A very special place.
As the dry season grips the valley the prolific wildlife that inhabits the mopane woodlands and open plains are drawn to the shrinking Luangwa River to drink, and in the case of lions to rest in the shade and benefit from the cool breeze as they wait for their next meal to drift close enough to hunt. The drama is part of our camp life here in our remote bush camp, sitting here perched on the banks of the river the views are dramatic and exciting as you look up and down the river where in June would have been a wide flat expanse of water dotted with great pods of hippos now the river bends and flows between a thousand sandy islands and those same hippos are forced together in to tight packed pods where dominant males are forced to fight to keep their harems or submit to avoid fights and potentially fatal injuries.
Island Bush Camp has just like the valley changed subtly through the season. We started the season by changing the camp to be even more traditional and just a bit more comfortable but without compromising our truly traditional bush camp feel and with a wonderfully willing and enthusiastic team set about ensuring that guests were made to feel part of camp and not just visitors.
Our guest comments book is a testament to how our guests have enjoyed our beautiful little camp and the experience of exploring the remote bush on walking safaris with our highly experienced and equally enthusiastic guides:
” Thank you for a wonderful experience at this paradise, Well run – excellent food – brilliant service, we felt very much at home.”
” Probably a sample of paradise.”
” A fantastic experience which we will never forget. The greatest three days , spectacular sun rise, spectacular sun sets and spectacular in between.”Through the season wildlife encounters have been interesting and exciting, our walking safaris have enthralled guests with insights in to the bush from smelling wild jasmine to tracking lions, following the chattering call of honey guides or explaining the multiple uses of the plants and trees that grow here, our guides have conjured up some fascinating sightings. Often the wildlife has come to camp and through the year we have had almost nightly visits from hyenas who’s antics although harmless to us humans would see items chewed or taken away altogether and so the first rule of camp became: No binoculars or cameras to be left alone after dark.
Elephants also feature on the guest list with frequent visits much to the delight of our guests. The most extraordinary sighting in a season of extraordinary sightings occurred when as we sat in the sandy below a colony of hundreds of carmine bee eaters as the sun began to set eleven giraffe came down to a steep bank to drink as they returned to the bush climbing steeply one unlucky giraffe slipped and fell backwards 3 metres vertically on to the sand where she lay unconscious for some time before eventually recovering, simply amazing.
As I am writing this article I can see clouds bubbling in the eastern sky which might herald rain, and this is our cue to begin thinking about getting ready to close camp for another rainy season. I hope you can join us next year to experience the real Zambia
Sign up to receive instant access to ourin depth Zambian Safari Planning Guide. You’ll receive our monthly safari updates, inspiring stories and exclusive tips and goodies, right from the heart of South Luangwa.
