Going on safari never gets old.

It had been several years since I last set foot on African soil and the run up to this trip was filled with excitement and anticipation.  I have been to Zambia before, several times in fact, but only to the bustling town of Livingstone where you can see the mighty Victoria Falls. As spectacular as the falls are, I knew Zambia had so much more to offer. 

A short transfer back to the airport the next morning and a 30 minute flight with the professional pilots of Proflight took us to Royal airstrip in the Lower Zambezi.  We should have landed at Jeki, but the airstrip was flooded – fear not – in Africa there is always a plan B to get you where you need to be. Our guide was waiting for us at the airstrip with a tasty packed lunch  – one thing to be sure of on safari, you will never go hungry. 

We set off, and almost immediately we were greeted with a small herd of elephants enjoying the cooling waters and a sand bath. We were in no rush so we were able to spend some time enjoying the herd and observing the family dynamics. Watching the elephants, with the warm sun beating down on us was all consuming – I became lost in the moment, nothing else mattered – work, winter and home were a world away – safari life had taken over and for the next week it was all mine to enjoy!

Continuing the journey we came across puku, waterbuck and warthogs – or Pumbas as they are now affectionately known.  Around the next corner we encountered our first predators, three absolutely stunning male lions. They were not up to much, sleeping away the heat of the day. They were so at peace, we were able to watch them sleep, one occasionally rolling onto his back to let a cooling breeze waft over his fluffy stomach – barely giving us a glance from his half-opened eye.

What made all of this even more special was seeing one of our fellow safari enthusiasts witness all of this for the first time ever – it reminded me of my first lion sighting many years ago, and how each subsequent encounter has been no less exciting than the initial one. 

The next day we swapped to a boat on the Zambezi, a spot of tiger fishing (lots of nibbles but no catch) and we enjoyed a three course lunch on a sandbank with our feet in the water, blissfully cooling in the November heat  – I think I have already mentioned the food which was plentiful and delicious throughout my stay.  Then back to the boat for more river safari on the way back to camp. There were so many hippos, more than I have ever seen in one place before. It’s fun to observe them from the safety of the boat with a backing track of the haunting call of the African fish eagle, one of the most majestic birds.

Next up it was South Luangwa’s turn to show what she had to offer, and we were not disappointed.  It’s the land of the leopard that’s for sure. We saw one on every game drive. The visual treats didn’t stop there, there was more to come… a pack of wild dog had just made a kill and one ran off with his share to eat it in peace while we watched from a comfortable distance. After he’d had his fill, he went back to join the others.  Wild dogs are not something you see every day so to be able to spend time with this pack was magical.  We observed their antics for a while longer while our guide, Rogers, explained the reasons behind their behaviour – fascinating. 

A night drive also often throws up the unexpected, and once again we were surprised, this time with an amazing aardvark sighting – this is most definitely not something you see every day, in fact it was a first for me. He obliged by hanging out near the entrance to his burrow for a good minute or more, so we could get some good photos.  We then left him in peace and carried on, only to happen upon a porcupine, not your everyday sighting either. I couldn’t believe our luck!

So you see, safari never gets boring, be it your first or your hundredth safari, whether it’s the excitement of animals on a frenetic hunt, a super rare and privileged glimpse of a nocturnal visitor, or watching a magnificent lion simply sleeping away the day, there’s always something to observe, learn and absorb! 

I’ve just tickled the surface of Zambia, next stop Kafue, Liuwa and Kasanka for the biggest migration on the planet – not zebras, not wildebeest, but bats! 

Ali stayed at Latitude 15, Lolobezi, Sausage Tree, Chinzombo, Chikunto, Kukaya, Mukwa Lodge and Tongabezi.