In September, DD & her husband Michael visited Zambia. Accompanied by a group of fellow adventurers we wanted to see firsthand what Classic Zambia properties and Musekese Conservation were all about.

Classic Zambia is a new company, but only by name, not by experience. Classic Zambia came about after the Directors of the already existing and successful companies Jeffery & McKeith Safaris, based in the Kafue National Park, Tusk & Mane Safaris, based in the Lower Zambezi & Reel Nature Ltd (a mobile safari and film crew fixing and support company), saw the joint-goals and shared cumulative benefits of becoming one entity as being greater than continuing in isolation.

Classic Zambia

 

Why did OTA want to visit Zambia with Classic Zambia?

The Busanga Plains is one of the best destinations in Africa to see lion. It also boasts healthy populations of cheetah, elephant and buffalo, and in our experience, leopards as well. It has been on my bucket list for a long time.

It is not a region one pops into for two or three nights. The distances are vast in this corner of Africa, but safari purists, with a decent budget and a thirst for a true wilderness experience can access the region with air transfers from Lusaka (the capital of Zambia) and Livingstone (the safari hub at Victoria Falls) directly to the Busanga airstrip.

I met Tyrone at a trade fare and listened to what he and his fellow conservationist Phil, (Then Jeffery & McKeith Safaris,) were doing in northern Kafue National Park. I knew it was a place I wanted to experience. They happened to have a camp in the Busanga Plains. The die was cast. In the time it’s taken me to arrange this safari and find a group to come with me, Classic Zambia has been created. From such a wealth of experience, this partnership showcases some of the best of Zambia in a most authentic and educational way.

It has been their mission to use tourism in its most natural form to enable far-reaching, long-term conservation of Africa’s natural habitat, to encourage and protect the species that belong here. This is often spoken about, but, what Classic Zambia have achieved is rare in its authenticity and purpose in this world of fabulous safaris.

Some years ago, then Jeffery & McKeith Safaris took on the management of an area in the Kafue National Park. The chosen location was without any infrastructure. It was heavily poached, mired with human conflict and in dire need of help. With sheer dedication and hard work over many years, they have created an environment built up on building relationships with local communities and policing the poaching. They raised awareness of the need for the regrowth and management of natural habitats which resulted in animals and birds returning with confidence, creating new life in the park. With this came research projects, monitoring of species and regeneration of habitat.

Tourism began by starting small, guided walking safaris sleeping in tented camps. Now they have built beautiful small camps, simple and comfortable where animals roam and can be enjoyed from your veranda. The areas where the camps are located offer true wilderness with a variety of game, birds and activities on offer. The very best qualities for a superb safari.

Owner run with conservation at their core; these types of camps are sort after in Africa, so we are proud to support this company in their venture. Such camps tend to appeal most to more experienced safari travellers, who understand the difference that proper guiding makes to a trip and who specifically seek out this kind of authentic, more intense experience.

Dare I say “unspoiled”, “natural”, “at one with Nature?”

A pivotal initiative, created by one of the Director’s Kyle Branch, (one of Africa’s leading professional guide trainers,) was to create a professional Guide Training Accreditation involving an intensive & well-structured syllabus requiring high standards in examinations, followed by ongoing training. Guests can be assured of the best and most motivated guides I have ever experienced.

By choosing remote locations for their camps in areas full of wildlife, Classic Zambia are using tourism to not only observe and husband these areas, but they are encouraging their guests to be immersed in nature with guides whose ethics and viewpoint are inspiring.

Our whole party were blown away by our safari for so many reasons. This is an area I love and clearly the others felt the same.

 

Why is it special?

It’s the abundance of game and birds, many that are not seen in other parts of Africa. The magnificent Kafue and Zambezi Rivers invite the wildlife to be there and add a new dimension to game viewing. The combination of water and land enables one to see the game and from different angles. One minute you are on the river enjoying sightings from the water, perhaps with a rod in your hands, doing a spot of fishing. The next you are in the bush on a game drive meandering through the beautiful forests of Mahogany and Winterthorn Trees in comparative shade, seeing a multitude of animals, flora, fauna, all of which play a part in the synergy of life here. It is unique.

My abiding memory will be the staff and the guides who did not disappoint and were outstanding in my opinion. We had enough variety in the activities to keep us happy, despite not being able to canoe. This was due to the depleting water, especially in the tributaries around the island.

I have canoed in the Lower Zambezi when the river was high and loved it. I never felt anxious, but this time with so many hippos in ever decreasing deep water, I was reassured that the experts did not consider it wise, and “in country experts” are why we travelled with Classic Zambia.

Classic Zambia was as good a set up as I expected, and we recommend them thoroughly. Please click here to read the introduction to Tyrone and Phil and Keith and Kyle.

 

Kafue National Park

The Kafue is one of the largest tracts of un-fenced wilderness in the world. From vast Plains to never-ending Miombo woodland, from broad slow-moving rivers to adrenaline-packed white-water rapids. There is so much to see and explore.

Knowing where to stay and what the experience will be like can be a challenge, but we are here to help you choose. Our Safari as described is not for everyone but for the right people, it’s the tops.

 

First stop…the Busanga Plains

From Lusaka we flew in a charter plane to the north of Zambia’s Kafue National Park, one of the continent’s largest protected spaces; destination the secluded and special Busanga Plains. It was unusually dry for this time of year, and we could feel the heat in the day as we flew over the meandering Kafue River and see the effects of lack of rain below us on the parched terrain.

If it’s raw nature, off-the-beaten-track and authentic that you want out of a trip to Africa, this region delivers.

Ntemwa-Busanga Camp

Open from July 1st until October 31st

Our first destination was staying in remotest South-Central Africa; Kafue National Park’s Busanga Plains at Classic Zambia’s Ntemwa Camp for an off-the-beaten-track experience in these remote wilds. The small camp both simple and comfortable is perfectly suited to its environment. It overlooks the Busanga plains and was visited regularly by delightful waterbuck, bushbuck, impala and even leopard while we were there. From here one can enjoy varied game drives, evening sundowners and productive night drives. We enjoyed delicious, imaginative meals, magicked up out of a tiny kitchen and presented by the delightful staff.

Busanga Plains are flooded during the rainy season (November to April) and when it’s not, it offers wonderful grazing for huge herds of puku, wildebeest, oribi, bushbuck, red lechwe, sable and roan antelope, all adapted perfectly to this rich savannah and miombo woodlands so prevalent in the Kafue National Park. Of course, with this comes the predators and we saw Lions, cheetahs and many leopards. The animals and birds were outstanding, identified perfectly by our guides who were amongst the best I have ever safari’d with.

 

Second stop…Musekese

A few hours game drive from Ntemwa-Busanga Camp lies Musekese Camp and to reach it one must cross the Kafue River. This river makes a delightful addition to the safari experience at Musekese, as does the Zambezi River in Lower Zambezi. The whole picture changes when game viewing from a boat adding a new dimension to the experience. Sounds carry and animal behaviour can easily be observed. The birding is phenomenal and many exciting animal interactions unravel as one quietly motors along.

Conservation is at the heart of what they do, ensuring both nature and local communities thrive together.

Musekese Camp

(Named after the tree where I saw a leopard) Open from May 1st until December 1st 

We loved this camp. A gentle upgrade from Ntemwa with new, sympathetically designed guest rooms that offer spacious comfort without losing any natural integrity. Overlooking a flood plain with abundant game activity, (dry when we were there.) One needs an escort to and from the main dining area to your room, which do not in any way disturb the animals from feeling at home.

Game drives, excellent guided walks, boat safaris and marvellous game viewing, especially leopards and elephants, made this a wonderful stay and I haven’t mentioned the food either which was miraculous considering the logistics.

We were able to speak with Tyrone and Phil and begin to understand how it all began, the aims they have been tirelessly working towards and the future they are aiming for. This ‘new’ Classic Zambia aims to not dilute the products which had been successful to date, but to build on them. The evidence of this was all round us and the passion for what they achieve was inspiring.

 

Final stop…Lower Zambezi National Park

Another charter flight via Lusaka to refuel leads us to the magnificent view of wide Lower Zambezi River from the air, the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe. It lifted the heart to see it. I wanted so much to return to this delightful area on the Lower Zambezi and was thrilled that everyone picked up on its charm and originality. The immense Zambezi River is an integral part of this safari, bordered by the beautiful forests of huge dark mahogany trees that create a canopy of shade, and the abundant Acacia Winterthorn and Sausage Trees remind you where you are.

At Chula you are encouraged to disconnect from the world and reconnect with nature.

Chula Island Camp

Open from mid May until November

Chula Camp is on an island so no one else is there and the only vehicles are those that drive you to the river crossing. The animals are not disturbed and pass through at will. We slept in bespoke tents with 3 mesh sides, comfortable beds, bucket showers and wonderful views of the river. The stars are abundant, and you are woken by the birds. It’s a small camp of only 5 tents located in some of the finest big game wildlife viewing in Africa. This, coupled with the variety of safari activities on offer and the aesthetics of this park, make for a truly fantastic wildlife spectacle.

The combination of safari and water always makes for a good trip and the guided walking under the scented Mahogany trees coming into bloom was special. We were unable to canoe as the water was too low in the tributaries and this was a good management decision, but we spent a lot of time on the Lower Zambezi in a flat-bottomed motorboat. Some people were fishing for Tiger Fish, others were bird watching, especially enjoying the return of the nesting carmine bee-eaters and white-fronted bee-eaters in their thousands.

Sundowners in the middle of the Zambezi on a tiny island with the setting of a harvest moon was spectacular and there were so very few other boats to be seen. A blissful finale to one of my best safaris.

 

In summary…

This safari in Zambia was memorable for so many reasons. The large quantities of beautiful Sable and Roan antelope, (confusingly pronounced “Loan”) which I have never experienced in their true habitat in such quantities. Not to mention all the masses of water adapted antelope such as Puku and Lechwe that kept us entertained and warned us with their whistles and stamping of feet that a predator was about.

The elephants were many and so engaging, we saw one standing on his hind legs to pull down fruit from the trees. The hippos were noisy and beginning to show concern at the ever-depleting water habitat as the drought progressed. The cats; lions, cheetahs and especially the leopards, were a highlight of the trip. We had 9 leopard sightings in 6 days! The birds were numerous and phenomenal and the guides so knowledgeable and passionate.

A photographer’s paradise and with such high calibre guides, so much to see and so few tourists, these locations are hard to beat. The accommodation is not swanky smart, but are perfectly fitting and comfortable and for me, it was perfect.

If you are motivated to visit these locations, remember, your visit will certainly be appreciated. Not just for the money spent on the safari which goes a long way to helping fulfil the conservation aims of Classic Zambia, but for the spreading of the message of your experiences to others. They will feel your excitement and you will encourage them to see for themselves.

DD Kingscote, Oct 2024

More about Zambia safaris

For more information about this trip or if you are interested in booking your own Zambia safari, contact us on +44 (0)1823 452160 or email us – dd.kingscote@outposts.co.uk

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