The Sunday News
Roberta Katunga, Senior Business Reporter
OFTEN they say seeing is believing and last week, I visited Zambia and learnt a valuable lesson in the travel industry from an indigenous operator in the neighbouring country.
Tour operators and businesses in different destinations do not only exist to compete but complement each other as every destination has unique products. When people work together, according to the operators, more can be realised. Nowadays tourists are interested in multi-destination visits and South Africa, Zambia, Botswana and Zimbabwe are usually grouped together.
My friends and I have always had Zambia in our holiday list hence the opportunity to be one of Zambia Tourism Agency’s hosted international media during the Zambia Tourism Expo (ZATEX) was very welcome.
Zambia and Zimbabwe share a lot of history and products namely one of the Seven Wonders of the World, the Victoria Falls, Africa’s fourth largest river, Zambezi and spearheading the pilot project of a common visa in the region, the uni-visa facility.
As part of my trip to Zambia, I visited the second largest national park in the country, South Luangwa National Park, located in the Mfuwe region. A flight to the area was just over an hour and we were met by friendly and welcoming guides from Track and Trail River Camp which was to be my home for two nights.
Track and Trail is located on the banks of the crocodile infested Luangwa River overlooking the national park situated in untouched wilderness offering a unique natural experience.
Upon arrival at the camp in the evening, I was impressed by the chalets built on elevated platforms. A touch of comfort in the wild, that was a plus. Next to Track and Trail is a budget camp Marula which was equally comfortable and welcoming.
South Luangwa is one of the greatest wildlife sanctuaries and is home to a wide variety of animals and birds as I was soon to find out on the several game drives I embarked on. The guide, Victor, told us that South Luangwa was home to the leopard which I had not had the chance to see among other animals.
Armed with binoculars and a camera, we took off for the morning drive at 6am and our first sighting was the giraffe. Victor was knowledgeable and explained to us the type of giraffe found in this area. As we proceeded deeper into the park, we were welcomed by elephants, kudus, water bucks, wildebeest, zebras, warthogs among other animals but the famous cats, lion and leopard, were nowhere in sight.
Our luck changed during the afternoon drive where we spotted a pride of lionesses that was hunting. The whole experience was exhilarating and I felt at peace. I only managed to see one leopard during my last day in Mfuwe although it was from a distance.
If I could spend the rest of my life in that setting, I would only be too happy to do so. Forgotten was the bustle of the city, the stresses of daily life and the polluted air. The following day was spent lounging on the hammocks and watching the hippos which are in competition with the crocs in the Luangwa River.
If you are a safari enthusiast and are looking for a place to visit, I recommend South Luangwa. In as much as Zambia is Zimbabwe’s second biggest source market in Africa, with great interest in our house boats at Kariba and our monuments at Great Zimbabwe, Zimbabweans can also enjoy the products our neighbours offer.
According to buyers, African countries are not taking advantage of regional tourists and this is an untapped market that can grow the sector for all destinations. Take some time out and #VisitZambia and enjoy the wild.
