It has already been two months since our last newsletter; I hope you have enjoyed the festive season, had a wonderful Christmas and that you haven’t given up on your New Year resolutions, yet!

Kafunta River Lodge is now closed for the rainy season, and will reopen on March 25th 2016, just in time to celebrate Easter together. We have just one room left for the Easter weekend, but we have good availability throughout April and May if you would like to come and visit us before the end of the green season. 

You’ll see lots of pictures of what South Luangwa looks like at this time of the year, and it may very well open your appetite for an early safari! Email me now to take advantage of our low season rates!

Before we talk about the rains, let's have a quick look at what happened in the past couple of months at Kafunta River Lodge. We kept busy and sightings have continued to be amazing with lots of wild dogs (a pack of 20 dogs was seen in the main Mfuwe area!), lions and leopards together with the cutest sightings of baby impalas and warthogs piglets.

A pride of lions just outside Kafunta River Lodge

Impossible to count how many elepants were in this herd! They went rushing past Kafunta, on the front plain. 

Early in December Mfuwe celebrated the end of the football league season with a wonderful sport event which gathered the 16 football and netball teams of the Mfuwe Sport Association which was originally created by our very own Assistant Manager Wilson Malambo! 

The Luangwa Safari Association has been sponsoring since 2015 what is now known as the Luangwa Safari League (football and netball)

Of course Ron, Luke and Anke (who were the initiators of the first Mfuwe junior football league) were at the event and you can see Anke dancing at the ceremony! Well done Wilson and all those who were involved in the preparation of this big event.

During the ceremony the Luangwa Safari Association presented trophies and money prizes to the winning teams. But each team which participated in the 2015 league walked away with a set of soccer strips, goal posts nets and 2 balls, all donated by LSA members (and their guests, which means YOU!).

This was a great event never held in the history of sports in South Luangwa.  

A few days after the football event, we held our annual staff party at Kafunta, more precisely in the park itself! This year Leandi had the great idea of taking the staff on an afternoon game drive followed by a splendid sundowner and of course the usual speeches and employee awards.

Congratulations Godfrey for receiving the Employee of the Year award, and well done to all our staff for an exellent season 2015! 

Our staff!

While the activity at the lodge was slowing down, Anke, Ron, Luke, Maurice, Eugene and Leandi  decided to explore the Chindeni Hills which can be seen East of the Luangwa River when driving down towards Island Bush Camp.

A rarely explored area that offers magnificent views as can be seen on the following pictures. This was before the rains really hit us, I'm sure the scenery would be much different seen today. 

Up the hill we go

Monkeygene (aka Eugene) getting even higher. It is impossible to keep Eugene off trees. 

It is with great sadness that at the end of December we had to say our goodbyes to Lodge Manager Leandi Pretorius and wished her our very best for her new adventures.

Leandi, whom most of you have met over the past 3 years, was a tremendous asset to Kafunta Safaris, she was such a wonderful manager and host and she will be greatly missed by all: staff, co-managers and guests.

She brought up the standards of Kafunta River Lodge, bringing her creativity and energy to enhance guest experience in many ways, big and small. She dedicated the past 3 years to Kafunta and we are greatly appreciative of her efforts. She looked after every member of staff.  She was not just a colleague to us, but a thoughtful and funny friend.  

All the community of the Luangwa Valley will also miss her as she was such a great entertainer and always ready to organize parties and gatherings.  Good luck Leandi, and come back to see us soon!

We might even take you on a safari... :)

Warm welcome to Lisa Peake who is joining us as Lodge Manager, to replace Leandi. 

Lisa was born on her family's farm in Chipata, not far from South Luangwa. Growing up on the farm she became fluent in the local language Chinyanja.

In her late teens she left Zambia to run a cattle ranch on the edge of the inhospitable Kalahari Desert, Botswana. 10 years later, she returned to Lusaka to raise a family (now proud mother of Jedra & Amanda). In the last few years she has felt the urge to return to her roots and satisfy her love for the bush, taking on relief roles in  camps in South Luangwa and other national parks. Most recently, and for 2 years, Lisa was the food and beverage manager at South Luangwa's largest lodge and managed 4 of their associated bush camps so she joins Kafunta Safaris as a “Home Grown Expert”.

We’re delighted that after all Lisa prefers smaller, rather than larger lodges, where it is easier to get closer to ‘The real Africa’ and easier to get to know our guests’ needs and expectations. In her own words: “My role at Kafunta is to provide the perfect backdrop to your ultimate wilderness experience”.

I have personally worked with Lisa in the past, and I’m looking forward to working with her again. Warm welcome to you Lisa! We all look forward to having you in the team, and especially see your pastry chef talents applied in the kitchen!

And on to 2016! As mentioned the lodge is currently closed which allows Rob, Operations Manager, and Levy, Maintenance Manager, to have a deep look at the lodge and renovate all that is needed.

Starting with the main deck, which will look better than ever.

A couple of years ago we added a little wellness hut which has been very successful and and has seen many guests come through for a relaxing massage. In the same line, we decided to offer an additional service to our clientele by adding a “gym” house to the list of amenities offered at Kafunta River Lodge.

Now here goes your New Year resolution! If you haven’t given it up by the time you come on safari, you will now be able to enjoy a bit of a workout, without having to risk your life running from lions, in our discreet but nicely equipped gym house (tucked away near the Tree Deck).

No obligation of course,  and you are more likely to prefer to jump in the infinity pool!  As for me, I will no longer have any excuse for not exercising in the bush!

Luke and Maurice checking out the "gym house" 

But let’s get back to what  we are here for! Going on safari! Some of you may wonder what it is like to go on safari in the green season (or “rainy” season) in Luangwa.

First let's look at how our surroundings are looking now that we've had some good rains since early January. The water level has risen nicely, although it can change rapidly and drop again. The whole of Zambia needs some more rains, so we hope they will continue through February. 

The picture above and below were taken only a few days apart. 

So yes, safari-ing in the green season can be wet and muddy, but it also offers so many other perks such as a stunning scenery of lush green bushes and flowering trees, an exploding birdlife, colourful butterflies, beautifull lights illuminating the skies; while still enjoying the usual sightings of leopards, lions, wild dogs renown in South Luangwa.

I looked into our library of guest’s pictures and found some very good examples of what it is like to come in the rainy season. Hans and Rosi Korn have visited us multiple times, at all times of year. I've selected a few photographs taken by Rosi during her previous visits, specifically those which took place between December and April. Enjoy what we call the EMERALD season! 

It usually starts with a short but intense downpour...

And then we head out with our expert drivers. 

To enjoy what the bush has to offer. 

So don’t be concerned about a green season trip, you will see the Luagnwa Valley like few others do!

And remember, there is still plenty of time to book! 

Contact me here should you be tempted to come in April or May this year. 

My intention in this newsletter was to share more older pictures taken by our guests, but I’m a bit overwhelmed by the quantity of pictures found in our library (thousands!) and it will take me a tad longer to sort through them. I'll keep going and feature them in future posts and newsletters. There’s some nice surprises which we should all enjoy. 

That's it for now. Rob, Wilson and Levy are busy at the lodge preparing the 2016 season.  

Ron, Anke and Luke, who have spent the past couple of months at Kafunta, just headed back to Australia for Luke’s first term of the new school year. They will be back in Luangwa in early April.

As for me, I’m about to take my annual leave, in February, and will pass the torch to Anke who is happy to get back to reservation duties for a few weeks.

Back in March for some more news and photos!

Izzy

Kafunta Safaris