When I started planning this trip, Liuwa Plains piqued my interest. It’s an isolated area in the west of Zambia bordering Angola. Access is a bit tricky and accommodation options are limited. 4X4 vehicles are a must and the recommendation is that you drive with at least one other vehicle. I explored a few safari type deals, nervous about driving alone, but the prices were prohibitive. The only lodge in the park costs US$ 1200 per night! A mobile safari unit quoted US$750 then brought it down to 500 and then 300 per night. Shew. So I called a friend who called a friend.
Sheila forwarded me their booking sheet from 2017. At the bottom a name, Mimi, and a contact number. Her title was Intern. Flip. Doubt she’ll still be there two years later but lets give it a try. Bingo. The number was actually her personal cell number and she answered first time. Without much fuss she discussed possibilities, I booked the camps and a personal scout who would accompany me. Liuwa plain here I come.
I arrived at Kalabo on Monday afternoon to sort out arrangements for the morning and meet the guide. Elia. Young and strong. Great he’ll know what to do. Elia came over to take a look at the vehicle. “Is this our car?” Yes. “That’s good we can go.” Then as an after thought, “Do you have GPS”. Yes. “No need. I am GPS”. Sounds like a deal to me. See you at 7.
We rendezvoused at the pont that would carry Florence across the Lianginga river. Not sure what I was expecting but Elia arrived in full uniform including a pump action shotgun. So the journey began. I managed to load Florence on and off the pont without issue and get going in the thick sand. Again the community lives within the park boundaries. A tough and isolated life. There are apparently 10 villages scattered within the park. Even though they are sparsely populated the eternal conflict between man and wildlife is real. Since African Parks took over management, armed patrols have helped make the need for food more sustainable for both.
Like Bangweulu , Liuwa is dead flat. Miles and miles of wide open space. You can see for ever but it also means there are few markers. On the map there are two reference points. The sausage tree and the Lone Palm. Literally. One sausage tree and one lone palm. Sign posts are dotted around at major decision making points but certainly wouldn’t be enough to get you from A to B. Thank the Pope for Elia otherwise I may still be lost in the wilderness.
My Liuwa Plains mission was to see the big herds of wildebeest during the calving season. But you can’t order rain. The rain was still on it’s way and the much needed pools were mostly still bone dry. The main herd was still up north. Meanwhile the veld was giving a flower performance that easily rivals the West coast show. Masses and masses of bulbs. The unexpected always makes the show more of a delight. Elia, ever patient, tolerated numerous stops for photos and often just for the sheer pleasure of soaking up the extraordinary environment,
Keep Fit Pump 
Zambians tell the time using the 24 hour clock. It takes you by surprise at first and your brain has to shift out of neutral for a second to understand. Similarly decades are explained as, “In twenty zero six. My first child was born.” And so our departure times were measured. At Zero 6 we were ready to leave camp and again at 15 or sometime 16. We definitely need to be in bed by 22.
Elia took the business of looking after his rifle very seriously. It never left his side for a minute. Brett would have had a fit but it lay in the sand at his feet, went to the shower and balanced on his thigh as we drove. I asked him why they gave them shotguns and not a decent rifle. He laughed and said it was because most of the tourists are scared of an AK47. So they patrol with an AK and guard tourists with a shotgun. He clearly loved his job and proudly told me he’d won a shooting competition in twenty sixteen and got 600 kwacha as a bonus. He also had a few stories about apprehending poachers. They are tried in the local court. If the meat (evidence) is not too green the justice officials usually share the spoils after sentencing the poacher.
The thing that amused Elia most was my music. He drummed out the beat of Fleetwood Mac and friends on the barrel of his trusty shotgun. I told him that the song was made long before he was born. When Mika came on Elia laughed and said “this song is telling us to relax, take it easy”. But my absolute best was when Beyonce played and I said this one you’ll know he said no afraid not never heard of this person Beyonce. He explained the load shedding has put him a bit behind on music. How refreshing that there are still some placed in the world American music hasn’t reached.
On the last nigh Elia had run out of food. He’d shared his rations with a colleague who didn’t have. I invited him to share my meal of potatoes and butternut on the fire. He asked if he could make tea so long using the gas ring. I noticed he wasn’t drinking the tea so I asked why. “Oooh Medam. I have never seen potatoes cooked like that. I think this food might need tea”.
No faith. He ended up eating everything and asking for the butternut pips to try grow them at home. Score one to butternut.
Oribi 
There was always something to look at. Little Oribi , a trillion larks and pipits. Loads of raptors. Quirky hyena lazing in the muddy pools. Flowers and then at last the big herd of wildebeest and their calves. The sparsity of water mean’t the big herd had split but it’s still a sight to see 300 plus with just as many calves in one herd. With the herd spread out there wasn’t a time when you couldn’t see wildebeest . Mission complete. Satisfied
Sausage Tree 
Lone Palm
On the last day Elia got news that the Lone Palm area had received rain. We’d been there the day before and the pan was bone dry. Amazing. One reasonable rain and a multitude of pools had filled. You could sense the relief. The herd would be able to drink. Let’s hope the proper rain is on its way. The alternative too sad to contemplate.
Mongu- Kalabo Bridge
To get to Liuwa you cross the Barotse wetlands. In 2016 the spectacular Mongu-Kalabo bridge was complete, reducing a 5+ hour trip to and hour. The Bridge is an engineering masterpiece crossing the Zambezi and it’s flood plains. Take a look on google to get the full splendor. Unfortunately the late rains meant the wetland were still dry. Visualize water from one end to the other
Wide open spaces. I’m so privileged to have had the Liuwa Plain experience. Soul Food on steroids.
Gallivanting with Gailo 