Jim Holden Invitational Safari to Zambia November 2024

Today's Schedule

• On arrival at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport Lusaka, you will be met by a representative of Tours Africa who will assist you with your luggage and transfer to the Latitude Hotel for your overnight stay.
• Drive time from the airport is approximately 30 minutes.
• Welcome reception and dinner at the hotel
• Overnight: Latitude Hotel

Today's Schedule

• Breakfast at the hotel
• At a time advised, transfer to Kenneth Kaunda International Airport
• Depart charter flight to Royal Airstrip
• Met on arrival at the airstrip and transferred to Baines River Camp
• Enjoy lunch on arrival at the camp and some time to relax in the afternoon
• Set off with your professional guide for an afternoon exploring the lower Zambezi and its spectacular wildlife.
• Return to the camp for dinner
• Overnight:  Baines River Camp

Location and activity information

• The location in the Lower Zambezi means you are never far from exceptional wildlife experiences and safari activities.  
• During your stay, you have the choice of game drives (entrance to the Lower Zambezi National Park is 15 minutes from the camp) , canoe safaris, walking/hiking safaris, boat cruises, island sundowners, tiger fishing or a spa treatment in the comfort of your private suite.
• Game drives & safari walks: : On your early morning game drive, marvel at the diverse vegetation, from Albida forests and Palm groves, to grass plains and miombo woodlands, offering the ideal habitats to a variety of game and bird species.

• Beach’ activities: In addition to the activities listed above, there is a selection of unique touches not offered anywhere else. For example, you can swap out an evening game drive for a boat cruise and a game of boule on the beaches of the Zambezi River.**Please note that this activity is dependent on the river levels and is therefore only available at certain times of the year.

• River cruises: An experienced guide accompanies guests on a cruise of the Zambezi River in search of wildlife such as a breeding herd of elephants bathing, the ever-curious buffalo in the reeds or the elusive African Skimmer. Game viewing from the river adds a different dimension to a safari as most wildlife is more at ease with boats in the water than with vehicles on land. With the added flexibility to move around the boat, a river cruise offers spectacular photographic and viewing opportunities. Guests can enjoy sundowners as they sit down and relax at the end of the day, watching the sunset over the mighty Zambezi River.: 
• Tiger fishing: Catching a Tigerfish on fly is widely considered to be the pinnacle of freshwater fly fishing and the opportunity to do so on the Zambezi should not be missed. The fishing clinics provided by Baines River Camp will contain information gathered by our guides, over their many years, on how to find and catch Africa’s most powerful freshwater game fish. With a ratio of two anglers per boat, you’ll be assured of maximum attention from your guide, translating into more hook-ups.
• Canoe safaris: Canoeing safaris offer visitors the privilege of viewing wildlife up-close as they glide through the Zambezi River. Visitors will have the opportunity to see sights such as birds nesting, antelope getting on with their everyday life, and baboons eating. Experienced guides will read the signs of the bush and ensure their guests maintain a safe distance whilst giving the best chance to view buffalo and elephants grazing. At the end of the day, drinks and snacks are served on one of the many sandbanks, making the perfect ending to the day as the sun sets behind the Zambezi escarpment.

Today's Schedule

• Baines River Camp offers a variety of experiences allowing you to explore the many species of wildlife in this beautiful wilderness.
• All meals enjoyed at the camp
• Overnight: Baines River Camp

Today's Schedule

• Breakfast at the camp before you set off with your professional guide for another day's excitement in the Lower Zambezi,
• The Lower Zambezi boasts one of the most diverse animal and plant kingdoms. One of the main attractions of the Lower Zambezi is that it’s home to “Four” of Africa’s “Big Five.” You’ll be lucky enough to spot any of these creatures along one of your drives – namely the Lion, Elephant, Buffalo, and Leopard. These animals are some of the most magnificent creatures to still walk the Earth.
• Overnight: Baines River Camp

Wildlife insights:

• The Lion: Early morning is the perfect time to catch a snap of a pride of lions lounging, while their cubs play, in Lower Zambezi National Park. As the day starts heating up the “King of the jungle” gets lazier and can be found dozing in the shade. At dusk, you might be able to watch these magnificent creatures transform into hunters. They are a formidable opponent to both predator and prey alike.
• Fun fact: Lions are the only cats that live in groups, which are dominated by females.
• The Elephant: The elephant’s trunk is its most valuable and interesting feature. It acts as a nose, a hand, an extra foot, a signaling device and a tool for gathering food, drinking or spraying water, dusting, digging and more. The trunk of an elephant can reach up to 23 feet high and perform movements as delicate as picking berries or caressing a companion. Elephants spend 16-18 hours a day grazing and browsing. These gentle giants often pass through Baines’ River Camp and are an absolute treat for our visitors.
• Fun fact: Elephants use their trunks to squirt water into their mouths, one squirt equates to seven litres per drink.
•  The Cape Buffalo : Buffalo do not hear or see very well, but their sense of smell is highly developed. They often fall prey to predators such as lions; however, they are far from defenseless. Buffalo move around in herds which affords them safety in numbers. They are also large and have sharp horns which act as deterrents for smaller less capable predators. The Cape buffalo is native to Zambia and has roamed the Zambian plains for thousands of years.
• Fun fact: Buffalo wallow in mud pools as a cleansing technique that rids them of skin parasites and coats them in a layer of mud to prevent further insect attack.
• The Leopard: Zambia has the highest concentration of leopards in the world. Not only is the leopard the shrewdest animal in its category but it’s also the best climber. These big powerful felines can haul a catch weighing more than their body weight up a tree. Leopards spend most of their lives sprawled out, comfortably napping in the bushes or in the branches of a tree.
• Fun fact: In some areas, the leopard is seen as a symbol of wisdom.

Today's Schedule

• Breakfast at the camp
• Transfer to Royal Airstrip for charter flight to Kenneth Kaunda International Airport - Lusaka
• Connecting scheduled flight to Mfuwe Lodge
• Arrive in time for lunch and to enjoy the area landscape
• Afternoon set off with your professional guide in search of the spectacular wildlife
• Return to the lodge for dinner
• Enjoy evening entertainment with a performance by the local Tseka Group
• Overnight: Mfuwe Lodge

Location and activity information

• From game drives with expert guides and walking safaris in one of the top walking areas on the continent to community visits and specialized photographic safaris,  Bushcamps and lodges offer a variety of experiences for a totally unique safari.

 Mfuwe Lodge Elephants

• Each year from early to mid-November, when the fruits of the Wild Mango Trees ripen, there is a family of Elephants that remember the juiciness and flavour of the fruits of a certain group of trees. In order to access these trees the elephants walk up a set of steps and right through the lodge reception. The regularity and reliability of this parade has meant that this particular family of Elephants has become known the world over. Documentary film-makers and regular guests alike are enthralled by their antics.

Safari Activities

• Enjoy your early morning and late afternoon game drives, and experience the wonderful sights, sounds and smells of the African bush. Return to the lodge to freshen up before the evening meal. Game viewing activity start time for the morning game drive is 05:30/6:00am and afternoons is 3:30/4:00pm.

• Night drives: At night, a whole new cast of characters fills the landscape of the South Luangwa. With the help of a spotlight, take to the road and see what you can find…

• Experience one of Zambia’s unique bush walks in the care of a professional safari guide. These walks were pioneered in Zambia allowing only six safari goers to accompany each guide. On a safari walk, all of one’s five senses come alive! As they say at Mfuwe, “From a vehicle you see Africa. On foot you feel, hear and smell Africa.” You could add touch and taste as your guide draws your attention to everything around you, including the trees and vegetation, as well as the wildlife, both big and small.
• Time permitting, you may also be interested in visiting the headquarters of Conservation South Luangwa, a privately funded organization that works hand in hand with the Park authorities to conserve and protect the habitats of the Luangwa valley and the wildlife in the area.

Todays Schedule

• Morning game viewing or bush walk
• Return to the lodge for brunch and some time to enjoy the lodge
• 3:00pm: High Tea is served at the lodge before you depart on your afternoon game drive and sundowners.
• Return to the lodge for dinner
• Overnight: Mfuwe Lodge

Today's Schedule

• Breakfast at the lodge before you set off to visit Tribal Textiles and batik demonstration - game viewing en-route
• You will be taken to the Local Community Village for a visit to the school - Chiwawatala. You will see how the community has been engaged by way of the The Farm - where all the fresh vegetables / fruit is grown for the Mfuwe Lodge.
• Time permitting you can stop at the Conservation South Luanga for a short talk on their continued conservation efforts and the Project Luwanga craft store before returning to the lodge.
• 3:00pm: Enjoy High Tea before your afternoon game viewing and sundowners
• Return to the lodge for dinner 
• Overnight: Mfuwe Lodge - FB, game-viewing activities, National Park fees and conservation levies, drinks (except premium brands)

Tribal Textiles

• Tribal Textiles has been running for 32 years, with humble beginnings in 1991 on the banks of the Luangwa River.
• The company employs a number of local community members in the area and a visit to the workshop is always very interesting. You will have the opportunity to create your own piece of African material art which will then be converted into a bag and delivered to you before you depart from Mfuwe.
• Founded by Gillie Lightfoot, Tribal Textiles grew into the small but mighty company it is today, providing sustainable employment, fair wages and economic empowerment to up to 100 local people. The company is one of the biggest employers in the Luangwa Valley, an area where jobs are scarce.

Conservation and sustainability efforts of the Mfuwe Lodge

• This includes working with Conservation South Luangwa (CSL), as they continue their efforts to protect and save South Luangwa’s wildlife and natural resources, and the Commit to Clean Water project that drills fresh-water boreholes for the Mfuwe community, and the Meal-a-Day programme, that provides 2,500 children a day with lunch.
• The Farm: To add to the culinary experience at The Bushcamp Company and to keep true to our sustainability ethos, our Farm was born.
  • The Farm enables the lodge to provide fresh and seasonal fruit, vegetables, salad and herbs for our kitchen without the added carbon footprint of food transport from hundreds of miles away. The Farm is forever growing and developing, with constantly planting new vegetables and fruits and thinking of ingenious ways to use them. Any excess harvest is used to make delicious staples in the kitchen such as jams and marmalades, juices, sauces and salsas, as well as sundried fruits and tomatoes.
• Ele Africa Collection
  • Mfuwe Lodge is known for the unique experience of the elephants coming through Reception each year to eat thefruit from the wild mango tree in our courtyard. In honor of those gentle giants, the Ele Africa Collection was created. Sales of these items benefit the wildlife of South Luangwa National Park as well as local residents, through our conservation and community projects, including our Commit to Clean Water Programme. This is an ongoing project, drilling boreholes and providing fresh drinking water to over 60,000 people per day currently in the surrounding communities.

Today's Schedule

• Breakfast at the lodge
• At a time advised your will be transferred to Mfuwe Airport 
• Depart scheduled flight to Kenneth Kaunda International Airport Lusaka
• Met on arrival at the airport and assisted with check-in for your international departure flight.