​We left the bustle of Eastern European city life to meet up with Cheryl and Greg and immerse ourselves in Zambian wildlife and indulgent living.  For just under 2 weeks in-country we’ve documented an outsized number of pictures, fun facts and memories. (Sept 27 - Oct 9/24)

Two days in a game reserve outside Lusaka was the perfect way to take it easy after flights. A property owner can apply to the government to buy game for a lodge. The property must be large and fenced and then inspected before it can be approved as a game reserve. After approval, periodic inspections ensure the animals are well cared for. The Sakae Resort had 6 rooms, each with a patio overlooking the grounds. In the early morning and late afternoon you had the chance of spotting giraffes, zebras, impalas or warthogs. The baby warthogs were the most curious about us, but even they kept a wary distance.

A small plane took us to Mfuwe, the sprawling village just outside the Luangwa National Park. Cheryl and Greg’s flight left a half hour earlier than ours but ours was faster. We had a laugh when they came into the airport to find me greeting them with the driver’s identification placard. Over a year of anticipation, and for Cheryl much longer, the four of us were finally starting this adventure together.

Flatdogs Camp was planned as a relaxing stopover to extend our stay and it ended up an adventure in its own right. At dusk, guests picked one of the tables set about the lawns and ate dinner while listening to nearby hippos bellowed and grunted at each other. When dusk turned to darkness the animals left the coolness of the water, to wander by our tables in search of grass and a cool place to sleep. After they’d lumbered past our tents, torch carrying staff members walked us safely home with strict orders not to step outside again until the sun rose the next morning.

This set of elephants made its daily traverse to the Flatdogs side of the river. Every pool of water in this usually wide and full Luangwa River is vital for the animals. The locals are pinning their hopes on rain starting later this month.

Mfuwe had 4 local artisan shops so we joked we were on a ‘shopping safari’. The Mulberry Mongoose’s byline was Beauty from Brutality. Using the metal from poacher’s snares, artisans created a gorgeous selection of jewelry with a cause.

At a textile shop, we watched one of the artists freehand paint images onto fabric with a flour & water solution. After the solution dried, colour was applied, the product baked and finally the cooked flour paste was scraped off. Each piece was unique.

Since Cheryl’s trip here 3 years ago she’s been donating to the Bushcamp Company’s ‘Charity Begins at Home’ helping the community of Mfuwe. We were able to visit two of their causes. In a residential neighborhood we saw one of the 300 funded bore holes. The fresh drinking water they provided was especially important as there’s been very little rain in southern Zambia this past year and many families’ usual water supplies had dried up. The situation has been so bad that the country’s hydroelectric dams haven’t been able to produce enough commercial or residential electricity. The reserve farm we stayed at only had power for 2-4 hours per day.

If a Zambian wanted to move into the village there was a process. They assess the area to find a free space and then with a chicken or some offering in hand they ask the chief for approval. Before it can be given the person is vetted for a criminal record and the neighbours are asked if they are ok with someone moving beside them. Once approved, the land is free but it’s up to the new owner to fund the house building. Above: Fires are lit in the holes at the bottom of a stack of newly built bricks. Once they're baked, they'll be ready to sell to those building a house.

Next, we visited the high school to learn about their programs and to drop off school supplies suggested by the bush camp we’d soon be staying at. 1,700 students attend and about half go on to post secondary.

Wandering the school grounds we were approached by different students. Lambeck requested a picture of him with me which of course I sent. The classes are taught in English and his articulate thank you email was evidence that the kids are being prepared for working in a world where English offers opportunities.

At the primary school next door we were treated like celebrities. Our guide (Peter), who’s been in the business for 20+ years, had never seen anything like it - the young children swarmed our Land Rover trying to shake our hands and say hi. The bolder ones climbed on the vehicle to touch us. Eventually Peter got the teacher to call them off. Holding her switch and with hands on hips, she was not amused. For us it was comical and a little surreal.

We stayed at the following camps: Chindeni (2 nights), Kapamba (3 nights), Zungulila (2 nights). For an idea of scale, it took 3 hours to drive from the Mfuwe Lodge to our first camp, Chindini.

The first introduction to the Bushcamp Company (BCC) set the tone for the decadence to come. At the Mfuwe Lodge we were loaned the Directors House until we were picked up for a night drive to our first camp. Rick took advantage of the private pool, and I had a pedicure while overlooking contented hippos - no squabbling here since each had enough deep water to submerge in.

Each of the 3 camps we stayed at was uniquely designed. The common thread was huge bungalows, a set schedule of safaris and eating times, great staff, fabulous food in creative settings, private bathrooms open to the outdoors, no locked doors or safes and zero wifi/cell. Very quickly you unwound and stopped thinking about the weather report, news, emails and Google. (Kapamba Camp)

Zungulila Camp bungalow, this one a tent style with 360 degree windows.

Chindeni Camp bungalow.

Our 8 days followed a familiar pattern, so I decided to document our time with the Bushcamp Company as a day-in-the-life for each part of the day.

Each day started with a 5:30 wake up call followed by breakfast at 6. Hearing the birds calling and watching the sunrise light up the bush from your bungalow patio, was a lovely way to start the day. One morning 2 hippos crashed into the water, the male valiantly trying to make the moves on the female, but she was having none of it. (Chindeni Camp)

Breakfast at the Zungulila Camp.

By 6:30am we were in the Land Rover to find a spot to park and head out for a walking safari. The pace slowed down as we learned about the trees, plants, flowers, poop and signs of animal activity.

The morning safaris were Rick's and my favorite. The temperatures were cooler, we were rested and it seemed the animal sightings were the best as we drove to and from our safari walks.

Being able to do daily safari walks was a welcome bit of exercise. The instructions were to walk in a straight line and stick together so that our guide and security knew where we were at all times and we could quickly regroup in case of danger.

Each safari included a guide, a national park service soldier protecting us and a spotter/bevy porter.

Above the guide (Francis) is explaining the droppings. Some animals slowly build a pile of waste, using their same ‘toilet’ daily as a way to mark their territory. A guide to poop terminology: herbivores = dung, carnivores = scat and omnivores = feces.

Hyena scat is calcium rich because of the number of bones they eat. For that it’s a favorite of the leopard tortoise who needs the mineral. The theme of interconnectedness across the flora and fauna was repeated daily.

Learning about termites was loaded with fun facts. Five types thrive here. Fungus grower termites take animal droppings to their termite mounds to grow fungus. They don’t just do it by themselves, they actually enslave ants to share the workload. Sensitive to the sun, they build these large mud type mounds and then live inside them to avoid the sun. The mound is equal in size below ground as it is above. The soldier termites have large heads and pincers. The guide told us that those with bush knowledge can get the soldiers to pinch across a person’s wound and then have their bodies removed. The pinchers create temporary stitches until a person can get to a hospital.

Luck Bean Creeper seeds are used by the locals to make jewelery.

The ubiquitous sausage trees, with their namesake fruit dangling from thick stems, added gorgeous canopies of green in the bush.

Impalas used the sausage trees as shade and shared the fruit with the hippos. The locals use the fruit as an anti-itch, and the flowers to squeeze the iron rich juice from, especially important for pregnant women.

At a shady spot it was time to stop walking and rest with tea/coffee and a treat.

For all the abuse the Land Rovers took, it was amazing we only had one flat tire.

​During the morning and evening safari drives the frequent animal sightings never failed to impress.  Seeing them play out their lives so close to us and yet unfazed by our presence was a privilege.

The giraffes with their graceful, unhurried gait, A grouping is called a tower of giraffes. They sleep on their knees and as they age, their markings turn from a light-yellow orange to black.

African painted dogs (formerly wild dogs) finishing up the last of the scraps from a fresh kill. They were able to feast on a decent amount before the hyenas stepped in to take over.

Afterwards they ran and romped like pups, stopping every so often to cover their scent.

Leopards are territorial when its male to male or female to female, but when the sexes are different, they are allowed to be in each others’ territories. Like almost all the animals, this one was non-plussed with our presence. The BCC has worked hard to ensure the guides make the animals not feel threatened - giving them the space and time they need to eat, move and hunt. Also, with the anti-poaching such a success, more recent generations of animals do not see humans as a threat.

The various antelopes (this and next 3 pics) often had striking markings but you had to be fast to see them as they were often skittish. I guess that comes with being fairly low on the food chain with the carnivores around. Above: Common Waterbuck.

The impalas were so plentiful, they were spotted on every outing. But they were skittish and it took days to get a picture of them standing still.

A female and male Bushbuck.

Kudus with their long twirled horns are rare to see.

Our first sighting of a male. He graced us with his presence for as long as we wanted, but this shot of him stepping out of the bush was our favourite.

The male periodically roared to his nearby brother who was badly injured by a water buffalo the year before.

The lion may be the king of the jungle but the water buffalo is notoriously aggressive, even with the big cats.

A pride and young male lounging while we watched the mom head to the opposite river bank to hunt 2 warthogs.

These hyenas (and vultures) weren't far away from that pride, waiting for the female to make the kill so that they could also get a good feed. It was all very suspenseful watching the action play out. The warthogs seemed oblivious, but they managed to bumble their way out of the lioness' reach.

As the grass gets shorter, so do the warthogs. They will kneel to eat if that's what it takes to reach the grass and whatever else they come across. A group is called a sound of warthogs.

The hairs on the warthog's back and side of the tusks flare out to make them look bigger if a predator is nearby.

We saw a few dazzles of zebras, but like other animals of prey they moved fast when anything startled them. Above, a pregnant mare still manages to find grass shoots near the end of the hot and dry season.

In addition to providing bore holes for fresh water for the townspeople of Mfuwe, the BCC's charity organization has dug others and installed solar powered pumps at locations that are usually key animal watering holes.

Mom & baby quenching their thirst at this bore hole.

Because the river only recently dried up, there is water in some places where the elephants can dig down a foot or two for a small supply. The ele on the left is digging while mom and baby drink up from their hole. We watched mom gently nudge her baby each time it was her turn. It was as though she was teaching it to share. BTW, because I can't help myself, a group is called a parade of elephants.

Every time we left the camp a member of the National Park Service was with us. His job was safety, including where it was safe to pee. Instructions were always to pee facing out so that we could spot if animals were approaching. During the off season for tourists, these rangers work with their peers in anti-poaching activities. They’re dropped off in the jungle in teams for 10 days at a time. Working like a search party they scan the land to look for poacher camps and snare traps. Thanks to diligence, stiff jail time and education, it is rare for them to find any evidence of poaching in recent years.

Brunch at 11am was a dinner sized affair. From a small kitchen the chef and sous chef made magic, and they were able to do so while avoiding my worst food intolerances. Because it was far longer than we were used to between meals we loaded up. Above: we drove around a corner on the way home from a walking safari to find a ‘bush pizza’ brunch all set up. A lot of the meals were DIY which made food preferences and portion sizes so much easier to manage.

Of course, the bar was never far away.

With full stomachs from brunch, it was siesta time from 1-3:30pm. Only on our first full day did I try to nap on the common area deck. But there were too many fun distractions and with the temperatures between 35 and 40, having a respite from the sun was a welcome relief. Each room came with a kikoi per guest, which are like a length of oversized cotton shawl. You soaked it in water and lay over yourself with a fan blowing. I frequently used mine and even bought one for the RV for hot days when the AC doesn’t have power.

During a few siestas Rick would spend time catching up on culling and organizing photos. We took alllllot. In the Kapamba Camp the same elephant would cross the river at midday and wander the camp to snack on his favorite food.

He started out shy, ‘hiding’ behind a tree, an elephant behaviour we sometimes saw on safaris.

There must have been a lot of favorite food by Cheryl and Greg’s bungalow because he slowly munched around its perimeter, keeping them inside to watch the show. And then at dinner time, he’d visit again. In the pitch dark, we’d hear him nearby the dinner table crashing branches and crunching.

Hanging out in the common area after our naps. It felt good to get out of the dusty safari clothes.

Every camp's common area had its own personality and was designed to maximize the cooling effect of any breeze.

After a freshly baked afternoon snack, it was back into the Land Rover for a safari drive, a sundowner to sip while watching the sunset and then a night drive home where the spotter swept his torch left and right to find active animals.

We saw so many flashes of colourful feathers, posing or flying over us, but most were camera shy. Above: a Saddle Billed Stork.

The Lilac Breasted Roller, what a rainbow.

The Helmeted Guineafowl had a turquoise 'helmet' that lit up with the sun on it and it's body feathers with the multitude of spots were striking.

Camouflaged perfectly, this one takes a quick peek outside.

During the night drives, the golden hour lit up the landscape. You knew the day was starting to wrap up and so you appreciated the light for as long as it lasted.

The sundowner out of the Chindeni Camp was the best. While we sipped our drinks and waited for the sun to set, we stood at the top of a cliff to watch Carmine Bee Eaters to the left and hippos to the right.

Each year the bee eater's cliffside nests are washed away in the rains, only to be rebuilt again.

A raft of hippos (love those group names), shared a large area deep enough for most to be able to submerge themselves. They're susceptible to sunburn, so being covered in mud or submerged helps protect their skin.

When they wanted to express dominance or simply get some deeper water, the mouths were opened and the bellowing began.

Leaving the water is limited to brief periods during the day and then after sunset we'd see them foraging in the bush.

Sections of Mopani Woodland gave a moodiness to the landscape. The short trees are continuously bonsaied by the elephants. When the rains come, the leaves will return for another round of elephant pruning. This scene reminds me of each night when dusk descended, and it was lulling to bump along the roads with a welcome cool(ish) breeze on our faces.

A type of weaver birds build communal nests to be shared by a few of them. They take turns caring for all the young in the nest.

Like the teatime, the sundowner bevy location was purposefully chosen for safety (open space), animal sightings and a good view of that classic bold African sunset.

Back from safari around 7:30, dinner was at 8 and then each of us was escorted to our bungalow. Instructions were to stay safely in our room until sunrise. Above: Rick closing our ‘walls’ for the night in our Kapamba Camp bungalow.

The best as it turned out was saved for the last. We’d said goodbye to Cheryl and Greg who were staying on an extra day. During the ride out we spotted 3 elephants: a mom with her newborn son and the mom’s sister. Both adults nudged the little one with their trunks trying to wake him up and start standing on his own. Mom even used her feet. At the same time, it was important to cover up any scent of blood so as not to attract hyenas. Both swatted the newborn with their tails and Mom buried the placenta and covered any blood on herself and the baby with dirt.