Classic Zambia Adventure Safari 2023

Day notes

The safari begins with a light aircraft flight leaving Lusaka and heading south; we fly over the wooded hills and valleys of the Zambezi escarpment. The flight then follows the course of the mighty Zambezi, giving you an unforgettable view (and photo op) of this incredibly beautiful National Park.
Our purpose-built game drive vehicle will be waiting for us at the airstrip. The warmth of the sun and the total peace takes over from the sound of the aircraft as we load our bags and set off on a game drive to Kutali Camp, which will be our base for the next three nights. We will immediately begin to see wildlife and birds on the open plains and in the acacia forest that we pass through on our way.
Expect a typically warm Zambian welcome and a cool drink at Kutali camp. Kutali is an authentic bush camp, a step back to a time of original Zambian safaris where being in contact with the wildlife and surroundings was the focus. But ! with touches to make your stay completely comfortable. 
Depending on when we reach Kutali camp, we will have lunch together with our hosts and absorb the surroundings. 
This afternoon we will head out on our first exploration. Using the local advice on recent game movements, your guide (Tony) will suggest a boat safari along the banks of the river amongst pods of Hippos. Or, we will set off on a game drive, staying out until darkness falls, returning to camp using a spotlight to reveal the many nocturnal species. 
The Lower Zambezi is big game country Elephants are very common here and are encountered out on safari, and camp. With soo many antelope and buffalo, predators thrive. Lions are always exciting to encounter and follow. Leopards stir even more emotion. It is unusual not to have the chance to see both during our game drives in the Lower Zambezi. Wild dogs have raised pups very successfully in recent seasons. In 2021 the, the 'Jeki Pack' grew to 40 individuals, and if we can locate them for you, we will! 
Returning to camp for a warm shower. A drink by the fire before dinner under the stars with your fellow guests and your hosts. A nightcap before bed., to fall asleep with the cool breeze, and soothing sounds of the bush drifting through the walls of your tent.

Day notes

A gentle wake-up call before the sun rises, and we gather around the fire for a light breakfast as the sun rises.
Taking advantage of the cooler part of the day, when birds and animals are most active, we will set off from camp on a gentle walking safari under a canopy of Winterthorn trees. This is the most authentic way to explore the bush. Bird calls can tell us soo much, letting us know which species are close and often telegraphing us the presence of other animals. Encounters with big games raise the heartbeat. The vast experience of our walking guides will ensure safety.
Your guide's encyclopedic knowledge, and bush skills, will reveal so much that might otherwise be missed. With so much to experience, usually walks only cover a couple of miles with frequent stops for scenery, birds and animals. 
You will be given a thorough safety briefing in the interests of safety. Your professional guide will be carrying a first aid kit, radio and additional water. We will encourage you to bring a water bottle (we have a custom-made sling for you to use for easy carrying). 
A National Parks Wildlife Officer will also accompany the walk. He walks with a .375 calibre rifle and protects the group in the improbable event of an aggressive animal encounter.
With a head full of newfound knowledge, we will return to camp for a cool drink and a healthy lunch in the shade. 
Time in camp is an experience in itself. With views of the Zambezi river, hippos popping up and down, and a constant coming and going of birds and often Elephants around camp. We will allow the heat of the day edge go from the hottest part of the day in camp, or if you would like, we can spend an hour or two on one of our purpose build safari boats exploring the edges and islands.
In the afternoon, pack an overnight bag. We will climb onto our game drive vehicle and gently game drive across the Jeki plains toward the escarpment. Depending on conditions, we will either drive or walk to gain height to view this most magical African scene.
As the light fades, we will continue to Chula Island Camp, our base for tonight. Time to settle in and freshen up with a hot bucket shower before drinks around the campfire.
Meal times are a chance to relive and recount the day. Dinner is the time when stories, both exciting and hilarious, of life in the bush, are swapped amongst guests and guides.
Sleep comes easily.

Day notes

If the dawn chorus has not woken you, a gentle "knock-knock " wake-up call will encourage you to breakfast. Fresh juice and coffee may be porridge or muesli and fresh bread toasted over the fire. 
We have planned an unforgettable day gently canoeing along the course of the Zambezi, taking the chance to follow the channels which break away from the main river and take us silently in the bush approaching wildlife at eye level. Wildlife responds quite differently to the silent approach of canoes with the shape of humans at least partly concealed. Allows us to witness inquisitiveness and natural behaviours.  
The day will start with 3 or 4 hours in the cooler morning (a chance to get out and stretch your legs ). Around midday, we will pull in on the open Mondoro Plains, where we will set up a picnic lunch in the shade of mature Accicias. 
Then we enter the meandering Katuki Chanel, weaving between reeds beds and fallen trees. The peace is deafening. Egrets, Kingfishers, Elephants feeding quietly on the Winterthorn pods, antelope coming to drink. 
We take safety extremely seriously, and our guides are among the most experienced qualified Canoe guides in Zambia. Our Backup paddlers will pilot each canoe. It gives you the option to reach for your camera, Which means a day of photo opportunities for you. 
The day ends close to Kutali, where we will be met and driven back to camp in time for sundowners. 

Day notes

Today the adventure continues. 
After breakfast, we will game drive back to the Jeki Airstrip, where we have arranged for a light aircraft private charter to take our small group to the Kafue National Park. 
The scene below gradually changes as the hills of the Zambezi escarpments city give way to miles of wilderness as we head west towards the Kafue National Park. 
The flight typically takes around 2 hours. Passing the Kafue flats wetland, As we cross the Kafue National park boundary, the scattered habitation by people disappears. Below, you will see the Kafue River cutting across the park and then the Lufupa River and its many streams cross the open flood plain grasslands of the Busanga. The flight is a great way to get a feel for the vast wilderness you are entering.
On landing in the heart of the Busanga Plains, we will be met by the safari team from Jeffery & McKeith Safaris. After a warm welcome, we will climb onto our custom-built safari vehicle, which is perfectly adapted to the sandy soil and open grasslands on Busanga.
The drive to Ntemwa-Busanga Bush Camp takes around 45 mins. 
At Ntemwa-Busanga Camp. Welcomed to camp with a cool drink and a chance to get familiar with your surroundings and absorb the view.
Each year Ntemwa is recreated in the exact location. This is a real step back in time to a traditional style of Zambian Bushcamp. Chalets are shabby chic and very comfortable. Each has a walk-in open to the sky, an ensuite shower room with white enamel sinks, bucket showers, and porcelain flush loos.   
Lunch in the shade of the raised viewing platform or possibly the Nomadic inspired canvas tented lappa (lounge) is a chance to discuss our plans for the next day exploring the incredible Busanga Plains with the resident guides whose knowledge of recent wildlife activity will help us decide how to get the most from our time. In the afternoon, we will drive from camp to one of the pools on the edge of the plains, where Hippos, Crocodiles and Kingfishers disturb the mirror link surface. And antelope come to cautiously drink.

Sundowners are enjoyed on the plains as day gives way to night. The dinner table will be set next to the campfire, under a galaxy of stars.

Nightcaps around the campfire, serenaded by the sounds drifting across the plains, before retiring to bed.

Day notes

Today begins the next chapter of the safari as we journey South across the Kafue with the ultimate aim of reaching the Musekese Camp.
The first part of the journey will be in an open safari 4x4 on an extended game drive from Ntemwa. Following the path of the Lufupa River as it flows away from the plains, we will pass through various bush types.
This journey can take 2+ hours, generating exciting sights as the bush changes from semi-open Savannah to Bracystigia Woodland. Look out for fresh green patches in the otherwise dry bush, which are natural springs welling up and providing constant water for wildlife away from the river. 
Eventually, we will reach a spot on the Kafue. We will now leave our vehicle to carry on towards Musekese. We will follow the course of the meandering Lufupa River. The river looks like it has been created as a film set. Hippos pop up, inevitably honking their disapproval as we pass by. The riverbank is cloaked in riverine species like Jackleberry trees, open in parts and dotted in places with tall Palms.
The purpose-built safari boat has plenty of shade. It is a stable platform to watch and photograph wildlife as Africa peacefully drifts by. Birdlife on the Lufupa is very varied, and it is not unusual to see five different kingfisher species in one day. The rare and super shy African Finfoot, a bird that keen birders will travel around the world to see, scuttle out of the river to hide, giving themselves away with their bright orange legs  
Eventually, we cross the now clearer waters of the Kafue to reach the private Musekese Concession. We will leave our boat here and jump on a safari vehicle for the short drive into camp. 
At Musekese, you can expect a cold drink and a warm welcome from the team who will look after you. After a quick briefing and familiarisation with Musekese, you will have a chance to freshen up and absorb your surroundings.
The staff are incredibly friendly and pleasantly informal in a typically Zambian way. Most of the team are employed from villages adjoining the Kafue National Park, taking the benefits of tourism into the local communities.
After time to freshen up and relax, into your extraordinary chalet. Prepare to be blown away by the comfort levels but especially the organic design with a completely open front maintaining your feeling of being fully immersed in the bush. At night (or during the day if you wish), mesh screens are rolled down to keep out bugs but allow you to have that sleep-out feeling. 
 This afternoon an initial foray into the Musekese Concession where you will appreciate the utterly private nature of time at Musekese. We will find a spot to enjoy a sundowner drink as the sun drops below the horizon.

When Tyrone McKeith and Phil Jeffery first found this spot whilst on walking safaris, they immediately christened the area 'Eden', and their instincts were proved correct as Musekese at Eden is regarded as one of the Kafue's best camps. The open Dambo (plain) in front of the camp attracts significant numbers of antelope. Frequented by Lion and Leopard, both are often encountered, sometimes taking advantage of the quiet and shade in camp. Elephants migrate past camp between the dry bush and the permanent water on the Dambo, sometimes in small groups and increasingly in herds that can occasionally number in the hundreds.

Dinner is served back in camp on the deck overlooking the Dambo, which is flood lit to more easily notice any wildlife that might wander by during dinner.

Day notes

Regrettably, today is time to double-check that you have packed everything, and it is time to say goodbye to the safari team at Musekese. 
We will game drive and then boat across the Kafue River to the airstrip. A chartered aircraft will wisk us from the Kafue back to Lusaka. At a time arranged to ensure international flight connections.