuyenda is a solar powered camp, there is no mains electricity, but it is possible to charge camera batteries on their inverter system. There is no cell phone signal at the camp or WiFi, this is an “off the grid” camp where you can sit and enjoy the stars and firelight at night and the eerie whooping of hyaena in the distance…

Accommodation: Kuyenda Bush camp
Meals: Fully Catered
Activities: AM/PM – Morning Game Drive / Walks

DAY EIGHT – South Luangwa to Livingstone

Early start to get you transferred back to Mfuwe airport for your flight back to Livingstone. Situated in Livingstone, on the Northern banks of the Zambezi River, The Victoria Falls Waterfront offers accommodation within 10 km of Victoria Falls. The property features an outdoor pool and spa center.

Some units feature a seating area and / or balcony. Bed linen is featured. The lodge features 2 swimming pools, beautiful gardens and a large deck with a restaurant and bar overlooking the river. The Victoria Falls Waterfront offers a sauna and fitness center, and also has a shop, internet cafe and shared TV lounge.

Guests can enjoy various activities in the surroundings, including fishing and canoeing. There is also an activity center run by Safari Par Excellence on the premises. The property offers a free shuttle service.

Livingstone airport is 11 km from the property.

Accommodation: The Victoria Falls Waterfront
Meals: D,B,B
Activities: AM – **Transfer Flight to Livingstone
Mfuwe – Lusaka – Livingstone
Transfer from airport to TVFW (20min)
PM –  Sunset Cruise on the Lady Livingstone (16h00 – 18h30)

DAY NINE – Livingstone

Our morning starts off with a guided visit to Victoria Falls. Victoria Falls (Lozi: Mosi-oa-Tunya, “The Smoke That Thunders”; Tonga: Shungu Namutitima, “Boiling Water”) is a waterfall on the Zambezi River in southern Africa, which provides habitat for several unique species of plants and animals. It is located on the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe and is considered to be one of the world’s largest waterfall due to its width of 1,708 metres (5,604 ft). It is one of the natural seven wonders of the world. Truly spectacular.

We then head off to the Elephant Café for a scrumptious lunch and to meet the rescued orphaned elephants. The full experience has a fixed price so guests can sit back and relax over the delicious bush gourmet cuisine unique to this restaurant including wild edibles and locally-sourced fresh and organic ingredients. The Elephant Café is proudly rated the #1 Restaurant in the country and has won may awards since inception in 2016.

The trip departs just upstream of Victoria Falls departing from The David Livingstone Safari Lodge & Spa from where clients will be observing game on the way through the National Parks in Zimbabwe on one side and the Zambian park on the other. Several rapids need to be negotiated on the way up (depending on river conditions) and shallow basalt rock channels avoiding hippos and crocodiles. The jetboat experience to The Elephant Café is approximately 30 minutes per way.

On arrival clients will be met by members of a magnificent herd of rescue elephant for a once-in-a-lifetime meeting. Experience an unforgettable close encounter with these gentle giants and a hosted informative viewing of the herd around the vicinity of the venue. Once the herd retire to forage in the bush, clients are welcomed into The Elephant Café overlooking the Zambezi River for a unique dining experience. Road transfers are also available to the venue and advance reservations are essential.

Accommodation: The Victoria Falls Waterfront
Meals: D,B,B
Activities:
AM – Guided Visit to Victoria Falls (Zambian side)
**Lunch at Elephant Café
**SPA Treatment (90min treatment) – Excluded in price but can be arranged for the afternoon

DAY TEN – Livingstone – Home

Depart for Livingstone airport after such an incredible journey, to catch your  flight to JHB and then a safe journey home.

You are among friends when you are with us. Together, we are in a safe space and you have the freedom to be yourself and to explore. Whether you have never left your home country or are a seasoned solo traveller, this trip is guaranteed to offer you adventure, friends, and breathless beauty.

*Please note this itinerary may change slightly but the expedition leader will keep you posted and updated. Terms and conditions apply due to availability.

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