Zambezi Week 4

Dag 22, 19 Julie

Voetspore Zambezi

Julie, Augustus, September 2021

Dagboek Week 4

Liuwa – Makulabumbu na Katoyana

Ons is vroeg op by Mukalabumbu. Nina maak ontbyt. Heerlike jafels met maalvleis en kaas. Ons het ook van die uitstekende geriewe gebruik gemaak.

Na ontbyt vertrek ons. Ons ry na die noordelike kamp van die park – Sikale. Dis wuiwende grasvlaktes. Dis werklik pragtig met ‘n tweespoor sandpaadjie tussen die gras wat amper so hoog soos die Cruiser staan.

Sikale is die mees primitiewe kamp in Liuwa. Daar is net ‘n long drop en geen ander geriewe nie. Ons draai suid.

Ons begin bietjie wild sien. ‘n Paar oorbietjies met hulle vreemde hardloop manier. So stokkerig.

Terwyl ons vir ‘n saalbek ooievaar kyk, spring ‘n buffel op uit die lang gras. Hy hardloop na ‘n boom en skuur die modder van sy lyf af.

Ons sien baie voëls. Lelkraanvoëls en reiers. Ooievaars. Kiewiete. Vleiloeries.

Op pad na die volgende kamp, Katoyana, kry ons groot groepe wildebeeste. Ook ‘n klompie sebras. Dit is waarvoor Liuwa bekend is.

By Katoyana vertoef ons oor die hitte van die dag, en teen vier uur gaan ry ons ‘n draai. Weer is daar baie voëls. Veral baie mahems. Ook ‘n visarend wat op die grond kom sit, net om deur twee kiewiete verjaag te word. Ons sien selfs ‘n roofarend.

Ons kom ook ‘n klompie plaaslike inwoners teë. Hulle het gaan visse vang met spiese. Barbers wat nou gedroog en dan verkoop gaan word in die dorp. Liuwa is ‘n park waar daar minstens 1 000 mense bly.

Ons is terug kamp toe. Aandete is hoender lewer op rys. Dit was ‘n lekker vol, besige dag.

oOo

It is an early start at Mukalabumbu. Nina prepares jaffles with mince and cheese. We also utilise the excellent facilities.

After breakfast, we leave and travel to the northernmost camp in Liuwa – Sikale. It is ‘n beautiful route. A sand track through the grasslands that stand as high as the Cruisers.

Sikale is the most primitive camp in Liuwa. Only facilities - the long drop toilet. Real wilderness. We turn south.

We see little wildlife. Noticeable are the oribis with their strange way of running. At first, they run, and then they suddenly jump into the air.

While we are watching a saddlebill stork, a buffalo suddenly jumps out of the long grass, runs to a tree and starts scratching himself against the trunk to get rid of the mud on his body.

We see lots of birds. Wattled cranes and herons. Storks. Plovers. Loeries.

On the way to the next camp, Katoyana, we see large groups of wildebeest. They are in the company of several zebras. This is what Liuwa is known for.

At Katoyana we stay over the heat of the day. After four we go on a game drive. Once more, lots of birds. We see a number of the crowned crane. Also, a fish eagle sits on the ground, only to be chased by two blacksmith plovers. We also see a tawny eagle.

We encounter a few locals. They went spearfishing for catfish. This will now be dried and then sold in town. In Liuwa there are a least 1000 people, living in the park.

We go back to camp. Dinner is chicken liver on rice. It was a busy, enjoyable day.

Dag 23, 20 Julie

Voetspore Zambezi

Julie, Augustus, September 2021

Dagboek Week 4

Liuwa - Katoyana

Voor sonop is ons die kamp uit. By een van die watergate met die talle voëls sien ons die son soos ‘n rooi bal in die ooste verskyn. Dit is sekerlik ons mooiste sonsopkoms van die toer dusver. Stefan sê dit is ‘n moet vir die opening sekwens van die TV reeks.

Ons plan is om so ver noord te ry as moontlik. Ons wil sien of ons nie dalk die groot getal wildebeeste waarvoor Liuwa bekend is kan kry nie. Ons ry verby ‘n plek wat genoem word Lonely Palm. Dis werklik ‘n eensame palm wat staan op die vlakte.

Daar is heelwat wild. Oorbietjies, enkellopend wildebeeste, lechwe en natuurlik die oorvloed van voëls. Mens kan nie genoeg daarvan kry nie.

Ons ry tot by die park se westelike grens, en toe met die tweespoor paadjie, noord. Ons sien ‘n baie groot trop sebras, maar die wildebeeste ontwyk ons steeds.

Middagete is in die middel van die pad – 2 minute noodles. ‘n Voetspore middagete. Nina voel sleg dat sy dit aan ons voorsit. Ons sê dis vir ons luuks. Sy moet ophou om ons te bederf.

In plaas van terugry met dieselfde pad, besluit ons op ‘n kortpad. Streicher stel ondersoek in met die hommeltuig, en sien ‘n tweespoorpad. ‘n Kortpad. Ons vat hom. Dis gewoonlik ‘n avontuurlike roete. Dit duur ook nie lank nie, of die avontuur begin. Ek val vas met my Cruiser wat op sy pens gaan lê. Dit verg beide Streicher en Francois se voertuie se wenaste, dubbeld gemaak, en die Maxtrax sand lere onder die wiele om my uit die modder te kry. Ons is verder.

Na sowat 20 km kry ons weer ’n tweespoor, en kon ons met die GPS navigeer kamp toe. By die kamp gaan stort meeste van die manne. Na die 4x4 oefening is ons lekker vuil, en die kamp geriewe is uitstekend. Warm water storte en spoel toilette.

Laat middag gaan ons weer uit. Ons ry verby die ultra luukse Tide and Time, King Lewanika Lodge. Die is tans toe. COVID 19 en die prysklas (US $ 1 400 per persoon per dag) maak dat daar nie baie mense hierheen kom nie. Maar op die vlakte gaan geniet ons die sonsondergang wat hulle gaste gewoonlik sien. En dit kos ons niks. Met ‘n glasie Beyerskloof in die hand staan ons en kyk hoe die son soos ‘n goue bal oor die Afrika vlakte verdwyn.

Ons is terug kamp toe. Nina maak een van haar gunsteling kamp resepte – nachos. Dit was weer eens ‘n uitstekende dag.

oOo

We leave camp before sunrise. Against the backdrop of the rising sun, we watch several birds at a water hole - one of our most beautiful sunrises thus far. Stefan says it must be in the opening sequence of the TV series.

The plan is to drive north as far as possible and see if we can find the large herds of wildebeest that Liuwa is famous for. We pass a place called Lonely Palm. It is indeed a lonely palm on the plains.

The game is in abundance. Oribis, single wildebeest, lechwe and all the birds. One just cannot get enough of it.

We continue to the western border of the park and take the Jeep track north. There are many zebra, but the wildebeest evade us.

Lunch is served in the middle of the road. We have 2-minute noodles. This is normal for the Voetspore guys, but Nina feels as though she lets us down. We tell her that this is perfect and usual. She must stop spoiling us with her excellent meals.

We decide not to turn back on our tracks, but take a shortcut back to camp. Streicher launches the drone to investigate the possibilities and spots a shortcut – a Jeep track over the plain. This, normally, is the adventurous route. It does indeed not take long before the adventure starts. I get stuck in the mud with my Cruiser, buried up to its chassis. It needs both Francois and Streicher using their winches, doubled up with the snatch block, as well as the use of the Maxtrax, to free me from the mud hole. Then we continue.

After about 20 km we reach the better-mapped routes and can navigate back to camp with our GPS. After the 4x4 experience, all the guys need a shower. Once again, the facilities are first class with hot water showers.

Late afternoon we go on another game drive. We pass the ultra-luxurious Time and Tide, King Lewanika Lodge, currently closed. COVID 19, and the price (US $ 1 400 per person per day) means that not too many guests visit the lodge. But we experience the sunset the King Lewanika guests normally see, and it doesn’t cost us a thing. With a glass of Beyerskloof in hand, we watch the sun setting like a golden ball over Africa’s plains.

Back at camp Nina prepares one of her favourite dishes – nachos. Once more, we had an excellent, eventful day.

Dag 24, 21 Julie

Voetspore Zambezi

Julie, Augustus, September 2021

Dagboek Week 4

Liuwa – Katoyana na Lyangu

Ons is weer dou-voor-dag op. Sonsopkoms in Liuwa is nie iets wat jy in die kamp moet beleef nie. Daarvoor moet jy op die vlaktes wees. Weer eens, ‘n rooi bal wat verskyn in die ooste, ‘n paar sebras in die voorgrond.

Ons ry noord, op soek na wildebeeste. Langs die pad, in die waterpoele, talle voëls. Saalbek ooievaars, groot wit reiers, ‘n ralreier... almal pragtig in die oggendlig.

Ons ry verder, eers oor die grasvlaktes, toe deur ‘n pragtige woud. Interessant dat ons geen akasia bome opmerk nie.

Toe ons weer op ’n vlakte kom, waar die gras gebrand is, sien ons ’n reuse trop wildebeeste. Hulle staan rustig en wei. Daar is selfs ‘n paar jongetjies tussen hulle. Die trop is meer as ‘n duisend sterk. Dis wel nie die Serengeti nie, maar dit herinner baie sterk daaraan. Mens kan vir ure vir die narre van die veld sit en kyk. Hulle maak deurentyd snork geluide. Soms spring een sommer net op en begin hardloop. Soms volg party. Ander kere staan hulle net en wei.

Ons is terug kamp toe. Onderweg kry ons ‘n klomp vissermanne wat kom barbers vang. Met nette en spiese betrap hulle die visse waar hulle in die vlak water swem. Dis die visse wat binne ‘n dag of wat in die dorp Kalabo, dalk Mongu of selfs Lusaka vir 5 of 10 kwacha verkoop sal word. Baie gaan ook na die Copper Belt.

By die kamp maak Norbert roosterbrood op die vuur en Francois braai ‘n worsie. ‘n Heerlike brunch. Daarna vertrek ons na Lyangu.

Dis oor die hitte van die dag. Meeste van die wild lê en slaap. Ons sien wel ‘n pan met seker minstens 200 pelikane, asook ongeveer 10 pare saalbek ooievaars. Ons spandeer ongeveer ‘n halfuur en kyk hoe hulle jag, bekke onder die water, en sterte in die lug.

Ons ry verby nog ‘n klompie manne wat besig is om barbers in die vlak pannetjies te vang.

Net na 15:00 kom ons aan by Lyangu. Weer eens, ‘n pragtige kampplek onder massiewe koeltebome.

Die aand is dit skaaptjoppies op die kole, en ‘n gebraaide wrap-en-kaas pastei. Dis Nina se nuwe eksperiment op die kole, en glad nie sleg nie.

Ons gaan kruip in, wel wetende dat die hiënas elke nag deur die kamp stap...

oOo

Once more we leave before sunrise. This is not something to be experienced at the campsite. You need to be on the plains. A red ball appears in the east with several zebras in the foreground.

We continue north in search of the wildebeest. En route in the pools, many birds. Saddle-billed storks, white herons, a squacco heron... all beautiful in the morning light.

We continue our journey over the grass plains and occasionally pass through a forest. Interestingly, we see no acacia trees.

When we reach another plain where the grass was burnt, we encounter a large herd of wildebeest, grazing. There are even a few young with them. The herd is more than a thousand strong. This is not the Serengeti but does remind one of East Africa. You can sit and watch them for hours. They are the clowns of the veldt. They continuously make a grunting sound. Now and again one will jump around and start running. Some would follow. Others will just continue grazing as though nothing has happened.

We return to camp. Along the way we see fishermen, fishing for barbel. They trap the fish with their nets and then spear them when they are in the shallow water. These fish will now be sold in Kalabo, even Mongo and Lusaka for between 5 and 10 kwachas. A lot goes to the Copper Belt as well.

Back at camp Norbert prepares griddle bread and Francois braais boerewors. This is a perfect brunch. Then we leave for our next camp, Lyangu.

Over the heat of the day, the most game is lying down, taking a nap. We do, however, see at least 200 pelicans, fishing in a pond. Their beaks are underwater and their tails are in the air. It is comical. There are ten pairs of saddle-billed storks as well.

At another pond, we see more fishermen, fishing barbel.

We arrive just after 15:00 at Lyangu. Once more it is a beautiful campsite under shaded trees.

After dark, I braai lamb chops and a wrap-and-cheese pie. It is Nina’s new experiment on the coals and turns out very well.

We go to bed, well knowing that the hyenas visit the campsite every night...

Dag 25, 22 Julie

Voetspore Zambezi

Julie, Augustus, September 2021

Dagboek Week 4

Liuwa – Lyangu

Weer eens ‘n vroeë oggend. Weer eens ‘n skouspelagtige sonsopkoms. Ons is op die vlakte. Die Liuwa. Die vlakte naby ons kamp is sekerlik die grootste in die park. Die horison “buig” soos wanneer mens deur ‘n wye hoek lens van ‘n kamera kyk.

In ‘n dammetjie kry ons ‘n dertigtal pelikane. Hulle swem heen en weer, koppe onder die water soos hulle met hulle enorme bekke vissies in die water soek.

Ons kry ook ‘n groterige trop letchwe. Dis meestal ooitjies. Van die rammetjies stamp koppe en probeer dominansie wys.

Ons sien ook ‘n visarend op die grond sit. Op die vlaktes is daar nie veel bome nie. Ook nog saalbek ooievaars en mahems. Talle kiewiete en eendjies op die pannetjies.

Wat ons ontwyk is Liuwa se hiënas. Ons besoek ‘n paar plekke wat gemerk is as ‘n den. Maar die hiënas sien ons nie. Dis net snags wat ons hulle hoor.

Laat oggend gaan ons terug kamp toe. Die geriewe is skoon en netjies. Die water word uit ‘n put gepomp met ‘n trapmasjien wat herinner aan die toerusting wat in ‘n gym gebruik word deur mense wat aan hulle kuite werk. Ons kamp bestuurder, Namuchana Simushi, doen dit omdat dit sy werk is. Hy vertel die put droog op na ‘n uur se gepomp, en dan moet hy weer ‘n dag wag voor daar genoeg water ingesypel het.

Met sononder is ons weer op die vlaktes. Dis asof ons nie genoeg van Liuwa se sonsopkoms en sononder kan kry nie.

Terug by die kamp kry ons gaste. Deon Joubert, Parkhoof van Liuwa, kom kuier. Hy is reeds vier jaar hier waar hy in diens is van African Parks. Deon was voorheen by SANparke en het Mokala gevestig. Maar vier jaar gelede het hy Zambië toe gekom. Hier, op die vlaktes wes van die Zambezi, is hy besig om ‘n beduidende verskil te maak.

Ons kuier lekker saam met hom om die kampvuur. Streicher braai vark nek en Nina maak ‘n Spaanse rys. Dis heerlik saam met ‘n glasie Beyerskloof.

oOo

Once more early morning. Once again, a spectacular sunrise on the plains, the Liuwa. The plains adjacent to our camp must surely be the biggest. The horizon bends like when you look through a camera with a wide-angle lens.

In a pond, we see thirty pelicans, hunting. They swim up and down, heads and beaks under the water as they look for food.

We also see a large herd of lechwe. They are mostly ewes. The rams fight for domination.

We see a fish eagle on the ground. On the plains, there are few trees. In the ponds, once more, saddle bill storks and crowned cranes, as well as plovers and ducks.

The hyenas of Liuwa still elude us. We visit places, marked on the GPS as hyena dens, but they are nowhere to be seen. We only hear them at night.

Late morning, we return to camp. The facilities, once more, is clean and tidy. The water is pumped with a device that reminds you of equipment used in a gym to try and enlarge your calves. Our camp manager, Namuchana Simushi, works the device. Hy tells us that the well needs to be pumped regularly. After an hour it dries up, and then he needs to wait a full day for the water to seep in again.

At sunset, we go back to the plains. It is as though we cannot get enough of Liuwa’s sunsets and sunrises.

Back at camp, we receive guests. Deon Joubert, chief warden of Liuwa Plain National Park, comes to visit. He joined African Parks, the organisation that manages Liuwa, four years ago. He used to be at Mokala where he worked for SANParks, but now he is in Zambia to make a difference in this excellent wilderness area.

It is a wonderful evening with Deon around the campfire. Streicher braais pork neck and Nina prepares a Spanish Rice. This is swallowed down with a glass of Beyerskloof.

Dag 26, 23 Julie

Voetspore Zambezi

Julie, Augustus, September 2021

Dagboek Week 4

Liuwa – Kalabo

Dit was tyd om te vertrek. Ons pak op by Lyunga en ry suid. Ons eerste mikpunt is die park se hoofkantoor.

Die afgelope vier jaar is daar nuwe kantore vir Liuwa Nasionale Park gebou. Dit is US $ 1.6 miljoen gekos. Dis ‘n pragtige gebou. Daar is ook behuising vir die personeel en die wetstoepassers. Een van die belangrikste aspekte van natuurbewaring is die eenheid wat wildstropery moet bekamp. Daar is selfs aanhoudingselle wat gebruik kan word om oortreders in aan te hou.

Ons groet vir Deon en vat die moeilike sandspoor na Kalabo.

By Kalabo moet ons die Luangingarivier kruis. Dit word gedoen met ‘n veerboot. Die voertuie gaan een-een oor. Die veerboot word met die hand aan ‘n tou getrek na die anderkant. Dit kos 100 kwacha per voertuig. Dis ‘n pragtige Afrika toneel.

In Kalabo laat ons ook ons paspoorte stempel. Ons eerste 30 dae visum het amper reeds uitgeloop. Nou moet dit verleng word.

Na die besoek aan Immigrasie gaan ons na Teddy Manimuku, die Sustainable Development Project Manager van die Liuwa Plains Nasionale Park.

In die Park woon ‘n paar duisend mense. As die mense nie kos het nie, stroop hulle die wild. Daarom is Teddy se werk uiters belangrik. Die mense moet ‘n ander inkomste kry sodat hulle nie nodig het om wild te stroop nie. Van die projekte waarmee hy begin het, is ‘n heuning projek. Liuwa lewer van die beste, lekkerste heuning. Dis net om die mense te help om dit te bestuur, en ‘n afset gebied te kry.

‘n Ander inkomste wat hulle ontwikkel is om die mango oes te ontgin. Die mango’s word almal binne ‘n week of twee ryp. Alles kan nie geëet word nie. Nou het hulle begin om dit te droog. Dit bied ‘n nuwe inkomste.

Die boere word verder geleer om meer effektief te boer. In plaas van om ‘n lappie grond te gebruik om ‘n halwe sak mieliemeel te lewer, word hulle aangemoedig om kontantgewasse te plant. Pampoene, tamaties, uie... op die manier maak die boere baie meer geld. Geld waarmee hulle hul eie mieliemeel kan koop. Teddy en sy span doen uitstekende werk.

Teen die tyd dat ons by Teddy en Angola, die man wat hom help met die bye boerdery, vertrek, is dit amper donker. Ons gaan koop ‘n paar koue biere by ‘n shebeen, en maak kamp langs die Nyoka Chalets. Streicher is op kookdiens, en op die spyskaart is ‘n hoender en feta pasta.

oOo

It is time to move on. We pack up at Lyunga and travel south. Our first stop is the park’s HQ.

The new HQ was built over the past four years at a cost of US $ 1.6 million. It is a beautiful building complex including staff housing and facilities for law enforcement. One of the most important aspects of nature conservation is to combat the poaching of game. There are even holding cells for transgressors.

We say goodbye to Deon and take the difficult sand track to Kalabo.

At Kalabo we must cross the Luanginga River. This is done with a pontoon. The vehicles are taken across the river, one by one, with the pontoon that is pulled with a rope. The cost – 100 kwacha per vehicle. This is a beautiful African scene.

In Kalabo we have our passports stamped. Our 30-day visa will expire soon and now needs to be extended.

After Immigration we visit Teddy Manimuku, the Sustainable Development Project Manager of Liuwa Plains National Park.

A few thousand people live inside the borders of the Park. If there is no food available, they will poach wildlife. That is why Teddy’s job is very important. If the people have another income, they will not poach animals. One of the projects he started was beekeeping. Liuwa produces some of the tastiest honey. The challenge is to help with management and create a market.

Another incomes stream is to exploit the mango harvest. All mangoes ripen in a short space of a few weeks. It is impossible to consume it all. Now they started a drying process that provides yet another stream of income.

Farmers are also taught to farm effectively. They can use their land to produce maize for half a bag of mealie meal, or they can use the same land to produce cash crops such as pumpkins, tomatoes, and onions. Thereby they can make much more money, which in return can be used to buy mealie meal. Teddy and his team do excellent work.

We leave Teddy and Angola. He is the guy how helps Teddy with the beekeeping. The sun is setting. We bought a few cold ones at a shebeen and set up camp next to the Nyoka Chalets. Streicher is on cooking duty, and on the menu is a chicken and feta pasta.

Dag 27, 24 Julie

Voetspore Zambezi

Julie, Augustus, September 2021

Dagboek Week 4

Mongu

Die nag by die Nyoka Chalets was maar onrustig. Die dorpie lawaai. Maar hoe kan ons dink dit sou anders wees. Dis Vrydagaand.

Ons vat die pad na Mongu. Dis een van die duurste paaie wat ooit in Zambië gebou is. Dis oor die Barotseland vloedvlaktes. Ons kruis die magtige Zambezi met ‘n indrukwekkende brug.

In Mongu gaan vul ons voorrade aan. Tap ook diesel. Daar is skaars vyf liter oor in elkeen van die Cruisers.

Ons reis suid na Sioma. Chrizelda Meyer se familie in Suid Afrika het my gesprek op RSG met Derrich Gardner gehoor. Sy en haar man Philip reël vir ons om te kamp by Whispering Sands naby die Ngonye Waterval. Eddie en Jeanette de Villiers ontvang ons gasvry. Ons kan ook kyk na die Bokke se wedstryd teen die Leeus.

oOo

The night, spent at Nyoka Chalets, was restless. It is not a quiet town. But how else? It is a Friday night.

We take the road to Mongu. This is one of the most expensive roads, built in Zambia. It crosses the floodplains of Barotseland. We also cross the mighty Zambezi with an impressive bridge.

At Mongu we restock on supplies. We also refuel. There are less than five litres of diesel left in each one of the Cruisers

We continue further south to Sioma. Chrizelda Meyer’s family heard my interview with Derrich Gardner on RSG. She gets in touch with us. She and her husband Philip organise for us to set up camp at Whispering Sands near the Ngonye Waterfall. Eddie and Jeanette de Villiers welcome us. We also can watch the game between the Boks and the Lions.

OUR STORY

Zambezi Week 4

Dag 22, 19 Julie

Dag 23, 20 Julie

Dag 24, 21 Julie

Dag 25, 22 Julie

Dag 26, 23 Julie

Dag 27, 24 Julie

Dag 28, 25 Julie