Guides & Licenses
All Kafue Park Operators Association members use licensed guides. All guides are examined by a nationally recognized training body and all guides pass through a grading system of stages – transfer, grade 2, and finally grade 1 – ensuring high standards which we as an association (and indeed as a country) are very proud of.
We must never lose sight of the fact that the behavior of a field guide can impact visitors and animals alike and that enormous trust and responsibility are placed in them.
Vehicle safaris are all conducted with open vehicles. This means that the vehicle has been specially converted for game viewing – sides and roofs have been removed and a special tired seating frame has been constructed – usually 6 or 9 seats. More exclusive camps will have a maximum occupancy rule (usually 6) so that everyone has a “window” seat and only two people per tier. A removable canvas canopy may or may not be in place. When you are used to sitting down in a sedan on congested roads this is a revelation! You can see and smell everything. You feel so much more connected to (and part of) what is around you. And yes, there is definitely a frisson of excitement when you are close to potentially dangerous animals in an open vehicle. But your guide will explain all the etiquette before you leave camp.
Drives will normally be conducted in the early morning, departing just before sunrise and returning mid-morning with a mid-drive break for tea/coffee and a few snacks. Afternoon drives generally depart mid-afternoon with a stop for a sundowner at sunset (of course). If the drive is progressing into a night drive then once the sun is down then a spotlight will be then used to help the guide (and maybe his or her trainee assisting as a ‘spotter’) locate night active animals. Night drives are not always allowed in all parks, and for many people, they are a highlight. Don’t expect to see lions taking antelopes while beautifully illuminated – there are strict protocols whereby guides must not disturb natural events with bright lights. Red filters will be used to minimize impacts, but remember that no responsible guide will use a light that may impact nature – giving an advantage or disadvantage to either predator or prey.
In terms of what to bring and wear, neutral earth-colored clothing is best. We generally recommend long, loose-fitting trousers (good against any biting insects) rather than shorts. Footwear really doesn’t matter! In the cold months wrap up in layers – if it is 6 degrees when you set off and the vehicle (or boat) is doing 25km/hr then the windchill fact means the temperature is just over 1 degree! So think tee shirt, jersey or fleece, windproof shell, and woolly hat and gloves.
Vehicle Safaris
Walking Safaris
Walking (and canoeing) safaris are quite different from the vehicle or boat-based activities. There is a bit of an old cliched saying that goes: “from a vehicle you see Africa. On foot you feel, hear and smell Africa.” It is said for a reason, the reason being that you are so much closer and connected to everything. There is no motor noise and nothing around you. Of course, you are also inherently much more vulnerable. This is part of the appeal.
The first time you see a lion on foot it seems huge… But walking guides are the best in the business. To guide a walking safari you have reached the pinnacle of guide training and certification. All walking safaris in the Park will also be accompanied by an armed officer from the Department of National Parks and Wildlife.
It is often said that this system works better than the system in many countries where the guide is armed. The Zambia way allows the guide to focus on the guests and the armed officer to focus on the threat. With all that being said, most walks are about focussing on the details that you don’t see from a vehicle. So expect to learn a huge amount about tracking animals, behavioral details, vegetation, and general ecology. Most walks are certainly not about adrenaline-pumping animal encounters!
Like drives, walks will be held in the early and late parts of the day – not just because of temperatures but also because this is the time when nature is also most active. Walks will often be accompanied (bringing up the rear of the caravan) by the rather old-fashioned designation of “tea bearer”. This person will almost invariably be a trainee guide who is studying to one day be a walking guide (grade 1). And yes, they will be bearing tea! As well as keeping an eye out for everyone’s safety.
As we have mentioned, canoe safaris are the water-based version of walking safaris. Everything is slower and closer and quieter. Again, your guide will be at the top of his or her’s game and vastly experienced. Again, the activity will be in a cooler part of the day. Paddlers are (depending on ability and confidence) offered an experienced assistant if required (most canoes are two-person). The lead and rear canoe will always be crewed with a guide in the rear seat. The party will not comprise more than three canoes.
While most of the Kafue is fairly broad and flat, there are areas with faster water and more interesting sections for paddling. Again, like walking there is an element of risk, but the trade-off is that you get closer to birds and animals than you can ever do in a boat. It is a more participatory activity than boating, but the rewards are there. Plus (like walking) you can get a bit of exercise, which is often in short supply on safari holidays. Once persuaded into a canoe many guests say it is their favorite activity!
Canoe Safaris
Boating Safaris
This is the water version of game driving. Most camps in the Kafue are located on or near either the Kafue or major tributaries and so boating is often an option. There is no better way to experience the varied birdlife as well as occasional drinking animals, as well of course as the hippos, crocodiles, and others that are more at home in and around the river. It is a beautifully smooth contrast to bouncing around in a 4×4.
Bathing elephants are also a highlight of many boat cruises. Boating in the morning mists of the colder months is also a surreal otherworldly way to wake up with the world around you.
Many camps will also allow guests to try their hand at catch and release fishing (with perhaps a big one kept for evening snacks around the fire).