Zambia
Experience Africa on foot
There’s no better way to explore
the bush than from ground level.
The anticipation felt when listening
for telltale signs is intoxicating.
Mike Dexter recounts his recent
adventure in Zambia’s North
Luangwa National Park
WALK THIS WAY
A
ncient animal paths carved into the earth by
the feet and hooves of countless generations
of elephants, hippos and buffalo crisscross the
landscape. The rough pads of lions and leopards
fall silently on trails, allowing them to patrol
their territories and stalk their prey undetected. It is along
these paths that we are traversing this untamed wilderness.
Our party of five comes to an abrupt halt. I look around
warily, unsure of the reason but certain that the stop is
justified. Alex Phiri, our guide, is intrinsically in tune with
the environment. He crouches down to examine the path
while we hold our breath. He beckons us forward and we
gather around. The track is clear; there is no mistaking it.
A lioness was here just moments ago. “She turned off the
path here,” says Alex. “She must have heard us coming.” We
had been walking quietly, with the wind in our favour, so she
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must have been very, very close to detect us. Further along
the trail Alex points to an area of flattened grass in the shade
of a small acacia tree where she had been lying. I imagine it’s
still warm. Following a lone lioness is unwise as she may have
cubs and, in an area as remote as this, you always err on the
side of caution. So, staying vigilant, we continue on our way.
We humans tend to have a ‘them and us’ mindset in
our relationships with wild animals. In modern times this
is understandable: the gap between a first-world lifestyle
and finding yourself to be just one tiny element in a wild
ecosystem, so much bigger than yourself, is seemingly
unbridgeable. But there are still a handful of destinations
where we can be reminded of our place in the food chain
and be reunited with our roots. Zambia’s North Luangwa
National Park is one such place, and so it was with a mix of
excitement and trepidation that my wife and I had entered
WALKING ON WATER: An armed scout and a guide lead a
group across a river on foot in North Luangwa National Park
FRANCOIS D’ELBEE / REMOTE AFRICA SAFARIS
one of Africa’s wildest and most remote regions. Walking
safaris are the name of the game here. One of only two small
seasonal camps in the 4636sq-km reserve, Mwaleshi offers
the discerning adventurer a superb wilderness experience.
Owned by John and Carol Coppinger of Remote Africa
Safaris, Mwaleshi (named after the river it overlooks) is the
longest-running camp in the reserve. The camp is rebuilt
each year at the start of the new season.
The thin reed walls of our chalet allow for a full acoustic
experience of Africa’s nocturnal orchestra. On the first
night we hear branches snapping as an elephant walks by,
the eerie whoop of a hyena on the prowl and the distant yet
unmistakable roaring of a male lion patrolling his territory.
I fight the onset of sleep, but at some point lose the battle, as
the next thing I know a rapping on the door is awakening me
from my slumber. It is well before sunrise and we welcome
the aroma of strong coffee on the fresh morning air as we
make our way to where Alex is waiting. We are introduced to
Andrew, our formidable Zambian Wildlife Authority scout,
and Special, our tea bearer (yes, tea bearer). After a safety
briefing, where we’re asked once again if we’ve signed the
indemnity form (slightly disconcerting), it’s time to begin.
Our path zigs and zags northwards along the riverbank.
It winds between dense thickets of sickle bush and buffalo
thorn, with their merciless hooks and spikes, revealing
this magnificent world one secret at a time. We stop at
a sausage tree (Kigelia africana) and Alex explains the value
of the huge, grey-brown fruits for which the tree is named.
Weighing up to 9kg they provide valuable sustenance to
many herbivores. The dinosaur-like tracks that have
trampled the earth reveal the recent presence of last night’s
sausage eaters: “Hippos,” says Alex. “Many of them.”
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Zambia
South
Africa
We edge closer until only thirty
metres of knee-high grass separates
us from this apex predator. I imagine
he can hear my heartbeat
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Walking in Africa, of course, involves certain risks. But the guides and scouts
are well rehearsed and highly experienced professionals whose role it is to
instruct you on the best course of action in any situation. Their words should be
taken as gospel. However, here are a few pointers to help you on your way:
Buffalo Listen to your guide
and start looking for the
nearest tree. A buffalo bull is one of
the most dangerous animals to
encounter on foot. All animals have
a ‘fight or flight’ instinct, and the
buffalo, with its heavy set of horns
and massive 800kg bulk, usually
chooses to fight.
Lion Stand your ground.
Flattened ears, growling and
a vigorously flicking tail are telltale
signs that an attack is imminent.
A charge can be very intimidating
indeed and standing your ground is
a big achievement in itself but stand
your ground you must: to turn and
flee could be fatal.
Elephant Don’t move, and
listen to your guide. Elephants
are highly complex creatures that
have been persecuted by humans for
hundreds of years, so you never
know how they will respond to you.
Leopard Stay still and walk
backwards cautiously.
Leopards are shy, so it is unlikely that
you will come across one on foot that
is close enough to be dangerous,
unless it’s old, injured or with cubs.
Hippo Get out of its way.
Hippos kill more people in
Africa annually than any other
animal. Unless you go swimming with
them, they only pose a threat on dry
land, where they feel vulnerable.
Why walk?
“The Luangwa Valley is said to be the birthplace of walking safaris. Game
viewing by vehicle is common all over Africa but, while it is an effective way to
experience African wildlife, you remain slightly detached from the scene. On
foot you become a part of it all and your senses are sharpened. With a good
guide, the minutiae come alive — spoor, insects, birds, mammals, droppings,
animal burrows, trees and plants — and how these are all intertwined begins
to make sense. Encountering animals on the ground, especially a pride of lions,
focuses one’s attention far more acutely than doing so from the back of a jeep.”
JOHN COPPINGER, REMOTE AFRICA SAFARIS
CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: Elephants watch the group, just 60m away; guide Alex
Phiri and Alienor Dexter observe a pod of hippos; an African civet track; lions
keep an eye on the onlookers; a baby crocodile basks on a hippo’s back
SAFARI PLANNER
n Getting there Proflight Zambia
MIKE AND ALIENOR DEXTER (5)
The Mwaleshi River is the lifeblood of the reserve, providing
a reliable water source throughout the year. In the dry season,
however, only small shallow pools remain, which is problematic
for the local hippo population. The nearby Luangwa River has
the highest hippo density in the world, with up to forty-one
individuals per kilometre. At the confluence of the two rivers
a series of deep pools form as the water recedes. During the
winter months these become home to hundreds of hippos.
In a world where we are comfortable with our position at the
top of the food chain, it is a rare and intense experience when
the tables are turned. Driving from the camp one afternoon, so
we could take a walk in a different area, we round a bend in the
road and startle two lions, a male and a female. They move off
begrudgingly and Alex turns around with a glint in his eyes and
a mischievous grin. “We should approach them on foot,” he says.
Yes, why not? It makes perfect sense to leave the safety of the
Land Cruiser and to even the playing field. I keep my thoughts
to myself while nodding enthusiastically.
Trusting resolutely in his many years of experience we follow
Alex in a perfectly silent single file. I can see the male lion lying
down about seventy metres away. So far he’s unaware of our
presence. We edge closer, almost imperceptibly, until only thirty
metres of knee-high grass separates us from this apex predator.
He turns his head slowly. With his flawless eyesight he spots us
immediately, assesses the situation and, much to my relief, decides
we aren’t all that important and certainly not worth making a
fuss about. He keeps his piercing amber eyes on us nonetheless,
his ears forward, listening attentively. I imagine he can hear my
heartbeat. The lioness, until now obscured behind her beau,
readjusts for comfort and in so doing glimpses us from over
his back. She has an altogether different reaction: I can sense
the adrenaline surging through her veins right to the tip of her
menacingly flicking tail. Fight or flight is certain — but which is it
to be? In a tawny flash, she opts for the latter and vanishes into
the thickets. The male, begrudgingly, heaves himself up and lopes
after her. Humbled and sweating, we back up to the vehicle.
You do not cover ground at any great speed on a walking safari.
The focus is on immersion in the environment, not burning calories.
Alex deftly interpreted every track, sign and sound, relating each to
the other and revealing a dynamic world otherwise lost to the senses.
By the end of the third day we had been on six walks, varying from
five to ten kilometres, and had undoubtedly grown more in tune
with our surroundings. We could identify tracks that only three days
ago we would have missed altogether. We could hear sounds where
before we detected only silence and, most importantly, we could shut
out all our worries and concerns to do with the outside world. On a
walking safari in the North Luangwa National Park you live in the
moment, constantly aware of your immediate environment, without
a care for yesterday or tomorrow. Here you are more than just a
visitor: you are a participant in a free and natural system, where
every living creature plays a role and the footprint of mankind is
light, fleeting and soon forgotten.
A survival guide
flies from Lusaka to Mfuwe, from
where you can either fly on to the
Lukuzi Airstrip or arrange a twohour transfer by car through South
Luangwa National Park. A reputable
operator, such as Remote Africa
Safaris, can manage all the logistics.
n Where to stay The writer stayed
at the riverside Mwaleshi Camp.
Although it specialises in walking
safaris, you can also explore further
afield in a vehicle and visit the
Mwaleshi Falls from here. Buffalo
Camp, also situated on the Mwaleshi
River, is a more rustic alternative and
offers self-catering.
TANZANIA
DEM REPUBLIC
OF CONGO
North Luangwa NP
South Luangwa NP
Mfuwe
ZAMBIA
MOZAMBIQUE
Lusaka
ZIMBABWE
N
n When to go Both camps are
TZ
inaccessible during in summer, so
visit between June and late-October.
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