BY JENNIFER THOMAS
On a Saturday morning in June, we left Kafunta River Lodge, in an open safari vehicle, to drive to Island Bush Camp. Travellers included four visitors, the safari guide and the scout. The journey takes about three hours through the National Park, following the course of the Luangwa River.
Towards the end of the game drive, the road became a bush track and ended at the river bank. The journey upstream to the riverside camp took about ten minutes by boat. Comfortable accommodation was provided in chalets, which were elevated on wooden poles and made of woven grass with a canvas roof. After lunch and a short rest we gathered for our afternoon walk. Our guide explained the rules. The armed scout, named ‘Danger’ went first, then the guide, Kennedy, and we followed, quietly in single file. If we encountered wild animals we were to form a close group and follow Kennedy’s instructions.
So we followed ‘Danger’ into the African bush. We looked closely at the trees and bushes as the ecology of the area was explained to us. We also tracked animals by their footprints and droppings. Following the hippo trails and walking in elephants footsteps were the easiest ways to walk between the thickets and across the rough terrain. Suddenly, there was a series of loud bangs, like rifle shots. Nearby, a palm tree shook vigorously.
We walked a little closer and saw a huge male elephant, with tusks either side of the tree, banging the tree trunk with his head to shake the nuts down.A group of elephants, including a baby, waited for the evening meal to hit the ground. This process was repeated several times before the elephants moved on to another palm tree.We watched quietly, close enough to hear the elephants’ stomachs rumble. The changing light indicated that sunset was close and so we returned swiftly to camp. Dinner by candlelight and stories by the camp fire was followed by stargazing and listening to the lions calling to one another as they hunted for their supper. We retired to our warm and comfortable beds to enjoy the sounds of the bush as we fell asleep.
Early the next morning, as the hippos returned to the river, we watched the sun rise as we enjoyed breakfast around the campfire. The group eagerly gathered for our morning walk. We walked in the bush for about four hours, and enjoyed sightings of elephants, hippos, warthogs, impala and baboons. They all watched us with great suspicion and then disappeared soundlessly into the bush.
We encountered a group of four giraffes who also stayed with us briefly before moving on. Our understanding, of the interrelationships of animals and plants and the delicate balance of the ecological system, grew as we experienced the bush through the eyes of our expert safari guide. The afternoon was spent relaxing on the chalet balcony with a great view of the river animals. We listened to the distinctive sounds of the various hippo groups as they communicated the territorial limits to one another. Many pairs of hippo eyes and a crocodile nearby discouraged any notions of swimming in the river! In the cool of the late afternoon, a small group of walkers explored one of the sandy islands in the middle of the river.
We all met again for sundowners, followed by dinner by candlelight. The next morning we crossed the Luangwa River to begin the journey back to Kafunta. On the morning game drive, we saw Cape buffalo, kudu, giraffes and warthogs.Amazingly, in the early afternoon a large male leopard was observed relaxing in the shade. The final part of the adventure included loading the vehicle onto the pontoon, to be rowed across the river, to return to Kafunta River Lodge.
