Zambia 2024 - South Luangwa: "Wait until the evening"

[JimS]

On 10/5/2024 at 3:53 PM, michael-ibk said:

That camp looks really lovely! Totally understand that it must have been tempting to just stay put and enjoy.

 

It's one of those where photos don't do it full justice, such a beautiful setting. I was tempted to stay put... for many more days

 

 

 

[JimS]

It was our last afternoon at Big Lagoon when the elephants came to drink. I lost track of time, but it seems like an hour or more watching them - sometimes drinking, sometimes play-fighting, and occasionally "having words" with the hippo.

 

Elephants came to drink, play-fight, and argue with the hippo (OM-1, Olympus 100-400mm @400mm, 1/1000s, f6.3, ISO 400)

 

The highlight of that afternoon's walk was an elephant shrew who scampered out of the long grass right in front of us, the only time I've seen one in daylight. He didn't stay still to pose, so I "shot from the hip" resulting in just one sharp(ish) image with at least most of the creature in frame.

 

Elephant shrew - 99% of one at least (OM-1, Olympus 100-400mm @342mm, 1/1000s, f6.3, ISO 12800)

 

There was a glorious sun-rise in the morning...

 

Sunrise from Big Lagoon (iPhone 15 Pro Max)

 

... and we watch a yellow-billed stork fishing in the shallows nearby. An opportunist African skimmer circles around making low swooping passes to snatch up anything that escapes the stork.

 

African skimmer and yellow-billed stork fishing partnership (Frame grab from iPhone video)

 

We examine the results on the trail camera - once again there is nothing captured. After breakfast we're on our way back to Chikoko. We follow a near identical route to my walk here, this time with fewer wildlife-induced detours but interesting birdlife once again and a pleasant tea/coffee stop along the way.

 

Juvenile martial eagle (OM-1, Olympus 100-400mm @400mm, 1/1000s, f6.3, ISO 2500)

 

Juvenile fish eagle (OM-1, Olympus 100-400mm @368mm, 1/1000s, f6.3, ISO 200)

 

Yellow-billed stork (OM-1, Olympus 100-400mm @400mm, 1/1000s, f6.3, ISO 6400)

 

African open-billed stork (OM-1, Olympus 100-400mm @400mm, 1/1000s, f6.3, ISO 2500)

 

 

Tea/coffee break (iPhone 15 Pro Max)

 

Crossing an open area on our approach to Chikoko we see movement among a distant tree-line - an elephant browsing on low bushes. Our path is turning slowly to the right and we should pass safely at some distance it if it stays still. Then the Swiss lady whispers from behind me "Billy there's more... I don't like the look of this".

 

Billy was by now well aware of the other elephants moving slowly through the bushes. They were in no particular hurry, browsing as they went, but moving steadily in a direction that would intersect with our path. There's a lagoon that way which Billy and Andrew expect they are heading toward. It sits between us and Chikoko - if the elephants get there before we do it will mean a lengthy detour while they drink and bathe. So we alter course slightly and up our pace to a brisk march, all the while watching for any sign of alarm from the elephants ahead as we race them to the lagoon. Luckily for us they were suddenly distracted by something tasty and turned back from the course they'd been on. We watched them from the cover of some trees before moving off ourselves, past the lagoon and back to Chikoko.

 

Distant elephant moving off after its chums leaving our path ahead clear (OM-1, Olympus 100-400mm @400mm, 1/1000s, f6.3, ISO 1250)

 

At Chikoko I say goodbyes to the other guests and walk with Billy, Sasu and Andrew to "Chikoko Harbour" where I climb once more into a canoe for the short crossing to the east side of the Luangwa.

 

Leaving "Chikoko harbour" (iPhone 15 Pro Max)

 

Once more it is Jimmy who is waiting for me at the other side, ushers me into the front passenger seat and we drive south, passing through small villages on the road back to Tafika.

 

Our walking routes around and between Chikoko Tree Camp and Big Lagoon

 

 

 

Edited October 7 by JimS

[Atravelynn]

Big lagoon is a very happening place.  Many lovely shots but the Meve's Starling with the blue background is especially striking.  Elephant Shrew!!

[Caracal]

Am continuing to enjoy this TR @JimS

I found your photo of the Luangwa Wafa quite haunting and it brought back memories of trips back in the 1990's

I've seen very few snakes on my safaris but I don't know that I'd have stayed around to take photos of that spitting cobra !

How special that daytime sighting and photo of the elephant shrew.

[JimS]

@Atravelynn/ @Caracal- thank you, and yes the elephant shrew was lovely to see in broad daylight like that.

 

Day 7 (26 June): Tafika

 

 

I'm excited to finally arrive at Tafika. I mentioned before how this trip felt almost like a return to somewhere familiar. I feel this even more at Tafika, the star of so many glowing reports on this forum and elsewhere. The location, the style of the camp, the warm family atmosphere, the quality of guiding… all have been praised at length. "Among the very best camps in the whole of Africa" is the kind of comment that's not uncommon. It's a reputation to live up to.

 

Met by Vel (front of house) and Amon (one of the guiding team) I discover I'm the only guest in camp for now, until another UK couple arrive this evening. Lunch is hosted by owners John and Carol Coppinger, their daughter Christine who is visiting along with her husband Bruce, and we're joined by Ginny and Keith who are doctors working in the valley. Being the only guest in this company initially feels slightly awkward… but not for long: the Coppingers are wonderful hosts, unsurprising as they have opened their home to guests here for more than 2 decades.

 

After lunch I check out my accommodation and the rest of camp. The accommodation at Tafika follows the same reed and thatch style that I'm used to now from Chikoko and Big Lagoon. Mine is furthest from the sitenje with a view out across the river which I can choose to enjoy from the sun-loungers and seating at the front of the chalet…

 

 

Tafika chalet (iPhone 15 Pro Max)

 

View downriver from my sun-lounger

… or sitting inside on the end of the bed or at the desk.

 

Chalet interior, with views to challenge those from Big Lagoon

 

Chalet interior. Toilet, washroom and open-air shower are beyond the mirror.

 

Once unpacked, I check out the hide. It's set in the camp's reed perimeter walls, with a ground-level view onto a grassy area dotted with trees.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I believe I heard there is a waterhole somewhere out there, making this an active spot later in the dry season. This afternoon there's only a lone white-crowned lapwing to be seen.

 

White-crowned lapwing (OM-1, Olympus 100-400mm @400mm, 1/1000s, f6.3, ISO 800)

 

White-crowned lapwing (OM-1, Olympus 100-400mm @385mm, 1/500s, f6.3, ISO 1250)

 

Tea is at 15:00, taken on a sandy terrace overlooking the river, where I meet David and Janet who arrived this afternoon.

 

 

The full schedule is confirmed…

• 05:30: breakfast
• 06:00 - 10:00: game drive
• 12:00: lunch
• 15:30: tea
• 16:00 - 20:00ish: game drive
• 20:00ish: dinner

…then we're off on our first game drive in the Nsefu sector.

 

 

 

Edited Wednesday at 08:00 PM by JimS

[Scooter]

Oh I just love this report!    Brings back such amazing memories.     Your chalet at Tafika had such an amazing view of the river from inside!  (How far away from the communal area were you??).     Love Big Lagoon Camp.  (And Chikoko too)  I do have to confess to being a little wide-eyed at your snake photo though!!   

[marg]

Were you sleeping in our bed?  Photo from 2018.