September last year, i had the privilege of leading a charity walking safari across the Luangwa Valley. Ten excentric days in all, 6 days of it walking 25km a day from the western flank of the Luangwa Valley which is part of the Great Rift Valley (Muchinga Escarpment) to the Luangwa River in the distant East. The walk was in support of the Egmont Trust a charity that focuses on supporting children affected by the impact of HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa. The walk was inspired and organised by Vanessa Buxton a philanthropic adventurer and organiser of wonderful and adventurous journeys and events around the world mostly in support of admirable causes and charity.
With two guides (myself and an old colleague Simon Bicknell), as well as Vanessa along with Willie an accomplished tracker and Mwila our National Park armed scout we took charge of 7 Chelsea Housewives, who had all agreed to take on the walk and raise money in doing so, we mustered in Lusaka capital of Zambia, before our journey to the start of the walk, seven hours drive from the capital to Mutinondo Wilderness on the Muchinga Escarpment. Mutinondo Wilderness is a camp with incredible vistas across beautiful mature miombo woodland canopy with huge granite inselbergs rising up from the forests. The first two nights were spent at Mutinondo, acclimatising and doing a few walks to warm up for the days ahead and absorbing the peace, and beautiful tranquility of the area.
At fist light on the morning of the third day we set off and for the next six days we walked in raw and amazing African nature. Walking down escarpment we followed the lovely Mutinondo waterfalls, walking and stopping every now and then to strip off down to costumes to swim in clear cool pools in the heat. Camping all along the way, a vehicle going ahead of us to set up camp, showers, bush toilet and a table all laid out with our dinner cooking on an open fire and gin and tonics and other refreshments waiting was most splendid. Each day we passed through ever changing biodiversity as we neared the riverine areas of the Luangwa river system. The encounters with game increased as we finally reached the Luangwa, Lion, Buffalo, elephant, kudu, giraffe, eland, puku, impala, zebra, waterbuck and dozens of other species of mammals and birds. The walk culminated at Lion Camp on the edge of a gorgeous Lagoon, near the Luangwa river and we spent two luxurious nights recharging our bodies after the days spent walking. The day we arrived several members of the local lion pride took up residence in the camp for shade and as the camp is built on stilts we looked down and watched them watch us...at night their roars filled the dark with wonderful penetrating fervour. The walk raised £36,000 ($57,000) for the Egmont Trust and has sparked a desire for more walks of the same in the not too distant future.. The video below sums up the spirit of the walk rather nicely!
With two guides (myself and an old colleague Simon Bicknell), as well as Vanessa along with Willie an accomplished tracker and Mwila our National Park armed scout we took charge of 7 Chelsea Housewives, who had all agreed to take on the walk and raise money in doing so, we mustered in Lusaka capital of Zambia, before our journey to the start of the walk, seven hours drive from the capital to Mutinondo Wilderness on the Muchinga Escarpment. Mutinondo Wilderness is a camp with incredible vistas across beautiful mature miombo woodland canopy with huge granite inselbergs rising up from the forests. The first two nights were spent at Mutinondo, acclimatising and doing a few walks to warm up for the days ahead and absorbing the peace, and beautiful tranquility of the area.
At fist light on the morning of the third day we set off and for the next six days we walked in raw and amazing African nature. Walking down escarpment we followed the lovely Mutinondo waterfalls, walking and stopping every now and then to strip off down to costumes to swim in clear cool pools in the heat. Camping all along the way, a vehicle going ahead of us to set up camp, showers, bush toilet and a table all laid out with our dinner cooking on an open fire and gin and tonics and other refreshments waiting was most splendid. Each day we passed through ever changing biodiversity as we neared the riverine areas of the Luangwa river system. The encounters with game increased as we finally reached the Luangwa, Lion, Buffalo, elephant, kudu, giraffe, eland, puku, impala, zebra, waterbuck and dozens of other species of mammals and birds. The walk culminated at Lion Camp on the edge of a gorgeous Lagoon, near the Luangwa river and we spent two luxurious nights recharging our bodies after the days spent walking. The day we arrived several members of the local lion pride took up residence in the camp for shade and as the camp is built on stilts we looked down and watched them watch us...at night their roars filled the dark with wonderful penetrating fervour. The walk raised £36,000 ($57,000) for the Egmont Trust and has sparked a desire for more walks of the same in the not too distant future.. The video below sums up the spirit of the walk rather nicely!
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