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A View from the Luangwa – May 2018
Since the 1980s there has been talk of building a dam in the lower course of the Luangwa River to generate electricity. Each time it has been raised, the idea has been shelved, presumably on the basis that the cost-benefit analysis did not hold up to scrutiny. When the so-called Ndevu Gorge Dam project was raised again in 2016, it was assumed that discussions would end in the same conclusion. However, this time around the project [...]
Know your African Wildlife: Yellow Baboons
Yellow baboons are found in large numbers right across the Luangwa Valley. They thrive anywhere that provides year-round forage, access to water and – crucially – safe roosting sites. They are therefore found in the largest numbers along the riverine areas where mature trees offer safe sleeping sites. A large male baboon warms himself in a large tree after a cold night. They are gregarious creatures, living in large troops that number up to several hundred [...]
April in the South Luangwa
I love April in the Luangwa. It's the month when the temperatures begin to subside, the air dries out, the breeze develops a chill and Winter finally arrives. After 6 months of high temperatures, paired with high humidity for long periods, it's a pleasure to be able to sit outside without becoming a bit sweaty within a few minutes! But more than this, the cool weather begins drying out the park, a process which continues right [...]
Going on a morning drive in South Luangwa
The pre-05.00 wake up call from the camp staff is not the most welcome sound you will ever hear! However, as your mind becomes aware of your surroundings, the sounds of the outside world start to pierce the fog of your early awakening. The dawn doves begin their monotonous song and nearby a lion's call cuts through the cold air and the single layer of canvas that separates you from the outside world. You are on [...]
Photo Safari: Discounted Rates on Legendary Luangwa Tour until end of April
MASSIVE DISCOUNT ON RATES FOR LEGENDARY LUANGWA TOUR - SEPTEMBER 2018 We are offering a discount of GBP £1,000 off the advertise rate on my Legendary Luangwa Tour from 18 - 26th September 2018. This trip makes use of two camps in the Luangwa's finest wildlife areas. Luangwa River Lodge and Nsefu Camp both offer immediate access to the type of wildlife sightings that have made the South Luangwa famous as a hot-spot for epic predator [...]
Through the Lens: Luangwa’s Cranes
Cranes are surely Nature's most elegant birds. There is a bird centre in Johannesburg which enables visitors to see many of the world's 11 species of Cranes very close up - which is wonderful - but nothing compares to seeing them wild and free in their natural habitat. Although "wild and free" is magical, when talking about Cranes, it does present some challenges, since they are extremely shy birds! I have developed a range of techniques [...]
Through the Lens: Elephant Crossings at Dawn
The more time I spend on safari, the more I seek different and unusual lighting opportunities. While I still love the soft, golden light of late afternoon, I sometimes find that it's too sweet, too saccharin, especially if you leave the warm sun behind the camera. With modern cameras, the opportunities for shooting in unusual light are improving all the time. It's now possible to shoot in very low light (thanks to amazing high-ISO performance) and [...]
March in the South Luangwa
March is a month of uncertainties. Is the rainy season coming to an end? Will the river flood its banks? Will the National Park's roads survive, or will they succumb entirely to the mud and water? Does that clear blue sky mean that a period of dry is coming? The only thing that is certain in March is that I will - erroneously - say something like "ah, that feels like a cooler morning; the dry [...]
Photo Safari Skills: Why you should be using your camera’s high frame rate
I was in the bush recently, and I enjoyed a wonderful sighting of wild dogs playing after a hunt. The action required high-speed drive setting to be enabled, and I was very glad that I have that setting selected as a standard. (A while ago, I wrote an article about the use of the high-speed drive on your digital camera which explains why I always use high-speed drive.) Soon after the dogs had finished feeding, they [...]
A View from the Luangwa – March 2018
We have known for some time that the greatest threat to the wild places on our Planet is the growth of the human population. As our numbers rise, we encroach into areas where we used not to tread, either to expand agricultural production, obtain natural resources or simply to build more houses. The news stories on this topic tend to be dominated by poachers targeting headline species such as elephant, rhino and pangolin, and certainly these [...]
Wildlife: exciting wild dog sightings!
We have had an unusually dry couple of months in the Luangwa, with not much serious rainfall since December. This will have its problems later in the year but, for now, it allows us to drive much more widely in the park that we normally can at this time of the year. Over the weekend, we took two trips into the National Park, and both times we found the well-known Manzi pack which have been living [...]
February in the South Luangwa
By the time we reach February, the nature of Zambia's rainy season is beginning to change: we see a shift from the gradual build-up and impressive thunderstorms, to a more steady, persistent frontal rainfall. Skies are overcast, often giving cool days with intermittent rain throughout. The overcast conditions allow for beautiful portraits of mammals against the soft greenery. Zebras' against the greenery - a view not seen by the 99% of safari visitors who visit the [...]
EDWARD SELFE
I organise & run photographic safaris in the finest wildlife areas on Earth since.
