I’d like to start by saying that our 2-week safari trip to Zambia was absolutely incredible! We started about 9 months ago on SafariBookings.com researching different areas of Africa for our trip. We also spoke to people who had done a safari to the Serengeti area. We wanted to do a variety of safaris (including day, night, jeep, boat and walking). We wanted to be in small “camps” where there were only a handful of cabins/huts and the jeeps were limited to 6-people maximum (this is more expensive, but we saw packed jeeps – and we were glad we went this way). We are in our late 50’s and wanted “comforts” like running water in our cabins and all-inclusive meal/drink packages (in our younger days we might have opted for more “real camping” styles). We narrowed to Zambia as it sounded like it had lots of wildlife and less crowds and the walking safaris were a big part of what they offered. (On those safaris, we learned how much training they go through to become a walking guide…its extensive in everything from plants, insects, animals, astrology, and safety). All this, we did on our own research. Then, we contacted 3 tour companies (top rated ones, as suggested by SafariBookings.com). Within 3 days we heard back from each and knew quickly that Chloe at Off2Africa was the one for us…she was great. We morphed the trip a few times with her help/suggestions – each time she kept the options within the budget we gave her. At one point I asked about adding Gorilla trekking in Uganda to the trip and she found options – and help us understand the travel time between camps would eat up too much time…so save that for another trip. All through the planning, booking, paying stages (months ago) she was great at keeping us informed and asking us different options. She kept tabs on us during the trip, too (she sent us a note saying she heard we had a great safari one day). We really liked the process of SafariBookings.com and especially liked working with Chloe at Off2Africa. Our highest recommendation possible. She really helped make it special. The great people we met at each camp (details below) all commented on what a great itinerary we had put together to get a combination of many different aspects of Zambia. 

Here are the details of our stay: We chose camps along the river – we love the water. We started in South Luangwa at Kafunta River Lodge. Kolo and Betty at Kafunta were GREAT. They told us Kafunta means “crazy” in local language (there are 72 dialects) and we had a great time there. It was our first safari and we saw everything you could hope to see in the first day (no Rhinos on this area of Zambia – but everything else (a herd of water buffalo, including wild dogs hunting, lion eating, leopard in tree and then coming down and walking right past jeep, elephants and zebras galore, a small watering hole area where a giraffe, hippo, elephants and zebras were all around each other). We were visited by elephants, hippos and baboons IN THE CAMP during our stay, as well. We listened to a huge bull elephant eating branches off the tree 10 feet from out porch in the middle of the first night there…welcome to Zambia! We really bonded with our guide, Cannan and everyone at Kafunta. On day 2, we saw a lion eating a zebra, the lioness so stuffed she couldn’t get comfortable, another male lion waiting his turn in the setting sun, then lionesses and small cubs eating on it the next morning and a vulture feeding frenzy I won’t soon forget on the final scraps. Next was Baines River Camp. Fly in a 6-seater plane to a small landing strip (royal “airport”) in the “buffer zone” between Lower Zambezi National Park and people – where elephants were walking on the side of the air strip and the “check-in” person had a desk under a tree (not kidding – so cool). We had a larger plane on the return – about 16 seats. Baines was more luxurious (beautiful views and spaces to sit an relax along the river). The sunset cruises we SOOOO relaxing (it is across the river from Manna Pools National Park and we floated along that shore as seven giraffes walked in and out of view). I tried my hand at Tiger fishing and caught one – it’s really a lot like a sunset cruise – just relaxing and drifting while holding a pole (and a beer/wine). At Baines, we again were greeted “close-up” in camp by elephants (twice they kept us from getting to our cabin for a time), hippos and a family of warthogs grazing along our cabin and baboons that threw our patio cushions and pillows all over the grounds while we were at lunch. We boated to the national park for our jeep safaris, but you could also see a lot of animals doing a drive through the surrounding “buffer area” as an option. Baines was a great place to slow down. Finally, we went to Chundukwa River Lodge near Victoria Falls. Lots to do around the falls. The camp was great. One morning, our alarm scared a hippo back into the water (we just heard it splash and then call out – as it was still dark out). We did a day trip to Chobe National Park (in Botswana) – a must-do. We did a walking safari to track the white rhinos (we saw the new, 1-week old baby rhino!) and we did the jet-boat ride to The Elephant Café (we did lunch). Great food, and the elephant up-close experience is really special. Even the jet boat ride was a new way to experience the river. We spent time in town, saw the falls from both sides (worth the extra money to see them from Zimbabwe side). It was a busy section of our trip – but each evening we sat with Auggie and Linda by the fire and talked about our day and relaxed. 

We went in late June/early July – no bugs (our biggest surprise). We still put bug repellant cream on each day, but really bugs were non-existent (a good sized praying mantis walk in one day, but that doesn’t count). It was a “cool” 50 at night (blankets provided in the jeeps for the morning drives). They only have screens on the windows – so you hear everything all night (exactly how we like it) and its cozy to sleep under nice blankets. It got to low 80’s during day – very comfortable once we took layers off. The animals treat the jeeps like they are part of the landscape – so they got really close as they passed by sometimes. So cool to sit and watch the different animals go about their routines. (like a family of baboons with a very tiny baby, two impala males mock-fighting, baby elephants and zebras nursing, the different stages of a zebra kill, an elephant getting “nipped’ by a crocodile and running out of the water, just to name a few). Wow, wow, wow…can’t begin to say how much we enjoyed this trip.

June 2023