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Zambia

May - June 2025
  • Charlesi Main-B
A 24-day adventure by Charlesi Read more
  • Charlesi Main-B

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Couple, Nature, Wilderness, Wildlife
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  • 38footprints
  • 24days
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  • Charlesi Main-BCharlesi Main-BZambia

    Tafika - Sunrise

    May 18 in Zambia ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C

    05:00 wake up call for Lainey to go on Safari, after breakfast around a campfire overlooking the Luangwa River they head off at 06:00 in the safari vehicle.

    Not a normal safari this time because they’d got word of a pride of Lions whose Cubs had got into difficulties whilst crossing the river so they went to investigate. When they arrived there were eleven Lionesses lined up above a vertical drop into the river with two Cubs stranded below on some rocks surrounded by Crocodiles! 😱

    Evidently the pride had been crossing the river but the Cubs had got swept away with the current along with their mother and landed downstream below a vertical cliff. As time went on the mother managed to scramble up the cliff to safety but the youngest cub at three months old got snatched off the rocks by a crocodile and the remaining year old Cub was still unable to climb the cliff while Crocodiles waited below

    On they’re return to the Lodge they came across two Lionesses who hadn’t managed to cross with the pride earlier

    Lainey feels they don’t hold out much hope for the Cub but tomorrow is another day.    Read more

  • Charlesi Main-BCharlesi Main-BZambia

    Tafika - Sundowner II

    May 18 in Zambia ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C

    Out again at 16:00 with Lloyd, our driver/guide, and straight over to see how the Cub was doing and unfortunately very little change

    The Cub was pretty much where it was previously but while we were there it did go into the water and managed, somehow, to scramble to another ledge, without attracting the Crocodiles, but to get safe it would need to travel about forty metres, which will be nigh impossible

    Decided not to include pictures taken of the Cub/Crocodile as quite upsetting

    In the vehicle are Lloyd, driver/guide, Nina, a professional Wildlife Photographer, Lainey and myself

    We returned to the Lodge somewhat subdued    Read more

  • Charlesi Main-BCharlesi Main-BZambia
    Weaver Bird NestsFish Eagle, the National bird of ZambiaCrested Crane

    Tafika - Sunrise II

    May 19 in Zambia ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C

    We set off at 06:00 looking for Cape Buffalo and anything else, working on hope not expectation!

    We came across Impala and Puku early on then Weaver birds, there are loads of nests but only one or two are used as the female inspects them until he builds one she’s happy with! Also Yellow Beaked Stork and a Fish Eagle (the National bird of Zambia), later we saw the Crested Cranes

    Before we got to the Cape Buffalo we were told about a Lion so we moved in that direction and came across him, lying in the shade, right next to the track and just so languid, unbelievable!

    Then we returned to Buffalo hunting and soon, with a bit of help from the radio, came across a herd of over 200, they look truly magnificent

    Returning to the Lodge we encountered Elephants, initially a mother and two sisters, just to the side of the track ready to cross over and join the rest of the herd who were already enjoying a mud bath and snack of Nile Cabbage and last, but not least, a 1.3 metre River Monitor Lizard…then back to the Lodge arriving at 10:50    Read more

  • Charlesi Main-BCharlesi Main-BZambia

    Onward to Kaingo Camp

    May 20 in Zambia ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

    Lainey set off on her last trek here while I sort the packing ready to depart Tafiki at 10:00

    I should add the little chap in the picture is a Grey Tree Frog and a bit bigger than your thumbnail, as it happens he found his way into Laineys bag so he ended up in Kaingo!

    We take a boat across the Luangwa to be met on the other side then a 1 hour drive to Kaingo Camp, on the drive we stopped by a troupe of Yellow Baboons who were racing around then we heard a warning call from another troupe which usually means there’s a Leopard in the area but sadly didn’t see anything ourselves

    After we saw a Baobab Tree, also known as the ‘Upside Tree’ and ‘Tree of Life’, this is certainly some age certainly older than the 400 years of the previous one we saw earlier, shortly after we saw the Warthogs, Zebra and a Giraffe…

    Coming into Camp we were welcomed with a drink and shown to our Lodge, which is superb…we are right next to an Ebony Tree, a favourite of Elephants, and the path outside is used only by Elephants! We have received our safety talk!

    Later we’ll be going off on a Sundowner but right now, a bath, with a view! 🤔    Read more

  • Charlesi Main-BCharlesi Main-BZambia

    Kaingo - Sundowner I

    May 20 in Zambia ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    Off to enjoy our Sundowner and it was superb. We arrived just as the sun was below the horizon and against the backdrop of the river, and the Hippos, a troupe of Yellow Baboons were running along the waters edge sorting out where they would be spending the night

    A lovely evening just so quiet and relaxed

    Our trip back was spent star gazing and disturbing Hippos!    Read more

  • Charlesi Main-BCharlesi Main-BZambia
    Leopard and Bush Buck

    Kaingo - Sunriser I

    May 21 in Zambia ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    05:30 start and sun just breaking over the Luangwa. We headed out for a wander but we had heard there was a Leopard about

    On our way we stopped by the river for a truly massive Crocodile on the bank, its jaws open which is apparently a relaxed position, while there we also sighted the Giant Kingfisher

    Shortly after we heard about Lions and heading over we came across a male with two females, these are part of the Hollywood Pride, so called because the BBC are following them as part of ‘Earth’, we didn’t stay long as it was getting a bit busy with vehicles so moved on sighting Wildebeest and the Lilac Breasted Roller before coming across a Lion and Lioness, also part of Hollywood, who’d taken themselves apart to mate. Our Guide said we’d wait and I thought he was joking but suddenly they did…it truly was so quick I missed it! Apparently they’ll do it again in 20 minutes and so on…

    We then started to head back to the Lodge but were diverted as news of the Leopard came through so off we went, arriving we saw the Leopard stalking a Bush Buck. It was absolutely still watching the Bush Buck grazing waiting for it to come close enough sadly, although we waited some 25 minutes, nothing occurred but Phil said it could well be hours. We will return later…

    So, back to the Lodge for lunch after which we relaxed in our private gazebo overhanging the Luangwa River listening to the birds singing and Hippos trumpeting    Read more

  • Charlesi Main-BCharlesi Main-BZambia

    Kaingo - Afternoon

    May 21 in Zambia ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    Off out with Phill & Vernon (Guide and Escort) at 16:00, though not expecting to see much really simply checking previous locations of Lions and Leopards

    However, we first sighted a mother and her new born Giraffe which was quite moving, she was tiny alongside her mum and clearly recent as there were signs of the umbilical cord still apparent, absolutely breathtaking! Shortly after we saw a much older Giraffe with some injury to his left front leg giving him some difficulty

    Further alongside the river we found the single Lion from this morning, asleep after an exhausting time following the ladies no doubt who seem to have given him the slip

    At that point we were heading back to camp when Phil suddenly took us off track ending up in front of a tree and he said, ‘There, Charles, Leopard in the fork in the tree’, at first I couldn’t make out what but then glancing up I saw a Leopard with her kill, a Velvet Monkey, sprawled out in the fork of the tree! My response was, ‘How on earth did you see that!?’ It seemed impossible but…then after spending time with this sighting we headed off and, again, almost immediately Phil went off track behind the tree, my first thought was to see the Leopard from a different viewpoint but then he pointed down along the bush and there was a second Leopard, he had heard a growl as I was taking photographs! He was unsure which Leopard had made the kill as the possibility was the female had ‘taken’ the kill from the smaller male but, equally, he could have heard the kill and come to see if he could benefit…who knows!?

    After this fabulous 1.5 hours, we returned to the Lodge and enjoyed a ‘large one’ listening to the calls of birds and Hippos followed by a shower and a quiet dinner on the veranda of our lodge    Read more

  • Charlesi Main-BCharlesi Main-BZambia
    White-Hooded Vulture
    Saddle Billed StorkView from 'sleep out' platformElephants regularly travel through of an evening

    Kaingo - Sunriser II

    May 22 in Zambia ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    Another 5:00 wake up to get on the road for a 6:00 start. We started our drive to where the Leopard had retired to enjoys its Velvet Monkey kill last night, but it was already gone, a small monkey would have just been a snack to her. Had it been an Impala, or similar, it would have stayed with its kill until it was all eaten, up to 3 days.

    Onwards, during which we came across a pair of Warthogs, a Puku with her young and hunted down a Water Monitor Lizard then we met a herd of Elephants who were pushing out an unwanted male who had come of age as they don’t want them mating with their sisters so avoid inbreeding. These males go off until they can find a new herd where they can mate

    Then onto more Lions, we heard on the radio Lions had killed a young Giraffe and when we got there Phil explained it was the Lion, and the two Lionesses, we had seen the day before. As we arrived they were resting but they remain with their kill until they are ready to eat the rest of it, sadly the Giraffes mother was looking on during this time

    There were lots of Vultures around waiting. As one Lioness had a poo, which the Vultures gathered on to eat until the remnants of the Giraffe became available

    We then met up with the other Lodge guests for a Bush Brunch in the woodland overlooking the river, after which we back for a nap before our 16:00 start to the Hippo Hide, and our Sundowner but taking a brief detour to check out our ‘sleep out’ arrangements tomorrow night    Read more

  • Charlesi Main-BCharlesi Main-BZambia

    Kaingo - Hippo Hide

    May 22 in Zambia ⋅ 🌙 18 °C

    For our Sundowner (III) this evening we decided to head for the Hippo Hide an area where the Hippos came ashore to graze at night. It was fabulous and we watched the Hippos and Crocodiles up to their tricks with fascination each of us trying to catch a Hippo yawning on film.

    It was amazing watching the Crocodiles as they are static, at the shoreline, awaiting some unwary beast to come for a drink. The one, pictured, was actually burrowing down into the riverbed to lower his profile and he was literally a couple of metres away and once ‘bedded’ stayed there absolutely still for over two hours…incredible

    Needless to say we intend to return for another Hippo Sundowner as it was the most fabulous experience, you’re just so close to what’s happening and the sounds of the birds and Hippos is superb

    Eventually we start getting ready to head back for dinner, on our veranda at 19:00, which is earlier but suits us and means we can enjoy our day without frivolous conversation!

    However, we soon realise if we’d left the hide some five minutes later we would’ve met up with a Lioness, a bit worrying, but happily Vernon, our armed escort, was waiting for us outside the hide, phew!

    An early start tomorrow, a return visit to the Hippos hopefully catch them returning to the river after their midnight meal    Read more

  • Charlesi Main-BCharlesi Main-BZambia

    Kaingo - Afternoon

    May 23 in Zambia ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    Later in the day I (Lainey) went out again and we found an Aardvarks home, they dig tunnels up to for metres long, which are regularly ‘commandeered’ by a variety of other animals including Hyenas, I suppose becoming the ‘Barrett’s’ of the plain! Not sure how but we then caught sight of a Python stretched out under a bush after which we headed back to the Lodge, or thought we we were…!

    Absolutely the bonus of the day was a pack of twelve Wild Dogs their colouring is just incredible. They were just waking up, playing with one another over what looked like a rib, they were jumping around, wagging their tails and behaving just like domestic dogs fooling around and having fun. I would’ve loved to go over and scratched a few ears and given them a cuddle, but…best not!

    It would’ve been fabulous to stay longer and ‘join in’, though not physically, but it was time to head back, we will though, I hope, catch up with them again and with Charles, who will be envious…

    We’ll head back that way tomorrow to see if they’re still about, fingers crossed

    …Lainey’s right, I am!

    Back in time for us to have a Sundowner on the patio    Read more

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