Another excellent travel story today, courtesy of the Guardian once again. This time we go on Safari in Zambia, where author David Shariatmadari discovers far more water than he expected, and with it, an amazing diversity of life.
The article notes early on that Zambia is not a place where you think about large amounts of water. It's landlocked and not known for it's beaches. It is, however, the location of the mighty Victoria Falls and Zambezi River, which have a tremendous impact on the region.
The massive river, three times the width of the river Thames according to the story, offers up a unique safari, as visitors take to boats to get up close and personal with the wildlife. The author encountered all the usual suspects on an African safari, including elephants, and a large pod of hippos "numbering in the hundreds". Options for exploring the river abound, with motorboats and canoes both offering different experiences.
From there, it's off to Victoria Falls, which the natives call Mosi-oa-Tunya, or "the smoke that thunders". Right up until the stomach dropping edge, the waters of the Zambezi remain calm, but once over that edge, the meaning of "the smoke that thunders" comes very clear. It's a major tourist attraction, much like Niagara Falls here in North America, but this one comes with the dramatic back drop of the African continent.
Judging from this article, it seems that Zambia has a lot to offer the traveler looking for a different kind of journey in Africa. It's vast waterways provide a unique adventure, while still allowing someone to experience the diverse wildlife that we all want to see there.
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