Zambia Safari Diary

"The Carpet Slipper Safari"

Although our section ‘A Typical Safari Day’ gives a broad description of what to expect, its true flavour may better be obtained by reading an actual day-by-day account such as this one, based on an escorted party of four people taking a 12-day safari in September in South Luangwa.


- Click this icon to view the corresponding photograph.
Note that the majority of photographs accompanying this report were taken by keen amateur photographers – not professionals – using only moderately priced (typically £350) SLR (camera icon) or digital camera equipment. Hence they are the kind of photographs that you, too, could expect to come back with. However it should be noted that night time photography, involving animals illuminated only by a spotlight from within a vibrating vehicle, is a specialised art that we obviously still need to master.

The first sighting of each species seen is indicated in red in order to enable an overall count to be made. Whilst the first sightings of each species are noted, it might become tedious to have to note down that yet another herd of impala had been seen, and hence this diary should be regarded as a description of highlights, rather than as a detailed log. In this instance the guests were not particularly interested in avian species, but did begin to ‘twitch’ more and more as the trip progressed.

Camp Fire Tales

There are numerous incidents, stories and points of interest that one encounters along the way, but which, strictly, don’t fit into an actual historical record such as this. Often these take the form of tales recounted around the campfire at night, over an alcoholic drink or two. Hence this is seen as an appropriate point at which to introduce these, and under such a heading.

Henry's Carpet Slippers

The reason for the title of this safari diary will become apparent on Day 3.