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Adventure Fly-In
Safari - 11 days
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Day 1
 
Arrive Livingstone, Zambia where Gavin will meet you and fly you by light aircraft to Zambia's largest wildlife reserve, the Kafue National Park. Accommodation at the Kafue River Safari Lodge, where you will overnight, is in en-suite chalets that overlook the Kafue River. The variety of riverine vegetation and woodland supports such species as impala, kudu, roan, hartebeest and bushbuck, all of which in turn provide food for an array of predators, especially predominate of which is the leopard. Enjoy an afternoon boat trip out on the Kafue River, followed by a night drive after supper.
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Day 2
The day will start with a morning wildlife walk in the Kafue River area. After lunch you will be transferred to Busanga Plains Camp. Accommodation is in en-suite safari tents with spectacular views out to the wildlife that roams the plains. Enjoy an afternoon wildlife viewing that will continue into a night drive, before returning to camp for supper in this truly "wild" area.
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Days 3 and 4
Full days wildlife viewing in this prolific wildlife area. The Busanga Plains flood during the wet season, and as the waters recede they expose valuable grazing areas that attract large numbers of red lechwe, puku, zebra, wildebeest, roan, tsessebe, waterbuck, hartebeest, duiker, oribi, sable and buffalo. The wildlife on the plains in turn attracts lions, leopards, cheetah and wild dog. Birdlife is also prolific with the park boasting 491 species including endemics such as the Chaplin's barbet. Activities include wildlife drives and walks as well as night drives, in order to have the opportunity of seeing some of the nocturnal species.
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Day 5
After breakfast we continue our journey by light aircraft charter to the Chimfunshi Chimpanzee Sanctuary. You will be rewarded with a noisy and boisterous greeting from the chimps. Your presence here is not only to offer you a rewarding and memorable experience but also to provide valuable support for the care and protection of this endangered species, and as such the chimps come first and accommodation is clean, comfortable but basic. The afternoon will be spent watching the activities of the chimps, relaxing in the sanctuary grounds or enjoying a walk along the Kafue River.
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Day 6
The days adventures begin with the baby chimps being fed, then spending time in close contact with them - taking them for walks, playing and interacting with them and generally giving them some much needed attention. It is a very moving and rewarding experience especially as these traumatised chimpanzees have typically been confiscated from poachers, smugglers, circuses and bad homes. The chimps that you walk with will eventually be released into huge enclosures in the social groups they have formed as orphans, as unfortunately returning them to the wild is currently not an option with the current bush meat trade and continuing poaching of babies for pets. In the afternoon there will again be the opportunity to watch the chimps come to the feeding stations for their main meal of the day, as with such wonderfully huge enclosures this is the only time you can guarantee being able to sit and watch them feeding and playing - i.e. the chimps are as wild and free as is possible under the circumstances. Chimfunshi is also listed as one of the prime birdlife areas of Zambia and so later in the afternoon there will the chance for a bird walk, or alternatively you might prefer to stay around and await the presence of the Billy the hippo, a full grown female hippo who arrives late every afternoon for her own regular feeding session! The orphanage is also haven to any injured bird or animal, all of who are released back into the wild if at all possible, and so there is plenty to see and do.
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Day 7
Another morning bush walk with the chimps, before departing for Kasompe airfield from where Gavin will fly you by light aircraft to the South Luangwa National Park, spending the rest of the day wildlife viewing in this area. This park is renowned as being Zambia's premier wildlife destination, and covers an area of over 9,000 square kilometres. Walking is allowed in the National Park and so we will make the most of this opportunity to explore and track the wildlife of the area on foot. Over 40 species of large mammals and some 400 species of birds live in the area. We will overnight at
Lagoon Camp, set in a beautiful shady grove of trees off the banks of the Luwi River. Accommodation consists of large thatched chalets with en-suite facilities, with wonderful views out over the plains.
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Day 8
The day will start with a bush walk, tracking the lions on foot, but also taking time to enjoy the elephant, puku, impala and baboons that we are almost sure to encounter on the way. The walk will end at a hippo lagoon from where we will enjoy lunch from a hide while at the same time enjoying the antics of the many hippos and crocodiles that live there. In the afternoon we will take another bush walk, that will continue into a night drive in order to search out some of the nocturnal species, such as genet, civet, white tailed mongoose, porcupine and the four toed elephant shrew.
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Day 9
Leaving your packed luggage behind we will set off on a morning wildlife walk that will end at Buffalo Camp
set on the banks of the Luangwa River, where you will find your luggage waiting for you. Walks are conducted at the pace of the group and are usually three to four hours long. Accommodation consists of traditional walk in tents, each with an en suite bathroom. The bar and dining area is constructed of reed and thatch and forms the centre of the camp. Both the dining area and the tents are situated on an elevated stretch of riverbank, overlooking a wide grazing area that follows the Luangwa River until it meets the confluence of the Luwi and Luangwa Rivers. Enjoy an afternoon of wildlife viewing that will continue into a night drive before returning to the camp for supper.
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Day 10
A morning wildlife walk in the Luangwa River area followed by lunch. In the afternoon we will go out on a game drive that will again continue into a night drive, giving the opportunity for some more nocturnal wildlife viewing and the opportunity of finding lions and leopards by spotlight.
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Day 11
A last morning wildlife viewing before departing for Mfuwe airport from where Gavin will fly you by light aircraft back to Lusaka or Livingstone airport, arriving in plenty of time for your onward connections.
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  For this safari we can take between one and five guests. The safari will be exclusive to you, your family and any friends you choose to accompany you to make up a group. Prices are fully inclusive of all accommodation, park fees, air charters, transfers, activities, meals and drinks (premium brands excluded). Gavin will be your personal guide and pilot throughout. International flights and internal scheduled domestic flights are not included. Season - July to October inclusive.
For those who would prefer a longer safari the itinerary can include visits to the Kasanka National Park, Shoebill Island and Shiwa House. At Kasanka the highlight is to set out before sunrise to a nearby treetop hide. From this vantage point you will be treated to wonderful sightings of the rare sitatunga antelope as the early morning mist rises from the swampy area they live in. Shoebill Island is home to the very rare shoebill stork. In order to find the stork you must be prepared to walk out into the swampy areas that it lives in, and so be ready for an adventure! In the late afternoon the flat open floodplains of Lake Bangweulu will be dotted with literally hundreds of black lechwe. This area also has a good population of the endangered wattled crane. Shiwa House, made famous in the book “Africa House”, is of historical interest being an English gentleman's manor and estate built in the wilds of Central Zambia. The direct descendants of Sir Stewart Gore-Browne still own and run the estate. We will stay in the manor house, enabling us to experience first hand what it must have been like back in the colonial days.
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