Liuwa Plains Zambia - How tricky is that drive!!

So, just how long can 255 km’s take? If you factor in one ferry crossing and 100 km’s of really good tar, you would be forgiven for thinking around 4 or 5 hours. Surely not 8 hours? Well, that’s what it was.

Normally, when recounting our trips, I do not dwell on the roads and travelling conditions, but given that our destination on this trip was as much about getting there as it actually was about being there, I have to. And you might also start to glean some clue to my reference to Charles Dickens. I’ll try not to make it too obvious for those of you that like a cerebral challenge. These conditions do have a great bearing on my final summation of this trip, so please bear with me and skip those bits that you want to. As if I really have a choice in what you do.

From Kabula to the Kalangola Ferry there was, unquestionably, a road. It had just received very little attention for some time and, in many cases, there were tracks on either side of the road that were, ostensibly, smoother. (In spots, there had been efforts to maintain this road, but they were few and far between) This was never proven to any extent and it often found all of us using a different track.

 In the middle of nowhere we encountered a manned boom. Reading the information on the board, which made no sense but contained many references to sections of legislation, it appears that different councils are legally able to charge you for traversing their areas. Whether this was true or not, we have no idea. But R100 per vehicle later we were on our way. Our departure was accompanied by an official looking receipt, a huge smile and we were still none the wiser as to what we were paying for or what we were getting for that. Oh well – c'est la vie!!

Heading towards the ferry we were starting to enter the floodplains of the Zambezi. As we drove off the side of the road and bypassed a very rusted bridge, our experience with roads that were no longer roads was not at an end. In fact, it were just beginning. The ferry was somewhat clunky, but it was efficient and the pilot seemed to know what he was doing. We were loaded and $20 later we were unloaded in double quick time - about 40 minutes for this one.

Once on the other side we were in the flood plains. It would appear that the roads that had been built across these stood no chance against the water. Over time these roads had been rendered pretty damn useless, and they were more remnants of roads than roads themselves. In fact, these remnants made passage more interesting as you moved from tracks on either side of the road and over the road when your track became impassable. The good thing about this is that you were never able to fall asleep behind the wheel. Some bumping and grinding and regular contact with the middelmannetjie and we were eventually back on tar. As much as it pains me to admit it this statement has an element of relief in it. Lead foot Reid took over the reins and drove us the rest of the way to Mongu – with subtle references by me to spare fuel ‘cos you never know. (okay, I admit it – I’m a kak passenger) 100 km’s of very good tar later we arrived. However, this tar was showing signs of wear that suggest that it too, over time, will disintegrate.

We arrived quite early and topped up at the local, very respectable Shoprite. Dave managed to top up on Johnny Walker Black Label, incurring the wrath of a local, moneyed resident who was stocking up for a party and wanted all the bottles. Risking life and limb our intrepid photographer managed to wrest a bottle from her. Just as well – Ted’s Famous Grouse wouldn’t have lasted.

We caucused – do we push on or not? It was only another 125 Km’s to our camp in Liuwa. Sanity prevailed and we moved to the Mutoya Camp in Mongu. Without a 4x4 your chances of getting to this campsite and your own camp would be very slim indeed. The sand was very heavy. While really comfortable, neat and clean, with grass and very good ablutions, this was probably the least favourite of our sites. We were surrounded by walls and electric fencing – almost like camping in someone’s back yard. It was very functional as a transit camp, and really the only stop around. If the Plains ever really take off and more tourists visit, there would be a good opportunity for someone to do something outside of Mongu. But, I’m getting ahead of myself.

Oh bugger, no firewood, and this with a braai planned for the night!! This gave Simon and I an opportunity to see the sights of Mongu. We first went to one market which was as interesting and aromatic as most African markets are – with flies just as plentiful. We met an individual who could speak a smattering of English and he offered to guide us to the other market. Thankfully he did – we would still be looking if he hadn’t. This little escapade allowed me to offer some lightning observations – no wait, let me do that later.

The next day, while packing, we met our camping neighbours – Francois Viljoen and Charl Pauw (of SABC3 News, Sikorsky Helicopters and Africa Penguins 94.7 fame). They belong to an organisation called Open Africa which is trying to help “..link the splendours of Africa in a network of job creating conservation-oriented tourism routes from the Cape to Cairo”. This is a really interesting endeavour that I want to stay close to. (http://www.openafrica.org/)
We tried to buy some fuel - to no avail. We had been warned, but thought it was worth a bash to be on the safe side. One more stop at Shoprite to restock on some essentials and guess what – I got a bloody puncture in the parking lot. The only puncture on a trip of this nature and it’s in a shopping centre parking area – go figure!! With George and Dave’s help, it was very quickly resolved and we were off again. Just a short 125 km’s to our Lyangu campsite in the Liuwa Plains National Park. It shouldn’t take too long.

We left Mongu, down a steep road to drive through the “harbour”. There was a collection of boats going nowhere and not much water. But, by all accounts, during the rainy season the whole place is water. The differences between this section and the last were in the softness of the sand and the number of alternate tracks was greater.

Up, down, bump, scrape, up, down, bump, scrape – and so it went on. You start to lose track of time and almost get into a bumpy rhythm that, unless you’re Simon or his trailer - George, you can’t really rush. Around 20 km’s into the journey we just drove onto the Mongfe ferry which seemed to be waiting for us – slightly newer than the last, but just as efficient – and $20.

We then pushed on to Kalabo. This was an epic journey of 61 km’s from the Mutoya camp to Kalabo. It is really difficult for people back home to possibly begin to understand how slowly you can do 61 Km’s. It took us 3 hours – and 40Km’s of that was tar!!!

Kalabo is a really clean little town, with the appearance of, almost, a ghost town. Very few people, empty buildings and not much happening. After a little detour in the town, we paid our fees for the Park and hopped onto the Kalabo Pontoon. This was much more rustic and pleasurable - no diesel, just a rope pulled by the owner and the passengers. This only cost $10 – and covered the return trip. It took two vehicles across at a time river. While some (one) of us took photographs others helped propel the pontoon across and we were on the final leg.

The roads didn’t improve after the last leg, but we didn’t mind this. There wasn’t supposed to be a road. Tracks that are supposed to be tracks are easier to traverse than tracks that are supposed to be a road. Work that one out!! Now only 15 km’s to our Lyangu campsite in the reserve, stopping for a light lunch just inside the park.

We arrived there just after 15:00. This day’s total journey of 125 km’s took us 8 hours, including stops!!

This was probably some of the hardest driving that I have ever done. Not in terms of technicality, but in terms of sheer concentration and time. Women who are even moderately endowed would have found this stretch very uncomforatble. This was borne out by our one female traveller. I think I might have mentioned it, but I love my vehicle. It performed like a dream, only occasionally plowing the middelmannetjie. A word of caution to those drivers with the "soft" bumpers - like the standard Prados, LC 200's, Pajeros etc, I have an idea that they might have been damaged on this trail. With the proximity of the lumps in the road you started to achieve a rocking motion when you picked up speed. This ended up with the my bash plate on the ARB winch bar occasionally picking up debris. Without it I might have had an issue.

I’m dying to give you my observations on the trip and on Zambia, but have decided that I’ll wait until after the full account of the trip. In this way I won’t be tempted to go off on a tangent.