The Southern Africa Tour

May 2025.

The Southern Africa Tour.

Tour Report Part 2.

Chiawa area of Lower Zambezi.

After a busy schedule with clients Julie and Ally in Livingstone, it was time to begin the 2nd stage of our 22 day journey. We began with a full day road trip from Livingstone to the Chiawa area of Lower Zambezi. Driving through the countryside is an interesting way to experience local life. We stopped at a couple of places for some food, coffee, and to stretch legs. We arrived at our destination before dark.

The next day, we had 2 activities. First was a tour of the bat caves! This was a 3 hour experience that involved driving through sparse rural communities and a baobab forest, then doing a walk/hike through a remote ravine and up a fairly steep hill. Finally the reward....a cave full of bats and an amazing view over the valley!

The second activity of the day was a half day boat safari on the beautiful Zambezi River. We experienced the natural beauty of the river, its islands, sandbanks, waterways, nature and wildlife. Among other sightings, we came across elephants, loads of hippos, waterbuck, baboons, and fish eagles. The highlight of the activity was a picnic lunch on a sandbank.

Julie and Ally have been on many game drive safaris in East Africa, in world famous National Parks, but apart from our previous boat excursion at Chobe on the first leg of this trip, they had not really experienced an extended safari by boat in this manner, and they specifically requested such an activity for this tour. And so this became the first major test of this tour. You can imagine my relief when at the end of the day, they gave this day 2 thumbs up!

As usual, many thanks to our partners and especially resident guide Reuben and the @gwabiriverlodgezambia

team.

Next stop...Malawi! Look out for the next Tour Report coming out soon.