Travel in Africa does not get much better than this. Malawi, Zambia & Zimbabwe have got to be some of the most friendly countries on the continent with such a diversity of culture, landscape and wildlife to experience. From the crystal clear water of Lake Malawi, the untamed wilderness areas of the Luangwa Valley, the wildlife of Mana Pools, and Hwange National Park, this trip has it all. Adventure, wildlife and culture, who could want more? 
 

MALAWI, ZAMBIA & ZIMBABWE
EXPEDITION SAFARI (2013)
 “Lakes & rivers”
CAMPING EXPEDITION

24 day small group participation camping expedition  
Guaranteed from 4 participants, maximum group size: 8 participants
DEPARTS  LILONGWE on Thursday 01Aug13 at 10:00am   
ENDS  VICTORIA FALLS on Saturday 24Aug12 @ ±08:00am

Highlights
* Lake Malawi
* North & South Luangwa National Park
* Mana Pools
* Matusadona
* Lake Kariba
* Hwange National Park
* Victoria Falls

EXPEDITION PLAN

Day 1 - 4  LAKE MALAWI [camping Bx3 Lx4 Dx3]
Expedition group will meet in Lilongwe at 10:00am. After an expedition briefing we depart to our camp on the beach at Lake Malawi. It is possible to take a boat out to the islands to explore and snorkel the fantastic bays and coves in the area (own expense).
Malawi “the warm heart of Africa”. Lake Malawi is the third largest in Africa and the eighth largest lake in the world. This great lake's tropical waters are reportedly the habitat of more species of fish than those of any other body of freshwater on Earth, including more than 1000 species of cichlids.
We return to Lilongwe on day 4 to restock on supplies and camp the night. This allows time the following day for a long drive into Zambia.
Planned stops:  3 nights at the lake shore, 1 night in transit to Zambia (probably in Lilongwe or Chipata)
Includes:   - 
Overnight:  4 nights camping fees included
Optional Activities Scuba Diving, fish, sailing and kayaking
Distance/time: Lilongwe – Senga Bay: 120kms ± 2 hours

Day 5 - 6  NORTH LUANGWA [camping BLD]
Departing Malawi very early in the morning, we cross the border in Zambia and then travel along eastern bank of the Luangwa River as we move the heart of the Luangwa Valley and North Luangwa National Park.
This remote tract of land covering 4636 square kilometres offers one of the finest wilderness experiences in Zambia, if not Africa itself. The beauty of visiting this park is the truly remarkable opportunities to experience Africa as it was. It is wild and untouched and you are simply an unobtrusive witness to its natural beauty and drama. The park is noted for its massive herds of buffalo, a spectacular sight if they’re seen on the run, kicking up dust for miles behind them. Large prides of lion are found in the area. Other common mammals are hyena, Cookson’s wildebeest, bushbuck, zebra, warthog, baboon, vervet monkey, puku and impala. Elephant and leopard are also seen, but not as frequently as in the South Park.
The road infrastructure in North Luangwa is very limited due the remoteness of the park, we are very unlikely to see anyone else during our stay in the park. We explore the “open to the public” northern zone of the park on morning and afternoon game drives in our expedition vehicle. Due to the lack if infrastructure we will have to be completely self sufficient, but it will be well worth the trouble to spend a short amount of time in the remarkable wilderness area.
Planned stops:  2 nights North Luangwa area, campsite outside the national park
Includes:   1 day entrance fees to North Luangwa NP
Overnight:  2 nights camping fees included
Distance/time: Lilongwe - North Luangwa: 465kms ± 12 hrs excluding border formalities

Day 7 - 11  SOUTH LUANGWA NATIONAL PARK [camping BLD]
Moving South along the Luangwa Valley, we make our way to the world renowned South Luangwa National Park. There are many game parks in Africa that may lay claim to be “Africa’s Best Game Reserve”, but South Luangwa has a better claim than most. Few other parks have South Luangwa’s remarkable wildlife spectacles (day & night) in the isolation of a true wilderness. The concentration of game around the Luangwa River and it’s ox bow lagoons is among the most intense in Africa, and coupled with low visitor numbers South Luangwa always comes out around the top of the list.
Our stay in South Luangwa is unashamedly about wildlife viewing. With the plentiful wildlife that flourish in the park, we will explore the area on morning and afternoon game drives both inside the park, and in the game management areas that border the park. A highlight of visiting South Luangwa is to go on a walking safari with a knowledgeable local guide, and night game drive in an open 4WD game viewing vehicle, where we hope to spot some of the elusive nocturnal predators.
Day 11 will be a travel day, as we move south towards Lusaka. This allows time on day 12 to enter the Zambezi Valley and Zimbabwe border crossing.
Planned stops:  4 nights South Luangwa area, campsite outside the national park. 1 night en route to Lusaka (probably Luangwa Bridge or wild camping depending on the route used).
Includes:  Entrance fees for 2 days in the NP and 3 game drives in open 4WD game viewing vehicle and 1 game walk with local operator and guide.
Overnight: Campsite – Wildlife Camp - good ablution facilities, hot showers, swimming pool, restaurant & bar
 Campsite - Luangwa River Bridge campsite or Pioneer campsite or other
Distance/time: North Luangwa - South Luangwa – 290kms ±10 hrs excluding stops for sightseeing & lunch (subject to road conditions)
South Luangwa - Luangwa River Bridge 480kms ±8 hours
Optional Activities: Additional game walk &/or game drive on day 10

Day 12 - 14  MANA POOLS NATIONAL PARK [camping BLD]
Day 12 is a long travel day, and there is the Chirundu border post to cross from Zambia into Zimbabwe.
Mana Pools National Park is synonymous with the Zambezi River, elephants, lions, remoteness and wilderness.
This unique park is a WORLD HERITAGE SITE, based on its wildness and beauty, together with the wide range of large mammals, over 350 bird species and aquatic wildlife. Mana Pools is one of Zimbabwe's most popular parks, and it is easy to see why it falls into this profile.
The name "Mana'' means "four" in the local Shona language. This applies to the four large pools inland from the Zambezi River. These pools are the remnant ox-bow lakes that the Zambezi River carved out thousands of years ago as it changed its course northwards. Hippopotamus, crocodiles and a wide variety of aquatic birds are associated with the pools. ''Long Pool'', is the largest of the four pools, extending some six kilometres in a west-east direction. This pool has a large population of hippo and crocodiles and is a favourite for the large herds of elephant that come out of the thickly vegetated areas in the south to drink.
A highlight of the visit to Mana Pools is the fact that wild animals wonder freely through the campsite, and it is one of the few National Parks worldwide were you are allowed to walk in the bush without being escorted by a local ranger.
Planned stops:  1 night en route to Mana Pools. 2 nights in Mana Pools NP
Includes:   Entrance fees for 2 days in Mana Pools NP
Overnight:  3 nights camping fees included
Distance/time: Luangwa River Bridge – Mana Pools NP 516kms ± 8 hours, excluding border formalities and supplies shopping (probably in Lusaka)

Day 15 - 17  MATUSADONA NATIONAL PARK [camping BLD]
Matusadona National Park is situated on the shores of Lake Kariba but was proclaimed a non-hunting area on 7 November 1958 before the dam was built. The Park comprises some 1 400 square kilometers of diverse flora and fauna. Before the lake was built, Matusadona was a vast, rugged wilderness with limited access.
With the lake came ecological changes. One in particular, the lakeshore contributed greatly to the increase of large mammal populations in the area, especially elephant and buffalo. Matusadona is an Intensive Protection Zone (IPZ) and home to several relocated rhinoceros. It is one of the last remaining sanctuaries of the endangered Black Rhinoceros. It is commonly recognized as having the second largest concentration of wild lions in Africa after Ngorongoro Crater. Its relatively poor accessibility by road and extremely harsh internal network of roads keep the crowds and traffic low.
Planned stops:  1 night in the town of Kariba, 2 nights in Matusadona NP
Includes:   Entrance fees for 2 days inside Matusadona NP
Overnight:  3 nights camping fees included
Distance/time: Mana Pools – Matusadona NP; 350kms ± 5 hours, road conditions within Matusadona can be very poor and this could add considerably to travel times.

Day 18 - 19  LAKE KARIBA [camping BLD]
Lake Kariba is the world's largest artificial lake and reservoir by volume. It lies 1300 kilometers upstream from the Indian Ocean, along the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe. The portion of Lake Kariba which falls within Zimbabwe has been designated a Recreational Park within the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Estate and this area supports an abundance of wildlife. We camp on the shores of Lake Kariba, try our hand and fishing and take in the natural beauty of the area.
Planned stops:  2 nights in Binga area
Includes:   -
Overnight:  Campsite – basic facilities, hot showers & swimming pool
Distance/time: Matusadona NP – Binga; 230kms ± 4 hours
Optional Activities: Fishing, sunset boat cruises.

Day 20 - 22  HWANGE NATIONAL PARK [camping BLD]
Named after a local Nhanzwa chief, Hwange National Park is the largest Park in Zimbabwe occupying roughly 14 650 square kilometers and is located in the north-west corner of the country. It is famed for its large elephant population. Our camp is in the game management area that borders the park, and we explore the park with on morning and afternoon game drives.
Planned stops:  3 nights camping outside Hwange NP with 1 full day game drive into the NP with a local operator and guide.
Includes:   Entrance fees for 1 day inside Hwange NP
Overnight:  Campsite – good ablution facilities, hot showers & swimming pool
Distance/time: Binga – Hwange National Park; 210kms ± 4 hours
Optional Activities: additional game drive or bush walk with local operator

Day 23 - 24   VICTORIA FALLS – TOUR ENDS [camping B--]
Magnificent Victoria Falls is one of the seven natural wonders of the world. David Livingstone ‘discovered’ the falls in 1885 and named them after his Queen. The scene he encountered was a mile-wide (1.6 km) sheer basalt fault line over which the mighty Zambezi tumbled to a depth of 100m, creating a cloud of spray. The falls are also the centre of a wide range of activities, including white water rafting on the mighty Zambezi, elephant back rides, scenic flights or a
111m bungy jump (own expense).
Tour ends in the morning of day 24.
Planned stops:  1 night in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
Includes:   Entrance fees to Vic Falls
Overnight:  Campsite - good ablution facilities, hot showers & flush toilets, restaurant & shops
Distance/time: Hwange National Park - Victoria Falls; 200kms ± 3.5 hours
Optional Activities: White water rafting, sunset cruises, elephant back safaris, scenic flights & many more

Please note: The distance and travel times quoted above are an estimate only, and subject to local road conditions and photo stops!

RACK Price: (valid for travel in 2013) ZIMBABWE, ZAMBIA & MALAWI: Rivers & Lakes
If you book as an individual, or as one group booking of 2-5 clients travelling on this scheduled date (subject to a minimum number of 4 clients to guarantee the departure), then the price is: € 3 870 pps + local payment of US$ 600
If you book as one group booking of 6-8 clients travelling (please note this is not a closed group), then the price is: € 3 290 pps + local payment of US$ 600
Single supplement: € 70 pp
Single tent supplement is applicable to the camping nights only.

RACK Price: (valid for travel in 2013) MALAWI, ZAMBIA & ZIMBABWE: Lakes & rivers
If you book as an individual, or as one group booking of 2-5 clients travelling on this scheduled date (subject to a minimum number of 4 clients to guarantee the departure), then the price is: € 3 490 pps + local payment of US$ 600
If you book as one group booking of 6-8 clients travelling (please note this is not a closed group), then the price is: € 2 967 pps + local payment of US$ 600
Single supplement: € 120 pp
Single tent supplement is applicable to the camping nights only.

Includes
* 23 nights camping
* Entrance fees
* Use of camping equipment (except sleeping bags & pillow)
* Transport in 4WD vehicle
* Meals as per itinerary
* Professional guide

DETAILED TOUR INFO

Why travel on a Sunway Safaris Expedition Trip.
Sunway Safaris have been running mobile camping & accommodated safaris throughout Southern Africa for the past 19 years. Our extensive knowledge and experience in African travel means that we are confident that we can safely take you to those remote and wild areas of Africa that many people dream about but who are daunted by the prospect of travelling on their own. You can rely on our knowledgeable and experienced tour leaders to take you to these out of the way places.

•Experienced African Travelers – By offering the Expedition trips to people who have travelled to Africa before, and who are aware of the sometimes very difficult travelling conditions, you will only be travelling with adventure minded travelers. The Expedition trips will be limited to a maximum of 8 people ensuring you experience Africa in a small an intimate group of like minded people.

•Sunway tour guides – group leaders are the key to any safari. On a Sunway Expedition safari you will travel with one of our most experienced guides who are confident of travelling off the beaten track. Your guide has a passion for Africa, her people and her wildlife, and they love nothing more than sharing his/her knowledge with you.

•Participation – An essential part of an Expedition trip is your participation. If the small group all pulls together and when the going gets tough, you are all there to help out. Putting up and taking down your tents is the easy part. Helping get the vehicle out of the thick sand, planning your route through thick mud, being a full participating member of the Expedition will only enhance your enjoyment of your out there African experience.

•Safety – All of our vehicles are custom built to ensure comfortable and safe touring. Each is constructed, by an authorised passenger vehicle builder, to the latest safety requirements, with a safety shell, and every seat has a lap belt. This gives you peace of mind when travelling with Sunway Safaris on the often demanding African roads.

•Responsible travel - Our commitment to sustainable & responsible tourism is reflected in our low impact travel style where all we take is photographs and all we leave is our footprints. Being an African company we have the grassroots contacts to make a real difference in the lives of the people whose lands we visit.
•On each itinerary in the brochure you’ll find this symbol which highlights just one of the sustainable travel initiatives that we support.

•Experience - We have more than 19 years experience planning tours throughout Southern Africa. As such, our itineraries and routes have been perfected over many years ensuring that your tour will run smoothly. We visit the highlights of Southern Africa, but ensure that you do not follow the well trodden tourist track. All of us at Sunway Safaris have extensive travel experience in Africa, and throughout the world.
•Being adventure travellers ourselves, we know how to plan trips that give you a broad experience of the countries that you will visit.

•Based in Africa - probably the most important part of a Sunway safari is that we are an African company. We live in Africa, we travel in Africa and it is our passion for this amazing continent that makes Sunway your best travel option.

Accommodation
•Camping – where possible we will stay at designated campsites in national parks, on private land and in towns. Campsite facilities are generally very good but in places can be basic. There are hot and cold showers, restaurants, washing facilities and telephones available at most of the campsites. Some camps have simple reed enclosures for showers but do have flush toilets! On other nights in expedition trips we may be forced to stay wherever we can find a campsite, this could even be an unscheduled wild camping night.
Sunway supplies all the camping equipment with the exception of your sleeping bag and pillow. The dome tents we use are 2.2 x 2.2 x 1.8 meters and putting them up or down takes only 5 minutes. Tents have built-in insect nets. We supply mattresses, which are about 5 cm thick, warm and comfortable. The camp chairs have a backrest.
•Wild camping - Wild camps have no facilities; we will need to take our own water and all equipment. Wild camping can be very enjoyable but please remember that we leave no trace of our stay and take all rubbish away with us. Toilets will be of the “dig and bury” variety and a simple bucket bush shower will be provided.
•Accommodation – there may on occasion be campsites with rooms / chalets available. Sunway has budgeted for camping night, and therefore should you wish to upgrade on arrival at the campsite, this would be for your own expense, subject to availability of rooms. Sunway would pay the cost of camping, any extra would be for your own expense. This gives you the flexibility to use accommodation as you find it, at your own budget (and depending on the weather on the day).

Transport
•Expedition vehicle – the Sunway Safaris expedition vehicle will be used for all portions of the tour. The vehicle is designed to handle all road conditions expected on the route. Depending on the group size we may tow a trailer for equipment. The vehicle has closed sides with opening glass windows. Individual seats for each client. There are a couple of long days of travelling but the vehicles have a comfortable cruising speed. The emphasis of the trip is “getting out and doing things”.

Local Payment
•A local payment is required on this safari and this will be collected by your tour leader on departure. The local payment forms part of your overall tour cost, and must be taken into consideration when booking your safari. It will be used by your tour leaders to pay for some of the operational costs incurred on safari.
Sunway prepays by bank transfer, as many of the tour costs as possible. However, in many cases, a cash payment is the only option: certain of the destinations that we visit, only accept cash. For example entry fees to most national parks, some of the campsites and also local food markets (and even some shops) are only payable in cash. In addition, each Sunway vehicle has a garage card but these are only accepted in South Africa and parts of Namibia, therefore in all other countries, fuel must be paid for in cash. Due to the remoteness of some departure points, having a local payment system enables us to manage tour funds effectively. The efficiency of this system helps keep the overall tour prices down.
For these reasons, it is necessary for Sunway to charge a local payment. It also ensures that a portion of the tour costs goes directly into the country you are visiting, thereby benefiting local communities and contributing to the conservation of the areas we visit. This is all part of Sunway Safaris’ ongoing effort to operate sustainable safaris that make a real difference.

Participation
•An essential part of your expedition is participation – from putting up your tent or packing away in the morning to helping with meal preparation and cleaning up – it’s all part of your adventure and when everyone puts in a little effort the trip will run smoothly. Your tour leader will do all the meal planning and food shopping however all participants will need to help with food preparation and washing up. At border crossings the expedition leader will need help from the participants in queuing for paperwork etc. In the unlikely event of a vehicle breakdown (such as flat tyre), or the more likely event of vehicle becoming stuck in mud or sand, everyone will need to help solve the problem and get the group out of the situation. Team spirit is part of the fun!

Recommended reading
Before you travel you might want to read any of the following books. While not specific to the Sunway tour you will join, they do provide some background understanding of the countries you will be visiting.
•Africa House by Christina Lamb (Story of Stewart Gore who built an English country mansion in Zambia)
•Exploring Victoria Falls by Prof Lee R Berger and Brett Hilton by Barbe
•David Livingstone, The Truth Behind The Legend by Rob Mackenzie
•Personal Life of David Livingstone by William Blaikie
•Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela (Autobiography - Nelson Mandela is one of the great moral and political leaders of our time.)
•Cry the Beloved Country by Alan Paton (Is the deeply moving story of the Zulu pastor Stephen Kumalo and his son Absalom. A classic work of love and hope, courage and endurance, born of the dignity of man.)
•The Power of One by Bryce Courtenay (Story of one young man's search for the love that binds friends, the passion that binds lovers, and the realization that it takes only one to change the world.)
•The Covenant by James A. Mitchener (The best and worst of two continents carve an empire out of the vast wilderness that is to become South Africa.)
•My Traitor’s Heart by Rian Malan (Malan, former South African crime reporter, searches for the truth behind apartheid.)
•When The Lion Feeds by Smith Wilbur (Fictional story set in Natal, South Africa in the 1870’s)
•Jock of the Bushveld by J Percy FitzPatrick (Story of a trader and his dog set in 1880 around Pilgrim’s Rest and Kruger area)
•Newman's Birds of Southern Africa by Kenneth Newman
•Sasol Birds of Southern Africa by Ian Sinclair, Phil Hockey, and W.R. Tarboton
•The Safari Companion: A Guide to Watching African Mammals Including Hoofed Mammals, Carnivores, and Primates by Richard D. Estes and Daniel Otte
•Field Guide to Trees of Southern Africa (Field Guides) by Braam Van Wyk, Keith Coates Palgrav, and Piet Van Wyk

Food
•We pride ourselves on giving very good healthy meals to our clients and will provide three meals per day, except as shown in the itinerary. For those meals we will eat at local restaurants.
•The tour leaders do the shopping and meal planning for each group. He/she will always try to obtain fresh produce wherever possible. A rough idea of what these will consist of is: Breakfast - cereals or coffee and toast or the occasional fried breakfast, Lunch - cheese, cold meats, salads on bread or rolls, Dinner - braais (local barbecue), potjies (stews), stir fries etc. We use regular plates, cups and cutlery. All cooking and eating utensils will also be provided.
•We do cater for special dietary requirements (e.g. vegetarian or allergies.)
•We will supply fruit squash served with breakfast and tea or coffee served with breakfast and dinner. All other beverages will be for your own expense. We will not supply bottled drinking water although it is available at many shops on tour.