Name: 7 Day Wonderful Canoe Safari Along the Zambezi River, Zambia
Brand: Absolute Zambia Safaris
Price: 4301 USD
Availability: InStock

Camping Safari in Zambia

Absolute Zambia Safaris invites you to join them in discovering the great Zambezi on a canoe! You may expect to see abundant wildlife along the river from the Lower Zambezi National Park and Mana Pools National Park. The guides have vast experience and knowledge of nature, wildlife birds and local habitat, culture, and general knowledge as they have been guiding in these areas for many years. Absolute Zambia Safaris will make your safari experience in Zambia unforgettable.

Key information

Children policy: Children are allowed to join at the age of 9
Starting point and ending point: Starts in Chirundu and ends in Lusaka
Spoken language:
Park fees not included

Highlights

5 to 6 canoe safaris
Ride the streams of Zambezi
Enjoy scenic Mupata Gorge with steep rock formations
Use of fiberglass 18-feet two-man Canadian style canoes
Main wildlife to be viewed: Birds and other wildlife
5 nights' camping, one in the chalet
Daily meals and beverages
Airport transfers

Styles

6 activity days

Airport transfer included: Kenneth Kaunda International Airport

Accommodation

On the day of arrival, you will be accommodated in a chalet at Pioneer Lodge & Camp in Lusaka. From day two and until the end of the safari you will be accommodated at a tent provided by Absolute Zambia Safaris. Two-man industrial mosquito netted bow tents are used. These allow for a full view of the night sky and give maximum aeration. Fold out mattresses, sleeping bags, sheet liners, and airline pillows are also provided, but guests may bring their own sleeping bags if desired. Other equipment includes cooler boxes, tables, chairs, gas cookers, melamine crockery, and cutlery plus other practical items to ensure a reasonable level of comfort on safari.

Program

Day 1: Meet and greet / transfer to Pioneer Lodge

Upon arrival at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport (LUN), you will be met and welcome by the representative guide from Absolute Zambia Safaris who will transfer you from the airport to Pioneer Lodge where you will spend one night based on (dinner, bed, and breakfast) before you canoeing safari.

Day 2: Zambezi Breezes Lodge in Chirundu

Morning breakfast at Pioneer Lodge and the driver will transfer you to Zambezi Breeze where your wonderful canoeing safari will start.

Meet at Zambezi Breezes Lodge in Chirundu at approximately 10:00 a.m. for a two-hour road transfer downstream to the launch site. After a briefing and lunch on the banks of the river, you start your afternoon canoeing Mtondo Island for your first night camp, arriving at around 5:00 p.m. Canoeing on this day is kept to mainstream and is easy going with a strong current. You then set the camp followed by tea / coffee, snacks, and later dinner before retiring for the night.

Day 3: Lower Zambezi National Park

Canoeing starts early after morning tea / coffee and biscuits. Approximately at 6:30 a.m., depart Mtondo Island for a downstream breakfast stop at approximately after two-hour canoeing. Continue through the Lower Zambezi National Park for lunch between 12:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. out of the midday sun. You then canoe through to your second nights camp on or around Chikwenya Island (weather permitting). This day, you cover a good 25 kilometers of the river through both Mana Pools National Park and the Lower Zambezi National Park.

Day 4: Lower Zambezi National Park

As above in daily routine, on this day, you canoe through offshoot river channels where birdlife and game abound. Guides will stop at points of interest to observe wildlife from time to time. Some parts of the river at this point exceed three kilometers in width with a maze of channels to explore. Again, both sides of the river at this point are flanked by superb national parks where one is likely to see the highest concentration of game on the river. Tonight, you set the camp at G. Camp channels in a densely populated game area.

Day 5: False Mupata Gorge

Today, you exit Mana Pools National Park and enter safari area on the south bank while continuing through the Lower Zambezi National Park to the north. The river begins to narrow down and the current becomes stronger as the river progresses into what is known as the False Mupata Gorge. From this point, the safari is confined to the mainstream for approximately 30 kilometers as you pass through this scenic gorge with steep rock formations and cliff edges. Camp on this night is selected from one of many pristine sandy beaches on the mainland within the confines of the gorge.

Day 6: Mupata Gorge to Great Rift Valley

This day is spent canoeing through the rest of the Mupata Gorge, observing the 300 million-year-old volcanic rock formations that form part of the Great Rift Valley. Around midday, the canoes exit the gorge and the guide proceeds through to Red Cliffs for lunch and a break from the midday heat before continuing on to the nights' island campsite. However, depending on connecting flights the following day, the guide may consult with the team as to a more suitable camping site closer to the endpoint. However, Absolute Zambia Safaris does recommend that connecting flights are caught the day after the safari ends so as not to rush the end of this trip.

Day 7: The return transfer to Lusaka

Depending on the selection of campsite, there is an early rise tea / coffee and breakfast before the remaining paddle through to the end of the canoeing safari. The take-out point is reached at approximately 9:00 a.m. for the return transfer to Lusaka. This drive is in an open-backed Land Cruiser with a shaded canopy. Alternatively, and depending on the group’s requirements and wishes, you may continue to paddle on the day five through to the Feira take out point. This means, the transfer will be able to leave earlier for the return five-hour trip to Lusaka, but it means there will be no canoeing on the last day. Lunch will be on the way back on the roadside under a tree.

Note

During the hot summer months, early morning departures are encouraged to make the most of the cooler time and also to cover a reasonable distance before the wind may pick up. Deep shade is sought in the hottest part of the day for lunch breaks and rest. Canoeing continues to overnight stops as it becomes cooler again in the late afternoons. Four-wheel drive vehicles with trailer canoes and equipment are used for the return transfer to Lusaka at the end of the safari.

Experience and fitness

No previous canoeing experience is necessary although Absolute Zambia Safaris recommends a reasonable level of fitness. At certain times of the year, strong winds may occur which makes paddling more difficult. Should this happen, the guide will wait for the wind to drop off before carrying on where ever possible. Guides have ultimate jurisdiction when determining the course of action required for the safety and welfare of the guests.

Equipment supplied

Fiberglass 18-feet two-man Canadian style canoes are used for their robust structure with single bladed paddles. Each canoe has five buoyancy chambers with fixed bucket seats. Containment nets to ensure safari and personal belongings are secure at all times. Life jackets are supplied but all clients must be able to swim. Four-wheel-drive vehicles are generally used as support vehicles for the return transfers while boats and aircraft may be useful options when required.

These canoeing safaris are self-contained. All safari equipment is carried in the canoes for the duration of the trip. Guides prepare meals while the guests participate in erecting their tents, sorting out their bedding, and helping with general loading and offloading of their canoes.

Guides

All guides are qualified through the governing bodies of both the Zambian and Zimbabwe wildlife and national parks authorities qualifying them to lead canoeing and walking safaris having passed both practical and written exams. In addition, all guides have a minimum practical training period of two years with the company prior to becoming a trip leader. H20 proof Pelican cases are carried as first aid boxes with the basic essentials.

You are likely going to be guided by different guides depending on the destinations you will cover as these are not fixed dates safari and tours. However, all the guides are qualified from different associations depending on the destination but all with licenses that are issued by Department of National Parks and Wildlife under the ministry of tourism Country word as they have to pass the exams. Guides are categorized in two which are Grade 1 and 2. Grade 1 are the guides that have the license to drive and do walking safaris and Grade 2 are the ones that have a license to drive and not to walk.

Food

Three meals a day, cordial soft drinks, and safe, treated water is supplied on every safari. Those wishing to bring their own bottled water may do so. Cooler boxes are provided should clients wish to bring their own selection of beverages for the duration of the safari.

Daily meal plan

Unless notified, meals will follow the program below. Please note that Absolute Zambia Safaris requires prior warning of at least two weeks to cater for special diets or allergies to particular ingredients, etc. The main dinners are in most cases part pre-cooked and deep frozen prior to the safari, so it is important to have sufficient notice of what is required.

Early morning: Start with tea / coffee and biscuits before setting off downstream after packing up canoes and clearing camp.
Breakfast: Generally, after several hours of canoeing, the trip will stop for everyone to stretch their legs while the guide prepares an English breakfast of tinned fruit, eggs, bacon, sausages, etc, then toast with marmalade or jam. Tea and coffee is served before starting off again.
Lunch: An assortment of cold meats, green salads, rolls, and cheeses are served, along with a variety of sauces and pickled vegetables to complete the meal.
Dinner: Assortments of snacks are served followed by a full dinner consisting of beef, chicken, or mutton as main course options with two green vegetables and a carbohydrate of potatoes, rice, or pasta.

The following meals are included:

Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Drinks

The following drinks are included:

Water
Coffee
Tea

The following dietary requirement(s) are served and/or catered for:

Regular (typically includes meat and fish)
Other dietary requirements on request

If you have special dietary requirements it's a good idea to communicate it to the organiser when making a reservation

What's included

1 night ensuite chalet accommodation at Pioneer Camp and Lodge in Lusaka
1 dinner and 1 breakfast at Pioneer Camp and Lodge in Lusaka
5 days of full day canoe safaris
Walking safari (on request)
Camping gear
5 nights’ camping accommodation on canoe safari
3 meals a day and beverages
Transfer from Kenneth Kaunda International Airport (LUN) to Pioneer Camp in Lusaka
Transfer from Pioneer Camp in Lusaka to Zambezi Breeze in the Lower Zambezi
Transfer from Luangwa Bridge on the final day of your safari to Kenneth Kaunda International Airport (LUN) for your onwards arrangement

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