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Zambia & Cross Border Rentals
Through Zambia
Thankfully I have stocked up on petrol - prices are much higher this side of the Zambezi than in Namibia. Perhaps I should pick up paying passengers, taxi-style, like some other tourists appear to be doing. However, no-one is waiting for a lift when I set off. I am heading north for 400 kilometres, destination Liuwa: home to the Africa’s second largest migration of wildebeest. Every November 250 000 wildebeest fill the landscape in minutes.
Ngonyi Falls, Senanga, Mongu, Kalabo
A friend had raved about his journey to Liuwa but said it takes some dedication and effort to get there (which is probably why so few people know about the place). But with my 4x4 vehicle's good ground clearance, transfer box and lockable differentials, I should be alright. The main highway is gravel and unpaved, which is great for practising my 4WD driving skills but is fairly tiring. Just over 120 km later, I arrive at the turnoff to the Ngonyi Falls, which are said to rival the Victoria Falls. There is no-one else there; I stand looking down at tons of water cascading over moon-shaped rocks, feeling the water thundering beneath my feet (the water runs underneath the rock). Refreshed by the break and inspired by the power of nature, I am ready to face the last 80 kilometres of sandy road to Senanga.
Thankfully the road from Senanga to Mongu is tarred and so I can travel more quickly. I overnight in Mongu and replenish my stores at the supermarket and petrol station. You have to take all your supplies with you to Liuwa, so the extra fuel and water tanks and other gear provided by Drive Africa come in handy. I cross the Zambezi by ferry and reach Kalabo where I obtain my entry permit from the National Parks and Wildlife Services. I also decide to hire a guide, although I have the GPS supplied by Drive Africa.
Liuwa
There are no other vehicles around when I enter Liuwa Nature Reserve – I feel like the first traveller in the wilderness. My guide points out the different types of buck: antelope, oribi and others I have never seen before, (and never in such quantities). A flock of cranes pass overhead and in the distance I see eagles soaring on the air currents. The game on the ground is unbelievable: zebra, eland, wild dog, cheetah and of course lions. This is the real Africa.
As we sit around the fire that evening, listening to the roar of lions and coughing of hyenas, I am relieved to be staying at a designated campsite and not out there in the bush. It is the remotest place I have ever been to in my life. A couple of days later, it's time to leave: I have had enough of glorious isolation and my supplies are running low. In any case, I still have to travel across the borders to Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Swaziland, South Africa, Lesotho and Botswana!
Kaoma
I take a slow drive south along the Great West Road of Zambia that runs 610 km from Mongu to Lusaka, stopping to overnight in Kaoma, just under 200 kilometres away, a town where traditional Africa still rules. I have a solid day’s driving ahead of me: 400 kilometres from Kaoma to Mumbwa and then on to Kabwe, where I arrive very late in the afternoon. The town is off the tourist beat, which is not surprising given the state of the roads – sandy, full of potholes, so at times I struggle to get above 50 km/h.
Kabwe
Kabwe is the centre of Zambia and home to one of Zambia's most celebrated early inhabitants: the Broken Hill man, a Neanderthal human whose 100,000 years old skull was discovered in 1921. In the centre of the town is a big tree where apparently early settlers used to congregate and relax. It's is a typical town where everyone knows everyone else. That friendliness and hospitality extend to tourists; I am welcomed with smiles and people are eager to show me the way to a little hotel for the night.
Bangweulu and Luangwa
I spend the next day in Lusaka, stocking up and preparing for a two-week foray into the unbelievably rich national parks in the east and north of Zambia. I travel to the Bangweulu Swamps, past the Kasanka National Park and Chief Chitambo's village (where Dr Livingstone's heart is buried) to the wetlands. In contrast to the barrenness of Liuwa, the landscape at Bangweulu is lush - a watery wonderland teeming with herds of elephants and flocks of birds. I hope to catch a glimpse of the Shoebill, that illusive cousin of the pelican, but sadly don't. However, the sight of such huge herds of elephants, flocks of birds and the usual multitude of buck goes some way to make up for it.
Leaving Bangweulu, I journey south to Luangwa, a must see on any travels to Zambia. Famed throughout the world, Luangwa is one of Africa's greatest and unspoilt wildernesses. I take a break from driving and go on guided walking safaris, coming (almost) face to face with hippos, crocodiles, buffaloes, elephant and zebra galore. The lions prove elusive, until the last evening, when our guide leads us to a pride of lions enjoying the spoils of their hunting.
Lusaka
After all that wildlife, I feel that it's time to leave my rustic paradise and head back to civilisation and Lusaka. After the isolation and tranquility of the bush, it's a shock to the system to find myself in a busy city full of crazy drivers and pedestrians carrying huge loads on their heads. But, it’s good to take a hot shower and eat out in a restaurant after weeks on the road. I spend a couple of days in the city, stocking up on stores and having my 4x4 checked out.
And so it is with a sense of relief that I leave the bustling city behind and head south to Kariba, via Chirundu, and the much-anticipated Victoria Falls.
About the Author
Alex Jochheim: Writes for Drive Africa is a leading Car Rental Company in Cape Town South Africa, which specializes in 4x4 rentals, campervan, Cross Border Rentals, short-term rentals and long term car hire.
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