A Trip to South Luangwa National Park
It has been 238 days since our arrival in Zambia. We intended to stay no longer than our 90 day tourist visa allowed, but COVID 19 has put paid to that. Luckily, Zambia is allowing internal travel and the National Parks remain open. And so we made the 1,500km round trip to South Luangwa National Park in the east of Zambia.
July is peak season and the park and lodge would normally be humming, but in truth they were more like a ghost town.
We have been very privileged to have experienced the empty parks – having a pride of lions to ourselves is very special. We even had visitors to our camp site: elephants, hippo and lions.
Amazing pictures! You are living an incredible adventure.
Take care xx
Thanks Ghislaine, it was great fun!
Wow Dave and Francine – what fantastic adventures you are both living. Your photos are just fabulous and John and I hope you both stay well in these strange times. Thankyou for sharing some travel as we are all missing new adventures. We are doing little trips within our state.
Stay healthy and happy. John & Jen
Hi Jenni, thank you for your message. Yes, we have been fortunate to be stuck in Zambia. I guess you get some time exploring your ‘back yard’ down under.
Hello both, again great update and fantastic photos, fancy you being there at this time, and truly amazing to feel that its all just for you!! It makes it all even more memorable, we are just revisiting favourite brittany places, but did manage, just after deconfinement mid june to revisit the dordogne, before the whole of france got there on their summer vacances,again very few at all the big tourist sites,whole campsites to ourself
BLISS . anyway,continue your adventures with safety and joy.sue and stuart gorton.Brittany🍽️
Thank you Stuart and Sue – thank you for reading our blog. We love Brittany in the sunshine. We both lived in Boulogne for a few years whilst working at Eurotunnel.
Wow! Those photos are amazing. Hope you’re keeping safe.
Hi Hazel, yes we are fine. COVID 19 is making its presence felt here now.
Wow !
The National geographic would be proud of those photos, wonderful, the animals look so relaxed, they look like they are posing for the camera!
Take care.
They were very relaxed. Very few tourists about to bother them!
What amazing pictures. I never imagined that you could have got so close to so many wild animals. It’s lovely that you are having such a exciting time.
The most exciting thing that Don does is fishing for trout with me rowing the boat. But he almost always catches a few.
Keep on enjoying your Namidia experience.
Best of luck, Betty.
Hi Betty, yes, definitely ‘up close and personal’. We will go fishing in a couple of weeks – for Tiger Fish in the Zambezi River.
Francine & Dave,
Great pictures…… absolutely amazing ! I have to admit that I’m totally jealous !!! so unfair….. you have nice adventures.
Last weekend I was at Death Valley and I had to cannel my hike as 125 deg Fahrenheit is also my breaking point. …… but there no animals at all and hardly any tourists.
Looking forward to many more stories. Stay safe and Healthy !
All the best
Robert
Hi Robert & Rachel, thank you – but there are definitely low points to compliment the high points of out lifestyle. I went to to Death Valley in the late 80s and I remember it being super hot.
More amazing photos, I’m sure many will end up framed when you eventually have a more permanent home. You were lucky to have your own personal safari, our tourist spots seem to be inundated lately! More photos of Francine please, I know she’s camera shy but I almost thought the crocs had got her! Hugs to you both xx
Our photos are already (digitally) framed! No problem in keeping on top of them with so much lockdown time available!
Too many photos of me!…xx
Fantastic photos. So enjoy you sharing your amazing ongoing adventures.
Thanks Anne. Dave’s a great photographer! xx
A unique experience. It seems a very dry season.
Yes it is. We hadn’t expected to be here in dry season, but it has meant that we can visit some more places.x
Hi Dave and Francine!
South Lwanga is really FANTASTIC.
Where is Francine? Did she get too close to the lions? 😂😂😂
Continue enjoying Zambia! Best regards.
Hi Vincent and Marian,
Francine is a tiger and we know there are no tigers in Africa.
Dave
😂👍
Amazing pictures..! Wow, 238 days…. Time flys. You mention that Covid-19 is making its presence felt. We have pretty much put our Africa plans on hold, with no fixed date to try again. What are your thoughts on the likelihood of anyone from the UK or Europe travelling safely to Southern Africa in 2021.? Also, what are you planning for yourselves now.? Stay safe both of you. David & Teresa (hot & happy in Italy, heading to Corsica shortly)..
Hi David and Teresa,
We feel that Zambia is now our home, as opposed to a country that we are visiting. We have established a wonderful group of friends and our social life here has never been better. Current indications is that Africa is opening up for ‘fly in’ tourists, but this is not the case for the land borders. 2021 – no idea at all. Our plans are to continue with our African journey – wait here and move off when Tanz, Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya open up.
I like you blog and especially the tracking page – is the location ‘delayed’ a bit or real time? Do you worry about publishing your exact location?
Dave
Thanks for your replay David. The tracking has about a 10-minutes delayed, so when we stop, usually the coordinates are accurate. We use a Garmin InReach Mini & a subscription to the Iridium Satellite Network. For Europe we’re not worried about the location. For the rest of the world we would be more circumspect. Glad to hear you are both having a great time. Enjoy the rest of the African trip, once the world opens up & settles down a bit. D&T.