Zambia News – September 2013
Toka Leya Camp
Wildlife Sightings
We have noticed that most guests arrive here with one thing in mind – the Victoria Falls. When they eventually get on to game drives they are astounded by the wildlife variety – and the animals are also so relaxed making for great photographic opportunities – that all come back raving about both guides and game. They really cannot believe how productive their drives are in such a small Park.
Our boat cruises are always so much appreciated by guests. Allowing for only small parties, it is the personal touch and knowledgeable guides which make these river cruises second to none. This and the general beauty of the mighty Zambezi is a memory that will live forever in all our guests’ minds.
With the mainland drying out, the traffic of elephants to the islands is building up by the day and it’s always an unbelievable sight to see these massive mammals go from one end of the River to the Island or at times crossing borders from one country to the other.
With the winter here, we have also seen an increase of crocodiles lining the banks of the River as they try and catch the warmth of the sun. As usual we have seen that as the water levels drop, the concentrations of hippos rise in certain channels and we have been seeing some amazing sizes of hippo pods on the river.
Location
Busanga Bush Camp, on the Busanga Plains, looks out on a landscape of open savannah grassland which extends for many miles. The camp gives you an ambience that gets you closer to nature and an opportunity to learn and share cultural diversities with the warm and friendly camp staff.
Sunrise & Sunset
From your bed you will wake up to a beautiful misty morning with the sun rising through the mist giving a spectacular golden light while the abundant lechwe nibbles the soft grass of the plain right in front of camp.
Temperatures
During the month of July, the minimum temperatures fluctuated between 6 and 8 degrees Celsius, however temperatures rose each day to the warm mid-twenties. Though generally characterised by winds, the month of July was less windy compared to most seasons.
Wildlife sightings
The month brought with it much excitement as the Busanga Pride presented us with three brand-new cubs. This is great news as the pride’s numbers have dwindled over the last few years. After losing a brother, the surviving Busanga male lion adopted a young male to form a coalition, which seemed like a good idea to protect his territory. However, another male has been sighted and has been heard calling on several occasions within the Busanga Pride’s territory. When he calls, the two Busanga males respond but have never made an effort to find out who is in their territory. The questions we ask ourselves are: where did this stranger lion come from? Is he going to join the two Busanga males to form a bigger and stronger coalition? We are all waiting to s ee what is going to happen in the coming months.
Staying at Busanga Bush Camp does not confine you to the Busanga Plains. We schedule full day trips to the tree line area at the bottom of the Busanga Plains. It gives our guests the opportunity of seeing and experiencing different landscapes and, what’s more, in the previous months has produced great sightings of leopard and cheetah.
