Traversing Zambia

6 – 11 April
Zambezi  Zone – Lilongwe to Lusaka
Wednesday: 152km – Lilongwe to Mama Rula’s camp (Crossed Border)
Thursday: 177km – to Zulu Kraal
Friday: 141km – To School camp
Saturday: 148km – to Jehovah school camp
Sunday: 104km – to Lusaka
Monday: Rest day in Lusaka

So Zambia is really hilly - Rolling hills all the way to Lusaka. It probably makes the day far more interesting, but so much more challenging for me.  On Saturday we, the five South Africans (well originally – Ryan made Ireland his home a few years ago, Andre just returned from working in the Cayman Islands for 5 years, Peter, the wildcat, is an Australian Crocodile Dundee, who moved to SA in 1973 and Deon and me – well we left SA only for 2 years to live in Ghana as expats) met up with the “Three Farmers and a Greek”, 4 men travelling from Cape Town to Cairo on their motorcycles. 

The day actually needed a lot of organizing from Theresa. We all cycled together from the morning, although we never do as Peter and Ryan are normally in the front. Theresa was in contact with the four bikers all day to find out where they were and a few kilometres after lunch we caught up with them. Us five silent moving cyclists with our skinny, Lycra cycling tights with the four burly South-African men on their big machines. We shared some stories of what to expect on the upcoming routes and took some photos. Then they were off on their motorbikes, making a loud noise and like thunder they went off and you could see the envy in the eyes of the guys. Well for a few minutes and off we went again, pedalling softly on our journey to Cape Town.

Lusaka is a very nice city. It is described as “dull” in the Lonely Planet. But it was actually enjoyable to cycle into a clean, tidy city for a change. We even went to see a movie in the Arcade Mall.


12 – 16 April
Lusaka to Livingston
Tuesday: 158km to Oasis camp
Wednesday: 182km to Ruze Chalets
Thursday: 151km to Vic Falls
Friday and Saturday: Rest days at the Vic Falls

From Lusaka the roads are very flat. So it looks like it is going to be like this all the way to Windhoek. The landscape changed again from luscious forest to more open bush lands.  In Livingston we are staying here at the Waterfront Chalets. It is amazing and right on the Zambezi River.  Yesterday morning we went canoeing for the morning down the River. This time of year after the rain season, the river is very full. So the white water rafting is not done, because of the high level of water. We canoed over the rapids and it was only little movements in the water. We were put in the water in 2 person inflatable canoes, 30min’s drive from our Hotel. Then we drifted down the river for 15km’s. Our morning was blessed with a group of elephants on the banks of the river, lying against the bank and rolling in the sand. In the afternoon we visited the falls. We were sprayed with water and  got completely wet! It was amazing, something like 500 mil litres of water flow over the falls per minute!