by Zambezi
9 March 2012
Aspiring explorers will need to be quick to secure a place on a new escorted Zambia expedition with one of the country’s leading guides, Rod Tether.
The new guided safari is available on limited departure dates from April to July 2012.
Highlights include seeking out the elusive Sitatunga antelope and Pel's Fishing Owl along with elephant and hippo amongst the rich river floodplains of Kasanka, and tracking down the Shoebill Stork, probably the most sought-after bird in the world, by poling through the Bangweulu Swamps. A sojourn at the historic Impandala House – Stewart Gore-Browne’s eccentric English manor house – on the shores of Lake Shiwa Ng'andu, will include a day trip to Kapishya Hot Springs and boat trip on the lake. The trip ends with a stay at Jake and Gillie's Private House on the edge of the world-famous South Luangwa National Park, with game drives to encounter big game including leopard, lion and buffalo.
As featured in The Independent (UK).
by Zambezi
26 January 2012
We've introduced two new escorted tours for 2012, both exclusive to Zambezi. And both offered at a special 'early bird' price.
This is the first time that Zambezi has designed its own bespoke, escorted tours, offering guests the peace of mind of travelling with a reputable company and one-stop-shop for their entire trip.
The best safaris don’t always come with the cheapest price tags, but book before 31st May 2012 and enjoy the best for less.
Zambezi Big Cat Diary safari, 5 nights – From a private bush home in the Lemek hills, far from the tourist trail and within the 70,000 acre Mara North Conservancy area, head out on privately guided adventures with Jackson Looseyia, famous for his appearances on the BBC’s Big Cat Diaries.
Zambezi mobile safari through Southern Africa, 10 nights - The 11-day trip traverses two spectacular areas of Zimbabwe and Botswana, home to some of the most magnificent wildlife and breath-taking scenery in Africa, harking back to the original meaning of the word ‘safari’, or ‘journey’. With a small group of four to eight guests, a private guide and vehicle and access to private concessions, the itinerary offers an exclusive glimpse into the expeditions of old.
by Zambezi
23 January 2012
The question was posed by Richard Madden of the Daily Telegraph, who included our new tour to the Congo rainforest and Odzala-Kokoua National Park in his round up of top adventurours trips for 2012.
We're expecting a lot of interest in the set departure trips, launching later this year. Are you up to the challenge?
by Zambezi
2 December 2011
Tired of the cold, damp and dark? In need of some winter sun, Africa style? Check out our top trips for some winter sunshine holiday inspiration.
by Zambezi
4 November 2011
Shhh, don’t tell everyone, but Zimbabwe is a hot ticket for 2012, offering excellent value for money coupled with enriched safari experiences. We recommend you take a look now before the rest of the pack.
Once the shining star of the safari industry, with a conservation record second to none and some of Africa’s top professional guides, Zimbabwe slipped off the radar post 2000 when the politicians lost the plot.
Whilst the continent’s safari industry continued to grow elsewhere, Zimbabwe’s safari volumes diminished and prices dropped. So whilst other safari markets boomed with investment in camps and lodges, Zimbabwe’s stalled. Most importantly, service levels didn’t. Owners and managers of hotels, lodges and small camps especially in Victoria Falls, Hwange, Matusadona and Mana Pools focussed on delivering excellent service to fewer clients.
In recent years, positive change has started in Zimbabwe. Savvy owners are aware of the competitive advantage they’ve gained by having kept costs trim and are conscious of bigger threats from weak markets over the next few years so prices rises are being mostly contained for the coming season.
Visitors who make the effort to get on safari in 2012 will be greeted by some big personalities, warm smiles and simply tremendous service.
Read our latest Zimbabwe update and check out our latest client feedback to see what the fuss is all about.
by Zambezi
12 October 2011
We’ve been keeping a beady eye on developments along the Lower Zambezi Valley for some time now.
In April 2009 Protea Hotels announced plans to build a 144-bed hotel on the Zambian shoreline of the Chiawa GMA on the lower Zambezi River directly opposite Mana Pools National Park. Strong objections were put forward by Zimbabwean, Zambian and international conservation and tourism bodies. A public campaign ensued and Protea Hotels withdrew their planning application in April 2010.
Then it came to light in October 2010 that Zimbabwe's Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZPWMA) had asked stakeholders to ratify four new 24-bed lodge developments for Mana Pools National Park, World Heritage Site, on its own side of the river.
Here’s an overview of this latest development plan.
Q: What’s being proposed?
A: Two of the original four proposals have since been withdrawn. The two remaining proposals consist of the 24-30-bed “Nyamepi Lodge” on the exclusive Nkupe Site, 3kms downstream of the Parks HQ at Nyamepi, and a potential second lodge on an existing site known as Vine Camp, located between Vundu and Ndungu sites.
Q: Why might there be objections?
A: These developments were announced after preparation of a 10-year Management Plan for Mana Pools, as yet unsigned by Zimbabwe's Minister of Environment.
During the management planning process, stakeholders agreed that further developments along the Zambezi River frontage at Mana Pools would be likely to increase tourism pressure to a level which could damage the very fragile ecosystem of the Mana Pools. The Plan recommended that there should be no further developments in the Zambezi riverside/floodplain zone of the Park and that only small (12-bed) semi-permanent developments should be encouraged at identified sites inland.
Zimbabwe's Middle Zambezi Valley was amongst 13 new international sites given enhanced conservation status as "Biosphere Reserves" by UNESCO in June 2010.
Q: What’s the industry saying?
A: The Zambezi Society is calling for the Plan to be re-visited in the light of the potential impacts these new proposals might have on the environment of Mana Pools and on the tourism experience of visitors to the Park. The organisation suggests that the Management Planning process should be widened to include the entire Mana Pools/Sapi/Chewore complex which constitutes the UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Q: What next?
A: An Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is underway for the proposed Nyamepi Lodge.
A group of international tour operators have expressed their concerns in a letter to UNESCO in Harare. The letter was copied to the Director General ZPWMA and the Institute of Mining Research (responsible for the EIA's) in which a formal request for an update on developments was made.
Feedback from UNESCO is anticipated some time in October 2011.
Q: Where can I find out more?
A: Zambezi.co.uk
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by Zambezi
26 September 2011
Here’s an incredible sequence of shots attributed to Jean-Francois Largot in which a lion cub is rescued by its mother from a deep river gully in Kenya's Masai Mara. See the full sequence at www.ZambeziZone.com
by Zambezi
22 September 2011
How's this for a specimen?! Photo received from Glenn Stutchbury/Ross Kennedy of Victoria Falls Safari Lodge. A Black mamba - approx 6.5m long - spotted last week near a cemetery in Triangle - fundi's reckon a mamba this size probably hatched during the 60's and would carry enough venom to kill 400 men !! See the reaction here!
by Zambezi
16 August 2011
A laughing dove, our latest fan, dropped into the Victoria Falls office to take the term "landing page" to another level...or perhaps he was just figuring out how to "tweet". Follow the story on Facebook.
There's even more fun to be had - how Ridgebacks deal with the cold; the "lions" miss all their tackles... 
Migration updates in Tanzania, Kenya and Kasanka (Zambia)
A "Gooney Bird" over Kenya: One of the world's best known aircraft, an iconic DC3 registered as "5Y WOW" and named "Furahah" (Swahili for Happiness) is now based on Mombasa.
by Zambezi
15 August 2011
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An invitation to the BirdFair
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Hi everyone, not long before BirdFair...
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...we're looking forward to seeing old friends and new faces, Friday to Sunday 19 to 21 August
Join us in Marquee 1, stands 59 and 60
- Get updated on some African news ... from East Africa (the migration is now well and truly on the move), southern Africa (where we've just had snow in Namibia!; the 3rd year of flooding in the Okavango and both the upper and lower Zambezi) and from central Africa (where we're running new expeditions)
- We have some unbeatable packages on offer - here's a sample:
- An unbeatable package at Victoria Falls – get into the wilder birding habitats in Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana and Namibia and use this package at the start and/or end of a safari – 3 nights, 4* comfort
- A week-long safari in Zambia's Luangwa during the green period (November to April)
- Lower Zambezi “summer migrants” and residents: Lilian's lovebirds, Pel’s fi5hing owls, Crested guineafowl, African skimmers and more!
- Madagascar “Vanga Triangle” from the very end of August to December visit at least one site in each of Madagascar’s three chief climatic/floristic zones: eastern rainforest, southern spiny bush and western tropical deciduous forest.
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- The Mafuri Safari - a 4 night package exclusively available from Wilderness Safaris - combines Mashatu (350 species) and Pafuri region, Kruger NP (400 species) November to April
If you can't join us at Rutland then
We hope you can join us!
John, Trish, Jackie, Mark and the Zambezi gang
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 © Copyright 2011
Head Office, Africa House, Modbury, PL210QJ, Devon, UK
Tel (UK/Europe): +44 1548 830059
Tel (USA/Canada): +1 800 545 1910
Tel (Africa): +263 13 44427
Email: info@zambezi.com
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Tags: birding safaris, Botswana, Mana Pools, Newsletters, Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Northern Mozambique, Okavango, Madagascar, Kenya