Bush Camps

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Haz has booked me in for 6 nights with Norman Carr Safari bush camps. The first 3 nights are at Kakuli.

Kakuli sits perched on a river bank, and what an introduction it was! Minutes after arriving we’re watching a lion on the sand bank half heartedly chasing some impalas.

There are only 4 chalets in the camp. All chalets overlook the river filled with crocs and hippos. And on the opposite side of the river the Kakuli lion pride resides. The other four guests are on their morning safari drive so have a few hours to kill before joining them for brunch.

There’s no much to do but sit watching the wildlife from my private, covered viewing area, binoculars in hand. I can spot 7 crocs, huge ugly things. Rafts of hippos, which are probably my favourite animal here. Dumpy looking black blobs, honking, going to the toilet a lot and because the water levels are getting quite low now, they’re desperately trying to embed themselves in the mud to keep cool.

After brunch we have siesta; from 12 to 3:45 I have these hours and minutes to watch the crocs and hippos, read, close my eyes, think and write.

I have a wet towel over my legs to keep cool. Thinking of borrowing a wildlife book to identify the stunning birds flying overhead or standing in the river. But that sounds like too much work.

Night Drive
A night drive lasts 4hrs with the second half after dark. A spotter cuts a beam of light across the landscape to pinpoint any wildlife. Tonight we spotted a leopard, though through the binoculars it really was just an outline as it prowled in the treeline. Not distinguishable or close enough to make out any of the leopard’s markings, but a surreal experience nonetheless. Sundowners, of course. G&T being a particular favourite in this hot weather.

Dinner
Dinner is a ‘luxury safari’ 3 course affair with white tablecloth, the meals being introduced by a waiter, choice of red/white and tea/coffee for afters. The other four guests are happily unpretentious: two young American sisters and a couple from the UK who have travelled repeatedly to Zambia and obviously fallen in love with everything here. They know the people (names like Innocent, LoveMo, Avery, Ruben): the guides, scouts and waiters after coming regularly over the years. Each camp has a dedicated host who is white, young and generally attractive, and a guide. At Kakuli the host is Glen, originally from Zimbabwe and Avery, a local Zambian who has had decades of experience (came 2nd in a recent global guiding competition). Overall I couldn't ask for a better group to have dinner with.

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Photos

Kakuli's lion pride
Lazing on the opposite side of the river bank to the camp