Kafunta River Lodge reopened a month ago with a full camp, and Easter celebrations. The rains held off for the long weekend, and our guests were rewarded with great sightings of lions and especially wild dogs!

And then the rains returned, keeping things nice and green, and the river high. Now at least, and for the past week, I think the weather has changed, and the rains are finally gone. Skies are now clear, and the air has got a wintery chill. 

It's good news because these rains, and the high water level of the river, have prevented us from building the pontoon, which means longer journeys to the main gate for our game drives, so I'm glad this will be resolved soon. 

Have a look at how nicely filled the Luangwa River is, viewed from the park entry bridge. 

South Luangwa is uttlerly gorgeous at this time of the year. I left the Valley back at the end of October, when the scenery is filled with hues of orange and brown, and coming back in late March is quite a shock! The Valley has turned lush with vibrant greens. The foliage is so abundant; grass, trees, bushes...

Have a look at how beautiful the lodge looks! 

In the last newsletter I shared pictures of our maintenance team working on renovating the dining deck. There was  surprise though! They added a lower deck as well, which is simply stunning. It sits left of the main deck, low to the ground, over the marshy waters. 

It's a great spot to sit in the afternoon, in the shade of a parasol, or for a private dinner at night. We love it. I hope you will too!

And so the 2016 season has started. Back in January I was introducing you to our new Lodge Manager: Lisa Peake. In fact there is Lisa AND Amanda! Amanda is Lisa's daughter who is volunteering with us until August, when she will be moving to Canada  to start university. Both of them are doing wonders in the kitchen and serving the most delicious cakes at tea time. 

Back this year for his second season is Eugene, or Monkeygene as you will learn to call him!

Eugene has been promoted to Duty Manager and there will not be a day where you won't see him around the main lodge. He is responsible for looking after each and everyone of our guests.

Eugene loves climbing trees (Monkeygene), maybe that's why he also loves birds so much. He will happily take you for a walk around the lodge to look out for those LBJ's (Little Brown Jobs, all those difficult-to-identify birds).

Ron, Anke and Luke Cowan returned to the lodge in early April, after Anke attended a trade show in Cape Town, WTM Africa. Ron is always here at the lodge for this birthday, and this year was no exception.

Ron with Maintenance Manager Levy and a yummy birthday cake. 

Now Luke has gone back to Australia for school, while Ron and Anke are remaining busy at the lodge for a few more weeks. 

It's the time of year where we also start grading roads (once the rains are gone), and head down South to build Island Bush Camp, due to open on May 25th. We have a month to go. 

I thought I'd share some pictures I found in our archives, taken by Carl Ruysenaar, who was our bush camp manager back in 2013. I hope they'll open your appetite for a visit to Island Bush Camp, and particularly its kitchen! 

Island Bush Camp will be open from May 25th until November 1st 2016. It's a wonderful place to spend two or three nights in combination to Kafunta River Lodge. Email me now should you want more information about our bush camp. 

As mentioned earlier, we have had great sightings straight from the get go. Actually even during the rains and when the lodge was closed lions and wild dogs were commonly seen in front of the lodge. 

The weekend we opened, guests saw wild dogs every day. 

Lions have also been seen frequently, but leopards are a bit harder to find due to the thick vegetation. They are mostly seen crossing a dirt road before furtively disappearing in the bushes. 

What we seen a lot though are elephants! In and out of camp. They are everywhere in big numbers, with lots of young ones too. 

Here are a few pictures of our recent sightings. 

A warthog a bit too adventurous. It must have known that the dogs had full bellies! 

Sleepy lions

Elephants at the Directors' House, with a new baby

And many more elephants in the park, in big numbers:

In previous newsletters I talked about combining a safari in South Luangwa with other national parks such as Kafue or Lower Zambezi, or even a beach stay on the shores of Lake Malawi. 

This time around I thought I'd show you a few gems in Lusaka. Although rarely added in itineraries, the capital city hasn't much to offer to be honest, it is sometimes necessary for travellers to overnight in Lusaka, when connecting with international flights. And so, if you are in need of such a stay, you might as well make the most of it. 

Of course there are numerous brand hotels in town, such as Radisson Blu, Taj Pamodzi, Hilton, Intercontinental, Protea and the likes. But there are also a few exquisite boutique hotels which are owner-run and offer unique venues and a personalised experience. 

Pioneer Camp would be our first suggestion when on a tighter budget. The camp features a series of bungalows, good family dining and nice wooded grounds. They have a very attractive package which includes airport transfers, dinner, bed and breakfast and accommodation. The camp is about 30 to 40 minutes from the airport. 

Probably the funkiest place in Lusaka, Latitude 15 is owned by brother and sister James and Gillie Lightfoot. 

Gillie is not unknown in South Luangwa. She is the founder of Tribal Textiles and now has a must see shop in Lusaka called Jackal & Hide (and Sugarbush Café). The decoration at Latitude 15 is stunning, it's like a museum where every corner hides treasures of local crafts and design. 

The hotel offers great dining, a pool and a hip atmosphere. It is about 40-45 minutes from the airport. 

A bit further away, on the other side of Lusaka, is Lilayi Lodge. It features superb grounds with a series of luxury bungalows, a pool and stellar dining. Their wine cellar is one of the best in Lusaka. 

Lilayi is worth staying for a couple of nights, to enjoy a variety of activities and also pay a visit to the Lilayi Elephant Nursery. Managed by Game Rangers International and established with ongoing critical support from the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation, the Nursery rescues and rehabilitates orphaned elephant calves who can be viewed daily at their feeding time. 

Count on an hour for the airport transfer. 

I'd be happy to give you more information about these three recommended options in Lusaka. Simply send me an email. 

Lilayi Elephant Nursery

I've finally had a chance to look at the huge library of photos we have collected over the years, photos taken by our previous guests. 

There's too many to share at once, so here's the first part of a portfolio I will happily continue over the next newsletters. 

But although older photos are good, we WANT to see your recent photos too, so please make sure to email them to me! 

Great stuff! There will be many more to see. 

That's it for now. I'll be back soon for news about what is happening at Kafunta Safaris this season! 

Izzy

Kafunta Safaris